The Lost Sheep

The Point of the Gospel

Parables con’t

Parable of the Lost Sheep {Matthew and Luke}

{Luke} Tax collectors and sinners gathered to hear Jesus, and the Pharisees and teachers of the law muttered against him for sitting with them. {Matthew} Jesus said, “See that you don’t look down on the little ones. I tell you, their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father.”

Personal Thought: wonder if this is one of the passages where the idea of guardian angels comes from.

{Matthew and Luke} “If a man owns a hundred sheep and one wanders away, don’t you think he will leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go look for the lost one? {Luke} And when he finds it, he joyfully drapes it over his shoulders and goes home to tell his friends and neighbors, ‘Rejoice with me. I have found my lost sheep.’ {Matthew} He is happier over the found one than the other ninety-nine who did not wander away. In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of the little ones should be lost. {Luke} There is more delight in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who never strayed and therefore have no need to repent.”

Parable of the Lost Coin {Luke}

Jesus continued. “Suppose a woman who owns ten coins loses one. Will she not light a lamp, sweep her house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when found, she calls her friends and neighbors to rejoice with her. Just so, the angels rejoice when one sinner, sorrowful about his sins, changes his behavior.”