THE LOST COIN FOUND
Luke 15:8-10

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“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

This is the second of three parables Jesus told in response to the self-righteous who would vilify Him for associating with sinners (vv.1-3). The first deals with the lost sheep which the shepherd sought until he found it (vv.4-7). The third deals with a prodigal son who was warmly received by his father upon his return (vv.11-32). This second deals with the lost coin which a woman sought until she found it.

I. Whom does this “woman” represent? She represents Christ, “This Man [who] receives sinners and eats with them” (vv.1f), just as also does the shepherd in the first parable (vv.3-7) and the father in the third (vv.11-32). But also, Christ may here teach us that women also, not men only, are concerned for the lost to be found and received (e.g., Lois and Eunice in 2 Timothy 1:5). This point is strengthened by the fact that “her friends and neighbors” who rejoice with this woman (v.9) are definitely females in the Greek text (tas philas kai geitonas).

II. Whom is represented by this “one coin” that was lost then found? It represents the sinner found and received by Christ.

1. This coin was not of much value. It was but a drachma, a Greek coin equivalent to a Roman denarius, a day’s wages. Likewise, “a wicked man” is “a worthless person” (Proverbs 6:12).

2. This coin was nevertheless precious to its owner. She had but ten such coins, so each meant much to her. Likewise, God says His people are “precious in My sight” (Isaiah 43:4; cp. Zechariah 9:16); He therefore will not suffer the loss of even one.

3. This coin was lifeless, insensible to its condition. Likewise, the sinner is spiritually “dead” (Ephesians 2:1).

4. This coin was helpless, incapable of recovering itself. Likewise, the sinner is “without strength” (Romans 5:6).

III. How did this coin become “lost”?

1. This coin became separated from its owner – although we are not told how. But we know that in the case of sinners, “your iniquities have separated you from your God” (Isaiah 59:2). This occurred first in the sin of our father Adam, who “hid ... from the presence of the LORD God” (Genesis 3:8) and then was driven from God’s presence (3:22ff).

2. This coin fell as the consequence of a law: the law of gravity caused it to fall to the floor. Likewise, man fell as the consequence of a law: having broken the law of God, man fell from life to death, from glory to shame, from righteousness to condemnation (Romans 5:12ff).

3. This coin could not resist a force working in it: inertia caused it to roll farther from its owner. Likewise, the sinful nature within man produces a force preventing him from doing what is right and provoking him into doing what is wrong, thereby driving him farther from God (Romans 7:8ff).

IV. What must be done if this lost coin is to be “found”?

1. A lamp must be lit – as houses in that place and time were often windowless and naturally dark. This lamp represents “the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ ... [which] has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:3-6).

2. The house must be swept – stirring a storm of dust on an earthen floor and proverbially turning the house upside down. Likewise, the sweeping of this earth with the gospel in the search for sinners has “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6).

3. A diligent search must be made. Christ will carefully and thoroughly search every corner and nook and cranny in all the earth until He finds and rescues every one of His lost ones.

V. What should we here learn?

1. Women, like men, rejoice when a lost one is found (v.9).

2. Likewise, heaven rejoices when a sinner repents (v.10) – which he most certainly will do when he is found.

3. The self-righteous vilify such gospel truths (vv.1f).

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