1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,920 You've made it, week number three, 2 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:05,560 the last sermon in our sermon series, you are, 3 00:00:05,560 --> 00:00:06,600 and maybe you're here and you say, 4 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:10,040 you are not Pastor Josh. 5 00:00:10,040 --> 00:00:12,120 And that is correct. 6 00:00:12,120 --> 00:00:13,280 My name is Caleb. 7 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:16,320 I'm one of the teaching pastors here, 8 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:18,560 and I love to be able to share with our church family, 9 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:20,960 teach, matter of fact, every Sunday night 10 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:25,040 is normally my time to teach, and I teach students, 11 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:26,360 middle school, high school students. 12 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:29,840 We gather here in our youth ministry called the Ascent. 13 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:31,000 It's actually a pretty cool thing to see. 14 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:32,880 We take out about half the rows in the back, 15 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:34,840 we stack the chairs, push them to the side, 16 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:39,840 and we turn this auditorium into a student center, 17 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:43,200 and we bring all the students in and just have a good time. 18 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:44,720 We're actually in the middle of a series 19 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:47,720 with our students called Reasonable Doubts. 20 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:50,960 What to do when your faith looks less like faith 21 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:53,200 and more like doubt, you know? 22 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:54,280 We've all walked through that time. 23 00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:57,840 Matter of fact, tonight is a special service for our teens. 24 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:01,400 We're bringing in a pastor, speaker, and Christian apologist. 25 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:02,920 His name is Nate Sala. 26 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:04,520 Nate grew up in church, 27 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:06,560 and then walked away from the church for a little while. 28 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:08,240 Didn't feel like he had a compelling reason. 29 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:09,400 We're seeing a lot of young people do that, 30 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:11,920 and he said nobody could answer my why questions. 31 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:13,240 Now this is what he does for a living. 32 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:14,080 He's a Christian apologist. 33 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:16,080 So if you're a student and I haven't met you yet, 34 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:17,840 we haven't had a chance to hang out, I would love. 35 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:19,840 You're invited, open invitation. 36 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:22,000 Come on out tonight right here. 37 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,520 The Ascent starts 6 p.m., we'll be done by 8 p.m., 38 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:25,640 and then of course, next week, 39 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:26,840 you already heard about Grad Night. 40 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:28,200 We wanna celebrate you. 41 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:30,920 If you're graduating this year, congratulations. 42 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:32,320 We're excited for you. 43 00:01:32,320 --> 00:01:34,840 This morning is the third and final series in our 44 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:38,640 You Are series, and this morning is an awesome one. 45 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:41,480 We've been walking through the 15th chapter of Luke, 46 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:44,520 so the text that we arrive at today 47 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:47,880 is the story of the prodigal son. 48 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:51,440 We've walked through the story of the lost sheep. 49 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:53,800 We've walked through the story of the lost coin, 50 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:56,640 and today we arrive at the third and most well-known 51 00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:57,560 of this chapter. 52 00:01:57,560 --> 00:01:59,320 Matter of fact, if you ask someone, 53 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:00,800 what is the 15th chapter of Luke? 54 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:02,760 If they know, if they're a student of scriptures, 55 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:06,000 they'd say, man, that's the story of the prodigal son. 56 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:07,920 It's not only a famous Bible story, 57 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:11,040 it's actually a famous piece of literature as well. 58 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:13,440 It's known across the literary community, 59 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:16,200 Anna Jenneken from Johns Hopkins University, 60 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:18,680 writes that Luke 15, 11 through 32, 61 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:21,240 presents the well-known parable of the prodigal son, 62 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:24,920 a story of opposites, arrogance and humility, 63 00:02:24,920 --> 00:02:27,440 a fall into sin and then redemption, 64 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:30,680 betrayal and forgiveness, poverty and wealth, 65 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:33,160 as well as waywardness and homecoming. 66 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:35,080 She writes nearly two millennia have passed 67 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:38,880 since the parable was spoken, retold and then recorded, 68 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:40,640 yet it captures the imagination 69 00:02:40,640 --> 00:02:43,240 and offers multiple lessons from various perspectives 70 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:44,360 and interpretations. 71 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:48,840 This morning, as we dive into this famous well-known story, 72 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:52,000 the reality is we can't fully unpack 73 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:56,720 all of the historical significance and unique perspective 74 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:59,240 and possible applications that Jesus offers us here. 75 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:03,120 However, we can strategically ask ourselves the question 76 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:05,280 we've been asking for the last couple of weeks. 77 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:08,680 Who am I in this story? 78 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:13,680 Better yet, who is Jesus saying you are? 79 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:17,720 Who is Jesus saying I am? 80 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:19,320 Let's read it together, Luke 15, 81 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:20,680 we'll work our way through the text, 82 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:23,440 it's a beautiful passage of scripture 83 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:25,600 with a poetic nature to it. 84 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:27,160 Luke 15, verse 11, the Bible says, 85 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:30,840 then he said, a certain man had two sons 86 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:32,520 and the younger of them said to his father, 87 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:35,960 Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me. 88 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:38,160 So he divided to them his livelihood 89 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:41,560 and not many days after the younger son gathered altogether, 90 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:44,640 journeyed to a far country and there wasted his possessions 91 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:46,040 with prodigal living. 92 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:47,400 But when he had spent all, 93 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:49,440 there arose a severe famine in that land 94 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:51,800 and he began to be in want. 95 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:53,280 Then he went and joined himself 96 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:54,720 to a citizen of that country 97 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:56,920 and he sent him into his fields to feed swine 98 00:03:56,920 --> 00:03:58,560 and he would gladly have filled his stomach 99 00:03:58,560 --> 00:03:59,960 with the pods of the swine ate 100 00:03:59,960 --> 00:04:02,720 and no one gave him anything. 101 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:03,800 But when he came to himself, 102 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:06,440 he said, how many of my father's hired servants 103 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:08,240 have bred enough and despair 104 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:11,240 and I perish with hunger, I will arise 105 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:12,720 and go to my father and we'll say to him, 106 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:15,880 Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you 107 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:18,560 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. 108 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:20,480 Make me like one of your hired servants 109 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:23,480 and he arose and came to his father. 110 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:25,920 But when he was still a great way off, 111 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:28,320 his father saw him and had compassion 112 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:30,320 and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him 113 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:32,320 and the son said to the father, Father, 114 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:34,160 I have sinned against heaven and in your sight 115 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:37,000 and I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. 116 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:38,320 But the father said to his servants, 117 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:40,480 bring out the best robe and put it on him 118 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:42,840 and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet 119 00:04:42,840 --> 00:04:44,600 and bring the fatted calf here and kill it 120 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:46,960 and let us eat and be merry. 121 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:49,320 For this my son was dead and is alive again. 122 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:52,320 He was lost in his found and they began to be merry. 123 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:54,320 Now his older son was in the field 124 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:55,920 and as he came and drew near to the house, 125 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:57,600 he heard music and dancing. 126 00:04:57,600 --> 00:04:58,840 So he called one of the servants 127 00:04:58,840 --> 00:05:01,320 and asked what these things meant and he said to him, 128 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:03,960 your brother has come and because he has received him safe 129 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:06,800 and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf. 130 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:09,040 But he was angry and would not go in. 131 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:11,800 Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. 132 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:13,400 So he answered and said to his father, 133 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:15,480 Lowe, these many years I've been serving you, 134 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:17,760 I've never transgressed your commandment at any time. 135 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:19,440 And yet you never gave me a young goat 136 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:21,480 that I might make merry with my friends. 137 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:23,800 But as soon as this son of yours was come 138 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:26,040 who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, 139 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:27,560 you killed the fatted calf for him. 140 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:30,600 And he said to him, son, you are always with me. 141 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:32,520 And all that I have is yours. 142 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:34,720 It was right that we should make merry and be glad 143 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:37,080 for your brother was dead and is alive again 144 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:39,480 and was lost in his found. 145 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:43,480 What a beautiful poetic, incredible story 146 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:45,720 that I wanted to take the time to read 147 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:48,720 and let the scripture capture your heart again. 148 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:52,480 Today I want you to see this passage for what it is, 149 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:55,040 a story with far reaching implications 150 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:59,680 that Jesus told to a very diverse, multicultural 151 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:02,640 and multi-ethnic group that was struggling 152 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:07,640 with religious issues and an oppressive religious system 153 00:06:08,280 --> 00:06:10,640 and behind each worldview of each person 154 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:12,120 that was represented in the crowd 155 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:13,920 that Jesus was talking to, 156 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:16,440 stood earnest individuals who were searching 157 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:20,400 for connection to God and true fulfillment in life. 158 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:22,480 Today I don't know what you're struggling with 159 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:26,240 or what your experience with the religious world has been. 160 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:29,600 Maybe you grew up in church and there's nothing but fond 161 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:34,600 memories of church for you and you look back on it fondly. 162 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:37,800 Maybe you're here today and you can sympathize 163 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:40,320 with those who have experienced the oppression 164 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:44,480 of rigid religious systems. 165 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:47,000 Sometimes in order to discover the truth at work 166 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:51,000 in our own hearts, it's necessary to look into the mirror 167 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:53,280 of someone else's story. 168 00:06:53,280 --> 00:06:56,360 The mastery of this story is that Jesus is introducing 169 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:59,640 to his listeners a cast of characters 170 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:02,280 that were undeniably recognizable to them. 171 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,120 The crowd that Jesus was talking to knew 172 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:08,240 where they fit into this story. 173 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:11,600 The potency of this parable is that we too, 174 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:15,080 either will have or perhaps have had already 175 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:18,720 the opportunity to play these characters in our own life. 176 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:22,080 As we walk throughout this passage, 177 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:25,760 we'll look at each person and ask this question, 178 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:30,680 who is Jesus saying these individuals are? 179 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:33,880 The first character, the first person that we see this question 180 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:36,160 asked to that we can apply it to 181 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:38,840 is in the beginning of verse 12, the Bible says, 182 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:40,360 and he said to him, a certain man of two sons, 183 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:42,720 and the younger of them said to his father, 184 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:45,240 Father, give me. 185 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:48,160 The first person we see is the younger son 186 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:50,000 who is lost in sin. 187 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:53,560 Who is the younger son that Jesus is portraying 188 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:54,840 and telling the story of? 189 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:58,920 It's the younger son lost in sin. 190 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:01,800 The reality is it's difficult for us to imagine 191 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:03,800 the magnitude of the story that Jesus is telling 192 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:04,640 for a couple of reasons. 193 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:08,560 First, it's a really poetic, it's a nice flowing story, 194 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:11,240 and the probability that you've heard the story before 195 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:12,640 is pretty high. 196 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:15,120 But the most major reason, the second reason 197 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:17,920 that we struggle to understand all of the implications 198 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:22,920 of the story is because we are 21st century Westerners, 199 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:24,880 at best 21st century Christians, 200 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:26,960 who are reading a story that was given 201 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:30,600 to first century Jewish, cultural, 202 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:32,360 either immigrants or Jews, 203 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:35,280 those born into the Jewish culture. 204 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:37,000 And as Jesus tells the story, 205 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:39,520 the crowd is very aware of what he's saying, 206 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:41,040 but sometimes we miss it. 207 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:43,720 First, we need to realize the audacity of the younger son. 208 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:45,920 He goes to the father and says, 209 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:50,120 give me the portion of goods that falls to me. 210 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:55,160 The reality is this was not his portion 211 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:58,600 and none of the wealth belonged to the younger son yet. 212 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:01,720 All of the wealth was owned by the father. 213 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:03,440 Secondly, in Deuteronomy, 214 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:05,000 we see specifically, if you wanna look it up, 215 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:09,240 Deuteronomy 2117, we see that the younger son's share 216 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:11,160 was a one third portion. 217 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:14,520 The law taught that the first born got a double portion 218 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:17,080 and then every child after that got an equal portion. 219 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:19,680 So with two sons, the younger son got a one third 220 00:09:19,680 --> 00:09:22,680 and the older son got a two thirds portion. 221 00:09:22,680 --> 00:09:26,040 The problem is the father doesn't have his wealth 222 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:29,480 stored in the bank or a safety deposit box. 223 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:32,200 In this time and culture, the wealth of the father 224 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:35,280 is in land and livestock. 225 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:37,840 So as the son goes to his father and says, 226 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:39,840 give me the portion that falls to me, 227 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:43,200 the father now has to make a choice of will he scramble 228 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:46,640 and short sell a lot of his stock 229 00:09:46,640 --> 00:09:49,800 or a lot of his livestock and a lot of his lands 230 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:52,280 that he's gathered, the wealth that he's amassed, 231 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:54,640 will he short sell it, take the loss 232 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:57,240 to equal the one third portion 233 00:09:57,240 --> 00:09:59,640 that the younger son was asking for. 234 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:03,400 During that time, people also held family honor 235 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:04,760 in high esteem. 236 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:07,160 Every son was expected to honor his father 237 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:09,280 and respectively carry his name. 238 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:13,520 On top of the personal detriment to the wealth of the father, 239 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:16,200 the son was also dragging the name of the father 240 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:19,440 through the mud in that culture. 241 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:22,040 The father's name was now tarnished 242 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:24,680 as the son went out from the family 243 00:10:24,680 --> 00:10:28,240 and rejected the cultural mandate 244 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:30,040 that was placed upon him. 245 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:32,360 What the youngest son did would be unthinkable 246 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:34,640 in the eyes of the Jews. 247 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:36,280 When he cashed in his share, 248 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:40,040 he destroyed one third of his father's profits 249 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:42,120 for his own selfish gain. 250 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:45,840 Even worse, there was a rejection of the father. 251 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:49,080 It was also a rejection of the entire family lineage 252 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:51,720 and its generational care of the inheritance. 253 00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:54,960 Exodus 20, 12 clearly teaches us that 254 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:56,880 he was breaking the third commandment 255 00:10:56,880 --> 00:11:01,880 in dishonorings his father and going his own way. 256 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:05,880 Culturally, as Jesus tells this story, 257 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:08,720 there's a quietness among the crowd 258 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:13,440 because everybody knew what this younger son was saying. 259 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:16,320 And then, not many days after, Luke 15, 13 says, 260 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:18,080 the younger son gathered it all together. 261 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:20,640 Notice how it took time for the father to sell 262 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:21,600 and make all this happen. 263 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:23,120 The younger son gathers it together, 264 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:25,280 goes to a far country, 265 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:28,520 and there wastes his possessions with prodigal living. 266 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:29,840 Let me tell you something about sin. 267 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:34,840 Sin is always selfish and sin always stains. 268 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:40,040 There is always a residue left over 269 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:42,240 when we choose our own way, 270 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:44,680 when we choose our own selfishness, 271 00:11:44,680 --> 00:11:47,320 and when we go our own way, 272 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:51,280 and eventually he ends caring for the pigs, 273 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:54,280 which was an ultimate sacrilegious defilement. 274 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:55,640 To the Jewish listener, 275 00:11:55,640 --> 00:12:00,560 there was little to no hope for redemption in this story. 276 00:12:00,560 --> 00:12:01,520 The son would have become 277 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:04,420 the most defiled human being imaginable. 278 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:07,760 And once sin produces selfishness, 279 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:10,160 and once sin produces stain, 280 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:13,440 we see that sin always ends in shame. 281 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:15,800 Now the son has wasted everything, 282 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:16,880 hangs his head in shame, 283 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:19,480 and the Bible says, and no one would give to him. 284 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:20,840 It's like he went to a far country, 285 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:21,680 made some friends, 286 00:12:21,680 --> 00:12:22,520 made some bad deals, 287 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:23,360 fell on hard times, 288 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:24,480 and his friends helped him out. 289 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:25,320 No, no, no. 290 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:28,280 He was so selfish that even in the far country, 291 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:29,640 he gained no friend. 292 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:34,680 Rich Volodius, a pastor, says this about the sin, 293 00:12:34,680 --> 00:12:36,600 and specifically the topic of sin in the Bible. 294 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:38,000 He says, one of the reasons it's important 295 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:40,520 to have a robust theology of sin 296 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:44,020 is to help us live beyond self-deception. 297 00:12:44,020 --> 00:12:46,680 Too often we see our sins as small 298 00:12:46,680 --> 00:12:48,760 and the sins of others as egregious, 299 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:50,100 but as Jesus told this story, 300 00:12:50,100 --> 00:12:51,800 there was no question whether or not 301 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:54,200 the younger son was shaming his father. 302 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:55,960 What lesson can we learn from the example 303 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:57,160 of the younger son? 304 00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:00,240 Simply, spending your life away from the father 305 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:03,760 isn't freedom, it's actually bondage. 306 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:04,920 The younger son thought, 307 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:07,000 if I get out of the presence 308 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:08,520 and the power of the father, 309 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:10,360 I'll be free to do whatever I want. 310 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:13,560 And little did he know that he was enslaving himself 311 00:13:13,560 --> 00:13:16,800 to his own self-indulgence. 312 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:20,280 When the chains of the younger son's sins finally bind him, 313 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:23,160 he realizes that what he's been looking for this whole time 314 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:25,840 is actually in the presence of the father, 315 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:26,960 not absent from it. 316 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:29,280 He comes to himself and devises a plan 317 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:32,200 to work his way back into his father's good graces, 318 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:35,600 but little does he know what awaits him upon his return. 319 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:38,360 Here is where Jesus introduces to us 320 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:41,280 the second character of our story, 321 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:44,560 where the return of the son is not greeted with judgment, 322 00:13:44,560 --> 00:13:47,640 but instead with the joy of the father. 323 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:50,920 If the son is lost in sin, 324 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:55,560 we see that the father is love in action. 325 00:13:55,560 --> 00:13:58,400 Watch at the return of the son. 326 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:01,200 The Bible shows that he arose and came to his father, 327 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:02,840 but when he was still a great way off, 328 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:05,680 his father saw him and had compassion 329 00:14:05,680 --> 00:14:08,080 and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 330 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:11,160 I remember as a child hearing an old preacher teach 331 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:12,560 on this passage and say, 332 00:14:12,560 --> 00:14:16,480 I wonder how many times the father came to that spot 333 00:14:16,480 --> 00:14:18,560 on the property that looked down the road 334 00:14:18,560 --> 00:14:21,480 off of his property where the younger son had left from 335 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:24,120 and the father came to that spot and stood there 336 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:26,320 and looked at the horizon and hoped 337 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:29,800 that his son would come back home, but not that day. 338 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:32,800 And then one day, the father goes to the spot 339 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:34,640 on the property and looks at the horizon 340 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:37,120 where a small dust cloud is starting to rise 341 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:39,720 and sure enough, he peers into it and it's getting bigger 342 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:41,120 and all of a sudden he can make out the figure 343 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:44,480 of an individual and he says, yes, I think that's him. 344 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:46,520 I think that's my son that was gone 345 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:49,760 and the father against all cultural awareness 346 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:52,920 picks up his robes and runs down the road 347 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:55,600 to meet his younger son who's returning home. 348 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:56,840 Watch this, maybe you're here this morning, 349 00:14:56,840 --> 00:14:59,000 you say, I don't even know the way back to God. 350 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:01,920 That's okay, just start and God will meet you in the middle. 351 00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:03,760 God will find his way to you. 352 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:06,800 Listen, he wants you to come home. 353 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:09,080 If the lesson we can learn from the younger son 354 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:11,120 is that spending your life away from the father 355 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:13,000 isn't freedom, it's actually bondage. 356 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:15,800 The truth we can learn from the father is this, 357 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:19,680 you may feel a great way off from home this morning, 358 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:23,040 but know that the father sees you only with compassion. 359 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:27,440 God's love looks through the earth to and fro 360 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:30,960 to find sons and daughters who are willing to come home. 361 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:34,000 I love how the NLT puts this verse 15, Luke 15, 20. 362 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:35,600 So we returned home to his father 363 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:38,960 and while he was still a long way off, 364 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:42,800 his father saw him coming filled with love and compassion. 365 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:47,800 He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. 366 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:51,640 Philips Cragendine, a group of pastors in a musical group, 367 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:54,480 re-recorded a song entitled When He Ran, 368 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:57,320 and they say, and then he ran to me. 369 00:15:57,320 --> 00:16:00,120 He took me in his arms, held my head to his chest 370 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:03,400 and said, my sons come home again, lifted my face, 371 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:06,560 wiped the tears from my eyes with forgiveness in his voice. 372 00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:10,080 He said, son, do you know I still love you? 373 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:13,800 He caught me by surprise and he brought me to my knees 374 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:16,560 when God ran to me. 375 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:20,000 Again, the historical significance cannot be lost on us. 376 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:22,920 First, for a man of wealth and stature, 377 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:24,320 this was not the status quo. 378 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:27,920 He was in no need to hurry anywhere. 379 00:16:27,920 --> 00:16:31,200 He was of a position of significance 380 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:36,040 where he did not run to the world, the world ran to him. 381 00:16:36,040 --> 00:16:38,880 The father had the full cultural rights 382 00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:41,480 to wait for the son to come to him. 383 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:45,360 He had the full cultural rights to allow the son to grovel 384 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:48,080 and beg for redemption and restoration 385 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:51,080 and then to cast the son from his presence 386 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:54,440 and say, I don't know you, you're no son of mine, 387 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:55,560 but he doesn't do it. 388 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:00,760 Next, we see culturally, the father doesn't even question 389 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:02,280 the motivations of the son. 390 00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:05,120 See, sometimes it's really easy to see this passage 391 00:17:05,120 --> 00:17:06,800 and think, oh, but I know the application, 392 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:10,080 but I know the story and we miss the incredible truth 393 00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:12,600 in this passage that as the father sees the son, 394 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:15,800 he doesn't even think, do you mean it this time? 395 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:16,880 Are you sure? 396 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:19,520 No, the father runs to him, embraces him, 397 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:20,600 welcomes him home. 398 00:17:20,600 --> 00:17:22,560 He doesn't question his motivations. 399 00:17:22,560 --> 00:17:24,400 There's no rehearsed speech that can be uttered. 400 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:26,000 It reminds me of 1 Corinthians 13 401 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:29,120 where it says love suffers long and is kind. 402 00:17:29,120 --> 00:17:31,600 Does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. 403 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:33,560 Bears all things, believes all things, 404 00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:35,480 hopes all things, endures all things. 405 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:36,600 Love never fails. 406 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:37,800 We can learn this truth. 407 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:42,200 Perhaps God is more concerned with our return to his love 408 00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:45,160 than with the fact that we left it in the first place. 409 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:46,680 Friend, hear the word of the Lord this morning. 410 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:49,680 1 Timothy 2, 3 says, God, our savior, verse four, 411 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:51,640 who desires all men to be saved 412 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:53,080 and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 413 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:55,080 2 Peter 3, 9, the Lord is not slack 414 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:57,120 concerning his promise as some count slackness, 415 00:17:57,120 --> 00:17:58,640 but is long suffering toward us, 416 00:17:58,640 --> 00:18:00,320 not willing that any should perish, 417 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:03,240 but that all should come to repentance. 418 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:06,240 The Father loves it when a son comes home. 419 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:09,280 Couple of weeks ago, I guess a month ago now, 420 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:10,440 time just flies. 421 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:11,280 It's almost summer. 422 00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:13,040 It's supposed to be 98 degrees today. 423 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:14,640 What's happening? 424 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:16,920 I guess a month ago now, yeah, we're ready for it. 425 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:17,960 Pull weather, bring it on. 426 00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:19,120 You know, we live in Las Vegas, all right. 427 00:18:19,120 --> 00:18:22,960 So, about a month ago, the Sunday before Easter, 428 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:26,280 April 2nd, Palm Sunday, we had a baptism service 429 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:28,720 for 28 people across three services, got baptized. 430 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:29,560 It was absolutely incredible. 431 00:18:29,560 --> 00:18:30,800 Isn't that just awesome? 432 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:34,600 Pastor meets with most of the people 433 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:35,800 because he needs sermon illustrations. 434 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:36,640 I'm just kidding. 435 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:37,640 He does it because he has a heart. 436 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:38,880 He has a heart to meet with people. 437 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:42,640 And so, I met with one, her name is Raluca, 438 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:44,520 and she'll probably be here this morning 439 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:47,480 either the 10 or 1130s of Raluca, you're here, hi. 440 00:18:48,360 --> 00:18:50,360 And we met at a Starbucks and we talked through it, 441 00:18:50,360 --> 00:18:51,840 and Raluca's journey is incredible. 442 00:18:51,840 --> 00:18:55,360 She grew up in Romania, was born Romanian family, 443 00:18:55,360 --> 00:18:59,520 Romanian born, and her grandfather was a seventh day 444 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:02,240 at Venice, had an old black Bible that he would read 445 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:04,200 every morning and pray and read through it. 446 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:06,680 And Raluca's journey through faith was incredible. 447 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:09,920 We sat down at that Starbucks and she had come to the states 448 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:12,080 and immigrated here, and then now she lives here 449 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:14,200 in Las Vegas, and she wrote these words 450 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:17,840 as we walk through that incredible process of baptism. 451 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:19,520 She said this, as a little girl, 452 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:21,800 I've been brought up in the tenets of the Old Testament 453 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:25,000 bearing creed to my grandparents' Adventist faith. 454 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:26,880 My religious story is one of connection, 455 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:28,600 loss, and reconnection to God, 456 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:30,800 of praying to Jesus for salvation 457 00:19:30,800 --> 00:19:33,360 since I made America my new home in 2007. 458 00:19:33,360 --> 00:19:34,480 I've been coming to Southern Hills 459 00:19:34,480 --> 00:19:35,840 for a little under two years now, 460 00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:39,440 and it's the church which places my heart at home. 461 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:41,680 God's presence is to be celebrated within his home, 462 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:42,680 that is Southern Hills church, 463 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:45,480 and I have humbly asked Jesus, my savior, 464 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:47,680 to accept my soul in salvation. 465 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:50,120 She said, as she moved here and was looking for a church, 466 00:19:50,120 --> 00:19:51,200 she tried a few, and she said, 467 00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:53,840 I was looking for a church where I knew my grandfather, 468 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:54,800 even though he's not alive anymore, 469 00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:56,680 he could look down and see me, 470 00:19:56,680 --> 00:20:00,080 and he would be thankful that I was in a Bible teaching, 471 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:02,240 a Bible teaching, a Bible teaching, 472 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:04,040 and a truth teaching church, 473 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:05,360 and she said, I came into Southern Hills, 474 00:20:05,360 --> 00:20:06,920 and she said, I immediately knew 475 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:08,760 this is where my grandfather would go. 476 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:10,200 And I thought, man, what a testimony. 477 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:13,040 She got baptized on Sunday, April 2nd, Palm Sunday, 478 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:15,720 and now she attends here faithfully with her son. 479 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:18,480 I thought, what a testimony, but not just of her story. 480 00:20:18,480 --> 00:20:20,880 What a testimony of the love of a father 481 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:23,000 that chased her, not just in Romania, 482 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:25,480 but followed her as she migrated here to America, 483 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:27,880 and then here to Las Vegas, then here to this community, 484 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:29,240 and then in here to this church, 485 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:33,240 the love of the father that continued to pursue her. 486 00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:34,080 What a truth. 487 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:36,600 May you know this morning that God's love 488 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:38,640 is in pursuit of you. 489 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:42,880 Now, this is where the story that Jesus is telling 490 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:44,960 is different from the first two. 491 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:47,720 If it were to mirror the first two in literary style, 492 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:49,160 it would end here. 493 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:53,120 The lost sheep was found by the shepherd, the lost coin 494 00:20:53,120 --> 00:20:55,480 was found by the woman, and now the lost son 495 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:58,720 has been restored to the father. 496 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:01,920 But Jesus has a deeper lesson to teach the crowd. 497 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:03,680 Jesus continues to tell the story, 498 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:07,640 and while the father is celebrating the son who has returned, 499 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:10,240 we see the next character is the third character, 500 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:14,160 the elder brother, who is lost in self-righteousness. 501 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:17,600 Luke 15, 25 says, now his older son was in the field, 502 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:19,560 and as he came and drew near to the house, 503 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:22,240 he heard music and dancing, so he called one of the servants. 504 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:24,320 He finds out what's happening in verse 28, 505 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:27,360 but he was angry and would not go in 506 00:21:27,360 --> 00:21:29,080 and look again at the heart of the father. 507 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:32,240 Therefore, his father came out and pleaded with him. 508 00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:35,040 The word there, plead with him, is actually in the Greek, 509 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:37,920 pericle, which is the same word we get Holy Spirit from. 510 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:40,160 It means that he came out and advocated for him, 511 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:43,360 said, come back in to my fellowship, 512 00:21:43,360 --> 00:21:45,120 come back in to the family. 513 00:21:45,120 --> 00:21:47,320 Now, before we dive too deeply into the meaning 514 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:48,640 of this interaction and why it matters, 515 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:51,440 you need to understand, again, a few cultural things. 516 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:53,640 I've sat in different rooms and been very aware 517 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:56,280 of different perspectives on the older brother. 518 00:21:56,280 --> 00:21:58,320 It's easy to look at him and be like, yeah, but he stayed, 519 00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:00,280 yeah, but at least he was faithful, 520 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:03,840 and at least he was, he didn't waste his substance 521 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:05,720 with harlots as he points out. 522 00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:08,160 At least he was moral in his living. 523 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:09,960 What could really be wrong with it? 524 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:12,840 You've got to understand why the older brother was upset. 525 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:16,040 The first reality you have to understand is, 526 00:22:16,040 --> 00:22:17,920 when the younger brother went out, 527 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:21,240 he spent his one third inheritance that the father gave him. 528 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:23,600 He went out and wasted it, it was gone. 529 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:26,320 When the father welcomes the younger son back into the family, 530 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:30,360 the younger son is now eligible to receive his portion 531 00:22:30,360 --> 00:22:34,320 from the riches from the inheritance that is left. 532 00:22:34,320 --> 00:22:37,080 The elder son knows this and is realizing 533 00:22:37,080 --> 00:22:41,620 he's watched firsthand at how much the younger son 534 00:22:41,620 --> 00:22:42,860 has cost the father. 535 00:22:42,860 --> 00:22:45,820 Secondly, you could at least argue that the livestock 536 00:22:45,820 --> 00:22:48,540 that was short sold in order for the younger son to go 537 00:22:48,540 --> 00:22:52,740 live out his, you know, wild youth, 538 00:22:52,740 --> 00:22:56,340 the wealth of the land and livestock that was short sold, 539 00:22:56,340 --> 00:22:59,260 it could have matured and could have increased 540 00:22:59,260 --> 00:23:01,500 the wealth of the father and the wealth of the family 541 00:23:01,500 --> 00:23:03,580 even more significantly. 542 00:23:03,580 --> 00:23:05,700 The second, according to Jewish custom, 543 00:23:06,700 --> 00:23:10,300 is that as he reinstates him back into the will, 544 00:23:10,300 --> 00:23:13,780 the younger brother is eligible and entitled 545 00:23:14,620 --> 00:23:15,940 to the inheritance once again. 546 00:23:15,940 --> 00:23:19,500 What was really frustrating, the older brother, 547 00:23:19,500 --> 00:23:22,620 in his book, Timothy Keller writes, 548 00:23:22,620 --> 00:23:24,620 in his book, Prodigal God, which I'd highly recommend 549 00:23:24,620 --> 00:23:27,540 to anyone who wants to study this specific passage 550 00:23:27,540 --> 00:23:29,900 in more depth, he gives two quick illustrations 551 00:23:29,900 --> 00:23:32,300 to help us peel back the layers of the elder brother's heart. 552 00:23:32,300 --> 00:23:37,180 What is happening in the elder brother's heart? 553 00:23:37,180 --> 00:23:40,100 The first story he gives is about a gardener 554 00:23:40,100 --> 00:23:43,100 who grew an enormous carrot over in England, 555 00:23:43,940 --> 00:23:45,660 the like of which he had never seen before. 556 00:23:45,660 --> 00:23:48,020 He decided as a true and honest citizen 557 00:23:48,020 --> 00:23:51,540 that the carrot was fit for a king. 558 00:23:51,540 --> 00:23:52,940 So he made his way to the palace 559 00:23:52,940 --> 00:23:54,660 and presented the carrot to the king. 560 00:23:54,660 --> 00:23:56,100 Upon presenting it, the gardener said, 561 00:23:56,100 --> 00:23:58,460 oh king, this is the greatest carrot 562 00:23:58,460 --> 00:24:00,900 I have ever grown or ever will grow, 563 00:24:00,900 --> 00:24:02,500 and therefore I would like to give it to you 564 00:24:02,500 --> 00:24:04,820 as a token of my respect and love. 565 00:24:04,820 --> 00:24:08,460 The king was touched and discerned the man's heart. 566 00:24:08,460 --> 00:24:10,500 The gardener went to leave and the king said, 567 00:24:10,500 --> 00:24:12,340 I have a plot of land right beside yours. 568 00:24:12,340 --> 00:24:14,940 I can see that you are good and an honest steward. 569 00:24:14,940 --> 00:24:17,860 I would like to gift you this piece of land 570 00:24:17,860 --> 00:24:21,300 so that you can be a good steward of both yours 571 00:24:21,300 --> 00:24:23,380 and now your new piece of land. 572 00:24:23,380 --> 00:24:25,780 The gardener was amazed and delighted 573 00:24:25,780 --> 00:24:27,220 and went home rejoicing. 574 00:24:27,220 --> 00:24:30,020 Nearby a nobleman had observed the whole thing. 575 00:24:30,020 --> 00:24:34,940 My, he thought, if that is what you get for a carrot, 576 00:24:34,940 --> 00:24:37,500 what if you gave the king something better? 577 00:24:37,500 --> 00:24:39,780 The next day the nobleman brought a beautiful stallion 578 00:24:39,780 --> 00:24:43,300 before the king, my Lord, he said, I breed horses. 579 00:24:43,300 --> 00:24:45,540 And this is the greatest horse I have ever bred 580 00:24:45,540 --> 00:24:47,580 or ever will, therefore I'd like to give it to you 581 00:24:47,580 --> 00:24:49,980 as a token of my respect and love. 582 00:24:49,980 --> 00:24:52,660 But the king, discerning his heart, 583 00:24:52,660 --> 00:24:55,580 accepted the gift and dismissed the nobleman. 584 00:24:55,580 --> 00:24:57,380 The nobleman was perplexed. 585 00:24:57,380 --> 00:24:59,620 And so the king said, let me explain. 586 00:24:59,620 --> 00:25:02,180 The gardener was giving me the carrot, 587 00:25:02,180 --> 00:25:04,580 but you were giving yourself the horse. 588 00:25:04,580 --> 00:25:07,700 The reality is oftentimes in life, 589 00:25:07,700 --> 00:25:12,700 it's not so much where we're at as it is why we're there. 590 00:25:14,100 --> 00:25:18,060 Jesus is teaching a specific crowd this story. 591 00:25:18,060 --> 00:25:22,060 And in case you forget, the crowd that he's teaching, 592 00:25:22,060 --> 00:25:26,620 if you look at the passage, the very first part of Luke 15, 593 00:25:26,620 --> 00:25:34,620 25, it says that the tax collectors and sinners gathered around, 594 00:25:34,620 --> 00:25:36,620 crowded around to hear Jesus. 595 00:25:36,620 --> 00:25:38,620 And the scribes in the Pharisees said, 596 00:25:38,620 --> 00:25:43,620 this man allows and has company and community with sinners. 597 00:25:44,620 --> 00:25:47,620 They had a problem, they had an issue 598 00:25:47,620 --> 00:25:50,620 with who Jesus allowed to come to him. 599 00:25:50,620 --> 00:25:52,620 Jesus has now very clearly illustrated the younger brother, 600 00:25:52,620 --> 00:25:55,620 sinners who have left the presence of the father 601 00:25:55,620 --> 00:25:58,620 and the father is now willing for them to be restored. 602 00:25:58,620 --> 00:26:01,620 Jesus is now illustrating the self-righteousness 603 00:26:01,620 --> 00:26:03,620 of the elder brother. 604 00:26:03,620 --> 00:26:06,620 As he teaches this truth to the crowd, 605 00:26:06,620 --> 00:26:08,620 as he illustrates it to the crowd, 606 00:26:08,620 --> 00:26:13,620 the Pharisees knew exactly what he was saying. 607 00:26:14,620 --> 00:26:17,620 The truth that we can learn from the older brother is this, 608 00:26:17,620 --> 00:26:19,620 while the younger brother left the relationship 609 00:26:19,620 --> 00:26:21,620 to spend the inheritance, 610 00:26:21,620 --> 00:26:24,620 the older brother stayed for the inheritance 611 00:26:24,620 --> 00:26:26,620 and not the relationship. 612 00:26:27,620 --> 00:26:29,620 It matters why you do what you do. 613 00:26:29,620 --> 00:26:32,620 And Jesus was teaching the Pharisees who were standing back 614 00:26:32,620 --> 00:26:34,620 in their pride and their arrogance, 615 00:26:34,620 --> 00:26:37,620 saying, no, we won't allow sinners and tax collectors 616 00:26:37,620 --> 00:26:39,620 to come into our religious system. 617 00:26:39,620 --> 00:26:42,620 And Jesus was saying, you have no idea how arrogant and prideful, 618 00:26:42,620 --> 00:26:45,620 how farisac was the word we now use to describe them, 619 00:26:45,620 --> 00:26:47,620 that you're actually being. 620 00:26:47,620 --> 00:26:51,620 He was saying, why you do what you do matters. 621 00:26:51,620 --> 00:26:56,620 The third character in the story that I see is the elder brother 622 00:26:56,620 --> 00:26:59,620 who is lost in self-righteousness. 623 00:26:59,620 --> 00:27:03,620 I think sometimes we're confused on this parable for this reason. 624 00:27:03,620 --> 00:27:07,620 The story of the prodigal son is most often told 625 00:27:07,620 --> 00:27:09,620 in the father's house. 626 00:27:09,620 --> 00:27:12,620 And in the father's house, prodigal sons often leave, 627 00:27:12,620 --> 00:27:15,620 but elder sons often stay. 628 00:27:15,620 --> 00:27:18,620 I'm afraid that as a church, oftentimes we miss the truth 629 00:27:18,620 --> 00:27:21,620 that Jesus is saying, because I, me, as I read this passage, 630 00:27:21,620 --> 00:27:24,620 I can sit in the seat of the elder brother and say, 631 00:27:24,620 --> 00:27:26,620 look how faithful I've been, look how I've stayed, 632 00:27:26,620 --> 00:27:28,620 at least I haven't done that. 633 00:27:28,620 --> 00:27:31,620 And Jesus here is rebuking the self-righteousness of their heart. 634 00:27:31,620 --> 00:27:33,620 But there's a fourth and final character. 635 00:27:33,620 --> 00:27:38,620 The fourth and final character in this story is missing. 636 00:27:38,620 --> 00:27:41,620 We see the younger son and the older brother, 637 00:27:41,620 --> 00:27:44,620 and we see the father, but the fourth and final character 638 00:27:44,620 --> 00:27:47,620 is missing and it's on purpose. 639 00:27:47,620 --> 00:27:50,620 We could say that the fourth and final character 640 00:27:50,620 --> 00:27:52,620 in the story is you. 641 00:27:52,620 --> 00:27:54,620 The fourth point is you are invited, 642 00:27:54,620 --> 00:27:57,620 and here's how we deduce that. 643 00:27:57,620 --> 00:27:59,620 Scholars tell us that the biblical writing 644 00:27:59,620 --> 00:28:01,620 of the story is actually a poem. 645 00:28:01,620 --> 00:28:04,620 This type of writing has eight stanzas, or strophes, 646 00:28:04,620 --> 00:28:07,620 with a parallel matching eight stanzas. 647 00:28:07,620 --> 00:28:10,620 Remarkably, the second half of Jesus' story ends, 648 00:28:10,620 --> 00:28:12,620 not with eight, but with seven stanzas. 649 00:28:12,620 --> 00:28:14,620 Let me illustrate it for you. 650 00:28:14,620 --> 00:28:18,620 If you look at the passage Luke 15, 24, it says this. 651 00:28:18,620 --> 00:28:21,620 For this my son was dead and is alive again. 652 00:28:21,620 --> 00:28:23,620 He was lost and is found, 653 00:28:23,620 --> 00:28:25,620 and here's the response to that teaching. 654 00:28:25,620 --> 00:28:27,620 And they began to be merry. 655 00:28:27,620 --> 00:28:32,620 But when we get to the elder brother, look at verse 32, 656 00:28:32,620 --> 00:28:35,620 for your brother was dead and is alive, 657 00:28:35,620 --> 00:28:39,620 was lost and is found, and that's the end. 658 00:28:39,620 --> 00:28:42,620 There's no response in the way Jesus was teaching. 659 00:28:42,620 --> 00:28:45,620 It's he was lost and is found, and they began to be merry. 660 00:28:45,620 --> 00:28:47,620 And then the elder brother, he was lost and is found, 661 00:28:47,620 --> 00:28:51,620 and you can imagine just a blank space there. 662 00:28:51,620 --> 00:28:52,620 Why? 663 00:28:52,620 --> 00:28:54,620 This is the way the rabbis would teach. 664 00:28:54,620 --> 00:28:57,620 They would teach in eight stanzas, 665 00:28:57,620 --> 00:28:59,620 and then if they wanted to have an accompanying thought, 666 00:28:59,620 --> 00:29:01,620 they could teach another eight stanzas, 667 00:29:01,620 --> 00:29:04,620 or they could teach eight and then seven. 668 00:29:04,620 --> 00:29:10,620 And the implication was you have to answer the question 669 00:29:10,620 --> 00:29:12,620 for yourself. 670 00:29:12,620 --> 00:29:15,620 Every person in the crowd, specifically Pharisees and scribes, 671 00:29:15,620 --> 00:29:18,620 knew the rabbinical style that Jesus was using, 672 00:29:18,620 --> 00:29:21,620 and they knew that Jesus was not teaching them a story 673 00:29:21,620 --> 00:29:24,620 as much as he was asking them a question. 674 00:29:24,620 --> 00:29:26,620 If you are standing outside of the Father's love 675 00:29:26,620 --> 00:29:28,620 in your own self-righteousness, 676 00:29:28,620 --> 00:29:31,620 or in your own habit, and hang up, and addiction, 677 00:29:31,620 --> 00:29:34,620 if you're standing outside, you must answer for yourself, 678 00:29:34,620 --> 00:29:37,620 will you step back into the Father's presence? 679 00:29:37,620 --> 00:29:40,620 Jesus was inviting the elder brother, not just in the story, 680 00:29:40,620 --> 00:29:46,620 but in the room to step back into the presence of the Father. 681 00:29:46,620 --> 00:29:48,620 They knew they had to write their own ending. 682 00:29:48,620 --> 00:29:51,620 Would they humble themselves and step into the feast, 683 00:29:51,620 --> 00:29:53,620 or would they remain pride-filled, arrogant, 684 00:29:53,620 --> 00:29:56,620 and outside the ministry of Jesus? 685 00:29:56,620 --> 00:29:59,620 But there's a second missing element. 686 00:29:59,620 --> 00:30:01,620 Jesus told three stories. 687 00:30:01,620 --> 00:30:03,620 In the first story, the parable of the lost sheep, 688 00:30:03,620 --> 00:30:06,620 the shepherd went to find the sheep. 689 00:30:06,620 --> 00:30:08,620 In the second story, the parable of the lost coin, 690 00:30:08,620 --> 00:30:11,620 the woman searched diligently to find the coin 691 00:30:11,620 --> 00:30:12,620 until she found it. 692 00:30:12,620 --> 00:30:18,620 But in the third story, the younger son left for the far country, 693 00:30:18,620 --> 00:30:23,620 and nobody went after him. 694 00:30:23,620 --> 00:30:25,620 In the first two, someone goes out 695 00:30:25,620 --> 00:30:28,620 and searches diligently for what was lost. 696 00:30:28,620 --> 00:30:30,620 So by the third story, 697 00:30:30,620 --> 00:30:32,620 one would expect someone to go out and search for the lost son, 698 00:30:32,620 --> 00:30:33,620 however no one does. 699 00:30:33,620 --> 00:30:37,620 It is startling in the Jewish culture as Jesus teaches, 700 00:30:37,620 --> 00:30:41,620 and Jesus meant it to be that way. 701 00:30:41,620 --> 00:30:46,620 The reason is Jesus knew the Bible thoroughly. 702 00:30:46,620 --> 00:30:48,620 John even says, in the beginning was the word, 703 00:30:48,620 --> 00:30:50,620 and the word was with God, and the word was God. 704 00:30:50,620 --> 00:30:52,620 John introduces us to Jesus as the word of God. 705 00:30:52,620 --> 00:30:54,620 Jesus knew the Bible thoroughly. 706 00:30:54,620 --> 00:30:58,620 And so when he began to teach the Pharisees 707 00:30:58,620 --> 00:31:01,620 and the scribes in that moment, 708 00:31:01,620 --> 00:31:03,620 Jesus starts the story by saying, 709 00:31:03,620 --> 00:31:05,620 a certain man had two sons. 710 00:31:05,620 --> 00:31:07,620 Every student of the Old Testament knew 711 00:31:07,620 --> 00:31:09,620 there were parallel stories in the Old Testament 712 00:31:09,620 --> 00:31:11,620 where a certain man had two sons. 713 00:31:11,620 --> 00:31:13,620 The very first story where a certain man had two sons 714 00:31:13,620 --> 00:31:16,620 was a story of Cain and Abel. 715 00:31:16,620 --> 00:31:18,620 In the story of Cain and Abel, 716 00:31:18,620 --> 00:31:20,620 God looks at Cain and says, 717 00:31:20,620 --> 00:31:24,620 where is your brother? 718 00:31:24,620 --> 00:31:27,620 The Pharisees knew that what Jesus was saying 719 00:31:27,620 --> 00:31:29,620 was in the story, when the younger brother goes out, 720 00:31:29,620 --> 00:31:31,620 the elder brother should go out 721 00:31:31,620 --> 00:31:33,620 and search for the younger brother 722 00:31:33,620 --> 00:31:36,620 and bring him back into the house of the father, 723 00:31:36,620 --> 00:31:38,620 but he doesn't do it. 724 00:31:38,620 --> 00:31:40,620 It makes our heart ache. 725 00:31:40,620 --> 00:31:44,620 It makes our heart yearn for a true elder brother. 726 00:31:44,620 --> 00:31:46,620 And this is the point Jesus was making, 727 00:31:46,620 --> 00:31:49,620 because friend, you and I have a true elder brother, 728 00:31:49,620 --> 00:31:51,620 and his name is Jesus. 729 00:31:51,620 --> 00:31:55,620 While we were afar off, Jesus came out after us 730 00:31:55,620 --> 00:31:58,620 and searched for us at great cost to himself. 731 00:31:58,620 --> 00:32:01,620 He paid for our sin penalty. 732 00:32:01,620 --> 00:32:03,620 He paid the price, not a finite amount of money, 733 00:32:03,620 --> 00:32:06,620 but the greatest cost of all, his own life. 734 00:32:06,620 --> 00:32:08,620 Our true elder brother paid our debt 735 00:32:08,620 --> 00:32:10,620 and brought us back into the family. 736 00:32:10,620 --> 00:32:13,620 Jesus on the cross was stripped naked of his robe 737 00:32:13,620 --> 00:32:15,620 and dignity so that we could be clothed 738 00:32:15,620 --> 00:32:18,620 with the robe of righteousness that we do not deserve. 739 00:32:18,620 --> 00:32:21,620 And the dignity of sonship and being admitted back 740 00:32:21,620 --> 00:32:23,620 into the family on the cross, Jesus was treated 741 00:32:23,620 --> 00:32:26,620 as an outcast so that we might be invited into the family. 742 00:32:26,620 --> 00:32:31,620 And then Jesus drank the eternal cup of God's justice 743 00:32:31,620 --> 00:32:34,620 so that we might have the cup of the Father's joy. 744 00:32:34,620 --> 00:32:39,620 Friend, Jesus taught this story to help us realize 745 00:32:39,620 --> 00:32:41,620 we need an elder brother. 746 00:32:41,620 --> 00:32:47,620 We need someone who would come searching after us. 747 00:32:47,620 --> 00:32:51,620 This morning, may we be moved by the sight 748 00:32:51,620 --> 00:32:54,620 of what it cost to bring us home. 749 00:32:54,620 --> 00:32:56,620 We've all played the role of the younger brother 750 00:32:56,620 --> 00:33:00,620 who have left in our own sin, ended up in our own shame, 751 00:33:00,620 --> 00:33:03,620 and God still comes after us. 752 00:33:03,620 --> 00:33:06,620 So this morning, we're gonna end it a little bit differently. 753 00:33:06,620 --> 00:33:10,620 Often, we're given the truth of God's word 754 00:33:10,620 --> 00:33:12,620 and then sent out to carry that truth with us 755 00:33:12,620 --> 00:33:14,620 to a world that needs it. 756 00:33:14,620 --> 00:33:17,620 Today, we've observed a truth 757 00:33:17,620 --> 00:33:21,620 and we're being invited into it in a deeper way. 758 00:33:21,620 --> 00:33:24,620 We will observe the Lord's table or this morning, 759 00:33:24,620 --> 00:33:26,620 the Father's table. 760 00:33:26,620 --> 00:33:31,620 We'll be invited to partake and to remember the cost 761 00:33:31,620 --> 00:33:33,620 of bringing us back into the family. 762 00:33:33,620 --> 00:33:36,620 The price that our elder brother paid 763 00:33:36,620 --> 00:33:43,620 so that we could once again come home. 764 00:33:43,620 --> 00:33:46,620 There'll be a music track that is played 765 00:33:46,620 --> 00:33:48,620 and as we do it, rather than having a time 766 00:33:48,620 --> 00:33:51,620 of challenge and charge where we go out 767 00:33:51,620 --> 00:33:53,620 and the truth is laid upon us, 768 00:33:53,620 --> 00:33:57,620 we'll have a time of reflection and introspection. 769 00:33:57,620 --> 00:34:00,620 We'll have a time where you can answer the question 770 00:34:00,620 --> 00:34:04,620 that Jesus is asking all of us today. 771 00:34:04,620 --> 00:34:07,620 Will we step into the Father's feast? 772 00:34:07,620 --> 00:34:08,620 I don't know where you're at. 773 00:34:08,620 --> 00:34:10,620 I don't know if you're the younger brother this morning 774 00:34:10,620 --> 00:34:13,620 and you feel so far off. 775 00:34:13,620 --> 00:34:15,620 After the 830 service, I had a young man come up to me. 776 00:34:15,620 --> 00:34:17,620 He was sitting with one of our other young adults. 777 00:34:17,620 --> 00:34:19,620 His name was Axel and he said, 778 00:34:19,620 --> 00:34:23,620 this is my first time back in church in a long time. 779 00:34:23,620 --> 00:34:25,620 And he said, today all I needed to hear was, 780 00:34:25,620 --> 00:34:27,620 I don't know how to get back to God. 781 00:34:27,620 --> 00:34:30,620 I needed the picture of the Father running to the younger son 782 00:34:30,620 --> 00:34:33,620 to remind me, I just need to start 783 00:34:33,620 --> 00:34:35,620 and God'll meet me where I'm at. 784 00:34:35,620 --> 00:34:36,620 Maybe that's you here this morning. 785 00:34:36,620 --> 00:34:39,620 You just need to remember, God'll meet you where you're at. 786 00:34:39,620 --> 00:34:42,620 Maybe this morning, you're a little bit outside 787 00:34:42,620 --> 00:34:46,620 of the Father's love because you're a little bit upset. 788 00:34:46,620 --> 00:34:50,620 Life hasn't happened the way you expected it to. 789 00:34:50,620 --> 00:34:52,620 I can't take away in that pain. 790 00:34:52,620 --> 00:34:55,620 I can't say that I understand it any more than you do, 791 00:34:55,620 --> 00:34:59,620 but I can say that God invites you into the elder brother. 792 00:34:59,620 --> 00:35:02,620 God runs to the younger brother and God goes out 793 00:35:02,620 --> 00:35:04,620 and pleads with the elder brother. 794 00:35:04,620 --> 00:35:06,620 As the music plays this morning, 795 00:35:06,620 --> 00:35:08,620 we're gonna take a time of that reflection. 796 00:35:08,620 --> 00:35:09,620 I'm gonna pray. 797 00:35:09,620 --> 00:35:11,620 Then I'm gonna give you some instruction. 798 00:35:11,620 --> 00:35:12,620 We're gonna allow you just to come forward 799 00:35:12,620 --> 00:35:15,620 and I would just ask, please be aware. 800 00:35:15,620 --> 00:35:17,620 If someone in front of you is going, 801 00:35:17,620 --> 00:35:19,620 just please be aware of how you're gonna make it back to the seat. 802 00:35:19,620 --> 00:35:21,620 If there's two of you and you wanna send one 803 00:35:21,620 --> 00:35:23,620 to grab both elements, that's fine. 804 00:35:23,620 --> 00:35:26,620 But as a church family, we're gonna take some extra time 805 00:35:26,620 --> 00:35:33,620 to reflect and meditate on the price that the elder brother paid 806 00:35:33,620 --> 00:35:35,620 to bring us back into the family. 807 00:35:35,620 --> 00:35:36,620 I'm gonna pray. 808 00:35:36,620 --> 00:35:38,620 As you take the elements, take them back to your seat, 809 00:35:38,620 --> 00:35:40,620 thank God for the gift that He's given you 810 00:35:40,620 --> 00:35:42,620 of bringing you back in. 811 00:35:42,620 --> 00:35:44,620 Then I'll come back up and as a church family, 812 00:35:44,620 --> 00:35:46,620 we'll take the elements together. 813 00:35:46,620 --> 00:35:48,620 Let's pray, Heavenly Father, 814 00:35:48,620 --> 00:35:51,620 thank you for your goodness and thank you for your grace. 815 00:35:51,620 --> 00:35:53,620 God, thank you for being the Father 816 00:35:53,620 --> 00:35:56,620 that always welcomes us home. 817 00:35:56,620 --> 00:36:00,620 God, thank you for the true elder brother in the story 818 00:36:00,620 --> 00:36:02,620 that he was telling it, 819 00:36:02,620 --> 00:36:07,620 that Jesus, you paid the price that only you could pay. 820 00:36:07,620 --> 00:36:10,620 And God, you welcome us back into the family. 821 00:36:10,620 --> 00:36:14,620 God, my prayer is that your goodness and your grace 822 00:36:14,620 --> 00:36:16,620 would overwhelm us this morning. 823 00:36:16,620 --> 00:36:20,620 As we take time to reflect, meditate, 824 00:36:20,620 --> 00:36:25,620 do some introspection on who you are and what you mean to us, 825 00:36:25,620 --> 00:36:27,620 that our souls would be calmed. 826 00:36:27,620 --> 00:36:30,620 And as the author of Hebrews puts it, 827 00:36:30,620 --> 00:36:33,620 we would once again realize that you are the anchor 828 00:36:33,620 --> 00:36:35,620 for our souls. 829 00:36:35,620 --> 00:36:37,620 Whatever storms may be blowing in our life right now, 830 00:36:37,620 --> 00:36:41,620 God, you will sustain us and see us through. 831 00:36:41,620 --> 00:36:43,620 God will love you and praise you for it. 832 00:36:43,620 --> 00:37:08,620 We ask you things in Jesus' name. Amen.