luk 15v05 When He Hath Found It
"WHEN HE HATH FOUND
IT"
Luke 15:5
Picture that poor, lost sheep.
He has fallen over the edge of a high cliff on a dark, stormy night. Overhead,
he sees the terrifying storm of God's wrath. The lightening seems to strike out
at him, saying, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." Below, he sees
the gaping jaws of hell opened wide to engulf him. He is losing his footing,
slipping into hell. His very soul is terrified. That sheep is you and me.
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own
way." We were all lost and ruined by the fall of our Father Adam (Rom.
Just when the sheep is ready to perish forever,
Christ finds his lost sheep! What does he do? Does the Shepherd say, "Now
I have done all I can for you, the rest is up to you - You take the first step,
and I will do the rest - If you will let me I will save you?" Nonsense!
Our dear Shepherd reaches down with the long arm of his almighty, irresistible
grace and lays hold of his perishing sheep, and "He layeth it on his own
shoulders, rejoicing!"
Now picture the sheep. THE GOOD SHEPERD HAS THE
SHEEP ON HIS OWN SHOULDERS, HOLDING ITS FOUR LEGS SECURELY IN THE STRONG
HANDS OF HIS GRACE. This is a place of rest for the sheep. All the weight
and burden of his soul is on the Shepherd's shoulders. And the sheep is secure.
He is in the Shepherd's hands and upon the Shepherd's shoulders. He has nothing
to fear (Deut. 1:30-31; John 10:27-29). Nothing can hurt the sheep until it
first destroys the Shepherd. At last, THE GREAT, ALL-SUFFICIENT SHEPHERD
BRINGS HIS SHEEP HOME REJOICING. In that saved sheep, he sees of the
travail of his soul, and is satisfied. Imagine that, the Son of God rejoices in
the salvation of sinners! This was the joy set before him, for which he endured
the cross, despising its shame. Thank God for such a Shepherd as Christ is!