There will be rejoicing in heaven...

Luke 15 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. ² Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

³ So He told them this parable, saying, ⁴ “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? ⁵ When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶ And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ ⁷ 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.

⁸ “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? ⁹ 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!’ ¹⁰ In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

¹¹ And He said, “A man had two sons. ¹² The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them. ¹³ And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. ¹⁴ Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. ¹⁶ And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. ¹⁷ But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! ¹⁸ I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.”’ ²⁰ So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. ²¹ And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²² But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; ²³ and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; ²⁴ for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.

²⁵ “Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be. ²⁷ And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ ²⁸ But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him. ²⁹ But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; ³⁰ but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ ³¹ And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’”

Today’s text begins saying:  Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”    Many people today point to this and similar scriptures regarding Jesus association with outcasts and sinners in an effort to say that Jesus, if He were here today, would prefer the company of the world more than the company of the church. Look though at the parables Jesus tells:      “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 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. 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.”    There is no rejoicing in heaven with sin or for sin. It is the repentance of that one sinner which brings rejoicing in heaven. On another occasion, when Jesus was questioned about His association with sinners, He replied saying:  “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:31-32)   Jesus didn’t associate with sinners because He preferred their company or to participate in their sin. That there would be repentance from sin was the reason Jesus associated with outcasts and sinners. To call sinners to repent, to believe in Him, is still Jesus highest priority today. One day He will return and establish His eternal kingdom, where there will be no sin. Until He comes we are to share the gospel of the kingdom with the world. The reason Jesus has not yet returned is not that He is tolerant of sin. It is not that He prefers to abide with sinners. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us the reason Jesus has not yet returned:    The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

The idea of true repentance has become lost on our society today. Because of the self centered attitude promoted in the world, most people are sorry only for the consequences of their sin.   Repentance has nothing to do with the consequences of our sin. Repentance is more than being sorry because of what has happened. Repentance is being sorry about sin. In Psalm 51, the psalmist helps us to understand sorrow for sin. In verses 3-4 of his prayer of repentance he says:  I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight.    The true sorrow for sin, which brings about true repentance from sin, comes from knowing and acknowledging that sin is against God. It is not enough to be sorry for the circumstance caused by sin. Repentance means changing not only the things we do, but the way we think. Jesus says:  “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment.” (Matthew 22:37-38)    To repent of sin is to be sorry that we have hurt the one we love with all our heart, soul and mind. It is sorrow for the broken relationship with God, not for the situation or circumstance we are in.

Look at the picture of true repentance in the final parable Jesus tells:   “A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them. And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.”’ So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.”    The father was compassionate. He ran and embraced the wayward son. The son did not take advantage of the father’s compassion. He was truly sorry, he truly repented. Even though the father received him, he said: Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’    Many times people are sorry for their circumstances and their situation. They come to God to seek a change in their situation without truly having a change of heart.

If we would see rejoicing in heaven, if we would truly want to know the fellowship of Christ, there must be repentance. There must be sorrow for sin, not sorrow for circumstance.

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit; I am truly sorry for the things I have done against You. By Your grace, because of Your love I am forgiven. I choose to walk in Your forgiveness, having repented I am redeemed. I will rejoice with You and all of heaven, when anyone who was lost is found, when anyone repents and is saved.   Amen.