What Jesus Did : Matthew 18:12-14 - Finding the Lost
by Phil Ware
Finding the Lost - Matthew 18:12-14
"If a man has 100 sheep, but one of the sheep becomes lost, then the man will leave the other 99 sheep on the hill. He will go to look for the lost sheep. Right? And if the man finds the lost sheep, the man is happier about that one sheep than about the 99 sheep that were never lost. I tell you the truth. In the same way, your Father in heaven does not want any of these little children to be lost." (ERV) Full TextKey Thought
The Father loves all of his little ones. He doesn't want any of them to perish, to be lost, or even to be in danger. So he is willing to risk the 99 to find the 1. Why? He doesn't want to lose any. In fact, that is why God came in Jesus, Immanuel. He left the safety of heaven to find the lost one, to find you and me. Now he looks to us and asks us to find the other lost little ones.
Today's Prayer
Holy God, I am intensely aware and deeply awed that you came to find me, one of your lost children. Give me your heart for those who are lost, too. This week, lead me to one you want back in your family and please give me the eyes to see that person when you place him or her in my path. Please give me the courage and conviction to act in ways that gently bring that lost person home. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
At that time the followers came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Jesus called a little child to come to him. Jesus stood the child before the followers. Then Jesus said, "I tell you the truth. You must change and become like little children {in your hearts}. If you don't do this, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. The greatest (most important) person in the kingdom of heaven is the person that makes himself humble like this child. "If a person accepts a little child like this in my name, then that person accepts me. "If one of these little children believes in me, and another person causes that child to sin, then it will be very bad for that person. It would be better for that person to have a millstone tied around his neck and be drowned in the deep sea. I feel sorry for the people in the world because of the things that make people sin. Those things must happen. But it will be very bad for the person that causes those things to happen. "If your hand or your foot makes you sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose part of your body but have life forever. That is much better than to have two hands and two feet but be thrown into the fire (hell) that burns forever. If your eye makes you sin, take it out and throw it away. It is better for you to have only one eye but have life forever. That is much better than to have two eyes but be thrown into the fire of hell. "Be careful. Don't think these little children are worth nothing. I tell you that these children have angels in heaven. And those angels are always with my Father in heaven. "If a man has 100 sheep, but one of the sheep becomes lost, then the man will leave the other 99 sheep on the hill. He will go to look for the lost sheep. Right? And if the man finds the lost sheep, the man is happier about that one sheep than about the 99 sheep that were never lost. I tell you the truth. In the same way, your Father in heaven does not want any of theselittle children to be lost.-- Matthew 18:1-14 (ERV)
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