Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, Lost Son - Luke 15:1-32
In Luke 15:1-32 Jesus describes a shepherd who loses a sheep, a woman who loses a coin, and a Father who loses a son.
Welcoming Sinners
Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear him.
But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable:
The Lost Sheep
“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders
and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
The Lost Coin
“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not 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.”
The Lost Son
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
Luke 15:1-32
Losing Something Precious
Tax collectors and other sinners gravitated towards Jesus and he welcomed them. The religious leaders in his community criticized him for this and he responded by telling a story to illustrate God's attitude towards the people they were rejecting.
Jesus used examples from everyday life to demonstrate the way people react to the loss of something precious. A shepherd leaves his 99 sheep in open country in order to find and return a lost one. A woman who loses 1 of her 10 coins searches her house carefully to find it. Finally, we have the story of a father who loses a son.
The younger son asks for his inheritance early and leaves his father's household to "do his own thing" - thereby declaring his independence from his father. Once in possession of his inheritance he wastes it and, when a famine comes, he is forced to work as a hired servant under oppresive conditions.
This is the way God sees you if you don't know Jesus. You've declared independence from him, wasted your inheritance, and are being worked oppressively by foreigners who don't love you.
The story has a happy ending because the lost son changes his mind about his independence and makes new choices. Although he plans to return to his father's household merely as a servant, his father welcomes him back and restores him to his position as a son in the household. If you're reading this page because you're curious about Jesus you should know that God is eager to receive you back as a son. He's simply waiting for you to repent (i.e. change your mind) about your independence from him and come home. If you're ready to do that we invite you to check out our following Jesus page.
Good News Passages
Subject |
Scripture Reference |
|---|---|
| The Rich Young Ruler | |
Day of Pentecost |
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Cornelius' Household |
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Paul in Pamphylia |
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Paul in Athens |
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Paul's Gospel |
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