The Parable of the Lost Coin

Luke 15:8-10

L/W—The Parable of the Lost Sheep

T/W—The Parable of the Lost Coin

Typically this passage could be taught on the heels of the Lost Sheep. The points are the same, it’s the application which is different. Where the lost sheep represents the unbeliever, so does the lost coin; but here instead of being, “lost to/in the wilderness,” the lost person is within the home.

As we go through this passage, not again the similarities, but with different application (beauty of God’s Word)

The coin was lost

The coin was lost because of others

The coin was lost in the house

The coin was sought until found

The coin, once found, brought great joy

The coin represented a repentant sinner

(READ LUKE 15:8-10)

As believers, we are instructed by Jesus Christ Himself, to go make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”). We affirm it, stamp it on mission statements, make t-shirts embroidered with this verse, and (yes, I witnessed this) even vote on it. The call to go and share the good news of Jesus Christ has sent people across the street, across town, across the state & nation, and to the ends of the earth.

As believers, we are ambassadors of Jesus Christ, taking the message of the gospel to the world, so that others may know the saving grace of salvation as we do. We develop ministries, organizations, LLC’s with acronyms to promote, train, fund, and send believers to the 4-corners of the earth. This is good, this is Biblical.

Yet painstakingly, inasmuch as we are eager to do these things, how many of us are willing and eager to go across the hallway in our homes; how many of us are willing to go downstairs to where our teenagers hang out; how many of us our willing to go into our own spouse’s bedroom? The need for the gospel, the need for salvation, the need for the lost to be found, is desperately needed in our homes.

“The world needs Jesus,” we say

“There are those in desperate need b/c of oppression and tyranny of third world countries,” we argue

“There are children and families without homes, food, or basic necessities,” we claim

This is true, but what I fear, is that as we’ve become so focused on this, we’ve neglected the sharing of God’s message of redemption in our very own homes—those in our very own families, who are in such need of salvation.

Statistics show, 93% of the time a husband comes to the Lord—the family follows. When husband is surrendered and following the Lord, the family, 9 times out 10, follows suit.

Husbands/wives who’s marriages have been about themselves or about things of this world, once redeemed, can live to be an example of Christ and the church—an act of worship

Parents and children who have been at odds, even enemies, when redemption occurs, can live under the peace of salvation

Jesus cares about the salvation of those in our homes and in our families, just as much as He cares and has compassion to those outside our homes:

He cares and has compassion towards:

The husband or wife lost in addiction to drugs/alcohol/pornography; to fortune/fame/the American dream

The husband or wife lost to values & identities of this world, rather than living in and for the image we are created for

The son/daughter who is lost, prodigal, or wayward

This is the center of this parable, that Jesus came for those lost in our own homes, as much as He came for those lost in the wilderness

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As we get into this, here’s what to keep in mind:

Coin—person; Lost Coin—Lost person

Loose dirt/filth/dust—SIN

I. (v.8) The Lost Coin Represents the Unbeliever; this is the sinner lost within the house, the family member who has gone astray and is lost both to God and to the mother

Luke 15:8 ““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?”

(CONTEXT)—Two facts;

The coin was silver, of extreme worth, and greatly desired

The coin was lost and doomed forever if not found

(CONNECTION)—Remember, the coin represents the person:

Every person is of extreme worth to God; is extremely desired by Christ

Deuteronomy 32:10 ““He found him in a desert land And in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye.”

Psalm 17:8 “Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,”

Every person, outside a relationship with Jesus Christ, is lost—like this coin—the are doomed apart from being found and in relationship with Him:

First, those who are lost—are absent the covering of saving grace; they have no relationship with Jesus Christ and therefore no relationship with God—set to be doomed to spiritual death—an eternity separated from God

Secondly, those who are lost, cannot serve their purpose

The main purpose in our salvation, is in Christ, we are progressively sanctified, to more and more be conformed into the image of Jesus Christ—this is God’s will and it’s promised to believers:

His will

1 Thessalonians 4:3 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;”

His promise

Romans 8:29 “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

Thirdly, and as stated by David Jeremiah, “Christians are saved “for good works, not by their works,” (David Jeremiah)

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

These works are the natural outgrowth of a surrendered relationship with Jesus Christ

These works are not conducted in our strength, rather through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

“Yield”

“Let”

Fourthly—once in a surrendered relationship, having begun this journey of progressive sanctification, and in the outgrowth of good works from salvation, we are to offer our lives as living sacrifices to God

Romans 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

***These purposes if you will, cannot exist so long as a person remains lost***

***The tragedy is here, people will exhaust themselves trying to find and fulfill their purpose is life***

II.(v.8) The Coin was Lost Because of Others—The context here is striking, b/c it is a picture of the responsibility family members have for one another

Luke 15:8 ““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?”

(CONTEXT)-Four ways a coin (person) is lost in the homeIgnoring the coin—it had been set aside and forgotten

Neglecting the coin—A person can know the coin is there, know it’s value, yet neglect it.

Carelessly handling the coin--It is badly handled, dropped, and lost

Unconsciously placing the coin someplace

Placing the coin can be unplanned, and therefore little attention is given to the coin

After so much time of going through the motions/going through daily affairs, there is no planning of use for the coin…and eventually it’s forgotten.

(CONNECTION-You and Me)

How is it a person within our own homes/families become (1) ignored, (2) neglected, (3) carelessly handled, or and/or unconsciously placed

As husbands, in our busyness to provide the physical needs of our family, we don’t pay attention and neglect the higher, God-given direction to tend to the spiritual needs of our families (spouses, children)

Wives, who spend their time criticizing, complaining, controlling (not letting their husbands Biblically lead); wives who are spiteful, living immoral lives, who are unforgiving—have neglected their God-given directive of being their husband’s help-mate

Parents who’s priorities are more on the things of this world, who’s priorities and focus is on the “doings” of life, who’s lives are too busy, fail to pay attention to the spiritual needs of their children—we may provide every other need for them, but if we neglect to minister to their deepest need of God’s mercy, the dust, filth, and dirt of this world remains their covering; we must lose sight of the intricate value our children have—in God’s eyes, and in ours.

Others in our home/families (Uncles, Aunts, Cousins, Brothers/Sisters, etc.) are often left to themselves

(CONNECTION-You and me #2)—We must understand---the home is the first ministry we have—it’s where our witness, pursuit of Christ, and obedience of Christ should be exemplified before anything else.

Husbands

Ephesians 5:25-27 “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”

Explain this out!

Wives-

Ephesians 5:22-24 “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.”

Explain this out

1 Peter 3:1-2 “Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.”

A Christian woman, who’s husband is wayward/lost/backslidden cannot minister/witness to them if they are

Bitter

Unforgiving

Critical

Spiteful

Living immorally themselves

A Christian woman, who’s husband is wayward/lost/backslidden ministers/witnesses to her husband in

How follow/pursue/obey Christ

Show grace/love/mercy

Refrain from critical speech (in front of or when they are not present)

Edify their husbands

Living in such a way that their pursuit of Christ is a witness of Him

Parents-

2 Corinthians 12:14 “Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.”

Deuteronomy 6:7 “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”

Deuteronomy 11:19 “You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”

Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.”

A house is simply a physical location—a place—a structure where people live

But a home is

Resting place

Place of love/peace/provision—and fulfillment

Place of stability and security/significance and purpose

Place of faithfulness and loyalty

Marriage is one of the most sacred institutions on earth; it is critical because involves the establishment of the home

The first “ministry” we are responsible for is our home; it is our homes:

Husbands—you’ve been given this God-given directive to the spiritual leaders in your homes, where you “get to” love your spouses (explain this story)

Wives—you’ve been given this God-given directive to be your husbands “help-meet,” to experience the blessings that God will bestow in Biblical submission

Parents—you’ve been given this God-given directive to train up your children in the Word, to be examples to them of how to love, follow, and pursue Christ, and to be examples of what a Christian marriage should look like

III.(v.9) The Coin was Lost in the House

Luke 15:9 “And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’”

(CONTEXT) Note Three Points

The coin, though lost in the house, was lost in the dust and dirt of the floor

As long as the coin (person) was “lost”, regardless of the fact that it was in the house, was still covered in dust, dirt, and filth (sin)

As long as the coin (person) was “lost, regardless of the fact that it was in the house, would continue to be covered with dust, dirt, and filth

The coin’s experience, although in the house, was terrible. Being lost, it was

Useless—unable to contribute to family needs

There is a disconnect—tension—wedge, between those who are lost in your home and those who are saved

Helpless—unable to fulfill it’s purpose

So long as the coin (person) is lost, there is a distortion of their purpose

So long as the coin (person) remains lost, they will surely look to the world to find their purpose/worth/value/identity—ALL THE WHILE LIVING IN YOUR HOME

Gone—Note present to participate in family functions

Bypassed—Not seen, it could not be polished and cared for

Stepped on and walked on—Down on the floor, covered with dust/dirt, it was not seen; therefore it was misused and abused

The coin (person) was not aware it was lost. (Three things here)

A family member may have no consciousness or sensation of being lost

There is no excuse for following peers/stronger personalities

The other family members may not know the truth about the love of God and Christ, about the privilege of being saved and having one’s sins forgiven and inheriting eternal life

***How tragic it is when we connect that a “coin” is a person***

***How tragic it is when we connect that this “person” is someone in our family**

IV.(v.9) The Coin was sought until Found

Luke 15:9 “And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’”

SEVERAL THINGS TO SEE HERE

The woman changed the whole atmosphere of the house

She lit a candle, for the houses that day were dark (most with only one small window)—this light was the only hope the woman in finding the coin

This “light” represents Christ—The woman turned to Christ to bring light to her house (v.8--” Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp...”

She used the light in her search

She used the light to look in every nook and cranny, under every table, every area was to be illuminated with the light find the lost coin

She used the light “everywhere”—there was not place she didn’t take the light with her

She used the light “that was in her” to go and search; her trust in the Lord is what she relied on in her search

The woman swept throughout the house—She swept all the loose and clinging dirt and filth (remember: dirt/filth/dust—sin)

She saw the sin in her house and knew two things:

As long as there was loose dirt (sin) in her house, she might never find the coin

If she didn’t clean out the loose dirt (sin) in her house, she might have lost her coin

The woman searched for the coin immediately and urgent

The more the coin remained lost:

The dirtier it would become

The more scarred it became

The more settled in the dust it would become

The harder it would be to find

The woman searched diligently for the coin until she found it.

She willed to find the coin

She labored diligently

She endured to find the coin

(CONNECTION)

It’s the "light” of the gospel of Jesus Christ which saves a person

We must see this in the finished work of the cross of Christ

If sin is not washed/cleanses

If there exists sin on man’s hearts—salvation cannot be had/found

Nehemiah account (Chapter 3)—removing the rubble

We must see the sin in our homes/in ourselves and allow Christ to cleanse it and remove it

Christ is relentless in his pursuit of you—and we must be relentless in how we pursue those lost in our homes

V. (v.9) The Coin once found, brought great joy

Luke 15:9 “And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’”

AGAIN, NOTE SEVERAL THINGS

The woman’s prayers and efforts payed off

The woman called her friends and neighbors together for a glorious celebration

The woman’s words are critical:

VI.(v.10) The Coin Represented a Repentant Sinner

Luke 15:10 “Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.””

The sinner who is found is a an who repents

God and all the angels rejoice greatly when one sinner repents