When we intentional repeat something, we usually do it because we believe it's important and that people need to listen and remember what we say. When Jesus repeats something, we had better pay attention: it's important to God!

Jesus repeatedly used the image of finding lost sheep in His parables and in His own ministry. He shared this story in different contexts reminding us that He was sent to find the lost sheep of Israel (Matthew 19:6; 15:24), because His Father doesn't want any lost sheep to perish (Matthew 18:10-14), and because it is a cause for great joy (Luke 15:3-7), just as Jesus demonstrates with Zacchaes (Luke 19:1-10).

But more than Jesus' passion in His earthly ministry, shepherds who find lost sheep who have gone astray is God's passion throughout history (Ezekiel 34:11, 15-16; Jeremiahs 23:1-4). This also must be our passion as well (James 5:19-20; Galatians 6:1-2).

One of the reasons stories of lost things being found resonates so powerfully in our hearts is that it is part of God's image, our spiritual DNA, that God put in us. Movies, stories, and real life events grab our hearts and pull us into the situation and cause us to rejoice for those who have once been lost but are now found!