1In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”
2Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the middle of them 3and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. 5Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me, 6but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a huge millstone were hung around his neck and that he were sunk in the depths of the sea.
7“Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but woe to that person through whom the occasion comes! 8If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire. 9If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire. 10See that you don’t despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. 11For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost.
12“What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray? 13If he finds it, most certainly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. 14Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
15“If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother. 16But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector. 18Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven. 19Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.”
21Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?”
22Jesus said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven. 23Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24When he had begun to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25But because he couldn’t pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26The servant therefore fell down and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!’ 27The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him and forgave him the debt.
28“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’
29“So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you!’ 30He would not, but went and cast him into prison until he should pay back that which was due. 31So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told their lord all that was done. 32Then his lord called him in and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’ 34His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors until he should pay all that was due to him. 35So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.”
One Lost Sheep
One Lost Sheep
12 “What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray?13 If he finds it, most certainly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.14 Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
Do you ever feel like you just don’t matter? Do you feel forgotten by others and forgotten by God? At this moment, you may be the one lost sheep. If you are not now, you certainly were at one time. God pursues us relentlessly. He chases us in hopes of delivering us. He wants to deliver us from not only our sin and ourselves, but also from our hurts, habits, and hang-ups. He is the God of deliverance. My father used to say that “God is on KGOD broadcasting 24-7, saying, 'I want a relationship with you.” He is there speaking. If you listen, you can sometimes hear Him. I don’t mean that you must hear him with your ears, but you will hear Him with your heart. Are you listening?
In Isaiah 53:6 says,“6 All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way; and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” You and I are those lost sheep. And yes, we have turned to our own way. We’ve tried to do it our own way, but it just hasn’t worked out. A fellow pastor of mine likes to say, “We find Him when we finally come to the end of ourselves.” There is much truth in that. We run to and fro, trying to hide our sins and deal with our own hurts, habits, and hangups, but we are not successful. We cannot do it on our own. However, with grace greater than we can understand, He chases us down and finds us. Have you let Him catch you? It’s done when you say, “Yes, Lord, I do. I do believe, and I do receive the glorious grace and deliverance that you’ve given to me. Precious Lord, take this hurt, this thing that has stolen my ability to love and has robbed me of my joy and peace.” He will do it. He is seeking you down because you are the one lost sheep out of the hundred.
As stated, He longs to have a relationship with you. And when you receive Him, there is a grand celebration in heaven. You have let Him find you and help, and healing is on the way. If you’ve experienced this, you know that there is also a grand celebration within your own heart. There is a huge relief. You don’t have to make it on your own. You realize that He is in control. How blessed we are that He is a Good Shepherd who loved us so much that He went to the cross for us, so that you and I might be found. As the old hymn declares, “Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost but now I’m found, ‘twas blind but now I see.” We were all blind, but when we come to Him, we are able to see things that we’ve never seen or understood. He found us each and brought us back into the safety and security of His fold. He is willing and most desirous that none should perish. Copyright © 2026 Faber F McMullen III. All rights reserved.