Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• READING & PRAYER
• Coming to the fourth discourse (there are five discourses)
• Parable is in the context of v1-14
• A recurrent theme:
• We must become as little children (v3, 5)
• We must not despite 'little ones' (v6, 10)
• The application of the parable speaks of 'little ones' (v14)
• Jesus taught this parable on different occasions:
• Luke - tax collectors and prostitutes (Jesus came for the unbeliever)
• Matthew - a different emphasis (Jesus also came for the believer who is going astray)
• The salvation of the lost
• The restoration of the fallen believer
• Overview:
1. Human lostness
2. Divine love
3. Life's lessons

Human lostness

• Why are we like sheep?
• Sheep are silly
• Sheep need a shepherd
• Sheep when lost don't seek to find their way home
• Sheep are particularly vulnerable
• Sheep easily lead each other astray
• Sheep are valuable
• Sheep are stubborn
• Do you see human nature in this?
• The Bible says "all have like sheep have gone astray"
• Examples
• We are all sinners - "the wages of sin is death"
• Sheep are very vulnerable
• Jesus sees sinners as vulnerable
• We see Jesus' pity and love
• God sticks closer than a brother
• Sheep are foolish - we damage themselves and others

Divine love

• Sheep are brought near by God's divine love
• God is the Good Shepherd
• The parable is about the Good Shepherd and the lengths He will go to bring the sheep home
• We see the ministry of Jesus - Examples
• God is in the business of saving individual sinners
• When people fall Jesus goes after them (e.g. Simon Peter)
• There is rejoicing over the sheep that was found
• Example of the lost cat
• People within the church are being prayed for regularly
• Hymn - Quote

Life's lessons

• Jesus is the friend of sinners - we must be the friend of sinners
• Example
• We must become like a little child (v3)
• Humble, not about status, total trust
• We must humble ourselves (v4)
• We must be servants, to be like John the Baptist
• We do everything in the name of Christ and despise no-one (v5, 10)
• Examples (of despising others)
• We must not cause others to stumble (v6)
• Examples
• We must be very serious about sin (v7-9)
• Jesus is making an extreme point about sin [not a literal reference]
• Jesus saves us from sin (although we still sin, holiness is the desire of our life)

Closing Remarks