The Lost Coin

 •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 6
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Some of the stories told by the Lord Jesus are called “parables.” Do you know what a parable is? A little boy once said, “It is an earthly story having a heavenly meaning.” Our Bible story today is one of these parables about a woman who lost and found a piece of silver. You can read the story in Luke 15:8,98Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? 9And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. (Luke 15:8‑9).
A Lost Coin
Yes, it was lost; not on the street or out in the fields, but in the house-not far away, yet entirely lost to its owner. This lost piece of silver is just like the sinner, like every boy and girl. Perhaps you are not lost away in the paths of open sin, like the drunkard and the openly ungodly, but you are lost to God. As your Creator, He has a claim upon you, but by sin you have become lost. Yes, already lost, and unless you are found now in this day of salvation, vou will be lost forever.
A Lamp and a Broom
Here in our picture is a woman with a lighted lamp in one hand and a broom in the other. Hid away in the dust in some corner of her house, the lost piece of silver lies. It is not perhaps of much value (only about 15c), but she must have it. Her “ten pieces” are imperfect without it, so she has lit her candle and taken her broom in hand to make a diligent search.
She is a picture of the Holy Spirit in this dark world whose blessed work on earth is seeking the lost. Not only pagans in far-off lands, but those who like this silver coin are lost in “the house"; those who have heard the name of Jesus often, who know the way of salvation, but who are still unconverted to God—still lost.
See how the light shines. When its bright ray falls on the silver, that will show where it is. This is like the Spirit of God convicting us of sin. A text from God’s Word falls on the ear or comes into the mind as a candle of the Lord (Prov. 20:2727The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly. (Proverbs 20:27)). This is God using His Word, the light of His gospel, as by His Spirit, to search for the sinner (Zeph. 1:1212And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil. (Zephaniah 1:12)).
Sweeping and Seeking
She swept and sought diligently till she found it. But here is a word for the earnest parent, teacher and soul-winner. There must be earnestness, diligence, and persistent labor for the conversion of souls. The woman swept, made the dust fly, and turned everything over seeking for the lost coin.
It is often disagreeable work, disturbing the sinner in his lost condition, but it must be done. Sinners must be aroused and warned. The light must flash, the sweeper must stir up. The first stage of real conversion is awakening and conviction of sin. Have you been aroused, or are you still undisturbed and at peace in your sins?
Finding and Rejoicing
She found it. Joyful news! How wonderful when a sinner is saved, a lost one found. How the parent, the teacher, the soul-winner rejoices, and the “friends” are told all about it.
“There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” (Luke 15:1010Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. (Luke 15:10).)
ML-03/19/1978