Who is the Lost Sheep?

Luke 15:1-7 tells the parable of the Lost Sheep. Some church goers have told me the sheep who wonders away and is lost is one of their own believers. In essence saying we need to close the back door of the church and keep people from leaving our gathering. Go after them if they don't attend for a period of time. Encourage them to return and take back up their place in the fold.

Verse 7 would lead us to think differently. It states that there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who do not need to repent. I believe the key phrase here is "one sinner who repents." A sinner who repents is a new believer in Jesus Christ. They've moved from darkness to light. They have been found, saved, washed in the blood, whatever you want to call it. This phrase is not referring to a believer who is currently attending church and stops coming for awhile. This person is the new Christian that was not in the church prior to his salvation.

Some would say that since the parable refers to the "flock" and a "shepherd" it must be talking about Jesus and his church. But again I would refer back to that key phrase, "one sinner who repents." This parable is not talking about believers, but unbelievers. Also look at verse 2 where the Pharisees were muttering about Jesus welcoming and eating with well-known sinners of the day. Context both at the beginning of the passage and in the conclusion doesn't allow this interpretation.

Every one of us have been created in the image of God. We were all lost at one point or another. Thank God that someone cared enough to come after us and bring us back to our Shepherd. Let's go out and find others who need to return to the fold. The angels will rejoice.