Lost One? Or Have Nine?

TWENTY-SECOND IN MY TEACHING SERIES ON THE PARABLES OF JESUS

The Parable Of The Lost Coin

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coin and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Luke 15:8-10

The gospel writers each had their own perspectives as they did life alongside Jesus. Luke — a physician — tended to write about women, beggars, lost sons ,and widows in ways that reflected his own compassion and empathy for common people. Luke was drawn to this side of Jesus Christ’s ministry and was used by God to record a unique perspective.

Coins?

Even though the woman in the story has nine of the ten coins, she wants all of them. This parable encourages us in God’s singular devotion to caring for mankind enough to go searching for even one who is lost.

Interpreting the text in the original Greek language, the coins here were “drachmas,” each equivalent to a Roman “denarius,” which represented about a day’s wages. In today’s money that might look like a person who had $1,000 yet found $100 missing. She had lost 1/10th of all she had. She apparently used what little lamp oil she had in order to illuminate the room. I envision her moving furniture, rolling up rugs, getting down on her hands and knees until she finally finds it.

Pursuing What’s Lost

In this parable, as well as the Parable of The Lost Sheep and the Parable of the Lost (Prodigal) Son, Jesus is attempting to get the reader to understand that God is seeking out human beings who have been lost to Him and bringing them back into a loving relationship with. Also, God desires us to be like Him in seeing the importance of relationships with other people and striving to reconcile and restore healthy fellowship with them.

But You Still Have Nine?

Even though God has nine of the ten coins, He wants all of them. This parable encourages us in God’s singular devotion to caring for mankind enough to go searching for the lost. Christ spent time with those who needed His presence and teaching to deal with and overcome the sin and shame in their lives. Jesus said:

“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance”

Mark 2:17

Surrender

In God’s great plan He will gather all the lost outcasts and join them to the larger spiritual body He is building – the church. Citizenship in His kingdom requires repentance – surrendering to His ways and dying to our own.

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