"The Coin"

Luke 15:1-10 Children: Has anyone here lost anything lately? Glasses, purse, wallet, homework, credit card, car keys?. What strategies do you use to find lost things? Some of the things I lose are not very important, a screwdriver, a sock, my chores list. But not too long ago I lost a very important certificate. I ended up looking in every single file in the house, and let me tell you that I have hundreds of files. I didn’t find it. Our Bible reading has two stories about losing something. Here’s the first one. A man who was in charge of one hundred sheep counted his sheep at the end of the day and found that one was missing. What’s the big deal? He still had 99 left. But the shepherd left the ninety nine behind to look for the lost one. It’s not that he chose to look for the lost sheep, he also left the ninety nine unprotected as he went looking. Our granddaughter Ellieana has a little stuffed lamb toy. I think she left it here in the church last week. All I know is we had it when we came in, but it was missing when we left. And who knows where it got to, she can crawl faster than the wind, she can get behind and underneath just about anything, and she can stand up to reach for things, too. So it could be anywhere in this room. It’s got to be here somewhere. Let’s see who can find it first. You may think that this story Jesus told about the lost sheep is to encourage you to look hard when you lose something. Not exactly. Instead, it’s a story about God, God who looks and looks and looks, until lost people are found, until you are found. Not sheep or coins, but people. God spares no effort to look for lost people. I’m not talking about people who took a wrong turn trying to get the Arrowmart, and are driving around in circles somewhere in Elba. No. I’m talking about people who are lost because they have forgotten what’s important in faith and life. They are stuck, confused, lost. At the end of each story, the shepherd looking for the lost sheep, and a woman looking for a lost coin, when what they have sought is found they have a party to celebrate. And this is the final treasure of this story, that when lost people are found it is always good to celebrate. That’s what ever Sunday morning is at our church, a celebration of lost people who know that God has found them. You’re one of them. Which means this party is especially for you! Adult: (Drop coins) So there’s this woman and she loses a coin. What’s the big deal? She has nine more. But here’s something you might not know. It is quite likely that these ten coins were the woman’s dowry, the money that would be given to the man who might offer to marry her. She might have even worn the coins as jewelry or woven into her clothing, sort of a walking advertisement for marriage availability. We don’t see dowries like this anymore around here, but when Jesus told the story, a dowry was required for a woman to get married. So ten silver coins was a lot of money, and they were the woman’s best chance at getting a good husband. Losing one of those coins meant that she would have to settle for a husband of lesser quality. What about you? Think about your husband, you women who have been married - would you prefer the one you got, or would you be willing to accept lesser quality? So it isn’t like when I lose some pocket change in the sofa cushions, just shrug and move on. This lost coin was a crucial part of the woman’s hopes and dreams. So, believe me, she searched for that coin, high and low, low and high, she used a broom because her home had a dirt floor, and she was probably listening for the jingle of the coin when it knocked into a pebble. And then, she found it! Her highest hopes were no longer in danger, her future was secured. And she was so excited and relieved that she invited her friends over for a party. Yes, it’s really a story about God, God who considers each person incredibly valuable, so valuable that God spares no effort to find lost people. And I hope you are already imagining how hard God works to search for you, to get your attention, to touch your heart, and through you to change the world. Just think of it. What are some of the ways that you might be lost? Hanging with the wrong people, not just people who would lead you into bad behavior, but the people who keep you from aiming high in life, and who teach you to settle for far less than you could be. How else? You could feel lost if you are the kind of person who is usually able to fix things, but you can’t fix cancer or blindness or aging. Everything you thought you were good at doesn’t work, and you feel lost. You could feel lost if your marriage is stuck and you don’t know which direction to go. You could feel lost with a simmering conflict between neighbors or co-workers. You could feel lost with worry about the security of your job. Maybe you feel lost, too, with the political gridlock that exists during this time of severe economic crisis. Something should be done, a lot needs to be done to stimulate the economy, create jobs, renew industry and communities, but nothing gets done. And then added into the mix is an alarming degree of religious intolerance, extremism, and anger stirred up by people who should know better. If you’ve been feeling lost, here’s a gem to work with, from Paul’s Letter to Timothy: “In my life the grace of the Lord overflows!” Let me tell you right off that this is an outrageous thing for Paul to say, because if anything Paul should have been weeping about all of the ways how other people were to blame for his problems. Paul was a first class sinner! He was a first class sinner because he had blood on his hands from having arrested, tortured, and killed Jesus’ followers. Anyone here a first class sinner? How about second class sinners? Or are you a third class sinner? It doesn’t matter because God forgives you no matter what class you’re in, and you’re invited to Jesus’ party. Forgiving sinners? Some people couldn’t believe it when Jesus talked about it! How could God possibly forgive sinners? Pharisees were outraged when they heard about the first-class sinners Jesus invited to dinner with him: tax collectors, law-breakers, and worse. Pharisees were great defenders of the law, and when they saw all of those sinners having a party with Jesus they couldn’t complain enough about it! They counted on God’s love and generosity for themselves, but got angry when anyone suggested that God might be aiming to share the same with the people they disliked. For those Pharisees it was shock to be told that God's forgiveness cannot be limited by human prejudices, fears, and boundaries. They were shocked to learn from Jesus that the people they considered least deserving of God’s forgiveness may be the very ones that God is reaching out to first. Well, we’re having a party this morning, and if those Pharisees were here they’d probably be outraged to hear that you are on Jesus’ guest list, too! So we’re not just talking about Paul being overflowing with God’s grace, we’re not just talking about all of those law-breakers Jesus invited to dinner centuries ago. We are especially talking about you, and the mercy and forgiveness that God wants to overwhelm you with today! This is why I am a Christian. Not because I have worked hard to attain special knowledge and faith, but because God has been so generous with me … and with you. To be Christian is not just to subscribe to a set of beliefs. To be a Christian is just to know that your name is on God’s invitation list, and that God is doing everything possible to reach you. There are over 5 billion people in the world, and God has made sure that your name is on the list. When Jesus heard the Pharisees complaining about the guest list, he told the story about the woman who had lost a valuable silver coin. She searched everywhere for it. It must have meant everything to her. Finally, after turning her entire household upside down, she finds it. And now the important part … when she finds it she calls all of her friends over for a party. That’s how it is with God, Jesus says, God throws a party every time a sinner is found, every time a sinner discovers the incredible generosity and love God shows to each one of us. (Drop coins on table)