Discovery Pathway Classes - Baptism and Spirit-Filled LivingSample

Remember the context in which Jesus told these parables. As you know well by now, the situation was that some “religious” gossipers were trying to disgrace Jesus and the people he was spending time with. Jesus responded with three parables.

A parable is a short fictional story told to bring light to a larger truth. As he told the stories back-to-back-to-back, it’s clear that Jesus did not arrange these three parables in random order.

In the parable of the lost sheep, the shepherd has lost one out of 100 sheep. When he finds the sheep, he celebrates that he has found the missing one. Those “religious” gossipers would have been shocked that Jesus was valuing the “dirty sinners” like one sheep out of a flock of 100. Absurd.

But then Jesus told the second parable. In the parable of the lost coin, there are only ten coins. The celebration is over 10% of the woman's wealth. One sheep out of 100 is nothing compared to 10% of a person's wealth. The celebration in the stories was increasing! The “religious” gossipers must have been getting red with anger! A sheep is one thing, but comparing these sinners to a person’s life savings was ridiculous! These “dirty, worthless” people could not have that kind of value to God. But Jesus was not done.

In the last of the three parables, the value of that which has been lost skyrockets. In the parable of the lost son, there are two sons. The celebration takes place when one of the sons returns home after squandering his inheritance. For a father, 10% of a person’s wealth is nothing compared to one of his two sons. The “religious” gossipers must have had their minds blown to hear that Jesus gave so much value to “dirty sinners.”

Jesus doesn’t value you the way the world does. He doesn’t base your value on your actions. There is something about you that he is crazy about. You are his child. You are his creation. He loves you with the unexplainable love of a proud parent with a new baby in their arms. You are so valuable to Jesus that he would give up everything to be with you. He gave his very life for you.

As you read through the three parables, thank God for how much value he has placed on you. Thank God that your value isn’t based on your actions, but on His abounding love for you. As you go about your week, remember your value doesn’t come from what others say about you or how you see yourself. Your Heavenly Father has already determined your value.