The Good Shepherd – Luke’s Gospel, chapter 15, verses 1 to 7
15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
Luke 15:1-7 New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide
What was Jesus saying when he called himself the Good Shepherd?
In this part of Luke’s Gospel we see tax collectors (who were treated as traitors for gathering tax for the Roman occupation) and other sinners flocking to hear Jesus. The religious leaders went too, but only to grumble. “He eats with sinners! He’s contaminated! He’s no holy man!” So he tells them a story about a shepherd and a lost sheep.
The Shepherd Song
King David’s “Shepherd” song – Psalm 23. “The Lord is my shepherd” – God is the Good Shepherd, who leads his sheep to joy.
What the prophets said about the Shepherd
Jeremiah 23:1-8 Here the whole flock had been lost because of the greedy under-shepherds. David’s personal story is turned into the story of all Israel.
Ezekiel 34:1-16 Judgement on under-shepherds who rejected the chief Shepherd, and led the sheep astray. This happened then, and in Jesus’ day and through all church history, and is still happening today.
God’s Rescue Plan
This is why God Himself came as the Good Shepherd.
- He searches
- He carries
- He feeds
- He protects
- He binds up wounds
- He rescues
Jesus said “there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” It is all done by Jesus, God the Son. Repentance is us making all the trouble and God doing all the work. “All we have contributed to our salvation is the sin that made it necessary.” – John Calvin
