The Coins.

Sunday, 19th November, 2017

Speaker : Nitin Salve.
Summarization : Shruti Vanjare

Luke 15:8-10- “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ 10 Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

In those days, women used to decorate coins on their head as accessories which signified their rich background (identity) and their beauty.

1) Identity

The woman in the parable lost her coin, and hence she lost her identity. The first coin is Identity. We have received Christ's identity.

Galatians 2:20- “It's no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me.”

If you've lost your coin of identity in Christ, now is your time to search. Ask God to tell you where you stand in his presence.

Psalm 139:23-24- “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.”

When you look at yourself, you see yourself as perfect and without any faults. You need to tell God that you're weak to examine yourself and let him do it for you. God expects that people should see Christ in you because you are made in his image. The woman was desperate and anxious because she really wanted to regain her identity. We are a chosen generation. Your character should show how Jesus is and reflect his behavior. Go to the throne of Grace and tell God that you find yourself weak and ask him which area dos he want you to ride up and work on. This is how you'll regain your identity in Christ and that's when people will call you Child of God. If you have God's identity you can overpower the world. God wants you to regain His identity.

2)  Beauty 

Isaiah 53:2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

Because of your sins, there was no beauty in Christ. The walk till the cross was where your beauty was regained. He has taken all your unrighteousness and he's here to give you back your beauty. The woman, when she found her beauty back, went to her friends and proclaimed. In the same you need to proclaim the name of Jesus.

3) Evangelism 

Matthew 17:27 “Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.”

Jesus told him to go and hook a fish and assured him that he will find a coin. The disciple goes and finds a fish and when he opens it's mouth, he finds two coins. One for Jesus and one for himself. The second coin is the coin of catching fish, of evangelism (Fisher of Men) God expects you to earn this coin everyday.

1 Corinthians 9:16- “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.”

You need to preach the gospel to at least one person everyday. If you have a lot of problems, go and preach the gospel and God will end all your worries. This is the key to a happy and successful life. There will be no woe. Ask God for fishes (souls) He is a God who gives your heart's desire. If you desire a fish, he will give it to you. Do not lose that coin befayse if that's empty, your wallet is really missing. Preach the gospel atleast to one person a day and you'll really lead a happy and fulfilled and satisfied life.

4)  Witness 

Matthew 22:19-21- “Show Me the tax money.” So they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

Every coin has two sides, one belongs to God and the other belongs to men. Here, Ceaser reperesents the world.

Acts 1:7-8- “And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

You have to be a witness to the world because God has chosen and appointed you that you may go and bring fruit, so that your fruit may sustain. You will go into the world and best the fruits of Jesus testimony. The power, authority and anionting is in us to turn the world upside down. In a very special way, he has appointed us. Give to Caeser what is His, because it signifies the world and you need to give them the Word.

Isaiah 61:1-

The spirit of God is not upon me, but in me. So that I can preach the gospel news to the poor. Your life and your body is not for you but to be a witness of Christ to the world and to the poor. Your destination and citizenship is in heaven.

1 Peter 1:15 But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct

Don't bother about others behavior but look at your conduct first. It isn't difficult because if you desire to be Holy you will, because he has promised to give you your heart's desire.