Silver Coins for the Graduates

By Winston Ko

Introduction

Jesus was a master teacher. He used common things to bring out spiritual truth. It is interesting to research the Gospels to see how the same thing was used in different parables. This gives a broader message than each of the individual teachings. Today, we will take a look at the silver coins in the wonderful teaching of Jesus. They bring out the worthiness of our lives.

The Cantonese College Sunday School is studying Jesus' parables. On this day that our church honors the graduates this year, I have wanted to specially dedicate the silver coins in Jesus' parables to graduates in the class. Because of the last minute change of worship format today, however, I have the opportunity to dedicate them to all graduate in our church. I particularly thank Pastor Lee for the opportunity. We pray that God will speak to each one of us, not just the graduates.

I. The worthiness of silver coins -- found and restored

Luke 15:8-10 "Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

This parable is the least studied one among the familiar trilogy on the topic of lost and found. First there is the lost sheep, then here the lost coin, and finally the prodigal son. The trilogy is Jesus' message on finding and restoring. It tells about God's love coming to seek us. We have spent several years in school, college and university to seek knowledge and skill, as we value their worthiness in preparing our lives. Jesus' parable tells us that He came to seek us as He values our intrinsic worthiness and wants to restore it.

In this parable, why does the woman want to find the silver coin? Obviously it is because of the value of the coin. However, a silver coin lost is worthless -- it is there accumulating dust. Therefore the woman sweeps the house and searching carefully until she finds the silver coin. Once found, she dusts it off and its value is restored. It once again functions in its original purpose. God knows our intrinsic value that He created in us. Once a normal relationship with God is restored, the value and the meaning of our lives become clear. We once again function in the original purpose for which God created us. It gives meaning to our lives and taught us of self-worth.

On the path of our lives in the past and even ahead of us, sometime we might stumble and fall -- we might make mistakes falling short of the glory of God. These mistakes, and the resulting guilt, are like dust accumulating on us until our brightness and our worthiness can no longer be seen. They are the burden that wears us down. But look, there is light; God came to search for us! Once we are found, God sweeps away our dust, lifts our burden and brings out our created worthiness. Earlier today we heard testimonies of a few graduates about how Jesus has changed their lives, how He has put things in perspective for them and changed the way they do things, and how He restored their worthiness.

It is interesting that Jesus uses a woman in this parable. Does it degrade women as if only they would care about such a small amount of money? I think not. Women in the New Testament often symbolize the Church -- Church is the bride of Christ and women also represent love and care. Here we see that the Church lights a lamp, sweeps the floor and searches carefully. It is often through the Church that God comes to seek us out and to restore our intrinsic worthiness. The Church lights a light that shines into the darkness, it sweeps away the dust that has accumulated and it seeks us out to restore our worthiness. This is a purpose of the Church -- seek the lost because we see the intrinsic worthiness of men's soul.

In this passage we have seen the worthiness of us as the silver coin -- found and restored. Now let us see another parable that points out precisely what is the worthiness God has created in us and restored in us.

II. The worthiness of silver coins -- stamped with the likeness of God

Matt. 22:15-21 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. "Teacher," they said, "we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are. Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?" "Caesar's," they replied. Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."

This parable is often used as the basis for the doctrine of the separation of Church and State. I have an opinion on that but this is not my focus today. It also teaches obeying the law of the country and the Higher Law or a principle of stewardship. However my concentration today will continue to be the study of the silver coin -- the denarius.

Let's take a look at a familiar example of a Nickel. Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription? A Nickel stamped with Jefferson's likeness represents what United States stands for as he wrote in the Declaration of Independence "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." A silver coin stamped with the likeness of God would then represent what God's Kingdom stands for. Are there coins stamped with the likeness of God? When you saw the title of the message this morning, you might think we will pass out silver coins as memento of your graduation. But what coin is stamped with the likeness of God? (Gen. 5:1) When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. A normal Christian should therefore be the one that is stamped with the likeness of God. As you start on your next journey in your life, remember you are a shiny silver coin stamped with the likeness of God. You represent what God's Kingdom stand for. This is a far better memento.

What is then the character of a person stamped with the likeness of God? It is definitely not one with "I am holier than thou," self-righteous, and arrogance inscribed all over his face and his speech. That would be the kind of hypocrite that turns people away from Christianity. Let us examine: What is the likeness of God?

In the Book of Ezekiel, Ezekiel saw the vision of God, and so did John in Revelation that has the following description: Rev. 4:6-7 Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. St. Augustine taught us that the four faces of God in the visions of Ezekiel and John correspond well to the four Gospels that describe Jesus Christ: Matthew describes Jesus as the King; Mark describes Jesus as the Servant; Luke describes Jesus the Son of Man; John describes Jesus the Son of God. What Ezekiel and John saw were lion the king, ox the servant ("labors like an ox or a horse" in Chinese), a man, and eagle the heavenly creature.

It is not difficult to understand the likeness of God as the King -- a life with dignity and self-respect. The likeness of the King is to live a dignified life that honors God, the King of kings, to have the noble character of a king. Lead an honest life with self-respect and not afraid to be true -- that's the key!

The likeness of God as a Servant is harder to imagine. Let us read a passage that I personally take as one of the greatest in the Bible: Phil. 2:5-11 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

What is there more to say about servanthood of Jesus? To be like Jesus we should have the dignity of the king yet humble attitude of a servant. We have sung earlier:

More like the master I would ever be,
More his meekness more humility,
More zeal to labor, more courage to be true,
More consecration for work he bids me do.

The likeness of the Son of Man is to have a human face. A human face that would be able to sympathize with the weakness of humanity. This is how we treat our fellow man -- not with superiority-just-we-are-Christians, but with an understanding of and sympathy for human weakness. We must reach down and reach out to people, rather than be complacent and stay with our own circle of friends. We must understand the human agony and help to relieve the human suffering, material and spiritual.

Finally, let us look at the likeness of the Son of God. Jesus is not just the greatest role model as a man He is the Son of God. 2Cor. 3:17-18 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

There is freedom. The Truth sets us free in the Spirit. The Spirit transforms us into the likeness reflecting His glory. The College English Group use the theme the quarter "Light to the Darkness." It is imminently appropriate that they chose the theme song that we sang earlier, "Shine Jesus Shine", which ends with "shine on me." We must rely on the Spirit to keep our silver coins shiny and spotless. Shine Jesus shine! Shine on my spotless silver coin so that it may reflect Your glory into the darkness.

Jesus said, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." Give to God ourselves who are stamped with the likeness of God. In His likeness God has created us and restored us to be. It is a silver coin reflecting His glory. It is a life that honors God and is free in the Spirit. It is a life that serves our fellow humanity with understanding and humility. This is the worthiness of the silver coin that God came to search for.

In the next parable we see that the worthiness of the silver coin is to be offered for God's use.

III. The worthiness of silver coins -- shown as the blessing for others

"Give to God what is God's" -- give to God all that are stamped with His likeness. This is the greatest commandment: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind." And, "Love your neighbor as yourself." We learn a great lesson of loving our neighbors through the parable of this good Samaritan.

Luke 10:29-32 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. Luke 10:33-37 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, `and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.' "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

The silver coins here are used as the means for us to love our neighbor and make ourselves a channel of blessing for others. It is not just the money, but our time and our lives. Help the troubled and disadvantaged. Share the blessing with others. Be a good Samaritan. The silver coins stamped with the likeness of God should be the "currency" in the channel of blessing from God to our fellow man. We have sung,

Make me a bless, make me a blessing,
Out of my life, may Jesus shine,
Make me a blessing.

Conclusion

Graduates, Jesus taught us that you have a shiny silver coin as your memento -- you yourselves. As you commence your journey in the society, don't you ever forget that!

% We are precious in God's sight. However, our worthiness is often obscured by our worldly pursuits. God comes to seek us out restoring our worthiness.

% We are stamped with the likeness of Christ -- our lives should be dignified yet humble, spiritual yet human. Silver coins stamped with the likeness of Christ represent what God's Kingdom stands for.

% We are called to be the channels of blessing. The worthiness that God created in us should be displayed as a charity to our fellow men, especially to those who are down.

Friends, you too can be a silver coin of God. God is searching for you because He recognizes the intrinsic value that He created in you. He will dust off your burden of worldly pursuit and restore your shine. Once done, "there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Brothers and sisters, as we sent off graduates we are once again reminded to keep the silver coins of ours shining. These are silver coins stamped with the likeness of our Lord. It is the currency of God's blessing to our fellow men.

Title: Silver Coins for the Graduates
By: Winston Ko
Series: Special Occasion
Date: 6/6/99