In the same way, I tell you, heaven is a happy place when one sinner decides to change. There is more joy for that one sinner than for 99 good people who don’t need to change.
Luke 15:7
We have looked this week at being special because of the special one we follow.
Today we conclude with a celebration because our special one is committed to us and therefore we should be committed to each other. Not only that but our special one celebrated the day we became His followers by throwing a party in heaven.
In Acts 2 we read that they were happy to share their food and ate with joyful hearts. The believers praised God and were respected by all the people. In other words, they celebrated with one another.
These believers who came to faith shared the same values. They were willing to be discipled in learning what God required from them by being taught the scriptures, but they had a value of fellowship and community spirit that existed to such an extent that many sold all they had to give to the community.
This fellowship was a happy fellowship, and not because everything was great. No!! Acts 4:29-30 says, They are trying to make us afraid. We are your servants. Help us to say what you want us to say without fear. Help us to be brave by showing us your power.
So even in today’s different times let us celebrate what God is doing.
In Acts 2:41, Luke records that the church grew by 3,000 people. In Acts 4:47, he stopped trying to count because the numbers got too high. Luke records even more numbers in Acts 5:14, Acts 6:1, Acts 6:7,Acts 9:31, Acts 11:21, Acts 14:1, Acts 14:21, Acts 16:5, Acts 17:12 and Acts 28:23. Luke is making the point that it is OK for the church to celebrate with numbers.
When your church has been averaging 30 people and you finally break 60, throw a party, celebrate, get pumped!!! Tell somebody about it. Don’t hold back what the Lord is doing in our church! Boast in Him and His work!! If one person comes to Christ, we should celebrate!!! Heaven does, why don’t we?
In the same way, I tell you, heaven is a happy place when one sinner decides to change. There is more joy for that one sinner than for 99 good people who don’t need to change.
Luke 15:7
One person in your church coming to Christ is way more important than any awards shown on television or any goal scored in any football game ever played. And yet, we allow the world to outshine us in the way they celebrate the temporary while we sit around and worry about how others may perceive the celebration.
Celebrate! It’s OK! Jesus celebrated, Christ had commanded them to celebrate communion. The church in Acts celebrated (and counted) and we should, too.
One day we are going to be doing this:-
They all wore white robes and had palm branches in their hands. They shouted loudly, “Victory belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
Revelation 7:9-10
Conclusion
As we end the week let us make an effort to love our church, not the building, but the people, because:-
- We are called out ones – to make God real, to the whole world.
- We are committed to each other and are happy.
- We are celebrating what God is doing.