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Author: Stephen Weller
641 words, 3 minutes read time

Found Sheep and Lost Coin

Scripture: Luke 15:5-10

In the previous lesson we established the context of the parable of the lost sheep. In this lesson we will cover the parable.

^{Lk 15:5} “And when he has found it, he lays 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, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ ⁷ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”

This man who had one hundred sheep realized that one was missing and so he went to search for it and when he found it, he placed it upon his shoulders, rejoicing that he had found it. Returning home with it, he calls together his friends and neighbors and invites them to rejoice with him that he had found his sheep that was lost.

I believe the lost sheep represents those the Father has chosen who have not yet been born spiritually. They are called sheep just as before physical birth a child is a person, a human. After hearing the gospel and experiencing the love of other believers, the lost sheep will be ready for spiritual birth, and when that happens, we should rejoice as those in heaven rejoice over a sinner who repents and is born spiritually. What joy I experience when a lost sheep is ready, and I am present when the Father causes the spiritual birth.

Jesus then gives another illustration of the importance of repentance and the joy that results when it leads to spiritual birth.

^{Lk 15:8} “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? ⁹ And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ ¹⁰ Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

This parable of the lost coin is the same as the parable of the lost sheep. Jesus simply replaces the lost sheep with a lost coin. This could possibly represent two people from two different cultures. Both have great value to God and in both cases a search is made to find that which was lost and, in both cases, when that which was lost was found there was rejoicing.

In closing this section, I think back many months to lesson H073 when we covered Luke 3:3 and found John the Baptist going throughout “the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” In Acts 2:38 ESV: “Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”’ For this repentance to be meaningful, blood must be shed for the remission of sin (Hebrews 9:22). At the Lord’s supper, Jesus said, “this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28 ESV). The blood of God’s Son was given so that a lost sheep could obtain forgiveness and come into God’s presence resulting is great rejoicing and celebration.

Conclusion

O Father in heaven what sacrifice you made that I can come into your presence as a holy child of yours. Should I not bring along with me others I have searched for and found? A beautiful illustration is found in the poem, “The Bridge Builder”.