The Joy of Salvation

“Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”  Luke 15:10

Jesus always attracted crowds.  Many of those who came to hear Him were the common, ordinary folks, not in the sense that they were considered a lower class of people by Jesus, but in relation to the self-righteous Pharisees, scribes, and elders, who thought they were above everyone else.  I had rather be around ordinary, down-to-earth folks than people who are full of themselves.  Monica La Rose wrote in the “Our Daily Bread” devotional that “those who know they’re sinners are most likely to hear and follow Jesus.”  I doubt that the “elite” realize how boring or lost they are.  Anyway, the ordinary folks were not the only ones interested in Jesus.  The afore-mentioned religious leaders, as bad as they hated Jesus, couldn’t resist being wherever He was speaking, but they were not all that interested in what He had to say unless they could find Him teaching something that violated the law.  Their lives were spent around trapping Jesus.  There were certainly better things that they could have concentrated on, but then scripture had to be fulfilled.

This particular day, Jesus was speaking to the crowds, and the Pharisees and scribes were there, murmuring as usual, and saying, “This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them”.  I hate to inform them that every time they sat down to eat with each other, they, too, were eating with sinners because there is only One who is sinless.  OK, time for a parable.  Jesus asked them what man who lost one of his 100 sheep would leave the 99 and search the wilderness for that one lost sheep until he found it?  Then, when he found it, he would go home and call everyone together to rejoice with him.  There might be some who would say, “It’s only one sheep.  What’s the big deal?”  I think one would have to be a shepherd to understand.  Jesus’ point was that there will be joy in heaven over one sinner who repents more than over 99 who have already been forgiven of sin.

Jesus told another parable about a woman who had ten pieces of silver but lost one.  She would spend whatever time was necessary to find that one lost coin.  Then, upon finding it, she, too, would call her friends in to rejoice with her.  I recently wrote about the time that I lost my wedding ring and searched diligently for it for several weeks, but finally assumed that it was gone for good.  Six months after I lost it, I found it when I wasn’t even looking for it.  I must say that I was very joyful in finding it.  I called some people and sent out an email to let folks know that I had found that which is precious to me.

We all have possessions that are important, special, and endearing to us, not in a way that would suggest that we only care about that object, but something that has meaning to us because of what it signifies, for example, another person, special event, etc.  At the end of life, all we really have are our memories, assuming that we are still capable of remembering them.  Those things that represent those memories we will leave behind for someone else of whom those things don’t have the significance that they did for us.

There is one possession, though, that believers will never have to give up, and that is our relationship with Christ, the greatest of all possessions.  After Jesus told His two parables, He said that “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”  In my mind’s eye, I can picture the many angels in heaven who pay attention to what goes on in the world.  I Peter 1:12 tells us that angels are interested in what goes on with humans on the earth.  Let’s say that there is a man who has been under conviction by the Holy Spirit for his sins, and he finally goes down to his knees, repents of his sins, and trusts in Jesus Christ to save him and come to live within him.  The angels, who have been watching this man’s life and witness his born-again experience, are having a party.  They are so excited that another person has been born into God’s family.  I am reminded of years ago at the church I belonged to for many years, whenever someone was born again at the invitation to receive Christ in the service, the pastor would have us all to sing the old gospel song, “It is Truly Wonderful What the Lord Has Done”.  We rejoiced that another person had received Christ and would be counted among those saved for eternity.  There is nothing like being saved.