Continue with Rejoiicing Over the Sinner Who Repents

 "What man among you with 100 sheep, on losing one of them will not leave the 99 behind in the wilderness and go after the lost one until he finds it?  And when he has found it, he puts it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he gets home, he calls his friends and his neighbors together, saying to them,  'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost."' - LUKE 15:4-6. 

What applications does Jesus make?  He explains: "I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous ones who have no need of repentance." - LUKE 15:7. 

Jesus' mention of repentance must strike the Pharisees.  They consider themselves to be righteous and feel they have no need for repentance.  When some of them criticized Jesus a couple of years earlier because he was eating with tax collectors and sinners, he replied:  "I came to call, not righteous people, but sinners." (Mark 2:15-17)   The self-righteous Pharisees fail to see their need to repent, and thus they bring no joy in heaven. It is just the opposite when sinners truly repent. 

Next time: Conclusion of Rejoicing Over the Sinner Who Repents

From the jw.org publications