Lost in the House

Luke 15:8–10 KJV

8 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.

Luke 15 begins with a beautiful but controversial scene.

Luke 15:1 KJV

Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.

The outcasts were coming near to Jesus.

The people religion had written off were leaning in to hear the words of life.

Luke 15:2 KJV

And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

They meant that as criticism, but thank God, it is gospel truth.

Jesus receives sinners.

So Jesus gives three stories: a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son.

The sheep was lost in the wilderness. The coin was lost in the house. The son was lost in the far country.

The coin was not in the pigpen. The coin was not on the mountainside. The coin was not in the wilderness. The coin was lost inside the house.

That is sobering.

A person can be close to holy things and still lost. A person can be near preaching and still lost. A person can be around songs, Scriptures, services, and saints and still not be saved.

The coin was close, but it was still lost.

I. THE POSITION OF THE COIN

Luke 15:8 “if she lose one piece…”

The coin was lost in the house.

That means lostness is not always obvious.

*** I've said before… well its not lost it’s got to be in my house

Some lost people are visibly in the far country.

Others are quietly lost under the cover of religion.

The Pharisees understood how publicans and sinners could be lost.

They could point to the tax collector, the harlot, the drunkard, and the immoral man and say, “They are lost.”

But Jesus shows that something can be lost even in the house.

That is where this message gets personal.

You can have church membership and still be lost. You can know Bible language and still be lost. You can sing hymns and still be lost. You can be raised around Christian people and still be lost. You can look respectable and still be lost.

Nicodemus in John 3 was religious, but Jesus said, “Ye must be born again.”

Judas was close to Jesus outwardly, but his heart was not right inwardly.

The older brother in Luke 15 was near the father’s house, but far from the father’s heart.

Being near the things of God is not the same as being right with God.

You can be close to the church and still be far from Christ.

II. THE PRECIOUSNESS OF THE COIN

Luke 15:8 “ten pieces of silver…”

The coin was lost, but it had not lost its value.

That is important.

The woman did not say, “Well, I still have nine.” She did not say, “One coin does not matter.” She did not say, “It is too much trouble to search.”

She searched because the coin mattered.

Wiersbe points out that when a Jewish girl married, she could wear a headband of ten silver coins, something like the Jewish version of a wedding ring. To lose one coin would be a calamity. That helps us feel the emotion of the story. This was not just spare change. This was precious.

The coin was lost, but it was precious.

And that is how God sees lost sinners.

Sin may stain a person, but it does not make them worthless. Sin may ruin a testimony, but it does not remove the value of a soul. Sin may drag a life into darkness, but it does not place that soul beyond grace.

Man is valuable because he was made in the image of God. Man is valuable because Christ died for sinners. Man is valuable because eternity is real.

a coin often bore the image of a ruler. The lost sinner bears the image of God, though that image has been marred by sin. When a sinner is found, God begins restoring that image by the power of the Spirit.

That is a beautiful truth.

The world may see a wreck. God sees a soul.

The world may see a failure. God sees someone made in His image.

The world may see someone to discard. God sees someone worth seeking.

“The coin had lost its place, but it had not lost its value. It was still silver in the dust, and the sinner is still precious to God even while lost.”

III. THE POWERLESSNESS OF THE COIN

The coin could not find itself.

A sheep can wander. A son can run away. But a coin just lies there.

It cannot cry out. It cannot roll itself back into place. It cannot light the candle. It cannot sweep the floor. It cannot rescue itself.

That is a picture of the sinner in sin.

Ephesians 2:1 KJV

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

A lost sinner does not merely need advice. He needs life.

He does not merely need improvement. He needs regeneration.

He does not merely need religion. He needs redemption.

This coin was out of place. That is what lostness means.

A sheep belongs with the flock.

A coin belongs on the headband.

A sinner belongs in fellowship with God.

To be lost is to be out of place, out of service, and in danger.

When a sinner is found, he is reconciled to God, restored to purpose, and rescued from danger.

That is salvation.

What do do if you get lost  by the US forestry Service

Stop:

As soon as you realize you may be lost: stop

another word dont go any farther

Think:

Go over in your mind how you got to where you are. Plan:

Based on your thinking and observations, come up with some possible plans, think them through then act on one of them.

Are you better off out of church then when you was in church?

If you are not very, very confident in the route, then it’s always better to stay put.

…. dont make a move until you know its God

If it’s nightfall, you are injured or you are near exhaustion, stay in place.

dont leave the church because your wounded, exhausted…stay in place

IV. THE PURSUIT OF THE WOMAN

Luke 15:8 “…if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?”

Notice what she did.

She lit a candle. She swept the house. She sought diligently.

The candle speaks of illumination. The sweeping speaks of conviction. The diligent search speaks of determination.

She did not casually glance around. She did not wait for the coin to appear. She did not say, “Maybe it will turn up someday.”

She searched until she found it.

That is the heart of God toward the lost.

Luke 19:10 says, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Jesus did not come to admire the temple. He came to die on a cross.

Jesus did not come to congratulate the religious crowd. He came to rescue sinners.

Jesus did not come into this world as a tourist. He came as a Redeemer.

God sought Adam and Eve when they sinned and hid in the garden. God sought Israel again and again when they wandered. God sought sinners through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Pharisees had no room in their legalistic theology for a God who sought sinners, but the Bible is full of a seeking God.

💡 missy lost my wedding ring

That is Luke 15.

The search reveals the value.

Revelation 2:4–5 KJV

“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent…”

Observe:

Get out your compass and determine the directions based on where you are standing. Do not walk aimlessly.

John 16:13 KJV

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth…”

V. THE PRAISE OVER THE COIN

Luke 15:9–10 “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.”

The story ends in joy.

The coin is found. The woman rejoices. The neighbors are invited to rejoice. Heaven rejoices over one sinner that repenteth.

That is one of the great themes of Luke 15.

There is joy over the sheep. There is joy over the coin. There is joy over the son.

Little girl lost in the woods

in Ohio several years ago, little girl wondered into the woods chasing a stay dog

bare footed, no coat, no jacket, winter time

authorities called, search team assembled, local pastors called into to pray

it was upper 30s, but due to be colder at night, so the search was critical.

if she cant be found that day the chances of her surviving was very small

hundreds volunteered, and search while many churches gathered to help and pray

but the little girl couldn't be found, that night the sheriff told the dad to stay at the house just in case she returned… they searched all night but nothing

as daylight came the sheriff came to give the news to the father that their little girl could not be located and that she most likely didn't survive the cold night.

No shoes, no socks, no coat just a night gown…

they said we are sorry but we will now be ending the rescue mission and will be conducting a recover mission

the Father ran from the Home and screamed as loud as he could, he could not be consoled, as loud as he could he screamed out her namer….baby please just come home

and within just a few minutes here came his little barefoot girl and a shaggy stay dog out of the brush

you see she said i just got lost and couldn't find my way back so i crawled into a hollow tree and my new dog kept me warm all night

the Father said…didn't you hear the rescue workers calling your name…. she said yes daddy but always say never go to strangers

but this morning daddy i heard your voice calling me to come home

Conclusion

The coin was lost in the house. just like that little girl she wasn't far from the house, but she was lost

It was close, but still lost. It was hidden, but still precious. It was helpless, but still sought. It was found, and heaven rejoiced.

The question is not, “Are you near the house?” The question is, “Are you in Christ?”

can you hear the voice of the father calling you home?