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November 24, 2021 2:00 am
Jesus told a story about a lost sheep and a loving shepherd who pursued it relentlessly. In the message "The Worst People in the Best Place," Skip explores the kind of shepherd that Jesus is to you.
This teaching is from the series Now Streaming.
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This story teaches us something about ourselves were lost. Story also teaches us something about our God. God loves lost people. God loves wandering sheep. Jesus had a personal mission statement in Luke chapter 19 verse 10 this is what he said about himself. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was Jesus coming to earth was a rescue mission to save us from our sins and from the enemy's clutches today on connect with Skip Heitzig Skip reveals comforting insight about Jesus tender care for first reading the stories of the Bible is a very good thing. Walking where the stories took place is at a whole another level. Skip Heitzig is planning his next two and you can be on it. Here's the invitation from Skip urine for an incredible time as we travel throughout Israel and experience the culture that's so unique to that country.
Now I've been to Israel a number of times over the years and I can honestly say that visiting the places where the events of the Scriptures unfolded where Jesus lived taught and healed. It just never gets old will start on the Mediterranean Sea and head north.
Seeing places like Caesarea and Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River will spend several days in and around Jerusalem and see the temple mount Calvary, the garden of Gethsemane and the Mount of olives and much more.
This remarkable itinerary is made richer with times of worship, Bible study, and lots of fellowship. The Bible will come alive to you in a way it never has before. I hope you'll join Lenny and me on what is always an unforgettable trip. I can't wait to see you in Israel. This dream can come true for you.
Start planning and saving out to tour Israel with Skip Heitzig information@inspirationcruises.com/CAB Q that's inspiration cruises.com/see ABQ chapter 15 as we got into our study with Skip work. There are a hallway is a word that means hard to place something besides something else or to throw something next to something else.
So the idea in using the parable is time to throw something unknown next to something known to take something you know about a situation like shepherd and sheep.
In those days and I many years that which you know to teach you something you don't know I'm in a place something a spiritual truth next to something that you know to bring it into your heart. So this brings us to a very important question, since Jesus spoke so much in parables.
Why did he do it over the reasons Jesus spoke in the stores. Three reasons number one to appeal to appeal to people stories are appealing to people. I see it from right where I stand. Whenever I cover some spiritual truths I get into the theological weeds. I noticed people drifting off glazing over the goodies talk about justification as I gets a little deep and II can lose people.
I can see.
But if I say let me tell you a story about what happened to me yesterday and what my wife said to me you'll perk up. I'm interested in, and that's good I'm that's what speakers do they use stories to draw you in, because they are appealing, and the truth can be appealing. That was something of a parable as an earthly story with a heavenly meaning, and that the ideas you can hear the story and the truth is gonna stick to be memorable and it's just a good way of teaching you know Jesus could have said the name of my sermon today is so teary logical implications of the avian species and man's faith and you lose everybody are he could say, behold, the birds of the air, they neither toil nor stand, nor gather into barns, but your heavenly Father feeds.
Now you've got. And he was a master at that. So he did it to appeal is the second reason he got in parables not only just to appeal, but to reveal to take people who are interested in spiritual truths and reveal deeper truths to them about the kingdom of God. So he said to his disciples in Matthew 13 it is been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God.
So he took the visible world and with that he revealed to them the invisible world. He put something next to something they knew and people were drawn into it.
They understood deeper so it's to appeal is to reveal but there's 1/3 reason Jesus spoke in the stories, not just to appeal not just to reveal but in some cases to actually Conseil to hide the truth from certain people because you see, our Lord understood that when he spoke to an audience not everybody in the audience was kingdom minded not everybody was wanting deeper spiritual truths. Some people were listening to trap Jesus in his words to spin what he said to twist what he said and he did it. One of his actions and the accusations they had about him is this man said he's going to destroy the temple in three days.
It's not what he said he was speaking about his own body, but they twisted and so Jesus would give us story a parable and those who are seeking a deeper revelation later not spiritually minded they would go. I was a cool story but I don't get it. I don't know what that means. And Jesus even said that was one of his reasons. Matthew 13 after telling them I am to give you limited reveal to you the mysteries of the kingdom. He said I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand for the hearts of this people have grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing in their eyes they have closed less, they should hear with their ears and see with their eyes and turn and I would heal them.
So think of a parable, like a political cartoon if you read a political cartoon if you read a cartoon about a Congressman or the president and you read it in or near newspaper. You laugh, you'll get it somebody from another country reads one of our political cartoons will make any sense to go okay to keep drawing but I don't get it. Why because they're not a citizen of this country. If you're not a citizen of the kingdom of God.
The parables of Jesus are like political cartoons, you won't really get the import of, but if you are seeking him. It will appeal to you and it will reveal to you the truth if if you're not a citizen. It might appeal to you, but it will conceal from you the truth that's his style so we have is the spectators. The skeptics and the style pellets get into the story itself and it's a short one only a few verses, verse four, five and six. It is what man of you having 100 sheep if he loses one of them does not leave the 99 in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost when he finds it, and when he has found it. He lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing when he comes home. He calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.
Now in this short little story, Jesus invites his audience into a typical rural setting when they were familiar with the shepherd with sheep.
Here's the funny part shepherds in Jesus day were like at the bottom of the social ladder so okay the very bottom of the social ladder with the sinners.
The nonreligious riffraff just above the sinners with the tax collectors. The traders she asked about the tax collectors with the shepherds. They were at the low echelon of the social totem pole. Now that's interesting because you go back to the Old Testament or some pretty notable godly figures were shepherds like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David Oliver shepherds the Sheep but by the time the New Testament rolls around Judaism has become so elite in its religiosity, that these Pharisees actually despise look down on these people of the land. These commoners who were shepherds so it's funny that up for Jesus to get these snobby religious people to imagine themselves as a shepherd was insulted, which makes me love Jesus even more that these insulting but it is like a really you religious knobs wealth which of you having the sheep in the neurosurgery. I wouldn't have anything to do without occupation, but he uses that as an example. Now to the store and losing the sheep was serious for a couple of reasons. If you lose the sheep. The sheep could get eaten easily by a predator.
One thing that sheep is not it's not a predator there's no such thing as an attack sheep have you ever seen a sign on offenses is beware of sheep. Nobody cares so. Another name for sheep is called lunch right it's dinner it's in hors d'oeuvre of your big enough piece so if you lose a sheep.
The sheep encounters any other species evolving into getting or like we mentioned a few weeks ago he gets turned over gets casts legs get up in the air get stock you have to find it and roll it back on its feet or it will die. Circulation will be cut off, it will get asphyxiated. It will die.
So shepherds if they lost a sheep they themselves were responsible for the sheep of the sheep is missing. They have to pay for it out of their pocket or they have to provide proof that it's been eaten by predators forget to bring back in here or ability stop or something to show the owner. This would happen here, sheep then he's off the hook. This explains why the shepherd is willing to leave the 99 sheep with other shepherds and go look for the one lost sheep if he doesn't find the sheep's money out of his pocket to stain on his record. This is a parable so they know about sheep and shepherds. Everybody sees him out on the in the pastors so that's known that's visible. Jesus is taking an invisible truth and placing it next to it so it's to teach a spiritual lesson.
The parable of the story tells us a few things it tells us about ourselves, we are lost we are lost. All we like sheep have gone astray.
Isaiah's all we like sheep. There is none who does good, no not one. They have all turned aside so the story teaches us something about ourselves were lost. The story also teaches us something about our God. God loves lost people.
God loves wandering sheep. Jesus had a personal mission statement in Luke chapter 19 verse 10 this is what he said about himself. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. So if you were to have met Jesus and say so why are you here anyway he would say back to you. The Son of Man has come to see and to save that which was lost. That's why I'm here. That is my mission statement so tells us something about ourselves, tells us something about God.
The parable also tells us something about God's ways.
You see the shepherds behavior is very similar to God's behavior. First of all in the pursuit he searching for that and and is not stop till he finds it so he searching for the sheep. There's no indication that the law sheep is looking for the shepherd and get that Mr. and a wife. Sheep never look for shepherds that that's the sheep does one thing and the story he gets lost 20s good at his job description. Time sheep. What I do I get lost really mean that if you know anything about sheep that's true. I've had numerous conversation was shepherd so is unlikely she gets lost and finally achieve everything shepherd. I'm really looking for the shepherd, I gotta get back home there'll do that now looking for directions. He is gotten lost. This is all about the pursuit and this is important because people say and I'm searching for God. I want a question I want to find God in a good question as to what unity when you find him, but typically I say actually you're not searching for God no, I am searching for God.
I'm I'm on a fine.well.isn't lost. You are in. The truth is God is the one searching for you and if you feel like you're searching for God. It only proves that that's got it working your heart drawing you to himself and proves that he is been looking you. That's something God is doing.
You need to respond about. So it shows us his pursuit something else tells us about God's ways, not just the pursuit, but the pity that the shepherd feels he sees the sheep and he finds that she and what is it with the sheep picks it up, picks it up. Place shoulders and say okay cannot.
Okay now the trouble help you little bit now come on, follow me. You want this far, you're walking back, back, he doesn't why because the sheep is probably tuckered out probably has no strength completely tired and and and racked and so the shepherd picks up the sheep, lays it on his shoulders. Now that's that's monumental because an adult sheep and say lamb it's a sheep in a dull cheap ways. At least if not more than 100 pounds is like his two or three sheep under his arm. Walking back home. He this very deliberate to pick it up and place that really worn creature without any strength on his shoulders to bear him back to the fold shows us his pity and it is so like God. Romans chapter 5 when we were without strength.
That is when we were utterly helpless in due time Christ died for us so it tells us about God's ways, his pursuit is petty but also the party that he throws he says in verse six we comes back on tells all his neighbors and friends, rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.
Obviously this shepherd think this is a big deal.
So much so I got a call everybody in the neighborhood together for a party. So that's the spectators the skeptics the style on the story I want to leave you now with verse seven which is the significance here. Here's the take away from Jesus.
Here's the bottom line verse seven. I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 just persons who need no repentance. You know that heaven's anthem will be over the joy of repentant sinners. That's was going to fill the halls of heaven. The joy of repentant sinners. I gotta tell you this because I think you really get the your grasp of the improvement. It's a beautiful verse, verse seven, but it's more beautiful when you understand that when Jesus uttered verse seven probably the scribes and most definitely the Pharisees when they heard verse seven said that he just say that the fetus it is more joy in heaven over one sinner that repents the reason they did is because the Pharisees had their own saying and it was well known. The Pharisees said there will be joy in heaven over one sinner who is obliterated before God.
That's why Jesus said verse seven, because the Pharisees said you know why these people are lost through going to hell. I'm glad their loss.
I don't care for go to hell just get them away from me obliterate them Jesus that there's joy in heaven when one sinner repents. That's why they were shocked fact, Matthew 21 Jesus said talk about shocking.
Assuredly, I say and do you the tax collectors and harlots will enter the kingdom of God before you see the joy in heaven is not to be that the good people are in the good plays the joy of heaven is may be that the worst people have been taken to the good place because they are lost.
But they have been found by the shepherd and they have repented and I do want you to see this because it's mentioned three times in the text.
And that's the idea of joy look in verse five when he is found it finds that sheep he lays it on his shoulder. What is he do rejoicing, rejoicing, and I thought about that you find the shepherd and I find the stupid sheep. The runaway, I gotta go find that dumb thing and I find that thing there is turned over her half eaten the dude you dump sheep. Now I'm in a take it up hundred pound man. Can you help me thanks from his work and now I'm in a be complaining all the way home. Stupid anyway so Marcin this he ran away and this is hard, I'd be grumbling and complaining that this shepherd. The shepherd is rejoicing.
Got my sheep on the way home and then in verse six is joyous and contained to himself. He wants to spread around becomes own closest friends and neighbors and they rejoice with me the right and why should I be spears obviously really stoked right now. Why, I found my sheep which was lost so that the second user rejoicing in verse seven I save you.
Likewise, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents over 99 just persons who need no repentance. Go down verse 10, even though it's attached to another parable. Verse 10. Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who do you realize that one of God's most overlooked attributes is his joy. Most people don't think of God's joyful view – the average person. What's godlike. What's his emotional makeup like his emotional intelligence was to attack.
I got kinda mad. I think I picture God's kind arms folded, frowning at people not joyful and there's an element of truth that the Bible does say God is angry with the wicked every day, but his anger is directed at the lies the key people from the truth, and the lies the key people from his forgiveness and his joy.
God is full of joy and love and compassion and forgiveness.
CS Lewis wrote many great things in a letter to a friend said joy is the serious business of heaven.
Joy is the serious business of heaven will believe me on your own glory. Revelation 4 and five. There's a lot of joy there's a lot of celebration there's a lot of anthem going on in heaven. Isaiah 65 God said, I will joy in my people.
Zephaniah chapter 3 he will joy over you with singing and I want to close by making verse six and invitation of God to you. Verse six says we comes home he calls his friends together. Think of yourself as friends of God because your part of the kingdom endeavor and he says to them, rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost. Consider God saying to you, rejoice with me.
Rejoice with. How do you feel when you get to lead a person to Christ. If you've ever had the experience of praying with another person to receive Christ you know. Luckily for going out that I was all right but not I really I just would rather just I'm hungry. I was in the lunch they whatever know big you can you are. I may, I can speak for you. I'm defense though. I got to lead a person to the threshold of heaven. I'm filled with joy. How do you feel when you bring somebody to church and there's an altar call may walk forward.
I know you feel you do this class. You are so stoked your joyful. How will you feel when you get to heaven, and people say I'm here because of joyful joyful so Jesus said in another parable you've been faithful in a few things and make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord God is inviting you into his joy is that drafts of Skip trace its message from the series now screen right now to share about a resource that will deepen your knowledge of God's word even more like Sean McDowell said about the tactics.
This is the book waiting for. I enthusiastically recommend tactics Skip right thing to comment on how Jesus still count for truth we might think that Jesus never raised his voice that he would never call anybody out.
However, there was a side of Jesus that was contentious.
The Jesus that took tables in the temple, and overturned them and took out a whip and throw people out of the temple that Jesus went to defend the gospel and guard against false teachings with paint for the house. I think message series to the continued with typing this teaching series on the Bible teaching ministry $35 or more. Today the book by Gregory Coble called tactics during team plan for communicating the truth about Christianity with confidence and grace to give this a connect.com or call 819 team team. Now we want to let you know how you can stay updated on the latest from this ministry and from Skip get encouragement from Skip and important announcements on social media. Just follow Skip on Facebook twitter that's at Skip Heitzig at Skip HEI to CIG today and tomorrow is Skip Heitzig to share some lessons from the apostle Paul in excel and thrive is so Skip Heitzig presentation of connection communications to God's never changing truth ever-changing time