When the Pharisees expressed their discontent because of the class of people with whom he mingled, Jesus set the matter before them in the parable of the lost sheep. But their understanding was darkened.; for Satan had power over their minds, and they arrayed themselves in opposition to Jesus. The Pharisees said that if Jesus were a true prophet, he would harmonize with them, and voice their precepts and maxims, and treat the wretched publicans and sinners as they treated them. In giving his Son to die for the sins of the world, the Lord God made manifest what was the estimate he placed upon men; for in giving Jesus to the world, he gave heaven's best gift. For this costly sacrifice the most profound gratitude is demanded from every soul. Whatever may be the nation kindred, or tongue, whether a man is white or black, he still bears the image of God, and "the proper study of mankind is man," viewed from the fact that he is the purchase of the blood of Christ. To show contempt for, to manifest hatred toward any nation, is to reveal the characteristic of Satan. God has placed his estimate upon man in giving Jesus to a life of humiliation, poverty, and self-sacrifice, to contempt, rejection, and death, in order that man, his lost sheep, might be saved. Is it then a remarkable thing that all heaven is interested in the ransom of man? Is it a wonderful fact that ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands of angels are employed in ascending and descending on the mystic ladder to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation? Angels do not come to the earth to denounce and to destroy, to rule and to exact homage, but are messengers of mercy to cooperate with the Captain of the Lord's host, to cooperate with the human agents who shall go forth to seek and to save the lost sheep. Angels are commanded to encamp round about those who fear and love God.

Da farisæerne udtrykte deres foragt på grund af den gruppe mennesker han blandede sig med, lagde Jesus sagen frem for dem i lignelsen om det fortabte får. Men deres forståelse var formørket, for Satan havde kraft over deres tanker, og de satte sig selv i modsætning til Jesus. Farisæerne sagde, at hvis Jesus var en sand profet, ville han være i harmoni med dem og forkynde deres leveregler og behandle de stakkels toldere og syndere, som de gjorde. Herren Gud viste, efter hvilken målestok han værdsætter mennesket ved at give sin Søn i døden for verdens synd; for ved at ofre Jesus for verden, gav han Himmelens bedste gave. Dette dyrebare offer kræver ethvert menneskes dybeste taknemmelighed. Sorte eller hvide, uanset folkeslag, slægt eller tungemål, så bærer mennesket Guds billede. Når man studerer mennesket, må det ske på grundlag af, at menneskeheden er løskøbt ved Kristi blod. Man åbenbarer derfor Satans egenskaber ved at vise foragt eller had over for en nation, is to reveal the characteristic of Satan. Gud fastsatte menneskets værdi ved at lade Jesus ofre sig selv og leve under usle kår forkastet og foragtet. Han led døden, for at mennesket, hans tabte kunne blive frelst. Er det da mærkeligt, at hele Himmelen interesserer sig for menneskets forløsning? Er det ikke en forunderlig kendsgerning, at ti tusinde gange ti tusinde og tusinder gange tusinder af engle aktivt stiger op og ned ad den mystiske stige for at betjene dem, der skal arve frelse? Engle kommer ikke til Jorden for at fordømme eller ødelægge, for at herske eller blive hyldet. De er nådens budbringere, der samarbejder med Fyrsten over Herrens hær og samarbejder med de menneskelige redskaber der opsøger og redder det tabte får. Englenes opgave er at bevogte området omkring dem, som frygter og tjener Gud.