UNDERSTANDING THE JOY AND SORROW OF HEAVEN

Shalom, and welcome again to this sacred moment of reflection on the Word of our Lord Jesus Christ. Scripture tells us that many prophets and wise men, longing to see the fulfillment of God’s promises, desired to hear and experience what we now have in the Gospel. Yet, they were not granted this privilege. As it is written in 1 Peter 1:10-12 (NIV):

“Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.”

But by God’s grace, you and I are now recipients of the grace of hearing and understanding the Gospel message. This is a treasure of unspeakable worth and an immense privilege. What joy we should feel for this gift!

Jesus, who created the world by His Word (see John 1:1-3, NIV), now draws near to us through His Word to teach and transform us. How could we, as His followers, neglect to meditate on this living Word that holds eternal life? As

Psalm119:105 reminds us, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” With His help, we will continue to treasure and ponder His Word daily.

Let us now reflect once again on a parable shared by Jesus that captures the heart of God’s grace: the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin. These are found in Luke 15:3-10 (NIV):

Luke 15:3-7 (The Parable of the Lost Sheep):
“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.’”

Luke 15:8-10 (The Parable of the Lost Coin):

“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.”

In these parables, the joy does not come from acquiring something new, but from recovering something that was once lost. The shepherd does not find a new sheep, nor does the woman gain a new coin. Instead, they rejoice because what was valuable and lost is now found and restored to its rightful place.

This is the kind of joy that the Lord describes in Luke 15:7 and Luke 15:10 a joy that arises not from the accumulation of new things but from the restoration of that which was precious and lost. Heaven rejoices over one sinner who repents and this joy is not just a human joy but one that is shared by the angels themselves.

This spiritual truth teaches us that God’s joy is not based on novelty or the acquisition of something new, but on the restoration and reconciliation of lost souls to Himself. This is the essence of the Gospel: God seeks and saves the lost (Luke 19:10, NIV). Just as the shepherd goes after the lost sheep and the woman searches for the lost coin, so too does God pursue each person with relentless love.

In theological terms, this joy is rooted in the doctrine of redemption. The Bible teaches that humanity was lost due to sin, separated from God and destined for eternal separation. But through Christ’s death and resurrection, God offers restoration. The atonement of Christ is what makes this reconciliation possible, as

Romans 5:8 (NIV) says:”But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

The joy of heaven is the direct result of the atoning work of Christ, and it finds its full expression when one sinner repents and turns back to God.

A Personal Reflection:

Consider a scenario from everyday life to understand this spiritual reality more fully. Imagine you lose your phone, something valuable to you. You feel upset, perhaps even angry. Then, a week later, you receive a call from the police your phone has been recovered. The joy you feel is not because it’s a new phone, but because it is your phone, the one that was once lost. In this small but personal experience, you can begin to understand the joy of the angels when one soul returns to God.

It’s the same with God’s joy. He rejoices over the restoration of a lost soul, not because something new has been gained, but because His creation, made in His image, has returned to Him.

2 Corinthians 5:18 (NIV) says, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”

This is the heart of the Gospel reconciliation.

The Eternal Sorrow and Joy in Heaven:

For those who have strayed from God, Heaven watches with great sorrow. As

Ezekiel 18:32 (NIV) warns, “For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!”

But when someone turns back, repenting of their sin and trusting in Christ, there is unparalleled joy not just in the hearts of the redeemed, but in the hearts of the angels and the very presence of God Himself.

Jesus does not desire that anyone should perish.

2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

Luke 15:10 shows that when a sinner repents, “there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God.”

This signifies not only God’s personal joy but also the communal joy of the heavenly host. The heavenly joy over one sinner’s repentance is not casual; it’s a deep, celebratory, communal experience in heaven.

A Call to Repentance:

If you are reading this and you realize that you, like the lost sheep or the lost coin, have wandered away from God whether you have fallen into sin or drifted from Him there is good news for you todays.

1 John 1:9 (NIV) assures us:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

This is the grace extended to all who repent and return to Him.

The time is short. Life is fragile.

James 4:14 (NIV) says, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

Eternity is forever, and today is the day to make things right with God.

If you have walked away from God, know that He is waiting for you to return. As the prodigal son was welcomed back with open arms, so too does God welcome you.