The parable of the lost sheep

Normally I am awake by 7:00 but this morning, my hubby woke me just before 9:00. I’m supposed to take meds an hour before that and was very sound asleep, so much so that I felt like I needed to be carried to the kitchen for my pills and carried throughout that day. Because of little energy to the point of helplessness, I was ready to see something precious in this parable:

“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.’ So he told them this parable: ‘What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.’” (Luke 15:1–7)

The devotional writer echoed how I responded. I pictured the sheep lying across the shoulders of Jesus, the good shepherd. He is holding its four legs securely in His strong hands. The sheep is relaxed, not fighting. All the weight and burden of being a lost sheep is on the Shepherd’s shoulders and the sheep is secure in the Shepherd’s care. He has nothing to fear and nothing to do — but rest:

“The LORD your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness, where you have seen how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way that you went until you came to this place.” (Deuteronomy 1:30–31)

How does this happen? Most animals would struggle and try to free themselves from this lofty place and from the grasp of their captor. Not this animal, because Jesus said:

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (John 10:27–29)

Trusting Jesus puts me in a place of rest, not of fear or struggle. He is the Savior, and I am content to be saved by Him. Besides, nothing can hurt me for whatever comes at me must first tackle with the One who holds me. He cares for me so I can look forward to each day knowing that my great, all-sufficient Shepherd is rejoicing as He brings me home.

^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, I love the next delightful thought added by the devotional writer. He notes that because of those who are ‘saved sheep,’ our Good Shepherd experiences joy, the joy that sustained Him as He died for our sin — “the joy set before Him” (Hebrews 12:2). Like the shepherd in the parable, You rejoice in the salvation of sinners, in my salvation. You are smiling as I rest on Your powerful shoulders. Even in my sleepy state, I realize that this rest in You is far better than a good, long sleep (and certainly better than being a lost sheep)!

 (Link to a photo)

God’s Awesome Redemptive Power

A skeptic challenged a child who believes in Jesus. The little girl told him that Jesus said no one could snatch a Christian out of His Father’s hand. The skeptic retorted, “But what if you jump out?” She replied, “But I cannot; I am one of His fingers!”

For me, assurance of salvation sometimes wavered when I took my eyes off Jesus and evaluated my status with God by my performance, but that little girl is correct; our salvation is secure. Who we are is not about our performance or anything else but the solid promises of God. It is as Jesus said . . .

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (John 10:27–29)

Today’s devotional reading offers seven reasons why the sheep who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ will never perish. I must add one more to that list: eternal life is eternal. If it only lasted as long as I behaved myself, then I didn’t have eternal life in the first place!

Besides that, another obvious reality is this: if God says I will never perish, this is God talking. He will keep this promise; otherwise none of His promises could be believed.

This leads to the second reason; keeping His promises is vital to who He is. He made a covenant, declared His purposes in saving souls for Himself, and declared that Jesus Christ would do it. If that did not happen, His plans would be frustrated. If that could happen, then evil and human folly would be stronger that Almighty God.

Third, what Christ purchased with His blood belongs to Him. Otherwise His redemptive work would be worthless. Why bear our iniquities in a crushing grief if it would not accomplish what He wanted it to do? 

“Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.” (Isaiah 53:10–11)

On the same line, the grace that justifies believers is irreversible — or it makes no sense at all. How can God say “You are forgiven because of my Son” and then turn around and say, ‘sorry, it didn’t work out’? Grace is either based on the character of God, or it is nonsense that has no foundation.

That grace is never defeated. As Paul wrote, “I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)

God is not God if He cannot finish what He started. And by the way, the starting was not based on my performance so how can the finish depend on what I do, or fail to do? My life is in His hands. What He wants from me, His grace will produce!

The next reason is that Jesus Christ lives forever to intercede for me. If I fall away, it would mean that God the Father stopped answering the prayers of God the Son. That is unthinkable. My eternal salvation is secured because Jesus is my eternal intercessor . . .

“Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25)

The last reason listed (although there are more) is that God has sealed me and every believer until the day of redemption. Can any human activity break that seal? Not even the power of Satan is strong enough to separate me from the love of God! I am secure in Jesus Christ.

“In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13–14)

Jesus, You died to set me free; You live to keep me that way. The Holy Spirit is Your ‘down-payment’ to insure I will possess an eternal inheritance, one given to me now and that cannot be taken away, given back, changed, or ruined. All of this is true because You are the Savior. I cannot and never have been able to save myself. Because of the awful power of sin, even the desire to be saved is from You. This means that from beginning until the glory of eternity where there is no end, I am Yours — now and forevermore. I praise Your holy name and rejoice in the security of Your awesome redemptive power.

Changing your mind?

In the mid-nineties, I was at a conference where the worship leader had us sing, “Anywhere with Jesus . . .” When the song was finished, he pumped up the crowd with the words of the song. He added, “Anywhere?” several times, getting positive responses, and then said, “Well, I’m so glad, so now those in the back rows can now come up and fill these rows in the front.”

It was funny and fun, but I remembered this because of the many times I’ve felt reluctant to go anywhere, even if it seemed Jesus was asking me. It still happens. This week He has been tugging at me to get involved in several things that I am not eager about. But He already knows what I will do.

This happened to the disciples. They were with Jesus as He talked to the crowds about a greater commitment. Although He was using a figure of speech, He described that commitment as “eating His flesh and drinking His blood” which seems to me as an invitation to live relying on Him totally and for everything.

When many of his disciples heard it, it appeared they misunderstood Him as the crowd had done. They responded, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?”

But Jesus knew they were grumbling about this, so He said to them, “Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.”

He was fully aware that from the beginning some did not believe. He also knew who it was who would betray him. (John 6:60–64)

At this, many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?”

My study tools say that in the original language this question is one of those where a negative answer is expected. That is, Jesus knew they would say no, and stay, at least eleven of them would. This was confirmed as Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:66–69)

Jesus is God. He knows all about everything. My life and the best use of my life are not a mystery to Him. If I say no, that would be foolish for it would be telling the God of the universe that I am wiser than He is. I need to obey, not listen to my fears or foolishly think my plans are better.

That said, I did try to “go away” one time. I had become disillusioned and felt as if being a Christian was much too hard so planned to quit the whole thing. As I recall, that lasted a very short time. I made that decision (my heart felt black and dead), stumbled from the room I was in, and picked up a book off a shelf on my way out the door. In the book, I read a couple of lines that turned the lights back on. Suddenly, I was back where I needed to be, determined to follow Jesus. He would not let me go.

For those whose Christian lives are an enormous challenge, I can only say to stop trying so hard. We cannot save ourselves and we cannot keep ourselves. The church at Galatia was trying to do this when Paul asked them, “Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:2–3)

Abide in Jesus. He does let some ‘followers’ go because they do not truly believe, but of those who truly believe, He says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (John 10:27–29) 

Amazing Security

This week in our neighborhood a child was molested. He got off a bus, was followed by a man who also got off the bus and then nabbed and took him to a nearby field. A truck driver heard the child’s cries. Without hesitation, he ran to help, chased the man several blocks and pinned him to the ground. A witness called the police and the molester was arrested.

We live in an area where the crime rate is low. No doubt this event has shaken the sense of security for many. For me and for many others, especially women and mothers, security is an important issue. I’m truly thankful that God promises to care for me and keep me from anything He does not want me to experience.

He even offers more security than His care for this life. For those who believe in Him, God also promises eternal security. That means that I am His child now, and also His child forever. My devotional reading today reminds me of this.

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. (John 6:37)

God does not toss anyone away who comes to Him, not in the beginning of their Christian life, not in the middle, not at the end. Yet even with this amazing promise, some might wonder, “What if. . . .”

But what if I simply lose interest and turn away? What if the world becomes more appealing than living for God? It does happen. Does that mean God will let me go?

No, even if I drifted away, God is not going to boot me out of His family. He says, “Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings” (Jeremiah 3:22, NKJV). His love continually calls me and like the prodigal, when I come back I am welcomed with open arms and restoration.

But what if temptations after temptations lure me? What if their power is too great for me? If I slide into sin, will God give up on me? Not at all. First, He has provided for that possibility. He says, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Yet what if I sin? What if I don’t take that way of escape? What if I sin big time? His Word answers that concern: “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1).

If I fall into sin, even serious sin as David did, I have the promises of God that give me a way out through His forgiveness. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Because I know this is true, I can say along with David, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7).

Spurgeon writes, “Once in Christ, in Christ forever, nothing from his love can sever.” He knew what I also know. Eternal life is just that: eternal. It means nothing can sever me from my life in Christ and my relationship with God through faith in Him. Jesus said, 

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. (John 10:27–29)

I know this is true. I also know that I cannot jump out of His hand, for as a child once said, I am one of His fingers.

*************

What a precious truth, O God. When You drew me to Christ, it wasn’t just for a short time, but forever. You gave me the Holy Spirit who removes that spirit of fear, bondage and insecurity and replaces it with the spirit of adoption. I can call you Abba, Father, my eternal Father. Thank You for the wonder and the security that You will never cast me out of Your forever family.