⁴ “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? ⁵ And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶ And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ ⁷ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. – Luke 15:1-7 (ESV)

By friend of Darwinek – friend of Darwinek, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1392469

Here are some numbers for you:

• 500 – the approximate number of time people are referred to as “sheep” in the Bible.

• 100 – the number of sheep in Jesus’ Parable of the Lost Sheep.

• 1 – the number of shepherds in said parable.

Looking at people as sheep offers an interesting glimpse into how God views humanity, as well as His relationship to us.

Sheep are animals of prey. They are susceptible to attack from wild animals and need to be protected. Likewise, we people are susceptible to attack from our enemy as well:

⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, ⁷ casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. ⁸ Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. ⁹ Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.  – 1 Peter 5:6-9 (ESV)

Earlier in the above chapter, Peter points out that we are God’s flock, and the Lord our “chief Shepherd”.

Sheep are humble animals, and they tend to stick with their shepherd. They know he will protect them and provide for them. It is the same God and His flock: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27, ESV).

However, in our stubborn sinfulness, we sometimes cast humility to the wind and wander off on our own. We tend to be like the prodigal son. He didn’t know how good he had it with his father and insisted on having his own way.

Well, until he found himself eating slop with the pigs.

When we stray, our Good Shepherd leaves the rest of the flock to find us and bring us back into the fold. God’s love for us – not just corporately but for each one of us individually – is so immensely strong that it is impossible to lose:

³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:35-39 (ESV)

Sometimes He gets our attention with a gentle whisper, a reminder that we have strayed from Him and the flock and need to come back. Sometimes He lets us have our heads until we find ourselves face down in a pig sty. But He still pursues us.

Another thing about sheep: they are communal animals. They were created to live in a flock. They are social critters.

Their behavior is formed by the community around them. The shepherd is the one who leads and guides the flock. Jesus – our Leader. the Head of the body of Christ – is referred to as the Lamb of God. Our behavior – both corporately as the body and individually as sheep – should follow that of our Shepherd.

Meek.

Strong.

Faithful.

Loving.

Kind.

The God Who is the Creator and Sustainer of all; Who is Love; Who is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent… He is also our Loving Abba – Father – and Good Shepherd, Who sacrificed His Son – the Perfect Lamb of God – to take away the sin that kept us from Him. He put us right in His flock. He calls us His own. He protects us and guides us and saves us.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
²     He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
³     He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name’s sake.

⁴ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever. – Psalm 23 (ESV)