05/06/2026
There was a time—not all that long ago—when a hush would fall over massive crowds gathered at a Billy Graham Crusades. You could feel it… that sacred stillness just before something meaningful happened. And then, stepping into the spotlight, George Beverly Shea would lift his voice—rich, steady, unmistakable—and begin to sing, “There were Ninety and Nine.”
It wasn’t just a song. It was a story. A living, breathing reminder drawn straight from the words of Jesus in Gospel of Luke 15. And as those lyrics unfolded, you could almost see it—the shepherd scanning the horizon, counting… pausing… counting again… until he realizes one is missing.
The shepherd doesn’t shrug his shoulders and say, “Well, ninety-nine out of a hundred isn’t bad.” No, he leaves the ninety-nine in safety and ventures out into the dark, uncertain wilderness. Why? Because that one sheep matters. It matters enough to search. Enough to sacrifice. Enough to rescue.
There’s something deeply moving about watching a shepherd with his flock. Sheep aren’t known for their brilliance. They wander. They drift. They get themselves into trouble without even realizing it. And if we’re honest, that picture hits a little close to home, doesn’t it? Scripture doesn’t call us sheep as a compliment to our intelligence—but as a reflection of our need.
And into that need steps Jesus, the One who calls Himself the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep… calls them by name… and—most astonishing of all—lays down His life for them.
So this Sunday at9:30 am, we’re going to step into that pasture for a while. We’ll explore what it really means to have a Shepherd like that—One who pursues, protects, and provides. And we’ll also take a hard look at our role in the relationship, because good sheep recognize the voice of their Shepherd—and they follow it.