The Gospel of Celebration

“Let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” — Luke 15:23-24 (ESV) 

The Bible is filled with moments of celebration, feasting, and rejoicing. They are woven into the fabric of God’s story, reflecting His heart for joy, community, and gratitude. In the Old Testament, God commanded Israel to pause their work and remember Him through feasts. What a thought! That God would “command” these times of celebration! 

These were not somber events but extravagant celebrations with food, music, and dancing. Families and entire communities would gather, not just to eat, but to remember, rejoice, and reconnect with God and one another. It was God’s way of building rhythms of gratitude and joy into the lives of His people.

 These days, it feels like our culture values busyness more than being present, and getting things done over slowing down to gather. But God invites us to gather, to rejoice, and to feast—not just as tradition, but as worship (which is one reason to get connected to a local church & get involved in a small group). 

Jesus often taught through meals, healed during dinner parties, and dined with sinners and saints alike. He saw the table not just as a place of nourishment, but as an opportunity to see transformation.

But of all the celebrations in Scripture, the one that really jumps off the page for me is the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11–32). This parable Jesus tells paints a very real picture of the party all of Heaven throws when one lost sinner comes home to the Father. 

Why such a celebration? Because restoration had come. The son who was lost was now found. It’s a powerful picture of forgiveness and of the overwhelming joy God feels when a sinner (like you and I) comes home. What causes heaven to throw a party? It’s when the heart of someone turns towards the Father, that relationship is restored, and a life is made new. 

Maybe we have reduced the idea of celebration to something that only humanity does from time to time. But the Bible teaches us that in God’s kingdom, celebration is a spiritual practice. It reflects the joy of redemption and the beauty of grace. It teaches us to pause and acknowledge the goodness of God, to delight in His blessings, and to recognize His hand at work in our lives.

So let’s celebrate—not just birthdays and holidays, and not just with good food and drinks, but with hearts full of gratitude and eyes focused on the One who always welcomes us back home. Let us gather together in churches and small groups all around our community and throw a celebration! Because in Christ , every soul redeemed is worth the greatest party heaven and earth can offer.