Luke 15:1-10
1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near Jesus to listen to Him.
2 And both the Pharisees and the scribes began to complain, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”
3 And so He told them this parable, saying,
4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the other ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?
5 And when he has found it, he puts it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost!’
7 I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.
8 “Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?
9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the coin which I had lost!’
10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Recovery of the Lost
The lost sheep
Luke chapter 15 is perhaps the most beloved and familiar chapter in the entire Bible. In it, the love of the Father – who seeks out lost souls – is fully expressed without reserve. First, let’s review the context. Jesus had said, “The one who has ears to hear, let him hear” (14:35). Those who responded to this invitation were the tax collectors and sinners. Those who became angry upon seeing Jesus welcome such people were the religious elites of the time (the Pharisees and the scribes). So, Jesus told them three parables. In Judaism, it was taught that if a sinner repented, God would forgive. However, the idea that God Himself would go out and seek the sinner did not exist. Jesus, from a new perspective, taught how deeply our Heavenly Father loves us. The first is the parable of the lost sheep. A man had one hundred sheep but one of them went missing. To him, that one lost sheep was not just one out of a hundred, but it meant everything. Leaving the ninety-nine in a safe place, the shepherd goes out to search for the one that is lost. We can picture the shepherd searching thoroughly, looking in every possible place. And at last, the lost sheep is found. The shepherd joyfully carries it on his shoulders and brings it home. The joy of finding that one lost sheep is so great, it erases all hardship. In the same way, when one sinner turns back to God, such joy overflows in heaven.
The lost coin
Next is the parable of the lost coin. The coin is called a “drachma,” which was equivalent to a day’s wage for a laborer at that time. For a poor woman, it must have been a significant amount. Homes in those days had small windows, so even during the day, the rooms were dim. She lights a lamp and searches the house thoroughly and desperately. And at last, she finds it. She calls together her friends and neighbors to share in her joy. Once again, the joy of recovering what was lost is emphasized. Jewish rabbis taught, “Just as one thoroughly searches for a lost coin, so must one thoroughly study God’s Law.” But Jesus taught, “Just as one thoroughly searches for a lost coin, so God thoroughly searches for the sinner who is lost.” Have you been found by God? If you are lost, God is seeking you.
Today's prayer
Gracious Heavenly Father, thank You for teaching me that even someone like me, if I turn back to You, brings great joy in heaven. Please use me as a messenger to carry Your love. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.