Thought For Today

5-Feb-2004

Luke 15:4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them. doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

Luke 15:5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

Luke 15:6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me: for I have found my sheep which was lost.

The thought for today is concerning shepherds, and sheep!

In Luke 15:4 Jesus is not speaking in a parrable. He ask a simple question, which I think anyone who had sheep, cattle, horses, pigs, or anything would answer the same way. If one got lost we would leave the rest and go in search of the one that was lost! If we didn't, we would eventually lose every one of them! This is what Jesus is trying to get across to the people, not only the people of his time, but the people of yesterday, today, and tomorrow!

Let me ask you a question: How many of you have been going to church and a brother or sister from your church has stopped coming to church?

Now: Did the pastor go in search of this person? Is not the pastor of the church a shepherd over the congregation? I am not trying to make anyone's pastor look bad, no not at all! However in our society today, with everything being in such a hurry, it is easy for someone to postpone, and forget about something as simple as making a quick visit to someones home to see why they have stopped coming to church. One simple visit may bring that person back to the church, and may prevent that person from falling away from God.

Should a shepherd over a congregation ignore it when someone stops coming to church, he will eventually lose his flock, and he will be accountable for them when he stands before God! A pastor is chosen by God to be a shepherd over God's flock, I for one would not want to stand before God and try to explain why I allowed his sheep to become lost and I didn't even attempt to find it!!

If your pastor does not attempt to find the lost sheep in your congregation, you may need to go and visit the lost sheep yourself and attempt to bring them back into the flock! You will be blessed for this!

In Luke 15:5 It tells us that when the lost sheep is found that there is to be rejoicing! This goes for the ones that have strayed from the flock, as well as the ones that are newly brought into the flock! Anytime that someone gives their heart to God there should be great rejoicing within that congregation!! Often times however we as other members of the flock just sit and watch as someone gets saved and then regard this wonderful experience like it is no big deal, BELIEVE ME it is a BIG DEAL to GOD!! The angels rejoice in heaven when someone gives their heart to God!! We need to start making a big deal out of someone getting saved, don't worry what your friends, or family, or the brother or sister sitting next to you may think, we are not rejoicing for them, we are rejoicing for the new member of the flock, and for a blessing unto God!

Be not concerned about man, nor what man can say or do to you, but be concerned about God, and about how you can better serve God, and how you can better listen to God!

Luke 15:6 Is telling us what I just said above, we need to rejoice over one soul giving their life over to God, because that is one more the devil will not get!!

Tim V.