Finding the One

Devotional: Finding the One
 
Scripture Focus
Luke 15:7 (NASB 1995)
“I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”
 
 
 
Sermon Reflection
 
One of the most revealing questions we can ask is this: What brings God joy?
 
Many people assume God is mostly concerned with rules, rituals, and religious performance. Yet when Jesus tells the story of the lost sheep in Luke 15, He reveals something deeper about the heart of God. Heaven rejoices when someone who was lost is found.  
 
The story begins with two groups of people around Jesus. On one side are tax collectors and sinners, people rejected by society but drawn to Jesus because they want to hear Him. On the other side are the Pharisees and scribes, religious leaders who know the Scriptures but grumble because Jesus welcomes those they believe are unworthy.  
 
To address their complaint, Jesus tells the parable of a shepherd who owns one hundred sheep but notices one is missing. Instead of being satisfied with the ninety-nine, the shepherd leaves them and goes searching for the one that wandered away. When he finds it, he does not punish the sheep or abandon it. Instead, he lifts it onto his shoulders and carries it home rejoicing.  
 
This shepherd is a picture of Christ.
 
Jesus did not come to avoid sinners. He came to seek them. He came to restore them. He came to save them. As Jesus later declares, “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
 
The message is clear: God is not indifferent toward the lost. He pursues them. And when one sinner repents, heaven erupts in celebration.
 
The deeper challenge in this passage is not just understanding the shepherd’s mission, but examining our own hearts. The Pharisees knew the law, but they had lost the love of God for people who were far from Him.  
 
Jesus reminds us that those who belong to Him must share His heart. If the Shepherd goes after the lost, His people should as well.
 
 
 
How I Should Respond
 
This passage invites personal reflection.
 
First, I must remember that I was once the lost sheep. I wandered in sin, unable to rescue myself, but Christ pursued me with grace and carried me home.
Second, I must guard my heart against becoming like the Pharisees. It is possible to know Scripture, attend church, and still lose compassion for people who need Christ.
Finally, I must ask myself a practical question: Who is the “one” God has placed in my life?
 
It may be a coworker, a neighbor, a friend, or a family member who is far from God. Instead of ignoring them or assuming someone else will reach them, I am called to share the gospel and reflect the heart of the Shepherd. The mission of Jesus is now the mission of His church.
 
 
 
Weekly Prayer
 
Father,
 
Thank You for pursuing me when I was lost. Thank You for sending Your Son, the Good Shepherd, who came to seek and save sinners.
 
Forgive me for the times I have become comfortable with the ninety-nine and forgotten the one who is wandering. Give me a heart that reflects Your compassion. Help me see people the way You see them.
 
Place someone on my heart this week who needs to hear about Christ, and give me the courage and love to share the gospel with them.
 
May my life reflect the joy of heaven when one sinner repents.
 
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
 
 
 
Application for the Week
 
A 5-Day Plan: Living with the Shepherd’s Heart
 
Day 1 — Remember Your Story
 
Read Luke 15:3–7.
Reflect on the truth that Christ pursued you when you were lost. Spend time thanking God for saving you.
 
Ask yourself:
How has Jesus carried me through seasons when I wandered?
 
 
 
Day 2 — Guard Your Heart
 
Read Isaiah 29:13.
Ask God to reveal any Pharisee-like attitudes in your heart, especially toward people who live differently than you.
 
Ask yourself:
Do I truly desire to see sinners come to Christ?
 
 
 
Day 3 — Pray for the One
 
Read Luke 19:10.
Ask God to place one person on your heart who needs the gospel.
 
Write their name down and pray for them intentionally.
 
 
 
Day 4 — Show Compassion
 
Read Matthew 9:36–38.
Look for opportunities to show kindness, care, and genuine interest in someone who may be far from God. Remember that compassion often opens the door for gospel conversations.
 
 
 
Day 5 — Share the Good News
 
Read Romans 1:16.
Look for an opportunity to speak about Christ with the person you have been praying for. It may be a conversation, an invitation to church, or sharing how Christ changed your life.
 
 
 
Final Thought
 
The heart of the gospel is not that we found God.
The heart of the gospel is that God came looking for us.
 
Jesus is the Shepherd who searches, the Savior who carries, and the Lord who rejoices when the lost come home. And when we begin to share His heart, we will start living with the same mission. Because somewhere around you right now, there is still one sheep wandering.