A Year with Jesus: 'The Lost Coin'

Sunday, March 30, 2014

What Jesus Might Say

Dear Child of God,

How precious is a child? What is the value of a human life? What is one person worth?

If you want to know the true answer to those questions, watch Me in the coming few weeks as you read My story.

Notice what I'm willing to do - be humiliated and hung on a cross when I had the power to prevent it.

Notice the price I'm willing to pay - I give up My will to honor the will of the Father and pay the price for the sin of all humankind for all of time.

Notice what I'm willing to bear - being betrayed by one of My own, having one of My great potential leaders deny he even knew Me at all and being abandoned by My apostles, so I had to go to the cross alone.

So don't miss My key point found in all three of My stories Luke brings together for you (Luke 15:1-32), especially the one I want you to focus on today: the story of the lost coin. Here's My key point for My disciples who are willing to join Me in searching for those who are lost:
There is joy in the presence of all God's messengers over even one sinner who changes his way of life.

Verses Jesus Might Suggest

I don't need to spend many words today to help you see My key point. Don't miss learning it, being moved by it, and putting it into practice. Notice especially a few words that powerfully emphasize this key point of each of My stories:
  • Search!
  • Diligently!
  • Found!
  • Celebrate!
  • Joy!
  • All!
  • Even one!
Jesus (with another parable):
Or imagine a woman who has 10 silver coins. She loses one. Doesn't she light a lamp, sweep the whole house, and search diligently until that coin is found? And when she finds it, doesn't she invite her friends and neighbors and say, "Celebrate with me! I've found that silver coin that I lost"? Can't you understand? There is joy in the presence of all God's messengers over even one sinner who changes his way of life.
(Luke 15:8-10)

Our Response in Prayer

O Father, thank You for the joy of seeing (please use specific names here) being brought to Christ and being saved. I ask that You use me to be an encouragement and help to others (specifically mention them by name), so that they will come to Jesus and we can share in the celebration and joy of heaven together. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

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A Father with Two Lost Sons
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About This Devotional

A Year with Jesus is a daily devotional written to help us all reclaim Jesus as the daily Lord of our lives.

This devotional begins each year on November 30th, written by Phil Ware in the first-person narrative.

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All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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