Lost and Found

“Lost and Found”

Luke 15:1-10

Preacher: Rev. Stephanie Bartsch

Kobe Union Church

September 14, 2025

 Let's get right into the context here. Jesus was teaching and sitting close to many "sinners" and tax collectors. Let's picture this scene together. I can see them moving in close to him, gathering around him, sitting on the ground out in the open, with trees for shade above them all. They moved close to him, to hear him better and to gaze at his expression. Was this guy for real or not?

In the same place were the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, those who were the leaders in the Jewish temple system, who maintained their beliefs and practice of their Jewish faith. They were looking skeptical and wondered why he welcomed the "riff raff" of society, those who were not worthy to go into the court of men at the Jewish Temple.

Jesus shares from the perspective of a shepherd, which many of the working class in the crowd would have had experience working as. For most Jewish children, both boys and girls, would shepherd their father's flocks. We have many examples in scripture of shepherds: Abel, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Lot, Laban, Moses, Rachel, David, Amos—just to name a few.

In Jesus' time in the Middle East, life was lived outside, and caring for animals was a major part of life and providing for one's family. However, shepherding a flock would be more of a lower middle-class profession at that time. Shepherds would work together and even keep the sheep in a pen or enclosure for the night, in a safe "open country," a flat, wider area with other sheep. Each sheep knew his own master's voice, so it would be easy to separate them in the morning from their friend's flocks. The shepherds would take turns sleeping at the gate of their enclosure, to protect their sheep from predators getting in.

Jesus is speaking to a very close community here, one where they understand the difficulty of keeping the sheep safe because it is their livelihood. Those gathered around him are people who understand how hard it is to care for a flock of sheep, and who are most likely not the top earners in society. If a sheep would be missing and found dead, the head owners would determine if it was killed by a wild animal and if so, the shepherd would not have to pay. But if it were lost and drowned in a river, or broke its leg in a well or hole, then the shepherd would have to pay out of his meager wages. So, keeping the sheep safe also meant better pay for the hired shepherd.

Jesus also has another parable in this mix, this time of a woman with a lost coin. People in first-century Palestine lived so close to each other, their houses were connected if they were middle or lower middle class. You would go next door to borrow some oil, flour, or an egg if you ran out of supplies while cooking! Or your neighbor might come over for a minute to ask for help in wringing out the laundry, before hanging it up on top of the roof to dry in the hot dry climate.

Most houses had a central courtyard and a room or two off of it. Animals were kept in a separate enclosure. For security reasons, there was only one front door carved out of the stone wall. In a very poor family's home there would be only one room, that was cooked in and shared by all, and they all slept on the floor on mats together. So life was lived very closely with your neighbors. Like many of us have had in Japan and exist in other places but not so much in North America. Where you share with others giving and taking in a true communal way. That is the type of community we want here at KUC.

So these are the kind of communities that are represented in these two parables that Jesus tells. It seems so far away from our lives today—they were much closer to nature, closer to each other, they had to work together for daily living and sustenance. So of course, they would share their joys and sorrows with each other.

I hope we can get back to sharing our joys and sorrows, and share our lives in an honest and authentic way with each other without worrying about what others might think, here in our KUC family!

Have you ever experienced something that was lost? Think back a minute to that time, and what it was. (pause)

I went to a Hanshin Tigers vs. Yomiuri Giants baseball game when my brother, sister-in-law, and my cousin were here. I went to the bathroom and left my wallet on the back of the toilet! As soon as I went back to my seat I realized it! My brother and cousin said to go right away to the head office. Do you know how many people were at that game? It was a sold-out Koshien stadium (over 46 thousand people) ! You know, I have to admit I was not worried about it at all—this is Japan after all! But my cousin was, he said, “Oh no, you better stop your credit card right now!” People in the seats next to us and in front of us realised something was wrong, when I told them, they then motioned to the security guard and told me to share it with him. 

Well, I got to the lost and found office after walking about 20 minutes around the stadium with the security guard, and sure enough, they had my wallet! Wow! I did feel relieved afterward, and my cousin, brother, and his wife were really happy for me. Also, they had mentioned it to the people sitting around us who were all cheering for the Tigers too! When I got back people were asking me and I told them "I got it back!" People did fist bumps and said “Yatta ne!”

That moment—that relief, that joy, that celebration with strangers—that’s exactly what Jesus is talking about. The joy of finding what was lost, the joy of restoration, the joy of knowing what matters most is safe again. And when God restores us, his people to himself, there is even greater joy!

Our faith in Jesus and following him is not built on getting everything theologically or philosophically just right. It is just like Jesus is saying or teaching here, it is simple, when someone is lost we are to search for them. We are called to participate in Jesus' mission; to go out at night, ask our community of believers to protect those already in the fold or sheep pen and to go out and rescue the one who is injured, chased by ferocious beasts, or who got distracted somewhere. We most often act like the Pharisees, we want to pray the correct prayers, live the correct way, offer up the correct sacrifices, only be with the 'right' people. This kind of "religious practice" leaves us thirsty, feeling as if we are missing something. Jesus here is saying "yes, you're missing the point of how to follow me". 

Following Jesus is taking a risk; asking others in the community for help as you follow him. Asking others to help you as you go to rescue someone. Then when someone is rescued, rejoicing together, praising God together in the joy of finding him or her!

Those of us here who are mature believers, who are eating meat and who are done with milk, this message is for us. We are to follow in his ways; not to live more perfectly and beat ourselves up when we can't live up to his standard, but to take more risks in stepping out in faith like our shepherd has modelled for us! Jesus says "I desire mercy, not sacrifice".

Risk loving the stranger, risk going out of your way to help someone even when you don't have time or energy to. Risk being kind even if you're not sure if the other will reciprocate. Risk becoming friends with new people. Risk mingling with those of a different socio-economic class from you. Risk caring for someone who might have big, messy problems in their life.

I want to hear Jesus laughing and rejoicing! I want to see him jumping and dancing for joy! I also want to hear the angels singing and praising God! Don't you? (pause)

I have to admit the next story I have to share is awkward and embarrassing for me. 

You probably know by now that Mark and I love to relax and go to our local onsen a couple times per week. At the neighborhood onsen I became friends with a woman who was in a car accident about 8 months ago, and injured her lower back and spine. She receives very strong shots for the pain once every ten days now. A little while ago she asked for my advice on if there were other ways to heal her lower back besides shots. I told her that I go to sekkotsuin or chiropractic massage when I have bone or muscle aches and that it really helps me. So, I heard from her that she started going, and that with the shots helps her. However, about a week ago, she came into the onsen with a lot of pain, she said "I don't know what to do, it's so painful!" 痛くてどうしようもない。I said, 祈りたいです。祈ってもいい。Up until then I had said to her (she knows I'm a Christian by the way) いのってますよ。However, this time in the moment, I knew I wanted to pray for her then and there, however it was awkward, we were standing with towels in the bathing area, some others were there too. She said ok, though, so I said a simple prayer. イエス様の名前で祈ります。早く癒して下さい。Please, Jesus, hurry up and heal her. She closed her eyes when I prayed, and in an instant the moment was done.  This has happened twice now. I felt a bit embarrassed, but she was not embarrassed at all! 

Congregation of mature believers here at KUC, what I want to say most of all is; Forget thinking that to be a Christian you have to stay in your comfort zone! GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND BE LIKE JESUS!

God did it for you, he rescued you, he brought you back from the scary wild beasts, he saved you when you were distracted, won't you join me and also do the same for others!

Let's then, together, bring joy to Jesus! Let's gaze on his face as he laughs, has joy, and rejoices, for what was once lost is now found! Let’s pray.