Friday, October 23, 2009

LITN XV, Verses 1 - 10

1. Jesus' charisma and anointing regularly attracted a wide array of people-types, but at this point in His ministry, an unusually large number of characters of dubious reputation seemed to be surrounding Him all the time. The hated tax collectors, who were friendly with the oppressive Roman government...along with a variety of sinners of scandalous notoriety...were with Him constantly, hanging on to His every word, and hearing Him with apparent comprehension.

2. The self-righteous Pharisees and teachers of the law were shocked by His tolerance of them, and by their obvious mutual familiarity. They whispered among themselves, "This man makes reprobates feel accepted and right at home...He openly socializes with them all the time."

3. So Jesus answered them with this illustration:

4. "Imagine that a shepherd has a hundred fine sheep, and loses one of them. If he's a good shepherd, wouldn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the lost one until he finds it?




5. And when he finds it, wouldn't he joyfully put it on his shoulders?

6. Wouldn't he then bring it home and call his friends and neighbors together and say to them, 'Come celebrate with me...I have found my lost sheep!'

7. The truth is that in the very same way there will be more celebration in the heavenly realm over one transgressor who has a paradigm shift, than over ninety-nine people who think that there is no room for improvement in their own lives, and stay exactly the same as they were.
8. Or let's say a woman has ten silver coins and loses one of them. In that case, doesn't she light a lamp, sweep the whole house, and search it thoroughly until she finds the money?

9. And, just like the shepherd, when she finds it she calls all her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Come celebrate with me...I have found my lost coin!'

10. Just like with the lost sheep, I reiterate, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one rebel who changes his or her mindset."

9 comments:

Northern Light said...

I have always loved this, and see it as a mirror to parenting.

It's the one that is "lost", whether it is by: needing, sick, sad, lying, hurting, stealing, fighting, disappointed, hungry, homeless or in jail, that the parent (shepherd) finds the additional umph (word?) and energy to seek that child out. It isn't in the circumstance or what it looks like to others that matters, it is the love and connection that despite all things, makes you GO & BRING THEM HOME AGAIN.

One by one........that's all we can do, the power of one....that's all we have. It's enough....why don't we do more of it?

There's a Cursillo movement saying that says "Make a friend, Be a friend, Bring a friend to Christ".
That's one at a time...and that's a good way to HIS Kingdom. Especially for that ONE !

Peace ~
Northern Light

Skip said...

I love these stories about found things! Have you ever thought about the fact that after the Shepherd found the lost sheep he took it home with him? He didn't simply put it back with the other sheep but gave it an opportunity to re-imprint on him, to spend some time with him so that the sheep would know His voice.

Skip said...

I love these stories about found things! Have you ever thought about the fact that after the Shepherd found the lost sheep he took it home with him? He didn't simply put it back with the other sheep but gave it an opportunity to re-imprint on him, to spend some time with him so that the sheep would know His voice.

P. Avery said...

v.1...characters of dubious reputation..."hanging on to His every word".

Funny you should mention parenting, NL...

As I read verse 1, its easy to imagine the dubious characters "hanging" on every word. I watched my own son ask a stranger to repeat something so he could hear it again saying "I really need to hear that!" I knew at that moment that I had been sending the negative version of it to him...even just thinking it without saying it. Dang, that was convicting...and I changed my "tune" right then and there. Holy Spirit is the master of creating situations like that...no condemnation, just giving eyes to see and ears to hear...and changing hearts in an instant. You're so loving and cool, HS...help me hear and see EVERYTHING you're trying to get through to me!!

Makes me squirm thinking about that day now...and, no kidding, my wordver is "squermo"...but I know I'm supposed to take that thought captive too...and see myself [I have this painting on my wall!] as the sheep that He had to hold onto a branch to come down the side of a cliff and rescue.

Skip! time "to re-imprint on him"...that speaks to a deep place of truth. I'm reading MkITN right now and I was just noticing that Jesus' explanation of His parables to His disciples was the same kind of thing. Cool.

P. Avery said...

Oh...and v.10...
I like "over one rebel".
Most paraphrases say "sinner"...

Its hard to explain the width and depth that the use of "rebel" adds to this verse...but its definitely there.

Anonymous said...

v 4.. As a child when I heard this story it brought such comfort to know that the Good Shepherd would come find me if I were lost.
Sissiedo

Izumi/JOY said...

I love how v.5 reminds me of Isaiah 9:6. (one fine sheep means enough to God that He places it with government)

karl cobos said...

That's the kind of daddy I want to be, no matter what my son decides!

Had to write about the word ver:
colobs

...because my last name Cobos actually fits in it with an l leftover.

karl said...

oh boy, gotta do it again because
word ver is: havesto
...because I haves to!