recovery & joy

Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.

Luke 15:6b

God’s joy at the saving of sinners is the theme of the parables Jesus tells in Luke 15. Using three stories to make His point, Jesus emphasizes how God wants to seek the lost, restore the lost, and most importantly, rejoice wildly in their recovery. It is clear that God delights in restoration. This enthusiasm for the lost is why Jesus came to earth to save us.

The first story of the lost sheep emphasizes the lengths that the Lord goes to, leaving all others, in pursuit of the lost one. The celestial rejoicing in heaven over even one repentant sinner is wildly infectious, louder than a last second Super Bowl winning score! Luke 15:7

The second story of the lost coin emphasizes the earnest nature of God’s love for sinners. He leaves no stone unturned, no corner unswept in recovering them. Nobody is worthless. No person is insignificant. No life is too small. And again, a party erupts in the context of their restoration.

The third and most personal of the stories is that of the lost son. It emphasizes the depth of emotion and relationship the Father feels for the lost, a pinnacle of wild celebration when the prodigal humbly begs to be home again. God throws the biggest parties out of love for each of us, no matter how selfish and inconsiderate we may have once been. Even when others don’t get why we deserve His grace, He pours it all on us because in Him we are home! There is no greater joy for God than when His lost ones, now sons and daughters, are home in Him.