Luke 15:2-10
2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, This man receives sinners and eats with them. 3 So he told them this parable: 4 What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And 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 that was lost. 7 Just so, I tell you, 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, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost. 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
As broken, sinful people, it is easy to feel shame and reluctance to come before God. We fear the disapproval that the Pharisees had toward the "sinners" that Jesus welcomed (verse 2). Jesus uses the parables of the lost sheep and lost coins to show that God and the angels rejoice when sinners turn back to God: "there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents" (verse 10). So when we turn from sexual sin, there is rejoicing in heaven! How does that make you feel? A little embarrassed maybe? Skeptical perhaps that anyone would care? It may seem unlikely that God would care, but He does, and that should encourage us to take a step toward God.
Heavenly Father, thank you for seeking me out.
2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, This man receives sinners and eats with them. 3 So he told them this parable: 4 What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And 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 that was lost. 7 Just so, I tell you, 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, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost. 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
As broken, sinful people, it is easy to feel shame and reluctance to come before God. We fear the disapproval that the Pharisees had toward the "sinners" that Jesus welcomed (verse 2). Jesus uses the parables of the lost sheep and lost coins to show that God and the angels rejoice when sinners turn back to God: "there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents" (verse 10). So when we turn from sexual sin, there is rejoicing in heaven! How does that make you feel? A little embarrassed maybe? Skeptical perhaps that anyone would care? It may seem unlikely that God would care, but He does, and that should encourage us to take a step toward God.
Heavenly Father, thank you for seeking me out.