[Music]
grab your bibles tonight and turn if you
would if you remember anyway to luke
chapter 15.
luke chapter 15 and we are going to be
ending now with part three
of our
parable teachings of the prodigal and
remember church in our two previous
studies we deliberately left out the
parable of the prodigal
son good
because this parable is more than the
prodigal son
we could say as we'll learn more tonight
it's the parable of the prodigal sons
we could also say it's the parable of
the prodigal father the father is
interesting in this
parable he breaks all the cultural rules
he's extravagant
in his conduct and then ultimately i
pray that the argument comes across
tonight that it is actually
based upon the definition of the word
prodigal
that it's describing to us
none other than our awesome god
because the word means extravagant
some translations say the word wasteful
but that's in the negative form
the word actually means that
the man went out the young man went out
and lived
in a foreign land in with prodigal
living he lived with extravagant living
he
lavished upon himself
a great wealth and great expenditure to
try to
bring about some sort of meaning or
happiness and yet the entire parable
if you remember the audience is set
jesus is speaking to his disciples to
the followers
but the pharisees very specifically
and there's no one
in the crowd
that would miss the ministry of jesus in
this profound
parable but look we've gone into it at
length in previous studies we'll read it
tonight and finish it off tonight but if
you've missed it then you can
check it out online or or find out more
from the bookstore but luke chapter 15
verse 11 down to 32 for context
then he jesus
said a certain man had two sons
and the younger of them said to his
father
father give me the portion of goods that
falls to me remember what that meant
church
father let's pretend you just dropped
dead
and i get the inheritance now can we
fast forward that he's actually
insulting his father literally in that
culture and saying hey dad let's pretend
you just kicked the bucket i want all
the money that's come into me
it's remarkable
so the man he the father divided to them
then plural his livelihood all that he
had
and not many days after the younger son
gathered all together and journeyed into
a far country
and there he wasted his possessions on
prodigal living
but when he had spent all
there arose a severe famine in the land
and he began to be in want he was in
need and then he went and joined himself
to a citizen of that country no doubt a
gentile in this parable because why
watch
and he sent him into the fields to feed
pigs
this is not a jewish farmer
and he went
or he would have gladly had filled his
stomach with the pods
that the swine ate which by the way are
unable for a human to digest
this is how bad off the kid is now
and no one gave him anything verse 17
but when he came to himself please
circle those words right there but when
he came to himself
he said how many of my father's hired
servants have bread enough to spare
and i perish with hunger i will arise
and go to my father
and i will say to him now here's this
confession this is awesome and maybe
you're here tonight and you're going to
want to say the same thing to god
father i have sinned against heaven and
before you
i am no longer worthy to be called your
son
make me one of your hired servants
and he arose
and came to his father but when he was
still a great way off i have that marked
in my bible thank god
this sinning young man this
now empty broke worthless man still
while he's a great way off his father
saw him
and had compassion
and fell and ran him excuse me and fell
on his neck and kissed him
and the son said to him father i've
sinned against heaven now he goes into
his recital and in your sight i am no
longer worthy to be called your son
verse 22 is so dear to us all
look but
the father said to his servant so the
father just flat out interrupts the
boy's confession
and says bring out the my best robe and
put it on him and put a ring on his hand
and sandals on his feet and bring the
fatted calf the dedicated calf the
trophy calf
here and kill it and let us eat and be
mary verse 24 for this my son was dead
and is alive again
and he was lost and is found and they
began to make mary
and now his older son son number two
was in the field and as he came he drew
near to the house and he heard the music
and dancing and so he called to one of
the servants asking
what these things meant and he said to
him your brother has come
and because he has received him that is
the father has received him safe and
sound your father has killed the fatted
calf
look at the response of the second son
the one that you would think is loyal
and faithful to the father
he was angry
and he would not go in
so he's pouting to a great degree
therefore his father came out listen to
this the tenderness of the monum the
father came out and pleaded with him and
so he answered and said to his father
look
by the way that's a strong word he's
actually rebuking his father
these many years i have served you i've
never transgressed your commandment at
any time and yet you never gave me a
young goat
that i make merry with my friends
but as soon as this son of yours you
know it almost sounds like he's cursing
right
no doubt he is in his heart huh
who has divired devoured your livelihood
with harlots
you killed the fatted calf for him
and he said to him son
you are always with me
and all that i have is yours
it was right that we should make mary
and be glad for your brother was dead
and is alive again he was lost
and disfound
listen last time together we need to
pick up where we left off it was this
regarding the prodigal son it's in
verses 11 to 19 and we just read that
it's awesome we saw four things about
that the prodigal son to us at first
reading is obvious it's this little
brat
who says hey dad i got a great idea
you're getting old you're getting up
there in years you're not able to move
around and you know we're starting to
see signs of you slowing down uh you got
a lot of wealth you've acquired a lot of
things and you know i've been thinking
who's gonna get all this stuff and and
uh kind of know a little bit about our
culture
and um
it's gonna go to uh to the to the guys
to the boys now uh a portion's gonna go
to the oldest son and then i'm gonna get
something hey let's pretend let's play a
game let's let's play uh you kick the
bucket game
and you drop dead and so can you give me
what's coming to me
i actually had a friend who asked his
father who's very wealthy man
uh dad what's gonna happen i mean i know
there's you know there's uh there's a
there's me and there's my sister and uh
you're not gonna live forever so i was
thinking he actually asked his dad
in advance for his inheritance
and um
his dad said no
and um
i always wonder because he's a christian
brother he was ignorant of this parable
and i'm wondering whatever happened to
him when he came reading this parable
how he must have just felt like crawling
under a rock
but
this is the game they're playing or the
game he's playing in his head
dad is dead and
what's in it for me and we saw last time
in verses 11 to 12 that this young man
rejects the authority of not only his
father but of others he's thinking only
of himself
he rejects authority mark that down be
leery of people who reject authority
listen church listen right now in fact
if you're under 40 years of age listen
right now
okay
listen where's the camera you here you
there where are you guys
even if you're outside the sanctuary
right now if you're 40 years of age or
under you've been brought up in a
culture that uh not only uh rejects or
pushes uh authority back but has been
taught to reject authority listen and
and it goes with this little statement
that has been ill
received question authority that's not a
bad thing
but the modern or the the current
culture is there is no authority that's
why you should question it and that is
the birthplace of anarchy
god has ordained authority just because
there's bad authorities or authoritative
figures doesn't mean that authority is
bad there's a god-given authority by the
way if somebody has to march around and
establish their authority they're doing
it wrong
okay what you want to do as a christian
as a mom as a dad as a leader as a
business owner as an employee as a
servant of the most high god this is
what you should pray you get your pen
ready that's going to be free i'm not in
my notes notice i'm not looking down
this is free
ask god lord whatever authority you want
to establish
in my life
you do it
not me because if you try to establish
authority you'll have to maintain it and
when you try to maintain authority
it quickly becomes
a dictatorship
there are those who flaunt and abuse
authority i'm not naming names
i'm not talking about what's in the news
i'm not talking current polls
but when you don't have authority you
will push and push and push and push
versus
for example
someone who's called of god and has a
god-given authority
this is very important
this young man rejects the authority of
his father and he assumes everything to
himself and how does he wind up in time
he winds up broke he winds up broke in
he winds up starving he
winds up nibbling on these things called
pods that pigs can eat but it's
absolutely impossible for a human to
digest that's how low he is all because
he had it his way
and it's almost as though i'm speaking
foreign language
in saying such things to well you're an
old guy you know what just know this the
bible says there's going to be a day
we're living in it where there is a
absolute rejection of authority
and yet god blesses a culture blesses a
family blesses a business or a church or
a nation with god ordained authority
remember king saul in the bible
self
infused demanding authority and the guy
was an absolute pathetic leader
horrific the second thing we saw was
that this young man makes one wrong
decision after another in verses 13 to
14 he just he just just messes up
why because he's doing it his way it's
got to be a show
he's far from god
and verses 15 to 16 we see that
eventually the consequences have got to
be faced by this man the outcome is
going to hap is going to eventually
arrive
listen the outcome
in your life in my life based upon what
we've been doing what we've been sowing
in our lives the outcome is arriving
it's like a train pulling into a station
jeremiah the prophet warns that we have
sown to the wind and now it's time that
we reap the whirlwind
it matters how you live it matters how
you think
and what you develop by your pattern of
thinking will develop a
a history of decision making
and eventually you'll carve out a life
it's true about all of us
and the decisions you make will set the
course of your life
and this man did it
and it's not going well but
not all is lost verses 17 to 19 he
repents of his deeds
he begins to see now granted it cost him
greatly right
but he
repents of his deeds he changes his mind
and remember that word prodigal he is
known as the prodigal son the word
ultimately means this unlimited
extravagance prodigal unlimited
lavishness unlimited zeal
unlimited abandonment reckless
but we'll see tonight how that's
negative
with two sons
and positive with
the father figure
church before we get further into this
it's important that we
stress this
and that is regarding the teaching of
our children
and i hope this goes over well can you
guys all hear me
we make sure that we teach our kids to
have a christ-centered self-worth can i
say that again we need to teach our kids
to have a christ-centered
self-worth
meaning this
if your children are being brought up
with a christ-centered self-worth
meaning they know who they are in jesus
they know how much god loves them
i don't want to name names around here
but i just caught in fact i look the
opposite way
i just saw a face of a guy who when i
first met him
his life was
just not doing so good
and he's been following jesus
and following jesus and he's decided to
get involved over the course of these
last several years and i see him growing
and he's here tonight and i i'm looking
at you from time to time and i'm
thinking about how a man who had the
wrong decisions going on in his life
listened to jesus changed his course of
decision making and every time i see him
go through the foyer on sundays i ask
him how he's doing he says my life's
blessed
why
because listen he found his self-worth
in jesus christ meaning that he read the
bible and he found out what god thinks
about him and listen when you have that
i don't care if you're in siberia or
you know you're in
sedona it it doesn't matter no matter
what happens earthquake or fire
storm or whatever no one can take that
from you you can be imprisoned for the
rest of your life nobody can take that
from you because it's a christ-centered
self-worth be careful this young man
tried to develop his own self-worth
based upon his potential success he
spent the money he had the fun and he
did all that he did and it came crashing
down it will always come crashing down
and when when it was over he had no
self-worth why because his
self-evaluation was in what he could
acquire what he could feel what he could
do listen our culture is cursed with
this if it in fact listen as i say it
shout out the conclusion if it feels
good
that is a hedonistic humanistic
culture of godlessness
an interview you we all we all are
related to people who've done that
they've lived their lives and they've
come to their course
and asked them now
well if it clearly it felt good while
you were doing it and you've been doing
it all your life and where are you now
these are serious life questions and
life issues
and so this is very powerful remember
this the bible says in proverbs 15 verse
5 in the new living translation it's
just a translation
but it's clear
only a fool despises a parent's
discipline
whoever learns from correction is wise
you understand that that's good stuff
wow
jeremiah 31 3 we all know this verse i
try to quote it as often as possible the
lord has appeared to me of old says
jeremiah yes i have loved you says god
yes i have loved you with an everlasting
love is that awesome self-worth in
christ
therefore with lovingkindness have i
drawn you god would speak to you tonight
and say i have loved you with an
everlasting love you
you tonight
who's the biggest sinner in in here
tonight um let him stand on the stage
let them
raise both hands
no it's me not you it's me
and if paul the apostle was here he
would say no no jack it's not you it's
not them it's me paul would say i'm
the amazing thing is this god says hey
you
i've loved you with an everlasting love
the picture of this father's love for
his boys is awesome
but like human nature is
rejects and pushes against
what we need the very thing we need
isn't it funny how we gravitate to
toward a bag of potato chips
instead of broccoli
what is that we're prone to
self-destruction man
it's true
luke 15 verse 7 says i say to you jesus
is speaking that likewise there will be
more joy in heaven over one sinner who
repents than over 99 just persons who
need no repentance
and what's interesting is yes the angels
rejoice this is my look
what i'm what i'm about to say
i i think i could prove biblically
but
this is my opinion
i believe because the bible says the
angels rejoice in heaven when one person
turns towards christ
but this is what i add i think the
reason why the angels rejoice in heaven
when a
person comes to christ is because the
angels witness god rejoicing
why because the parable here has the
father rejoicing when the sinners or the
son comes back okay
it's the bible that says that god will
rejoice and sing over you and i when we
arrive in heaven he will twirl and spin
about us rejoicing that you and i are in
heaven
are you ready for that i'm ready for
that
god's gonna say oh
jack
welcome and i mean i'm thinking right
now who knows thank god the day that the
moment you die i mean everything's to be
awesome
for the christian
anyway um
but still you know it's kind of like hi
god
i'm here
and according to habakkuk and other
portions of scripture the lord is
going to say
yes
jack come here
come on
i'm wondering
when stephen was being
stoned
with rocks
to death
stephen looked up
and he says this is radical
because the bible says jesus is seated
at the right hand of god the father
stephen was dying and stephen shouted
out by the way saul of tarsus later to
be named paul the apostle
after his conversion
says
i see the son of god standing at the
right hand of the glory of the majesty
on high of the father
what's going on there apparently jesus
only gets up from his throne
to receive one of his own
and that's going to be you someday if
you're trusting jesus
that's going to be you that day that you
breathe your last and that's going to be
an awesome moment i need to hurry up
actually you're fine it's me
but we need to be very careful about
this and we learned last time
that listen that parents of
older children today i'll say
we need to be very careful how we
intervene
and i'll just say our adult children's
lives in their suffering
i'm not going to win any friends and
influence people this one
look if your three-year-old keeps
sticking the fork in the in the toaster
you need to help them
but when your 23 year old keeps sticking
the fork in the toaster while it's
plugged into the wall you need to get a
video camera and film it and make money
off of that
because that's just stupid
and i'm dead serious about that i'm
going to get notes oh you know
where's the love of god here's the love
of god if your knucklehead adult kid
keeps doing the wrong thing like this
kid over and over again look the father
didn't run down to the
next nation country over and find the
pig farms to rescue his boy and grab him
by the ear and pull them out or give him
hell i'm sorry son you're living like
this here's 20 bucks
don't do that
you only prolong their destruction
let them hit the wall the sooner they
come home the sooner they repent i'm
dead serious
we we enable our kids and we let them
continue on in the destruction well you
know you know your kid buys pot with the
money you give them
so then don't give them any more money
oh that's not very that's not very love
i don't know what book you're reading
you love your kid listen if they keep
doing that
if they keep doing acid or snorting
whatever or whatever whatever
they're going to kill themselves
oh they would never do that no that's
not what i mean
what's his face just died with i mean i
haven't kept up on the news because i
don't watch uh et or whatever it's
called but what's his name um
seymour phillip no what's his name
hoffman
i think i heard that he died from bad
drugs
he probably thought you know i've done
this a bunch of times
where was his friends
where was his mom
listen i'm being very sarcastic
where was his father
well he was i don't know i'm making this
up i don't know how old he was he was 40
years old he was 40 years old
oh i see what now i see why his mom and
dad weren't probably around he was 40
years old
this young man
is ruining his life you and i know young
men and young women who are ruining
their lives
and we need to be very careful about
that
so now we pick it up verse 20
we see about the prodigal father verse
20 what do we learn from this we learn
this that his love is preceding can you
mark that down in verse 20 the prodigal
father meaning the extravagant loving
father
has various characteristics
now as i lay this down church i'm going
to give you the punchline in advance in
case i forget
i'm talking about both the father in
this parable
and your father in heaven
and jesus was doing the exact same thing
to the audience that was before him
because it was directed specifically at
anyone but most
predominantly the pharisees
and they're gonna get it in the end it's
gonna be really great to watch them
squirm
his love
is preceding
so what does this mean it says and look
verse 20 and he that is the young son
arose and came to his father
but when he was still a great way off
his father market number one saw him
the word saw right here is an amazing
word circle in your bibles and write
this definition down the word means that
the father was aware of his son's
absence the word saw means he was aware
of his son's absence it also means this
he knows that his son is absent
the word means that the father was
beholding or wishing to see
in advance did you get that the father
how how often by the hour we don't know
by the day by the week by the month how
long does this story play out jesus is
saying that the father
is looking and looking and looking and
when the father saw the sun how far off
way far off
the father had been looking again we
don't know how long
relentlessly for his boy don't raise
your hand do you have a wayward child
do you not scan as it were the horizon
for that child constantly
you can't see or hear anything without
thinking about them
think of it
jesus is telling you tonight
you who may be far from god jesus is
saying do you know do you understand
that the father scans the horizon
looking for your face to be heading in
his direction
but i'm a prostitute or i'm a drug
addict or i'm i'm a an adulterer i'm i'm
turned to him
by the way remember the bigger the
sinner
the greater the glory god gets
well i've only sinned a little bit yes
so you think
god
okay we'll let you in
he's always thinking ahead he's looking
ahead
the father's looking ahead
daily watching lifting up his eyes
scanning the horizon waiting
and god has been watching you and i all
along the bible tells us in romans
5 6 for when we were still without
strength
wow
in due time christ died for the ungodly
is that amazing when did jesus die for
you 2000 years ago
charles spurgeon in a very witty cute
moment said i'm glad jesus died for me
before i was ever born
because he wouldn't have died for me
after i was born
that's cute but terribly flawed theology
but it's cute
the fact of the matter is it goes on for
scarcely for a righteous man will one
die yet perhaps for a good man someone
may even dare to die
but god
demonstrates his own love toward us and
that while we were still sinners christ
died for us
that's awesome
see for those of us who know that we go
yes
but for the person that's here tonight
saying maybe i'm really working at it
i'm being better every year i'm getting
better
that's not such a big deal to you that
verse that while we were still sinners
christ died for us when you realize that
one little nasty thought ejects you out
of heaven
being available or being
having access to heaven one thought one
you're out
of a sudden when you realize wait a
minute that means everybody's out that's
right
that's why jesus came
so he can get us back in
he did it
while we were without strength romans 3
21 says but now the righteousness of god
apart from the law oh keep it up on the
screen any legalistic people in here
tonight
and that's a horrible way to live i used
to live like that that's a tough way to
live that's a heavy burden man
that's a tough way listen but now the
righteousness of god
apart from the law
is revealed
being witnessed by the law and the
prophets meaning they spoke about the
righteousness that was to come
okay
even
the righteousness of god
through faith
keep it on the screen how are you guys
going to go home tonight anybody
you're all wrong
i heard car motorcycles
no you're all you're wrong
you got to go through these doors to get
home
right
through faith
through faith you're going to go through
those doors you've got to go through
those doors to get out there listen you
get the righteousness of god
through
jesus why because it's his righteousness
okay don't try to dress up your
righteousness
you just do circles in the sanctuary and
you won't be unlike the god of the door
no listen through faith in jesus christ
to all and on all
who believe
that's radical
that is amazing
listen the prodigal father what else do
we learn is that his love is
confrontational and i like this part
combat love
i'm dead serious this this this is
gnarly love this is this is this is
amazing love
this combat love
how so
and
second
he had compassion
the dad looks oh
i've been scanning that horizon forever
here comes that boy
and then listen listen the word listen
it means this
the word compassion
is that the father felt
it's to have the same
this is kind of a uh it's kind of this
is what it means it's to have the same
bowels you say are you sure you want to
say that in church it's tough that's the
meaning of the original jesus used the
word the father looked at the boy coming
back home and the father's guts
began to be
touched by that things
grabbed him have you noticed when you're
really really really
in a situation or a relationship
forget about your heart rate increasing
that's a joke
it's your guts when you're really really
happy or hurting
mostly hurting
it gets you right here
it loosens your guts the father looked
and his heart just melted for his boy
what's this friends this is jesus christ
talking
and jesus christ is telling us
when you turn toward the father his
heart his very bowels are moved with
compassion for all the pain grief and
heartache you've gone through
and he's so delighted
the bible tells us in first peter 4 8
love covers a multitude of sins
and that's a great thing don't you want
people love you i mean honestly really
when people really love you they
overlook so much
isn't it amazing how messed up we all
are
man that was a weak response
we're messed up
we are messed up
i mean we're messed up in the
we're so messed up in ways we don't even
think that we're messed up in those ways
think about it
um
if i'm in an airplane i have to sit on
the window
not on the window at
i have to sit at the window
you want to know listen you know
look i'm not the only one weird in here
like this
why because if the plane's going down i
want to see it coming
you see that's weird wait a minute the
guy in the aisle doesn't want to see
it's coming he doesn't want to look
that's weird
well then there's the guy in the middle
seat he's really weird he's a he's like
lukewarm he can't figure out what he
wants but we all have our thing we have
our thing i have to have my napkin
folded this way what's wrong with you
we all have our thing
and when we love each other what is
marriage all about it's overlooking the
interesting parts of the other person
lisa and i were two babies two babies of
the family should never get married
why because when you're a baby although
everybody else picks up after you
so we get
married so we come home our first day
home and we open the door and you know
off goes the shirt and i shoot the
underwear across the room and it hits
the lamp and my mom always picked that
stuff up before
and lisa's like hey what are you doing i
don't know what are you doing well i
mean
we're all weird
love covers a multitude of sins of
course that's
funny light stuff but what about the big
stuff
i've had people literally say well my
wife committed adultery guess i have to
divorce her wait what do you do you want
a divorce or no i don't it breaks my
heart it's
our vows have been broken but the bible
listen i have grounds for divorce i got
a divorce now no you that's second
choice
first choice is love covers a multitude
of sins
that's serious stuff
love is strong
it's it's a combat love it's a
confrontational love
the bible says in psalm 91 1 he who
dwells in the secret place of the most
high
shall abide under the shadow of the
almighty
listen to the results of this action if
you so choose to take it verse two i
will say of the lord he is my refuge and
my fortress my god in him i will trust
you can't live and know and see that
unless you dwell under the
shadow
of the lord's covering
there's that precious place
god becomes your defense that's con and
in my opinion that's confrontational
love meaning this look god brings you in
like this
okay you're right here
and the world comes like this and god
just says you just stay just stay right
there back he just goes like this
that's awesome
you say how do you get that
because the father
in his compassion for his prodigal son
that compassion
cannot be stopped
a mama bear
a mama
of anything will sacrifice itself to
protect that baby
and what should only trump that display
is a man is a father
because that's the picture listen if you
don't know friend that's the picture
that god tells us how he is toward you
for god so loved the world that he gave
his only begotten son that whosoever
would believe in him would not perish
but have everlasting life based on what
his compassion for the lost
so we should be
burdened for the lost
confrontational love would you will you
and how far will you go to love someone
into the kingdom of god
in this sense i'd like to
believe that our gospel listen don't
take this wrong that our gospel is a
violent gospel i don't mean let's create
a riot
when i say violent gospel what i'm
suggesting is
the bible god's
grace god's love
will pursue you
and hound you the old puritans used to
call the holy spirit the hound of heaven
why
because he never stops barking to get
the attention of a lost person
or a wayward child
god's love is not weak it doesn't sit in
the corner and say well you know i don't
know maybe i don't know i'm not shy
god's love says get out of my way i'm
going to get that person
get out of my way
god calls out
god is crying out to you
calling
amazing in matthew 11
verse 12
this combat gospel this combat love
confrontational love i think is
displayed in matthew 11 12.
jesus said it's a often misunderstood
verse mind you
and from the days of john the baptist
until now the kingdom of heaven suffers
violence
that is the gospel's under attack
and the violent take it by force
you can read commentators until the cows
come home and they're completely divided
down the middle what that means i'm
probably believing what i do believe
about it because i'm probably dumb but
when jesus says from the days of john
the baptist and to now the kingdom of
god suffers violence
meaning
the world attacks the kingdom of god
because the kingdom the kingdom of god
is
expanding the gospel's being preached
around the world people are getting
saved lives are being changed
but the violent taken by force
means that those who seriously take the
gospel will not be shut down by a world
in opposition to us
job said it perfectly though he's slay
me yet shall i trust him
that's listen that's believing in the
violently in the gospel
i'm not talking civil disobedience i'm
talking about standing and living out
what you believe so that hell is shaken
to the core
satan's got to start biting his nails
wouldn't it be great to get a snapshot
of all the little minions of hell biting
nails and they're having to eat molanta
because you got serious about god
i think it'd be awesome
the third thing is this his actions are
extreme
still in verse 20 it says that he ran
the old man ran
culturally i told you before it's
against all the rules you cannot be an
old man in the middle east and run it's
against the rules
a man's glory was his robe
still is today by the way
his robe
you're not to see anything
only the
sandals that hold his feet you can see
his feet
because his dignity
is in his robe
you can't run in a robe
the old man pulls up his robe
kenneth bailey a middle east scholar
lived in the middle east for many years
he said you'd have to bring it up you
tie it in this certain kind of a knot
that's just above your knee
and then you could run
the old man is running
and look he's running what's implied
by the way it's kind of cool it's not in
my notes but it's in the memory
the old man listen to save
his son's life
because according to custom
this son dishonored the family
in the culture
if he comes to the city limits the
villagers
kill him
for the father
you've heard of honor killings
so what does the father do he's scanning
now do you see a little bit he's
scanning scanning scanning scanning
when's that boy coming
if i don't run and get to him first
those in the village with righteous
indignation it's true they're justified
will kill my boy
i gotta get there first
and he runs
can you imagine this old man running i
should have brought a robe out tonight
he's running he's running an old man
undignified
scandalous in a way we'll come to that
in a moment but he's moving and go oh no
it's right the old man's flipped
he's gone crazy what's happened
someone's hit him in the head
what's going on did you see
what's his face he's running
it's unbelievable
what's jesus telling you tonight
god has been running after you your
whole life
what's wrong with you
he runs
this is extreme
his actions
are extreme remember church the
pharisees
are listening to this
they've got to i
i would give anything to see them
as they are just standing there
okay we didn't like you to start with
and now
jesus you're nuts
because these guys were legalistic
maniacs
and they're tracking kind of so far now
but when they hear of the father they're
they're not these guys are not dumb
they're realizing jesus is talking about
god the father
and he's running to this
pig
person
jesus is flipped
the pharisees have got to be boiling
by the way don't think that's too
far-fetched
legalists
hate
the simple gospel
legalist religionists can't stand what
you believe in
they'll say things like this it's just
too simple
oh what would you have me to do well
jump through some hoops at least
it's just too simple
listen it has to be simple
why
because
what god has purchased cost everything
what do you add to everything
look i'm not going to get in a debate
about this just hear me out i'm done
don't email me about this
if you buy
an ibm computer
you've got to block out a week
to read the manual
i owned a sony one time vaio for about
three months
i almost had a heart attack trying to
keep trying to get the thing to work
look i'm not picking a computer fight
with you
i'm just telling you
there was a price
it was cheap
affordable
spent a week reading the manual
i had it for three weeks
and i had to ship it back because it
broke
all my life i've had max
never once have i ever unwrapped a
manual
you turn it on and the thing starts like
it's it's like hi what do you want to do
press me right here then yeah there okay
there you go you want breakfast what's
up it's like wow
this thing's crazy it does everything
and you don't even open the manual
why it's very expensive
very expensive
but it's all done
salvation it's very expensive
but it's all done
but what do i do what do i press this
and then alt command what
[Laughter]
believe in him
trust
him watch what happens
it's amazing
his shame
the father's shame is limitless
the fourth action is that he falls on
his son's neck
this is actually out of control
to fall on his neck don't you think
that's an odd term he fell on his neck
did the kids survive
that's not what it means
he grabbed him
death squeeze of love
he's got him by the neck what does this
mean i love it
you
son are not going anywhere ever again
for me
didn't jesus say in john chapter 10
verses 28 and 29 you who believe in me
you're in my father's hands
and you're in my hands
and no one is able to snatch you out of
our hands
hallelujah
the the man falls on
his son's neck
next his union
with his son is scandalous
why
see the word kissed and he kissed him
this is his fifth action he kisses his
son he said well that's nice middle
easterns they kiss like that yes they do
that's they sure do
this is not the word for that kind of
kiss
this father
the word means he kissed his son's
ears nose eyes mouth chin
head forehead back of his head behind
his ears
he just
his boy
what does that do to you
what do you think about that is this
almost
is this kind of hard for you to handle
that that jesus is telling
the world
this is how the father loves
a sinner
and the only people been out of shape
are the legalistic guys
i mean they're over in the corner
they're they're taking
prozac or whatever you're supposed to
take they're sucking their thumb
they've got
aromatic lotions on their lips they're
trying to cope with this moment
and jesus is saying isn't the father
amazing
and every sinner in the house is going
this is fantastic
and every self-righteous individual is
saying this is very undignified but we
don't like it
this is blowing our minds
the next thing is is sacrifice is
extravagant
verse 22
and the son said to him father i have
sinned against you or sinned against
heaven and in your sight i am no longer
to be worthy to be called your son
verse 22 says
but the father said and to love that
father i gotta tell you hey
uh hey
snaps his finger gets attention of his
servants i mean the kid's talking
don't you don't you think that maybe the
father should just wait and hear the
confession to make sure it's for real
listen notice
the word repentance is not even in this
parable is it
it doesn't have to be
because the boy's actions
are repentable
the father already knows it
full i'm so sorry no i gotta come hey
get uh let's get some burgers going here
get the coals get the fire get hey
but dad don't you want to hear this i
already know i already know your hearts
does not the bible tell us that god
knows our thoughts before we thank them
the sacrifice is extravagant the
dedicated calf is offered up
the trophy calf this is not just calf
calf this is not like
your recreational calf
this is a calf dedicated this was
something special
and the father says
that's the one we're going to sacrifice
we're going to barbecue
and then we're going to end right here
uh the third thing is this it's verses
25 to 32 and it'll be quick it's the
prodigal son number two
the older verse 25 the older son
was in the field
and as he came he drew near and you we
read it a moment ago he heard the music
he saw the dancing he said what in the
world is going on
what's happening
and he's told what's going on
this is remarkable
the prodigal son listen
it's very serious
you might love to hear about the
prodigal father's extravagant love for
you you might love to hear the prodigal
son coming back home from the pigsty
repentful
but for us who are already believers
this is a dangerous here moment right
now
is the prodigal son number two
he's the oldest one
why
we first indicted the first son some
studies ago
that he wouldn't submit to his father
remember that
well guess what
prodigal son number two is unwilling to
submit to his father also
he doesn't listen to a word his father
is saying
what's going on here
he he looks at his father's face
and instead of rejoicing with his dad
over the sun coming back his brother
he's in he's disgusted
what a shameful act
my bonehead brother goes off and
squanders stuff and you look like you're
condoning it you've just forgiven like
that
they can't listen the legalists can't
see
the father was glad and happy he should
have been he wasn't
look
he was unwilling to make the right
decision he should have decided
under his father's roof i will adhere to
what blesses my dad
do you live under someone's roof you
abide by their rules
as long as they're godly
rules a sad day in america when a
nine-month-old grows up to be a
nine-year-old that grows up to a 19 year
old and then tells mom and dad to get
out
my dear friends that is the definition
of a lost culture
this older son was unwilling to make the
right decisions
he was unwilling to face the outcome
he was completely shocked by the results
grace won the day
and this man's about ready to vomit
and he was unwilling to repent here's
the amazing thing the father lavishes
love on both boys
the bo the father pleads with both boys
the bo the father's example is
extravagant toward both
you know who's the loser in the end of
this parable
the son that never wandered away from
home
his heart was never in it
he disdains his father
he even in a derogatory form says this
son of yours
he's expecting things for himself he's
based on works he's based on performance
and self-righteousness how come you
didn't give ever give me a calf or a
goat ever to party with my friends
you hear this do you hear this
a self-consumed life
both these sons are prodigals
only one got it
and the other one didn't
we end right here
verse 18. just look back at verse 18
that that younger boy the younger son
said i will arise and go to my father
and i will say to him father i have
sinned against heaven against god and
you
and so he arose and came to his father
he arose and he came to his father do
you hear the words of jesus
jesus listen to saying to us tonight
have you arisen
and come
to the father
we cannot do this message and end it
without the opportunity for you to
decide on jesus tonight it'd be remiss
of me
i i wish that we were in a different
format tonight
maybe we'll come back together next
wednesday night for q a
on this
listen
why
you think all week long you come back
next week why would you not accept this
offer
of jesus is to arise and come to your
father
the only way the only reason why you
wouldn't come is because
you're full of yourself
and don't you see don't you know you've
become
a kingdom unto yourself and you're the
tyrant
these pharisees got it
in the parable what became of
the young son apparently he repented and
uh he's
well with his father
but became of the of the second son the
legalist
if we follow jesus's parable all the way
through
in the setting
with the pharisees present
what did the pharisees
wind up doing
to the father
to the father who forgives and
asks
us to simply come to him what do the
pharisees do
listen peter tells us in the book of
acts
that god the father sent his son
but you by your wicked hands
beat to death or beat and crucified to
death the son of glory
if this parable was to be played out all
the way
the second son would have beaten the
father and the son to death
in the name of religion
in the name
of their belief
father
tonight we pray lord in our lives
we would make the right decision
and may that happen tonight
as we are here now in closing
while heads are bowed and eyes are
closed
i'm going to ask you right now tonight
maybe the holy spirit has been plucking
on the heartstrings of your soul tonight
and you
have been spoken to you've been
convicted maybe god has been
reaching you tonight maybe god is saying
to you tonight i want you to make this
decision
there
may be a lot of people in here i
understand that
but some of you tonight are feeling as
though you're the only one in here
tonight
and
that's
by the work of god and god is speaking
to you tonight
while we play this song i'm going to ask
you if you would like to receive jesus
christ tonight
we're going to have you just you just
come up right where you're at you come
forward at the base of these stairs and
i'll lead you in a prayer tonight
but my dear friend jesus said you're
there for me or you're against me
jesus said
that he has come into the world to save
us
i'm asking you tonight to meet jesus
christ
to have your sins forgiven
and for you to be set free to live your
life for him
up until now you've lived for you or for
others
tonight's the night you begin living for
jesus
as we
start this song tonight you come forward
if god if your heart feels a little bit
anxious and and kind of in a blender
right now i rejoice i thank god that's
the holy spirit
speaking to you and i promise you this
three steps out of your chair and that
that feeling will leave it'll be gone
you'll be free
taste and see now that the lord's good
as we sing this song as we
worship the lord you come forward right
now
[Music]
obviously tonight
it's
just us here
and what i'm about to
do i often think about because there's a
day coming when this is going to happen
but i will not be the one
doing this it will be god himself
and in that moment the bible says in the
book of hebrews there will be no
decisions to be made you cannot change
your mind
you will have been set
for eternity
in a moment we're gonna pre pray with
these two that have come forward
but think of this right now
and god is the witness and someday jesus
will be
all of you tonight
who know
and it's evident in your life
you know it's true you have no doubt
that jesus christ is your lord
and savior
i'm going to ask you to stand your feet
stan
if tonight you cannot stand in honesty
think about this i'm a mere
human being little man
and in this moment of division jesus
said i'm coming back and i will separate
one from the other
the believer from the non-believer as it
were the sheep from the goats
and if tonight you're sitting here now
still sitting and you're angry why would
you be angry
it's your decision
think of it
i'll never be back here again pastor i i
can't stand
i'm just a human
you can do anything you want to do
jesus will someday divide
and there will be no recourse and there
will be no change
thank
god
father for
these that have come forward lord
tonight to accept your
grace and to receive jesus the very
words you articulated eternal truth but
declared 2 000 years ago on earth
for us to read in the bible as they've
come to you tonight
we as a church lord agree again with
them
and so pray this prayer let it fall from
your lips dear jesus forgive me
i ask you to wash away my sins
i confess i'm not
perfect
i'm not even good
but you are
and i come tonight
to receive your offer
i need a new life
jesus
i accept you having died on the cross
for me
and having been risen from the dead i
declare you my lord and savior
in jesus name
amen
[Music]
you