Celebration for Finding the Sheep - Luke 15:6

The beloved physician Luke wrote about Jesus, “Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receives sinners, and eats with them. And he spoke this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having a 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? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing”, and in chapter fifteen and verse six of his book Luke wrote how Jesus said when the shepherd, “comes home, he calls together his friend and neighbors” where we read:

And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

The verse reads, “And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, ...” Luke began with the words, “and when” or “and at the time and moment” “he comes home” which means “the person who finds his lost sheep arises, appears and returns to his dwelling place, habitation and abode”, “he calls together his friends” or “the person who found his lost sheep beckons, assembles and convokes his associates and companions” “and neighbors” which refers to “the person's neighbor as adjoining one's ground”, “saying unto them” or “uttering, declaring and proclaiming to their friends and neighbors” the following words. Luke shared how Jesus said the person who “finds” their “lost sheep” would assemble their “friends and neighbors” when he returns “home”, and he proclaims the following words to them.

The verse continues, “... Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.” Luke added the words, “rejoice with me” or “congratulate or sympathize in gladness alongside the person who found their lost sheep”; “for I have found my sheep” which means “because, since and on account that I, the person, have discovered and come upon the person's lost four footed, tame animal accustomed to graze” “which was lost” or “that was gone astray and put out of the way entirely”. Luke shared how Jesus said the person who found their sheep told his guest to “rejoice” with him because He “found” his “sheep” that “was lost”.

When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we can relate to the “happy moment” when we have “found” something we lost. This person was so happy to find their “lost sheep” that they held a party to celebrate finding it. We shall discover all of Heaven rejoices over the “salvation” or “finding” of one lost sinner, and because God loves people so much, He sent His Son Jesus to die for their sins. He pursues them like this person searching for their lost sheep, and those who are wise will allow themselves to be “found” and notice how the celebration in Heaven begins.

Next time Luke shares how Jesus says, “likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repents”, 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. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".