The Parable of the Lost Coin - Luke 15:8-10 Bible Study

Let’s talk about the Parable of the Lost Coin from Luke 15:8-10. It says,

8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins,[a] if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

The Parable of the Lost Coin is such a beautiful reminder of God’s relentless love and grace. It shows how much joy there is in heaven over one sinner who repents. Just as the woman rejoices over finding her lost coin, God rejoices over each of us when we turn back to Him.

In this time period women wore several coins on a silver chain around their heads to make that they were married. This lost coin was precious and significant to the woman.

Spurgeon explains that this piece of silver was lost but still claimed. She lost possession of it but not her right to it. In this same sense, the lost belong to God whether they know it or not.

Next, the parable says that the woman lit a lamp, swept the house and searched carefully. This is how we, as a church, should be searching for lost souls. We should bring the light of God’s word and carefully search for those in need of Jesus.

Morrison says, “One of the first things to arrest us powerfully is the worth of single souls. It was one sheep the shepherd went to find. It was for one coin the woman searched the house.”

Then we are told that God rejoices over this one lost sinner found. Isaiah 62:5 days, “As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.”

Reflect:

Do you feel passionate about reaching out to those who are lost or in need? How do you act on this passion?

How does it make you feel knowing that Christ seeks out the lost with such diligence and love?

Can you recall a time when you felt lost and then found? How did that experience change you?

Father, may we search for lost souls so that you may rejoice over their return. May we drop all biases and judgment so that they matter to us as much as they do to you. Amen.