The Joy of Finding the Lost
The Joy of Finding the Lost:
Meditation on the Heart
Have you ever experienced the panic of losing something dear—perhaps your keys, a favorite book, or (God forbid) your child in a crowded place? While traveling with my family recently, I endured such agony when my son vanished at a bustling truck stop. The anxiety was consuming until, at last, relief overwhelmed me as it turned out he was with my wife and daughter. Losing that which is precious rattles the soul; its restoration fills us with inexpressible joy.
In the Gospel according to Luke, we find Our Lord surrounded by a curious multitude, not of the self-righteous, but of tax collectors and so-called “sinners.” The Pharisees and scribes stand by, grumbling, “This man receives sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:2, ESV). Such a scene would scandalize the guardians of religious propriety; yet, in response, Christ speaks—indeed, He offers us parables that upend our assumptions about God’s heart.
The Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin
“What man of you,” Jesus asks, “having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?” (Luke 15:4, ESV). When the shepherd recovers his lost sheep, he does not scold it. Instead, he lifts it onto his shoulders, rejoicing, and calls his friends and neighbors to share in his gladness: “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost” (Luke 15:6, ESV). The lesson is clear: “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7, ESV).
Christ continues: a woman, having ten silver coins, loses one. She lights a lamp, sweeps every corner, seeking it diligently. Upon finding it, she, too, invites others: “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost” (Luke 15:9, ESV). Again, the punchline resounds: “There is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10, ESV).
Where Are We in the Parable?
It is tempting, as we read these stories, to place ourselves among the ninety-nine, content and secure. But I confess, with the candor of one who has wandered many a dark wood, that I have been the lost sheep, the searching shepherd, the onlooking neighbor, and heaven help me, sometimes the grumbling Pharisee. In the drama of redemption, we each play every part.
Consider your own circle—perhaps you are the shepherd, vigilant for a lost friend; or among the ninety-nine, steady and safe; perhaps the neighbor, called to rejoice; or the one who is missing, desperate to be found. I recall a dear friend, torn by addiction and sorrow, whose journey mirrored these parables. There were times I felt the cost—social, emotional, spiritual—of going after the one. Some judged my loyalty, some distanced themselves, but love compelled me, nonetheless. When my friend reached out, weary and wanting to return, my heart rejoiced. Yet, life is seldom tidy—he later died tragically. Still, as the wise pastor at his funeral said, we did all we could to bring him to Jesus. And I trust, in God’s mercy, that Christ finished what I could not.
The Divine Perspective
The religious elite dismissed Jesus’s association with the lost as suspect. But Christ shows us a God who pursues relentlessly, who rejoices extravagantly not over the safe and found, but over the one who was lost and now is found. God’s love is not stingy; it is extravagant. It risks discomfort, reputation, even scandal, for the sake of recovery. The true scandal is not the lostness of sinners, but the boundless love of God for them.
Our Calling: Seek, Embrace, Celebrate
Hear this: No distance is too great, no pit too deep, for God to find you. As a father searches frantically for his child, so God seeks you—and rejoices when you are found. The angels themselves take up the chorus.
Let us, then, abandon the calculus of merit and embrace the arithmetic of grace. Whether shepherd, sheep, neighbor, or even Pharisee, Christ’s message is for us all: God rejoices over one—just one—who turns toward home. Shall we not do likewise?
“Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10, ESV)
Stay in the Word daily, it will save your life.
Meditation on the Heart
Have you ever experienced the panic of losing something dear—perhaps your keys, a favorite book, or (God forbid) your child in a crowded place? While traveling with my family recently, I endured such agony when my son vanished at a bustling truck stop. The anxiety was consuming until, at last, relief overwhelmed me as it turned out he was with my wife and daughter. Losing that which is precious rattles the soul; its restoration fills us with inexpressible joy.
In the Gospel according to Luke, we find Our Lord surrounded by a curious multitude, not of the self-righteous, but of tax collectors and so-called “sinners.” The Pharisees and scribes stand by, grumbling, “This man receives sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:2, ESV). Such a scene would scandalize the guardians of religious propriety; yet, in response, Christ speaks—indeed, He offers us parables that upend our assumptions about God’s heart.
The Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin
“What man of you,” Jesus asks, “having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?” (Luke 15:4, ESV). When the shepherd recovers his lost sheep, he does not scold it. Instead, he lifts it onto his shoulders, rejoicing, and calls his friends and neighbors to share in his gladness: “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost” (Luke 15:6, ESV). The lesson is clear: “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7, ESV).
Christ continues: a woman, having ten silver coins, loses one. She lights a lamp, sweeps every corner, seeking it diligently. Upon finding it, she, too, invites others: “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost” (Luke 15:9, ESV). Again, the punchline resounds: “There is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10, ESV).
Where Are We in the Parable?
It is tempting, as we read these stories, to place ourselves among the ninety-nine, content and secure. But I confess, with the candor of one who has wandered many a dark wood, that I have been the lost sheep, the searching shepherd, the onlooking neighbor, and heaven help me, sometimes the grumbling Pharisee. In the drama of redemption, we each play every part.
Consider your own circle—perhaps you are the shepherd, vigilant for a lost friend; or among the ninety-nine, steady and safe; perhaps the neighbor, called to rejoice; or the one who is missing, desperate to be found. I recall a dear friend, torn by addiction and sorrow, whose journey mirrored these parables. There were times I felt the cost—social, emotional, spiritual—of going after the one. Some judged my loyalty, some distanced themselves, but love compelled me, nonetheless. When my friend reached out, weary and wanting to return, my heart rejoiced. Yet, life is seldom tidy—he later died tragically. Still, as the wise pastor at his funeral said, we did all we could to bring him to Jesus. And I trust, in God’s mercy, that Christ finished what I could not.
The Divine Perspective
The religious elite dismissed Jesus’s association with the lost as suspect. But Christ shows us a God who pursues relentlessly, who rejoices extravagantly not over the safe and found, but over the one who was lost and now is found. God’s love is not stingy; it is extravagant. It risks discomfort, reputation, even scandal, for the sake of recovery. The true scandal is not the lostness of sinners, but the boundless love of God for them.
Our Calling: Seek, Embrace, Celebrate
- Look for the one. Who, in your sphere, has drifted to the margins? Who needs to be sought out, not merely tolerated? Christ bids us hunt, not passively wait.
- Embrace the uncomfortable. The love of God compels us toward those we might prefer to avoid, just as Christ dined with tax collectors and sinners. The circle of grace is wider than we imagine.
- Join the celebration. When anyone—no matter how hidden or broken—turns back to God, let us not grumble as the Pharisees did, but celebrate as heaven celebrates. God’s love is a feast, not a lecture.
Hear this: No distance is too great, no pit too deep, for God to find you. As a father searches frantically for his child, so God seeks you—and rejoices when you are found. The angels themselves take up the chorus.
Let us, then, abandon the calculus of merit and embrace the arithmetic of grace. Whether shepherd, sheep, neighbor, or even Pharisee, Christ’s message is for us all: God rejoices over one—just one—who turns toward home. Shall we not do likewise?
“Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10, ESV)
Stay in the Word daily, it will save your life.
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