Who makes God happy? (podcast) (Luke 15)

Who makes God happy? The sinners? The righteous? What do you think?

Jesus answered that question with three stories. We love the parables: the lost sheep, the lost coin, the lost (prodigal) son. But did we hear the answer he gave?

This 25-minute podcast was recorded at Riverview Joondalup 2022-04-10.

https://allenbrowneblog.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/whomakesgodhappy_allenbrowne.mp3

So, who makes God happy? His children, of course! Since we tend to have a limited view of who that is, the Son gives us a better revelation of the Father.

Texts

The reason for the parables: Luke 15:1-3 (NIV)
¹ Drawing close to Jesus were all the tax collectors and sinners to hear him. ² The Pharisees and Bible scholars were complaining, saying, “He receives sinners, and eats with them.” ³ He responded to them with this parable.

Farmer’s joy: Luke 15:7
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.

Finder’s joy: Luke 15:10
In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one ‘sinner’ who repents.

Father’s joy: Luke 15:32
We had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.

This non-Biblical document shows what the Pharisees expected the Messiah to do: Psalms of Solomon 17
²¹ See, Lord, and raise up for them their king, the son of David, to rule over your servant Israel in the time known to you, O God. ²² Undergird him with the strength to destroy the unrighteous rulers, to purge Jerusalem from gentiles who trample her to destruction; ²³ in wisdom and in righteousness to drive out the sinners from the inheritance; to smash the arrogance of sinners like a potter’s jar. …
³⁶ And he himself will be free from sin, in order to rule a great people. He will expose officials and drive out sinners by the strength of his word.

Related posts

• When did Jesus label people “sinners”?
• The naughty child story
• What’s with tax collectors? (Mt 9:9-12)