Have you ever listened to someone telling a story and thought ”wow, this is a great one?” A gifted storyteller could make a long story seem short and make a short one a rich life lesson. Jesus was one of these talented people who, with a short parable, could have everyone’s attention, put opponents back in their places and gain continually amazed followers. The Lost Sheep parable is one of these stories.
Both Matthew and Luke reference this well-known parable. Both use the same basis, which is a man will leave his 99 sheep to go find the one sheep that is lost. Both remind us that Heaven rejoices when the one lost sheep is found. Yet, the context of Matthew is very different from Luke’s. While the former is talking about the greatest in the Kingdom of God and children, the latter is centered about reaching sinners and finding those far away from the Kingdom.
It is easy to rightfully assume that Jesus actually told the same story at least twice, in two different contexts, for two different purposes.
Often, when Jesus teaches a Kingdom principle through a parable, he also explains the meaning at the end, which is the case in both of these. You can read both versions of this parable in Matthew 18:12-14 and Luke 15:1-8.
Here are 14 things we learn about Jesus from this parable of The Lost Sheep.
1. Heaven rejoices when a sinner repents (Luke 15:7)
Jesus’ message of repentance resonated from Earth to Heaven, or what was it the other way around. The fact is that there is delight, happiness, and jubilation for each person far from Him that is found coming back home. This should serve as a reminder of how excited we should be when people come back to God.
2. Jesus loves returns
As Luke mentions it, all of heaven rejoices when the sinner returns to God. Jesus expects a return to God as the complementary action to repentance. The concept is so important to Jesus that he even teaches it again through the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11).
3. Jesus really cares about children
Mathew 18:14 states that clearly: ”it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.” (NLT) Some may have widened the ”little ones” to everyone, yet the term describes children. Even in verse 2, he uses a child to prove his point.
4. Jesus desires children to come to him
He has proven this a few times in his ministry. He does not expect children to wait to know him later in life, but that they actually come back to him sooner!
5. Jesus knows it all starts with youth
Matthew 18 is one long teaching, and it begins with Jesus’ declaration that the greatest in the Kingdom needs to be like a child. He continues to say he doesn’t want any of the little ones to perish. It is remarkable that our Master declares the importance of youth through action and parables.
6. Jesus is all about pursuit
In both parables, the man-owner represents God. Both times, he pursues passionately that sheep who has left the flock until he finds it, and it comes back! From the Garden of Eden when God looked for Adam and Eve to David declaring that God would find him wherever he would be (Psalm 139), God seeks us like the prophet Ezekiel so beautiful writes, ”This is what the Lord God says: I, myself, will search for my sheep and take care of them.” (NCV)
7. Jesus is a good shepherd
The beauty of this parable is that it shows how much the shepherd cares for his sheep. Jesus has said about himself that he is the good shepherd (John 10), David has crafted the most known psalm on it (Psalm 23) and he has used the imagery of shepherding many other times.
8. Jesus is relentless in His pursuit
From the words of both versions, it is revealed that he will ”leave the ninety-nine grazing the hillside and thoroughly search for the one lost lamb” (Matthew 18:12 TPT). Thoroughly search is blatantly declaring the heart of the Good Shepherd.
9. Jesus is joy
”Heaven rejoices” is mentioned in both versions of the story. John even states (15:11) that Jesus wants that His ”joy may be in you”. It is often hard for many to imagine our Lord as joyful.
10. Jesus cares for everyone
Everyone counts for Jesus, from the little ones to the sinners who need repentance; they are all Important to Him, each and every single one of them.
11. Jesus loves the outcast
While teaching on the lost sheep, Jesus uses imagery including some of society’s outcasts like taxpayers, sinners, and children, unlike the Pharisees. Jesus was a man of the people, with the people, for the people.
12. Jesus is action-minded
Proving His love for the outcast and those far from God was all about action, not words. He sat and ate with taxpayers, not just talking about sitting with them. He walked the talk, and he talked the walk as well. As the French proverb says, the lips followed the flip-flops!
13. Jesus is merciful
Mercy is shown when judgment should or could be administered and it is withheld. Many people would agree that a sheep fleeing from the flock could be punished for it, same for a person being far from the Good Shepherd. Jesus declares His mercy is not restrained by our mindless and sinful actions.
14. Jesus is gracious
Grace is an unexpected and undeserved gift of favor. The Lost Sheep parable not only teaches that no judgment is awaiting the returned lost (mercy), but that joy will be lavishly given to all that come back.
As you can see, these few verses allow you to glimpse at Jesus’ character and gain a deeper understanding of the values he held dear to. His passion for people far away from him has inspired songs like ”Reckless Love” from Cory Asbury, which reminds us that His relentless pursuit for us knows no end.
