Wednesday
Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. - Luke 15:6-7
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. - Luke 15:9-10
What gives you great joy? What events or moments cause you to celebrate? When was the last time you called a friend or a family member because you were so excited about something that had happened to you?
I remember when my wife became pregnant with our first child. I was so excited and I couldn’t wait to tell people the news. I wanted to celebrate. I was especially eager to tell my mom & dad that they were going to be first-time grandparents. Any parent can tell you that raising children gives you lots of moments when you want to celebrate (as well as some moments when you want to weep & wail). Not too long ago I ran into a woman from our church that I hadn’t seen in quite awhile. When I saw her I immediately recalled that her son had been in and out of drug rehab and had at one time run away from home. In that instant I thought of all of the pain and agony that mother had experienced over her sons decisions. I hesitated for a moment, and then before I could ask about her son, she said with a gleam in her eye, “have I told you about how ---- is doing?” She proceeded to tell me with barely containable joy, about how God had brought her wayward son back from the brink and restored him to faith in Christ and to his family.
Have you ever wondered what causes a stir in heaven? Jesus tells us that this same joy that a parent feels over their child is a glimpse of the great joy that exists in heaven. There is a marked contrast in the verses above between the grumbling of the Pharisees Luke 15:1-2) and the great joy in heaven when the lost are found. Heaven is already filled with joy, but when a soul surrenders to God, they throw a party! The angels rejoice before God (by the way, someday we will join them - how cool is that?).
There is a celebration in heaven when one of those who are lost opens up his or her heart and finds the living Lord. You may have heard expressions about a party in heaven before, but Jesus tells us in no uncertain terms that this is precisely what happens. They shoot off fireworks, they ring bells, they swing from the chandeliers (I don’t know if they actually have chandeliers in heaven but it is a good image). It is a great celebration of unrestrained joy before God over a lost one that is returned. What an amazing revelation of the heart of God! God longs to see those who are lost recovered, whether they have wandered away, or whether they are lost right in their own home.
Peter tells us that the angels long to look into the matters of our salvation (1 Pet. 1:12). The angels know the joys of God’s glorious presence in heaven, where those rescued by the Good Shepherd will spend eternity. The things that make us happy and cause us to rejoice reflect our values or what is most important to us. Do we rejoice when our stocks go up and we make a huge profit? Do we rejoice when we make a new purchase? Do we rejoice when we see our name in print? Do we rejoice when we hear of someone who turns their heart to God, or do we say, “Oh, that’s nice.” God greatly rejoices when a sinner repents; so should we.
Jeff Frazier
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