When Does Jesus Rejoice Over You?

17th Sunday after Pentecost, 10/6/19
Luke 15:1-10


When Does Jesus Rejoice Over You?
I. Not when you think you’re fine without him
II. But when you realize how much you need him


Have you ever noticed how dependency in a relationship can be a source of joy as well as frustration? For instance, a young mother in a quiet moment with her infant child is impressed with the fact that this little bundle of joy in her arms is completely dependent on her for life. It’s an amazing responsibility, one which gives her amazing joy. But as that child gets older and becomes more and more capable of doing little things for himself, that same mother can become frustrated by having to help her child do things he should be doing on his own. Dependency in a relationship can be a source of joy as well as frustration.

Turning that 180 degrees, independence in a relationship can also be a source of joy as well as frustration. A wife rejoices over the fact that her husband displays initiative, personal drive, accountability and responsibility. It’s wonderful that she doesn’t have to remind him to do things all the time as if he were one of her children. On the other hand, if he begins to live his life completely independent of his wife, she wonders where she fits in his world. What happened to needing each other in their relationship? Independence in a relationship can be a source of joy as well as frustration.

In this morning’s sermon text from Luke 15 Jesus faced both. On the one hand he had people who realized how dependent they were on him for help. On the other hand, another group of people felt no need for help from Jesus at all. That led Jesus to speak two parables, and each one concludes with rejoicing.

As people who have a relationship with Jesus by faith in him, we naturally want our Lord to rejoice over us. But the question is, what causes Jesus to do just that? Let’s make that a little more personal. When does Jesus rejoice over you? Let’s look for the answer as we ponder these words of our Lord.

Part I.

By its very formation and definition, a group of people is known for something. A specific activity is an integral component of their reason for being. For instance, when I mention SICSA, you know that group advocates for the humane treatment of animals. The World Wildlife Fund supports just what its name states—the preservation of wildlife. The members of the NRA support gun rights. The Autism Society helps parents and children deal with autism. The activity of these groups is almost always limited to their reason for existing.

So, when I mention the group name “Pharisees,” what comes to mind? Even if you’ve never read the Bible from cover to cover, you know the answer to that question. You’re familiar with the Pharisees because they were the sworn enemies of our Savior, Jesus Christ. And they were known for several things, just as groups always are.

First, they were sinfully proud. Pride can be a good thing, when it humbly recognizes who you are in Christ and it seeks to honor God with your life. But that’s not the pride that consumed the hearts of the Pharisees. Their pride stemmed solely from themselves. They attempted to make God appreciate how righteous they had made themselves to be. They demanded that others look up to them as pillars of Jewish piety and all that was good. But the truth was that their attitude utterly offended the holy God.

That pride led them to be judgmental towards others, and we hear of it in this text. “Now the tax collectors and ‘sinners’ were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.’” Can you picture it? They muttered to one another, speaking in hushed tones so that Jesus couldn’t hear them, covering their mouths so that Jesus couldn’t read their lips. But they failed to hide the obvious. As a group, they looked down on others who weren’t as “righteous” as they were. They prided themselves on observing all the commands that God had given the Jews—commands about what to eat, what days and festivals to observe, and how much to give to the Lord. And if you didn’t measure up, they had no use for you.

But the greatest sin of the Pharisees was their self-righteousness. In another one of his parables, Jesus talks about a Pharisee standing before God without uttering a single word of repentance. That’s because the Pharisees were under the delusion that they never sinned. If you are convinced that you don’t sin, then you don’t need to repent. You’re righteous all on your own—or so you think.

And that’s why we never read in the Bible that Jesus ever spoke words of joy about a Pharisee. Their self-righteous attitude eventually led to their damnation, not their salvation. They wanted nothing to do with Jesus because they felt no need for him.

So, let’s take that point home. When does Jesus rejoice over you? Not when you think you’re fine without him.

And yet, Jesus perfectly loved every single Pharisee who ever lived. He still does. But he condemned them. Their self-righteousness so blinded them that they failed to see how their pride and judgmental attitudes were offensive to the holy God. They actually thought that they were doing God a favor by placing themselves above others.

None of us would ever claim that Jesus rejoiced over a Pharisee, but have we ever thought that Jesus was still rejoicing over us when we harbored—at least to a degree—the same attitudes of the Pharisees in our hearts? Have you ever been judgmental of others, considering yourself to be better than that other person? Pharisee! Have you ever looked around at room full of people and felt pretty good about yourself because you’re the one who follows God’s word more closely than others? Pharisee! Have you ever said or even just thought that another person was scum? I know I have and I’m ashamed to admit it. You see, there is a little Pharisee—sometimes a lot of Pharisee—in each one of us. And in spite of what we think, Jesus does not rejoice. But he does still love us. And that love moved him to humble himself all the way to death on a cross. That love caused him to send us his Holy Spirit to bring us into his kingdom. And as members of his kingdom by faith in him, Jesus rejoices over us.

Part II.

And that’s the point that Jesus drives home in this text.

One of the most frustrating things in life is trying to help someone who is in denial. They can’t and won’t admit that they have a problem with something. Therefore, it’s useless to try to help them. As hard as it is, you have to wait until tragedy strikes or they hit rock bottom. That’s when they come to their senses. That’s when they realize they need help.

Another way to characterize the Pharisees is that they lived in denial. Jesus repeatedly pointed out their loveless, self-righteous ways, but they were blind. They couldn’t see their problem. They failed to admit their sins before God and so they felt no need of the forgiveness which Jesus freely offered them.

But the tax collectors and the sinners who dined with Jesus on this day in our text were keenly aware that they didn’t measure up to God’s standard of perfection. They didn’t need the Pharisees to remind that what sinners they were. They knew it all too well. And they were full of despair. In some cases, these people were social outcasts. It wasn’t just the Pharisees who hated tax collectors because they were dishonest agents of the hated Roman government; most Jews did and were vocal about it. And the “sinners” who were dining with Jesus might have been people who lived openly immoral lives, but they also might have been Jews who were lax in obeying all the laws God had given them in the Old Testament. For instance, some Jews raised pigs. Others failed to observe Jewish holidays properly. They knew they had failed to live in the way God demanded of them. And they were full of despair. They lived without spiritual hope.

But then along came Jesus, who did not condone their sinful lifestyles, but still loved them. They were people like the tax collector in one of Jesus’ parables who wouldn’t even look up towards heaven, but beat his chest and pleaded for God to have mercy on him.

And when that happens, the heart of Jesus is filled with joy and his face radiates with love for the sinner. He states it with these words, “I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

When does Jesus rejoice over you? When you realize how much you need him and the forgiveness he offers.

So, would you like to make Jesus happy today? I assume you would, since you’re a Christian. If you want to make Jesus happy, don’t focus on how well you’re doing living like a Christian. Come to grips with your actions—better yet—your thoughts and attitudes which are not Christ-like. Impatience, discontent, greed, laziness, lust. Loveless, condescending words. Your failures to help and support others. All the times you’ve looked down on others. And with a heart full of remorse, say with the tax collectors and sinners, “God have mercy on me.” And he does! He did! In Christ he did and now he rejoices to wash your sins away, to call you his own brother or sister, to welcome you into his eternal family where you live in his forgiveness, surrounded by his redeeming love.

So now Jesus is pleased with both your dependence and your independence. He is pleased when you are completely dependent on him for your forgiveness and your relationship with him. He is also pleased when you are filled with love for him and live independently of self-righteousness. Live that way in the week ahead, and know that Jesus is smiling at you. Amen.