Why do we love the parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin so much? Is it because we’re grateful to have been found by Jesus and know and that he’ll never give up looking for us? Probably. We’re all lost.We’ve all gone astray. But I think these parables are about more and they raise a few questions for me. Hopefully, for you too!
First, how does a sheep repent? This particular sheep got lost. The shepherd went and found him, and carried him home. Where’s the repentance? What does Jesus mean? Is he just throwing the Pharisees a bone here, acknowledging that even though he’s hanging out with sinners, he’s still going to ask them to repent of their sins? Maybe. Probably. Repent is a word that can mean many things to people. In the original Greek, the word simply means to change one’s mind, to look at the world differently. Isn’t that what Jesus is asking of us all? Not just the lost sheep, but those—yes, we’re looking at you Pharisees—who think they are found? Who isn’t a sinner? Who hasn’t been lost?
But what about the lost coin? Why would Jesus tell two different parables with the same meaning? Aren’t both about a search for what’s been lost, and joy when it’s found. What’s going on here? What’s different? Well, if it’s true that God is in the details, the detail that is key here is that of the lamp. Money doesn’t grow on trees, even in Jesus’ day, so of course the woman is going to search for this lost coin. And the first thing she does is to light her lamp. Lamps are mentioned quite a bit in the Bible. God’s Word is a lamp to our feet. Jesus is the light of the world. We’re called to be light to the world. So this lamp seems like a key detail, meaning—what? The short answer is—yes—all of the above. And what might the lamp represent? God’s Word? Jesus? You and me? Short answer: Yes, meaning it represents all of these things.
So, to put it simply, at its most basic level, the first parable equates Jesus with the shepherd, and us with the sheep; while the second equates the woman with us and the lost coin with others. There’s an old saying “You may be the only gospel that someone hears today.” As those who once where lost, but now are found, we’ve a responsibility to join Jesus in searching for those who are lost. So, let’s light our lamps and get to work!