An Application to Contemporary Christian Living based on the Parables

The parables are a micro-presentation and overview of the gospel: Humanity's only hope! Jesus said he came to fulfill not abolish the law. Therefore, the New Testament is a fulfillment of the Old. I comprehend the parables as the LORD'S provision to understand His truth by faith contemporarily. Let us consider how the parable of the Lost Sheep is applicable to contemporary living.

The purpose of The Lost Sheep parable, Matthew 18:12-14 - Luke 15:3-7 - John 10:1-18, is to reveal, as a paradigm, a picture of Our Great Shepherd, reaching out and restoring the lost and hurting. Reaching the lost requires contemporary correspondence of hope. Restoration requires two types of applicability: admit a relevant need and accept a relevant hope. Humanity's need is established primarily on admitting their hope is based only on God's provision. Therefore, lost humanities' are hopelessness without a relationship with Jesus. In seeking 'the lost sheep,' the Lord is willing to leave the flock. We in the church are to follow His example. He then seeks those who were never in the flock (Mt.18) He seeks those who never came to Jesus, unbelievers (Lk.15) He seeks fallen away believing people's. The Lord welcomes, blesses, and accepts those who admit their need. Like in the Prodigal Son, He not only comes to them, but the Lord carries them back to safety. John 10 reveals that Jesus is the Gate. Protection, acceptance, and provision are available to those inside the Gate. The abundant life of Jn. 10:10 is the best contemporary lifestyle. Serving others is a natural outgrowth, after we have been served, our service blesses others and ourselves. Blessing occurs as we seek to serve and encourage others. We then are passing a personal experience of our only hopeful message and solution. Through our service, God offers and provides hope of reconciliation for all humankind. The Gate provides the connection to the lost sheep everywhere, who come to Him

To Know Him, to Know Myself, so I Can Make Him Known The most exciting purpose in understanding the parables is passing on truths that encourage hope in people's life toward commitment, maturity and changed lives. My life's purpose is to understand my personal relevance, know myself, so that I personally know Him. Then I can pass on to others these applications along with those of the Scriptures, consequently making Him known. Knowledge of reality is the only way. In seeking reality, I need to be able to help others define their human reality of relational brokenness and hopelessness, then utilize the Scriptures and personal involvement and encouragement. Therefore, I pass on the reason for the hope that is in me 1Peter 3:15 to those the LORD provides.

The Shepherd and His Sheep - John 10:1-18 "I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep .3The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice. "6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. 7 Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. 11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me-- 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again. 18 No ozone takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

The Lost Sheep - Matthew 18:12-14 12 "What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.

The Lost Sheep- Luke 15:3-7 3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 "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? 5 And when he find sit, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep. '7 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.
All verses are quoted from The New International Version (NIV)