Day 108

During a time when distancing has become the norm, we must fight even harder not remain distant. Separation is difficult in so many aspects and has a way of harming the human psyche. The worst type of separation is a personal and familial loss. Tonight I want to talk about an entire chapter dedicated to the Lost and how God deals with distancing, separation, and loss. Luke chapter 15 discusses three different stories about loss: the sheep, coin, and son. Out of all the possibilities of things that could get lost, why did Jesus choose these 3? Tonight we will take a look at two of them, to see why these were so important He used them to illustrate His love for us.

The Sheep – This is the first of three stories. Being in an agrarian society, this story hits home for the people in Jesus’ day. As the farm owner counts his sheep, he realizes that one of them is missing. He recounts just to make sure, but his first count was accurate. Now having 100 sheep meant that this was a wealthy landowner. And he must have had servants that could go and find that one lost sheep. But in this story, the Owner was also the Shepherd of His sheep, and He knew each one by name, and they knew His voice. And even though it’s late and dark out in the wilderness, He locks the other sheep in, and He takes off after the one.

In John chapter 10 Jesus explains that He has His “sheep” or children everywhere, and that they know His voice, and that He is willing to die for them (John 10:15,16). When He finds the sheep, lost and confused, He doesn’t scold it for wondering off. No, instead Jesus says: And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he gets home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’” Luke 15:5,6. Jesus ends the story by comparing the celebration to one that happens in heaven with the angels when ONE lost soul is found and gives their life to the Shepherd, which David speaks about in Psalm 23.

The Coin – This story has so many dimensions to it. Let’s talk about one of them, the relationship between husband and wife. During the first century Palestinian life, a husband would give his wife a valuable gift to be worn on her wedding day. This he would know she accepted his proposal and it would be included as part of her dowery. Many times the gift would consist of jewelry, a set of priceless heirlooms to be passed on to their children. In this story, the woman had lost a piece to her wedding headdress, which made it lose its value. Without the missing coin, she could never make her wedding present complete. It was also an insult to her husband and his name if she could lose a portion of the wedding token. It could be seen as a woman in the 21st century losing a diamond on her engagement ring, that belonged to her dead husband’s grandmother. So as Jesus tells the story, the women probably wrapped their shawls round them, shuttering at the thought. Some may have even experienced that very same incident. The shame and anger that happened in the home, was something no wife would ever want to go through. The men may have nodded their heads in agreement when they heard how desperate the woman was to find that lost coin.

Can you imaging the sigh of relief when the woman finally found the coin? Everyone in the audience probably released the breath that they were holding in. When Jesus said that the woman called all her neighbors to come and celebrate with her, they all understood. Yes, this was indeed a time for a celebration! A priceless family heirloom had been found, and it didn’t even know it was lost. Jesus ends that story again with the reality of the kingdom of God, and how there is a huge celebration when only ONE person repents and chooses life in God. Heaven breaks out in joy and singing! Because someone has turned their life around.

God loves us so much, He tells us when we feel at our worse, or when we think that we are too lost to save, He says: Listen! The LORD’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call.” Isaiah 59:1. The word of God says that when we are in trouble, to call on Him: But in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought Him, and He was found by them.” 2 Chronicles 15:4. And when we’re too beat up (emotionally or spiritually) He said that He will come and find us, because He is never too far away: The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears; He delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” Ps. 34:17,18.

Amen.