99 for the 1

Watch Guest Speaker Cameron McLaurin's sermon "99 for the 1" on YouTube

Joella and I recently celebrated ten years of marriage. And if you asked me what our greatest accomplishment is—our travels? Our education? Even becoming parents?—I’d say none of those. My proudest feat? I still haven’t lost my wedding ring.

Have you ever lost something valuable? I mean really valuable? Maybe it was your keys on a day you were already late, or your car in a massive parking lot. I remember once as a kid, I fell asleep in a closet and my parents were frantically searching the whole house, convinced I’d gone missing.

There’s a specific kind of panic that hits when something—or someone—you care deeply about is suddenly gone. And in Luke 15, Jesus leans into that feeling. He tells three stories back to back about things that get lost: a sheep, a coin, and a son.

Each story is simple, but each one packs a punch. Jesus was speaking to two very different crowds: one group was full of broken, messy people drawn to Him… and the other was made up of religious leaders who couldn’t understand why He’d spend time with “sinners.”

But Jesus wanted both groups to understand the same thing: God’s heart beats for the lost. And if we want to reflect Him well, ours should too.

99 for the 1: The Sheep Are Blind

Jesus starts with this question:

Let’s talk about sheep for a second. They're not exactly known for their brains. They don’t have fangs or claws. They’re prey, not predators. Sheep get lost easily. They don’t do it on purpose. They just wander—nibbling on grass, taking one small step after another—until they look up and realize they’re alone.

Sound familiar?

Isaiah 53:6 says, “All we like sheep have gone astray.” We don’t wake up one day and decide to walk away from God. We get busy. We skip time in the Word. We disengage from community. We compromise “just a little.” Before long, we’re drifting—and we don’t even realize it until we feel far from God.

Phillip Keller wrote, “It is no accident that God has chosen to call us sheep. The behavior of sheep and human beings is similar in many ways.” Sheep need constant care. They cannot survive on their own. Neither can we.

So let me ask: Are you drifting? Do you still hunger for God's Word? Do you run to Him first—or only when everything else fails?

These aren’t guilt questions. They’re grace questions. Like a check engine light for your soul.

99 for the 1: The Shepherd’s Mind

That one word—until—tells us everything we need to know about God. He doesn't give up. He doesn't try for a little while and then shrug. He keeps searching until He finds the one.

From a logical standpoint, leaving 99 sheep for one sounds reckless. That’s a 1% loss—not bad odds! But God doesn’t think like we do. He doesn't operate on percentages or play it safe with souls.

This pursuit is intentional. It’s personal. Ezekiel 34 paints God as a relentless shepherd, scouring hills and valleys to bring His people home. Jesus doesn’t wait for us to get it together—He climbs cliffs and walks through thorns to rescue us while we’re stuck.

The Shepherd’s love isn’t transactional. It’s transformational.

So here’s the challenge: do we share the Shepherd’s mindset? Or are we content hanging out with the 99 while someone else is still wandering?

99 for the 1: A Love That’s Kind

Can you picture that moment? The sheep is muddy. It’s limping. It’s exhausted. But the shepherd doesn’t scold or shame it. He smiles. He lifts. He rejoices.

He doesn’t say, “You dumb animal, you should’ve known better!”

He says, “You’re home. I’m so glad I found you.”

That’s grace. That’s the gospel.

Jesus doesn’t crush us with our failures. He carries us in kindness. Romans 2:4 says it plainly: “Don’t you see that God’s kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?”

Sometimes people don’t need a lecture. They need a lift. I remember being in a tough spiritual place once, and someone paid for me to go to camp. They didn’t scold me. They just shouldered me. That act of kindness helped me reconnect with God in a powerful way.

99 for the 1: A Heart Aligned

Heaven throws a party when one lost soul comes home. Not a golf clap—a celebration.

So what gets you excited? Promotions? Sports victories? Instagram likes?

What about repentance?

What about someone deciding to follow Jesus? Do we get loud about that? Because heaven does.

If our hearts are aligned with God’s, we’ll share His joy over the one. We’ll care more about redemption than appearances. We’ll get off the sidelines and into the search.

99 for the 1: The Cross Was a Rescue Mission

Jesus is the Shepherd who came for you. And when He found you, He didn’t stand at a distance. He climbed up on a cross. Nails didn’t hold Him there—love did.

If you’re the lost sheep: Come home. He’s still searching for you.If you’re one of the found: Join the search. Don’t settle for the comfort of the 99.

The sheep are blind.The Shepherd’s mind is fixed on the one.His love is kind.And His heart is aligned with heaven’s joy.

Let’s make sure ours is too.