Reading the Word

Luke 15:8–10 (ESV)

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.”

Understanding and Applying the Word

In Luke 15, Jesus presents three parables that are addressed to the scribes and Pharisees (see Luke 15:1-3). These religious leaders were calling into question why Jesus would spend his time with undeserving “tax collectors and sinners.” If Jesus was truly the Messiah, he should only be giving his time to the righteous!

The first parable was about a lost sheep and taught the Pharisees that every sheep is important to the shepherd. God, of course, is represented by the shepherd and the people (tax collectors, sinners, scribes, and Pharisees) are the lost sheep. Heaven rejoices when one of the lost is found.

The parable in today’s passage is about a lost coin. The woman searches diligently until she finds the coin and then she rejoices. While this parable is similar to the one about the lost sheep, the emphasis is different. The parable of the sheep was on the value of every sheep. The parable of the coin focuses us on the nature of the search. The woman, who represents God, searched diligently. In the same way, the Lord searches out those who are lost and rejoices when they are found.

In these opening parable of Luke 15 we learn that God values every lost person and that he desires every one to come to repentance, including the tax collectors and sinners and scribes and Pharisees. He also cares about you and me. If you have not already, will you turn to Christ in repentance today? Heaven will celebrate when you do!

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