Transcript
Speaker: Would you turn with me to Luke chapter 15? Verses 11. through um 32. Verses 11 through 32. Luke 15. Verse 11. Luke 15 verse 11.
Speaker: Hope all the kids are getting ready to go to school. You got your backpack, you got all your clothes and all that kind of stuff. Wednesday will be here before you know it. And so, so excited for you. And I know God has great things for you.
Speaker: Um... This morning we come to the third parable in a cluster. Of three stories. given by Jesus about... The recovery of something valuable.
Speaker: That. had been lost. But then it was found. And oh, what joy it brought. There was a shepherd who had one sheep. That strayed away from the flock. And when he found it, he was so excited.
Speaker: But then there was a lady who lost one. silver coin and once she found it she had to look for it but once she found it And she was so excited. Today in Luke 15, verses 11 to 32. We're going to see this. third parable. parable of the prodigal son.
Speaker: Parable of the lost son. And so we're going to see what God would have to say to us. And there's a lot we could learn just by looking at the lost son. And if we want to focus on him this morning, you could see how he spoke rudely. To his father.
Speaker: Don't raise your hand if you've ever spoken rudely to your dad. Amen. Also selfish. he was He squandered his wealth. He was reckless in his living. He spent everything. He was very irresponsible. There are many lessons if we just want to focus. Well, the prodigal son.
Speaker: That we could learn. At one time. Back in 1978, 1979, I was. that prodigal son. But someone gave me a copy of the scriptures. And it changed my life. I couldn't throw it away. And finally, the Lord spoke to my heart through the word of God.
Speaker: But also one of the best messages I've ever heard on this passage. was given at a conference on Okinawa. where I was a missionary called... At Keswick. It was a Keswick conference, a deeper life conference. And the man was from London, Dr. Raymond Brown.
Speaker: He preached on the sins of the older brother. So he looked at the older brother, not the younger brother, not the prodigal son, but he looked at the older brother and he saw anger. Peace out.
Speaker: criticism He saw. self -centeredness. And... being prideful and bitter and unproperty. There's lots of lessons we could look if we want to look at the older brother. But I would like to direct your attention to the steadiness.
Speaker: Of the Father. I want you to look. past the prodigal son. Look past that. the older brother, and I want you to look at that father. Because I think He represents our Heavenly Father.
Speaker: And right there in the midst of all the dysfunction. That was all around him. He was so. faithful and so steady. I'm reminded of an article i read it was I believe it was the focus on the family website.
Speaker: It was written by Carrie ka Casey. He was a chaplain to NFL teams. He was also a pastor in Chicago. He had different leadership roles in fellowship with Christian athletes.
Speaker: But he wrote some books. One of them was called Championship Fathering. Another one was Championship... grandfathering. But what got my attention was... The title of the article was...
Speaker: consistent Fatherhood. consistent fatherhood. Would you say that our Heavenly Father practices. consistent. Fatherhood.
Speaker: You know, whenever he was... making a list of things that he tries to do in his life. The man who wrote the article, Consistent in Fatherhood, he said, well, I often discuss things.
Speaker: With my child. My child and I often do things together. I schedule time to spend with my child. I teach my child skills.
Speaker: I take an active role in my child's education. I'm involved in my child's life. My child and I often have fun together. Wow, I thought those were some really good things.
Speaker: But then I thought about this father. The father we're about to read about in this passage. And what I noticed was like five. steady rhythms. steady It doesn't matter if we're talking about the...
Speaker: prodigal son, the younger son. Or if we're talking about the older son, the older brother who stayed at home working hard. It doesn't matter. It's like he was steady. And so I want to compare five steady rhythms or... Five gears that he kept shifting. Whenever he was talking to his sons.
Speaker: You'll recall the setting before we dig into this. I just want to remind you because we're not not going to read. Verses 1 and 2. But the setting... the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling.
Speaker: about the sinners drawing near. to hear Jesus. They didn't like it. They thought, what in the world? Why would you want to share anything? From the truth. With these. sinners and these tax collectors.
Speaker: But whenever I look at the Father in this passage, I don't have any complaints about him. When I look at him, I say, wow. He's a lot like our Heavenly Father. So as we read Luke 15, 11 through 32, I encourage you to glance.
Speaker: You can glance. at the behaviors. and the attitudes of the sons. But would you do me a favor? And would you say, Lord, Fix my attention. My gaze.
Speaker: upon The steady example. Of the dead. that is in this passage. So if you would, let's stand together. In honor of God's word. and Let me read through this passage. I'll read from the ESV. But whatever translation you have there, or you can look on the screen, there's a Bible in the pew.
Speaker: And he said, Verse 11. There was a man. who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me.
Speaker: The share of property. That is coming. To me. And he divided his property between them. Not many days later. the younger son gathered all he had.
Speaker: And took a journey. Into a far country. And there. He squandered his property. In reckless living. And when he had spent everything.
Speaker: A severe famine arose in that country. And he. began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country.
Speaker: who sent him into the fields. to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods. That the pigs ate. Get this.
Speaker: And no one. And now... No one gave him anything. but When he came to himself. He said, How many?
Speaker: Of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread. But I perish here. With hunger. I will arise.
Speaker: And go to my Father. And I will say to him, Father, I have sinned. Against heaven and before you. I'm no longer worthy. to be called your son.
Speaker: Treat me. as one of your hired servants. And he rose. He came to his father, but while he was still a long way off. His father saw him.
Speaker: and felt compassion. And ran. And embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, Father. I've sinned against heaven and before you. I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. But.
Speaker: The Father. The father said to his servants, Bring quickly. The best robe. and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet.
Speaker: and bring the fattened calf. And kill it. And let us eat. And... Celebrate for this. My son. Was dead.
Speaker: And is alive again. He was lost. And it's found. And they began to celebrate. Now his older son was in the field. And as he came... and drew near to the house.
Speaker: He heard music. and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked, what these things meant. And he said to him,
Speaker: Your brother has come. Your father has killed the fattened calf because he's received him back. safe and sound. But he was angry.
Speaker: And refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him. But he answered his father, look. These many years. I've served you and I never.
Speaker: disobeyed your command. Yet you never. gave me. A young goat? That I might celebrate with my friends. But when this...
Speaker: son of yours. King. Who has devoured. your property with prostitutes. You killed. The fattened calf. for him And he said to him, son.
Speaker: You are always with me. And all that is mine. is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad for this. you're brother.
Speaker: was dead. And is alive. And he was lost. And it's found. Let's pray together. Oh Lord, we never know from Sunday to Sunday.
Speaker: Who you may lead into this sanctuary. And so we don't know if there might be a prodigal son in this sanctuary. Please let him know. that you've been looking. You've been waiting.
Speaker: You've been trying to draw him by your great love. Draw her. by your great love. Let them come today. Let them see the reunion that can take place. When one who is... drifted away. one who has rebelled.
Speaker: One who has acted so rudely comes back. And. to see the restoration, to see the joy. But there may also be In this congregation, in in here somewhere, someone may have come.
Speaker: And maybe they're guilty of... Well. Older brother sins. And they don't want to see anybody reached. They don't want us. be inconvenienced. They don't want to see anyone who has gone off the deep end.
Speaker: Come back. So please, O Lord, Work within their hearts too. It's interesting, Father, that that older brother... He didn't talk to the father until the father came to him.
Speaker: something wasn't right in his heart. toward his Father. Maybe someone in here today. Something's not right. In their heart. Between them and you.
Speaker: the Heavenly Father. So I pray today you would draw them to yourself. Go and speak to them through your word. Thank you for how your word is so living and active.
Speaker: And so speak to us today. But above all things. We sang it earlier. Show us. Who you are. Show us who you are.
Speaker: Let us have a fresh... glimpse. Of the father. As we look at this great parable. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Thank you. You may be seated. I know that maybe it was challenging to focus on the Father because it's so easy to be distracted.
Speaker: by the other guys, right? It's just like life. It's so easy to be distracted from the Lord who loves you. But we get so distracted. By other people.
Speaker: But I want to just point out something you might not have known when you read it through. Real quickly like that. Do you know that the word father? The name Father. was used 12 times.
Speaker: In those verses I just read. Twelve times and yet. The word son. Only eight times. Not 12 times, 8 times. So I wonder if maybe sometimes we're missing it.
Speaker: when we're focused on the prodigal, We're focused on the older brother. And the father is saying. Don't miss me. Don't miss me. I'm trying to reach you. I'm trying to let you know I'm waiting for you.
Speaker: Do you know that Jesus called God? His father 65 times. In Matthew. In Mark and Luke. But John... Oh, John, he went way beyond that.
Speaker: John's gospel called said that Jesus called his father, Father. 100 times. Maybe even over a hundred times. So let's look at this. Father.
Speaker: And think about our... heavenly. Father. The first gear in this father's life was he loved. Their mother. He loved their mother. You may say, Wait, I didn't even catch mom mentioned in this passage. No, she wasn't mentioned in this passage. But there's two sons mentioned in this passage.
Speaker: I know how it works, you know. You don't have to explain. Apology to me. His wife is never mentioned, but the two sons are seen. So in verse 11, it says, there was a man who had two sons.
Speaker: So I don't know if she had passed away. I don't know if maybe she wasn't. pertinent to what the Lord wanted to say in the parable? But all I know is this, that children are the fruit.
Speaker: Of the love. between a man and his wife. That's the way it is. The greatest gift, therefore, that a man can give his children Wait for it.
Speaker: Love their mother. You love their mother well. And watch what those children will grow up to be. And what they will do. You see, a son learns how to honor and care for his future wife.
Speaker: By the way he sees his dad. Treat. the mother. My dad was a steady hand on the wheel of life. He loved not only my mom, but my dad.
Speaker: Love me. He loved my brother. No wonder Ephesians 5 .25 says, husbands Love your wives. As Christ loved the church. And gave himself up for her.
Speaker: Colossians 3 .19 says, Husbands, love your wives. And do not be harsh with them. Wow. It's just a basic point But I just wanted to point it out.
Speaker: Because I believe that the Father's love. So steady. Jesus' love. So steady. And it's... The way he loves. His church.
Speaker: that we're supposed to love our wives. So I just thought, well, it bears noting at least. that he he loved. His wife. Well, let's go to the second gear because he he shifts gears.
Speaker: This father also provided. for their needs. provided for their needs. It doesn't matter if we're going to talk about younger brother. Older brother. No, I think that he was aware.
Speaker: that Genesis 3 .15 says that God called Adam to work. God called Adam to provide. And that's exactly what he did. He worked and he provided.
Speaker: As a matter of fact, 1 Timothy 5 .8 says, something's broken within a man. If he doesn't want to work. He may be looking for a job. He may be out of a job. He may be disabled and not able to work.
Speaker: But there's something wrong when a man is... capable of working and he just simply doesn't want to work. There's something not right. Because God wired men. to work hard. for a reason to provide for their families. That's exactly why he wants us. to work.
Speaker: When I was looking at this, I thought, wow, you know it's easy to get so distracted. But this... younger. brother. The younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the share of property that's coming to me.
Speaker: And he divided the property between them. Wow. You know, did you hear his impatience? I mean, normally, isn't this the way it works? Normally, if it's an inheritance.
Speaker: You wait until your father died. The younger son. He's impatient. He can't wait. He says, I'll take it now. So the dad says. Okay. But all the commentaries I read said that would have been extremely rude.
Speaker: To just say, I want my inheritance. Right now. but also notice how selfish he was. selfish Did you catch me in there? Father, give me.
Speaker: The share of property that is coming to. Me. You know, I think that It should be. That God uses a family. To raise people to think, not of me.
Speaker: But we. We. our family. But he doesn't say. Weep. He just says. me. And so I thought, look at how selfish. Look at how wasteful. You go down to verses 13 and 14, you find that once he does receive his inheritance early, he squanders it.
Speaker: As a matter of fact, verse 14 tells us in the parable, he spent everything. He blew the whole thing. But notice the stark contrast between the reckless living of the son. With the steady providing of the Father.
Speaker: You see, it didn't matter in verse 12. It didn't matter if it was before the sun leaves out on his journey. He's going big city. He's got big plans. I need money. I need cash. So I can't do it by myself. I want my inheritance now and I'm leaving. All up until that time for the younger brother's whole entire life.
Speaker: You know who provided for him? He's dead. His dad provided for him before he left. But you know what also? The younger son says something in the parable that's very interesting in verse 17.
Speaker: Because he knows. Back on the range. My dad is still providing. And so listen to the way the younger son said, when he came to himself, he said, how many?
Speaker: Of my father's hired servants. Have more than enough bread. But I perish. Here. with hunger. Wow. He knew my dad is so steady. I don't even know really what's going on with the ranch.
Speaker: But I can just guess. He's still taking care of everybody on the ranch. Because that's what dad does. That's what our Heavenly Father does. He provides for us. The older son.
Speaker: wasn't happy. He wasn't happy to welcome his brother back home. And so it caused him to exaggerate. I think. The merits of his loyalty, the older son's loyalty, he's going to exaggerate that.
Speaker: But he's going to underestimate. This is sad. the merits of the Father. He's going to accuse the father of some things. And it's like. Really? I mean. You're going to bow up like that and say that to your dad when he's been there all along?
Speaker: But he answered, his father looked. these many years. I've served you. In other words, he's insisting on his perfect labor. And I've been here a long time.
Speaker: Pulling everything. Working hard. But he also insists on his perfect loyalty. He said, you know what? Dad, I never. Disobeyed your command. Well, that's a pretty bold statement to make.
Speaker: I hope his life backed it up. I'm glad his father didn't say, well, let's just think about this, son. I'm glad he didn't do that. But he insists not only on his perfect labor and his perfect loyalty, but he said, you know, haven't I been the perfect load?
Speaker: when have When have I ever asked you? For a goat. When have you ever given me a goat? And by the way, It wasn't a goat, right? It was a fattened calf. And so it's interesting. He's saying, you didn't even give me a goat.
Speaker: You gave him a... A fattened calf. But he insists, I've never been a big drain on you. But once again, Keep your own father. What does he do?
Speaker: Well, the father doesn't lose his composure. But he calmly reassures the older brother. Of three provisions. He calls him son. He said, you know what?
Speaker: Your identity. He said, you're my son. and you'll always be my son. You don't have to. prove anything to me. But also he said, you're always with me. So unity. was also a provision.
Speaker: He was saying, I'm right here. I haven't gone anywhere. I know he left. But that was the younger younger brother's decision. You. still have me here. We are one. We're working together every single day.
Speaker: But then I thought it was also interesting, his generosity. When he says, you know what? All that's mine is yours. I don't understand why you're saying this, son. All that I have.
Speaker: It's all yours. I'm not going to live forever. One of these days, it's going to be all. Yours. And so I just thought, wow. You know what? He provided for their needs. He loved their mother. The third gear was. This... Father.
Speaker: Was patient. Patient during their rebellions. It doesn't matter if we're talking about. The prodigal son or the prideful son. Either way you want to slice it. Verse 12. The father was patient.
Speaker: when the younger son was impatient. and impulsive. The father was patient when the youngest. Was irresponsible with money and irrational with his living.
Speaker: I mean what is going on here? Have you ever stopped to think about God and His patience? I mean, I wonder if there's someone here. God's been waiting on you. to trust him for salvation, to come into his family. He's been waiting on you for a long time.
Speaker: 2 Peter 3, 9 says, the Lord is not slow. No, here's what he is. He's patient toward you. Not wishing that any should perish. Well, what's he waiting on?
Speaker: He's waiting on repentance. He's waiting on repentance. That's what it says in 2 Peter 3, 9. See, Jesus is drawing a stark contrast. Between the three characters that we see in the parable.
Speaker: You have the younger. Brother? You have the Pharisees. The older brother. And then you have the dad. The Heavenly Father. And so he's trying to paint a picture for us.
Speaker: And so I thought, wow, that's amazing, you know. But then I noticed. As we move to verse 14. That the father was patient. When the younger brother. spent all of his finances.
Speaker: Wouldn't it? I mean. Wouldn't you think? You spend it all, buddy. No more. you You are not getting anything, not one more drop from me. When he entered into a famine,
Speaker: You see, he didn't count on that. That's one thing we should learn. i mean You spend everything you make. You say nothing. Then wait until the famine. And by the way, the Bible is so real. Do you know there are 13 famines, including this one?
Speaker: That are mentioned throughout the Bible. A famine happened. He didn't count on that. And so he had nothing saved. No reserves. He had no margin. And so it says when he was physically famished.
Speaker: When all of his friendships... We're finished. Like I said, Out there in the real world, There's not very many people who are going to give you anything. but oh, within the family of God.
Speaker: Within the Lord's family. You just watch and see. I've seen it. I've been here for 19 years and I have seen it over and over again. How many of God's people share?
Speaker: They share what they make. They care. John Piper Tells the true story. Of 68 bodies. Buried and homeward. memorial gardens in Chicago.
Speaker: The Cook County medical examiner said, I'm sorry. But we don't have anybody. There's no one that cared about these people who just passed away. 68. There's nobody.
Speaker: And so they said, well, I guess what we have to do is we'll just dig. 180 foot long trench. We'll lay them to rest in there. but we won't put markers.
Speaker: Because we don't know. that much about them. Do you know that every month in Chicago, 20 to 30 people die? Unclaimed. No one cares. There's no family.
Speaker: Maybe you'd say, I bet they broke off the thing just like the prodigal son. Maybe they did. on My point... It's not that. My point is... When they died. Not one soul came.
Speaker: Is that going to be you? are you building Are you burning the bridges? I mean burning every bridge to the family that cares about you. Oh my goodness. The older son was a hard worker.
Speaker: ah He never left the ranch. And he was surprised to hear music and dancing. I wonder why he was surprised. I wonder if he was surprised because really, He was a work workaholic.
Speaker: But he had no joy. He never had any music and dancing. You never heard this before. It's interesting, if the older brother was intended to portray the grumpy Pharisees,
Speaker: Then Dr. Raymond Brown pointed out. that the older brother didn't directly ask the dad. Who did he talk to? this sermon. Maybe.
Speaker: Maybe. He never really talked to the dad that much. Oh, he was there on the ranch already. but on the farm he rarely rarely ever talked to his father. We wouldn't know.
Speaker: Based on what we're given in the parable. But I would suggest... that surely the father observed his oldest. So driven by the fields and the work in the fields, yet distant from the Father. It's like...
Speaker: I don't know. He he works hard. But he's still patient. For close fellowship with that son. Amen. The others on the ranch knew about the celebration and they knew about the barbecue brisket.
Speaker: That's the way I interpret it anyway. The father initiated the party. For two reasons. Why are you throwing a party anyway? Well, here's one. The younger son came back home.
Speaker: Here's the second one. He returned home. Safe and sound. Without any injuries. And you know what the father thought? That's a reason to celebrate. That's a reason to be happy.
Speaker: But what's shocking... is that the older brother was angry. And the older brother said, you know what? I'm not even going to go in there. But the patient dad, what does he do?
Speaker: Patient dad. goes out there. He goes out. He goes out. Wherever it was that that older brother was pouting, he goes out there. And he says,
Speaker: Come on. this You're a better man than this. Come on, let's go in. And rejoice with your brother. But let me connect the dots between the celebration in the house.
Speaker: You do notice that, right? In all three of the parables mentioned in Luke 15, there's always a celebration. Not in the field. In the house. In the house. And so the celebration. In the house is representing.
Speaker: The celebration in heaven. Celebration in heaven. I mean, in the first two parables. The Lord makes it so clear. Verse 7 and verse 10. There's more joy in heaven in verse 7. There's joy before the the angels of God. In verse 10.
Speaker: What was all that excitement about? repentance. Somebody came home. So the steady example of the Father. Love their mother. provided for their needs. patient during their rebellions.
Speaker: The fourth gear he hit was forgiving of their mistakes. Forgiving of their mistakes. The context... For the Father's forgiveness. Don't forget it. It's it's really important.
Speaker: The context. For the Father's forgiveness. Was the son's repentance. His return. His humility. His confession. And that's why...
Speaker: The dad says, you know what? I don't want to hear your rehearsed speech. I want you to bring out the best robe That was reserved for guests of honor. I want you to bring out a ring that was... The authority of a son. not a servant.
Speaker: And I want you to bring out some shoes because he doesn't have any shoes anymore. He was barefoot, which would suggest... poverty. And so the the Lord, the Father. in the parable, is restoring needs.
Speaker: The father was able to forgive the youngest son. But the older brother... was not able to forgive. So listen to resentment's... dysfunctional relationships.
Speaker: Look at the ugly face of resentment. before we look last of all, at the Father. The ugly face of resentment. It's seen in this way. Pride.
Speaker: He said, I never disobeyed. Your command. He was ungrateful You never gave me. And it's like. um Excuse me, whose house are you living in?
Speaker: Didn't I buy that bed you've got? You know, didn't I get you that hoe that you used? You know, the father didn't do that. But look at how ungrateful. He said, you never gave me.
Speaker: Sometimes we're that way. But then he was sour. He was accusatory. He said that we might celebrate with my friends. You never gave me anything to celebrate with my friends.
Speaker: So you see, it's just so sour. But he's also so... distant. How do we know he was so distant? There is a way. What does he say about?
Speaker: this. younger brother. When this son of yours came. This son of yours, not my brother. When this son of yours came.
Speaker: And he's critical. who devoured your property with prostitutes. He's bitter. You kill the fattened calf. Not for me. For him.
Speaker: You kill the fatted calf. For him. Verse 31. Is that steady? predictable, faithful response of the Father.
Speaker: I mean, there's that ugly fit. There's that. rage of the older brother. And the father said, you know what? You will always have my presence.
Speaker: As long as I'm alive. You will always have my presence. But then secondly, you will always have my provision. Other hand is yours. Wow. It's baffling to me how the older son...
Speaker: could feel so neglected. And the younger son could feel so unworthy. When both of them. Both of them had a father. who loved them so dearly.
Speaker: It's interesting in Psalm 103. how it kind of gives this description of God. Let me just... Take a little rabbit trail to just mention it. Psalm 103 verses 10 through 14 says, He does not deal with us.
Speaker: according to our sins. nor repay us. according to our iniquities. for as high as the heavens are above the earth. So great is his.
Speaker: Are you ready for it? Steadfast. There's the word. This daddy, father. Steadfast love. toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west.
Speaker: So far does he remove our transgressions from us. And here comes the analogy. As a father. shows compassion.
Speaker: To his children. So the Lord shows compassion. To those who fear him. For he knows our frame. He remembers. that we are but dust.
Speaker: I just want to mention that fifth gear. It's so sweet when you see it in motion. the fifth gear, the father, he's cruising now. When he goes into fifth gear, he's already talked about. you know We talked about the love. That he had for the mother.
Speaker: the provisions that he had for those sons. He was patient during their rebellions, forgiving of their mistakes. But that fifth and final year, the Father is... So excited.
Speaker: to have that younger son back. And you know, joy is the thread. If you were to go through Luke 15 one more time. you would see that every time joy is there.
Speaker: Joy's there. Whenever... The lost sheep is found. There's joy. Whenever the lost coin is found, there's joy. Whenever the lost son is found. There is joy again. Over and over. Why?
Speaker: Why celebrate verses 23 and 24? Well, the the dad says it. The dad says, what? Of course we're going to celebrate. He said, my son was dead. And he's alive again.
Speaker: My son was lost. And he's found. You know, this weekend, Jody and I watched a really good movie called True Spirit. If you're ever looking for a good one, that was a good one.
Speaker: But it's about a 16 -year -old Australian girl who had a dream. She always wanted... To go around the world in a sailboat. Get this. By herself. Non -stop.
Speaker: So if you want to see that movie, I'm not going to spoil it. But all I can say is let's say that she did do that. And so in the movie True Spirit, what would they depict?
Speaker: The parents. You know, do you think that they'd be standing there going... Well, it's about time. Well, she made it back safely. now No, if I was making a movie and somebody had been gone like that, especially...
Speaker: One of my girls. Man, I'd be so excited. I'd be so excited. I'd be thrilled. And that's why the father goes out. Even to the the older brother.
Speaker: And he thinks, wow. You know what? I cannot believe you're not in here celebrating. But you know why he wasn't in there celebrating? His heart was so full of envy. His heart was so full of jealousy and bitterness and hurt from the past.
Speaker: He just can't get over it. The father tried to explain it to him and said, look, it was appropriate. There's an appropriateness of joy. He said it was... Right.
Speaker: It was... fitting to celebrate. This is the right thing to do, son. And the gladness of joy, he said, and be glad. And the reasonableness of joy.
Speaker: For your... brother. Who was dead is alive. Who was lost has come back. You see, the steady hand of the Father at the wheel. It's seen so clearly.
Speaker: In verse 20. But while he was still a long way off. His father's son. I wonder if his father would go down there and look. down that road. He'd watch and say, one of these days, oh Lord, I pray one of these days.
Speaker: He'd come back home. So he go down there and he watch for him. And then finally he sees him. And you know, it's the only time, the only picture we have. of God. Running.
Speaker: It says that the father didn't wait. He ran. To meet the prodigal son. He ran. 1 Corinthians 1 .9 reminds us. The Father is faithful.
Speaker: He's calling. And what he wants is a relationship. He wants fellowship. God is. it Faithful. By whom you were called into the... fellowship.
Speaker: Of his son Jesus Christ our Lord. You know, I'm not sure who thought of calling something old vintage. But now I go around calling everything vintage, you know, because most everything I got is old and worn out. But I call it vintage because in my mind anyway, you say the word vintage, suddenly it's got lots of value, you know.
Speaker: Perhaps the prodigal went to the city. Thinking, you know what, my dad? He's so old school. And... You know what? Our house back there on the ranch, it's so dated.
Speaker: I would much rather be in the city. Where all the new stuff is. But when he got there. Something happened. And he said, you know what? All those sparkles.
Speaker: that I thought were there. They weren't there. And that's why I find myself coming back home because I know I'm loved here. I know I'm provided for here. I know that I'm going to face a dad who's patient and forgiving.
Speaker: And someone who will be so glad. that I came. You know, here at First Baptist. We're glad you came. And I hope you'll just keep coming. Hope you'll know that we are so... thrilled any time. that a guest, a visitor comes.
Speaker: That's why I want to give you a Vista bag if you've not had one. But we also, at the end of each service. We want to... Have an invitation. And the invitation is for someone. to come forward and to say, hey. you know, I want to trust Jesus Christ. As my Lord and Savior. So I'm going to ask the musicians if they would return to the platform to prepare us.
Speaker: I just want to remind you once again. If you would like to help. Prodigals, come back home. Think about that offering. For the Gideons. Think about what it's like. When someone places... scripture in the hands of a prodigal.
Speaker: I was on Overton Square. In Memphis, Tennessee. And I was so rebellious. When I went to Memphis. State University, now called the University of Memphis.
Speaker: That was the vintage name, Memphis State University. But anyway. The University of Memphis, but... You know what? I was there. To drink. I was there at to party. But a guy placed a piece of scripture in my hand.
Speaker: And I couldn't throw it away. I put it on my nightstand and I tried to ignore it, but I couldn't ignore it. And so God finally. He drew me in. by His unconditional love.
Speaker: Is God drawing you in today? Would you stand with me? I want us to pray and then we'll have a time of invitation. Lord, we just extend this invitation in your name. There could be someone here.
Speaker: who needs to trust Christ as their Lord and Savior. If not, that's fine. But we just want to make sure. Because I know you've been standing there looking down the road for a long time.
Speaker: Could be that some prodigals here. Could be that an older brother's here. Got a wrong spirit. I don't know what's going on, but please help them. So anyway, just... Help us to respond.
Speaker: By keeping our eyes. On the father. Lord, you are so perfect in your example. We thank you so much for how steady you are in life. Others may leave.
Speaker: You are so steady. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
Speaker: This is a ministry of First Baptist Church, located at 1700 Milam Street, Columbus, Texas.
