Window 12

The middle of the three windows at the far front on the north side pictures the Parables of the Lost Sheep and Lost Coin in Luke 15:1-10.  The angel at the top is in an attitude of praise and joy.  The shepherd out among hills has found the one sheep which went astray.  The woman with broom has found the one coin that was lost.

Jesus told the two parables to self-righteous people who found fault with him for associating and eating with people of bad reputation.  The parables taught the accusers one and the same lesson.  If a single sheep in the flock of one hundred goes astray, the shepherd hunts for that sheep until he finds it.  Then he invites his friends to share his joy with him.  Similarly, one coin in a woman’s treasure of ten, probably her marriage dowry, was lost.  So she busied herself with lamp and broom and ransacked the house until she found the coin.  She, too, invited friends and neighbors to share her joy with her

The sheep and coin identify all people who have sinned, who have repented of their sin and are received into Jesus’ company.  A single repentant sinner brings more joy to the angels in heaven than the many others who do not want to repent or think they don’t need to.  With these two parables Jesus defends his practice of associating with people who need his help.