I Once Was Lost

Luke 15:1-10

Have you ever lost something important or valuable?  I have occasionally misplaced my keys or some piece of mail, but fortunately they were never lost for long.  However if someone loses something that is really important or valuable, it can be a very frantic time while they desperately search to find it.  They will turn the whole house or office upside down in their attempt to locate that item. They may even offer a reward to the one who can find it.  How about a lost person? Have you ever lost one of your children, perhaps in a store or a large crowd? Or maybe you have an elderly relative with dementia, who wandered off?  That can be a very frantic time trying to find them before they get hurt or possibly abducted. In today’s Scripture passage from the Gospel of Luke, we read the parable of the lost sheep and lost coin.  As we read these parables that Jesus told, we will see to what lengths God will go to seek out that which is lost.

As our Scripture passage opens, we see the Pharisees once again criticizing Jesus for talking to, associating with, and ministering to sinners (vs. 2).  Jesus was not ashamed to be known as a friend of sinners. He came to offer salvation to them, and to show that God loves them. Jesus didn’t worry about the Pharisees accusations.  He continued to go to those who needed Him, regardless of what these religious leaders said to try and tarnish His reputation. The Pharisees, those self-righteous religious leaders, had many misconceptions about God.  These parables that Jesus proceeded to tell, showed that God loves all people, and He wants everyone, especially sinners, to come to Him.  God doesn’t play favorites, and He rejoices when anyone turns to Him.

In the first of the two parables (vs. 4-7), Jesus tells of a shepherd who has 100 sheep.  At night the shepherd would bring his flock in from the fields, into the safety of the sheepfold.  As they would enter, he would count them. When he notices that one of them is missing, the shepherd goes out into the wilderness searching for the lost and wandering sheep.  He leaves the 99 safe within the sheepfold to seek out the one who is lost and in danger. When the lost sheep is found, he calls his friends together to rejoice with him.

The second parable Jesus told is similar (vs. 8-9).  It is of a woman who lost a coin, and carefully searches throughout her house until she finds it.  Women in Biblical times were often given 10 silver coins as a wedding gift. They were valuable, both monetarily and sentimentally.  Losing one might be similar today to losing one’s wedding ring. That is why she searched so diligently.

Each sheep in this parable, each coin, is of high value.  God’s love for each individual is so great that He seeks each one out, and rejoices when they are found.  He cares about individuals. God views us as special treasures. He sacrificed His Son to purchase us, and treasures each one of us.  Jesus is passionate and takes great joy in redeeming the lost (vs. 10). When we repent, God forgives us joyfully.

Even after we have come to Jesus for salvation, and become a believer and follower of His,  we can wander off just like sheep do. A sheep often wanders off looking for better fields, and we often wander on to a path that falsely seems to lead to better opportunities, drifting farther from God.  Some people willingly and rebelliously go from the Shepherd. We must keep our eyes on Jesus, and not pursue anything except His will.

Each of us is a lost sheep, a lost coin, until God finds us.  It is never too late to repent and be found by Him. There is no sheep that has wandered too far off, no coin that is too lost and hidden, that Jesus cannot find them and restore them to a right and loving relationship with God.  God is calling. He is waiting. God never stops looking for us.