Luke 15: 1-5 - "Searching For The Lost"

“I once was lost, but now I’m found.” Luke 15 is the gospel within the gospel. This passage reminds us that God is the one who is searching for the lost.

Jesus is eating with outsiders in this lesson, affiliated with those in great need of social services, the riff raff or people we would not get caught upon. They were people that the society of the day looked down upon, the prostitutes and tax collectors. They are listening to what he has to say and are somehow they are experiencing a presence of God’s grace and mercy in this rabbi.

Now the Pharisees were upset that Jesus was eating with these unclean people, these people who are a LOST CAUSE. The Pharisees kept the 613 laws of Old Testament; this made them feel right with God, for they were lost is keeping the rules.

So Jesus tells the story of the one lost sheep. “Which one of you, have a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and after the one that is lost until he finds it?” This doesn’t make any economic sense. There is no economic gain in risking the 99 for this one! But Jesus says that there is great joy for the one lost sheep than for all 99 who’ve never gone astray.

Have you have ever felt lost? It’s easy to get lost when we think we know where we are going. Men sometimes don’t ask for directions, but really lost. We sometimes get lost in the details; the rules; my plans and what I think life’s about. We get lost in ministry and wondering into areas that are irrelevant and not important in the big picture. When we get lost in all the doing, we can sometimes lose the joy of living.

Do you see yourself as one of the ninety-nine or the one lost? I usually see myself as a part of the 99. I’ve found the light; we like to say when we have experienced conversion moments in our lives. Hey, I’m a pastor. I’m teaching my kids the Lord’s Prayer; it’s a good thing to do and the right thing. But we can get lost in doing the right thing.

Jesus was searching for the lost and the religious establishment was resentful. They didn’t want to be compared to the shepherd, for their work was like the “Dirty Jobs” show on TV.

Jesus was searching for the one lost sheep and for the ninety-nine sheep that were lost and didn’t realize it. The irony is that the ninety-nine sheep didn’t think they were lost. “There is more joy in heaven for one lost sheep than for (mockingly say this) all of you who don’t think you are lost”, as if you are not lost.

What is interesting about the one lost sheep and the ninety-nine is that none of them realized that they were lost. The sheep never came to himself and said, “Hey, I’m lost.” It doesn’t realize it’s lost nor does it attempt to return! They stay lost until the FINDER searches for them; those lost people; wandering aimless with out the joy of the Lord; who have lost that loving feeling. When we lose that which brings us the greatest joy, we are lost.

Remember that there is a God who is searching for you. There is joy for all of us, for we are all like sheep who’ve gone astray. Thank God that God’s spirit is searching for us…

Let us pray, Gracious God, we are walking lost together. Help us to be lost in wonder of love and praise of your mercy, for we are all lost who have gone astray.