This morning, our Pastor mentioned the Parable of the Lost
Coin in Luke 15. What strikes me in this
parable is that the coin wasn’t spent foolishly or dropped on the way to an
exciting adventure; no, the coin was lost inside the house. Perhaps it had gotten buried under a stack of
paper or had been carelessly swept off the table. How long did it take before the owner
realized it was missing? The passage
didn’t say but we do know that as soon as she realized it had fallen by the
wayside, she made every effort to find it and lovingly restore it to its place
beside the other coins.
Every Sunday Morning, we enter the church to worship with
our brothers and sisters. How many
Sundays pass before we notice that one of the shining “coins” are missing? Oh they may be sitting right beside you, they
may go through the familiar motions and say all the right words at the
appropriate times but if you look closely, you will notice, the “coin” is lost inside the house. Perhaps they became “lost” under a “stack of life” or perhaps a careless word or action swept them away. Whatever the reason, the “coins” are too valuable to shrug your shoulders or just replace with another shiny coin. We have to learn to look behind the façade of manufactured smiles and perfect words and see the lonely soul that has become lost in the house. Once we realize a coin is missing, I pray that the Body of Christ will, as the woman in Luke 15, light a lamp and sweep the house, searching with care until the “lost coin” is found and restored to its rightful place.
The Parable doesn’t end once the coin is found, however, 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! As the church body
begins to discover the “Coins” that have been lost in the
house, we will begin to hear the sounds of rejoicing from earth and Heaven
reach a resounding crescendo. Luke 15:19, Likewise,
I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner
who repents.”
It is time to light a lamp, get out our brooms and start
sweeping. There are precious coins that
have been “LOST IN THE HOUSE” for too long. Let the Sound of Rejoicing begin.
