THE SERMON OF THE NINETY-NINE

"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? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home.....”– Luke 15:4–7 (ERV)

Have you ever heard about the sermon of the ninety-nine sheep in the flock below?:-

"We should not put so much emphasis on evangelism and start nurturing the people we already have. Afterall, the Bible say that we ought to teach those who have been baptized. Therefore, we should not be winning souls and planting new churches; rather we ought to give more attention to edifying the ones we have now." 

In Luke 15:1-10, God confirmed that the above sermon is from the pit of hell. The primary assignment of the church is to bring in all lost sheep into the great shepherd's fold (Mark 2:17). God is much more concerned about the lost sheep than those already in the flock. The church that focuses only on feeding its own flock will experience a decline. Christians never grow faster, and are never nurtured more, than when they look out and try to bring somebody else in. 

However, it is important to note that effective evangelism may not be easy. It will require passion, hard work, diligence, power, persistence and perspiration. This is because evangelism involves carrying "sheep" on our shoulders and not "lamb". A lamb is simply a baby sheep from birth to twelve month old. The weight of a sheep is much more that of a lamb. A sheep may weigh between 100 to 250 pounds while a lamb weighs far less than 100 pounds. Therefore, the shepherd will definitely require a tremendous amount of effort to be able to find and then lug the sheep home. This effort can  be described as the shepherd's price or sacrifice.  But the question is, are we really ready to pay the shepherd's price in this generation? 

Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11) and we are the sheep of His pasture (Psalms 95:7). He paid the most expensive price to carry us out of the darkness of this world into His marvelous light (Isaiah 53:6). And whenever we wander away from His flock, the shepherd go into the wilderness to look for us. He does not give up on us when we backslide or go astray from the way. The Good Shepherd does not condemn us. His loving concern for the lost sheep is steadfast and sure. He will seek far and wide to bring us back home to Himself. And when we repent and return to Him, heaven is set agog into lavish celebration and rejoicing (Luke 15:7).

Friends, are you among the ninety-nine (99) laying safely with the good shepherd today? I rejoice with you and  thank God for your life. But I hope you are not preaching the above sermon. If you are, I urge you to please repent now and take evangelism more seriously going forward. 

Beloved, are you among the lost sheep in the flock of Jesus Christ? Has the wolf of riches, ungodly friends etc lured you away from the tender care of the good shepherd? You are trending on a dangerous path and you do not seem to understand. The wicked wolf of this world will destroy you soon if you are not rescued from its evil grip on time. Things may appear to be going on very well for you today but please don't forget that a lost sheep usually end up as a prey in the wolf's den. Please let the good shepherd rescue you today before it will be too late. The good news is that it does not matter how far you have walked away into the wilderness, the good shepherd is eagerly looking forward to bringing you back home. Please repent today and walk into the ever-waiting outstretched arms of the good shepherd. 

This wonderful hymn below summarizes how the Good Shepherd care for lost sheep and go in search of them despite all odds. May God give us the heart of the Good Shepherd and use us mightily to rescue every lost sheep in our communities, villages, cities, and nations in Jesus name. 

THERE WERE NINETY AND NINE THAT SAFELY LAY By Elizabeth C. Clephane. 

1) There were ninety and nine that safely lay

In the shelter of the flock,

But one was out on the hills away,

Far off in the cold and dark;

Away on the mountains wild and bare,

Away from the tender Shepherd’s care.

2) “Lord, Thou hast here Thy ninety and nine;

Are they not enough for Thee?”

But the Shepherd made answer: “This of Mine

Has wandered away from Me;

And although the road be rough and steep,

I go to the desert to find My sheep.”

3) But none of the ransomed ever knew

How deep were the waters crossed;

Nor how dark was the night which the Lord passed through

Ere He found His sheep that was lost.

Out in the bleak desert, He heard its cry—

All bleeding and helpless, and ready to die.

4) “Lord, whence are those blood drops all the way

 That mark out the mountain’s track?”

“They were shed for one who had gone astray

 Ere the Shepherd could bring him back.”

“Lord, whence are Thy hands so rent and torn?”

“They’re pierced tonight by many a thorn.”

5) And all through the mountains, thunder-riven,

And up from the rocky steep,

There arose a cry to the gate of heaven,

“Rejoice! I have found My sheep!”

And the angels echoed around the throne,

“Rejoice, for the Lord brings back His own!”

My prayer for you and my humble self is that we shall not be satisfied with our 99 until we have rescued the missing 1 from the wicked grip of Hell in Jesus name. Amen.

Good day and God bless you.

Maranatha!

Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo

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