What makes Heaven rejoice
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Intro
Intro
What is the number one reason to throw a party?
Birthdays and weddings
wedding in hebrew - simcha (joyus occassion)
last up to a week----rejoicing
I think we should do that for birthdays and weddings.
we would be broke
JOY and rejoicing…celebrating
What are we rejoicing in
Q. Why do people throw birthday parties. or wedding receptions
to celebrate someone
take Joy in celebrating the person for what has happened in their life.
Weddings bring us to rejoicing together
but what is it that makes God and His angels rejoice.?
B. open your bibles to Luke 15
Jesus details the reason for heavens party
It will either make you rejoice ---because of His love
or if you are self righteous--- it will make you mad
Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” So He spoke this parable to them, saying: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
God Pursues Sinners
God Pursues Sinners
Jesus is continuing to teach the large crowd
A. Pharisees complained about Jesus receiving sinners
Jesus drawing close to sinners
pharisees divided between- - - righteous vs unclean
we act like this sometimes--------people are different than us...
When a christian treats an unbeliever poorly, that unbeliever is going to walk away thinking…Why on earth would I follow Christ if that’s the way your treating me.
misrepresenting Christ
S.( skate park. ) ----
S. ( I was rough) ( I was like the tax collecter and sinner)
we dont want to Give the wrong image---dont wash your hands before getting in the shower. you come as you are.
B. Jesus loves sinners, spent time with them
Jesus replys to complaint with parable
100 Sheep - 1 gets lost
Shepard goes after it.
VALUBALE
world says your worthless
each one of you is valuable to God
Has great worth to Him.
Why are you so valuable?
created in His Image------
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
in His Image— spiritually—to reflect Him---(rule)dominion
love, righteousness, service, honesty , everything altogether good.
Then we were tainted with Sin.
God now pursues us to restore that image
B. This is God Pursuing lost sinners----the lost sheep
lost sheep is a lost sinner- not someone who falls away
Jesus eating with sinners-----is Him looking for the lost sheep
This is His pursuit.------- going after it
imagine a fugitive on the run--- robbed a bank-----detective is on pursuit -------imagine instead of throwing you in jail, He says I will pay for your crime …trust me and your forgiven
after your heart
for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Seek and save ---pursuit
mission
mission is you.
C. God has been pursuing you.
Think about your life
Q. How has God been pursuing you?
someone shares Jesus with you.
each time someone pours Christ into you life.
this very moment --
trials ---
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
God does great things through trials.
STORY- Jessica had trials --- friends knocked on her door--
God pursued her .
When she recieved Jesus as Lord and savior
all of heaven rejoiced.
D. Rejoicing When God finds what was lost
He finds lost sheep --- rejoicing—celebrates with friends
Party
Lets pick up in verse 8
“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
same message
value of the coin
your salvation makes heaven rejoice
your salvation makes heaven rejoice
FOCUS POINT - This is how heaven feels when a sinner repents to follow Jesus.
This is what happened when you believed the gospel
Explain Gospel
God came looking for you
because you are valubale to Him
and when you were found
all of heaven rejoiced
For as a young man marries a virgin, So shall your sons marry you; And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So shall your God rejoice over you.
this prophecy is about Israel
Gods people in Jerusalem becoming a lighthouse.
as a groom rejoices over His wife
God will rejoice over the salvation of Israel.
picture ==== church is called the bride of Christ
marriage supper of the lamb
supreme example of joyfully celebrating
Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”
Jewish weddings
engagment - dowry to brides parents
groom would parade to the brides house to get her
multiple day feast
Jesus paid the dowry on the cross
rapture
marriage supper of the lamb
All of heaven rejoices because because of your salvation
Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord God, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?
God takes pleasure in forgiving your sin
bringing you into eternity
to enjoy Him forever
Go find Gods lost sheep
Go find Gods lost sheep
A. Start with your heart before unbelievers.
God loves them
do you?
If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
B. Look for lost sheep not lost wolves
And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.
STORY- two uncles \ Joe-hates God, mike gordon...
uncle Matt — was recently baptized
C. Identify the lost sheep in your life
parents, friends, neighbors
may be christian by name only
draw close to them
share the love of Jesus and invite them to church
Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
The lost sheep is truly found when there is repentance and faith.
Outro
Outro
we see pharisees complaining about Jesus
Jesus heart ----to look for sick people
spends time with the lost
in this He is pursuing all of us
A. that we would be saved
B. that we would grow
When Salvation comes to your soul
all of heaven throws a party
Because you are valuable to the Lord
pleases Him to bless
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
Those people that look different than you need to be the ones you draw close to
our heart needs to Match Gods
we need to pursue the lost
and rejoice in their coming to Him
Our goal — to start a party in heaven
maybe we will today.
if your that lost sheep
you can be found by God today
lets pray