“One Sinner Who Repents”

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Luke 15:1-10

Many of our lives change after we graduate from college. Some of the changes are good, others not so good. We travel, we make new friends, and Jesus drops out of our lives. At some point we realize that we really do need Jesus to make our lives right again. We apologize to people we have hurt.

When we accept God’s gift of salvation, there is rejoicing both on earth and in heaven. How wonderful that Jesus has reached down to us and heaven rejoices when we respond.

Angels rejoice when we repent.

Our Daily Bread – March 19, 2014