Jesus Seeks Those Who Are Lost

Consider the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin. Luke 15:1 tells us that "all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him." They knew they needed a Savior, so they came near to Jesus to consider Him and to listen to what he had to say. But "the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, 'This man receives sinners and eats with them'" (v. 2). So Jesus replied with two parables explaining why He sought out sinners.

Jesus said, "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which 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 neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance" (vv. 4-7).

This is a great story, and so true. Some years back, I was pastor of a church in western Wyoming. Out on the hills, shepherds watched their flocks. Each shepherd knew his sheep and kept a close count. When one was lost, he went searching for it and would not rest until it was found. That is what God does. We are His sheep, and when we are lost in sin He searches for us and does not rest until He finds us and redeems us.

Then Jesus told a second parable: "Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!' Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents" (vv. 8-10).

A virtual repeat of the parable of the lost sheep. When a coin is lost you search diligently for it until it is found. And when you find the coin you rejoice greatly. Again, this is a picture of God searching for lost sinners. He pursues His own. When they are lost, He searches for them until He finds them. When He finds them, He rejoices greatly with the angels in heaven as He redeems them. Both pictures are of a loving God pursuing the sinner who is lost and the saint who has strayed from the fold.

That is the way God operates. He pursues His own until they respond to His call and are saved. We are not saved because we seek after God. We are saved because God knew us from eternity, and He pursued us and called us to Himself. We are not saved because of our ability and faithfulness to find Christ and to keep hold of Him. We are saved because God is faithful to draw us to Himself and to keep us in Christ for all eternity.

2 Timothy 2:13 says, "If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself" (NASB). He saved us because He promised to save us, and He is always faithful. We are not saved because of our ability to hold on to Him. We are saved because of His ability to hold on to us. Amen.