Matthew 18:10 - 14

The Lost Sheep

10 “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.

11 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.

12 “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?

13 And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.

14 Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

Jesus tells us not to belittle or treat with disrespect any humble Christian, the little ones are the same as the previous two lessons, all good members of the body of the kingdom of heaven should be as small children in their attitudes.

God has angels looking out for everyone of His children there are several verses which mention this.

(Acts 12:15[But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.”])

(Psalms 91:11[For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.])

(Hebrews 1:13-14[But to which of the angels has He ever said: “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?])

(Acts 27:23[For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve,])

We do not know how or when the angels work, because that is entirely part of God's divine providence, but it is enough to have assurance such holy creatures are serving God on our behalf.

Jesus came to save us, because all of mankind was lost without Him sacrificing Himself for us.

This shepherd is like Jesus, he is willing to leave the ones who are not in jeopardy in order to find and save the one lost sheep which is in peril of dying.

The shepherd is like Christ, he finds and rejoices over the one sheep he has found. He does not just love the lost sheep, but he is happy because he finds it and saves it. He loves the 99 as much as he loves the lost one. But they are not lost, so he shows happiness because he finds and saves the one who was lost.

It is the will of God that all who will accept the Savior is saved, those are the small ones mentioned, He does not want any of the sheep to stray from the fold (church or kingdom) and lose their soul.