One day Jack and a few of his friends started out to find a certain lake up in the Welch mountains that was very, very beautiful. They thought they'd go on a little expedition and see if they could find this lake. They were quite excited about it, and as they made their way along, suddenly they heard a strange little noise. They all stood still, listening, and they heard it again and again. So quietly, the boys walked toward the direction from which the strange sound came. Soon, they came upon a poor little lamb stuck in some mud. The lamb continued to bleat sadly, but they couldn't rescue it. They tried and tried, but they couldn't walk out where the lamb was, it was too soft - they would go right down themselves. They tried to do the best they could, but they just couldn't reach that little lamb. They had to go on, there was nothing they could do, so they left it and they went on. This little lamb had wandered away from the other sheep, the shepherd hadn't noticed it, and the lamb was lost. That's how it is, boys and girls, we've gone away from the Good Shepherd to begin with. Sin takes us away from the Lord and we become lost. And often times as we grow up and get a little older, we get stuck in the mud and we're just lost and helpless and hopeless and we can't do anytyhing to help ourselves. Well, Jack and his friends continued on their journey toward that beautiful lake. They reached the top of a mountain and they stayed a short time. Then they went down another path, still looking for the lake and they soon met a shepherd and a bunch of sheep. They told the shepherd about this little lamb, and the shepherd said, "I'm sorry to hear that. If it wasn't so late in the day I'd go back and see if I could help, but there's really nothing I could do". Jack said, "Do you think it could live through the night?" "Oh, I'm afraid not", the shepherd said, "it's too young and tender. It'll perish in the mud, it'll be dead by morning". So Jack and his friends had to move on. It was a long time before they could forget the bleatings of that little lamb that they couldn't save. But how different it is with the Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus. He came into the world to seek and to save that which was lost, and He can lift every lamb out of the miry clay. He can save us though we're helpless and hopeless and lost. He can save us if we'll let Him reach down and pick us up. I hope you'll trust Him and be saved.