Slideshow image

So…

When you think of the word “lost” what comes to mind?

Hug a tree! For when you get lost in the woods.

Or perhaps get lost! What the cute girl said to you when you tried that awful pick-up line.

Or maybe you are at that age where you are always in a search pattern for your lost keys, cell phone, and wallet?

Maybe you thought of that TV show! Lost! 

Or Emelia Earhart, you know, the female pilot who disappeared.

You might have thought of people who are lost.

Because some of us are familiar with the stories of loved ones who disappeared and have never been found. The stories are heartbreaking and, in some cases, quite scary.

And here in Luke, Jesus speaks about being lost. 

About individuals in the story of the sheep, the coin, and in the follow story of the Prodigal son, of people who are no longer connected to the community of faith.

Those who have become estranged from or been pushed away by the people of Israel. Or perhaps the church.

At Wednesday night’s bible study, which by the way has like 18 people both in person and online on zoom when everyone is there, we looked at four stories of estrangement.

First, those disciples who thought their boat was sinking. 

Then the demoniac who was chained up.

Followed by the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years.

And then Jairus’ daughter – the child who died.

Estranged from the family of faith in different ways – a lack of faith, demon possession, disease or illness, and death.

All in different ways not quite right with the religious practices of Israel, all unclean or at least not the kind of folks the Pharisees would recruit to be part of the religious elite, but all whom Jesus very obviously loved.

Fishermen, tax collectors, the formerly demon possessed, a zealot, and that was just the disciples. All struggling with faith – but loved by Jesus – and by implication, God.

And here listening to Jesus at the beginning of Luke 15 are an assortment of the whole community, of the right and left ends of the spectrum, tax collectors and “sinners”, and Pharisees and Rabbis. 

And so, Jesus tells them all a story.
About a lost sheep and a lost coin and in that follow story a lost son.

It’s a shepherd who loses a sheep and then goes looking for that one. 

Why? Because just one out of a hundred is valuable! That sheep was wool for sweaters, socks, and more. And perhaps could have more lambs, and later in life perhaps be sold for meat.

You really don’t want to lose one valuable animal, just like God has no interest in losing one “sinner”.

And what does Jesus say happens when one “sinner” comes home. 

God rejoices! The heavens rejoice! 

Think about that. You have the opportunity, by encouraging one “sinner” to come home to start God singing and dancing, laughing and loving!

You!

And the woman who lost just one of her ten coins, lights a lamp and sweeps her house’s dirt floor in hopes the coin will flip and she will catch a glimpse and the lost coin will be restored to her headdress or neckless, the place where her family’s lifesavings were kept.

Invaluable, that coin! And by implication every “lost” person.

What is of value to God is the one who is lost!

Not just you and I. Not just the folks in the pews and the ones listening online.
But everyone who has been estranged.

The very folks listening to Jesus parables, tax collectors and sinners, and everyone separated from the Kingdom, who have become estranged, but for whom we are all to be searching to bring home…

Because we want to see Jesus’ smile…

And hear God laugh and rejoice…

And know that the heavens are aglow with joy…

Because one of the lost has come home. 
Amen.