Luke 15:8-10 Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbours together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
Not many people know this, but the 10 coins Jesus referred to in His parable were part of a special piece of jewellery back in the day, which was usually a gift for a wedding proposal, almost like an engagement ring we are familiar with today. Now, to lose one silver coin was like losing a precious diamond in a wedding ring that had 10 diamonds—you get the picture!
Nobody would have settled with one less diamond in their
ring thinking: "at least I still have 9 diamonds left on my ring
." No, the value of thát one is important, just like that one coin that simply
had to be found!
This parable points to how Jesus came to seek and find us who were lost in sin and shame and just like that coin in His story fell and rolled into a corner or underneath something and was lost. Notice the detail of Jesus' parable, dear friend, because Jesus said the first thing the woman did was to light up a lamp!
Ah, hallelujah! Isn't it amazing to know who the Light of the world is...and who the true Light, the one that has come to enlighten every man, still is?
But that is not all: Jesus says the woman also began to sweep her whole house, searching and searching for her lost coin. Can you see how Jesus came into the very world we live in, searching for us who were lost and covered in the dust of our sin? By the way - the lost coin did not do anything to be found; neither did it roll out of the dusty corner or from under the couch in its own strength. Nope, no contribution to its recovery; it was simply lost and was found!
You and I were also lost...period. But praise the Lord Jesus, who fully reveals our worth, our value unto Him, as He came to find us! God is the one who moved toward us through Christ when we were lost. As I read this parable, it struck me again how the woman also shared her joy with her friends and neighbours, pointing to the joy Jesus has when we repent—believing that He found us who are His own! When was the last time you pondered over the reality of Christ's joy when He found us and restored us through His death and resurrection?
The value of the coin was always determined by the Owner, and the search until found proved how valuable it is to the Owner. Our value is not in our works/productivity, but in WHO searched and found us. Anyone who is found in Christ, as the parable reveals, will never feel worthless or live without value but will believe and repent unto Christ, who searched for us till we were found, and simply live from this joy: "I once was lost, but now I'm found!"
Amen.