Luke 15:1-7

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

So he told them this parable: “Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 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.

Not the reading for today, but something has been nagging me to talk about since this Sunday when it was part of the Gospel reading.

This has always been a puzzling parable for me, partly because, as Pastor Mark Singh-Hueter said in his sermon this Sunday, for most of us, the answer to the question, "which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost," is: Me...I wouldn't leave 99 sheep in the wild to go after one!

But then this weekend, I went and saw the film "Sully," about Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the hero of the Hudson River water landing of US Airways flight 1549.

It isn't really a spoiler to say that everyone lived, but there was a moment that struck me with it's perfect illustration of Jesus parable here.

After everyone had gotten off the plane, Sully was the last one to leave. And before he left, and as people were trying to hurry him off the sinking craft, he went aisle by aisle to the back of the plane, leaving no stone unturned to make sure that everyone had gotten off. 155 lives had been on that flight, and he was going to make sure every one was accounted for, even at risk to himself.

When everyone was celebrating back on land, he knew it wouldn't be over until he'd heard that magic number, 155. 

And when he did, the joy was palpable.

Our God loves us that much.

Every single sheep is important.

Every life is meaningful.

God comes after us time and time again - even those that we might not think God would come after.

And when the lost are found, the joy is palpable!

Lord, your love and faith in us is boundless. Help me to continually reach out to those who need to hear of that love. Amen.