God’s “Lost and Found”

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ost of the department stores today have a lost and found department. When a shopper loses something, it is placed in the lost and found, so that the one who lost it can claim it. However, the concept of something lost and found is not modern. In fact, the Bible reveals that over the centuries, God has had a lost and found. Very early in man’s history, he became lost, and God initiated a plan to find him. God’s plan to find those lost in sin involved His Son in sacrifice. Therefore, the mission of Jesus leaving heaven to come to earth as a man, was to seek the lost. “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

But there is another side to the subject of being saved. Jesus taught that those who are saved can be lost again, and it is important to find them. In fact, Luke chapter fifteen records three parables that show the importance of finding those who become lost.

The scribes and Pharisees who encountered Jesus in this chapter, did not want to seek the lost. Those who were not pious Jews like themselves were considered the people of the land. Thus, they didn’t want to associate with them. They could not marry with them or even trade with them. This explains why they were offended when “all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him” (Luke 15:1). Observe their reaction: “And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, ‘This Man receives sinners and eats with them’ “ (Luke 15:2).

Therefore, Jesus took the opportunity with parables to teach them two things: (1) How important it is to seek the lost. (2) The wrong and sinful attitude of the scribes and Pharisees. Please observe the first parable.

The Lost Sheep

Jesus tells of a shepherd who had a hundred sheep, but one of them strays and becomes lost. He leaves the ninety-nine so he can find the one that is lost. This was a familiar illustration and true to life to those living in Palestine. Can you imagine a caring shepherd searching for hours in very difficult places until the lost sheep is found? Then think of the people in the village rejoicing when someone announces: “Here he comes, and he has the lost sheep!” As they rush out to see for themselves, they see the shepherd carrying the sheep on his shoulders. The sight of this brought rejoicing, even to the point of calling together his friends and neighbors for rejoicing.

Then Jesus applied the parable: “I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7).

What was Jesus teaching? He was teaching that God is concerned about someone who is lost. The scribes and Pharisees were not concerned. They were saying, “Let them stay lost—we don’t want anything to do with them!” However, Jesus is teaching that God does not feel that way! For if only one is lost and brought back, there is rejoicing in heaven.

Jesus is not saying that God is not concerned about the saved—the ninety-nine! For they are not in a lost condition. Certainly He is pleased with them. But He is also concerned about the one that is lost.

Christians should feel this way about the lost today. However, are we this concerned? Are congregations placing emphasis from their pulpits on the saving blood of Jesus and the importance of seeking the lost? How concerned are we saved who become lost? Yes, over the years we have heard many sermons on the importance of preaching the gospel to the world, and seeking those who go astray. But are we as concerned as we should be? Isn’t it true that many are content with just talking about seeking the lost rather than making every effort to save them?

For example, sometimes we get the great commission reversed, or get the cart before the horse! We build our fine and comfortable buildings and say to the sinners, “Come to our buildings and we will teach you!” We say to the lost sheep, “If you will return, we will forgive you!” Now, there is nothing wrong with this, because many sinners have come and were converted by obeying the gospel preached. Many who were lost returned and through preaching, repented, sought prayers of forgiveness and were found. However, this does not fulfill the assignment of the great commission. Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, . . .” (Matthew 28:19). “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

To a brother who sins against you, Jesus said, “go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother” (Matthew 18:15). Therefore, the word “go” applies to those who have never been saved, and also to those (like the sheep in the parable) who have been saved, but have become lost.

Therefore, anyone who is lost, God wants them to be saved. Specifically, in this parable, Jesus is placing great emphasis on how God feels toward one of His children who is lost, but repents and returns. This brings rejoicing in heaven!

The Lost Coin

Jesus is not finished with His message to these selfish scribes and Pharisees. Therefore, He gives a second parable.

“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?” (Luke 15:8).

Let us first consider the parable and then its spiritual meaning. You might ask, “Was that coin all that valuable to her? The answer is certainly so! There were ways in which coins were used at this time.

First of all, coins were used as purchasing power as we use them today. If her coins had been saved to use as money, its loss could cause her and family to be short of food.

The second way that coins were used according to the customs of this day, was for a future wedding. Sometimes a girl would save coins over a long period of time, to be made into a hairpiece for her wedding. Since Jesus specified ten coins, this may be what He had in mind. If so, these coins can be compared to a wedding ring of today. Thus, after she married, she would never spend any of these coins. They were associated with the love she felt for her husband, and of greater value than coins used to purchase the necessities of life.

Therefore, whether Jesus was referring to coins used for purchase, or for a bridal hairpiece, the coin that was lost had a great value and needed to be found!

Another factor that figures into finding this coin is the fact that houses in that day did not have much light. Many houses, we are told, had only one eighteen-inch square (or round) window. This would make it difficult to find a coin. Also, houses of that day had earthen floors, and some people placed chopped stalks or other kinds of cured vegetable materials on the floor. Thus, looking for a coin would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Jesus asked: “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?” (Luke 15:8).

What is Jesus teaching with this parable? “Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10).

Did you observe that Jesus referred to just one sinner? Someone might say, “If we can get from our efforts, one hundred to repent, it will be worth our efforts. But only one is not enough!” Jesus did not feel this way! He taught that it takes only one sinner who repents, to bring excitement to the portals of heaven. Shouldn’t we feel the same way? We should seek just as diligently for to reach one sinner, as the woman did to find one coin. This is what Jesus was teaching.

Again, we need to keep in mind the context of this parable. Jesus is condemning the scribes and Pharisees for not being concerned about the lost. In fact, He is also condemning them because they do not want Jesus to be concerned about the lost. Beyond the context, Jesus is teaching that all of God’s children in all ages must be concerned about the lost.

Why did the scribes and Pharisees want to stop Jesus from seeking the lost? Because they wanted to defeat His purpose for coming to the earth.

What was His purpose? Jesus did not come to earth just to perform miracles, although, no one has ever performed them like Jesus. He did not come to earth just to be a great spokesman, although “No man ever spoke like this Man!” (John 7:46). But Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). Thus, these scribes and Pharisees are trying to defeat His purpose on earth. It is no wonder that Jesus gave these parables on seeking the lost.

The Lost Son

Before Jesus completes His message to these men, He has one other parable—the parable of the prodigal or lost son. Perhaps this one is familiar to more people than any other, because of its story. But Jesus did not tell this parable just to entertain. He told it to illustrate powerful lessons about God’s concern for the lost, compared to the sinful attitude of the scribes and Pharisees.

Let us briefly review this familiar parable and study the lessons taught by Jesus. He tells of a younger son who became dissatisfied at home, asked for what was coming to him, and then left home to go to a far country. While away from home, he spent his money in prodigal living. However, when his money was spent, he was without friends and was forced to do that which was despicable and degrading to Jews of that day. “Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine” (Luke 15:15).

But while in hunger while feeding the hogs, Jesus said: “But when he came to himself, he said, `How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!’ “ (Luke 15:17). The statement, “he came to himself” is very interesting. Jesus seems to be saying that as long as he was lost in sin, he was not thinking for himself!

This is just as true today. When someone who has been faithful over the years, leaves the church for the world, we say, “They can’t be thinking straight—something has happened to their reasoning.” This is what Jesus is saying in this parable. This young man had to come to himself before he could start thinking straight.

So he came to himself, and thought, “How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants’ “ (Luke 15:17-19).

Let’s look at that statement for a moment. He didn’t say, “Make me like one of your household servants.” For a household servant was often considered like a member of the family and kept by the owner. However, just a servant was considered as low as one could be, and could be sold or traded at any time.

Thus, this young man was saying, “I had rather be a servant in my father’s house than out here in this lost condition.” So you can see the great humility of this young man as he came to himself.

However, the main thing that Jesus wanted taught in this parable at this point was the fact that until he returned home, he was lost and needed to be found. The young man knew this and said, `I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants” (Luke 15:18,19).

Then the emphasis of this parable switches to the attitude of the father. If the father had displayed the same attitude of the scribes and Pharisees, he would have said, “Don’t let that boy on my property! Don’t let him defile my land—run him off! I don’t want to have anything to do with him.” This would have been their attitude. But Jesus taught that the father was NOT like that.

The father saw him when he was still a great way off, which suggests that he had looked down that road many times; hoping he would see his lost son returning. When his father saw him, he “had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him” (Luke 15:20). Everything is pointing toward that father wanting his son saved and back home again.

Did you know that we have a Father like this? In fact, this is how much He wants us to be saved when we leave Him for the world. This is how much He wants His children who are lost to come home. And Jesus is illustrating this truth in this parable.

“And the son said to him, `Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son’ “ (Luke 15:21). But this did not change the father’s attitude. He said, “Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet . . .” (Luke 15:22,23).

The hired servant that this son asked to be was not allowed to wear shoes, but the father is saying that he wants shoes on this one’s feet, because he is my son again. Then the father continued: “And bring the fatted calf here and kill it” Why all of this? His answer: “ and let us eat and be merry” (Luke 15:23).

Have you observed that all of these parables have something in common? All three teach that there is joy in heaven when someone lost is found!

Therefore, the father wants a get-to-gather feast so that there can be rejoicing: “for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry” (Luke 15:24). The main thought—for he was lost, and is found!

The Older Brother

Up to this point, these three parables of Jesus have basically taught the same thing. They have taught that God is deeply concerned about those who are lost, and that every effort should be diligently put forth to find someone who is lost.

However, please learn further that Jesus has not finished with these prideful scribes and Pharisees. He must fully teach them this important lesson. He has basically taught them God’s concern for the lost, and now He must deal with their sinful attitude. Therefore, the last part of this parable describes the attitude of the older son that completely describes them.

The older son was in the field and when he came home, he heard all the music and dancing going on. He asked one of the servants and he told him:: “Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf” (Luke 15:27). Can’t you see this older brother turning green with envy and jealousy? At this point, he was angry! How do we know this? Because he refused to go inside. He is the oldest son, but he is acting like a pouting little child.

Isn’t it wonderful to learn that the father was not only concerned about his lost son, but is now concerned about his angry son? They were both wrong! The young man had been wrong in leaving home, but now the older son is wrong in having this sinful attitude. So, here comes the father out to entreat him.

The older son pled his case with his father. “Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends” (Luke 15:29). Do you see his jealousy? He seems to be saying: “Send him away—let him be lost, and have the party for me.”

This is what the scribes and Pharisees were saying, “We have not gone out there and defiled our garments like the people of the land, so have nothing to do with them. Just place your blessings on us.” This was what the older son was saying: “But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him” (Luke 15:30).

Up until this point, nothing has been said about this young man spending his money on harlots. Maybe he had, because he had experienced prodigal living. But the older brother chose the worse thing he could imagine in his mind and accused his brother. However, regardless of what the brother had done, the point is the same. Like the scribes and Pharisees, he is throwing mud at these sinners, and doesn’t want to have anything to do with them.

But notice the loving response of the father: “Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad,” Why is this so? “. . . for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found” (Luke 15:31,32).

Therefore, all three of these parables join together to teach how important it is to seek and save the lost. And that we have a heavenly Father who, when we go astray, wants us saved, and every effort is put forth to bring us back again.

Conclusion

Finally, please learn that the father in the parable of the lost son did not go to the hog pin and drag his son home with force. It was only after the young son repented and decided that he wanted his father, that the father opened his arms to him.

Surely God is this way. Even though He wants sinners saved, He has never forced obedience on them. Those who leave the Lord must come to themselves. Yes, we can teach them, persuade them, and pray for their return, but they must decide to return. If they choose to stay in the hog pin of sin, we have no right to drag them out.

However, the moment they decide to return, is the time we must forgive and rejoice that they have returned. If we have an unforgiving attitude, we are no better than the scribes and Pharisees. Truly we must forgive when there is sincere repentance!

Jesus taught a beautiful and powerful lesson on “God’s Lost and Found.”

Therefore, may we all strive to be deeply concerned about those who are lost and need to be found!