Lost and Found

Aug 16

Reflective Reading: Luke 15

The first two of three parables in Luke 15 (The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin, and the Lost Son) didn’t make a lot of sense to me when I first read them. In fact, they’ve never made a lot of sense until recently. The Lost Sheep is one that I can relate to personally. Years ago, I had a flock of seventy sheep. If you have never heard my story about how raising sheep taught me one of the most important parenting principles, this will be memorable! (Listen here: Raise them Up, Don’t Crush them Down.)

For nine years we raised sheep. No matter how much I secured the boundaries, they would find a way out. One of their night-time escapes resulted in a loud knock on our door early in the morning from a usually very sweet, now very upset neighbor. My sheep ate all her newly budding roses! My shepherding reputation went from bad to worse when my flock got out again and ate the roses of another neighbor. I really tried to keep them in their pastures, but no matter how much I reinforced our fencing, they were convinced that the grass was greener on the other side. Well, to their credit, the grass was greener on the other side!

This brings me to the first parable of The Lost Sheep. It only makes sense that if I have 100 sheep and one is lost, I will try to find it. I did search for two lost lambs one time. I searched for several hours in the dark forest. One was eaten by a predator, and the other showed up on someone’s doorstep the next morning about three miles away. It was Easter morning, and their little girl thought it was a gift from God. Well, I wasn’t going to get that one back either! Can you imagine telling a little 8-year-old that it was my lamb, and I wanted it back? I couldn’t do it. At least I didn’t have to carry it back on my shoulders!

Here’s a portion of the story of the Lost Sheep the way Jesus told it:

“And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost” (Luke 15:5, 6).

Again, I would search for the lost sheep, but I certainly wouldn’t be rejoicing as I’m carrying a 75-pound animal on my shoulders, nor would I be calling my friends and neighbors asking them to rejoice with me! I don’t think my two neighbors who had their roses eaten would have enjoyed the celebration either! Really, who celebrates for something like this? Do you find it odd that the shepherd is making such a big deal out of finding one lost sheep? Something isn’t adding up.

Before I go to the next story, I need to show you the parts of the parable that were left out. It is different than the other two and will give us a clue as to what Jesus is trying to reveal. It reads:

“What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it” (Luke 15:4).

“I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance” (Luke 15:7).

For the first five years of my shepherding experience, I didn’t have a positive relationship with my sheep. My sheep hated me, and I hated my sheep! But the sixth year something significant happened. You can hear about this providential and life-changing event by listening to the seminar link above. During this event, I saved a little lamb’s life. It was by doing something unthinkable that my sheep began to follow me—all 70 of them, with their lambs! It was during this time that I began to know my sheep. They knew my voice, and they followed me. I could have taken them to New York City, and they would have followed me down Broadway! There was one sheep, however, who continued to escape from its boundaries. I had to do one of the hardest things I have ever done. I broke its leg. Yes, I know. Some of you may think this is heartless, but I did it out of love. Not only was she leading others astray, but she was straying too far and would eventually be eaten by predators. Whom the Lord loves he chastens and scourges every son whom he receives. What kind of shepherd rejoices when one sheep is found? A shepherd who knows his sheep, enjoys his sheep, and loves them so much that he is willing to do the unthinkable to protect them.

The next story is that of the Lost Coin. At first glance, this too seems very odd. The Scriptures read:

“Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:8-10).

The silver coin that was lost is also known as a drachma and was not worth much. By today’s standards, this lost coin would be worth about fifteen cents. So, once again we seem to have an over-exaggerated response to finding, or rather searching for, something that was lost.

In the ancient near east, a woman’s necklace of ten coins represented her marriage vows, similar to a wedding ring today. The loss of one of her coins would have shown her to be negligible, lazy, and careless, devaluing her marriage vows. To lose one of those coins was a big deal! I can imagine that there are some reading this who have experienced that alarming moment when you thought you lost your wedding ring, and you called your friends or family to let them know you found it!

Now I believe we’re getting somewhere. Let’s go back to the beginning and see if we can fill in some of the missing parts. Prior to this parable, Jesus is visited by some sketchy people. The Scripture reads:

“Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them” (Luke 15:1, 2).

This is starting to make sense to me now. Jesus is showing the Pharisees and Scribes how much God wants His children to be found, and once found, to celebrate their return. One soul is eternally important to God. Even the host of heaven, including the angels, respond with joy when one sinner repents. I wish I could be on a Zoom call that allows me to see what happens in heaven when a sinner repents on earth. What kind of celebration do they have? Do they blow trumpets? Do they give each other high-fives?!

Regarding repentance, the first two parables do not include anyone repenting, just a sheep and a coin being found. The emphasis for these first two parables is not on what was found but on the searching. Jesus is teaching the Scribes and Pharisees that God, like Jesus here with the publicans and sinners, will go to great lengths to find the lost. He who knew no sin, would do the unthinkable and become sin for us.

“Because the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

The next parable is the Lost Son. Considering that the word “father” is repeated twelve times in Luke 15, this might be better titled “The Longing Father.” This title fits better theologically since it is the father who “longs” for his son to return. Unlike the previous two parables where there is an intense searching for that which was lost, in this parable the father does not search for his lost son. Again, this doesn’t seem to make sense. You would think that the son would be more important to be found than a sheep and a coin. But even if the son were found, his return would not be a joyous occasion. He would still be longing to live a sinful life. The rejoicing can’t take place until there’s a changed heart. And this makes this parable completely different from the first two. The emphasis of the first two is on the searching. The emphasis on this third parable is on the returning. In 2nd Peter 3:9 we read:

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

In the parable of the Lost Son (or The Father’s Longing), the father remains home, waiting, watching, and hoping for his son’s return. In this story it is not until the son comes to himself that he can finally come to his father. Oh, that our children who have strayed away from God would come to themselves! What will it take for them to return? It takes repentance, an acknowledgement that they have sinned against God and those who love them.

David Crowder wrote a song that has a powerful emotional appeal to those who have strayed:

Come As You Are

Chorus
So lay down your burdens
Lay down your shame
All who are broken
Lift up your face
Oh, wanderer come home
You're not too far
So lay down your hurt
Lay down your heart
Come as you are

Verse 2
There's hope for the hopeless
And all those who've strayed
Come sit at the table
Come taste the grace
There's rest for the weary
Rest that endures
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can't cure

Bridge
Fall in his arms
Come as you are
There's joy for the mourning
Oh, sinner be still
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can't heal
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can't heal

Come as you are

Such powerful lyrics! Perhaps God will use them today to turn a wayward son or daughter back home.

When viewing these parables as a connected whole, they can be seen in ascending order of value and worth. The first is equal to one out of a hundred. The second is one out of ten. And the third is one out of two (two brothers). Regarding worth, the first is a lost sheep. The sheep could easily be replaced and would not be regarded as much of a loss as the woman’s lost coin or the lost son. Again, we have ascending worth, from sheep to coin (marriage vows), to a son of incalculable worth.

This leads us back to the beginning. Jesus is giving these parables to the murmuring scribes and Pharisees. He’s trying to help them see that they are like the older brother who is outside the celebration. They are angry at the festivities and joy that is being experienced by the publicans and sinners as they draw near to hear Jesus. These publicans and sinners have just been found, so to speak, and Jesus is letting everyone know that there is a celebration going on in heaven. Everyone is invited. Everyone is important to God. God searches for the lost and longs for them to return.

“I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance” (Luke 15:7).

“Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:10).

Since the beginning of time, God has taken the initiative and sought out his straying sons and daughters. God is the One who came to Adam and Eve and found them hiding for fear and shame. There he clothed them. For those who have strayed far away, and can’t seem to find their way back, you must begin by turning; turning back home; turning to your Father who is waiting for you with a ring, a robe, and new shoes to begin your walk in a new direction. Once you make this turn, God will send his Spirit and guide you the rest of the way. You will not need to do this alone. In Proverbs 1:23 we read:

“Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you, I will make known my Words unto you.”

How long the writer asks. How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? How long will the scorners delight in their scorning. How long will fools hate knowledge? “Now is the accepted time! Behold, now is the day of salvation.” Come as you are!

Come out of sadness
From wherever you've been
Come broken hearted
Let rescue begin
Come find your mercy
Oh, sinner come kneel
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can't heal
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can't heal

So lay down your burdens
Lay down your shame
All who are broken
Lift up your face
Oh, wanderer come home
You're not too far
So lay down your hurt
Lay down your heart
Come as you are

(song written by David Crowder)

Sincerely,

Mark Hamby

M.S., M. Div., Th. M., D. Min

Lost and Found

No Escape