ONE SPECIAL SHEEP
“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”
“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 hill and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will be happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off.
In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.” Matthew 18:10-14
INTRODUCTION
Sheep and Lamb are two animals that feature on many occasions in the bible in a variety of stories. Indeed lamb plays a very important part of my everyday life too. No! I am not a Farmer or neither do I own any. Except the occasional one stored in my fridge for the weekend roast. I am quite partial to my Lamb and mince sauce.
Living in the countryside I often come across sheep, in fact in the Royal Forest of Dean where I live they are allowed to roam free. We have Shepherds called locally as “Badgers” who make a living off their flocks by allowing their animals to graze on common land. Often when I drive through the forest I get a glimpse of a flock sat under the trees. Sometimes they stray into the local villages and towns, causing a lot of mess on the pavements and roads. There are stories of folks coming home from work, to find all the flowers in the garden have been eaten by them, when the postman or some other callers forget to close the gates behind them. They are not always so popular.
During the early parts of the year the baby Lambs cause so much joy when they appear. It’s the first sign that spring is on the way and they do look kind of sweet leaping about the pastures.
ANGELS OF CHILDREN
Our text starts with this wonderful comforting line regarding Children. The lord tells us that these young ones all have Angels looking out for them. What a comforting thought for all parents to know this remarkable truth. It gets better.
They always (The Angels) see the face of the Father.
Now what could be a better thought than that?
Children have Angels who always look to God the Father for their inspiration.
Children are a gift from God and need the guidance of their parents to show them the way. We are there to encourage, teach and correct them. A balanced life style will hopefully lead them into becoming responsible Adults. However once they become a certain age they take responsibility for their own actions. I guess we can say that not all turn out to be ‘a perfect example’ because in reality we know that not to be true. Our job of being a Parent then changes from guidance to one of fall back love. That’s quite hard to accept. We do want to interfere some times in their choices but we have to understand that they are their choices right or wrong. The only thing we can hope for is some of the lessons they learn from us, influences their decision making process. One of the things mentioned as part of love is found in 1 Corinthians 13:4. Love is patient.
Pray for patients as a matter of course for yourself. You are going to need it. Once done them commit them to the Lord and let them go.
We are only in charge of them on a temporary basis.
Corinthians, Chapter 13 needs to be taken on board and try to love them through its unforgettable wisdom and advice.
SEARCHING FOR THE LOST
I wonder how many of you have gone on that trip to the sea side or picnic with the Children and let them have a bit of freedom. You are distracted for a moment and suddenly they are gone. Panic sets in. Firstly you call their name hoping for that familiar voice to say something.....but it does not come. The rest of the children are playing happily in the sand around about your feet but the one you have missed is nowhere to be seen. Oh yes we all have that one don’t we. You ask the remainder “Have you seen so and so?”
They are always ready to help with their response.
“No, he might of perhaps drowned or something” they helpfully reply, not breaking away from the sand castle they are busy constructing.
Sheer panic sets in and the first thing you do is appoint the eldest to look after the group around your feet whilst you set off in pursuit of the stray. You rush around not minding the other sand castle’s around that you crunch under foot whilst calling out his name. You discover the little mite with his new group of friends some yards away from your actual location and pick him up and cuddle and scold all in one go. So please are you to see him again.
The Lord tells us the story of a flock of sheep that one wonders off.
I tell you, that it’s a great comfort to me that the Lord comes looking for those of us that wander off and the truth is sometimes we do things that separates us from the Sheppard’s protection. We wander off into the big wide world. When things go wrong and we are confronted by the ugliness of it all, we have nowhere to hide. It’s scary and we are lost and afraid. I want to tell you the Lord comes a looking for you. He is active in every way. He start a pray chain in the saints by calling you to mind in those people who are safely in the pen. He places people across your path and gently like a sheep dog guides you back. Gently being the buzz word. If you watch a Sheppard working with a flock and a dog notice how he calls the dog in gently not to spook the sheep, in the same way the Lord gently persuades us back home and into the fold. Not scaring us or rushing us we must remember that Gods timing is perfect.
As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep I will rescue then from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. Ezekiel 34: 12.
I myself will tend my sheep and make them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak. Verse15/16.
THE SMILING SHEPHARD
I wish I was an artist and could draw the picture that I see in my mind’s eye of the Lord when he finds us out there in a lost world. Luke’s version (Chapter 15) draws a picture of the Lord picking up the little lamb on his shoulder and carries it home. In the same way I see him carrying me, kind of like the tale of “the footprints.” When we go astray we get tangled up in the brambles of the world. We are a mess. We need patching up and handling with care. The story unfolds with a party being thrown and rejoicing a plenty. The story ends in the same way as the Prodigal son. The party is unseen by the flock because the rejoicing takes place in heaven. Can you imagine it?
It fair takes your breath away.
The Lord considers you worthwhile to throw a celebration in heaven it’s too big for anyone to understand and take in but one thing I do know; if you’re out there and you belong to his flock. The LORD IS COMING TO GET YOU.
THE LAMB OF GOD.
Jesus, referred to as the Lamb, came to earth with a mission, to reconcile man to God through the ultimate sacrifice. He paid the price required. In doing so he made it possible for you and me to have a relationship bigger than our own understanding with the Divine.
Jesus cried out on that cross at Calvary, “It is finished” (John 19:30.) That became the final word in the redemption of humankind. (Quote; Oswald Chambers.)
In that one act he made it possible for us to start over.
Fair takes my breath away that in order for me to be enlightened. God became man to pay for all my wrong doing, my sin by dying on a cross in the most horrible way man could devious.
This was is mission and it was completed.
But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than angels, now crowned with glory and honour because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. Hebrew 2:9
Boy!! Can you believe you’re worth all that?
Well believe it, because it’s true.
Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.
All the Angels were standing round the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down and worshipped God saying
Amen
Praise and glory
And wisdom and thanks and honour
And power and strength
Be to our God for ever and ever
Amen. Revelation 7:10-11
