Seeking lost sheep

Matthew 18:10-14

10 ‘Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven. 12 What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.

Vs. 12 asks the critical question which makes the whole parable snap. The question is, wouldn’t a shepherd on discovering that one sheep was lost on the mountains, leave the rest of the sheep also on the mountain and go look for the one lost sheep? To which the human answer is, “No.” The human answer is, “Take the other 99 back to the fold, make sure they are safe and then go look for the one that is lost.” To leave the 99 on their own is to risk that they too will get lost on the mountain – that they will end up in places of danger.

God the good shepherd is willing to risk everything to find lost sheep. God is committed to leave no one behind. Who then are the “little ones” of verse 14 who might get lost? The little ones that God is willing to do anything to find and bring to safety? In Matthew 18:1-5, Jesus held up children as examples of the humbleness needed to enter the kingdom of God. The little ones are children, the humble, the ignored, the not-seen, the ones everyone pretends they don’t notice. The little ones are like the weaker sheep of Ezekiel 34.

Jesus goes out to find those who have been lost because no one was paying attention, the ones so under the radar that they were not seen when they slipped away and got lost.

Who are the “little ones”, the ignored and unseen, in Centre Wellington that Jesus the Good Shepherd is going to find? How might we join him on his mission to find the “little ones” of our neighbourhoods who are profoundly loved by God? 

PRAYER:

We rejoice, you who are the great shepherd. that you will spare nothing to find the lost and the alone. Open our eyes so that we might see the “little ones” that you so profoundly love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.