Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them! So, Jesus told them this story: “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!
Luke 15:1‭-‬7 NLT.

I do not know if you have lost something valuable to you. Maybe you misplaced your car key or misplaced your money or cellphone. Worse still, maybe while you are distracted, your little child strayed away from you. You turned around, and the child was not immediately seen. Imagine your sudden distress and panic. Nothing else matters at that moment. All your energy and focus are geared toward finding the lost item or precious child.
Even much more valuable and priceless is every human being in the sight of God.
We have all gone astray from the Heavenly Father. We are lost forever without a Savior, in the person of Jesus Christ !!!

The Pharisees, ignorant of this fact, berated Jesus for associating with sinners. They failed to realize that He came to seek and save the lost. It didn’t occur to them that it is wrong to isolate those they think are not good enough to receive the mercy of God.
Pride made them believe that they are holier than everyone. And that it’s only them that should have access to God.

Thankfully, through the parable of the lost sheep, Jesus delivered a classic message.
He explained the extent God is willing to go, to recover any of His children that strays.
For It’s not the will of God that anyone should perish, but that all should repent and be saved
And as Children of God, we are the vessel the Lord will use to organize a rescue mission for those who have gone astray.
He saved and commissioned us to join His business of reconciling sinners to Himself:

And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So, we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”
2 Corinthians 5:18‭-‬20 NLT.

So, there is no room to segregate and wall off the people we are called to minister to. God has not sent us to judge and condemn anybody:
Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you…
Luke 6:37 NLT.

Recall that the main scriptural text we are reviewing, states that there is a great celebration in heaven over a soul that repents.
This should convey a very strong message to us about the great importance God attaches to a soul. He even values a soul more than the wealth of the whole world:

And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?
Matthew 16:26 NLT.

Therefore, let us rely on the Lord to help us put aside any form of prejudice and allow the Holy Spirit to use us to reach out not just to unbelievers, but to our fellow believers who stumble. For we ought to gently and, with all humility, win back a brother that strays. And be careful not to judge and condemn them. Knowing we too can also be tempted:

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.
Galatians 6:1 NLT.

Undoubtedly, we cannot be able to do all of this by our strength. Therefore, I urge us to go to the Lord in prayers to guide us.

Dear Lord, we thank You for Your mercy and love for us. You are willing to leave ninety-nine to look for us, no matter how far we have strayed. We are so grateful for that. Cause us to have the same heart and be eager to reach out to all manner of people with your gospel.
Help us not to result to gossip if a brother falls into temptation. And also, empower us to gently in all humility nudge them back on the path of righteousness.
Thank you, Lord, for answering us in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Pst. Mike