Lost and Found

Luke 15 How do you handle losing something precious? In these three parables, Jesus taught something precious and valuable has gone missing. If that were you, how would you react? The shepherd left the 99 sheep and went looking for that one errant sheep that had gone astray. Sheep were not only precious but, money-wise, expensive!

The woman lost a coin and set about to clean, clean, and clean. She found the coin and told everyone: rejoice with me, for I have found that which was lost.

Again, our question: what do you do when that which was lost is found? The shepherd and the woman rejoiced and shared that news with others.

But, the third parable is about something even more precious that was lost. It was the son of the family. Yet, the father, unlike the shepherd and the woman, did not go searching. He is like God, patiently waiting until the son comes to his senses and realizes his lost condition. The father has been looking for his return and includes others in his rejoicing. All rejoiced with the father…except the older brother. He not only does not rejoice but has a pity party.

Jesus told these parables so that the religious leaders might see their spiritual condition, but they act like the older brother, sadly. How about us? How do we respond when a sinner repents and comes to the family? Are we looking for the lost sheep, the lost coin, or, more importantly, the lost sinner?