In first-century Galilee and Judea, shepherds were a familiar part of daily life. Jesus used that ordinary picture to teach something extraordinary about God's heart: the One who seeks does not shrug when a single person wanders.
One simple fact
The Gospel of Luke records that Jesus told a parable about a shepherd who, having a hundred sheep and losing one, leaves the ninety-nine in the open country and goes after the lost sheep until he finds it—then rejoices and calls friends and neighbors to celebrate. Jesus applied that image to heaven's joy over one sinner who repents. You can read the passage in the English Standard Version on Bible Gateway (Luke 15:4–7).
Jesus' own words
“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? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 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.’ 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 15:4–7 (ESV)
Source: Bible Gateway, Luke 15:4–7, English Standard Version.
Historical backdrop
Within a few decades of Jesus' ministry, the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus wrote about Him in Antiquities of the Jews (Book XVIII). In the famous passage often called the Testimonium Flavianum, Josephus describes Jesus as “a wise man,” “a doer of wonderful works,” and a teacher who drew many followers—and notes that those who loved Him did not forsake Him after Pilate condemned Him to the cross. That text places Jesus firmly in the world of first-century Judea under Roman rule. Read Josephus's account at Early Jewish Writings: Josephus, Antiquities Book XVIII.
Centuries earlier, Hebrew Scriptures already pictured God as a searching shepherd (for example, Ezekiel 34). Manuscripts of those Scriptures were among the finds later called the Dead Sea Scrolls, recovered from caves near Qumran and documenting how carefully Jewish communities preserved biblical books in the centuries around Jesus' time. Overview: Wikipedia: Dead Sea Scrolls. Related prophetic language: Ezekiel 34:11–16 (ESV) on Bible Gateway.
A firsthand encounter: Howard Storm's near-death experience
On June 1, 1985, Howard Storm—then an atheist art professor at Northern Kentucky University—suffered a perforated stomach and, by his account, left his body. He describes being drawn into darkness by hostile beings who assaulted him. In despair he heard an inner prompting to pray, then screamed with all he had left: “Jesus, please save me.” A brilliant light came toward him, healed his tornness, and held him in overwhelming love. Storm later identified that radiant friend as Jesus. The experience so changed him that he left his professorship, entered seminary, and served as a United Church of Christ pastor. His full published testimony (including the rescue section “A Rescue from Hell by Jesus Christ”) is summarized at near-death.com: Howard Storm, drawn from his book My Descent Into Death. (Presented here as Storm reported it.)
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