Rafter 3 Bible Bites-
The Parable Of Lost Sheep and how it shows YHWH’S love for us, no matter who we are or what we have done.
Some keywords to know:
- YHWH The Father
- Yeshua The son (Christ Jesus)
- Elohim The God of Israel
In the Bible, there are many names for God. We inter-use these names as appropriate.
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. 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.
Hello and welcome to our new series today!
We will be starting a new, once-a-month, ongoing series aimed at biblical studies and showcasing YHWH’s love for us. We hope that these “Bible Bites” will be a blessing to your life and walk with the Lord.
Today we are going to start out with one of the most beautiful parables in the bible that shows how much YHWH loves each and every one of us. The parable of the lost sheep.
Today’s suggested sermon: John Macarthur: Recovering The Lost Sheep
Star mention within the sermon:
“Luke 15 and verse 1: “Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near to Him to listen to Him. But the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.’ So He told them this parable saying, ‘What man among you, if he has 100 sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 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 which was lost!’ I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.’”
Our God, the one true, living God, the God who is not only the Father of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God of Scripture, the true God, He, along with all of heaven, rejoice at one great occasion that takes place on this otherwise sin-dominated earth. And that is the salvation of one lost sinner. That revelation that we read in verse 7 is really the theme of this entire chapter. It is about heaven’s joy recovering the lost. In verse 10, at the end of the second parable, it says, “In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” And in verse 32, at the end of the third parable, “But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of ours…of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.” The characters change. A shepherd finds a lost sheep, a woman finds a lost coin, and a father restores a lost son, but the theme doesn’t change and the main point is the same. The main point is the joy of heaven over lost sinners being restored. That is what starts the celebration in the presence of God.”-John Macarthur
How do we know we matter when the world lies to us? The world tells us that babies within a mother’s womb are not humans and do not matter. They can just be killed. The world tells us that we can be whatever or whomever we want, and the world tells us that we were not created with love in the image of an all-powerful God who set rules and statutes for us so that we may live blessed lives in communion with him.
Many times, over and over we see the Israelites seeing firsthand the incredible power and majesty and love of YHWH yet turn from him, worshipping idols and turning from the One True God. Each time, God in his love and mercy, once the Israelites realized the wickedness of their sins and cried out to Him, He forgave them each time.
We can rest in the truth that YHWH is love. YHWH has shown us throughout the old and new Testaments that he is a Elohim of Love and demonstrated it. The world may tell us we do not matter, but these are lies from the pit of hell.
Each and every one of us was created with love and YHWH is an Elohim of long-withstanding patience. He yearns for each of us as a long lost child if we stray from his love, and he patiently calls us back to him. There is no one who is too far from Adonai’s reach, there is no heart that cannot be unhardened if they turn to Yeshua (Jesus Christ.)
Mathew 15:24
And He answering said “ I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Yisra’el”
When you feel like your too far gone, remember he came here to find you in the dark, you only need to call out His name.
Ezekiel 36:26 ESV
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
Luke 15:7 ESV
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.
Consider these verses for a moment.
We know that we can trust YHWH to be true, holy, just, righteous, and always truthful in his word. The Bible has shown us repeatedly that what YHWH says, comes to pass. If we know this then we can know that these two verses spoken of must also be true.
YHWH made us a promise that not only will there be more joy in heaven over one who is lost and returns, but that upon our return he will not only receive us but restore and prosper us.
YHWH wants, longs, and yearns for us to be restored and return home to him. He wants this for each individual.
It is so easy to fall into the lull and lullaby of what the world’s evil belief system is trying to tell us.
“You’re not worth it.”
“No one loves you.”
“You can do whatever you want and it really doesn’t matter.”
“You make your own destiny… wish it into existence and make it happen!”
But, do you know what YHWH has in response to all of these? When the world tells you that you aren’t worth it, YHWH says:
Psalm 139:13-15
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.”
When the world says that no one loves you, YHWH replies with:
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Ephesians 1:5-6
“5 He determined in advance that through Yeshua the Messiah we would be His sons-in keeping with His pleasure and purpose- 6 so that we would bring Him praise commensurate with the glory of the grace He gave us through the Beloved one.”
When the world tells us we can do whatever, make our own destiny, beliefs, ways, and that we don’t need God nor really anyone else. It’s all about us, BUT GOD replies with:
The Ten Commandments
20 And God spoke all these words, saying,
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before[a] me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands[b] of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
13 “You shall not murder.[c]
14 “You shall not commit adultery.
15 “You shall not steal.
16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”
18 Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid[d] and trembled, and they stood far off 19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” 21 The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.”
Final thoughts on our bible bite
If we take a close look at these bible verses we see so clearly that God loves each and every one of us. He loves us so much that he wants every single person to return to him. Have you searched your heart through this article? Have you fully trusted in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, repenting of your sin and turning to God?
If you don’t know anything about salvation, check out the ABCs of salvation
The ABCs of Salvation by JD Farag – visit jdfarag.org
Conclusion
Thank you for tuning into our bible bite today, I hope and pray that this becomes a blessing in your life. Because we are currently only doing these bible bites once a month. We would love to hear in a comment or email if you have enjoyed this series. Have a great day and God bless you! Until next time.
Resource list, middle East updates, and bible study:
John Macarthur- Grace To You
Jan Markell- Understanding The Times ; Olive Tree Ministries
Colleen’s encouragement minute
Amir Tsarfati- Behold Israel Website ; Youtube ; Telegram
Pastor Barry Stagner
Pastor Jack Hibbs (Real Life With Jack Hibbs)
Brett Meador- Athey Creek
Wonkey Werx US (Monitoring the skies and seas)
Hope For Our Times– Pastor Tom Hughes
The Watchman with Erik Stakelbeck
Pastor Billy Crone (information on topics such as the Ai invasion, witchcraft and what is really happening today, etc. studies along with through the bible teachings.)
This is a starter list of resources and references. It will grow as each article is produced! Take care and God bless you all.
Sincerely, Jamie and Makala
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