Welcome to week 28 of Weekly Word!
I hope you’ve been blessed by The Parables of Jesus series! How might our hearts be stirred and refreshed as we listen to the words of our Savior? Let’s keep reading, listening, and learning!
This week, we’ll read and learn from the parables of The Lost Sheep and The Lost Coin.
Below, you’ll find your readings for this week, a short devotional to enjoy at the end of the week, along with discussion questions for your own reflection or community discussion.
Readings:
- Matthew 18:10–14
- Luke 15:8–10
- Colossians 1:21–22
Devotional:
Readings: Matthew 18:10–14 | Luke 15:8–10
There is a profound beauty in the way Jesus describes the heart of God through the parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin. In our human understanding, leaving ninety-nine healthy sheep in the open country to search for just one wanderer seems perhaps illogical, and turning a dark house upside down for a single lost coin may seem excessive. But Jesus tells these stories to show us that Kingdom worth is not based merely on what we deem as valuable—it is based on the intimate, personal pursuit of God.
God is not a passive king waiting for us to figure out how to clean ourselves up and stumble back home. He is the active, relentless pursuer of our hearts who steps into our darkness and sweeps every corner of our broken world until He recovers what is already His.
The most monumental detail in both parables is what happens the exact moment the lost item is recovered. The shepherd doesn’t scold the exhausted sheep, and the woman doesn’t resent the coin for dropping into the dust. Instead, they immediately call together their friends and neighbors to celebrate! Jesus tells us that this is a direct window into how all of heaven erupts into pure, unbridled joy over a single person who puts their trust in Him.
You are not a nameless face in a massive crowd to your Heavenly Father. You are precious, you are fiercely valued, and if you have trusted in Jesus, you are living proof of a Savior who refused to stop searching until He brought you safely home in His arms. You are the one!
Discussion Questions:
- Have you ever lost something incredibly precious to you—perhaps a wedding ring, an irreplaceable family heirloom, or even a pet—and found it sometime later? How did you feel in that exact moment when you finally recovered it, and how does that help you understand the depth of God’s joy over those who turn from sin and put their faith in Jesus?
- When you think about your faith journey, can you pinpoint the darkness Jesus had to step into to rescue you? How does being the one who was found change the way you see your own worth today?
- The shepherd and the woman immediately invited their community to share in their joy. How can we as a church family actively celebrate and welcome those who are being found by God’s grace right now
Dig Deeper
In this sermon from Antioch’s 2023 sermon series, “Parables,” Pastor Stephen dives into the profound, yet simple truth that God loves you and is seeking you out!
We are praying for you as you dig into God’s Word this week!