What Causes Joy in Heaven? - Luke 15

In Luke 15 Jesus tells parables that are similar in nature.  Though they are all slightly different, they have several principles in common.  As we look at these principles, we can learn more about God's nature, specifically as it relates to lost things being found.  Here is the first parable, you can read the rest of chapter 15 to get the other two parables.  


The Parable of the Lost Sheep

15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 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.

If you are a parent there has probably been a time when you have lost your son or daughter.  If you haven't, it is a horrible feeling.  Your whole world stops and you turn all of your attention and energy to finding them.  

Luke uses three parables about: a lost sheep, a lost coin and a lost son. Then he shows how the owner's world stopped, and they turned all of their attention and energy to finding what was lost.  Here are the common themes in all three stories. 

1. First of all something of value is lost.  A sheep, which represented the shepherd's livelihood.  A coin of great value to the women.  And a man's youngest son. While we might put a relative value on each one,in each case they are of great value to the owner.  

2. The owner makes an all-out search to find what was lost.  The shepherd leaves the ninety nine sheep to find the one who was lost.  The woman lights a lamp and sweeps the whole house to find the lost coin.  The Father scans the whole horizon waiting for his son to come home. When he finally sees him a long way out, he sprints to embrace him.  

3. All heaven rejoices when something lost is found.  In the first two parables Jesus equate what was lost being found to a sinner repents which causes all heaven to rejoice.  In the parable of the prodigal son, the father, who represents God in the story, throws a huge party when his son who was lost comes to his senses.  

So what do these stories teach us about God?  Lost people matter to God.  While God loves all of his children equally, he is particularly concerned about the ones who are lost.  God considers every person as valuable.  There is no one who is unworthy of His deep love and concern.  The prodigal son story teaches us that God allows us to turn away from him. But, He waits on us to turn and come back home to Him.

So the question of the day is, "If God cares so much about lost people, do we?"  Do we focus on people's sin, or their inestimable value to God.  Someone has said the church should be more of a "hospital for sinners than a museum for saints".  If churches really care about what God cares about, what will we do to reach lost people.  Do we focus on the ninety nine who are already members of our church? Do we conduct an all-out search to find the one who is lost? Do we want to cause heaven joy, let's go find what is lost?