Sheep and Coins
Here some thoughts about this Sunday's gospel that were shared with the people of St. Timothy Lutheran Church. I'd like to hear from you. What are some of your thoughts?
Gospel: Luke 15:1-10
Gospel: Luke 15:1-10
1Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to [Jesus.] 2And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3So he told them this parable: 4“Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? 5When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. 6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7Just 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.
8“Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9When 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.’ 10Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
3So he told them this parable: 4“Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? 5When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. 6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7Just 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.
8“Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9When 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.’ 10Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
When we look at the common, most repeated words in this part of Luke’s gospel, a pattern emerges concerning what these parables are about. Something was lost (5 times), was found (6 times) and the result is joy and rejoicing (5 times).
There are many ways these parables may be interpreted, but what particularly strikes me is the great lengths to which both the shepherd and the woman go to finding the lost object. For the shepherd, one sheep was 1/100th of the flock. For the woman, her loss was 1/10th of her wealth. As far as financial value, neither the sheep nor the coin were worth that much, except to the seeker.
God is like the shepherd and the woman and we are like the lost objects. No matter how low we get, how worthless we may feel, how deeply we find ourselves in the bowels of depression or regret or addiction, God seeks us out and does not let up until we are found.
And after the finding? There’s a party and that means feasting as well. When we are found, we experience joy that needs to be shared with others; for not only do we get lost from time to time, but there are many people in our world who are also lost. God can use us to find them.
Let us pray. Seeker of the lost, Restorer of the found, make us aware of your presence and love in our lives. Use us to seek others who are lost and restore them to you. Amen.
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