Scripture Passage: Luke 15: 8-10
8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Jesus tells this parable when the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were muttering that Jesus welcomes and eats with sinners (Matthew 15:1-2). It is said that it was a tradition among Jewish married women to wear a necklace of 10 silver coins as a symbol of their marriage. Thus, if even one coin gets lost/ misplaced it was unbearable for them. There are two thoughts that arise from the parable:
- Light a lamp: Lamp is the symbol of light. In light we can see everything clearly. Even a single ray of light is enough to cut through the darkest of nights. Everyone is little nervous or scared of the dark. All evil things like darkness. We all consider darkness as the shelter of Satan. If there is light within us , we will be able to see things before us and inside clearly (John 8:12) : 12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Jesus is the light of the world. Through worshipping Him, we can fill ourselves with light. This light will help and guide us to know ourselves better.
So how attentive and devoted are you when worshipping Christ? Worship service is another way of bringing the light into your life. But we can see that not going to church is turning into a Sunday ritual and we only repeat the words through our mouths and experiencing it on our hearts. Instead our service should be like that of Zechariah, pure and heartfelt (Luke 1: 10-11). During our worship service when the priest conducts the Holy Communion, how involved are we? The priest says, ” Answer our prayer, O Lord”. And we say. “Lord have mercy on us”. Is it heartfelt or merely words? Are our prayers like sinners or like the pharisees?
Light is always moving. It is the fastest moving thing in the world. Those who walk in Jesus, walk in His light ( Matthew 5: 14-16), 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Revelation 22: 4 says, 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. Similarly we will reflect His light when He is in us. King David too proclaims God to be the Light of his life (Psalms 27:1) , 1 The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
Let this be the way of our lives.
2. Sweep Clean: Change your old self. In the beginning man was naked, both in mind and in body. But he was unaware of his God like state. When he ate the forbidden fruit, he fell down from his heavenly state to nakedness. He was thrust out of Eden. Can we go back to the former state in Eden?? Man did what he chose like and in that desire lost the garden of Eden and was cursed. A butterfly emerges out of a cocoon formed by a caterpillar. What a beautiful and blessed transformation!!!. If the husk of wheat/ rice remains the same as it is, will it be edible for us??? No. We have to make it eatable for us. Thus man should become aware of his condition and try to change. Love is long forgotten among men. It’s become difficult to open hearts before others. Man now walks like a ball of fire about to burst into flames. The worship man offers heavenly Father is without sweeping clean the sinful and unclean in himself, that which is useless, decayed and unwanted. When we clean a room which has been closed for several days, we first open it to let stale air out. Similarly we should open out our hearts and sweep it clean for Jesus to come and live in it. Let’s open our hearts and mind to Jesus, He is knocking at our door. (Revelation 3:20) Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
Think: are your hearts spotless?? Are you white as snow, clean to accept Jesus?? There is still time to cleanse yourself in the blood of the lamb. (Isaiah 1: 18) ,
“Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.
Jehovah Roi 