Sermon: The Lost Coin
Text: Luke 15:8-10
“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Introduction: The Value of What Is Lost
Have you ever lost something precious? Perhaps it was something small in size but great in significance—a wedding ring, a family heirloom, or even your wallet. The moment you realize it’s missing, your focus narrows, your determination grows, and nothing else matters until it’s found.
In this parable, Jesus uses the imagery of a lost coin to illustrate God’s relentless pursuit of sinners and the joy that follows their return.
1. The Coin’s Value
The coin the woman loses is likely a drachma, a valuable silver coin worth about a day’s wages. Its loss would have been significant, especially in a modest household.
- Symbol of Humanity’s Value: The coin represents a sinner—lost, but valuable in God’s eyes. Just as the coin’s intrinsic value doesn’t diminish when it’s lost, so too does every person retain their worth to God, no matter how far they stray.
- We Are Made in God’s Image: Genesis 1:27 reminds us that each person bears God’s image. Sin may tarnish, but it cannot erase the value God places on a human soul.
2. The Woman’s Determination
The woman’s actions are deliberate and thorough. She lights a lamp, sweeps the house, and searches diligently. This portrays God’s active pursuit of the lost.
- Lighting a Lamp: God’s Word is the lamp (Psalm 119:105). Through Scripture, God shines light into the darkness of sin, illuminating the way back to Him.
- Sweeping the House: The act of sweeping represents God clearing away obstacles that keep sinners from Him. He removes distractions and barriers to bring us back into His presence.
- Searching Carefully: The search is not casual—it’s intentional and persistent. God’s love compels Him to pursue each person personally and relentlessly.
3. The Joy of Finding
When the woman finds her lost coin, her immediate response is celebration. She invites her friends and neighbors to share in her joy.
- Joy in Heaven: Jesus emphasizes that the rejoicing over one sinner who repents is not limited to earth but echoes in the courts of heaven. Angels and saints alike celebrate each redeemed soul.
- A Communal Celebration: Salvation is personal, but its impact is communal. The restoration of one soul affects families, churches, and communities, bringing glory to God.
4. The Application
The parable challenges us to adopt God’s heart for the lost.
- Do We Share God’s Urgency? Just as the woman prioritized finding the coin, we are called to value people as God does and actively seek those who are spiritually lost.
- Rejoice in Repentance: Do we celebrate when sinners come to Christ? Or do we stand in judgment, like the elder brother in the Parable of the Prodigal Son? Jesus calls us to rejoice with Him.
- Be the Light in the Search: God often uses His people to be the “lamp” or “sweepers” in the search for the lost. Through acts of love, evangelism, and prayer, we participate in His mission.
Conclusion: The Gospel of Restoration
The parable of the lost coin is a picture of the gospel. It reminds us that:
- We are all the lost coin at some point, unable to find our way back on our own.
- God’s love is relentless—He lights the lamp, sweeps the house, and searches until we are found.
- Repentance brings joy to heaven, and it should also bring joy to our hearts.
As the woman rejoiced over her coin, so God rejoices over you. If you are lost today, know that God is searching for you, longing to restore you to His kingdom. And if you are found, join in the search for others, so that heaven may be filled with the sound of rejoicing.
Let us seek the lost with the same passion and celebrate their return with the same joy. Amen.