Restore what is lost, celebrate what is found

Today’s Gospel (Luke 15:1-10) contains two little parables, one of which is well known.  

The depiction of Jesus and the lost sheep is a favorite of many artists.

Those of you who have been down to my office may have seen this icon.

I love this icon.  I love the way Jesus is looking at the person looking at him.  And I love the sheep, who I believe has had a rambunctious and uncertain journey, is now resting contently knowing the safety of Jesus' shoulders.

Such depictions are often referred to as “Jesus the Good Shepherd”, and until this week I have always thought of it as such.

And yet it illustrates a touch of misunderstanding here:  “I am the Good Shepherd” is a text from John’s Gospel.  It is one of the seven “I am” statements found only in that Gospel.  That’s a sermon for another day.

The story of seeking the lost sheep from the flock of 100 is a different, only Matthew and Luke story, and in Luke’s version the unique lost coin parable follows it.

Each parable is anchored by a statement question:

"Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?

and 

“What woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?” 

Statement questions are ordered like a question but the answer is usually an obvious statement.  And the answer is obvious to us because we know Jesus as the Good Shepherd and of course one who searches for the lost.

But this is a prime example of a cultural contextual story.

The obvious answer to the first century audience is different from our answer.  

The correct first century answer is:  no one!  No one would leave a flock of 99 sheep in the wilderness to go searching for a singular lost one.  It would be irresponsible!  It would be a mismanagement of resources.  The somewhat harsh truth is that losing one sheep from a flock 100, while not hoped for, isn’t that shocking of a thing happening.  It would be clear to anyone that their responsibility lies in protecting the 99.

It’s the same answer with the lost silver coin.  Maybe just maybe one of us would search diligently for a coin we lost, but none of us would then throw a party when we found it that would cost us more than all the coins put together!

We don’t recognize the point because we know Jesus as The Good Shepherd, but the concept behind the first century reality is still imbedded in our modern society.  

Acceptable casualties and collateral damage.  

Jesus’ parables are COUNTER cultural to demonstrate the point of the kingdom of God.  It is NOT business as usual.  It is NOT pragmatic, nor does it demonstrate good financial sense.  

The kingdom of God is about renewal and restoration in surprising fashion!

After all, the context for this story is the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Jesus is eating with undesirables.  With tax collectors, who were collaborators with the Romans, and those publicly seen as sinners who were deemed unworthy of good company.  Those in good graces and with good reputations were either aghast that the esteemed teacher Jesus would eat with such people, or they sought to discredit Jesus in the eyes of others for doing so.

Jesus depicts both actors in his parables, the shepherd and the woman, as ones who go far beyond the norm to restore what is lost and to celebrate what is found.

It becomes crystal clear with the climatic story that follows these two parables.  

Can someone tell me what story comes next???   

(The prodigal son, the forgiving father, and the elder son.)  

Note that this great, brilliant story brings us fully to the human relationships rather than sheep or coins.  The Father never loses hope for a new chapter with his lost son, and then celebrates to unthinkable lengths.

And the Pharisees and the scribes…those grumbling about welcoming and eating sinners…are clearly in the place of the hard working, now angry, elder son.

It is worth, however, jumping to the coda of the story.  The father is essentially pleading to the elder son, come into the party.  Let go of your anger, your sense of deserving more or be betting better than others, and come be part of the needed celebration of new opportunity…new life.

All three parables engage a very human way of living that’s ready to dismiss others as acceptable loss, and conclude that those outside the circle don’t deserve more.

Jesus challenges good people, which the scribes and Pharisees have been, to be better, more gracious, open-hearted people.

Now, best communication practices suggest that its better to say “I statements” rather than we, they, you or us.  But I’m going to break that practice right now.  

I am pretty sure that all of us have had moments where we were like the prodigal son, the lost sheep or coin, or the tax collectors and sinners:  getting more than we deserved, experiencing unexpected welcome and acceptance, touched by grace.

I’m also fairly certain that we have all had opportunities to be Jesus like, searching like the shepherd or woman for the one that is lost and then celebrating them:  providing care, concern, acceptance…love.

And, I think if we’re honest, we’ve all had elder brother moments, or been like these scribes and Pharisees:  believing we deserve more than someone else, that we are more worthy of love, that we are right in choosing not to welcome those we think of as sinners and eat with them.

In his radical way, Jesus compels those who would hear him towards love.  Receiving it, and giving it.

Thank you Jesus, for loving us all so much.  

Help us to believe it, and then do likewise.

(Text from a sermon given Sunday September 14th, 2025, at Trinity Episcopal Church, Marble Falls, TX)