November 10, 2015 – Matthew 18:12-13

“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do?  Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost?  And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away!”  Matthew 18:12-13  What would your Mom do if she couldn’t find you?  She would look and search until she finds you?  Why?  Because she loves you ever so much.Jesus is telling a story to teach us.  Not about just shepherds and lambs.  But Jesus is the Shepherd and He loves you even more than your Mom does.  Jesus wants you to love Him, too.  When you are lost from Jesus, He searches for you because He loves you so much.How does a lamb not get lost?  He minds the Shepherd and follows Him.  Jesus, our Shepherd teaches us to love each other.  He teaches us to mind our parents.  He teaches us to be kind to each other no matter what.Even big people get lost from Jesus because they get angry and do bad things.  Jesus loves them just like He loves the little children.  Jesus wants all of his children to come live with Him.  In John 14:1-4, He tells us how much He loves us.Jesus said, “Don’t be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me.  There are many rooms in my Father’s house. I would not tell you this if it were not true. I am going there to prepare a place for you.  After I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back. Then I will take you with me, so that you can be where I am. “In the same way, it is not my heavenly father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.” Matthew 18:14