The Lost Coin – Luke 15:8-10[context – Luke 15:1-2]

A woman had ten coins, but lost one.  She lit a lamp, swept the floor and searched for it.  When she found it, she called her friends and neighbors, telling them to rejoice with her because she had found the coin that had been lost.

Context

Before Jesus told this parable, we are told that tax collectors and sinners(i.e. the worst of the worst kind of people, at least in the minds of the religious elite and likely many others) came to Jesus and listened to Him.  The Pharisees and scribes(i.e. the religious elites) complained that Jesus was actually teaching these people and eating with them as well, something no self-respecting teacher of the time would do.

What Does It Mean?

The context helps us to understand the point Jesus is trying to make.  He was teaching and eating with tax collectors and sinners because they needed salvation, and Jesus came to this world for one reason . . . to seek and to save the lost(Luke 19:10).  The scribes and Pharisees also needed salvation, as they were not sinless. However, they felt that they were better than the tax collectors and sinners.  As such, Jesus told everyone a parable about a woman(Jesus) who has lost a coin.  The coin is someone . . . anyone.  God loves every person, so He sent Jesus to offer us another chance at life(John 3:16).  The woman looking for the lost coin is Jesus going out to people to teach them about the kingdom He was going to start.  The fact that it is just one coin helps us to understand that Jesus is concerned about each individual person.  After she finds the coins, she calls on her friends to celebrate with her over the fact that she had found the lost coin.  The celebration after she finds the coin is an attempt to convey the joy that is experienced when a sinner(the coin) repents and is brought back into the kingdom.  Jesus confirms this in Luke 15:10, when He states that there is joy in the presence of angels in heaven when one sinner who repents(that lost coin being found).  The scribes and Pharisees did not think some people(i.e. tax collectors and sinners) were worthy of teaching or worth the effort of teaching about the kingdom.  They were wrong . . . so wrong.

Takeaways

Here are some basic things that we can learn from this parable:

Jesus came to this world to seek and save the lost(Luke 19:10).  Since all have sinned and are in need of salvation(Rom. 3:23), Jesus came to seek and save everybody.  As a result, He would teach anyone who would listen, and this included the most sinful people.  And when I refer to “the most sinful people,” I am looking at it through the eyes of people(especially the scribes and Pharisees).  This is not how Jesus looked at these people, but rather how many people, and especially the religious elite, looked at “tax collectors and sinners.”

Everyone needs to hear the good news about Jesus.  The gospel(i.e. good news) is not just for those who are worthy of it, as anyone worthy(not a sinner) would not need it.  And anyone who needs it(sinner) is not worthy of it. 

Jesus cares about each and every one of us.  He cares about me.  He cares about you.  He cares about everyone we know.

Heaven rejoices when a sinner repents.  Let me say that again . . . heaven rejoices when a sinner repents.  So, when that person returns, it is an understandable cause for celebration; that person has been saved from spending an eternity separated from God . . . is hell.  Why would there not be more joy and celebration over that sinner who repents?

Jesus thought the most unlikely of people(tax collectors and sinner) should have the gospel preached to them.  He didn’t think anyone was a lost cause.  This is something we need to be careful about.  It can be easy to judge someone as having an attitude that “they will never accept the gospel.”  Were there people who Jesus effectively did not teach?  Yes, but Jesus is God; He knew their hearts.  We do not.  As such, we need to share the good news about Jesus with people . . . all people.

The Wrap

The scribes and Pharisees didn’t think some people were worthy of having the good news preached to them.  But Jesus told them a parable that they could relate to.  What woman in his right mind wouldn’t look for a lost cion?  Of course, she would.  She wouldn’t just think, “Well, I still have nine others, and it’s only one coin.”  It is incredibly sad that they could see the value of one coin, but not see the value of the human beings that Jesus was trying to save.  If we are not careful, we can fall victim to the same thinking.  Let’s not do that.  Let’s see everyone as being worth the time to tell them about Jesus . . . the real Jesus . . . the One the Bible tells us about.