Sunday: The Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin
Read Luke 15:4-7. What does this tell us about God’s love for us? Why is it so important to understand that it was the shepherd who went looking for the lost sheep?
In a world that can appear uncaring and indifferent to us, this parable reveals a startling truth: God loves us so much that He Himself will come after us, in order to bring us to Him. We often talk about people seeking God; in reality, God is seeking us.
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The soul that has given himself to Christ is more precious in His sight than the whole world. The Saviour would have passed through the agony of Calvary that one might be saved in His kingdom. He will never abandon one for whom He has died. Unless His followers choose to leave Him, He will hold them fast.
-Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 483.
Read Luke 15:8-9. This parable is found only in Luke. The lost coin could have one of two meanings. First, Judea during the time of Jesus was full of poor people, and in most homes one coin (drachma) could have been more than a day’s wage, barely enough to keep the family from starving. Second, as a mark of being married, some women wore a headdress made up of ten coins-a huge sum, saved over a long time in the case of poor families.
In either case, the loss was a serious matter. So, the woman, utterly broken and in deep grief, lights a lamp (the house perhaps had no windows or perhaps only a small window), picks up a broom, and turns the house upside down until she finds that coin. Her soul is filled with overflowing joy, and the overflow floods to all her friends.
The coin, though lying among dust and rubbish, is a piece of silver or gold still. Its owner seeks it because it is of value. So, every soul, however degraded by sin, is in God’s sight accounted precious. As the coin bears the image and superscription of the reigning power, so man at his creation bore the image and superscription of God; and though now marred and dim through the influence of sin, the traces of this inscription remain upon every soul.
-Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 194.
So much modern science and philosophy tells us that we are nothing but chance creations in a meaningless universe that does not care at all about our fate or us. What completely different worldview is presented in these two parables?
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Interestingly, the lost coin was lost in the house. No monetary value is attached to the coin, but the efforts in finding it denotes its value. The lesson is clear: anyone is important and highly valued by God, so much that he would have died for that person to save him or her. Therefore, I must be enthused to save the homeless, the homosexuals, the drug addicts, as well as the socially acceptable class.
The Lost coin also points out that individuals are LOST in the church and in our Christian homes. Diligence and perseverance are necessary to bring them back to safety.
I like your comment regarding the coin being lost "inside" the home. We have many people that are Seventh Day Adventist but are lost spiritually. There are inside the church but are lost and we need to find them.
Husbands or wives are also lost spiritually inside ones home. We need families to be found.
In the light of the parable of the lost son ,how does God justify a sinner? Does He declare a sinner righteous or He makes a sinner righteous?
So that believers would have a sense of importance, that to God we are the most important, His highest of all created things on the earth. And also we would then have a sense of purposeful and meaningful living here on this earth. And this achieved is to be in return to exemplify and glorify God, and God alone.
Interestingly many of us professed Adventists are spiritually lost on this profound truth, that we are valuable to God. We think that with our newfound life we are important only to our own, and such perception makes it oblivious for us to reach out to those who needs to learn about God's caring in their lives too.
In the parable of the Lost Sheep it is observed the shepherd acts on his own without the involvement of the ninety nine safe sheep (Luke 15:4, 5). The Savior does not need the prompting or participation of the already saved to seek and save the still lost.
EGW in this lesson notes, “He will never abandon one for whom He has died.” (DA p. 483) “So, every soul, however degraded by sin, is in God’s sight accounted precious.” (COL p. 194)
The Redeemer involves the redeemed in the rescue plan for those who remain estranged from the Kingdom of God; but is not dependent on human agencies to carry out the work of salvation. Neither does it make the task easier for Him to include faulty saints who may complicate the mission. Rather it is the privilege of each worker to play a role in the plan of salvation. If the people decline angels are only too eager to fill the vacancy, and the angels already get involved from time to time (Hebrews 13:2).
None may show up in the judgment and point to the failed prayer or absent witness of a believer as an excuse for being lost (Romans 1:18-21). God is too invested in the salvation of souls to leave one sinner at the mercy of a delinquent Christian who considers evangelism too burdensome or preaching too shameful (Romans 1:16).
Jesus enjoins His followers to pray and spread the gospel for the primary purpose of saving them. Nothing the Lord requires of us except it is designed to restore in us the image of God. Evangelism fosters character development. It is for our benefit that the Spirit presses us to get involved and spread the word that Jesus loves, Jesus saves, and Jesus is coming soon (John 3:16).
I have one question. The lost coin and the lost sheep are the same. Theywere lost, so their owner exerted effort to look for them. And the lost son was considered lost also but his father didn't went after to look for his lost son. I mean, he didn't exert effort to find his lost son. Why? Please give me your answer. Thank you. God bless!
The lost coin would never know it was lost and therefore could not have returned on its own. This story essentially is to reinforce the fact that all of us are important to God as outlined in the plan of salvation in John 3:17. This verse establishes how valuable each one of us is to God.
In the case of the lost son, he knew he was lost. The father wanted to save him but he refused the help of the father. He also knew his way back home. Ultimately the son had to acknowledge his weakness and dependence on his father and be willing to accept the father's help through his unconditional love for him. God will chase us so far and no further. We get to a point where we have to acknowledge the need to be saved; Rev. 3:20.
Melma, I basically agree with both Paulette and Maurice Grant but not completely, as I view all three parables it occurs to me that the coin certainly didn't know it was lost so a search was conducted and the sheep probably knew it was lost but might not have while enjoying being where it should not have been - not so with the prodigal son. He not only knew what he lost but even knew the way back home.
Actually, the parable of the prodigal son is really not about him it is really about the other older son who didn't share the father's longing to have his son back home again. The context of the three parables starts with the beginning of chapter 15, "Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, 'This Man receives sinners and eats with them'" (Lk. 15:1-2 NKJV). Jesus then went into the parables that explained the reason why he received sinners and ate with them. The capping off parable was the prodigal son where the older son played the part of the Pharisees who didn't want forgiven sinners in the church and thought themselves to be the only ones worthy of Heaven.
Parables do not embody complete theology but are given to make particular main points. What interests me most in the parable is the mindset of both the younger lost son and the father. The son was going back to beg to be a servant much like the tax collector praying in the temple (Lk 18:13) but the father wouldn't have any part of that thinking. He wouldn't even listen to that but got out the finest robe and prepared a feast for his returned son (not his servant). On the other hand the oldest son being like the Pharisee praying in the temple (Lk 18:11-12) despised the younger son and wouldn't even acknowledge him as his brother but rather called him "this son of yours" (Lk. 15:30 NKJV).
Well,to best answer your question the lost coin and sheep,are possessions. Meaning,there is no question of ownership. The son is not owned by the father, but loved. The Lord has proprietary rights over human being. He,God has the Title,and under no question of ownership, to find whom is lost.
Amen Sis Sonnier! From the outset the Angel said, "....you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save HIS PEOPLE from their sins". Mat 1:21. "The firm foundation of God stands having this seal, 'The Lord knows those who are HIS'". 2 Tim 2:19. " I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave me out of the world; they were YOURS and you gave them to Me; I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are YOURS; and all things that are MINE are YOURS, and YOURS are MINE".John 17:6,9
"All that the Father gives me will come to Me"John 6:37
Jesus gives a reason why some cannot hear His voice; "Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear my word. You are of your father the Devil....He who is of God hears the words ofGod; for this reason you do not hear, because you are not of GOD" John 8:44-47.
"I am the Good Shepherd, and I know MY OWN and MY OWN know Me ..... and I lay down My life for the SHEEP. I have OTHER SHEEP which are not of this fold; I must bring them also and they will hear my voice....But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. MY SHEEP hear My voice and I KNOW THEM, and they follow me. I give them eternal life. My Father has given them to me". John 10:14-17, 26-29.
So there are two types - those of God and those of the devil. Cain is "of the evil one"; Judas Is "a devil", "son of perdition". The magician who got baptized was called "child of the devil".
Jesus declared "Behold I and the children whom God has given me". God seeks and find and saves every single one of "His Children", the "Seed of Abraham", "Christ's Seed".
"NOT ONE WILL BE MISSING". Jer. 23:4
In this uncaring world, the loss of one sheep amongst 100 would be of no consequence and similarly a coin of no great value. Persons will discount these losses as insignificant. But that's not the lesson Christ is teaching us. Everybody is important and valuable to Him and He was willing to go seeking that lost insignificant sheep. He also wants to impress on us that though seeming invaluable, we must be willing to go to great lengths to seek out lost souls, no matter who they are or in what condition to bring them to their place in the kingdom. It is notable that there is great rejoicing after each finding. Sometimes we take for granted a baptism. Let us remember that every soul is precious to God and the angels rejoice over each one. We too should rejoice with the angels.
i think this parable has to help us to start to take value in our brothers and sisters in the church to shield and protect from anything which may influence them to leave the church. lets seek the fallen and start doing a lot of in-reach and teach our family in faith of that love which Christ demonstrated for us. it begins with me
Hi Melma, I think the reason could be because the son left of his own free will, he chose to leave. God will not force anyone to serve Him. He patiently knocks, then waits for us to open the door so He can come in and live within our hearts. Just like our first parents who lived in Eden, the son was in his father's house reaping all the benefits of sonship. Adam and Eve were in the Garden living abundant life with the privilege of choice. God came to visit; they hid from Him as they had chosen to sin. The father of the prodigal son did not have to go looking for his son, the son had already come to him ( Luke 15:12 ). That was his choice to leave his 'eden'. Therefore it was up to him to make the choice/decision to return home ( Luke 15:17 ). That does not mean the father was not yearning for his son's return; I suppose he took residence on the patio watching and waiting, he was the one to see his son coming from a 'great way off' ( Luke 15:20 ). Jesus lovingly and patiently waits for us to return home. He is 'holding it together', preparing mansions, while we 'get it together' (John 14:1-3 ). We however, need to 'come to ourselves' as He is coming for a prepared people who has made the choice to choose Him.
Hugh,
thank you, thank you, thank you! Yes! For so long my fiancé would say, "we want to be involved in our salvation sooooo bad; we feel like it must be SOMETHING we need/should be doing." As you said, God is so invested in our salvation, and why would he entrust such an important task to sinful/faulty saints!? He wouldn't. Thank you for sharing.
The lost coin represents those that are lost but don't realize it. The lost sheep...those that have carelessly wandered away from the pack/church, and don't know how to come back. The son...those who chose to definitely walk away from God. Remember the story in Gensis 2: 16-17 ? God respects our freedom of choice. Each of these groups represents precious souls for the kingdom. But, only the last group, the Father must wait for them to ask Him for forgiveness...He longingly waits for them to return!
The lost son represents those who have definitely walked away from God unlike the the first two groups that did not realized what happed. God respects our freedom of choice... Gen 2:16-17. However' God longingly waits for us to return and repent.
The coin and the sheep represents those who does not realize that they are lost; however, the son, represents those in the church that have definitely walked away from God. He respects our choice... Gen. 2:16-17, but He longingly waits for us to return and repent.
Melma, the lost coin and the lost sheep are not the same. The lost coin did not know that it was lost, while the sheep wandered away. The sheep knew that it was lost but was unable to find its way back home. The seriousness of the condition of the lost coin is that we are unaware of our lost condition.
Am greatful for Sunday lesson its my responsibity who have known God as my saviour to go for lost coin and sheep to bring them back to God is vineyerd
The lost son knew his way back home, he knew how to get home, if he wanted to. It was his choice to leave home and he knew that his father would allowed him to return home. It is the same with us and God, God will accept us any time any way and any place.
It was possible that the lost sheep got into trouble, he could have been tangle up and needed help and lost coin didn't know money.
The prodigal son remembered his Father at home and how his father loved him, unconditionally, and that helped him to make the decision to go home. Similarly, God's unconditional love draws us to him, time and time again. There are several stories today of people whose 'felt needs' were met by loving members of the church, and not any 'Bible bashing'. Thereafter, they wanted to know more and then requested studies and in time made a decision to accept God as Saviour and Guide of their lives.
Hi Susan, Thank you, I think you hit the nail on the head. The father's love was searching and calling him back.
There was a reason why Jesus told 3 stories together, because each one shows different aspects of the love of God as well as different situations we might be in, similar to the parable of the sower and the seed.
The coin didn't know it was lost, the sheep didn't rebel just wandered away, the younger brother rebelled, repented & returned, the older brother thought his father valued rules over relationships.
The parables of the "lost" are so key in our christian living as they provide a lot of hope to those who know they are lost and but most importantly to those who don't. The relevance of these teachings to all of us are always clear and simple, We are at one moment lost in sin. Not knowing we are lost will require some one to come and get us back to where we belong. But imagining you are lost and no one is willing to look for you simply means you will be lost forever!
It represents those who are in the church, a coin can't speak and has no sense. But the lost sheep, has a sense and understanding that it makes out noise so as to be heard by the fellow, and one finds that if the owner went out looking for it he would hear it shouting and follow the direction of the shout. But a coin can't make noise, has no sense that its not my usual place, so even when it falls down it thinks that's where its placed.
This is talking about we who are in the church, there those in the church that are like this lost coin, when it comes to service on Sabbath he misses not, all church activities he attends in person all times, that all look and judge that he is committed to serving his God, when in actual sense he is lost. This parable is talking about such people, in the church whom you and me can't identify where they have gone out or not reason being they are ever present in all church programs.
The lost sheep is better, because the owner knows that he has 100 flock of sheep and one has gone out missing, and he goes after. But those who are in the church like this aren't easy to know as all they do looks pretty yet lost. That's why this women who was very interesting in finding this lost coin bothered not of the rest but the lost, and did all she could so as to find it and when she does, she calls the neighbours and friends for celebration because she has found her lost coin. Heaven rejoices when a sinner repents. It clearly shows us how precious and important God puts us in all he does, he will do all to get back the lost and that's why Jesus said he came for the lost not those who call themselves righteous.
Brother and sister, God puts you as a first priority, but is he your first priority and the first before even your own life? Are ready to give up your life to death because of the most important asset that you have "relationship with God"?