12 “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.
I know many families who have been impacted by a daughter or son who has wandered from the faith or perhaps have never found Jesus at all. It is one of the most gut-wrenching, heart-breaking things I have seen families go through because these are decisions with eternal consequences. And here, we see Jesus, still sitting with the same children on His lap that He had yesterday, but He is speaking to the adults around Him. Perhaps He's warning the adults that He values the children; perhaps He's trying to fill the parents' heads with this truth because He knows that some of these children will go through a season where they fall away; or perhaps He is also speaking to the very heart of some of the adults who have wandered away. Regardless, His point is made: every single person is of great individual value to Jesus and to the God of the universe.
A question often arises in church, When is Jesus coming back? In 2 Peter 3:9, Jesus' goal is revealed.
"But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." He is taking His time because He wants to give everyone ample time to return to Him! He doesn't want anyone to perish, meaning the consequence for not trusting in Christ, hell. This is why verse 13 in our passage today says Jesus is happier when one sheep returns -- they are walking toward Christ and away from eternity apart from God! This is a big deal!
So what do we do? I urge you to pray! Pray for your witness to those loved ones, for the words to say, for the best ways to love them, and for a peace in your own heart. You can partner with God in this, but you can never love your child or want him to return to Christ more than Christ does! Jesus said so Himself. Just as the shepherd looked for the lost sheep, so Jesus cares to find and bring back lost people. How great the father's love for us!
If there is someone who is lost in your life today, would you allow me to pray for them with you? I hope you sense Jesus' love for them and for you this morning.
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