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| Event 2 - World Polarized |
| A Parable Explained: The Lost Piece
of Silver |
Key Text
"Either what woman having
ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle,
and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?
And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours
together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.
Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of
God over one sinner that repenteth. " Luke 15:7-10 |
After giving the parable
of the lost sheep Christ spoke another, saying, "What woman
having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light
a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find
it?"
In the East the houses of the poor usually
consisted of but one room, often windowless and dark. The room was
rarely swept, and a piece of money falling on the floor would be
speedily covered by the dust and rubbish. In order that it might
be found, even in the daytime, a candle must be lighted, and the
house must be swept diligently.
The wife's marriage portion usually consisted
of pieces of money, which she carefully preserved as her most cherished
possession, to be transmitted to her own daughters. The loss of one
of these pieces would be regarded as a serious calamity, and its
recovery would cause great rejoicing, in which the neighboring women
would readily share.
"When she
hath found it," Christ
said, "she calleth her friends and her neighbors together, saying,
Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise,
I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God
over one sinner that repenteth."
This parable, like the preceding, sets
forth the loss of something which with proper search may be recovered,
and that with great joy. But the two parables represent different
classes. The lost sheep knows that it is lost. It has left the shepherd
and the flock, and it cannot recover itself. It represents those
who realize that they are separated from God and who are in a cloud
of perplexity, in humiliation, and sorely tempted. The lost coin
represents those who are lost in trespasses and sins, but who have
no sense of their condition. They are estranged from God, but they
know it not. Their souls are in peril, but they are unconscious and
unconcerned. In this parable Christ teaches that even those who are
indifferent to the claims of God are the objects of His pitying love.
They are to be sought for that they may be brought back to God.
The sheep wandered away from the fold;
it was lost in the wilderness or upon the mountains. The piece of
silver was lost in the house. It was close at hand, yet it could
be recovered only by diligent search.
This parable has a lesson to families.
In the household there is often great carelessness concerning the
souls of its members. Among their number may be one who is estranged
from God; but how little anxiety is felt lest in the family relationship
there be lost one of God's entrusted gifts.
The coin, though lying among dust and
rubbish, is a piece of silver still. Its owner seeks it because it
is of value. So every soul, however degraded by sin, is in God's
sight accounted precious. As the coin bears the image and superscription
of the reigning power, so man at his creation bore the image and
superscription of God; and though now marred and dim through the
influence of sin, the traces of this inscription remain upon every
soul. God desires to recover that soul and to retrace upon it His
own image in righteousness and holiness.
The woman in the parable searches diligently
for her lost coin. She lights the candle and sweeps the house. She
removes everything that might obstruct her search. Though only one
piece is lost, she will not cease her efforts until that piece is
found. So in the family if one member is lost to God every means
should be used for his recovery. On the part of all the others let
there be diligent, careful self-examination. Let the life-practice
be investigated. See if there is not some mistake, some error in
management, by which that soul is confirmed in impenitence.
If there is in the family one child who
is unconscious of his sinful state, parents should not rest. Let
the candle be lighted. Search the word of God, and by its light let
everything in the home be diligently examined, to see why this child
is lost. Let parents search their own hearts, examine their habits
and practices. Children are the heritage of the Lord, and we are
answerable to Him for our management of His property.
There are fathers and mothers who long
to labor in some foreign mission field; there are many who are active
in Christian work outside the home, while their own children are
strangers to the Saviour and His love. The work of winning their
children for Christ many parents trust to the minister or the church
school teacher, but in doing this they are neglecting their own God-given
responsibility. The education and training of their children to be
Christians is the highest service that parents can render to God.
It is a work that demands patient labor, a lifelong diligent and
persevering effort. By a neglect of this trust we prove ourselves
unfaithful stewards. No excuse for such neglect will be accepted
by God.
But those who have been guilty of neglect
are not to despair. The woman whose coin was lost searched until
she found it. So in love, faith, and prayer let parents work for
their households, until with joy they can come to God saying, "Behold,
I and the children whom the Lord hath given me." Isa. 8:18.
This is true home missionary work, and
it is as helpful to those who do it as to those for whom it is done.
By our faithful interest for the home circle we are fitting ourselves
to work for the members of the Lord's family, with whom, if loyal
to Christ, we shall live through eternal ages. For our brethren and
sisters in Christ we are to show the same interest that as members
of one family we have for one another.
And God designs that all this shall fit
us to labor for still others. As our sympathies shall broaden and
our love increase, we shall find everywhere a work to do. God's great
human household embraces the world, and none of its members are to
be passed by with neglect.
Wherever we may be, there the lost piece
of silver awaits our search. Are we seeking for it? Day by day we
meet with those who take no interest in religious things; we talk
with them, we visit among them; do we show an interest in their spiritual
welfare? Do we present Christ to them as the sin-pardoning Saviour?
With our own hearts warm with the love of Christ, do we tell them
about that love? If we do not, how shall we meet these souls--lost,
eternally lost--when with them we stand before the throne of God?
The value of a soul, who can estimate?
Would you know its worth, go to Gethsemane, and there watch with
Christ through those hours of anguish, when He sweat as it were great
drops of blood. Look upon the Saviour uplifted on the cross. Hear
that despairing cry, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken
Me?" Mark 15:34. Look upon the wounded head, the pierced side,
the marred feet. Remember that Christ risked all. For our redemption,
heaven itself was imperiled. At the foot of the cross, remembering
that for one sinner Christ would have laid down His life, you may
estimate the value of a soul.
If you are in communion with Christ, you
will place His estimate upon every human being. You will feel for
others the same deep love that Christ has felt for you. Then you
will be able to win, not drive, to attract, not repulse, those for
whom He died. None would ever have been brought back to God if Christ
had not made a personal effort for them; and it is by this personal
work that we can rescue souls. When you see those who are going down
to death, you will not rest in quiet indifference and ease. The greater
their sin and the deeper their misery, the more earnest and tender
will be your efforts for their recovery. You will discern the need
of those who are suffering, who have been sinning against God, and
who are oppressed with a burden of guilt. Your heart will go out
in sympathy for them, and you will reach out to them a helping hand.
In the arms of your faith and love you will bring them to Christ.
You will watch over and encourage them, and your sympathy and confidence
will make it hard for them to fall from their steadfastness.
In this work all the angels of heaven are
ready to co-operate. All the resources of heaven are at the command
of those who are seeking to save the lost. Angels will help you to
reach the most careless and the most hardened. And when one is brought
back to God, all heaven is made glad; seraphs and cherubs touch their
golden harps, and sing praises to God and the Lamb for their mercy
and loving-kindness to the children of men.
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