Parable of the Lost Coin | Faith Formation Journeys

Here is the devotion page for the Time after Pentecost, Lec 24 year C, September 11-17. (Click on the words!)

NOTE: There has been some confusion about the dates on the Devotion pages. The dates are the range of Sundays that the pages are for. If you are using starting on a Sunday in the range, then you are using the correct one! Read below for a longer explanation.

Did you miss a week? Go to the Weekly Devotion page to download past weeks!

Lectionary dates and time after Pentecost

We are working on developing a complete 3 year cycle of devotion pages for the Revised Common Lectionary. To make this really work the pages need to be tied to the lectionary Sunday, not the specific date. For most seasons of the church year this is pretty easy to do. The First Sunday in Advent is 4 weeks before Christmas, every year, so the date floats around, but the readings are always the same. It is similar for Epiphany, Lent and Easter. The Second Sunday after Epiphany is always the same readings, as is the Second Sunday of Lent and Easter. Pentecost and the season after are different. Unlike the other seasons where the first reading of the season is set, in the time after pentecost the last reading is set. The readings for Christ the King are always lectionary 34 and Christ the King Sunday is always on the Sunday that is between November 20 and 26, inclusive of those dates (five weeks before Christmas). This wouldn’t be a big deal if Easter was also set, but Easter moves – by as much as 5 weeks! So the Day of Pentecost can be closer or further away from Christ the King, depending on when Easter falls. So if the Easter is early, the season after Pentecost is longer, and there are more readings leading up to Christ the King. If Easter is late, there are fewer. Since the last Sunday is of the season is set, that means the early Sundays are not always the same readings. For example – in 2017 the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost used the readings for Lectionary 11 (Easter was relatively late that year). In 2018 the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost used Lectionary 9 (Easter was early). So, indicating which Sunday after Pentecost on the devotion pages is not clear from year to year – so we use lectionary numbers that are tied to a range of Sundays.

This passage in Luke is two parables about something being lost and found. This particular text lends itself to being acted out with younger children or youth. A short game you can play with young children to introduce the concepts is to play “hide and go seek” or to hide an object for them to find and bring to you. (You could even hide a coin or two!) Then read the story or act it out.

For children: Have you ever lost something special to you? What was it and did you find it again? If you didn’t find it how did you feel? If you did find it how did you feel? Have you ever been “lost” or separated from your mom or dad in a store? It’s kind of scary isn’t it? Your parents were so happy when they found you and I bet that you were happy too! Jesus tells us that God looks for us everywhere and all the time. There is nowhere that we can go that God won’t find us! No matter what we do or what we say God will find us and love us! God

For youth/adults: Sometimes it feels like we are so hidden from God that we can never be found. The alternative rock band Evanescence asks two questions in their song Tourniquet-“Do you remember me, lost for so long?” and “Am I too lost to be saved?”* Jesus offers these parables to give a resounding “YES!” to the first question and an equally forceful “NO!” to the second question. God searches for us high and low in order to bring restoration and grace to us. There is nothing that we have to do to receive this grace. The word “repent” in verses 7 and 10 is not about confession but is from the Greek word metanoia which means to turn around or to change one’s mind. God always offers us the opportunity to turn toward God-over and over again-every single day. How will you rejoice with God about this gift? How will you share this good news with someone in your daily life?

These parables highlight the importance of ALL people to God, especially those that are vulnerable in our society or culture. Contact a local Children’s Hospital or a local hospital that delivers babies and find out if there is any need for diapers, hats, layettes or blankets. See if you neighbors will help fill the need!

Dear Jesus, you search for us in places that we think we can’t be found. We want to turn to you and rejoice with you for loving us all. Amen.

(Make the sign of the cross on one another) God rejoices over you.

*This song is found on Evanescence’s album from 2003 Fallen. The official video can be found on YouTube.

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Let us walk with you on the journey of faith. Whether your feet are big or small, fresh or worn, running or crawling, God's love goes with you and you stand on holy ground.