What other scriptures emphasize God's desire to seek and save the lost? The shepherd’s pursuit in Luke 15:4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open field and go after the lost one until he finds it?” Jesus gives a straightforward, literal picture: the shepherd’s priority is the one that wandered. That single verse sets the tone for an entire thread running through Scripture—God actively searching until the lost are rescued. echoes in Jesus’ ministry • Luke 19:10 — “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” • John 10:11, 14-16 — “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep… I know My sheep and My sheep know Me… I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well.” • Matthew 18:12-14 — Another telling of the one-sheep story, ending with: “Your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.” • Mark 2:17 — “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” old testament foundations • Ezekiel 34:11-12, 16 — “Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and look after them… I will seek the lost, bring back the strays, bind up the broken, and strengthen the weak.” • Psalm 119:176 — “I have strayed like a lost sheep; seek Your servant.” • Isaiah 53:6 — “We all like sheep have gone astray… and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.” These passages show that God’s rescue mission is not new with Jesus; it is the consistent heartbeat of the Lord throughout history. new testament affirmations of God’s rescue plan • 1 Peter 2:25 — “For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” • 2 Peter 3:9 — “The Lord… is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.” • 1 Timothy 2:3-4 — “God our Savior… desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” • Romans 5:8 — “But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” themes that tie it all together • Relentless pursuit — God does not wait passively; He goes after us. • Personal worth — One sheep matters; you matter. • Costly rescue — The shepherd risks; Christ dies. • Certain success — “Until he finds it” (Luke 15:4). God finishes what He starts. living in the light of His pursuit Every believer can rest in the literal, trustworthy promise that God still seeks the lost today—through His Word, His Spirit, and His people—until every sheep He knows by name is safely home. |
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