Celestial Celebrations Series

Party time. Celebrating restoration of the wayward is a community function. Jesus applied the parable to heavenly attitudes and activity.

I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Heaven parties when lost sheep return to where they were called to be. Anytime we recognize that we have been going the wrong direction or thinking the wrong way and turn around and change our thinking, heaven parties. Who in heaven rejoices? The wording of the next parable provides additional insight. I think angels celebrate repentance, which is what I have always thought. But according to the second parable, the rejoicing take place “in the presence of the angels.” Perhaps this spontaneous outburst of rejoicing comes from those already in heaven awaiting the completion of God’s plan for His sheep. I can’t help but think that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit express their joy in the presence of the angels. God parties. Angels party. All those who have trusted Christ for salvation party. We also ought to celebrate here on earth what God celebrates in heaven.

The spontaneous rejoicing of the shepherd and his friends is in direct contrast to the “grumbling” of those self-righteous who had no concern for the lost. The sheep wandered off and got lost. The shepherd made it His priority to find the lost sheep and return it to the fold.

B. The Lost Coins

"Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? "When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!' "In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Luke 15:8-10

Again, Jesus draws the audience into the action or situation. Some of the same elements appear in the second parable.

The owner lost something considered important and valuable.

The owner searched for the lost item until she found it.

The owner invited others to share in the joy of finding what was lost.

In this case, the coin became lost during the chaos of everyday life. Some get lost in the hectic pace of life.

They get carried away by the crowd. They find themselves buried by life’s debris.

The first parable focused on the priority of the search in leaving the 99 sheep.

The second emphasized the passion of the search, the energy expended; the perseverance.

She lit a lamp, swept the house and searched carefully until she found it. This parable points to God’s passionate and persistent search for the lost. It is God’s heart to return the lost to Himself and the community. In both of these parables, the lost item was returned (repented) by the diligent effort of the owner making the search a priority and pursing it with passion. The repentance of one lost soul is again a great cause for celestial celebration. All of heaven rejoices. God longs for us to return to Him. He created us to live in unified community with Him and other followers of Christ.