26 April 2026 - Wilson Flavius - Are You Part of the 99 or are You the One?

Apr 26, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Leaving the Ninety-Nine

A shepherd counts his flock: 100 wool-backed lives under his care. One wanders into jagged rocks. The man doesn’t calculate loss percentages or delegate the search. He abandons the 99 on open hillsides—exposed but obedient—to chase the one. His sandals tear on thorns as he shouts the sheep’s name. [57:00]

Jesus rewrites our math. Heaven’s economy values the single straggler over the compliant majority. The Shepherd’s pursuit isn’t triggered by our worthiness but by His covenant nature. He risks the secure to reclaim the scattered.

You’ve wandered—maybe through distraction, maybe defiance. Hear His footsteps behind you. Stop justifying your distance. When did you last let His persistence startle you into surrender?

“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?”
(Matthew 18:12, ESV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to expose where you’ve normalized wandering.

Challenge: Text one person who’s walked away from faith: “I’m praying for you today.”

Day 2: Lying Down in Green Pastures

Sheep chew cud only when lying down. The shepherd leads them to grassy flats, scans for predators, then says, “Rest.” Four stomachs digest. Wool grows. Weakness becomes strength. The psalmist named this miracle: green pastures aren’t earned but prepared. [01:01:12]

Jesus doesn’t just rescue—He restores. Safety precedes sustenance. Your anxious striving won’t accelerate His provision. Nutrients seep in stillness.

You’ve been grazing while standing—jumping at noises, half-digesting truth. What good is abundant food if you won’t kneel to eat it? Where is He asking you to trade productivity for peace?

“He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.”
(Psalm 23:2–3, ESV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for one specific provision you’ve rushed past this week.

Challenge: Sit outdoors for 10 minutes today—no phone—and name every green thing you see.

Day 3: Three Flares in the Bahamas

Two men ignore warnings, swim to forbidden islands. Tide traps them. Mosquitoes swarm. The captain fires three flares—code for “dead.” But the lost emerge alive, salt-crusted and sunburned. Rescuers weep. Shame shrinks under collective relief. [01:09:17]

Jesus ignores our “dead” labels. Three flares marked your failure; He sees a prologue to revival. The crew’s costly search mirrors His cross—reckless love overruling protocol.

What rebellion have you hidden, fearing condemnation? Who needs your stubborn hope that they’re still retrievable?

“And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me.’”
(Luke 15:5–6, ESV)

Prayer: Confess one area where you’ve believed the enemy’s “three flare” lie.

Challenge: Write “REJOICE” on your mirror after washing your face today.

Day 4: Backpack on Your Back

A boy panics, hunting his backpack. Classmates wait. The driver honks. All along, straps hug his shoulders. The search ends with laughter—the treasure was carried, not lost. [01:24:22]

Christ in you isn’t hidden. The Spirit’s gifts, the Father’s promises—they’re strapped to your frame. Your frantic scrabbling insults His sufficiency.

What prayers have you repeated while ignoring their answer in your grasp? When will you trust His “already” over your “not yet”?

“The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
(Luke 17:20–21, ESV)

Prayer: Name three gifts God’s placed in you that you’ve undervalued.

Challenge: Wear a backpack/empty bag today as a reminder of Christ’s presence.

Day 5: More Joy Over the One

The found sheep rides home on the shepherd’s neck. Mud mats its wool. The 99 watch, bewildered. Celebration erupts—not for the quantity preserved, but the singularly rescued. Heaven’s party favors wait for wanderers. [58:10]

Jesus measures joy differently. Your return sparks deeper delight than a million steady saints. Angels don’t yawn at “another prodigal”—they rehearse the anthem.

Who do you resent for receiving lavish grace? What if your jealousy silences heaven’s song?

“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.”
(Luke 15:7, ESV)

Prayer: Intercede for someone you’ve labeled “too far gone.”

Challenge: Buy or pick one flower today—place it where you’ll remember God’s joy over you.

Sermon Summary

The parable from Matthew 18:12-14 reveals a God who leaves the safety of the fold to recover a single wanderer. A hundred sheep becomes a picture of divine valuation: one lost matters as much as the ninety-nine. The shepherd takes responsibility for seeking the errant animal, not to shame it but to restore it to provision, protection, and peace. The image of sheep lying down in green pastures communicates spiritual rest that follows rescue; that rest allows digestion, growth, and freedom from fear because the flock lies under protection.

Human tendency appears in two forms: the complacent who assume enough are secure, and the wanderer who thinks help must be self-acquired. Both misunderstand the relational economy of the kingdom. God does not wait for the lost to pull themselves up; God actively searches, leaving the comfortable place of authority to pursue the vulnerable. Stories of being stranded by the sea and hidden in a jungle illustrate the practical danger of wandering and the relief of being found. Each rescue prompts rejoicing among the community because restoration reverses loss and renews communal wellbeing.

The parable also reframes personal conversion language. The right phrasing recognizes that God finds people who have gone astray rather than people finding God. Return is not merely moral correction; it restores a person to a place of nourishment and protection where spiritual growth happens. The call to respond remains urgent and tender: identify whether wandering persists, accept the shepherd’s seeking, and come back to the fold to lie down in provision and peace. The text invites both gratitude for being protected and repentance for wandering, with a promise of restoration, rejoicing, and renewed purpose.

Key Takeaways

1. The shepherd seeks the lost God actively searches for those who wander because relationship, not performance, defines value. Seeking reflects the character of God as one who initiates restoration even when people fail to initiate their own return. This pursuit removes shame and places the rescue within God’s mercy. [56:33]
2. Rescue is God’s responsibility The narrative places the burden of recovery on the shepherd, not the strayed sheep, which reframes salvation as divine initiative. This removes the illusion that God waits passively for perfect attempts at return and affirms that grace meets weakness. People can rest from self-condemnation and receive restoration. [58:34]
3. Find rest in green pastures Rest signals more than safety; it indicates spiritual digestion, growth, and sustained provision under divine care. When returned to the fold, a person moves from anxious striving to receiving what God supplies for maturity. That rest becomes the context for flourishing and courage in the world. [61:12]
4. Returning brings great heavenly rejoicing Recovery elicits communal and divine joy because restoration repairs relationships and reverses loss. The celebration underscores the value God places on every individual and the communal cost of wandering. Returning therefore invites not only relief but renewed belonging and mission. [75:01]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[52:52] - Morning reflection and worship
[53:46] - Question: ninety-nine or the one?
[54:36] - Introducing the parable text
[56:33] - Reading Matthew 18:12-14
[58:34] - The shepherd’s duty explained
[61:12] - Green pastures and spiritual rest
[67:34] - Active searching for the lost
[68:34] - Lost at sea: a rescue story
[79:30] - Lost in the jungle: wandering danger
[85:16] - Invitation to return and rejoice

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Matthew 18:12-14 (ESV)
What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

Psalm 23:1-3 (ESV)
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Observation questions

In the parable (Matthew 18:12-14), what does the shepherd do when one sheep goes astray, and how does this contrast with typical human priorities?
What does the image of sheep lying down in green pastures (Psalm 23:2) symbolize about spiritual rest and protection? [01:01:12]
The sermon shared a story about being stranded on an island. What practical dangers of wandering did this illustrate, and how did rescue bring relief? [01:08:34]
How does the parable reframe the idea of "finding God" versus being found by God? [59:58]

Interpretation questions

Why does Jesus emphasize the shepherd’s rejoicing over the one found sheep more than the ninety-nine? What does this reveal about God’s heart for individuals?
The sermon mentioned that sheep lie down only when they feel safe. How does this connect to the idea of spiritual growth happening in a place of rest? [01:01:44]
In the story about getting lost in the jungle, how does the experience of being actively searched for mirror the parable’s message about divine pursuit? [01:19:30]
Why might the parable challenge the assumption that God waits for people to “pull themselves up” before restoring them?

Application questions

When have you felt like the “one” wandering away from God’s care? What practical steps could help you accept His pursuit instead of trying to “fix yourself” first? [01:04:35]
The sermon described rest as a place of spiritual nourishment, not just safety. What habits or rhythms could help you “lie down in green pastures” to grow in trust and peace? [01:02:47]
How might complacency (“I’m part of the 99”) keep someone from fully experiencing God’s protection or purpose? What signs might indicate this attitude in your own life?
The parable ends with rejoicing over restoration. Who in your life needs to hear that their return to God would bring joy, not judgment? How could you share this hope with them? [01:15:54]
The sermon warned against assuming “I found God” instead of recognizing His pursuit. How does this shift in perspective change your approach to prayer, guilt, or repentance?
In the story about the backpack, the speaker realized he already had what he needed. Where are you searching for something God has already provided? [01:24:47]

Sermon Clips

56s

#FoundOrLost

“``He's searching for us today. Have you been found? Are you still lost? Or are you part of the 99 already? This is a question you need to answer yourself. I cannot do it for you. Search inside of you and see, am I still lost? Am I part of the 99? Well if you are part of the 99, you can rejoice in his presence. If you were lost and still wandering, still astray, Jesus is searching for you today and you can come back to the fold. Amen? Let's just pray.”

46s

#JesusFoundMe

“And often times we we hear of people say, I found Jesus. And my response would be, Jesus was never lost. How can you go and find him? In fact, the true way of putting it is that Jesus found me because he is a good shepherd and we were wandering around and he came searching for us and he found us. Jesus has never been lost. So when people tell you, hey I found him, where was he? We were lost. We were the ones wandering around.”

45s

#RescuedAtSea

“If they are dead, release three. If you find them dead. Well the guy got so excited. He released one, he released two, he released three. So here the people on the ship but we the two of us, we were dead. Lifeboat took us back and guess what? We are walking on the ship. We were lost and a group of men and women had to come and search for us to rescue us.”

42s

#GreenPasturesRest

“Why would the sheep lie down in green pasture? There is provision there. And sheep, they have four stomachs. They are called ruminants, they have four stomachs. So when they lie down that's when they chew the grass. When they are grazing they don't really eat so to speak, they just take in and it goes from one stomach and it sits there. When they lie down at that state of rest that is when they begin to receive the nutrients that they need to survive.”

46s

#RescuedAndRestored

“That is what Jesus will do for us. When we move away and we do things we should not be doing and when we were told by him not to do it in his word we find ourselves in a place where we need to be rescued. We find ourselves in a place where we need him again to bring us back to that place where we can be fed, where we can be comforted, where we can be in his presence under his protection.”

53s

#SafeInHisFold

“We were the one that was astray and when he came he found us in our deepest, darkest moment and brought us back to the 99. Amen? Why does Jesus wants to bring us back as a good shepherd to the 99? Because he cares for us. I remember a while ago I preached on the twenty third Psalms and I remember telling this very congregation that sheep will not lie down if they are not safe. And Jesus said, he will bring us back under his protection.”

61s

#RejoiceInReturn

“When we got back to the ship there was rejoicing. People were happy that we were not dead even though three flares went up. We were still alive and well. People were happy that they didn't have to call our parents and say, Hey your son, your missionary son that we should be protecting is dead. And I was a 20, 21 year old at that time. That would be bad news for my mom. That would be bad news for his family as well. But because we came back to the place where we belong, there was rejoicing.”

44s

#ComeHomeToGod

“And folks this morning that's what it's about. Whether you think you are part of the ninety nine, you were in God's protection or maybe you've wandered away for a day, for a week, for a month, for ten years, for fifteen years, it doesn't matter, you can come back to the place where you belong and enjoy the presence of the living God, the one that cares for you, the one that is willing to take care of you and is able to take care of you.”

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26 April 2026 - Wilson Flavius - Are You Part of the 99 or are You the One?

Devotional

Day 1: Leaving the Ninety-Nine

Day 2: Lying Down in Green Pastures

Day 3: Three Flares in the Bahamas

Day 4: Backpack on Your Back

Day 5: More Joy Over the One

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

26 April 2026 - Wilson Flavius - Are You Part of the 99 or are You the One?

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