“ONE”

I am preaching today in our services here in Iglesia Bautista Faro de Luz on the “ONE” in the story of the “Ninety and Nine.” What a thought! I have been consumed with this idea for a few days. I know there are always various ways to look at the passages (Matthew 18 and Luke 15) wherein Jesus taught about the lost sheep. Perhaps in one passage He was referring to a straying member and in the other He was referring to someone lost, without salvation. But, irregardless in either case the point of emphasis was not upon the ninety-nine, the safe, protected and cared for ones, but upon the ONE. And in these passages we see all His attention, all means, all effort and care upon the minority, upon recovery of the lost one. The greatest lesson for me was how different we operate today in our churches and ministries. Everything is for the majority, for the many. Our greatest efforts, our monumental expenses, our Herculean preparations are predominately for the ninety-nine. We prepare the spiritual diet for the ninety-nine; we sing for them, preach for them, pray for them, pamper, pet and provide for them. Finally, if we have anything left over, any time, any resources, any energy we will give the leftovers for the one – if we even remember their plight and determine them worthy to be troubled with. Oh that God would deliver us from this evil.

I believe there are some great MISSION applications here too. How many shepherds today are content to stay at home in their cushy, comfortable fold caring for the sheep that are already within reach of the feed box, who are resting in the green pastures and beside the still waters when there are “other sheep” still lost and in perils out in the mountains far away? Today there are many trained “shepherds” hanging out in the folds that are already well tended. They are waiting and waiting for the older shepherds to retire or die so that they can move into their position. Instead of lifting up their eyes and looking upon the fields, they are content to be at ease in Zion. They will not think outside the fold. They will not trouble themselves with the lost ONE. They are happily passing their time, expending their whole lives only with the ninety-nine.

Lord, help us to love like you, to make sure that we care for the least, the little and the forgotten. To learn the lesson of the Shepherd, to go out after even the ONE.