I've Got A Reason to Rejoice!

Passage: Luke 15:32

Main Idea: When we are aware of how good a Father God is, we celebrate!

Message Goal: Rejoice and have joy over your own salvation and the salvation of others.

Introduction: The Dichotomy of the Sinner and the Righteous

The critical part of Luke 15 is the found in the first two verses of the chapter. The beautiful thing about this text is that it demonstrates the behavior of Jesus towards those who are considered sinners and troublemakers. Jesus thinks of these individuals as lost sheep. He recognizes the need to shepherd those individuals, because they have not been considered a part of the flock of God.

Another indication of how Jesus behaved with these individuals is the use of the word received or welcomed. The term welcome demonstrates that Jesus did not simply tolerate these individuals. Rather, he warmly accepted them. The question we should ask is — what was so desirable about them? If they were sinners and trouble makers, why did Jesus receive and welcome them?

Everyone, if given the opportunity, could make a decision to repent.

If we are lost, we can never repent until we are found and brought back for an opportunity to repent.

In this chapter there afe three parables. These parables all connect to one another and seek relay the same point, though the last is far more illustrative. In the first two parables, two things are loss— a sheep and a coin. The reference to loss represents that which is destroyed. In both cases the owner of the things that are loss obtains the ultimate responsibility of bringing them back to a place of belonging.

Right here— we should take a moment to realize that nome of us could have ever made it this far if Jesus had not come and brought us out of places and we never belonged into a place we don’t deserve.

Tim Keller in his book Prodigal God argues that God is reckless with His love in a way that doesn’t make sense. He is embarrassingly loving until some way think it is indecent. Yet, God is this way because this is what we need to make a decision to repent.

Nevertheless, The natural response to such an abundance of love is rejoicing and joy. In both parables, Jesus demonstrates that the response to finding something that was destined for destruction is celebration. In fact, the shepherd that lost the sheep and the woman that lost a coin calls her friends and family in to celebrate because they have reclaimed something that was destined for destruction. Jesus makes the connection here and proclaims that heaven does the same thing when a sinner repents. The heavenly host joins in celebration over the one who has been found and has made the decision to turn back from what caused them to be loss.

Why is there such a celebration over finding something that which was loss?Jesus is saying that whatever is loss is too valuable to be destroyed. Notice in both parables there are 99 of what has been loss. Rather than the shepherd or the woman counting it a wash, they both leave the 99 to find the one that is a destined for destruction.

The word is declaring to us that the Father has already made an appraisal of our worth and the decision is that we are too valusble to be destroyed. Therefore, He has sent a search committee out to find us so we might be given an opportunity to repent. God has already determined our value and has concluded that we are worth saving!

So our natural response to these things must be to celebrate!

Sermon Points: No Joy and No Celebration

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 2814 Joy: Beneficial in Every Way

Scientists have been studying the effect of laughter on human beings and have found, among other things, that laughter has a profound and instantaneous effect on virtually every important organ in the human body. Laughter reduces health-sapping tensions and relaxes the tissues as well as exercising the most vital organs. It is said that laughter, even when forced, results in beneficial effect on us, both mentally and physically. Next time you feel nervous and jittery, indulge in a good laugh.

Something as powerful as laughing is so hard to do in a world so dark.

What will make us laugh in a world so filled with sorrow?

Pandemic

Economic difficulty

Social and political unrest

Mental health challenges

I often observe the students at my college and am immediately filled with concern. For, they are so burdened by the trials of life that have taken away their laughter. Have you ever been in a place where you just couldn’t find a way to laugh with all that was going on? Why is it so hard to laugh and have joy?

The younger is living in the shadows of his brother.

Famines don’t occur during times of plenty, but when we’ve wasted all we have.

The obsession with temporal pleasure without any real experience with such a fantasy.

The interesting thing about the third parable is it’s insistence to celebrate and rejoice even with the anger and disregard of the older son. The point of the parable is to demonstrate how happy and joyful everyone is towards one son returning to life.

Conclusion: One Reason To Rejoice

Coming to our senses.

The opportunity to repent.

A loving Father.

Finding and resurrection.

The major reason why we celebrate is because we have been found and brought back to life.

Invitation: Connect or reconnect.

Have we walked away from God? The question is not whether we have stopped coming to church, giving our tithes, singing our songs or doing the same old things. The question is have we disconnected from God?

Many people are not living a life of repentance. We have become numb and callous. There’s no sense of urgency or concern. Salvation is an assumption rather than a reality. It’s time to make bold decision for Christ so we can live a life of celebration and joy.