Parable of the Lost Coin, Pt 5.
Today's Bible Reading: Luke 15:8-10
Supporting Passage: Luke 15:13-20
The other night, I couldn't find the TV remote. I wanted to relax for a bit, but instead, I ran around my living room looking for it. Then, I spotted it. There it was, hiding in plain sight on a top shelf. I laughed to myself as I thought about the parable we've been studying for the past few weeks. Like the woman who found her lost coin, I felt like having a celebration. (My joy was short-lived, however, when I soon realized there was nothing on TV I wanted to watch.)
As we close out our time with the parable of the Lost Coin, I want to compare the woman's joy to God's joy in finding lost people:
And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, "Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin." In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God's angels when even one sinner repents. (Luke 15:8–10, NLT)
Jesus says when one sinner repents, the kingdom of God throws a party. This is amazing! But the word repent sounds scary, doesn’t it? It’s one of those words that come loaded with a lot of baggage. It gives me visions of streetcorner preachers holding signs that say, "Repent or Burn!" For most of my life, I associated repentance with trying to be on my best behavior. But true repentance carries a much deeper meaning.
Repentance is about realizing that the path I am on isn't leading to life. If I continue going in this direction, I will not be at peace with God, others, or myself. So when I repent, I turn and go in a different way—the kingdom way.
The prodigal son is a perfect example of this. By the end of his adventure, the face staring back at him in the mirror was unrecognizable. He wanted freedom but lost himself in the process. And so he repented by getting up from the pig slop and going back home.
But I can't do this alone. I need Jesus. If repentance is just about "being good at being good," we're all doomed. NT Wright explains it like this:
For [the religious leaders], nothing short of adopting their standards of purity and law-observance would do. For Jesus, when people follow him and his way, that is the true repentance.
After the woman finds her coin, she throws a party and invites all her friends to celebrate. Jesus communicates something profound with this ending. He is trying to stir compassion in the Pharisees' hearts.
Jesus wants these men to know that when one messy sinner decides to follow him, all of heaven rejoices. The angels are singing at this very moment as outcasts flock to Jesus. And the Pharisees have a choice in how they respond. They can either grumble with disdain or take a cue from the neighborhood women in Jesus' story. Their joyful party gives us a glimpse at the angels' party in heaven.
I am writing today's devotional from a Panera as I sip on sweet tea. I come here most mornings. A few years ago, a group of women would meet here every Friday. Over time, I learned they were retired co-workers. The four of them gathered together every week to chat, laugh, and tell stories. Seeing them always made my Friday a little better because they were full of joy. (And sometimes they would help me get a refill of my tea, which is always cause for celebration!)
Looking back now, they remind me of the women in Jesus' parable. It makes me wonder if I got a taste of the Kingdom Party right here in an ordinary Panera cafe.
So, onto the question of the day…
What does the parable of the Lost Coin teach us about how to live out God's kingdom in a messy, broken world?
There's more to this little parable than I first thought. Here is what it has taught me:
In God's kingdom, each person has immense value simply by being made in his image.
Jesus is willing to get messy to find lost people and invite them into God's kingdom. If we follow him, we should be willing to do the same.
And in God's kingdom, those on the inside celebrate when those on the outside are found. This is a theme of many of Jesus' parables.
We celebrate when the latecomers get paid the same wage as us.
We celebrate when more chairs need to be added to the banquet table.
And we celebrate with the angels when one person decides to follow Jesus.
Questions to Ponder:
What feelings bubble up in you when you hear the word repent? How is repentance more than good behavior?
How does it feel to know the angels threw a Kingdom Party on the day you decided to follow Jesus? How can you join in the celebration when others are found?
What did the parable of the Lost Coin teach you about how to live out God's kingdom in a messy, broken world?
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If you enjoyed this devotional and would like to support my writing, you can buy me a sweet tea to keep me caffeinated. It would be much appreciated!