Matthew 18:11-13 (NKJV) 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.
Although the Heavenly Father is not mentioned in the above passage, we understand His heart through it because the Son of Man, Jesus, came to declare the Father to us, including His passion and love for the lost. Reaching the lost is God’s heart. If we profess to love Him, we should do what is closest to His heart.
Sheep tend to wander and go astray to dangerous places or get stuck in the mud. They have a herd mentality and are stubborn. Unlike other animals that can hunt and protect themselves, sheep need much care and attention. We resemble sheep in many ways.
The people of Jesus’ day understood the relationship between the shepherd and the sheep. The ninety-nine sheep are Christians who have a relationship with God, while the one sheep that has wandered off represents an unbeliever or a believer who has backslid. The shepherd is not abandoning the ninety-nine sheep to look for the one lost one, for they would have been cared for by the shepherd before he went out to look for the lost sheep.
John 10:3-4 (NKJV) To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
God is omniscient and knows every one of us by name. The shepherd goes before the sheep to lead them and gives a call unique to himself that his sheep will respond to. As His sheep, all of us are familiar with God’s voice, which is why we will follow His leading when we live a consecrated life. We are also led by the inner voice of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. There is safety when the shepherd leads us because ferocious wolves are ready to pounce on the sheep. In John 10:10, it says the thief will kill, steal, and destroy, whereas God wants us to have an abundant life.
The local church is comparable to a sheepfold. Jesus is the Chief Shepherd, while the pastors of local churches are under-shepherds He appoints to care for the sheep in those particular sheepfolds. No shepherd will lead sheep from other sheepfolds, nor will the sheep recognise his voice because he is not their shepherd. Sheep also don’t go from one sheepfold to another. Therefore, we should not hop from one church to another but commit to a local church and allow the local pastor to shepherd us.
Sermon Series: One Soul for Christ
你需要一个牧羊人和一个羊圈
马太福音 18:11-13 因为人子来了，为要拯救失丧的人。 “你怎么认为？如果一个人有一百只羊，其中一只迷路了，他岂不就留下九十九只羊，到山上去寻找迷路的那一只吗？ 如果他找到了，我可以肯定地告诉你，他会为那只羊而高兴，而不是为那九十九只没有迷失方向的羊而高兴。
虽然上述经文没有提到天父，但却使我们藉此理解了祂的心，因为人子耶稣来向我们宣明天父，包括祂对失丧者的热情和爱。帮助失丧的人是神的心意。如果我们自称爱祂，我们就应该做最贴近祂心意的事。
羊倾向于漫无目的地游走并误入危险的地方或陷入泥沼。它们有从众心理，而且很固执。与其他会狩猎和保护自己的动物不同，绵羊需要许多的照顾和关注。我们在很多方面都像绵羊。
耶稣时代的人们了解牧羊人和羊之间的关系。那九十九只羊是指与神有关系的基督徒，而那一只迷失的羊代表的是一个不信的人或倒退的信徒。牧羊人并不是不管不顾地抛下九十九只羊去寻找那丢失的一只，因为在他出去寻找丢失的羊之前，这些羊已经得到了牧羊人妥善的安置。
约翰福音 10:3-4 看门的为他开门，羊也听他的声音。他叫出自己的羊的名字，然后把它们领出来。当他领出自己的羊时，他就走在它们前面；羊群也跟随他，因为他们认得他的声音。
上帝是无所不知的，祂知道我们每一个人的名字。牧羊人走在羊群前面，带领它们，发出自己独特的呼唤，他的羊就会回应。作为神的羊，我们都熟悉神的声音，这就是为什么我们过献身的生活时会跟随神的带领。我们也被内心中圣灵的声音所引导。当牧羊人带领我们时，我们就很安全，因为凶猛的群狼随时准备扑向羊群。约翰福音 10 章 10 节说，盗贼会杀戮、偷盗、毁坏，而神却希望我们拥有丰盛的生命。
地方教会好比一个羊圈。耶稣是牧长，而地方教会的牧师则是祂指定的副牧人，负责照顾那些特定羊圈中的羊。没有牧羊人会带领别人圈里的羊，那圈里的羊也不认他的声音，因为他不是它们的牧羊人。羊也不会从一个羊圈去到另一个羊圈。因此，我们不应该从一个教会跳到另一个教会，而应该委身于一个地方教会，让当地的牧师来牧养我们。
讲章系列：为基督赢得一个灵魂
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