Listen to the audio of today’s Reflection:
https://soundcloud.com/hapearce/reflection-for-november-20
Matthew 18:10-14
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
10 “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.
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 perish.
This parable is one that’s particularly dear to my heart. I preached a sermon based on Luke’s version of this parable when I was a candidate for the pulpit at Medina Presbyterian Church fourteen years ago. But even going beyond the sentimental memory it represents, it seems to me the parable suggests a different way of thinking about our relationship with God. It suggests to me that instead of being thought of as a demanding judge, God would rather be thought of as a shepherd willing to take great pains — and even great risks — for the sake of his flock.
From a different perspective, this parable casts a helpful light on the intended meaning of the most beloved of all the psalms. And that intended meaning might be a little different than the way we usually take it.
The parable in this passage is a familiar one, probably because it appears in Luke, as well as in Matthew. In Luke’s gospel, it’s the first of three parables about things that are lost, and then found with great joy. (The other two parables are the Lost Coin and the Prodigal Son.) Luke tells us that Jesus told these parables in response to criticism by the religious leadership that he was welcoming and befriending people they considered particularly sinful — like prostitutes and tax collectors. That context in which Jesus told them should always be remembered when we consider these parables.
Here’s why this parable of the lost sheep is intended to help us come to a better understanding of our relationship with God:
The metaphor of a shepherd was widely used in Hebrew tradition to represent the leadership of God’s people. That metaphor, of course, is the one at the heart of the twenty-third Psalm — the most beloved of all the psalms.
A veteran hospital chaplain once told me something that illustrates just how beloved that Psalm is. This chaplain said that when he was present with a Christian patient who was in a coma, he would often recite the 23rd Psalm aloud. He said that in a surprising number of cases, he would see the patient’s lips move. That’s how deeply ingrained this psalm is in our hearts and minds. Just about everybody who participates in the Christian faith in any way – even people who haven’t been to church in years – even people who are in a coma – can recite the opening sentence of the Twenty-third Psalm: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
But there’s an interesting wrinkle to this beloved Psalm that has to do with the nature of the Hebrew language. In that language, quite a few of the words and phrases have more than one meaning – they can be translated in more than one way. And a key word in the opening of the 23rd Psalm falls into that category. In addition to its familiar form, the opening sentence of this psalm can also be translated, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall never be allowed to get lost.”
You might remember hearing me say – or reading in these Reflections – that I suspect that the ‘never get lost’ meaning is what the psalmist really had in mind when he wrote the 23rd Psalm. I say that because when you think about it, that might be a better way to think about our relationship to God – as a God who never loses track of us.
Which brings us back to our reading for today. When Jesus talked about the Good Shepherd, he seemed to be saying that the most important trait of a good shepherd was that he would never stop looking for a sheep that got lost. A good shepherd would go after it, and keep on searching until he found it. And then he would joyfully celebrate the return of that lost sheep.
It strikes me that’s one of the reasons this metaphor of God as our shepherd has traditionally had such resonance with believers – because we recognize that it really does illustrate our relationship with God. Sheep are cute and huggable, especially when they’re little. But they’re also kind of clueless. Sheep are easily frightened, and they tend to wander off. And when you think of it, you could say all those things about us. Spiritually, we can be clueless, we get spooked easily, and we tend to wander away from the path God sets out for us.
But with this parable, Jesus makes the point that God is determined not to lose any of us. So determined, in fact, that he took human form and came down into this dirty and dangerous world to rescue us. He never stops looking for us when we wander off, and one by one, he leads us back home. Then he celebrates our return. That’s a pretty moving illustration of God’s desire to be reconciled to us, don’t you think?
It seems to me this parable also raises a couple of other ideas that are important for followers of Jesus to keep in mind.
First of all, if it’s God’s work – and Jesus’ work – to search tirelessly for lost sheep and lead them back to the fold, then it’s our work, too. Every person we know who is alienated from God is a lost sheep that Jesus died for. So helping people learn that God loves them and is looking for them seems like the heart of being a follower of Jesus.
Of course, this parable suggests that finding and leading home the lost will involve some risk. And sacrifice. And work. Don’t forget that the shepherd leaves the comfort and safety of the flock and forges off into the unknown in search of the lost sheep.
But the story also holds up the promise of sharing in the great joy of our God when we join him in the work of finding the lost. Because if we are faithful helpers in that process, helping to lead those who are lost back to the Good Shepherd who loves them, then we are contributing to the celebration God will have on their return. And given that church life experts say that 2000 people a day become followers of Jesus, that suggests that God’s life is largely given over to celebrating his relationship with humankind. That’s a vision of God that most Christians never consider.
Let’s pray. Lord, we thank you that you have searched tirelessly for each of us in the times we have wandered away from your flock, and that you have celebrated our safe return. By your Spirit, move us to join eagerly in the work of helping you find those who are still lost, and make your love known to them. Amen.
Blessings,
Henry
Recent Comments