Luke 15:8-10 Or what woman, if she had ten drachma coins, if she
lost one drachma coin, wouldn’t light a lamp, sweep the house, and seek
diligently until she found it? When she has found it, she calls together
her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the
drachma which I had lost.’ Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence
of the angels of God over one sinner repenting." (web)
Discussion Questions
Whose fault was it that the coin was lost?
Describe a situation in which you thought you lost something and then
found it.
How did you feel?
Who does the coin represent?
Why is there no sense of condemnation here, while in many of his parables
and teachings he speaks of condemnation of those who have deviant behavior?
How does this differ from the parable of the lost sheep?
Comments
This parable follows the parable of the lost sheep.
And precedes the parable of the lost son.
These all emphasize the priority of what is lost over what is not lost
and the reaction to being found. Who does the lost coin represent? Basically
Israel. See the study guide on the lost sheep
for details.
God's Attitude Towards the Repentant
In expressing his attitude towards the repentant, the concepts of "fault"
and "guilt" and "blame" are removed. In particular the parables of the
lost sheep and lost coin view those lost who have been found, as victims
rather than as criminals. Not that they weren't actually guilty and subject
to condemnation, but as repentant sinners, all the guilt of sin is removed.
God is not ashamed at them, but filled with joy. There is not wrath
for the repentant. And to show he is not ashamed of them, he affirms them
in public expressing his joy over them.
Though Christians may have a shameful past, all is forgotten. For the
New Covenant promise is "Their sins and the their lawless deeds I will
remember no more." Heb 10:17 Christ doesn't simply reluctantly receive
the repentant into the kingdom out of a sense of obligation, he does so
joyfully - even much to the surprise of the redeemed. So should we
treat other believers.
Yet often the value of repentance is trivialized. In what may be considered
by today's standards, the male chauvinist attitude of the Jewish society
in Jesus' day, men considered it somewhat silly how women get excited over
such trivial things. And how they can spend hours talking with their friends
all excited over what men would consider trivial matters! So Jesus used
this illustration to say that what we may consider trivial as someone repenting,
is quite exciting to the angels.
Rap
Suppose a woman has ten coins and then loses one
Wouldn't she look for it as if it were her son?
And when she does find it, she calls all her friends
So do angels rejoice over one sinner who repents
Rap