LOST AND FOUND

Text: Luke 15:8 – 10

Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find [it]?  (9)  And when she hath found [it], she calleth [her] friends and [her] neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.  (10)  Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

Introduction

From the above passage, it becomes clear that no one is ever happy having lost a valuable stuff until such stuff is found. The Lord Jesus, in this parable of the Lost Coin painted a picture of the kind of joy that will fill the heart of the coin owner after finding the lost coin. But whist the coin is still being sought for; there was no joy in view. This morning we will examine the importance of this teaching as it is related to us individually.

The explanation of the parable

Few characters played out in this parable:

1.    The woman who owns the lost coin, which today is the symbol or type of Jesus Christ.  And by extension, the church of God to whom the work of reconciliation has been committed – Luke

 19:10; 2Cor. 5:18 - 19

2.    The lost coin itself, which is the typical example of everyone who had wandered away from the love of God –

3.    The God figure whose love for mankind is unquantifiable. There is great joy in heaven anytime mankind responds to God’s love – John 3:16

4.    And of course the angelic beings whose duties are to minister to mankind at God’s command, and also to rejoice at whatever gladdens the heart of God

Some of the lessons drawn from the parable

1.    The coin loses its purpose as long as it is remaining in its lost position. No one can ever find the true meaning of existence and purpose outside of God. It is in God that our lives consist. We existed in Him first before our mothers’ womb, and consequently before we were born – John 15:4;

2.    The value of the coin is lost as long as it remains missing. Even though in its lost state the coin pretends to retain its value, it is useless as long as it is not being put to valuable use

3.    The coin loses its core function of productivity and profitability as long as it not yet recovered.- Mat. 25:24-27

4.     The coin neither become useful to itself or anyone else in that state of being lost

5.    The coin loses its beauty and being covered by all sorts of dirt in its lost state – Rom. 1:28

6.    The coin diminishes and becomes totally irrelevant if remains in the lost state.

Pastor Femi Atode