1 00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:09,080 We're going to continue our study in the Gospel of Luke 2 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:15,120 before we get into it, I'll also continue just the conversation 3 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:20,640 about the families among us and just just from my own point of 4 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:22,920 view. We, we, we just talked about the 5 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:27,600 importance of families and the, the amazing seasons that so 6 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:30,920 often are used by God as discipleship for our lives so 7 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:34,320 that we can grow and, and, and learn how to love one another 8 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:38,120 within our family more. So out of curiosity, how many of 9 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:40,360 you are actually parents? So I'm going to do a formal 10 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:42,240 poll. How many hands look at all the 11 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:44,920 parents in the room this morning. 12 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:50,320 OK, next question, How many of you are parents of at least two 13 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:54,080 children? OK, that we're going somewhere 14 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:55,520 with this. And if you didn't raise your 15 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:59,360 hand, how about how many of you grew up in a family with at 16 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:03,680 least one sibling? So everyone's about to just 17 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:05,680 completely be spoken to this morning. 18 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:10,800 And let let me explain to you why this is an important survey. 19 00:01:11,960 --> 00:01:16,280 If you are now parents of at least two children and if your 20 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:21,360 children are now, let's call it in the age of reason, they can 21 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:26,200 now question your decisions as parents and they can question 22 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:31,000 how well you do at being a parent to all the children. 23 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:38,680 You have now entered into this very important revelation of how 24 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:41,560 life works. How many of you have had kids 25 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:46,360 watch you parents make decisions on behalf of the family or even 26 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:51,360 disciplinary action and said that's not fair? 27 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:52,840 How many of you experienced that? 28 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:57,320 Of course, all of us, and again, all of you at one point were 29 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:02,000 probably growing up in a household that saw your parents 30 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:04,880 remind you that they had to do things that weren't fair. 31 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:09,160 Just this week, it took me all of one day thinking about this 32 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:12,600 very notion. I was given the perfect example 33 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:14,480 by one of my children. We're driving home from the 34 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:18,920 grocery store and in a moment of disrespect, I have one of those 35 00:02:18,920 --> 00:02:22,640 parenting circumstances where I say, when we get home, we're 36 00:02:22,640 --> 00:02:24,720 going to have to talk about this the way you just talked to your 37 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:26,280 mom. We're going to talk about it. 38 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:29,080 So we get home and I send her to a room. 39 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:31,480 And so for those of you wondering who I'm talking about, 40 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:33,120 we're not talking about Tommy. I only have one son. 41 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:36,720 It was one of the girls. We go to a room and every once 42 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:40,400 in a while, by God's design, AA moment of discipline can turn 43 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:45,400 into a great moment of of just love and moment between father 44 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:47,320 daughter. So I went from conversation 45 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:50,800 where I'm disciplining her to reminding her how much I love 46 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:52,920 her. And then it turns into a whole 47 00:02:52,920 --> 00:02:54,840 bedtime routine. I'm tucking her in and praying 48 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:56,000 with her and kissing her goodnight. 49 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:59,040 Beautiful. Every once in a while it it 50 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:02,200 works out perfectly, except for I leave the room. 51 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:05,560 I've got three other children that were waiting for me while I 52 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:08,760 was spending an hour with this child who was disobedient. 53 00:03:08,920 --> 00:03:11,880 The others were left to do chores and make lunches. 54 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:17,320 And so they 1 by 1 looked at me as I come out of my daughter's 55 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:20,160 room and they say, are you going to do that for us? 56 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:23,400 I don't have time tonight to do that four times. 57 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:27,920 And so I got the that is so unfair. 58 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:32,480 It's not fair that the one who is disobedient gets all of your 59 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:35,120 attention and a one-on-one bedtime routine. 60 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:39,840 And I had to remind them what all of you have to remember that 61 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:46,000 life isn't fair. And we bring all of that up 62 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:48,040 because if you've ever said that to your children, you're 63 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:51,160 actually walking in a beautiful and a profound moment of 64 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:53,520 theology that Jesus is going to address today. 65 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:58,600 Life is not fair. And by the time we get to the 66 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:03,120 end of this story, we are going to be so grateful that life 67 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:06,240 isn't fair. And more importantly, the 68 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:11,360 Kingdom of God isn't fair. We're going to read one of the 69 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:15,720 most important stories that you will ever hear to try to 70 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:20,000 understand the heart of God when it relates into teaching us how 71 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:22,160 the Kingdom of God works. And one of the fundamental 72 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:23,880 essence is it's not going to be fair. 73 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:26,520 And by the end of this, we're going to be so grateful. 74 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:30,040 And we're also going to be reminded that all of us are 75 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:33,000 still little children at times. And we want everything to be a 76 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:36,600 math equation. We want the way that we are good 77 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,560 to have good output. We want the way that we serve to 78 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:41,200 have things that turn into blessings. 79 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:44,600 And I'll just remind you on the onset that the Kingdom of God is 80 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:47,840 not fair. And it's a good news message. 81 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:52,960 And so to get this message, I'm going to take on the the, the, 82 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:56,520 the heavy lift of having you turn to one of the most 83 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:58,400 important chapters of all the Bible. 84 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:01,200 It might be my desert island chapter. 85 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:04,080 If I was alone on a desert island and I had to choose one 86 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:06,680 chapter, it might be Luke chapter 15. 87 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:15,320 And so turn to Luke chapter 15. And before we get to what is 88 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:20,400 considered one of, if not the great parables of Jesus, it's 89 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:21,880 between this and the Good Samaritan. 90 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:24,720 Most of you have heard the story of the prodigal son. 91 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:28,280 We're going to start at the beginning of the chapter to get 92 00:05:28,280 --> 00:05:32,840 the context as to why Jesus is going to tell a parable. 93 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:37,960 Jesus employs parables when he has to speak a heavenly truth 94 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:41,800 with an with a earthly story because people aren't getting 95 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:44,480 it. So in the beginning of this 96 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:47,000 chapter, we're going to we're going to get the scene set up 97 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:50,640 that will turn into these parables because of something 98 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:53,640 that is happening over and over again to where some people are 99 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:56,080 not getting it. So start with me in verse one. 100 00:05:56,160 --> 00:06:01,280 You cannot miss the context says then all the tax collectors and 101 00:06:01,280 --> 00:06:04,440 the sinners drew near to him to hear him. 102 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:10,600 We stopped there immediately already the person of Jesus, as 103 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:13,680 you study him, as you read the Gospels, as you get to know him, 104 00:06:13,840 --> 00:06:19,680 what you will find the genuine Jesus was always so welcoming to 105 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:24,240 everyone and and this is such a beautiful reminder for some of 106 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:28,000 you even now as you maybe had to with bravery and courage walk 107 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,960 through the doors of the church. The person of Jesus, when you 108 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:33,680 really get to know him. He, he is a person where 109 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:37,760 sinners, tax collectors, those who were far off in this day, 110 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:40,120 very non religious, they drew near to him. 111 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:45,680 They loved to be near him. He's a welcoming person in his 112 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:47,800 ministry. And yet it says, and the 113 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:53,040 Pharisees and the scribes complained, what is he doing? 114 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:57,720 What is he thinking saying this man received sinners and eats 115 00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:02,560 with them, So he spoke this parable to them. 116 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:08,680 A broader view of the Gospel of Luke and the narrative it's 117 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:11,600 telling is going to and look out for it. 118 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:14,760 As you read the chapters leading up to this, There's going to be 119 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:19,160 a theme of eating throughout the Gospel, and we've already looked 120 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:21,560 at a number of it from Luke Chapter 9 all the way to the 121 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:24,120 cross. There are a number of times 122 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:28,280 where Jesus is at a dinner or in fact teaches about a dinner or a 123 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:31,840 feast or a banquet as a way to understand the heart of God. 124 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:36,040 You'll remember even just last chapter if you read Luke 14, 125 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:39,840 Jesus says the Kingdom of heaven is like a wedding feast. 126 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:43,120 And the whole point was the people who get invited don't 127 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:45,080 come. And so he goes to the highways 128 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:49,320 and the byways and he invites the least of these, the ones 129 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:52,280 that no one would expect. And then he says when you give a 130 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:54,000 dinner, don't invite your friends. 131 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:56,960 Everybody does that. I want you to invite people that 132 00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:01,120 normally wouldn't be invited. And now the author of this 133 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:04,640 gospel is taking us to a real live moment where Jesus is 134 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:08,720 living out the banquet that reminds us that heaven draws 135 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:12,560 people that are not normally expected to be at the table. 136 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:17,920 And part of that lesson is those who are assuming their role at 137 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:20,720 the table at the feast are the ones who miss it. 138 00:08:21,520 --> 00:08:24,680 And this is what the scribes and the Pharisees are living out as. 139 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:28,920 They complain that Jesus is keeping such odd company tax 140 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:32,440 collectors and sinners and those who seem so unholy. 141 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:35,400 And they complain and they use it against him as a reason to 142 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:38,000 not trust that he could actually be the Messiah. 143 00:08:38,159 --> 00:08:42,559 So he turns to them. He says he turns to them and 144 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:47,480 tells parables he's going to tell 3 parables, all of them 145 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:52,200 with a similar theme, but the the picture will get more and 146 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:54,480 more intense as to how it teaches it. 147 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:58,320 So the audience is the religious people who missed the point. 148 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:03,400 The parables, The first two very quickly are the parable of the 149 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:08,280 lost sheep and the lost coin. Painting a picture with one 150 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:10,520 refrain that repeats itself over and over again. 151 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:15,440 A shepherd goes out and he loses a sheep, one out of 100 and he 152 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:19,200 leaves 99 in the safety of home to find the one that is lost. 153 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:21,720 And when he finds it, this is the point. 154 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:25,080 He puts it on his shoulders and he carries it home. 155 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:27,520 And he's so grateful that he found what was lost. 156 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:30,760 And he rejoices. And then he says or, or, or 157 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:33,280 think of it this way. There's a woman who loses a 158 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:34,240 coin. She has 10. 159 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:38,000 She loses 1. And so she does what you do when 160 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:39,200 you lose something in your house. 161 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:41,720 You sweep the whole house. You turn on the lamp and the 162 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:42,920 lights, and you look for everything. 163 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:45,000 You look through everything until you find it. 164 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:49,480 It reminds me of my wife when she loses her glasses and she 165 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:51,320 can't see anything. So I have to join the search 166 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:53,960 party. And we sweep the whole house and 167 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:56,440 we retrace our steps and we turn on the lights and we look for 168 00:09:56,440 --> 00:09:57,880 the glasses. And what happens when you find 169 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:00,520 them? I can see again. 170 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:02,920 This feels so good. I found the coin. 171 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:07,120 Rejoice with me. He's appealing to a natural 172 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:08,760 human instinct. When you lose something you 173 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:10,960 love, you're excited when you find it. 174 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:17,920 And those two parables are building into something that is 175 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:23,720 the the most exalted example of losing something you love, which 176 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:27,600 is when you lose the relationship with the person you 177 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:32,680 love the most. This is the context and the back 178 00:10:32,680 --> 00:10:35,080 story. Jesus speaking to those who 179 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:41,680 can't understand why he would be eating with such unholy people. 180 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:48,000 So he speaks the parable and now he comes to the greatest parable 181 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:52,480 of the three, often called the parable of the prodigal son. 182 00:10:53,680 --> 00:10:56,320 But as we start in the introduction, it's important to 183 00:10:56,320 --> 00:11:00,440 note what the setup that Jesus offers is actually telling us. 184 00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:04,920 It says in verse 11, then he said a certain man had two sons. 185 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:10,560 It cannot be limited to the interaction that the father has 186 00:11:10,560 --> 00:11:13,600 with the prodigal son. It's a beautiful story. 187 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:19,280 What happens to the younger son as he leaves and then returns is 188 00:11:19,560 --> 00:11:23,080 it's, as stated, the the beautiful picture of the 189 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:27,800 redemption of the gospel. But we must remember that this 190 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:31,440 is a story that is meant to teach us about the second son, 191 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:37,120 the older son as well. In both of the Son's 192 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:42,760 relationship with the Father, we have a necessary, much needed 193 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:46,880 reminder of how the gospel works and how we respond to it. 194 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:50,800 So this morning we'll walk through this story. 195 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:55,840 We will see the gospel on display in story form, and we 196 00:11:55,840 --> 00:12:02,960 will also get AI hope invitation to in the end understand God's 197 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:05,600 love more fully. No matter who in this story you 198 00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:09,320 might relate to, some might relate to the younger son or the 199 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:12,120 older son or even the father who has lost the Son. 200 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:18,160 And as we go through this, we will look for the heart of God 201 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:21,200 on display through this story. It says a certain man had two 202 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:24,640 sons and the younger of them said to his father, father, give 203 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:26,840 me the portion of goods that falls to me. 204 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:31,080 This is why the story is often called the prodigal son because 205 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:35,280 he is making a request that is going to set him up for some 206 00:12:35,520 --> 00:12:37,160 really bad decisions he's about to make. 207 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:42,440 And it starts with the younger son approaching his father and 208 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:47,160 asking for his inheritance before the father dies. 209 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:51,440 Now you, you, if you've ever heard this story preached, 210 00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:55,520 you've probably heard the intense disrespect that it would 211 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:59,880 require for a child to request their portion of inheritance to 212 00:12:59,920 --> 00:13:03,560 a father that is still living. And no doubt, I do not have to 213 00:13:03,560 --> 00:13:06,640 appeal to ancient times for you to understand that. 214 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:10,440 Any of you could understand the amount of disrespect that a 215 00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:14,920 child would place on you or you to your parent if you ask for 216 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:20,760 whatever they have that they're planning to leave to you in 217 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:25,320 advance. It's often stated that this is 218 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:29,360 in some ways the younger son coming to the father and say 219 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:34,160 you're dead. To me, our relationship is 220 00:13:34,160 --> 00:13:38,800 really just the goods that you own that will someday be mine, 221 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:42,520 and I care so much more about the goods that I do you. 222 00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:46,280 Then I'd rather just sever my relationship with you and take 223 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:51,280 what is mine now. A horrible, disrespectful and 224 00:13:51,280 --> 00:13:58,000 disgraceful moment for a younger son to request this of his 225 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:02,320 father. And with that, this story will 226 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:07,320 now unfold to give us such a beautiful portrait of the 227 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:12,240 sinner's journey, a portrait that I hope some of you will be 228 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:15,080 able to relate to in the humility of your own life. 229 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:19,120 And in reality, it's a portrait that every single one of us 230 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:22,080 should listen to because the Bible says we have all sinned 231 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:23,720 and fallen short of the glory of God. 232 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:26,880 The sinner's journey is everyone's journey to get to the 233 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:29,880 gospel. And the first portion of this 234 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:34,880 that will help us understand what sin does to a life is he 235 00:14:34,880 --> 00:14:37,960 asks for his inheritance out of order. 236 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:44,000 And what sin ultimately offers you is the instant gratification 237 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:47,040 of a pleasure that will be yours someday, just not today. 238 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:52,240 All of you who have put your faith in Jesus are living with 239 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:56,200 the most deferred gratification that you possibly can by faith, 240 00:14:56,360 --> 00:14:59,840 which is someday. Your real treasure is going to 241 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:02,960 be heaven. And there's nothing in this life 242 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:04,560 that is worth the treasure of heaven. 243 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:09,280 So live your entire life with such a confidence that the real 244 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:11,320 glory will be someday and not now. 245 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:17,040 That is the Christian journey. And sin comes and says, but what 246 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:22,080 if you just got glory now? What if the delayed 247 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:25,040 gratification to wait for your husband and wife, you could just 248 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:31,680 have with instant pleasure now and all the other examples of 249 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:34,400 the temptations of sin is to offer you something that God has 250 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:38,000 for you someday, just not today. That is why I think one of the 251 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:42,000 great analogies for sin is our day is the credit card. 252 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:45,200 The credit card essentially says, I know you don't have the 253 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:47,680 money, but I'll give the money to you now and then you can buy 254 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:50,680 whatever you want and then in a couple weeks you get the bill 255 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:53,680 and you realize that you always have to pay back more than what 256 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:58,600 you borrowed. That is sin, and in a picture of 257 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:03,360 sin's journey and the sinner's road, you'll see the heart of 258 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:05,800 God in display with the heart of the Father. 259 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:07,760 The response is not how dare you? 260 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:12,800 The response is not I'm still alive, get back to work. 261 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:16,880 The response is have it your way. 262 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:21,400 That will be God's response as you choose to harden your heart 263 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:23,760 against His goodness and a relationship that you were made 264 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:26,720 for with Him. If you choose the fleeting 265 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:30,760 pleasures of this world, as it says in Romans chapter 1, God 266 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:32,680 gives you over to unrighteousness. 267 00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:36,600 And one of the ways you will experience the chastening in the 268 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:40,320 discipline of God is when He says to you, have it your way. 269 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:45,520 And so it says. So He divided them His 270 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:49,520 livelihood. He sold the portion of the 271 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:54,120 inheritance that was due to this younger Son and gave it to him. 272 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:57,280 And now we have in verse 13 another picture of where this 273 00:16:57,280 --> 00:16:59,640 road takes you, it says. And not many days after that, 274 00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:03,280 the younger son gathered all together and journeyed to a far 275 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:06,400 off country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal 276 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:11,200 living. Hence the often summarized title 277 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:12,880 of this parable, the Prodigal Son. 278 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:18,960 And notice the pattern. He receives his inheritance 279 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:21,000 early. He gathers everything together, 280 00:17:21,079 --> 00:17:23,839 and what does he do? OK, Dad, I'm going to deposit it 281 00:17:23,839 --> 00:17:26,560 in the bank, buy a couple tools to help around the house, and 282 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:28,520 just have that as my own personal nest egg. 283 00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:33,400 But I'm still with you. No, as always is the case when 284 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:36,440 you are tempted, as the book of James says, you are tempted 285 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:40,560 away. And sin, great or small, will 286 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:44,400 always isolate you and take you away from the people that God 287 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:47,880 has placed in your life as family and church, community and 288 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:50,640 people, as as neighbors to grow with and be a witness to. 289 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:53,240 And sin always takes you off to a foreign place where you're 290 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:57,840 eventually alone. He goes to a foreign country and 291 00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:00,560 wastes his possessions with prodigal living. 292 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:03,000 And prodigal is not a word we use in everyday language. 293 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:09,040 It essentially means excess. He's got the money to live a 294 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:11,480 lavish lifestyle for a little bit of time. 295 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:17,320 And so lest you be deceived by the offer of sin, please do not 296 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:21,960 hear the preacher at church say sin is going to be horrible 297 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:24,800 immediately. It works because like a credit 298 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:26,760 card, it gives you a little pleasure up front. 299 00:18:27,680 --> 00:18:33,200 He has a certain lifestyle he can afford for a moment and that 300 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:36,240 is the season of sin. For those of you who have been 301 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:38,560 tempted by sin and drawn away from the Lord, you know that it 302 00:18:38,560 --> 00:18:42,880 was fun for a moment until you wasted everything and the 303 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:45,920 journey will take you towards what it says of this man. 304 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:49,520 He wasted his possessions. Here is the promise and the 305 00:18:49,520 --> 00:18:54,360 warning for all of us once again to hear the shiny temptation. 306 00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:56,880 The the, it's like the lore in the water of sin. 307 00:18:57,120 --> 00:19:00,760 It will take you, offer you, offer you instant gratification, 308 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:04,560 pull you away, and it will eventually waste everything you 309 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:10,000 have. Sin will waste your time. 310 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:15,960 Sin will waste your money. Sin will waste beautiful seasons 311 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:19,240 of your life that were meant to be a blessing. 312 00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:22,640 You're growing and setting yourself up for what God has for 313 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:25,040 you. Sin will require you to hit rock 314 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:28,920 bottom and restart everything. Sin will waste your 315 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:32,200 relationships. It will sever you from family 316 00:19:33,520 --> 00:19:38,080 and ultimately, if you do not hear the message of God's love 317 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:41,600 calling you away from this distant land of isolation and 318 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:46,040 prodigal living, you will sadly die in your sins and it will be 319 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:49,200 clear that it was a waste of a life. 320 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:53,840 But by God's grace and the beautiful storytelling power of 321 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:57,480 Jesus, this is not where the story ends. 322 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:02,800 The story is actually showing us that where sin can take you down 323 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:05,680 a road of despair, the gospel can reach you. 324 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:11,240 And the story is actually one of of hopelessness that turns into 325 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:13,240 great hope. It says, But when he had spent 326 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:17,760 all there, verse 14, there arose a severe famine in that land, 327 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:22,480 and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself 328 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:25,480 to a citizen of that country, and sent him into the fields to 329 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:28,920 feed swine. And he would have gladly filled 330 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:32,760 his stomach with pods that the swine ate and no one gave him 331 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:34,920 anything. There are two incredible 332 00:20:34,920 --> 00:20:37,760 conditions that hopelessness has brought into this story. 333 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:44,120 Hunger and loneliness. Famine. 334 00:20:44,120 --> 00:20:46,480 The food has run dry. He's wasted all his money. 335 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:51,000 He has no backup plan. He has joined himself to a 336 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:53,320 person of this foreign country. And the best job that he could 337 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:55,880 get was feeding this the the pig's food. 338 00:20:56,480 --> 00:21:00,000 And in his hunger, he says, I wish that I could just have some 339 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:01,920 of this food. And he says, and there was no 340 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:04,320 one there to even share a plate of food with him. 341 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:11,200 The hopeless despair of this story is that eventually sin 342 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:13,880 will leave you completely hungry, off the diet of this 343 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:19,360 world and completely alone. And here is the first stop of 344 00:21:19,360 --> 00:21:23,320 encouragement because some of you no doubt relate to the 345 00:21:23,320 --> 00:21:26,320 Father. Anytime you ever preach in a 346 00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:31,320 sanctuary where anyone has got a long sustained time of family 347 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:34,520 and church, there's no doubt some who have become prodigal 348 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:37,440 children. There's no doubt some of you 349 00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:41,120 right now who would consider yourselves prodigal parents. 350 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:44,520 And here is the point of the story. 351 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:47,320 That sounds like one of those upside down encouragements. 352 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:51,720 It is OK as you watch your children ride off into the 353 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:55,960 sunset of the world to pray for them to become hungry and alone. 354 00:21:57,480 --> 00:22:02,920 It is within your love for them that you would say God send a 355 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:07,640 famine into the the the lot of this world where they have set 356 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:11,400 up their tent. May they be completely broken so 357 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:14,040 that they would remember who they are. 358 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:17,360 Very scary prayer for a, for a parent to pray. 359 00:22:18,160 --> 00:22:19,440 You know, I think of the season I'm in. 360 00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:23,400 As stated, I live in a household where my children can only 361 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:27,360 wander so far. They're right under my my gaze 362 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:31,480 and I can watch their mistakes and I can pick them up and I can 363 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:34,160 correct them in real time. And the faith of a parent is 364 00:22:34,160 --> 00:22:36,600 when you set your children in the way they should go and you 365 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:42,920 say, Lord, they're yours now. And it is sometimes very 366 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:46,120 challenging to not just want to be a parent that chases them out 367 00:22:46,120 --> 00:22:49,640 the door, drags them back into church and and just tells them 368 00:22:49,640 --> 00:22:54,520 everything they're doing wrong. Pray this prayer, Lord, may they 369 00:22:54,520 --> 00:23:00,480 be hungry and alone. Because the beautiful good news 370 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:06,560 of the gospel is when you really understand it, it has to reach 371 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:09,280 you while you're hungry and desperate. 372 00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:12,760 And this is where Jesus is going to take this story. 373 00:23:12,920 --> 00:23:14,960 He says he would have eaten if someone would have shared the 374 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:18,880 food, and yet no one did. He's in a distant land. 375 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:26,080 He's wasted his money. He has come to a place where we 376 00:23:26,080 --> 00:23:29,680 get one of the most beautiful and subtle turns of a story in 377 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:36,800 Scripture, verse 17. But when he came to himself, he 378 00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:41,240 said maybe a better translation. When he came to his senses, he 379 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:48,680 remembered what a beautiful thing it is when we come to our 380 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:53,160 senses and remember who we really are. 381 00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:58,200 You know, Romans chapter 1 says that God does give us over to 382 00:23:58,320 --> 00:24:00,480 unrighteousness. He does say have it your way, 383 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:04,400 but it also says that any one of us that are living in 384 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:07,720 unrighteousness have suppressed the truth in in in 385 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:11,600 unrighteousness. What can be known of God is 386 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:14,960 evident in the world around you in creation, in those moments 387 00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:18,120 where the word was planted from the Sunday school to junior high 388 00:24:18,120 --> 00:24:20,120 to high school. And the word does not return 389 00:24:20,120 --> 00:24:22,320 without void. And there's something inside the 390 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:27,240 children that have left to find their way in the world that they 391 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:30,680 just need to remember. They need to come to their 392 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:33,400 senses. And what does he remember? 393 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:39,720 He remembers the father. This is such an important and 394 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:45,120 subtle reminder for us. He doesn't remember how to get 395 00:24:45,120 --> 00:24:46,800 back to the church that he was last at. 396 00:24:46,840 --> 00:24:50,640 That might be part of it. He doesn't remember the the 397 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:53,800 program that he was a part of. He doesn't remember the exact 398 00:24:53,800 --> 00:24:58,080 functions of how the the pastor used to teach him how to follow 399 00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:00,600 Jesus to the beginning of the gospel in your life is to 400 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:03,480 remember that there is a Father in heaven who created you to 401 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:08,720 know him. So how many of my father's hired 402 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:12,720 servants have bread enough to spare and I'm perishing with 403 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:14,640 hunger. My father has life. 404 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:29,040 My Father could nourish me. And so this is the the journey 405 00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:33,480 of sin turning into redemption, to remember that there is a God 406 00:25:33,480 --> 00:25:36,920 in heaven who made you and he wants to be known as a father. 407 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:43,480 And then the turn he says, I will arise. 408 00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:48,760 I'm going to go home. I'm going to go back to the 409 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:54,720 place I came from, my good Father who has food, who I left 410 00:25:54,720 --> 00:26:01,760 to be in this famished land. Notice what he says as he's 411 00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:03,960 making the the, the plan of repentance. 412 00:26:05,360 --> 00:26:07,240 He says, I'm going to say to him, Father, I have sinned 413 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:09,320 against you. I've sinned against heaven and 414 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:12,560 before you, and I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. 415 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:15,840 Make me like one of your hired servants. 416 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:19,080 I want you to hold on to his prayer of repentance. 417 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:22,280 What a beautiful thing it is when we've become so hungry and 418 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:27,760 alone in the the in our lot, in this world that we realize that 419 00:26:27,760 --> 00:26:32,520 we need a Savior. The gospel will fall on deaf 420 00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:35,440 ears until you can relate to this young man's prayer. 421 00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:38,640 I am unworthy. I have sinned. 422 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:43,040 I need help. This is the invitation that 423 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:47,080 should never the word repentance should never be a a hell fire 424 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:49,320 and damnation. It should always be the kindness 425 00:26:49,320 --> 00:26:51,640 of God, like a father calling his child home. 426 00:26:53,360 --> 00:26:56,720 For those who realize that they are sinners, that there's a 427 00:26:56,720 --> 00:26:58,600 Savior that will forgive you of your sins. 428 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:01,960 For those who realize that you're in a foreign land, that 429 00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:04,080 there's actually a place that you were made for. 430 00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:06,640 He says. I'm going to tell him I'm no 431 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:08,720 longer worthy. I'm going to just join the lot 432 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:13,480 of the servants. Verse 20 and he arose and came 433 00:27:13,480 --> 00:27:18,360 to his father. This is let's just pause and and 434 00:27:18,360 --> 00:27:24,520 appreciate gospel on the display but when he was still a great 435 00:27:24,800 --> 00:27:30,720 way off his whole picture is Jesus describing the love of God 436 00:27:30,720 --> 00:27:36,560 is for people that are far off as he's far off his father sees 437 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:39,320 him this this is giving us imagery that the father's been 438 00:27:39,320 --> 00:27:42,920 waiting on the sinner's road waiting on the road that that 439 00:27:43,040 --> 00:27:47,000 was straight out of town and he waits day after day horizon 440 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:49,960 line. Is he coming Is he coming back 441 00:27:49,960 --> 00:27:57,560 home and as he sees him a far way off says he had anger so 442 00:27:57,560 --> 00:27:58,920 disappointed in the man's decisions. 443 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:00,840 He's coming back. He left with a with a caravan of 444 00:28:00,840 --> 00:28:02,160 stuff and he's coming back with nothing. 445 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:07,600 Of course not. Says that he had compassion. 446 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:11,400 He didn't have compassion that he was going to tell him about 447 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:14,080 later. He had compassion like a father 448 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:20,680 who has compassion for a child who's coming home, compassion 449 00:28:20,680 --> 00:28:25,120 that turns into him running. He's not waiting for this young 450 00:28:25,120 --> 00:28:26,800 man to come back and fall at his feet. 451 00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:29,280 He runs him. He runs after him, and he meets 452 00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:33,040 him at the road, and he falls on his neck and he kisses him. 453 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:38,560 Never mind all of these ideas about God being angry at sin 454 00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:43,000 because of the ways that we violated him, God is showing us 455 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:46,720 through this beautiful story that what He wants and longs for 456 00:28:46,760 --> 00:28:50,360 is to pour out His love on all of those who would come to him 457 00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:52,880 as people who are in need of help. 458 00:28:56,280 --> 00:28:59,320 And now we come to the speech. Never. 459 00:28:59,320 --> 00:29:02,400 He had this speech in his mind. He was sitting there at rock 460 00:29:02,400 --> 00:29:03,720 bottom. He said if I could just get in 461 00:29:03,720 --> 00:29:06,720 front of my dad, I'm going to tell him that I can't be a son 462 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:09,560 anymore, but I can be a servant. And the son comes to him and 463 00:29:09,560 --> 00:29:12,040 it's in this moment he's being covered by the father. 464 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:14,680 He's being kissed and loved with compassion by the Father. 465 00:29:15,520 --> 00:29:19,920 And he he begins his speech Father, I've sinned against 466 00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:24,640 heaven and in your sight and I'm no longer worthy to be called 467 00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:29,320 your son. And before he can utter the next 468 00:29:29,320 --> 00:29:31,760 line, just make me a servant. I can't be your son, but make me 469 00:29:31,760 --> 00:29:33,480 a servant. The father interrupts him. 470 00:29:35,960 --> 00:29:39,800 But the father said to his servants, Bring out the best 471 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:42,720 robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals 472 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:45,840 on his feet, and bring the fatted calf here, and kill it, 473 00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:49,640 and let us eat and be merry. For this my son was dead and is 474 00:29:49,640 --> 00:29:53,080 alive again. He was lost and he is found. 475 00:29:53,360 --> 00:29:59,920 And they began to be merry. They rejoiced, and I promised 476 00:29:59,920 --> 00:30:02,320 you that part of this message would be the good news, that 477 00:30:02,320 --> 00:30:06,200 life isn't fair and the Kingdom of God isn't fair, and God's 478 00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:11,240 love is indeed unfair. And there's a whole message for 479 00:30:11,240 --> 00:30:15,600 that that the older brother's going to have to hear because 480 00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:18,120 this is a classic sibling moment. 481 00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:22,040 How can this be fair? But you know who else had to 482 00:30:22,040 --> 00:30:25,920 hear the message? The son who wasted everything, 483 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:29,840 ruined his life and had to come back and fall at the feet of his 484 00:30:29,840 --> 00:30:33,120 father. His speech was I am not worthy 485 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:35,880 to be called a son. And he was right. 486 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:42,680 And in his mind his repentance turned into let me just serve. 487 00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:49,040 And this is where all of us need to hear the gospel in a way that 488 00:30:49,040 --> 00:30:53,400 removes this childlike demand for fairness from our minds. 489 00:30:53,400 --> 00:30:55,600 Because what happens is repentance can turn into 490 00:30:55,600 --> 00:31:00,240 religion because you've heard the message that you're a 491 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:02,200 Sinner. You've heard the message that 492 00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:05,480 you need a savior. You have your own remembrance of 493 00:31:05,480 --> 00:31:09,680 rock bottom, of prison, of addiction, of broken 494 00:31:09,680 --> 00:31:12,520 relationships, of being so far away from church that you were 495 00:31:12,520 --> 00:31:14,960 embarrassed to come in and you came with the same idea. 496 00:31:15,160 --> 00:31:17,480 I know I'm not worthy now, but you know what I'm going to do? 497 00:31:17,480 --> 00:31:23,200 I'm going to work off my debt. Everything I wasted, I'll prove 498 00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:25,200 to you that I can. I can make it up to you someday. 499 00:31:27,640 --> 00:31:30,200 The biggest danger of repentance is religion. 500 00:31:32,640 --> 00:31:36,720 The biggest challenge for this son was to hear that he's still 501 00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:42,120 a son was to not have that second part of his plan come 502 00:31:42,160 --> 00:31:43,800 anywhere near the Father's heart. 503 00:31:44,520 --> 00:31:46,520 I can't be your son. I'll just be your servant. 504 00:31:46,520 --> 00:31:50,720 Some of you are here not as sons of the living God, but as people 505 00:31:50,720 --> 00:31:54,680 who want to serve to work off the guilt of your sin. 506 00:31:56,880 --> 00:31:58,560 It can happen to every single one of us. 507 00:31:58,560 --> 00:32:01,280 You hear the gospel, you hear that God loves you, you hear 508 00:32:01,280 --> 00:32:03,200 that you're forgiven. And you think, OK, now I got to 509 00:32:03,200 --> 00:32:05,600 justify my existence in the church. 510 00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:10,880 Now I got to prove my worth. Now I got to make up all the bad 511 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:14,600 for with some good. And here's the message that 512 00:32:14,640 --> 00:32:19,480 Jesus wants all of us to hear. Sinners drew near him and he 513 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:22,600 dined with them and he said it's like a father finding a lost 514 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:25,040 son. And he says, put the robe, kill 515 00:32:25,040 --> 00:32:27,280 the calf. We are having the feast of 516 00:32:27,280 --> 00:32:31,920 feasts right here and right now because my son was lost and now 517 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:34,880 he is found. Every single one of you who 518 00:32:34,880 --> 00:32:43,160 raised your hand as a parent now with some glimmer of 519 00:32:43,160 --> 00:32:45,920 understanding, know what this story is about. 520 00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:49,560 In the first half, I want you to imagine that you leave church 521 00:32:49,560 --> 00:32:53,080 today and you go to pick up your child and the nursery worker or 522 00:32:53,080 --> 00:32:56,320 the youth leader or the ministry volunteer, they look and they 523 00:32:56,320 --> 00:32:58,000 call your child's name and he's gone. 524 00:32:58,160 --> 00:33:02,000 They're gone. So worst fear of a parent that 525 00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:07,280 you can ever experience, you would withhold nothing to find 526 00:33:07,280 --> 00:33:10,080 that child. You'd break the speed limit, 527 00:33:10,080 --> 00:33:12,920 you'd call the police, you would employ the whole church to go 528 00:33:12,920 --> 00:33:16,320 and find your child. And let me just tell you, some 529 00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:17,920 of you experienced something like that. 530 00:33:19,520 --> 00:33:23,760 When you find the child, there will be no greater joy in your 531 00:33:23,760 --> 00:33:27,440 life. A child that was lost, that is 532 00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:29,440 now found. And here's what Jesus is saying. 533 00:33:29,720 --> 00:33:34,240 This is the Father's heart for all who would come into the 534 00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:37,200 Kingdom of God. This will be what heaven is 535 00:33:37,200 --> 00:33:39,840 like, that we all like sheep, have gone astray. 536 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:43,120 But Jesus came into the world that no one would perish dead in 537 00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:45,600 their sin, but they'd get invited to the banquet, not 538 00:33:45,600 --> 00:33:48,560 because we're good, but because we've been adopted as sons and 539 00:33:48,560 --> 00:33:54,000 daughters of the king. This message you have to hear 540 00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:58,800 this. God loves you more than you love 541 00:33:58,800 --> 00:34:03,800 your children. God wants intimacy with you. 542 00:34:03,800 --> 00:34:07,120 He wants you to seek him and and know him and read His word and 543 00:34:07,120 --> 00:34:08,840 have it come alive. He wants to guide and direct 544 00:34:08,840 --> 00:34:14,000 your life because He values you like you value your child. 545 00:34:15,840 --> 00:34:19,520 And part of the message today is to get revived in your heart 546 00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:22,040 that you're not a Christian because you come to church or 547 00:34:22,040 --> 00:34:25,000 listen to sermons or sing songs or serve or go on mission trips. 548 00:34:25,159 --> 00:34:27,719 All of those things are beautiful icing on the cake. 549 00:34:27,880 --> 00:34:32,920 You are a believer in the God who created you to know him as a 550 00:34:32,920 --> 00:34:36,560 father, and you stand here as a son or daughter. 551 00:34:37,760 --> 00:34:40,639 And that should radically change the way you interact with the 552 00:34:40,639 --> 00:34:43,920 Lord and everyone else. Let me give you a small example 553 00:34:43,920 --> 00:34:46,239 and then what we'll we'll very briefly look at the reaction of 554 00:34:46,239 --> 00:34:48,679 the second son. As a warning, I have a son who 555 00:34:48,679 --> 00:34:51,280 is 6 years old, so he's right on the cusp of being too old to do 556 00:34:51,280 --> 00:34:52,960 this. But about every other night he 557 00:34:52,960 --> 00:34:55,239 comes into my bedroom after he's fallen asleep. 558 00:34:55,719 --> 00:34:58,800 He wakes up in the middle of the night, takes his blanket and 559 00:34:58,800 --> 00:35:02,200 marches into my room and share with my wife. 560 00:35:02,680 --> 00:35:04,520 And he just makes himself at home in our bed. 561 00:35:07,680 --> 00:35:11,720 And I want to promise you that he does that because he has the 562 00:35:11,720 --> 00:35:18,440 confidence of sonship with, with without asking him if he's ever 563 00:35:18,440 --> 00:35:20,600 done this, I can just say it without a doubt. 564 00:35:20,600 --> 00:35:22,760 He's never woke up in the middle of the night and thought I 565 00:35:22,760 --> 00:35:29,080 longed to be next to my father and thought, did I take a bath 566 00:35:29,080 --> 00:35:31,440 the night before? Because I should probably clean 567 00:35:31,440 --> 00:35:34,080 up before I that would be rude of me to go into his bed looking 568 00:35:34,080 --> 00:35:36,040 like this. I, I assure you he's never 569 00:35:36,040 --> 00:35:37,760 thought that he comes in in all conditions. 570 00:35:39,360 --> 00:35:42,520 He's never woke up and thought, man, I just longed to be close 571 00:35:42,520 --> 00:35:46,240 to my father in the safety of his room, but I had a bad day 572 00:35:46,240 --> 00:35:47,960 yesterday. I'm just, I'm just, I'm just not 573 00:35:47,960 --> 00:35:51,200 a good kid and I got to I got to do better. 574 00:35:51,200 --> 00:35:52,920 I'm going to I'm going to hold off and be with him. 575 00:35:53,240 --> 00:35:56,160 He bursts open the door and he comes in and he sits between US 576 00:35:56,440 --> 00:35:58,960 and he's the only, he's one of four people in the entire world 577 00:35:58,960 --> 00:36:01,600 that I'll allow that to happen. If any of you try that, I'm 578 00:36:01,600 --> 00:36:03,800 calling the cops. I love you all, but I'm calling 579 00:36:03,800 --> 00:36:09,600 the cops. It is the most important way 580 00:36:09,600 --> 00:36:13,840 that you will ever understand God is by knowing that you have 581 00:36:13,840 --> 00:36:18,240 been bought with a price, you've been adopted by the power of the 582 00:36:18,240 --> 00:36:22,880 Holy Spirit, and now you belong to the household of God as a son 583 00:36:22,880 --> 00:36:25,960 or daughter. That is the gospel. 584 00:36:25,960 --> 00:36:30,360 And here's the wild part. With the time that we have left, 585 00:36:31,520 --> 00:36:34,600 we must hear the actual warning that Jesus told this whole 586 00:36:34,600 --> 00:36:41,640 parable for because there's a second son and he's going to 587 00:36:41,640 --> 00:36:46,280 remind all of us the danger of wanting life to be fair and 588 00:36:46,280 --> 00:36:48,600 wanting the Father in heaven to be fair. 589 00:36:48,760 --> 00:36:54,520 He says, what's going on when all of this happens? 590 00:36:55,560 --> 00:36:57,400 They began to be merry. And the older son was in the 591 00:36:57,400 --> 00:37:00,720 field and came out and drew near to the house, heard music and 592 00:37:00,720 --> 00:37:03,920 dancing and called one of his servants and said, what is all 593 00:37:03,920 --> 00:37:05,760 this about? And the servant said, your 594 00:37:05,760 --> 00:37:08,920 brothers come home, and because he's received him safe and 595 00:37:08,920 --> 00:37:11,720 sound, your father has killed the fatted calf. 596 00:37:13,320 --> 00:37:15,720 Remember, he's looking right at the scribes and the Pharisees as 597 00:37:15,720 --> 00:37:19,680 he says this part. Imagine he's just looking right 598 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:23,920 at them, making eye contact. How do you feel about sinners 599 00:37:23,920 --> 00:37:27,840 eating at the table with Jesus? How do you feel about the 600 00:37:27,840 --> 00:37:31,000 Kingdom of heaven being a feast for the lost? 601 00:37:32,320 --> 00:37:35,440 And then he says, the older brother answered and said to the 602 00:37:35,440 --> 00:37:39,320 Father, These many years I've been serving you, and I never 603 00:37:39,320 --> 00:37:42,840 transgressed your commandment at any time, and you never gave me 604 00:37:42,840 --> 00:37:45,440 so much as a goat and I that I might make merry with my 605 00:37:45,440 --> 00:37:47,760 friends. But as soon as this son of yours 606 00:37:47,920 --> 00:37:50,920 has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the 607 00:37:50,920 --> 00:37:55,840 fatted calf for him. The father pleaded, Son, you're 608 00:37:55,840 --> 00:37:58,440 always with me, and all that I have is yours. 609 00:37:58,880 --> 00:38:01,480 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your 610 00:38:01,480 --> 00:38:03,400 brother was dead and is alive again. 611 00:38:03,400 --> 00:38:09,600 He was lost and he is found. The older brother wants life to 612 00:38:09,600 --> 00:38:15,160 be fair. The older brother notice says, 613 00:38:15,160 --> 00:38:17,200 this son of yours, he doesn't say my brother. 614 00:38:18,960 --> 00:38:21,680 And all he wanted to talk about is what he deserved. 615 00:38:22,480 --> 00:38:24,400 I've been serving you faithfully. 616 00:38:24,440 --> 00:38:27,040 I've never wasted your money. I've never gone out with 617 00:38:27,040 --> 00:38:29,760 prodigal living, living and sin. I'm righteous. 618 00:38:30,960 --> 00:38:33,840 He goes so far as to say I've never transgressed. 619 00:38:33,840 --> 00:38:42,280 One of your commandments, the self-righteous, so close to the 620 00:38:42,280 --> 00:38:45,280 table. But don't enter in. 621 00:38:45,280 --> 00:38:49,920 Let me point out, to be self-righteous, you must be self 622 00:38:49,920 --> 00:38:54,560 delusional. I've never transgressed. 623 00:38:55,400 --> 00:39:01,320 I've served perfectly. In other words, I just want 624 00:39:01,480 --> 00:39:06,520 heaven to be fair. I want those of us who are 625 00:39:06,520 --> 00:39:09,640 self-righteous and those of us who have served without failing, 626 00:39:09,640 --> 00:39:11,360 and those of us who are perfect sinners to get in. 627 00:39:11,360 --> 00:39:14,520 And let me just tell you this. Aren't we glad that that is not 628 00:39:14,520 --> 00:39:20,120 how the economy of heaven works? To the older brothers, the 629 00:39:20,120 --> 00:39:25,040 Kingdom of heaven isn't fair. If it was, you wouldn't be 630 00:39:25,040 --> 00:39:27,600 invited because none of us have perfect. 631 00:39:27,680 --> 00:39:30,960 All of us have fallen short. Jesus ate with sinners because 632 00:39:30,960 --> 00:39:37,080 he didn't want to eat alone. So the wherever you relate to 633 00:39:37,080 --> 00:39:41,200 that you might be someone right now and you you're like, I don't 634 00:39:41,200 --> 00:39:45,840 know God is my father. I know God is the subject of the 635 00:39:45,840 --> 00:39:48,400 songs at church. I know God is the author of the 636 00:39:48,400 --> 00:39:50,720 Bible I've memorized. I know God is someone that 637 00:39:50,720 --> 00:39:58,760 someday I may see. The message is you need to know 638 00:39:58,760 --> 00:40:03,160 the love of God, the most dangerous position. 639 00:40:04,240 --> 00:40:06,360 In your journey with Jesus is not to be far out. 640 00:40:07,400 --> 00:40:10,200 It seems as though those who are in the darkest places see the 641 00:40:10,200 --> 00:40:14,360 gospel shine the brightest. The danger is to be so close 642 00:40:14,360 --> 00:40:16,160 that you no longer think you need a Savior. 643 00:40:18,440 --> 00:40:19,960 And the solution is the same for both. 644 00:40:19,960 --> 00:40:25,160 There is one Father, the Father who loves those who are far off, 645 00:40:25,160 --> 00:40:27,480 and the Father who welcomes in those who are close. 646 00:40:29,760 --> 00:40:33,360 And so your mission this week is to know the love of God. 647 00:40:34,080 --> 00:40:37,840 Forget functions of church and the memorization of scripture 648 00:40:38,040 --> 00:40:41,360 and all of the routines of life. Know the love of God. 649 00:40:43,160 --> 00:40:45,280 Bible says he was forgiven much loves much. 650 00:40:45,800 --> 00:40:48,760 It can start by allowing God to open your heart to show you that 651 00:40:48,760 --> 00:40:52,040 your need for a Savior, your need for forgiveness this week 652 00:40:54,440 --> 00:40:57,560 so that we stop judging others and start receiving the grace 653 00:40:57,560 --> 00:41:01,360 that we all need. Thanks for joining us today. 654 00:41:01,640 --> 00:41:04,400 If you would like to watch the full service, check out the link 655 00:41:04,400 --> 00:41:07,240 in the description. For next steps and to learn 656 00:41:07,240 --> 00:41:09,520 more, visit calvaryboise.com.