Finding the Sheep - Luke 15:5

The beloved physician Luke wrote concerning 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 in chapter fifteen and verse five of his book Luke wrote how Jesus said when the shepherd, “found it, he lays it on his shoulders” where we read:

And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

The verse reads, “And when he has found it, ...” Luke began with the words, “and when” or “and at the time and moment” “he has found it” which means “the person who lost the one sheep comes upon and discovers the sheep”. Luke shared how Jesus began to make a statement concerning the time when the person “finds” their lost sheep.

The verse goes on to say, “... he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.” Luke continued with the words, “he lays it” or “the person who lost the sheep places and sets the sheep” “on his shoulders” which means “upon the person's shoulders of their body”, “rejoicing” or “being exceeding glad, thriving and happy”. Luke shared how Jesus the person who finds their lost sheep puts the sheep on their “shoulders” and is very happy and glad.

When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the person who finds their “lost sheep” not only places the “sheep” on their “shoulders”, but also “rejoices” because they found it. This is a picture of the way the “Great Shepherd” God pursues “lost people” in the world. He wants every person to have a personal relationship with Him through His Son Jesus, and when they yield their lives to Him, He “carries” them and brings them to eternal safety. God loves people, and those who consider the acts of this person who loses their sheep, those who are wise will understand how God is willing to go to the same measures to “find” them.

Next time Luke shares how Jesus says when the shepherd, “comes home, he calls together his friend and neighbors”, 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".