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Parable of the Lost Sheep and the lost coin.

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Matthew 18:12-14
lost sheep		 Luke 15:3-7
lost sheep
12What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays, does he not leave the ninety and nine and go into the mountains and seek the straying one? 13And if it happens that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety and nine which did not stray. 14Even so it is not the will of your Father in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
MKJV
 3And He spoke this parable to them, saying, 4What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after that which is lost until he finds it? 5And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7I say to you that likewise joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner who repents, more than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
MKJV
Luke 15:8-10
lost coin
8Or what woman having ten drachmas, if she loses one drachma, does she not light a lamp and sweep the house, and seek carefully until she finds it? 9And when she has found it, she calls her friends and her neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost. 10Likewise I say to you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
MKJV
Insights
  • Both of these parables share the theme of finding what was lost. Telling us of the Lord's hearts desire and His concern for the lost. Through other New testament scriptures we understand that this is the underlining theme of salvation and applies to all of us, For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls, 1st Peter 3:23.
  • Both parables end by either saying, "Even so it is not the will of your Father in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish". or "likewise joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner who repents, more than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance." This tells us the true message of the parables is about sinners who repent and come to the Father.
  • The parable of the prodigal son given right after this in Luke's gospel also address this subject, this time speaking about two sons, rather than in symbolic language. When the younger son returned home his father rejoiced, for he had been lost and now was found, was dead and was now alive.