Baa Baa Black Sheep Series

George Orwell once observed:

“On the whole human beings want to be good, but not too good, and not quite all the time.”

That’s the problem with this 3rd group of sheep.

They like being close to Jesus… just not too much, and not just all the time.

And because they have this “loose” connection to the shepherd they’re the ones who end up wandering off. They’re the ones that end up getting lost. They’re just close enough to the Shepherd to feel secure. And just far enough away to not hear His voice.

“My sheep hear my voice… and they follow me.” says Jesus. John 10:27

And so, they wander off into their own little world, and they end up getting hurt and making bad decisions. And those bad decisions cause them pain and heartache.

As Proverbs 13:15 says, “…the way of transgressors is hard.” (KJV)

Because they’ve chosen NOT to listen to the Good Shepherd and to follow Him closely, they are without the protection of that Shepherd and open to the attacks of Satan and this world.

So the 1st reason Jesus didn’t use the term “black sheep” was because people would use it as an excuse to say “well, that’s just the way I am.”

And the 2nd reason He didn’t use that term, was because unlike black sheep (who can’t chose color) we can make a choice/decide to change… and to follow Him or not.

And the 3rd reason Jesus didn’t use the term “Black Sheep” was because… nobody usually wanted a black sheep. They were relatively worthless to the Shepherd.

But in Jesus’ parable He wanted to drive home the fact that this sheep was precious to the shepherd.

* Yes, there were 99 sheep still back in the fold.

* They were good sheep… they’d never think of just wandering off.

* They’re no trouble to the shepherd.

* They listen/hear/ obey.

“My sheep hear my voice… and they follow me.” John 10:27

But this lost sheep didn’t want to listen to the shepherd.

This lost sheep didn’t want to get too close to his shepherd

That sheep had made the choice to go and follow his own agenda.

And as a result, the sheep had gotten itself so tangled up in thorns and brambles of life it was going to take a lot of effort to go and rescue him.

So why bother?

The other sheep were good sheep… this one wasn’t.

So why bother?

Because no sheep was worthless to the Good Shepherd. He was going to seek and save that which was lost. And in Ezekiel God prophesied that this is exactly what would happen:

"‘For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness… I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak…. I will shepherd the flock with justice.” Ezekiel 34:11-12;16

God was willing to make the effort to search for us/ look for us.

God was willing to seek the lost and bring us back to Himself.

Why? Because to God there is no such thing as a black sheep.

There is no such thing as a sheep that has no value.