“I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance….I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”…… But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'”” Luke 15:7, 10, 32 CSB https://bible.com/bible/1713/luk.15.7-32.CSB

This chapter tells three stories that all conclude with joy in heaven. I don’t think the Bible anywhere else tells us what brings joy in heaven except in these stories. Shouldn’t the bringing of joy to heaven be the child of heaven’s chief focus? What brings joy to heaven? The restoration of a human soul to God. All humanity is born rebellious against God. Our DNA is corrupt with sin, evidenced by death but also by our ignoring God, disobeying His commands, and fighting among ourselves. The obviousness of our human propensity to rebel is seen daily in our headlines and our own words and deeds. God came to earth to pay for our rebellion against Him, for a righteous God requires consequences for the rebellious. Jesus died on the cross, taking upon Himself the consequences of all humanity who have rebelled against God and His ways. Yet only those who repent, who seek God in Jesus for reconciliation, will be restored, pardoned, and receive life eternal with God. This causes joy in heaven, the sinner who humbles themselves before God and seeks a pardon from God only available through faith in Jesus the Savior. How does this happen? When the child of God, the one already restored to God, who loves God and man, shares the work of God in Jesus with people so that people can hear the gospel, believe in it, and repent from their life of sin. Then heaven can rejoice.