Joy In Heaven
Introduction
Luke 15:7: “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance" (Luke 15:7)
Just think of it! There is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents and becomes a Christian. It needs only one sinner to be saved to cause all heaven to rejoice. There are several hundred people here in this congregation, but if just one person now present in this church comes to the Savior and trusts Him for salvation this will bring immense joy in heaven. Perhaps you are that one who needs to repent, who needs to turn to Christ, who will in fact this night be saved and bring joy in the presence of the angels of God.
These words of our Lord were spoken against the background of His parable of the lost sheep. You will recall the story that He told - "What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which was lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it upon his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost." Then our Lord went on to say: "I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth..."
I want you to notice the tremendous authority of these words: "Likewise, I say unto you..." What did Jesus say? It seems to me that He said several very important things about heaven and joy in heaven.
I. Heaven Is A Real Place
Jesus said, "I say unto you...joy shall be in heaven", so quite obviously heaven is a place; it has location. On another occasion Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go...I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" - so it is true to say that just as Bournemouth is a place, or London is a place, or New York is a place, so heaven is a place, and I feel very glad about this. I am certainly glad that this life is not all that we have to look forward to! - this life, with all its tears, toil, suffering, sorrow and sin. The Lord Jesus came to open the kingdom of heaven to all who would repent and believe, and He made salvation possible by His death upon Calvary's cross and available when He rose again and afterwards poured out the Holy Spirit. He is in heaven now, the Man Christ Jesus, my Saviour, exalted at the right hand of the majesty on high, and "He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him." Always remember that heaven is a real place and Jesus is there now, in heaven.
II. Heaven Is The Home Of The Saved
This is clearly implied in the words of our Lord, for He said that when one sinner repents, at once that sinner now saved by grace has a heavenly home, and when death comes, at once that sinner goes to heaven. There is no suggestion that at death there is purgatory. There is only one purgatory mentioned in the New Testament and this is always mentioned in the past tense, for it has reference to the time when upon the cross Jesus died to purge away our sins, and to make it possible for us to be cleansed, forgiven and accepted by a holy God. Heaven is the home of the saved only, those who have repented and put their trust in the Saviour; there are no unsaved sinners in heaven. People talk sometimes as though this will be so. But heaven would not be heaven to an unconverted person, for anyone who is not a Christian has not the capacity to enjoy the things of God or the place that the Lord has gone to prepare for His people.
The "ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance" are those who think that they are just, good enough, righteous and have no need of repentance. The Lord cannot accept them, and heaven will not accept them. Heaven is the home of the saved; it is the home of those who have recognized and confessed their sinful and lost condition, and who have repented and put their full trust in the Saviour for time and for eternity. Have you done this?
III. Heaven Is Filled With Joy when One Sinner Is Saved
There is joy in heaven when one sinner is saved. Only one! And, as I said before, that one, so far as this present opportunity is concerned, could be you! Just think how wonderful that would be.
Why is there such joy in heaven over the repentance of one sinner? There are many answers to this question for there are many reasons why the salvation of one sinner causes much joy in heaven. Let me give you just one reason that seems to stand out above the others. Surely it is because the sinner who has repented and trusted the Savior is now out of danger. He is no longer lost like the sheep, wandering on the mountainside, he is no longer away from the Lord and out of the fold, he is no longer under condemnation, he is no longer under God's wrath and he is no longer bound for hell and for a Christ-less eternity. On the contrary, he is now saved and bound for heaven, and Jesus said that all heaven rejoices when a sinner turns round and begins to walk towards his heavenly home. It is when one sinner comes out of the place of danger and into the place of safety that joy is experienced in heaven.
All in heaven rejoice when one sinner is saved. Who exactly experience this joy? Think about it for a moment. It would seem certain to say that when a sinner is saved:
1. God the Father rejoices
He gave His Son to die for this very purpose, that men and women who are bound for hell might find entrance into heaven. Do you not think that there is a very real sense in which, when a sinner returns, God the Father says, 'It has all been so worthwhile! It was a great sacrifice and a great cost to Me that I gave My Son; but look what is happening. A sinner is returning to the fold!' But:
2. The Savior Himself rejoices
The Savior Himself also rejoices when a sinner is saved. In Isaiah 53:11 we have the great prophetic word, "He shall see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied." Surely the Lord Jesus feels that Calvary was worthwhile when He sees one sinner being washed in His blood and received into His presence. What joy this gives Him! And also, when a sinner is saved:
3. The angels rejoice
So you see the angels are real - they are not fairies, as we have sometimes thought; they are the special servants of God, who dwell in His presence and who are ready to do His bidding, and when God the Father rejoices because a sinner is saved, and when God the Son rejoices, the angels capture the same joy and share in the same joy. But also, when a sinner is saved:
4. Loved ones and friends rejoice
It is difficult for us to know, in fact we do not know, how much those in heaven know of all that is going on down here on earth. We need to be cautious and to avoid speculation when we think of this. It would seem that they do not know of our sorrows or our trials, or, if they do have knowledge of these, they see them from God's viewpoint. They also know when the prayers they offered through many years have been answered and loved ones and friends come to the Savio
r and trust Him. Yes, loved ones and friends in heaven rejoice. What else did Jesus say?
5. Heaven's joy comes down to earth when a sinner is saved
Of course this must be so. There is the joy of the saved one, for is there any joy like the joy that we experience when we first come to Christ and put our trust in Him? So it is true to say that there is joy in heaven "over one sinner that repenteth," but there is joy also in the heart of the sinner who has repented.
IV. Heaven's Joy Is Available To You Now
Maybe you still need to know that joy. If so, at this very moment you can be that one sinner who experiences this joy and who, by your repentance and faith in the Saviour, will bring joy in heaven to God the Father, to the Saviour, to the angels and to that great multitude who have been redeemed by His precious blood and who are already at home with the Lord.
There were ninety and nine that safely lay
In the shelter of the fold;
But one was out on the hills away,
Far off from the gates of gold;
Away on the mountains wild and bare,
Away from the tender Shepherd's care.
'Lord, thou hast in fold thy ninety and nine;
Are they not enough for thee?'
But the Shepherd made answer,
'This of Mine hath wander'd away from Me;
And although the road be rough and steep,
I go to the desert to find My sheep.'
But none of the ransomed ever knew
How deep were the waters crossed,
Nor how dark was the night which the Lord passed through
Ere He found His sheep that was lost;
Out in the bleak desert He heard its cry,
All bleeding, and helpless, and ready to die.
'Lord, whence are those blood-drops all the way
That mark out the mountain's track?
They were shed for one who had gone astray,
Ere the Shepherd could bring him back.
Lord, whence are thy hands so rent and torn?
They're pierced tonight by many a thorn.'
And all through the mountains, thunder-riven,
And up from the rocky steep,
There arose a cry to the gate of heaven,
'Rejoice, I have found my sheep!'
And the angels echoed around the throne,
'Rejoice! for the Lord brings back His own.' (E. C. Clephane)