Context Matters- Jesus leaves the 99

Todays lesson of #contextmatters. I come across posts such as this often. So I wanted to go through the text...the poster here gives us a limited view of the text to deceive the reader into buying in to a current political issue. So lets go along and actually take a look and read ALL of Luke 15, and not just the limited portion he provides, and think about what is actually going on and apply it to what the poster is talking about. Luke 15 ESV "Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, b“This man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3 So he told them this parable: 4 d“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." Okay , so what going on here? Jesus is being approached by sinners and eating with them... the holier than thou are accusing him of hanging with them. So he tells them this brilliant parable describing how it makes sense for him to go after the sinner that has yet to repent because such a sinner is separated from God. Jesus goes after sinners to call them to repentance and unity with the Lord. So the one sheep represents the unrepentant sinner who Jesus goes after. The 99 could represent the saved who have repented of their sins and are in Christ. (they used to be the one). They could be "righteous persons who need no repentance because there is no condemnation in Christ...we are saved by our faith...you are righteous by faith, not your deeds (although deeds show faith, thats a whole nother long discussion!). If you're righteous, you have put away your old self and submitted to the Lord...aka" you're the 99 in the pen, you're with Him". Or perhaps the 99 are the pharisees he's describing who believe they need no repentance and will never be saved, thus he says theres much more joy over the one repentant than the 99? But they're in the Lords sheep pen, so I have to believe the first explanation. That there once was much joy when they repented also 🙂 The poster goes on to makes an analogy of 'the one lost sheep" to "Black lives matter"....if we follow the logic of what the scripture means, the poster is actually saying that we care about Black lives because they are sinners who have yet to repent. And "all lives matter" would represent the repentant saved who are with God??. His post, if taken into correct context is actually offensive as he is saying that black people are all unrepentant sinners. I don't think he realizes this and this is why its dangerous to use scripture in such a reckless way and you haven't read or fully understood the scripture you're citing. There are saved people of every color, and nation worldwide. There are unsaved people of every color and nation worldwide. The Lord doesn't care about your skin color, He cares about your heart. If you're sharing this post, I want you to understand the context of the parable lest you say something you don't actually intend to say. Also, I want you to read Gods Word and be saved. Read Luke 15, then don't stop there! Todays a good day to surrender to the Lord. How long has Jesus been following you and trying to bring you into fellowship with Him? He's likely been following you around for a long time trying to get your attention. Todays a good day to turn around (a.k.a repent) and follow Him.