The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep' (John 10:11). When we believe in Jesus Christ as Lord, He is our Savior and our Good Shepherd. This is a metaphor of how Jesus came to seek and save all who are lost: 'For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost' (Matthew 18:11, NKJV see also Luke 19:10). He goes after the one sheep who is vulnerable and alone, the one who is lost and in danger of being attacked by a wild animal.

In the Parable of the Lost Sheep the shepherd leaves the 99 to go find the one that is missing. The point of Jesus' complementary parables is His eagerness to save and His great joy when someone comes to Him in faith and receives that salvation. Jesus goes after the sinner and offers salvation, whether that sinner be one society labels as such or one wrapped up in his own self-righteousness. Outwardly they appeared to be following God, but their hearts were far from Him. This is a rebuke against the religious leaders. Though he seemed to be loyal he, too, had rejected his father's love and treated him with contempt. The elder son reveals his lack of love for the father. But the older son, who had remained with the father, refuses to come to the celebration, even when his father goes to him. The father saw the son a far way off, ran to him, covered his shame, and rejoiced at his return. He realized his father could help him and came to understand his father's graciousness he returned home with a repentant heart. The younger son had demanded his inheritance early and then squandered it only to find himself in desperate need. The Parable of the Prodigal Son ends with the eldest son remaining outside the father's celebration when the younger son returns. These parables are about the salvation offered in Jesus Christ. In Luke's gospel the Parable of the Lost Sheep is followed by the Parable of the Lost Coin and the Parable of the Lost Son (the Prodigal Son). Rather, the point of the parable is His pursuit of the lost and His joy when people come to Him for salvation. Jesus is not saying that He abandons His followers. In the parable, the 99 sheep are already safe with the shepherd. He was extending saving grace to sinners. What the Pharisees didn't understand was that Jesus was going after the one who was lost. Jesus openly rebuked the Pharisees and scribes for their self-righteous hypocrisy (Matthew 23:28). While the Pharisees did not associate with sinners, Jesus did-and His behavior was confusing to them. Jesus told this parable in response to the Pharisees and scribes grumbling against Him for spending time with sinners (Luke 15:1вЂ“2). But the point of the parable is the finding of the one, not the leaving of the 99.

He leaves the 99 sheep to go find that one that is lost.

In this parable, the shepherd has 100 sheep, 99 of which are accounted for, and one which is missing. The concept of leaving the 99 to find the one is from the Parable of the Lost Sheep, which is found in Matthew 18:10вЂ“14 and Luke 15:3вЂ“7.

Parable of the shepherd