In Matthew 18 and Luke 15, we find a story that the Lord Jesus Himself shared: the parable of the lost sheep. This story has been preached and shared countless times by church people for centuries, but many do not know its significance.

Are you willing to read the story one more time? I hope you are, because I want to share to you just who the lost sheep really are: it's not always what we think it is.

Are you ready? Then let's read the story again, from Matthew 18:11-14.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

"For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.

"What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?

"And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.

"Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish." (Matthew 18:11-14)

The Lord Jesus spoke of a flock of sheep owned by a man. We read Him say that the man, when one sheep is missing, will go out of his way to find this poor lost animal without stopping until it is found. Jesus then raises the excitement by saying that the owner's joy over finding the one lost sheep will be greater than His joy over the ones who remained.

And then the Lord concludes that such is the heart of the Father: that He does not want anyone who comes to Christ to perish.

What we think of it

Through the years, all of us in the church have been taught that the "lost" represents the people outside the church. The people who haven't met Christ and are still living in sin. While that is somehow true, it is also true that what the Lord Jesus meant to call the "lost" are the people who come to Him and then, for whatever reason, go away.

In the first place, the sheep already belonged to the shepherd, but he lost it. Instead of just letting the sheep go astray to be devoured by ferocious animals, he will go out, leave the ninety-nine, and search for the one lost sheep non-stop until he finds it.

Who they are today

Think about it. Do you know of a brother or sister in church who lost the passion for Christ and went back to his or her old ways? Or do you know of a brother or sister who used to go to church, but because someone in church offended or hurt them, they decided to leave and not go to any church anymore?

These are the lost sheep we should all be looking for.

The former pastor who fell into to sin and was ridiculed instead of restored. The brother who chose to sin and just can't seem to stop. The church singer who stopped going to church because he was slandered by others in the church. The church member who used to donate many things but left because people in church only related to her because of her money.

The list is long. But all of them are loved by the Father.

Our Role to Play

Friend, God is the God of restoration. He is the Great Shepherd. He rejoices when one lost sheep is found. He even throws a celebration for the restoration and return of one of His lost children. And we should also rejoice in that. (see Luke 15:6)

That said, it's our role to bring the lost back to God. Back to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Back to the loving arms of our Father.

Now I challenge you: who do you want to be? The man who will seek the one lost sheep and rejoice until he is found, or the one who'd rather enjoy comforts in the church and be one of the ninety-nine sheep with no care for a lost brother?