The Most Important One
Scripture Reference: Matthew 18:12 / Luke 15:4 (KJV)
Matthew 18:12 - How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
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?
In this study we are concerned with the lost sheep.
Word web defines lost as; people who are destined to die soon
I am not talking about the sheep that has quit or gone out to start their own herd without proper permission or simply thinks that they know a better way than the Shepard.
No we can let those go and don’t ever have to look their way again (unless of course if they need us). (Matthew 8:22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.)
The sheep I am talking about is the one who has given all that they know how to make it but somehow just does not cut the mustard. This is the most important sheep.
It takes a great amount of consideration for the Shepard to care for the sheep enough to follow him into the dangerous mountains to get him
If we used the logic of conventional math and science we would probably conclude that the economical value of the one lost sheep in comparison to the ninety-nine that are safe is really not that great
It is tough enough for a good Shepard to lead the ninety-nine that are not lost but to have to leave them to go for one that is lost could be drastic and could cost him everything.
While he is gone after the one there are so many things that can happen to the ninety-nine.
By making a special effort for the one, the Shepard has to be willing to put everything on the line.
This would be a noble act for a Shepard but Jesus said if any man.
This means that the one in charge of the sheep could be anybody. The sheep don’t even have to belong to this person but since he has assumed responsibility for their health and welfare.
Since he has placed a commitment to someone that he would be willing to place their safety above his own he is now obligated to put it all on the line to ensure the safety of the sheep
I have had the opportunity to watch authentic sheepherders in their line of work.
In my observation I have come to a conclusion that sheep are wonderers they don’t pay attention to where they are going they just follow the leader.
The leader can do no wrong in their eyes so they follow without question
The sheepherder for the most part has to take a break when they take a break. Although the sheepherder is the only one that knows the final destination, if the sheepherder is smart he will only move at the pace of the slowest sheep which could be pretty slow in the case of injured or weak sheep
For the sheepherder to leave the ninety-nine sheep in anyplace other than a designated and predetermined place for safety can be utterly dangerous.
One scripture says he has to be willing to leave the ones that are safe in the wilderness (Luke 15:4)
To go into the mountains to find the one that is lost (Matthew 18:12)
Let’s take a contrasting look at mountains vs. wilderness
Wordweb defines wilderness as a wild and untamed area
According to wilderness.net a wilderness is: the land that is - rare, wild places where one can retreat from civilization, reconnect with the Earth, and find healing, meaning and significance.
Mountains can be a little more tricky
What some call a hill in one location may actually be larger than mountains somewhere else. For example in the United States, the Black Hills of South Dakota are higher than the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas.
All mountain ecosystems have one major characteristic in common--rapid changes in altitude, climate, soil, and vegetation over very short distances.
Since the sheep is looking down eating what is in front of his eyes he may not see the immediate danger that is posed directly in front of him
While we are on the subject of sheep I would like to share some research information with you about sheep cloning

The Cloning of Dolly
The cloning of Dolly has proved that cloning of adult animals could be accomplished. Previously, it was not known if an adult nucleus was still able to produce a completely new animal. Genetic damage or the simple deactivation of genes in cells were both considered possibly irreversible. This however was not the case. Ian Wilmut and Keith Cambell discovered a method with which to synchronize the cell cycles of the donor cell nucleus and the host egg cell cytoplasm. Without synchronized cell cycles, the donor nucleus would not be in the correct state for the host egg to accept it. The donor cell was forced into the Go stage of the mitotic cell cycle by starving the cells. When the nucleus enters the egg cytoplasm, egg proteins "re-program" the chromosomes in the nucleus. The dividing embryo is transferred into the oviduct of a surrogate mother sheep. The embryo continues to divide and then implants in the uterine wall.
Step 1: Adult donor egg and an unfertilized egg cell; The nucleus of an egg cell is removed
Step 2: Adult Donor cell (suspended state) / Enucleated Egg Cell; The donor cell is starved. The absence of nutrients causes the cell to enter a suspended state, matching the state of the enucleated egg cell.
Step 3: Adult Donor cell (suspended state) combines with the enucleated egg cell; The donor cell is placed near the egg cell, and an electric current is used to fuse the cells together and stimulate development. The donor cell’s nucleus directs the development of the egg cell.
Step 4: The developing egg is placed in a sheep oviduct for around six days. The oviduct acts as an incubator as the egg grows into an embryo and continues to develop.
Step 5: After developing in an oviduct for around six days, the embryo is transplanted into the uterus of a surrogate mother ewe. This ewe will carry the developing sheep until it is born.
Step 6: After (normal) pregnancy, a clone is born. The clone is an exact genetic duplicate of the animal which provided the adult donor cells.
Courtesy of Library Advanced Orginization.
As I researched this subject I asked myself three puzzling questions:
1. Are we attempting to mock God by causing birth without a man
and woman copulating
2. Are we predetermining ways to survive after an genocidal attack
on the human race by destroying the male such as done by the
hands of Pharaoh and King Herod
3. Or are we simply “aimed at producing medicine” as declared by
The Roslin Institute who are the scientists responsible for
cloning the first animal according to CNN’s Sci-Tech story page
(Feb 25, 1997)
Conclusion
There are so many men and women of God concentrating on the people that are safe and sound in the church and believe me I know that this is truly a full time task. However we must certainly always remember that the most important one is the one that is lost. We have to be willing to leave all of the other to go and get the one.
Let’s Pray
Dear God, thank you. I am so grateful for all that you are doing in my life right now. I am thankful for this opportunity to pause and receive conformation for the word of God. I have somehow lost my ability to see which is the most important one but praise be to God that now I see. Amen
Thank you. May God continue to bless you and keep you. Amen
Your Friend
Minister Juan D. Lane
