Matthew 18:8-17

8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

The Parable of the Wandering Sheep
10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. 11 (Some manuscripts include here the words from Luke 19:10:  For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.)

12 “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

Dealing With Sin in the Church
15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

The more familiar location for the Parable of the Lost Sheep is in Luke 15:4-7 where it’s combined with the Parables of the Lost Coin and the Lost or Prodigal Son.

The context in Matthew is different in that it bridges Jesus’ call to deal with our own sin seriously (18:8-9) and His call to deal with other’s sin seriously (18:15-17).

Whether this symbolic sheep lost in sin is you or someone else, God the Father’s attitude remains the same: Your Father is heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost (Matthew 18:14). He leaves the ninety-nine to find the one lost – and is thrilled to again find that lost person – or sheep – as the parable portrays.

Psalm 23

1. The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2. He makes me lie down in green pastures,
   he leads me beside quiet waters,
3. he refreshes my soul.
   He guides me along the right paths
   for his name’s sake.
4. Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
   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 your goodness and love will follow me
   all the days of my life,
   and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.