Lost and Found

Why Jesus told these stories

“Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them” (Luke 15:1–2). Jesus answered with one story told three ways — and each ends in a celebration.

A shepherd, a woman, a father

In Yona Tree’s reading, the three seekers portray the three Persons of the Holy Trinity:

• The Shepherd is God the Son, who “is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).
• The Woman with the candle is God the Holy Spirit, whose light searches the inward parts — “the spirit of man is the candle of the LORD” (Proverbs 20:27).
• The Father is God the Father, who runs to meet His returning child.

A lost sheep, a lost coin, a lost child: Christ’s Church of once-wayward sinners, found by the grace and perseverance of three divine Seekers.

What was lost has value

The sheep belonged to the shepherd. The coin bore the image of its king. The son was still a son. You are not lost because you are worthless; you are sought because you bear the image of God.

Come home

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

— Luke 15:20

If you have never come home to God, you can come today. Admit that you are a sinner in need of forgiveness (Romans 3:23). Accept the sacrifice Jesus made for your sins on the cross (Hebrews 9:28). Trust in His power over death, proven when He rose from the grave (Revelation 1:18). Ask God to save you and allow you to be born again through the power of the Holy Spirit (John 3:3).

Salvation is free. It cannot be earned, because it rests on the righteousness of Jesus Christ and not our own: “according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5).

And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

— Revelation 22:17