When Angels Party Hard

What do Angels, sports fans, children, and clowns have in common? They all know how to have a good party!

Give sports fans an opportunity to tailgate, put on their favorite colors, and give them an opportunity to cheer for their team. If they are indeed a real fan, you will find them partying for their team whether they win or lose. Children don’t even need toys and gadgets to have a good time. Give them space and some time and you’ll find them creating something out of ‘nothingness’ and enjoying the simple things in life. Without question, clowns become the life of the party. They thrive on the opportunity to make people laugh. No matter how silly, weird, or corny they may appear, they will not stop until the party is a happening place. What makes Angels party? The Message Translation of Luke 15: 7-10 gives us a clue and an answer to this question.

"Count on it--there's more joy in heaven over one sinner's rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue. Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won't she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she'll call her friends and neighbors: 'Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!' Count on it--that's the kind of party God's angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God." (Message)

The answer is crystal-clear. When a person crosses the threshold of being eternally lost to being eternally found, the angels throw a party. Although we don’t know what kind of music, food, and activities this party has, we can glean that it’s the kind of party that’s worth inviting others to. It’s the kind of party that is worth angels pausing their normal activities to celebrate the life of someone who was once lost.

Here’s where the issue arises? Are believers, individually, doing their part to make sure that the angels can party every day? This seems to be a grand occasion. Verse seven indicates that the level of joy over this one person that authentically submits their life to Jesus Christ is indescribable and unmatched. When, then, do we have such lethargic and mundane interests in the salvation of others? These verses ought to excite, motivate, and compel us to want to join the angels in partying. When people walk the isles in church services, the ‘regular’ believers have grabbed their belongings and started to mentally check-out of the service, waiting to be the first to their cars. It seems that their ought to almost be streamers, balloons, air horns, banners, and an all-out celebration even if only one comes into the Kingdom in that service.

You say, this seems a bit too much? Maybe so, but if it’s good enough for the angels, it ought to be good enough for us. We’re challenged to be more evangelistic in our daily lives. Let’s party with the angels.

By
Overseer Christopher J. Harris