Sermon Notes: The Parable of Missing Sheep- It’s a Different Kind of Party.[1]
If MJ or LBJ only lost 1% of their games, they are the GOAT. Ignore the 1% of losses.
You could be a prostitute like Rahab, an embezzler like Matthew, or persecutor of the innocent like Paul, but like them, you can be the one % of lost sheep that is found.
OPENING PRAYER:
Let the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, oh Lord.
MESSAGE:
Luke: 15:1-7
Tax collectors and sinners drew near to see him.
Tax Collectors were the most despised, taking under the table money from taxpayers, that was supposed to go to Rome.
In response to the criticism of religious leaders, Jesus told the parable of a shepherd that would leave 99 sheep to find 1 lost, would rejoice at finding of one lost sheep.
And in heaven, the same.
“Those with ears to hear, let them hear.”
Sinners too.
Verse 2: Pharisees grumbled, “this man (Jesus) receives sinners and eats with them.”
Jesus was not caught in the crossfire between sinners and Pharisees, Jesus chose sides.
He chose sinners, over the self-righteous.
Lost people matter to God. 3 different parables in Luke make that same point. (Lost silver, Lost sheep. Lost prodigal son).
How does God feel about sinners. 3 points.
1: the lost sheep.
The nature of sheep (not a compliment).
They’re dumb
They easily lost, no attack mode, defensive-less, direction-less, and the best counter-argument against survival of the fittest and evolution.
The nature of sinners is by analogy the same.
We are prone to stray away.
Our only hope is to rescued.
Isaiah 53:6. All my sheep have gone astray.
2: The number of lost sheep was 1 of 100. The Silver parable, the lost was 1 of 10. The lost son was 1 of 2.
If MJ or LBJ only lost 1% of their games, they are the GOAT. Ignore the 1% of losses.
But to God, a loss of one sheep, just 1% is a bigger deal, the one sheep matters. And the rejoicing he experiences is beyond our compassionate capacity.
Thanks be to God, He does not see us as a rounding error, collateral damage.
He can count the number of hairs on our head. Beyond our comprehension.
This parable says the shepherd would leave the 99, to find the lost one.
God is affectionately called “the hound of heaven”. He relentlessly, single-mindedly looks until He finds.
He knows what we’ve done, but he doesn’t give up on us.
You could be a prostitute like Rahab, an embezzler like Matthew, or persecutor of the innocent like Paul, but like them, you can be the lost sheep that is found.
And God didn’t beat the lost sheep. Verse 5: the shepherd placed the sheep on his shoulders to take it home. Rejoicing despite the inconvenience.
Celebration in Heaven and on earth. Shepherd threw a party - the sheep strayed doing God-knows-what. But he’s mine. So I will not disown it.
Boy made a boat and sailed it on a lake until the string broke. It kept going and was lost. He was walking downtown and saw his boat for sale. He had to buy it back. The boy said You’re mine twice - one because I made you and two because I bought you.
God made us, and bought us with the blood of his son Jesus.
Jesus said there are levels of joy in heaven, including rejoicing for one sinner who repents.
It’s a different kind of party.
[1]These are my unedited notes from the sermon of H.B. Charles, pastor of Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida on March 22, 2026.