The lost coin is found

Luke 15:8-10

8 “Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 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 in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

This parable has the same context as the lost sheep parable. The story line is very similar. A woman has 10 silver coins. A silver coin was a day’s wages – so with minimum wage today – $120.00. The woman loses one of her coins – the loss is serious, but she still has 9 other coins, over $1,000. But she is not willing to give up on the coin, and she puts in the effort to find the lost coin – sweeping the floor, retracing her steps, moving the furniture. And she finds the coin.

Now, finding the coin is good news, but is it such good news that the whole neighbourhood needs to get in on the act? Is this such good news that it is worth broadcasting in the way that she does? It seems a little excessive. The party that she threw might have cost a day’s wages, maybe the money found was spent on the party.

 Jesus’ point is that heaven is extravagant over one sinner who repents. Heaven is full of over-the-top joy when the lost come home. Heaven’s angels celebrate when people hear the good news of Jesus and turn and follow him. Repent means to turn – to do an about-face – a U-turn. To leave the old behind and start following Jesus. This is what produces such joy in heaven – for each-and-every person who comes to God. That is how much God loves, how much heaven cares, desiring that each-and-every person find their way to God.

PRAYER:

God who throws parties for the lost and the runaway, we are amazed that you show such extravagant welcome to the lost who come home and sinners who repent. Shape us that we might also show welcome – extravagant welcome – to the lost who come home and sinners who repent. In Jesus’ name. Amen.