WHAT man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when be cometh home, he calleth his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, That likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance " (Luke 15:3-73And he spake this parable unto them, saying, 4What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. (Luke 15:3‑7)).
In Stapleton there was a young woman slowly but surely dying of a fatal disease. She was poor, very poor and miserable, both in her soul and her circumstances. Her helpless and hopeless condition was the cause of great distress and anxiety to her, for she was afraid to die, knowing very well that after death there was judgment to come, and as yet she had not put her trust in the Savior’s finished work. I was asked to visit her, which I did as early as possible, and found her very sorrowful and very much troubled.
“Oh! sir," she said, "I'm such a great sinner. I know I won't live long, and there is no one who can do me any good. The clergyman has been to see me, and he does me no good. I read the Bible, but I am not good. Oh! I am so bad, so bad.”
Looking to the Lord for the right message for this hungry, thirsty one, I opened the Bible, the Word of God, and she, with her Bible, followed me as I read. I pointed her to the Lord Jesus, who died for sinners, "the just for the unjust," and how He had finished the work; “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:2424Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Peter 2:24)). "Oh!" she said, “what must I do?” Turning to Luke 15, I read to her that beautiful story of the shepherd seeking the poor lost sheep, and when he hath found it layeth it on his shoulders rejoicing, bringing it home.
“You see," I said,” the Lord Jesus left the glory above and came into this poor miserable world to seek and to save the poor lost sinner. He bore all God's judgment against the sinner, and died in our stead. You do not know all your sins, but God knew everyone, and the Lord path laid on Him (Jesus) the iniquity of us all (Isa. 53:66All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)). We have all like sheep gone astray, but all your sins and iniquities hath God laid on Jesus.”
“Oh, sir," she exclaimed, "I see it! I see it! God has laid all my sins on Jesus. He layeth it upon His shoulders; my salvation is secured forever.”
A stream of light had been let in by the Holy Spirit, completely banishing the darkness of her mind, and there was indeed rejoicing in heaven over this one sinner that day. I saw her again, but the time of her departure was at hand, and as I neared her bedside she extended her hand and caught hold of mine, and exclaimed, "Chi precious Jesus! He layeth it upon His shoulders; Jesus, precious Jesus!”
I knelt down, and returned thanks to God the Father for her salvation, and for her and my precious Lord Jesus, to which she only could say, “Oh, yes! my Jesus. Jesus layeth it on His shoulders.”
She never spoke again, but her spirit soon departed to be with the Lord Jesus, her precious Lord and Savior. Oh, dear reader, whoever you are, how is it with you? Have you, like that young woman, owned yourself before God a lost hell-deserving sinner, and accepted the Lord Jesus as your substitute " All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God " (Rom. 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)). You cannot improve your condition before God. “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags" (Isa. 64:66But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6)). Church goings, almsgivings, prayers, tears, penitence, "turning over new leaves," good resolutions, "doing your best," can never save your soul.
“God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back; they are altogether become filthy, there is none that doeth good, no, not one" (Psa. 53:2, 32God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. 3Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Psalm 53:2‑3)).
“The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)). The blood of Jesus has satisfied God; He has proved His satisfaction by raising the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, and setting Him at His right hand in heaven.
“Oh I take with rejoicing from Jesus at once
The life everlasting He gives,
And know with assurance thou ne'er can be lost.
Since Jesus, thy righteousness, lives.”
J. E. M.