1 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:07,680 You're very welcome to today's Triumph Church podcast. 2 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:10,440 We pray that you enjoy the message. 3 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:20,680 All right, here we go. So we're in you. 4 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:21,960 You might have figured it out by now. 5 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:25,200 We're in Luke chapter 15. Today I'm going to be reading 6 00:00:25,240 --> 00:00:27,560 all of the texts from the Passion translation. 7 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:32,159 Just a quick note, the passion translation is what is called a 8 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:35,640 paraphrase. And so paraphrases are written 9 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:39,400 with a couple of things in mind, but mostly what they do is they 10 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:44,360 expand, they use modern language to get to the meaning of the 11 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:48,120 original text and they don't stick so close to the original 12 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:50,840 text. I enjoy the passion translation. 13 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:55,560 Another thing that that this author did was he uses Aramaic 14 00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:59,440 for whatever it's worth as his base language because he he's 15 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:02,160 convinced that was probably the language of the New Testament, 16 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:05,560 but he doesn't write in Aramaic. So using the passion translation 17 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:08,880 and we're in Luke 15 and we're going to go to some other 18 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:12,560 scriptures, but just keep your finger in Luke 15 because we're 19 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:14,280 going to be coming back to that all the time. 20 00:01:14,960 --> 00:01:18,920 I really love scripture because it's so full of detail. 21 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:22,960 And as you go through, slowly all kinds of things jump out. 22 00:01:22,960 --> 00:01:26,720 So we're slowly going to go through Luke 15 today and we're 23 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:28,800 going to pick up on salient points. 24 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,240 But what I said is actually what we're going to be looking at. 25 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:36,320 We're looking at this is the story not of the prodigal son. 26 00:01:36,960 --> 00:01:42,040 It's bigger than that. It's the story of the generous 27 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:48,640 loving father and his two lost boys, The generous loving father 28 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:53,520 and his two lost sons, because both of them have been taken 29 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:57,320 away from the father's presence and both of them are invited to 30 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:00,320 to return home. And as we're listening today, 31 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:02,920 maybe let's listen from that perspective. 32 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:07,000 Jesus told stories because they get beneath our brains and they 33 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:11,440 get to the heart. And these stories are a 34 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:14,840 retelling of our story. So see if you can spot yourself 35 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:17,520 in this today. You might spot yourself in both 36 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:21,360 of them, and that's OK. I have found myself in both of 37 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:23,240 these these young men. So let's go. 38 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:27,440 Luke 15. We're going to begin right at 39 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:30,640 the start of the chapter, verses 123. 40 00:02:30,640 --> 00:02:36,240 Many dishonest tax collectors and other notorious sinners 41 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:40,440 often gathered around to listen as Jesus taught the people. 42 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:45,520 Now, this raised concerns among the Jewish religious leaders and 43 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:49,280 experts of the law. Indignant, they grumbled and 44 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:53,400 complained, saying, look at how this man associates with all 45 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:57,280 these notorious sinners and welcomes them all to come to 46 00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:01,360 him. And in response, Jesus gave them 47 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:05,120 these illustrations. And I think this is where we 48 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:10,720 really need to begin with this. This is the context of this 49 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:16,440 parable, Two groups of people, a group who are notorious sinners 50 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:20,120 and have broken every law imaginable in the 10 51 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:24,360 commandments and beyond, and another group who pride 52 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:27,480 themselves in the fact that they've kept the law and they've 53 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:30,440 kept themselves holy and that they do the right thing. 54 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:35,120 So you can see when Jesus is telling the story, how he has 55 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:37,680 set this up. That's clear enough, right? 56 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:43,120 So Jesus is using a story to get below the head and to speak to 57 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:45,640 the heart. Then we're going to jump ahead. 58 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:47,840 We're going to skip the two first parables. 59 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:51,160 They're the parable of the lost sheep and the parable of the 60 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:53,280 lost coin. And we're going to come down to 61 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:58,000 verse 11 to 13. So then Jesus said once there 62 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:01,800 was a father with two sons, The youngest son came to his father 63 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:05,040 and said, father, don't you think it's time to give me my 64 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:09,320 share of your estate? Of course, the answer to that is 65 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:15,720 no, because I'm still alive. And essentially we need to get 66 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:21,200 the gravity of this insult the the incredible contravention and 67 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:24,080 the lack of respect involved here, where the son literally 68 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:28,160 was saying you're worth more to me dead than alive. 69 00:04:29,840 --> 00:04:35,080 So the father went ahead and distributed between the two sons 70 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:38,240 their inheritance. Shortly afterward, the younger 71 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:41,680 son packed up all of his belongings and travelled off to 72 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:45,400 see the world. He journeyed to a far off land 73 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:51,000 where he soon wasted all he was given in a binge of extravagant 74 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:54,280 and reckless living. I want to get to the roots of 75 00:04:54,280 --> 00:04:56,640 what's in the the youngest son's heart. 76 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:02,480 It's the same thing that the devil or the evil 1 proposed to 77 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:06,120 Eve in the Garden of Eden. And what was in his heart? 78 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:10,960 Was this the world the Father has made available to me? 79 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:16,880 That is not all that there is. He's hiding something from me. 80 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:22,400 He's keeping something from me. I need to go exploring in order 81 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:25,080 to find out what the world is really about. 82 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:27,480 It's the same thing that evil once said to Eve. 83 00:05:28,280 --> 00:05:33,520 Did God really say you shall not touch the tree of the knowledge 84 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:37,560 of good and evil? No, said the serpent to her. 85 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:41,720 He said for the day you eat of it, you will become like God. 86 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:44,560 So that was the evil 1's temptation. 87 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:49,600 Now remember the stories. It's designed for self 88 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:51,880 reflection. And a good thing to ask 89 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:56,000 ourselves is have I fallen for this line in my life? 90 00:05:56,920 --> 00:06:01,240 Have I had moments in my life where I thought, I think God's 91 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:03,960 hiding something from me, I need to go figure this thing out for 92 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:08,040 myself. And off he goes and he does what 93 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:11,800 everybody would do with a lot of cash and no borders. 94 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:15,720 He just goes wild and he spends his money on all sorts of 95 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:20,520 things. What is it that took the young 96 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:25,560 son away from his father's presence? 97 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:29,560 Let's go to James. James, chapter 113 to 16. 98 00:06:29,840 --> 00:06:32,760 And now for the the younger ones among you. 99 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:37,560 You got to help me fill this in. It's a word that begins with the 100 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:43,560 letter D James chapter 1, verses 13 to 16. 101 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:47,960 What took the youngest son away from his father's home? 102 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:54,920 When you are tempted, says James, don't ever say God is 103 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:58,160 tempting me. God is incapable of being 104 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:01,560 tempted by evil, and He is never the source of temptation. 105 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:08,720 Instead, it is each person's own desires and thoughts that drag 106 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:12,600 them into evil and lure them away Into Darkness. 107 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:18,200 Evil desires give birth to evil actions, and when sin is fully 108 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:23,880 mature, it can murder you. So, my friends, don't be fooled 109 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:27,880 by your own desires. What took the youngest son away 110 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:30,800 from his father's presence? Anybody. 111 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:34,920 It's AD yes. There we go. 112 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:37,760 I heard somebody whispering it. You're welcome to shout it. 113 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:43,040 That's sort of fun. Desires. 114 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:50,560 It was his desire that took him away from his father's presence. 115 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:53,960 And this is something we need to be honest with ourselves about 116 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:57,880 as well. Often we create the kind of mess 117 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:02,360 this young man ends up in when we follow our desires, and it's 118 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:05,720 easy to blame everybody else. Oh, the economy went bad at the 119 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:10,480 time, a famine came in, whatever it might be. 120 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:14,480 But we need to be honest about the fact that our desires and 121 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:18,600 our pursuit of our desires can often take us away from the 122 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:22,160 House of the Father. So where does he find himself 123 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:22,840 now? Here we go. 124 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:26,680 Luke 1514 to 19. With everything spent and 125 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:31,920 nothing left, he grew hungry because there was a severe 126 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:34,679 famine in that land. So he begged a farmer in the 127 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:38,880 country to hire him. The farmer hired him and sent 128 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:43,799 him out to feed the pigs. The sun was so famished he was 129 00:08:43,799 --> 00:08:50,280 willing even to eat the slop given to the pigs because no one 130 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:54,880 would feed him a thing. We need to be honest about the 131 00:08:54,880 --> 00:09:00,320 pursuit of our desires. They promised the world, and 132 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:05,240 they deliver nothing. They promise satisfaction, and 133 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:08,960 they bring us to this place. Have you ever come to this spot 134 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:15,040 in your own life where you're so desperate you're willing to take 135 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:22,240 garbage in as your sustenance? They're pretty brutal. 136 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:30,200 Those things that promise life often deliver NT starvation and 137 00:09:30,680 --> 00:09:32,960 something. Jesus is really rubbing it in 138 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:35,520 over here. He has this young man, remember, 139 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:41,720 he's a Jewish boy. He has him feeding pigs. 140 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:44,520 Pigs were unclean. You weren't allowed to touch 141 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:46,680 them. Not only is he feeding them, but 142 00:09:46,680 --> 00:09:50,400 he's willing to eat the same food that the pigs are eating. 143 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:52,480 The symbolism is so rich over here. 144 00:09:53,320 --> 00:10:00,280 He's reduced to nothing, and in many senses, this is precisely 145 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:07,480 the kind of place that we want to come to in our journey. 146 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:13,800 Often this is where the journey home really begins, because as 147 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:16,520 long as we believe we've got our own resources and we've got our 148 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:21,080 own abilities and our own strength to hand, we'll carry on 149 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:24,280 trying to make our own way. But look what happens to him. 150 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:26,680 It's a good, it's a good moment for this young man. 151 00:10:28,560 --> 00:10:31,920 Humiliated, the son finally realized what he was doing. 152 00:10:32,680 --> 00:10:36,560 He woke up and he thought, there are many workers at my father's 153 00:10:36,560 --> 00:10:41,960 house who have all the food they want with plenty to spare. 154 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:46,640 They lack nothing. Why am I dying of hunger feeding 155 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:49,320 these pigs and eating their slop? 156 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:53,880 I want to go back home to my father's house. 157 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:56,680 So here's here's a cute question. 158 00:10:57,360 --> 00:10:59,560 What was his motivation for returning home? 159 00:11:02,560 --> 00:11:04,600 If we read that, what's driving this young guy? 160 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:11,800 Is it love for his dad? I don't think so. 161 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:18,560 I think he just wants food. You know, that's not a bad 162 00:11:18,560 --> 00:11:21,480 thing. Jesus said I am the bread of 163 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:25,240 life. Jesus said I am the water of 164 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:28,440 life. And sometimes this is actually 165 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:29,680 where the journey needs to begin. 166 00:11:29,680 --> 00:11:33,240 We're just that hungry and we're just that thirsty. 167 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:37,440 Of course, there is a lot more than just food in the Father's 168 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:40,440 house. But if you know someone who's 169 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:43,200 returning to Jesus and you find yourself going, I'm not so sure 170 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:44,840 what your motives are. You know what? 171 00:11:45,680 --> 00:11:49,240 The Father didn't really bother with the motivations when his 172 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:53,920 son came over the horizon. And off he decides he's going to 173 00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:54,760 go back now. I love this. 174 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:55,960 Listen. Listen to the plot. 175 00:11:55,960 --> 00:11:58,560 Right? So I'll go back to my father's 176 00:11:58,560 --> 00:11:59,600 house. Here's what I'm going to say. 177 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:04,640 I was wrong. I've sinned against you. 178 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:10,280 I'll never again be worthy to be called your son. 179 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:16,200 Please, Father, just treat me like one of your employees. 180 00:12:17,680 --> 00:12:20,120 And here's where the second question is really important. 181 00:12:20,880 --> 00:12:25,920 What kept him from his father's presence? 182 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:34,200 He wants to return home as a servant, as a slave. 183 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:42,040 He wants to forgo his sonship as punishment for what he has done. 184 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:47,120 He's clothed in rags. He's got no shoes on his feet. 185 00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:52,840 He's filthy. He smells like a pig, like in 186 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:56,520 every sense of the word. It's not metaphor. 187 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:02,200 And he's saying in my present condition, I can't go home. 188 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:05,560 It's my father's son, but maybe I could live in the servants 189 00:13:05,560 --> 00:13:09,440 quarters and eat a few scraps every single day. 190 00:13:09,560 --> 00:13:13,000 He wasn't returning home to return to his father's presence. 191 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:17,600 He was going home with a deal that he was going to propose 192 00:13:18,040 --> 00:13:22,560 that would get him the food he needed but preclude him from the 193 00:13:22,560 --> 00:13:27,480 presence of the father. So the question is, what is 194 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:31,760 keeping him from his father's presence? 195 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:36,160 What would you call the stuff that's on him? 196 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:41,960 Shame is the right word. My wife didn't see my notes. 197 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:46,240 I hope I maybe she did. I'm not sure, folks. 198 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:49,200 I want to make a distinction between guilt and shame. 199 00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:56,200 When we sin against God, when we transgress his ways, the 200 00:13:56,200 --> 00:14:00,360 ministry of the Holy Spirit brings guilt to our hearts. 201 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:05,360 Guilt is there for our own good because usually when we've 202 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:09,160 transgressed God's law, we're stepping into territory where we 203 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:13,640 can get harmed or we can die. It's as if we'd gone on holiday 204 00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:16,480 and we were living in a resort and our little, our little child 205 00:14:16,480 --> 00:14:21,040 there and he left the resort and he was out on the sidewalk 206 00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:25,360 alongside the busy Main Street. I'd stand at the fence and I'd 207 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:29,040 yell his name. Ryan, that's guilt. 208 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:31,000 Guilt is meant to get your attention. 209 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:36,240 What's the purpose behind guilt? As to get you to leave the 210 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:38,680 dangerous spot and come back to where it's safe. 211 00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:42,560 That's the purpose of guilt. That's the ministry of the Holy 212 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:44,800 Spirit and it's meant to bring you home. 213 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:50,480 Shame is not guilt. Shame begins with the same 214 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:52,880 pretext. You've broken God's commandment, 215 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:57,400 you've done the wrong thing, but shame is the ministry of the 216 00:14:57,400 --> 00:15:05,640 evil. 1 And shame says, and you are no longer worthy of God's 217 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:08,920 love. Now here's the thing. 218 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:13,480 Often we confuse the two. Have you ever done that in your 219 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:16,120 own life? I don't deserve God's love. 220 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:23,120 Because the truth is this, that for many who've been where this 221 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:29,560 young man was, we do return to church. 222 00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:35,680 We return to God, but we never really managed to ship step into 223 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:41,760 his presence. We're kept away by dirty shame. 224 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:46,000 Dirty shame is what's keeping this young man away. 225 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:48,720 What's God's answer to this? Let's have a look here. 226 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:55,640 Colossians one versus 12 to 14. Colossians one versus 12 to 14. 227 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:05,240 Caleb, could you possibly get me a glass of water from outside? 228 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:08,040 Thanks, Mommy. I don't stress. 229 00:16:08,360 --> 00:16:20,120 Mom's got something here. So you need to help that frog 230 00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:22,520 out. Here we go. 231 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:26,080 Your hearts can soar with joyful gratitude when you think of how 232 00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:37,320 God, God made you worthy to receive the glorious inheritance 233 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:41,160 freely given to us by living in the light. 234 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:47,920 He has rescued us completely from the tyrannical rule of 235 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:51,440 darkness and translated us into the Kingdom realm of His beloved 236 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:55,280 Son. For in the sun, all of our sins 237 00:16:56,040 --> 00:17:03,200 are cancelled, and we have the release of redemption through 238 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:12,480 His very blood. Oh wow, if you were this young 239 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:17,680 guy, if this is your story, and if you found yourself kind of, 240 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:19,760 you've come back home, but you're living in the servants 241 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:23,400 quarters, I want to give you good news. 242 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:29,040 God took care of it. Jesus took all of your sin. 243 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:33,080 I'd like you to remember everything you have done and 244 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:38,840 then know it's been taken care of, it's been paid for, the bill 245 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:43,920 is wiped clean, and he's brought you home. 246 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:48,880 So what is the way home? Let's read this engagement as he 247 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:50,400 comes back home. I love it. 248 00:17:50,600 --> 00:17:55,160 Luke 1520 to 24. See the heart of the Father. 249 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:58,160 In fact, before we head you, I want to, I want you to imagine a 250 00:17:58,160 --> 00:18:01,600 moment I in my mind as I've meditated on the story. 251 00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:05,120 I like to think this father had one of those houses like they do 252 00:18:05,120 --> 00:18:08,360 in South Africa and in America, with a great big porch. 253 00:18:09,160 --> 00:18:12,560 It's like 6 meters wide and it stretches the full length of the 254 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:15,320 home and it's covered. And I like to imagine this 255 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:19,760 father used to spend at least his lunch hour, but many, many 256 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:23,480 moments in the day sitting in his rocking chair, quietly 257 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:28,920 watching the horizon for his son, longing for the return of 258 00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:32,440 this one that his heart loved. I like to see him pouring 259 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:35,560 himself maybe a cool lemonade and just, you know, relaxing in 260 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:38,720 the cool of the day. But his heart's trained on where 261 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:43,080 is my son. And I also like to imagine that 262 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:50,280 there's a second chair on that porch where the oldest son might 263 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:54,800 have been sitting. And in my eye, I always see that 264 00:18:54,800 --> 00:19:00,040 second chair as being empty, because while the oldest son 265 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:04,280 shares a home with the father, he's not yet learned to share 266 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:08,480 his heart with the father. I'm going to just leave that 267 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:09,840 there. Here he is on his chair. 268 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:12,640 There's his lemonade. He's got it in his hand. 269 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:14,920 He's taking a sip and his eye catches something. 270 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:17,280 So the young son settle for home. 271 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:21,800 From a long distance away, his father saw him coming, dressed 272 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:25,360 as a beggar, dressed in his filthy shame and great 273 00:19:25,360 --> 00:19:29,600 compassion swelled in his heart for his son who was returning 274 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:33,520 home. If you've ever met a parent who 275 00:19:33,520 --> 00:19:37,360 has a child who's addicted to drugs, and if you've ever looked 276 00:19:37,360 --> 00:19:40,080 into their eyes and seen their breaking heart through their 277 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:43,440 eyes, you've caught a glimpse, a small glimpse of the father's 278 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:46,760 love for you when you've wandered away from him. 279 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:52,160 The father raced out to meet him, hitched his britches. 280 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:57,320 They didn't run. Old rich men never ran back in 281 00:19:57,320 --> 00:19:59,680 those days. I've heard a part of the story 282 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:03,080 that says because of the son's great insult against his father 283 00:20:03,360 --> 00:20:06,720 in liquidating his inheritance ahead of time, all of the 284 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:09,840 villages that live nearby had the right to stone this boy. 285 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:14,920 And, and one of the proposals is that was one of the reasons the 286 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:18,520 father was racing. He needed to get to him first 287 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:21,800 because if the neighbors reached him with the rocks, they would 288 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:28,040 have buried him. He races out, but it then he 289 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:33,680 swept him up in his arms, hugged him dearly and kissed him over 290 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:37,400 and over with tender love. The profusion of love in the 291 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:42,240 story, the outpouring of the grace of this old man who 292 00:20:42,240 --> 00:20:48,600 contains such amazing love. Then the son said to the father, 293 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:51,160 I was wrong. I have sinned against you. 294 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:53,720 I could never deserve to be called your son. 295 00:20:53,920 --> 00:20:56,440 Just let me be, the father interrupted. 296 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:02,360 He didn't want to hear the deal. He didn't want to hear the deal. 297 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:08,840 He interrupted him and he said, Son, you're home now. 298 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:13,520 Turning to the servants, the father said quick, bring me the 299 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:19,160 best robe man on that smelly pig garment, you know, bring cover 300 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:24,760 his shame and I will place it on his shoulders. 301 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:28,520 Bring the ring, the seal of sonship and I will put it on his 302 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:30,800 finger and bring out the best shoes you can find. 303 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:33,760 Let's prepare a great feast. I don't know why he doesn't put 304 00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:36,640 it in the passion. Let's kill the fatted calf 305 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:39,320 because someone had to die for you to come home. 306 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:44,840 We have to remember that, right? Somebody had to die to bring us 307 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:49,560 home because blood was the price demanded by our rebellion. 308 00:21:50,680 --> 00:21:53,840 For my beloved son was once dead, but now he's alive. 309 00:21:53,840 --> 00:21:55,840 Once he was lost, and now he was found. 310 00:21:56,320 --> 00:22:02,240 And everybody celebrated with overflowing joy when this Rascal 311 00:22:02,240 --> 00:22:03,920 came home. Oh, my soul. 312 00:22:04,040 --> 00:22:08,640 OK, So what is the way home? I love the fact that this guy 313 00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:12,720 owns up to his mistakes. Father, I've sinned against 314 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:15,720 heaven and against you. This is essential. 315 00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:18,120 How do we come home? How does he come home? 316 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:22,760 This is that great old word, repent. 317 00:22:24,360 --> 00:22:26,160 There's quite a bit in the word repent. 318 00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:30,160 The first thing is to admit that you duffed it. 319 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:32,040 That's like a big deal for repentance. 320 00:22:32,120 --> 00:22:35,120 I messed up. The second thing is to change 321 00:22:35,120 --> 00:22:37,400 direction. I always was told this when we 322 00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:40,760 were growing up in church. Repentance is to do a 180. 323 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:43,280 I was headed towards darkness, now I'm headed towards light. 324 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:45,840 I was headed towards the faraway country, now I'm headed home. 325 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:49,400 I was headed towards the pigs, now I'm headed towards the calf. 326 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:53,520 OK, maybe that one didn't work. It's a 180° movement. 327 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:57,040 Later on, we've also been helped to understand that repaint. 328 00:22:57,040 --> 00:22:59,120 Actually, it speaks about the paint, the top. 329 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:03,160 The thinking means to change the way you think about the world. 330 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:05,600 All of that is bound up in repentance. 331 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:08,960 Repentance means to actually say I'm done going that way, I'm 332 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:12,200 headed the other way and to acknowledge I daft it. 333 00:23:13,880 --> 00:23:17,040 But more than repenting, there's something bigger. 334 00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:26,840 It also begins with RE. He needs to receive. 335 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:34,760 What does he need to receive? He needs to receive an Amazing 336 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:42,720 Grace that he cannot afford. Do you think he wore this robe 337 00:23:42,760 --> 00:23:47,000 easily? I don't think so. 338 00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:50,400 Because you see, because of his repentance, he was clear eyed 339 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:53,880 about what he had done. Now here he is wearing his 340 00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:57,120 Father's robe. Do you think he used this ring 341 00:23:57,120 --> 00:24:00,200 of sonship that enabled him to do business in the father's 342 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:01,480 name? Do you think he would have used 343 00:24:01,480 --> 00:24:06,000 it flagrantly? He's done flagrant and he saw 344 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:09,160 where it would bring him. I think he'd be more cautious. 345 00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:11,840 Do you think he'd wear those sandals to go wherever he 346 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:15,520 wanted? I don't think so, but he does 347 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:21,040 need to receive. Please hear me. 348 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:29,440 You cannot afford the grace you need to save your soul. 349 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:34,760 I'm going to say it again. You and I, we cannot afford to 350 00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:39,800 pay out of our own means of earning the grace that we need 351 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:45,480 to save our souls. In the end, our lives depend on 352 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:49,560 the ability to receive that which we have not earned. 353 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:52,960 Now I'm going to put something to you. 354 00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:59,320 Often in our lives, Michelle and I have seen people in the 355 00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:03,280 church. We we grow to be great givers 356 00:25:03,560 --> 00:25:06,840 because that's you got to learn to give because our father is 357 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:09,720 generous. It's a family tray, right? 358 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:19,560 But you've got to be a great receiver too, because this 359 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:23,560 economy is an economy of giving and receiving. 360 00:25:24,040 --> 00:25:28,920 So if you're the sort of person, when someone comes and they say, 361 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:32,400 I want to bless you and they hand you an envelope with money 362 00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:36,520 in it, if you find yourself saying no, it's fine, I don't 363 00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:38,400 need that, I'm all right, thank you. 364 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:44,440 I want you to check your heart. I want you to check your heart. 365 00:25:45,280 --> 00:25:49,080 God wants you to practice receiving as well as giving. 366 00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:53,880 You need to practice because if you're so tight hearted at not 367 00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:56,840 receiving help from others, I'm a bit worried you're going to 368 00:25:56,840 --> 00:25:59,240 not be able to receive what you need in the end. 369 00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:02,120 Look, that's not theology, right? 370 00:26:02,120 --> 00:26:05,440 That's just my thoughts. The Kingdom is about giving and 371 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:06,800 receiving. Just a thought over there for 372 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:10,000 free. And the Son has to receive. 373 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:12,240 This is a beautiful end to the story. 374 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:14,040 That's where the story could have ended. 375 00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:17,520 But the story wasn't told for the tax collectors and the 376 00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:19,720 prostitutes who were enjoying the feast with Jesus. 377 00:26:20,040 --> 00:26:24,280 They were already home. He was telling the story for 378 00:26:24,280 --> 00:26:27,360 somebody else. You see the tree of the 379 00:26:27,360 --> 00:26:33,000 knowledge of good and evil, Which one kills you? 380 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:42,560 Is it the knowledge of evil that kills you, or is it the 381 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:47,920 knowledge of good? Now listen with all of your 382 00:26:47,920 --> 00:26:51,000 ears. It's a South African saying. 383 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:58,280 Somehow, folks, both of these boys were lost. 384 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:05,600 The one who'd lived like the devil and the one who lived like 385 00:27:05,600 --> 00:27:10,320 the Angel. It's the tree of the knowledge 386 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:17,040 of good and evil that kills. Hear what I'm saying? 387 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:24,040 Hear what I'm saying. The reason I'm driving this 388 00:27:24,040 --> 00:27:28,880 point is because in Christianity we've often mistaken the tree 389 00:27:28,880 --> 00:27:31,040 for the knowledge of knowledge of good and evil. 390 00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:35,880 And we have taught ourselves and one another to be good boys and 391 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:39,720 girls. We have taught ourselves to be 392 00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:43,960 like the oldest son. And I think it's quite 393 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:47,440 dangerous. But there's a wonderful, 394 00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:50,880 wonderful invitation. So here we go with him, the 395 00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:53,080 oldest son. What took him away from the 396 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:59,720 father's house? OK, I'm going to skip that one. 397 00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:00,920 We'll come back to that one later. 398 00:28:01,440 --> 00:28:06,160 Now the oldest son, now the oldest son was out working in 399 00:28:06,160 --> 00:28:10,120 the field when his brother returned. 400 00:28:10,120 --> 00:28:12,040 I'm not going to go to a scripture for this. 401 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:14,600 I've often wondered, you know what? 402 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:17,600 It takes quite a long time to prep a party like this back in 403 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:18,760 the day if you're living on a farm. 404 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:21,360 Quite a long time to kill the fatted calf. 405 00:28:21,360 --> 00:28:24,240 The musicians probably have to come in from the farm next door 406 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:26,280 or the village that's like kilometers away. 407 00:28:26,520 --> 00:28:30,400 This took time, right? By the time the oldest son comes 408 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:32,440 home, like the party's in full swing already. 409 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:35,400 Like the sun is set and everybody's going to care, the 410 00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:39,440 fireworks lighting up the sky. How far away was he? 411 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:44,320 In my imagination, as I've meditated on the story, I 412 00:28:44,320 --> 00:28:49,720 imagine this oldest son on the side of the farm. 413 00:28:50,360 --> 00:28:52,800 What's he doing there? He's probably working the 414 00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:56,760 hardest ground that you can find, probably establishing an 415 00:28:56,800 --> 00:29:00,240 orchard, maximizing the father's returns, because of course, you 416 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:01,760 know, the youngest son took half of it away. 417 00:29:01,760 --> 00:29:04,680 Now he's going to make everything work so much more 418 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:07,200 efficiently, and he's trying to get an orchard going in rocky 419 00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:09,960 ground. I can imagine him out there with 420 00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:14,040 two or three choice servants, picking away at like, unyielding 421 00:29:14,040 --> 00:29:18,040 ground in the hot Middle Eastern sun, sweating himself almost to 422 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:21,680 death, blisters on his hands, blisters on his feet, and he's 423 00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:24,400 walking home. But he knows he's doing what 424 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:29,040 he's meant to do, and he's making the farm work properly. 425 00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:32,320 Why? Why, why is he not sitting in 426 00:29:32,320 --> 00:29:35,520 the chair next to his father at lunchtime, watching the horizon? 427 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:43,160 Because he's got his duties. Oh, listen carefully here. 428 00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:54,960 Our journey back home is not just to acknowledge how our 429 00:29:54,960 --> 00:30:00,320 desires have taken us from our father's house, but it's to 430 00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:07,880 acknowledge how duty takes us away from the father's house. 431 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:12,920 Here he comes trudging up. It's a long, hard day's work out 432 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:15,160 on the farm. It really is a long hard day's 433 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:17,240 work. And as he approached the house, 434 00:30:17,240 --> 00:30:20,400 he heard the music of celebration and dancing. 435 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:22,680 He called over. Obviously this didn't happen 436 00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:24,640 much at all because he's wants to know what's going on. 437 00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:26,800 He called over his servant and asked what's going on? 438 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:30,160 The servant replied, it's your younger brother, He's returned 439 00:30:30,160 --> 00:30:32,840 home and your father's take a party to celebrate his 440 00:30:32,840 --> 00:30:35,800 homecoming. At which point the oldest son 441 00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:38,040 you would have imagined would have gone inside because he was 442 00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:41,280 the Co host of this party. And in Middle Eastern culture, 443 00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:44,360 that was a very big deal and he was going to welcome his son. 444 00:30:44,360 --> 00:30:46,600 And even if he didn't agree, you'd put a smile on. 445 00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:54,800 No, no, no, no, no, no. The oldest son became angrier 446 00:30:57,520 --> 00:31:01,960 and refused to go inside and celebrate, and thereby insulted 447 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:06,920 his father just as thoroughly as his brother had insulted his 448 00:31:06,920 --> 00:31:09,520 father when he asked to liquidate his inheritance. 449 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:14,040 In Middle Eastern culture, this was a big, big deal, and so the 450 00:31:14,040 --> 00:31:16,720 father came out for the second time that day. 451 00:31:16,720 --> 00:31:21,440 The father leaves the porch and comes out to meet a lost son and 452 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:25,760 bleed it. Come, come and enjoy the feast 453 00:31:25,760 --> 00:31:37,480 with us, the son said. Father, listen, father, listen. 454 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:43,640 How many years have I worked like a slave for you? 455 00:31:43,640 --> 00:31:48,160 Can I just pause and say this is the symptom of being away from 456 00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:51,720 home is that you think of yourself as the servant of God 457 00:31:51,720 --> 00:31:56,520 and not the child of God. The youngest son came up with a 458 00:31:56,520 --> 00:31:59,720 plan and the plan was I want to go home and be a hired hand. 459 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:04,960 The oldest son is saying, I have worked as a slave for you, 460 00:32:05,640 --> 00:32:08,400 performing every duty you've asked as a faithful son, and 461 00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:12,720 I've never once disobeyed you. He's a good son, but you've 462 00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:15,680 never thrown a party for me because of my faithfulness. 463 00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:19,080 Never once have you even given me a goat that I could feast and 464 00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:23,520 celebrate with my friends as the son of yours is doing. 465 00:32:23,520 --> 00:32:26,400 You can just feel the gall. Look at him. 466 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:30,400 He comes back after wasting your wealth on prostitutes and 467 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:34,120 reckless living and here you are throwing a great feast to 468 00:32:34,120 --> 00:32:40,240 celebrate for him. This is like soap opera stuff 469 00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:43,400 over here. It wasn't just the fireworks 470 00:32:43,400 --> 00:32:45,360 back home that was going off that night. 471 00:32:46,440 --> 00:32:52,600 What's keeping the oldest son from the father's presence this 472 00:32:52,600 --> 00:32:56,120 evening? How would you describe this guy? 473 00:32:58,360 --> 00:33:02,000 He's raging. He's raging. 474 00:33:02,920 --> 00:33:10,320 He's filled with bitterness. Let's just read the father's 475 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:17,560 last words in the story. The father said, my son, you're 476 00:33:17,560 --> 00:33:21,200 always with me by my side. Although he wasn't, he was on 477 00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:27,040 the far side of the farm. But they shared life and it's an 478 00:33:27,040 --> 00:33:31,000 interesting part of the story. Everything I have is yours. 479 00:33:32,160 --> 00:33:34,720 Like you didn't need me to give you a goat. 480 00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:39,760 I gave you the farm. It's you, like your names on the 481 00:33:39,760 --> 00:33:41,440 title deeds. You own the goat. 482 00:33:41,440 --> 00:33:42,680 You own the sheep. You own the pigs. 483 00:33:42,840 --> 00:33:44,760 I should have asked for your permission to take the calf. 484 00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:46,760 You know what I'm saying? They didn't own pigs. 485 00:33:46,760 --> 00:33:47,760 Jewish farm. Jewish farm. 486 00:33:47,760 --> 00:33:49,280 Sorry. I'll keep tripping on the pig 487 00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:55,120 thing. It is only right to rejoice and 488 00:33:55,120 --> 00:33:58,600 celebrate like this because your brother was once dead and gone, 489 00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:00,400 but now he's alive and back again. 490 00:34:00,400 --> 00:34:04,760 He was lost and now he's found what is needed for the older son 491 00:34:04,760 --> 00:34:09,360 to come home. The first one is a really big 492 00:34:09,360 --> 00:34:13,199 one. The first thing he needs to do 493 00:34:13,199 --> 00:34:16,360 is he needs to release his younger brother. 494 00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:21,600 He needs to forgive. He needs to forgive. 495 00:34:23,920 --> 00:34:26,840 Now we're going to go to an awkward verse because it's Jesus 496 00:34:26,840 --> 00:34:30,320 again, Matthew 612 and then 14 to 15. 497 00:34:30,320 --> 00:34:34,199 It's in the Lord's pray. And there's that, that tricky 498 00:34:34,199 --> 00:34:37,760 line. Forgive us the wrongs we have 499 00:34:37,760 --> 00:34:44,920 done, just as we ourselves release forgiveness to those who 500 00:34:44,920 --> 00:34:50,239 have wronged us. And later Jesus says in When you 501 00:34:50,239 --> 00:34:54,120 pray, make sure you forgive the faults of others so that your 502 00:34:54,120 --> 00:34:56,679 Father in heaven will also forgive you. 503 00:34:57,080 --> 00:34:59,880 For if you withhold forgiveness from others, your heavenly 504 00:34:59,960 --> 00:35:05,560 Father withholds forgiveness from you. 505 00:35:06,680 --> 00:35:09,680 That is probably one of the most substantial lines in the New 506 00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:12,040 Testament. I want you to contemplate what 507 00:35:12,040 --> 00:35:20,600 Jesus paid to be able to forgive you, and I just contemplate what 508 00:35:20,600 --> 00:35:22,840 he paid. How important is it to Jesus to 509 00:35:22,840 --> 00:35:25,120 forgive us? Here? 510 00:35:25,120 --> 00:35:31,280 He's saying I will withhold what I paid for from you if you 511 00:35:31,280 --> 00:35:35,520 refuse to forgive your brother or your sister. 512 00:35:37,560 --> 00:35:43,960 This is substantial. It's the only condition that He 513 00:35:43,960 --> 00:35:48,040 puts on His forgiveness. Jesus does not say I will 514 00:35:48,040 --> 00:35:50,960 forgive your sins if you climb Crow Patrick without your shoes 515 00:35:50,960 --> 00:35:54,840 on. He does not say I will forgive 516 00:35:54,840 --> 00:35:58,160 you if you walk the Via della Rossa on your knees. 517 00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:03,040 It does not say I will forgive you if you say 150,000 Hail 518 00:36:03,040 --> 00:36:10,040 Marys and 12,000 our Fathers. No way I want you to forgive 519 00:36:13,680 --> 00:36:22,200 Ephesians 2 verses 1 to 10. And Christ's fullness fills you, 520 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:27,640 even though you were once like corpses, dead in your sins and 521 00:36:27,640 --> 00:36:31,800 offenses. It wasn't that long ago that you 522 00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:36,720 lived in religion, customs and values of this world, obeying 523 00:36:36,720 --> 00:36:40,640 the dark ruler of the earthly realm, who fills the atmosphere 524 00:36:41,160 --> 00:36:44,440 with his authority and works diligently in the hearts of 525 00:36:44,440 --> 00:36:47,360 those who are disobedient to the truth of God. 526 00:36:49,480 --> 00:36:52,640 The corruption that was in us from birth was expressed through 527 00:36:52,640 --> 00:36:55,440 the deeds and desires of our self life. 528 00:36:56,240 --> 00:37:00,200 We lived by whatever natural cravings and thoughts our minds 529 00:37:00,200 --> 00:37:03,840 dictated, living as rebellious children, subject to God's wrath 530 00:37:03,840 --> 00:37:06,800 like everyone else. But God still loved us with such 531 00:37:07,120 --> 00:37:10,280 great love. He's so rich in compassion and 532 00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:13,560 mercy. Even when we were dead and 533 00:37:13,560 --> 00:37:20,520 doomed in our many sins, He united us into the very life of 534 00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:24,760 Christ and saved us by His wonderful grace. 535 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:31,360 Believe this, He raised us up with Christ the Exalted, 1 and 536 00:37:31,360 --> 00:37:34,000 we ascended with Him into the glorious perfection and 537 00:37:34,000 --> 00:37:38,280 authority of the heavenly realm. For we are now Co seated as one 538 00:37:38,280 --> 00:37:40,560 with Christ. Throughout the coming ages we 539 00:37:40,560 --> 00:37:45,560 will be the visible display of grace that you've been saved, 540 00:37:45,800 --> 00:37:50,240 the display of the infinite riches of His grace which he 541 00:37:50,240 --> 00:37:56,040 shot upon us in Jesus. For by His grace you have been 542 00:37:56,040 --> 00:38:00,960 saved through faith. Nothing you could ever do would 543 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:05,480 earn the salvation, for it was a love gift from God that brought 544 00:38:05,480 --> 00:38:09,520 us to Christ. So no one will ever be able to 545 00:38:09,520 --> 00:38:15,760 boast, for salvation is never a reward for good work and human 546 00:38:15,760 --> 00:38:20,080 striving. We have become His poetry, a 547 00:38:20,080 --> 00:38:23,080 recreated people that will fulfill the destiny has given 548 00:38:23,080 --> 00:38:27,440 each one of us, for we are joined to Jesus the Anointed. 1 549 00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:33,000 Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny 550 00:38:33,560 --> 00:38:35,600 and the good works we would do to fulfill it. 551 00:38:38,480 --> 00:38:41,880 Thank you for listening to the Triumph Church podcast this 552 00:38:41,880 --> 00:38:44,440 week. If it was a blessing to you, 553 00:38:44,720 --> 00:38:49,320 share it with someone you know. For more information on Triumph 554 00:38:49,320 --> 00:38:55,280 Church, you can visit us at www.triumphchurch.ie.