208. The Good Shepherd: ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’

16 October 2021

“Like sheep without a shepherd.”

Numbers 27

15 Moses said to the Lord, 

16 “May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint someone over this community 

17 to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”

Mark 6

34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

Joshua to Succeed Moses

So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership, and lay your hand on him.” Numbers 27:18

From Our Daily Bread

Herd Instinct

By: Mart DeHaan

"Near the village of Gevas in eastern Turkey, while shepherds ate their breakfast, one of their sheep jumped off a 45-foot cliff to its death. Then, as the stunned shepherds looked on, the rest of the flock followed. In all, 1,500 sheep mindlessly stumbled off the cliff. The only good news was that the last 1,000 were cushioned in their fall by the growing woolly pile of those who jumped first. According to The Washington Post, 450 sheep died.

The Bible often refers to human beings as sheep (Ps. 100:3; Isa. 53:6; Matt. 9:36).

Easily distracted and susceptible to group influence, we would rather follow the crowd than the wisdom of the Shepherd.

I’m glad the Bible also describes sheep in a positive way. Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd . . . . My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:14,27).

So the big question for us is: Whom are we following? One another? Self-centered shepherds?

Or the voice and direction of the Good Shepherd?"

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

Then Jesus told them this parable: 

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 

And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 

and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 

I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. Luke 15:3-7

More than 17 years ago, I was lost, going through severe affliction.

I bungled on opportunities. I did damage to myself, inflicted harm on myself. I was bringing death to myself. It was prolonged affliction, spanning about a period of five years.

Then I made an impassioned distress call, wordless, in tears, with groaning. The Good Shepherd did seek me and saved me. He lifted me out from the grave.

Are you lost in severe affliction?

Send the distress call. The Good Shepherd will not turn away an impassioned sigh. I did and He did seek me and saved me. Amen.

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)

""The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

    for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk

    through the darkest valley,

I will fear no evil,

    for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

    they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me

    in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

    my cup overflows.

Surely your goodness and love will follow me

    all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

    forever." (Psalm 23). Lord, I praise You, in Jesus' name. Amen.

6 February 2018"

May you be blessed with God's Word.

Maraming salamat.