Parables of the Lost Sheep and Lost Coin
“If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.”
Matthew 18: 12-14
“Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin I had lost. Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Luke 15: 8-10
Often, we think of these two parables in terms of people who are unchurched. Perhaps, though, the parables are meant for each of us, as we all experience lostness in in one form or another.
We may be lost in our technology, in our grief, or in our memories of the past. These types of lostness cause us to miss opportunities to engage with others and the world in the here and now. Or, perhaps we are lost in our work, our isolation, or our dreams. These types of lostness may make us ignorant of others’ needs and difficulties, which prevents us from recognizing how we could help or connect.
Lostness can also be comfortable when it’s the known, the familiar, or the routine of our daily lives. We go through the motions and neglect to question, reflect, or seek meaning beyond the fulfilling of our needs, wants, and to-do list.
Many of us, churched and unchurched, are lost as to what God’s plan is for us, because that involves us being active and focused in seeking out our true purpose. Trial and error and human desire for control can impede our letting go and opening ourselves up to God’s plan, as opposed to ours. This doesn’t make us bad people, or unredeemable. It makes us human. We can, with awareness, patience, and practice, overcome our human desire to oversee everything in our lives independently of God’s Will. We can learn to give up to God what belongs to God! (NOTE: This does NOT mean to let go of reason for the sake of blind faith, but rather for us to attain a healthy balance of both FAITH and REASON in order to let God’s Wonders work in our life.)
Call to Action: Invite Christ into your life.
- Ask, “Am I willing to be found by God?”
- Pray for faith and trust in God’s plan: “I am here to do Your will. Help me find my true purpose, according to Your plan. Give me the trust I need to let go of control over everything and allow You to lead me in my true direction. Give me the wisdom to recognize Your intentions for me, versus what I may want for myself when it veers from my true path. “
- Reflect on what I can do, say, and think to help me be more open to God’s plans for me and my purpose during my time on Earth.
Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
Luke 15:10
This post is one congregant’s interpretation of Pastor Prabhu Sigamani’s sermon shared at our worship on Sunday, September 11, 2022. To experience Pastor’s inspiring, thought-provoking, and call-to-action sermons first-hand, you are heartily invited to join us, either in-person at 335 Horseblock Road, Farmingville NY or via Zoom (Contact us at cuccf@optimum.net and ask to be added to our e-mail list).
