When Sinners Repent!

There is Joy!

Let the Angels Rejoice!Lk 15:7 "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.”

Lk 15:10 "Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the

presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

How many of us enjoy going to birthday parties?

○It is joyful to share in the joy of others!○The smile, laughter, and joy of a

child is contagious!○Act 20:35 “I have shown you in

every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

I would imagine this is the kind of response the angels have but 100x over!

○We are told many times in the Bible that we should “rejoice!”○Mt 5:12 "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for

great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

○Php 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!”

○Rejoice from chairo = a primary verb meaning to be cheerful; well-off (cf. 2 Jn. 1:10-11 “Godspeed/greets”

I. The Reason!○In Luke 15 we find three things that are lost

and the end result of each of them being found is “rejoicing!”○The Lost Sheep! (Lk. 15:4-7)○The Lost Silver! (Lk. 15:8-10)○The Lost Son! (Lk. 15:11-32)○The reason is the same in all three of

these!○That which is lost brings sadness, that

which is found being gladness!

The reality is that all men are lost without the Savior! (Cf. Lk. 15:7)

○Rom 3:10-12 As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one."

○Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

○Act 4:12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

The “Good News” is that Jesus came to save us!

Lk. 19:10 "for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

○It is God’s desire that “all men/mankind” repents and comes to Him!○2 Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His

promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

○1 Tim 2:4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

II. The Restriction!○What we mean by the “restriction” is what does

it really mean to repent?○If each of us went around this week and started

asking people this question, what answers would we receive?

○I am certain that not everyone would agree and many would have a hard time trying to explain repentance to us!

○Some say it means you are sorry, others you are sorry & will stop, still others you are sorry, will stop and start doing what is right!

The Bible places a three-fold restriction on what true repentance is!

It is a three step process from start to finish!○First one must show sorrow!

○2 Cor. 7:10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

○Second one must stop sinning!○Joh 8:11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus

said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."

Third one must start service!Act. 26:20 "but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should

repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.”

○This process is often simplified by stating that repentance is a U-turn!

○We turn away from sin!○We turn towards God!○Remember the parable of “return of the

unclean spirit?” (Mt. 12:43-45)

III. The Reward!○Do we realize that God wants to reward all

of us?○Mt 7:11 "If you then, being evil, know how

to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”

○Even though we have all turned on Him, He was done everything heavenly possible to make a way for us!

Let’s return to the birthday party from earlier, and the joy in the presents!

○Now, just imagine the joy the angels must have when we turn to God and are given “all spiritual blessing!” (Eph. 1:3)

○I am convinced it is unimaginable to even begin to understand how great it is going to be with God in Heaven!

○After being taken up into Heaven (2 Cor. 12:2) Paul 20 years later writes!

○Php 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Conclusion:○I hope & pray that we have seen tonight why

it is so good to be a Christian!○We have been given all spiritual blessing in

Jesus!○May each of us keep in mind the value of a

soul (priceless! Mt. 16:26) and understand why there is joy in Heaven over even one sinner that repents!

○Have you come to let the angel rejoice over you, have you been forgiven?