Oh, the joys of being in the bishopric

This September will be 4 years since being called into the bishopric.  Wow, the time has gone by pretty fast.  For the first while, for what seemed forever, I never had people say no to an invitation to speak in church.  However, recently, I have had a few decline for different reasons.  They are good people, but some just find it difficult to get up in front of people to talk.  I can't blame them.  So, this occurred this past week in which I had a late cancellation early Friday morning.  This happened once before where it was one of the adult speakers who got sick.  This time it was one of the youth.  I felt so bad, because this individual was in tears and just petrified of having to get in front of the ward.  In fact, her mom let me know that her daughter was just unable to do it.  So, with no time really left to find someone else to speak, I felt inclined to be the "youth speaker".  As such, I prepared a short 5-minute talk.  Here it is...

In modern-day revelation we read, "if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!"

• Of the roughly 30 parables recorded in the New Testament, the Parable of the Lost Sheep is one of my favorites which references the "joy of missionary service" and the rescue of God's children

Luke 15:1-7

1-2: The drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.  And the Pharisees and Scribes murmured saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

• A publican was a tax collector, typically Jewish, for the Roman government, a foreign government which not only occupied their country but was also oppressive at times
• Those who collected taxes for the Roman government were regarded by many as traitors to their own nation and people
• The sinners referred to here were people not accepted within their synagogues
• It is interesting to think that Jesus's message warranted the interest of these types of individuals
• In other words, Jesus was reaching out to people who had been rejected by church and society

3-4: And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine AND GO INTO the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

• Jesus does not leave the ninety and nine defenseless and needing to fend for themselves
• Surely, these ninety and nine are left in the care of another shepherd or perhaps secured in a sheepfold, there to remain safe from outside dangers
• Then, after all the flock is safely secured, he, being the good shepherd, goes into the wilderness looking for his lost sheep
• A flock of 100 sheep, in those days, would have been considered a large one.  Economically, the loss of one would not have been that serious.  However, in his love, the shepherd regards each of his sheep as important, and he is not willing to lose even one
• This is the same with each of us!

5-6: And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.  And 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

• There are likely two reasons why a shepherd would carry the lost sheep
• First, because the sheep more than likely would be exhausted and worn out from its wandering
• Second, more than likely, it would have been scared and frightened from being separated
• Isaiah wrote of the tender love of the Lord, who is our Shepherd; "all we, like sheep, have gone astray".  And, He shall feed His flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are young:
• In the same way that the shepherd "layeth it on his shoulders" our Savior carries us in his arms when we are lost and are found
• Let us recognize those moments and not forget to thank Heavenly Father and His Son when this occurs

7: 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.

• For me, it is easy to understand heaven's joy over the repentant sinner.  However, it is sometimes difficult to comprehend how its joy can be greater with the one rather than with the ninety and nine who need no repentance
• James E. Talmage gave some insight to this by adding, "in the safe-folded ninety and nine the shepherd had continued joy; but to him came a new accension of happiness, brighter and stronger because of his recent grief, when the lost was brought back into the fold
• Another thought...the truth is that we have all sinned and need repentance.  As such, we are all like the one that was lost, needed to repent and did it
• All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God
• The heavens rejoice over each one of us as we understand our true standing before God and try to make things right

In applying this parable to ourselves:

• Each of us can be a shepherd in helping someone just as Jesus did throughout His mortal ministry and currently is for us
• Just as the Apostle John taught in John 10:11-15 that Jesus laid down His life for the flock, we too, can lay down our lives in giving all that we have and who we are back to the True Shepherd
• We will follow Him because we know His voice
• We will seek with all our hearts to be with Him, to set aside our sins, passions and weaknesses,, love him with all our souls.  We will forsake all to be a true disciple (Luke 14:33)
• Then, as members of His flock, we will seek to assist Him in His work to search out and rescue strayed or injured sheep

I gave this talk last Sunday, but it was neat when my neighbor, Patsy, came up to me after church and told me how much this talk helped her that day.  She was feeling alone and not wanting to come to church.  She only did so out of a sense of duty, but she felt close to her Savior as I referenced how Christ carries us on His shoulders when we are tired.  It was neat.  I gave her a big hug as I got all choked up inside