Rejoicing More Over the One Lost Sheep - Matthew 18:13

Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus asked His disciples, “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?”, and in chapter eighteen and verse thirteen of his book, Matthew shares how Jesus proclaimed how the shepherd, “rejoices more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine” where we read:

And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you,

he rejoices more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

The verse reads, “And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, ...”. Matthew began with the words, “and if so be” or “and whether or in the case” “that he find it” which means “the shepherd discovers and meets with it after searching”,“verily” or “truly and surely” “I say” which means “Jesus utters, declares and proclaims” “unto you” or “to His disciples”. Matthew shared how Jesus began to tell the reaction of the “shepherd” when he “finds” the lost sheep.

The verse goes on to say, “... he rejoices more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.” Matthew continued with the words, “he rejoices” or “the man or shepherd thrives exceedingly, hails, salutes and greets other with salutations” “more” which means “to a greater amount” “of that sheep” or “pertaining to the tame and small grazing animal”, “than of the ninety and nine” which refers to “than the other ninety and nine sheep that were safe” “which went not astray” or “that did not wander or roam away”. Matthew shared how Jesus said when the “man or shepherd” “finds” his lost “sheep” he “hails, salutes and greets others with salutations” to a greater degree with the one sheep found than the ninety nine left behind.

When we consider Matthew's words in this verse, we see how the shepherd “rejoices” exceedingly when he finds the one lost sheep. The other ninety nine sheep were where they were supposed to be, however, the shepherd “celebrated” over the one that was lost. This implies that God “rejoices exceedingly” over one person who turns to Him, receives His Son as “Savior and Lord” and desires to be “found” by Him. Let all who read these words who feel they are “lost” realize Jesus the Savior and Almighty God is seeking them and desires to “celebrate” when they are “found”.

Next time Matthew shares how Jesus shares how the man, “it is not the will of your Father … that one of these little ones should perish”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.