Now Jesus is the good shepherd.
He leaves his entire flock to find one lost sheep.
We can see this two ways:
The shepherd leaves his flock to find the lost sheep.
He is gone for what seems like forever.
He finally finds the lost sheep.
He picks him up and turns around to go home,
And there is his entire flock,
Those who followed him,
Those who were looking for him.
Or we can say,
He left his entire flock to find the lost sheep,
But luckily for him,
When he opened the gate,
He found the lamb was just outside the gate,
And he brought him into the fold.
Who then was lost?
None were lost.
But the question remains,
Are we the lost lamb—
The one who struck out on his own,
Jesus Christ–the shepherd who follows him to find him,
Or the flock that followed Jesus Christ?
There are those who come before Christ,
Those who follow,
And those who walk with him through time.
We are all these.
The nursery rhyme holds true:
“Mary had a little lamb
Its fleece was white as snow
And everywhere that Mary went
The lamb was sure to go.
It followed her to school one day
Which was against the rules.
It made the children laugh and play
To see a lamb at school.
And so the teacher turned it out
But still it lingered near
And waited patiently about
Till Mary did appear
Why does the lamb love Mary so?
The eager children cry
Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know
The teacher did reply.”