In Luke 15 we have Jesus telling us that when one sinner repents there is a party in heaven. He does this to defend his own earthly activity, and the parable of the two sons (aka: the prodigal son) forcefully calls hearers to do what the angels do: join the feast.
Is there any other passage anywhere in the gospels that describes what happens in heaven? I can’t think of anything comparable.
If so, then Luke 15 is the only application Jesus ever made of his petition in the Lord’s prayer, “May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Would anyone recognize this from our preaching, teaching, and living?
(This was a thought that came to me while listening to Resurrection and the Calling of the Christian by N. T. Wright. Go to the page and scroll down to download it. My mp3 player was messing up the sound.)
Has Bishop Tom joined the ranks of Alvin, Simon, and Theodore?
While preaching through the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6 I was struck by how food and heaven are so closely related. Daily bread for Jesus was full of feasting and fat things. His detractors wanted Him to morn and fast and He was determined to dance and feast.
So, I think the asking for bread is an application of “thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”
al sends
Oh, and just in case Aaron’s comment did not register… your mp3 is playing at 45 RPM and we are listening at 33 and a 1/3
In Lutheran churches, families are (sometimes) encouraged to remember and celebrate baptismal birthdays. (But, then, we believe something really happens when a kid is baptized.)
Also, recall the big party at the start of Godfather II — to celebrate a child’s first communion. I don’t know how often that happens; I know I’ve never received an invitation. Although I seem every now and then to recall seeing “First Communion” greetings cards in the stores.
Our kids attended Lutheran school for 2 years, and their celebration of the kids’ baptismal birthday was one of our favorite aspects of the school. I think our kids will miss it this year when they attend a different Christian school. But honestly, the Lutherans at their school didn’t always act like they thought something happened at Baptism. I did hear a couple of good sermons from the Lutheran pastors who spoke at chapel about improving our baptism, though.
Yes, every month in the Lutheran school we used to use, all the students who were baptized that month got to hear the rest sing “Happy Birthday, God’s Children,” to them. We will miss that.
Simultaneous postings. Jinx!