Weekend Word by Vonda Armstrong

Luke 15:4-5 King James Version (KJV)

What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

When I was a young girl growing up in Heflin, Alabama, I remember hearing many bible stories in Sunday School.

Jesus taught in stories or parables. Have you ever wondered why? I have, so I looked for the answer and found it.   A parable is basically an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. When Jesus started telling parables to the people, His disciples asked the obvious question, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” (Matthew 13:10)

Jesus Answered!

Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given . And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive, for the heart of this people has grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their heart and turn, so that I should heal them’ (Matthew 13:11,14,15)

The parable of The Lost Sheep is a wonderful story told by Jesus to illustrate the love and compassion that God has for those who are His.

The parable is found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, and is in response to Jesus being criticized and attacked by the religious leaders for “eating with sinners”. I love the part when Jesus stops the crowd and begins to tell a story of how a shepherd left his flock of 99 sheep to go find one lost sheep. 

This parable displays a beautiful meaning of God seeking out the  sinner who is lost  and rejoicing when they are found. We serve a Good Shepherd whose heart is for us to be found, rescued, and renewed.

I am so thankful He found me! Has He found you?

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! You know I always like to leave you with a song so I couldn’t find one more appropriate than the Crabb Family singing “Shephard ‘s Call.”

Until next week, Jesus loves you and so do I!

Vonda

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