March 11th 2018
Leave The Ninety-Nine And Go Save The One!
Luke 15:4 and 7 (NIV)
Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
It seems Jesus expects us to be shepherds, that is, He wants to care for individuals more than to follow the “crowd.” Jesus once told us that there will always be poor people who need help, sometimes just to survive day-by-day, but His followers are to always keep in mind that we must not concentrate our efforts in this life solely to help only the poor. We must be more specific, and first help the poor in spirit! As Jesus said, “there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” Of course, the only person you can be sure of repenting is you. Unless you repent of your sins you cannot be effective in convincing someone else of the need for them to repent.
In the selected verses Jesus refers to ninety-nine who are trusted to be alone” in the open country” while He seeks the one that is lost. It could be that Jesus is referring to ninety-nine people (sheep) that have been saved, and thus, they will remain safe wherever they are? Jesus AKA the Son of Man came to this earth to save the lost. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. (Luke 19:10). As the Son of God, Jesus knows His Father’s salvation plan will be successful, and it will offer salvation for those who choose to follow Him. John later wrote about how those who choose to follow Jesus Christ will become called the children of God. How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. (1John 3:10
Jesus also talked about what may be called guardian angles who in some way(s) watch over children. "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones(children), for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. "For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. (Matthew 18:10-11, NKJV). Jesus here says that there are angels in heaven who in some way watch over the children, when He says, “that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.” It appears that these angels are only for children! It may be that Jesus is referring to the children of God! Remember, before in this commentary Jesus seemed to indicate there were the ninety-nine who could be left alone, and they would remain safe.
In this cursed world we all have a body that contains a sinful nature we inherited from Adam, however, we also retain a spirit that is a remnant from the time of creation before Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God’s command. God breathed the breath of life into Adam, and this spirit was also passed on to us from Adam, as he is the seed on all mankind. Jesus told His disciples many times about the importance of prayer for us to overcome the enticements presented by Satan and his demons. "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." (Matthew 26:41). Here, Jesus is telling them (us) about gaining victory over temptation by leaning toward our spiritual guide, instead of relying on our own power! As Jesus says, “The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." Remember too, Jesus’ followers also have the Holy spirit to lean on! Our spirit can communicate with the Holy Spirit, but only if we try to control our sinful nature.
In the time Jesus walked this earth many people believed that rich people who were obviously blessed with worldly possessions must be the people who would be saved when they die. Some people still believe that way today! There are those who are referred to as the “Name it and Claim it group,” who still believe that way. However, Jesus told His disciples that worldly wealth was more of a hindrance than a blessing. Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God." Peter said to him, "We have left all we had to follow you!" "I tell you the truth," Jesus said to them, "no-one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life." (Luke 18:25-30). Being wealthy is only a hindrance to gaining salvation, if it causes you to love money more than you love Jesus! Those who have much are supposed to share with those who have little!
The children of God will someday see God! You must first leave this cursed earth, before you can see God. God cannot live with sinful creatures. All creatures that disobey God are sinful! We get a glimpse through the Bible, of God by following Jesus, as those who literally saw Jesus. No-one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known. (John 1:18). John wrote about the triune God, and such writing becomes easily confused for most of us. In this verse John wrote about Jesus and said, “but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known. Here John is referring to Jesus as “God the One and Only,” which we profess Him to be, but then He is said to be the one “who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.” We cannot fully understand “The Trinity,” while still living in this cursed world. Jesus tells us about those who will be blessed to see God someday. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
Jesus told John about the new earth that will be created to replace this cursed earth, and then John wrote the Book of Revelation. One of the comments lets us know that because there will no longer be death in this new world there will be no need for sleeping, as we will never be tired. There will no longer be a need for recording time, as God never needed it, and now those living forever will not need it either. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. (Revelation 21:25). In this new world God will be total control, and every soul will totally agree with everything God does, they will be eternally grateful for everything they receive from God. No death, no sadness, no grumbling, doesn’t it sound heavenly?
No need for daylight savings time!
We are still living in a cursed world, so don’t forget to Spring Forward Saturday night, or Sunday morning
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Luke 15:4 and 7 (NIV)
Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
It seems Jesus expects us to be shepherds, that is, He wants to care for individuals more than to follow the “crowd.” Jesus once told us that there will always be poor people who need help, sometimes just to survive day-by-day, but His followers are to always keep in mind that we must not concentrate our efforts in this life solely to help only the poor. We must be more specific, and first help the poor in spirit! As Jesus said, “there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” Of course, the only person you can be sure of repenting is you. Unless you repent of your sins you cannot be effective in convincing someone else of the need for them to repent.
In the selected verses Jesus refers to ninety-nine who are trusted to be alone” in the open country” while He seeks the one that is lost. It could be that Jesus is referring to ninety-nine people (sheep) that have been saved, and thus, they will remain safe wherever they are? Jesus AKA the Son of Man came to this earth to save the lost. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. (Luke 19:10). As the Son of God, Jesus knows His Father’s salvation plan will be successful, and it will offer salvation for those who choose to follow Him. John later wrote about how those who choose to follow Jesus Christ will become called the children of God. How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. (1John 3:10
Jesus also talked about what may be called guardian angles who in some way(s) watch over children. "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones(children), for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. "For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. (Matthew 18:10-11, NKJV). Jesus here says that there are angels in heaven who in some way watch over the children, when He says, “that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.” It appears that these angels are only for children! It may be that Jesus is referring to the children of God! Remember, before in this commentary Jesus seemed to indicate there were the ninety-nine who could be left alone, and they would remain safe.
In this cursed world we all have a body that contains a sinful nature we inherited from Adam, however, we also retain a spirit that is a remnant from the time of creation before Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God’s command. God breathed the breath of life into Adam, and this spirit was also passed on to us from Adam, as he is the seed on all mankind. Jesus told His disciples many times about the importance of prayer for us to overcome the enticements presented by Satan and his demons. "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." (Matthew 26:41). Here, Jesus is telling them (us) about gaining victory over temptation by leaning toward our spiritual guide, instead of relying on our own power! As Jesus says, “The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." Remember too, Jesus’ followers also have the Holy spirit to lean on! Our spirit can communicate with the Holy Spirit, but only if we try to control our sinful nature.
In the time Jesus walked this earth many people believed that rich people who were obviously blessed with worldly possessions must be the people who would be saved when they die. Some people still believe that way today! There are those who are referred to as the “Name it and Claim it group,” who still believe that way. However, Jesus told His disciples that worldly wealth was more of a hindrance than a blessing. Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God." Peter said to him, "We have left all we had to follow you!" "I tell you the truth," Jesus said to them, "no-one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life." (Luke 18:25-30). Being wealthy is only a hindrance to gaining salvation, if it causes you to love money more than you love Jesus! Those who have much are supposed to share with those who have little!
The children of God will someday see God! You must first leave this cursed earth, before you can see God. God cannot live with sinful creatures. All creatures that disobey God are sinful! We get a glimpse through the Bible, of God by following Jesus, as those who literally saw Jesus. No-one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known. (John 1:18). John wrote about the triune God, and such writing becomes easily confused for most of us. In this verse John wrote about Jesus and said, “but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known. Here John is referring to Jesus as “God the One and Only,” which we profess Him to be, but then He is said to be the one “who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.” We cannot fully understand “The Trinity,” while still living in this cursed world. Jesus tells us about those who will be blessed to see God someday. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
Jesus told John about the new earth that will be created to replace this cursed earth, and then John wrote the Book of Revelation. One of the comments lets us know that because there will no longer be death in this new world there will be no need for sleeping, as we will never be tired. There will no longer be a need for recording time, as God never needed it, and now those living forever will not need it either. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. (Revelation 21:25). In this new world God will be total control, and every soul will totally agree with everything God does, they will be eternally grateful for everything they receive from God. No death, no sadness, no grumbling, doesn’t it sound heavenly?
No need for daylight savings time!
We are still living in a cursed world, so don’t forget to Spring Forward Saturday night, or Sunday morning
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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