Heaven’s Joy
Tony Nester
Luke 15:1-10
Whenever we read the 15th Chapter of Luke’s Gospel, we’re reminded of how bothered we are when we lose things. I once read a newspaper story about the world renown cellist, Yo-Yo Ma. He left his 2.5-million-dollar Stradivarius in a New York City taxi. Fortunately for him, the NYPD recovered it for him. I’ve lost nothing that expensive, but I’ve retraced my steps many times trying to find a missing key, and sometimes my cell phone.
Of course, the most important thing we can lose are people. I can still remember the shot of terror I felt when my wife and I lost sight of our young daughter in a crowd while vacationing on the boardwalk in Atlantic City, NJ - and how relieved and happy we were when we found her.
In Luke, Chapter 15, there are three of Jesus’ parables about things gone missing: a lost lamb, and the shepherd who rescues him; a lost coin and the woman who searches her house until she finds it; and the lost son who is redeemed by his waiting and welcoming father.
There’s a lot of joy in all three stories, and that’s what I want to put you in touch with this morning: JOY! - the joy of finding what’s been lost, and the joy of being found.
If there’s one thing that every church needs, it’s joy, rejoicing, and celebration! Duty and obligation are important, work and endurance are needed, to be sure. But as Nehemiah told his people when they faced the enormous task of rebuilding the broken-down walls of Jerusalem: ’’The joy of the LORD is your strength!’’ (Nehemiah 8:10).
We can’t be Jesus’ church without Jesus’ joy. ’’I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.’’ John 15:11
Joy runs through all three parables. Be happy with me,’’ says the shepherd to his friends when he returns with the lost sheep over his shoulders. ’’Rejoice with me,’’ says the woman to her neighbors as she shows them the silver coin she had found. Welcoming home his lost son, ...
Tony Nester
Luke 15:1-10
Whenever we read the 15th Chapter of Luke’s Gospel, we’re reminded of how bothered we are when we lose things. I once read a newspaper story about the world renown cellist, Yo-Yo Ma. He left his 2.5-million-dollar Stradivarius in a New York City taxi. Fortunately for him, the NYPD recovered it for him. I’ve lost nothing that expensive, but I’ve retraced my steps many times trying to find a missing key, and sometimes my cell phone.
Of course, the most important thing we can lose are people. I can still remember the shot of terror I felt when my wife and I lost sight of our young daughter in a crowd while vacationing on the boardwalk in Atlantic City, NJ - and how relieved and happy we were when we found her.
In Luke, Chapter 15, there are three of Jesus’ parables about things gone missing: a lost lamb, and the shepherd who rescues him; a lost coin and the woman who searches her house until she finds it; and the lost son who is redeemed by his waiting and welcoming father.
There’s a lot of joy in all three stories, and that’s what I want to put you in touch with this morning: JOY! - the joy of finding what’s been lost, and the joy of being found.
If there’s one thing that every church needs, it’s joy, rejoicing, and celebration! Duty and obligation are important, work and endurance are needed, to be sure. But as Nehemiah told his people when they faced the enormous task of rebuilding the broken-down walls of Jerusalem: ’’The joy of the LORD is your strength!’’ (Nehemiah 8:10).
We can’t be Jesus’ church without Jesus’ joy. ’’I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.’’ John 15:11
Joy runs through all three parables. Be happy with me,’’ says the shepherd to his friends when he returns with the lost sheep over his shoulders. ’’Rejoice with me,’’ says the woman to her neighbors as she shows them the silver coin she had found. Welcoming home his lost son, ...
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