Odyssey by Faith

Goodness of God Performed by Tonya Theis.

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This is week 2 in the Advent series by SkitGuys. They provide an adorable introduction video and the pastor(s) create a sermon around the idea/scripture they provide.

Link to the Slide Show (Google Slides)

Introduction:

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That pesky Shelf Elf causing such a stir. I love that they included the Shelf Elf because for the last few years, he has been known to cause a ruckus in Tonya’s classroom. Here are a few images from last year’s escapades!

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  Here they are getting a little fishing in before the lakes freeze.
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  Here they are playing with the twinkle lights.
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  And here the pooping log, Caga Tio, is about to eat them on Taco Tuesday!

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Enough of Shelf Elf for now. Let’s talk about The Shepherd, Eli, and the Story of the Lost Sheep. I love this story. While all the parables are great and all of them can be used to teach us a great many things, the Parable of the Lost Sheep is my favorite.

This parable is provided to us in two separate Gospels, once in Matthew 18 and the other in Luke 15. Having a story or event repeated in multiple Gospels not only emphasizes its importance, but it also allows us to read a slightly different take on that story, allowing us to see it in a different context.

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As a side note, having been a non-believer and a skeptic for so long, I can already imagine some non-believers thinking, “There are differences in something as simple as the Lost Sheep story? Why do these Christians believe in a book with so many inconsistencies?”

I wanted to mention this today because I think it is important to know how to address these concerns when someone brings them up. One passage I like to reference when it comes to these differences in the Gospels is John 21:25.

25. But there are also many other things that Jesus did; if every one of them were written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

Here John is clearly using hyperbole with the “world not being able to contain all the books written”, but he is telling us that Jesus’ stories, His works, and His impact was so great that not everything was written down. John is also confirming that what is written is enough to justify our faith and belief in Jesus.

John is also emphasizing that the stories Jesus shared were told repeatedly throughout His ministry, by Jesus and His disciples. Because of this and having multiple Gospels telling them in a slightly different way, it allows us to have a fuller view of God’s Word.

When Pastor Paul asked if I would participate with the Advent sermons, and he assigned me week 2, I glanced at the topic and instantly got excited. Luke 15! Parable of the Lost Sheep. Despite this story being short in length, every time I study it, I learn something new. For those of you that do not reread the stories in the Bible, that is reason enough to start!

Sermon:

Let’s dive into Luke 15 and see how it relates to The Shepherd in our video and Eli the potato chip loving sheep.

The Skit Guys Advent sermon listed Luke 15:4-7 as their focus, but I wanted to take the time to read and talk about those first two passages from this chapter. They contain an important lesson for addressing mistakes I see people make online make when they share snippets about Jesus, but do not take the time to understand the context.

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Luke 15:1–2 (ESV)

1. Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.
2. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

Have any of you came across someone sharing a quote or meme that says “Don’t judge a person’s lifestyle. Jesus hung out with sinners and prostitutes.”

I want to take a moment to address this view and what is written in verse 2, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

Here the Pharisees and scribes are calling out Jesus, since He is sitting and eating with sinners. They want the people listening to assume Jesus is either participating in their activities, or He is affirming their sinful behavior. Funny, it has been nearly 2000 years and people still assume the same thing. This viewpoint is mentioned a lot online and even in conversations I have with friends and family. That is why I find it worth mentioning today. It is an easy snare to fall into for people who aren’t reading the stories in context against the whole of scripture.

As Christians, we know Jesus paid the price for our sins. To do that, He had to be sinless. The unblemished Lamb, the perfect sacrifice, He who knew no sin. If Jesus had been sinning alongside the sinners He ate with, His sacrifice could not have helped us.

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2 Corinthians 5:21 is one of the passages that makes this very clear:
“For our sake, He made Him to be sin, who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

I get why people want to think Jesus was not judging. I get why they want to assume Jesus was not telling these sinners, despite spending time and sharing a meal with them, to repent and turn from their ways.

In today’s day and age, people conflate LOVE with AFFIRMATION. People think it is unloving to tell someone they are doing wrong and to humble themselves and get right with God.

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I fall into that snare from time to time, too. Unfortunately, that is not Biblical. It IS Biblical to show them love, but it is also Biblical not to affirm their sin and agree with their lifestyle choices. Despite what people like to think, including these Pharisees and scribes, Jesus WAS showing the sinners LOVE, but He was NOT affirming them in their sin.

Parable:

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Now let’s jump into the parable by rereading verse 4.

4. “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?

When I read this, I immediately think about the difference in focus between worldly views and worldly ways verse what Jesus is saying. How common is it in our day and age to hear people, companies, and sadly churches talk about and focus on numbers and growth.

“If you are not growing, you are dying.”
“If you are not going forward, you are going backward.”

People sacrifice relationships because it will cost them money or time. If a company loses customers, but it would cost profits or time to get them back, they leave them when they realize they can easily be replaced. A few people stop showing up to church, meh, our growth is great right now, no need to spend time asking why they stopped coming. This mentality is so different compared to what Jesus is talking about with this Parable.

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The Shepherd, in this story, does not say “Oh, Eli is gone? That’s OK, I have 99 left and he’s easily replaced.” No, not at all!

In our video, we see the Shepherd’s primary focus is finding Eli. The Shepherd is not willing to let even one of his sheep go astray. He remains persistent and seeks after Eli, unwilling to give up.

What I love about this passage is the Shepherd, who represents Christ in this parable, seeking out after the lost sheep. That lost sheep represents ALL OF US. Believer and unbeliever alike, the Shepherd seeks to bring us into His flock.

Notice there is no mention that maybe this lost sheep is “too far gone,” or “not worth his time.” There is no mention of “I cannot risk what I have to pursue the one that has gone astray.” What we have is a Shepherd, a Savior, who is willing to pursue each of us and never give up.

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What we also have in this passage is a glimpse of what the Lord calls us, as Christians, to do for others. When someone says we are called to be Christ-like, well here it is! This one verse does such a great job at articulating what “Christ-like” means.

What does it mean to be Christ-like?

Have you encountered situations where a friend or church-mate does not seem quite right, perhaps depressed or sad. Do you know of someone who has not shown up to church lately? Know of someone who does not have family during the holidays or do you have an older friend who is in a retirement community? These are all examples where you can step up and say, I want to be more like the Shepherd in this story. I want to reach out to them, find them, and ensure they are OK.

Do not be like the secular, “Bah, it’s not worth my time!” Be like the shepherd and pursue a path that ensures the person is OK. A simple text saying, “Thinking of you” can go a long way. A quick visit to say hello to the elderly can work wonders to bring them back into the flock. Be Christ-like.

The Herd:

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Is there anyone who reads this passage and wonders, “What about the ninety-nine being all alone?”

I remember reading this parable for the first time, I wasn’t even a Christian at the time, but I remember reading this and thinking, “He leaves the ninety-nine in the open country and goes after the one? He left the ninety-nine to be eaten by wolves to save one sheep, what a dumb story.” I think that is part of what makes this story so fun to revisit, recalling what I used to think and now having a fuller understanding of the parable.

Who are the ninety-nine in this story? Christ is the Shepherd, the sheep represents the unsaved or saved that are struggling, so what about the ninety-nine? They are the Christians who are strong in their faith and the church. I believe this passage, in addition to helping us understanding that God will never give up on us, is intended to convey the strength and support we have together as Christians and as a church.

When we read our Bible, and when we start seeing how God’s Word works to teach us the bigger picture, we start to see how God intends His flock to support one another.

For example, Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” We are called to teach AND learn from one another. Remember this because it is so easy to forget. This is a snare I fall into, thinking “What can I possibly contribute, I’m just a dude that plays too many video games.” We ALL, no matter who you are, can BOTH teach AND learn from one another.

Another example is Romans 12:5-6 that I’ll paraphrase, “We, though many, are ONE body in Christ. We have gifts that differ according to the Grace given to us, so let us use them.” We are ALL of value. We are ALL part of the body.

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One final point is found in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!” How perfectly do these two passages fit with this parable? AMAZING.

Seeking the Lost:

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Back to our passage from Luke, the ending of verse 4 reads, “Go after the one that is lost, until He finds it?”

How reassuring is that ending? The Shepherd, loving ALL His flock, even those who stray. Little Eli wondered off and was found in a potato chip bag covered in greasy potato chip goodness. Good thing it was not a bag of Cheeto’s! Personally, I struggle with gluttony and overeating, and I know the Lord has found me wrist deep in a bag of Dorito’s more than once!

This is such an important point to have emphasized at the end of verse 4. The Shepherd will never give up. Our Lord, our living God who loves us very much, will never give up on us. Despite our ability to stray, He is always there to bring us back.

Isaiah 40:11 tells us, “He will tend His flock like a Shepherd; He will gather the lambs in His arms; He will carry them in His bosom and gently lead those that are with young.”

This is such an important passage! HAHA, how many times have I said, “this is important!” Yes, Captain Obvious, it is all important!

But Isaiah ties in perfectly with our next verse of the parable, “And when He has found it, He lays it on His shoulders, rejoicing.”

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Realize here, the Shepherd is not just pointing back to the way of the flock and telling the sheep to “Go back home!” The Shepherd is carrying the sheep home!

If Eli is anything like me, I know the last thing I want to do after gobbling a bag of potato chips is hike a few miles, all alone, relying on my own strength and willpower. I would never make it!

That is the beauty of this passage and this lesson, The Lord knows this, too. We, like Eli in the video, is not brought back by our own strength or willpower, we are brought back into the flock by HIS STRENGTH.

That is what “giving it to God” is all about. Not by my strength, but His strength. Not by my will, but His will. It is about being humble and giving it to Him.

We were just discussing self-sufficiency in Bible Study on Wednesday. The PROS and the CONS. It is one of the many concepts talked about in the Book of James and how delusional we can become if we think we are self-sufficient apart from God.

Side note, Bible Study – Wednesday evenings and Thursday mornings. It’s great. If you did not know about it or if you have not attended, I recommend it. I hear the Thursday class is a few weeks ahead of the Wednesday class. Is that an indication of the very in-depth and enlightening conversations we have on Wednesday’s? Is it an indication that our conversations, like Eli the sheep, strays off topic from time to time? Perhaps you should attend and find out. What I do know is Judy Tucker brings in a delicious snack mix, so that makes Wednesday nights a win!

Blasphemy against the Spirit:

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There is a side topic I want to mention today because I feel it ties into this parable, and that topic is talked about in Matthew 12.

Matthew 12:31 (NRSV)

31. Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

Recently I was talking to a friend about Matthew 12 and blasphemy against the Spirit. I wanted to bring this up today in case anyone has ever wondered about this sin. It seems to go against what we’ve discussed today. “How can the Shepherd, our Lord, always be seeking the lost, yet here is something He will not forgive? Make it make sense!”

When I first came to Christ, it did not make sense to me. I eventually realized I was viewing it wrongly. I was viewing it as a sin I could do but afterward go to God and repent and He would reject me. Relating it to our video, I was viewing it as if the Shepherd showed up, seeing chunky little Eli and being like “Pfft, I can forgive nearly everything Eli, but not the eating of my potato chips. Sorry, but you are on your own.”

This view of Matthew 12 is not correct. The sin of Blasphemy against the Spirit is not like Eli wondering off and eating potato chips, but it would be more akin to the Shepherd finding Eli, and Eli choosing NOT to accept help from the Shepherd and wonder off again. Then as the Shepherd repeatedly finds Eli, Eli continually rejects His help. That is what Blasphemy of the Spirit is. The continued rejection of God until the moment we draw our last breath. That is why I wanted to bring this up today, because I see a lot of confusion about this sin, which leads to further confusion about God’s loving Grace.

You see, God will not give up on us. WE may give up on HIM, but He will not give up on us!

The Shepherd will go after the sheep until He finds it. If it keeps going astray, He will continually seek it. If it rejects the Shepherd and wonders off again, the Shepherd will seek it again. The Lord is always there, always seeking, always wanting us back into His flock. The sin spoken about in Matthew 12 is the sin of us rejecting God until our time runs out.

Question, do any of you know a person who thinks they are too dirty or sinful to come to God? Perhaps they have done awful things and feel God does not want them? In our fleshly state, people sometimes feel like God is not listening and may doubt Gods love. That is where Satan wants us. He wants us in a state of hopelessness so we will either reject God or we will never seek Him out. That is what is fantastic about this Parable. The Shepherd did not look at the lost sheep and say, “ew, you are filthy.” No, He lifted the sheep up, placed him on his shoulders and carried him to safety.” We saw in the video that little ol Eli was probably covered in potato chip grease, but the Shepherd did not care. He hoisted Eli on His shoulders and brought him home. If we walk in the light, as HE is the light, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from ALL sin, AMEN!

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Rejoice, I have found my sheep:

6. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’

Amazing! The Shepherd calls together His friends and His Neighbors to rejoice!

I was baptized a few years ago, and ever since I was baptized, when I read this verse, I can’t help but think of baptism.

Is it intentional that this was written in a way that also brings baptism to mind? I am not sure, but it does for me.

As we seen with our baptisms performed here at church, we gather and rejoice over our friends giving their life to Christ. When I think about the joy our friends who were baptized felt, the joy we felt, and the joy I had eating cheesy potatoes during the church lunch afterwards, it allows me to understand a small fraction of the joy Jesus is talking about here.

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Joy in Heaven:

7. Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

This passage is powerful because it puts this world, this life we have, and our eternal security in Christ into perspective. For those of us that are saved and have given our lives to Christ, we are part of the ninety-nine just persons spoken about here. We have received our reward, we are made righteous through Him, and we can have peace knowing that our faith in Christ brings with it eternal security. We can have peace knowing when we stray, He is there to bring us back into the flock.

Now, for that “more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents.” If there is anyone here today that does not know Jesus as their savior, I want you to realize that this section is talking about you. If you repent and give your life to Christ, all of Heaven will rejoice. If you give your life to Christ, you become part of the flock. I know society nowadays loves to emphasize money and there is so much envy around the 1%, but Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world and emphasizes the 99%.

Just know, if you aren’t ready to take that step, the Shepherd is always there seeking you out. While you draw breath, there is still time. No matter how “dirty” your past is, He will make you clean. That security and love is awesome! Today is the day, do not wait.

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Full Circle:

Now, to bring it back full circle, lets end by looking at this story in Matthew.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

10. “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
11. (missing from some translations, see translation footnote.)
12. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?
13. And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.
14. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

We see most of what is found in Matthew is also found in Luke, but verse 10 has a slightly different emphasis. “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in Heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” What does verse 10 mean and why is it added in Matthew?

There are two points I want to mention, both pointing to God’s omniscience. “See that you do not despise one of these little ones.” This may seem a little random, especially in relation to this parable. It isn’t until we read it alongside Matthew 18:1-6 that the true meaning comes into focus.

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This is an important lesson for reading our Bible. Sometimes we read a passage that can leave us scratching our heads, and when that happens, it is wise to also read the passages before and after the verse in question.

1. At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2. And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them
3. and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
4. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me,
6. but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

The fact that Matthew’s version starts by giving us a warning is eye opening. The Parable of the Lost Sheep can leave us happy and feeling secure, and then Matthew’s version starts with a humbling gut punch. Why is this important?

Has anyone besides me ever heard someone say, “I love Jesus, but I cannot stand Christians. They are often the most prideful and judgy people I know.”

I see Matthew giving us a warning not to be this type of Christian. As Christians, we are to remain humble and we are to remember, every one of us was the Lost Sheep from this parable before Christ saved us. If it wasn’t for Him, we would still be lost. That is why, when sharing the Gospel with others, we should do it with love. Speak truth, but do not allow our own sin to turn the unbeliever away.

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The last point I want to bring up from Matthew is the ending of verse 10, “For I tell you that in Heaven, their angels always see the face of my Father who is in Heaven.” This helps us realize that:

1. God always knows what is going on. When we sin, when we treat others poorly, God knows.
2. God watches over His children, and all things work together for His Glory.

So, do the differences in Matthew contradict Luke? No, not at all. The difference in Matthew gives us a more complete understanding of how much God loves us and how much He wants us in His flock. The Shepherd will not give up searching for the lost sheep.

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I’ll end with a challenge, and that challenge is to read your Bible more. Am I giving this challenge because I need to read mine more, yes. I need to read mine more as I’m sure a lot of you do, too.

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Today Tonya will wrap things up by singing Goodness of God from Bethel Music. She chose this song because it talks about God seeking us when we go astray, wanting to bring us back into His flock.

YouTube Video: Goodness of God