Lost Sheep: Parable of
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The Parable of the Lost Sheep is a poignant teaching of Jesus Christ, illustrating God's profound love and relentless pursuit of sinners. This parable is found in the Synoptic Gospels, specifically in Matthew 18:12-14 and Luke 15:3-7. It serves as a powerful metaphor for God's grace and the joy in heaven over the repentance of a sinner.

Context and Setting

In the Gospel of Matthew, the parable is situated within a discourse on humility and care for the "little ones," emphasizing the value of each individual in the kingdom of heaven. In Luke, it is part of a trilogy of parables, including the Lost Coin and the Prodigal Son, which collectively underscore God's joy in the redemption of the lost.

Textual Analysis

In Matthew 18:12-14 (BSB), Jesus asks, "What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go to look for the one that is lost?" This rhetorical question highlights the shepherd's dedication to each sheep, reflecting God's personal concern for every soul.

Luke 15:4-7 (BSB) presents a similar narrative: "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?" The shepherd's actions demonstrate the lengths to which God will go to reclaim those who have strayed.

Theological Significance

The parable underscores several key theological themes:

1. God's Love and Mercy: The shepherd's willingness to leave the ninety-nine to find the one lost sheep illustrates God's boundless love and mercy. It emphasizes that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace.

2. Individual Worth: Each sheep holds intrinsic value, symbolizing the worth of every individual to God. This challenges believers to recognize the importance of every person, regardless of their spiritual state.

3. Repentance and Joy: The parable concludes with the shepherd rejoicing upon finding the lost sheep, mirroring the joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. Luke 15:7 (BSB) states, "I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent."

4. Mission of Jesus: The parable reflects Jesus' mission to seek and save the lost, as He declares in Luke 19:10 (BSB), "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." It serves as a call to His followers to participate in this mission of reconciliation.

Practical Implications

For believers, the Parable of the Lost Sheep is a call to emulate the shepherd's compassion and diligence. It encourages Christians to reach out to those who have strayed from the faith, offering love and guidance back to the fold. It also serves as a reminder of the joy and celebration that accompany the return of a lost soul to God.

In summary, the Parable of the Lost Sheep is a profound illustration of God's unwavering love and the value He places on each individual. It challenges believers to reflect this divine love in their own lives, seeking out the lost and rejoicing in their return to the fold.
Nave's Topical Index
Matthew 18:12,13
How think you? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, does he not leave the ninety and nine, and goes into the mountains, and seeks that which is gone astray?
Nave's Topical Index

Luke 15:4-7
What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, does not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The Parable of the Lost Sheep
... The Parable of the Lost Sheep. A Sermon (No.1801). Delivered on Lord's-Day Morning,
September 28th, 1884, by. CH SPURGEON,. At the Metropolitan ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 30 1884/the parable of the lost.htm

The Whole Number of Spiritual Sheep; Man a Second Choir, after the ...
... Chapter VI."The Whole Number of Spiritual Sheep; Man a Second Choir, After the Angels,
to the Praise of God; The Parable of the Lost Sheep Explained. ...
/.../chapter vi the whole number of.htm

The Lost Sheep and the Seeking Shepherd
... Perhaps our Lord repeated the parable more than once. ... The most prosaic shepherd looks
for lost sheep, and everybody has peculiar joy over lost things found. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/the lost sheep and the.htm

The Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Prodigal Son.
... The parable of the lost sheep is introduced by the phrase, "And he spake this parable,"
([Greek: eipe de ten parabolen]), and that of the prodigal by the ...
/.../arnot/the parables of our lord/the lost sheep the lost.htm

The Lost Sheep.
... And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred
sheep, if he ... in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he ...
//christianbookshelf.org/arnot/the parables of our lord/xxii the lost sheep.htm

The Three Parables of the Gospel: of the Recovery of the Lost - of ...
... These concern the lost, their restoration, and its results. 1. The Parable
of the Lost Sheep. - At the outset we remark that this ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xvii the three parables.htm

The Lost Coin.
... is the Church which seeks the lost, while in the preceding parable it is ... Church,
he must also maintain that the shepherd seeking the lost sheep represents the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/arnot/the parables of our lord/xxiii the lost coin.htm

Ciii. Zacch??us. Parable of the Pounds. Journey to Jerusalem.
... He was one of the "lost sheep," the very class to which Jesus was sent.] 11 And
as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/ciii zacchaeus parable of the.htm

A Sort of Sorites, as the Logicians Call It, to Show that the ...
... of neither parable has anything whatever to do with him [4771] to whom belongs neither
the sheep nor the piece of silver, that is to say, man. For he lost him ...
/.../tertullian/the five books against marcion/chapter xxxii a sort of sorites.htm

Second Great Group of Parables.
... (Probably in Per??a.) Subdivision B. Parable of the Lost Sheep. ^C Luke 15:3-7.
^c 3 And he spake unto them this parable [Jesus had spoken this parable before. ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xcii second great group of 2.htm

Resources
What does it mean to be spiritually lost? | GotQuestions.org

What is the meaning of the Parables of the Lost Sheep and Lost Coin? | GotQuestions.org

What happened to the lost tribes of Israel? | GotQuestions.org

Lost: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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Lost

Lost Christians

Lost Salvation

Lost Sheep: Parable of

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Lost Sheep
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