The Parable Of The Lost Coin
(A Teaching On How The Church Must Shine The Light)
Luke 15:8-10
“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbours together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Oh what an in-depth parable! It’s meaning quite profound.(A Teaching On How The Church Must Shine The Light)
Luke 15:8-10
“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbours together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The focus on the hopeless lost and that which must be found!
A coin of dearest value gives cause for great concern,
It lays completely helpless and unable to return.
Imprinted with an image to reflect it’s own Creator,
Tarnished more with every day it’s parted from it’s Maker.
In desperate need of rescue while stranded and alone,
The woman does not hesitate to search and find her own.
See how carefully she seeks, hunting day and night.
Notice how her task begins by turning on the light!
Then earnestly with greatest care, she searches all around.
Fervently she does not stop until what’s lost is found!
And when she finds her precious coin, it fills her heart with mirth,
For though the item went astray it hadn’t lost it’s worth!
See how she rejoices, her efforts have sufficed.
A picture of redemption through the saving work of Christ!
O’ wayward soul take courage, your rescue is in sight!
O’ Church, be like the woman and share the Gospel’s light!
Sweep the corners of the Earth for those enslaved to sin,
Venture into places dark and guide the lost to Him!
Genesis 1:26-27
“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
Isaiah 62:5
“As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
So shall your God rejoice over you.”
Points For Reflection And Insight
Although this parable is only two verses long, Jesus is adding many layers of meaning to the message given in the parable just before about the lost sheep.
One of the most beautiful and important truths we see in both of these parables is the worth of the single soul. It was one sheep the shepherd went to find and for one coin the woman searched her house.
When we think of all the incredible men and women of God over the centuries, how does it make you feel to know that Jesus pursues you as an individual in the same measure that He pursued them? Do you know that you’re worth just as much to Him as all the souls who have come before?
As I mentioned in the poem, the coin is imprinted with the image of it’s creator. So too, we as people, reflect the image of our Creator as we’re made in His image and likeness. It’s such a sad thing to consider, the longer the coin stays lost, the more tarnished it becomes as the image of the creator becomes faded and harder to see.
Again, this is a heart-breaking picture of the lost soul. The longer we stay lost and parted from our Maker, the more tarnished and damaged we become.
As I highlighted in the poem however, the precious and beautiful truth is that no matter how lost and tarnished we become, God still loves us and pursues us as someone of great value. Our status as lost doesn’t change our worth in His eyes.
Do you know someone who is lost and needs to hear that God still values them and pursues them with His love? How can you share God’s love with this precious soul today?
While the parable of the lost sheep is a wonderful picture of Christ’s pursuing love which goes after the wayward sinner, the parable of the lost coin speaks of God’s plan for the work of the Holy Spirit through the Church.
The woman in the story first brings light into the situation to combat the darkness. She then cleans her own house and gets things in order, all the time searching carefully with deliberate intent until she finds what was lost.
This could be seen as an inspiring picture of the Spirit-led Church. First we put forth the light of God’s Word which does not return void! Next we sweep carefully our own place, making sure our own hearts are clean while we search diligently and fervently for the lost.
Let’s ask the Lord to help us today shine the incredible light of the Gospel and show a lost and hurting world that their Redeemer is here!
