Good morning world. Good morning and welcome. It is Thursday morning, the 27th of April. It is 1020. Here in the studio as we record this podcast and as we go live, as we just broadcast this service. And as we just gather around the mic, we've got Simon with us today, obviously, because it's # Christian Straight Talk, wherever you are today. We welcome everybody in the world of Buzzsprout, Spotify and Apple podcast and so many other platforms that we are streaming to, at this moment in time, wherever you are across the world. May God bless you and guide you and lead you this is a good day. This is a powerful day. And we want to welcome you as well to those to our new family. Join us on Patreon. You can find us on Patreon. Just download the app and it's very simple. It is very easy. And there's stacks of content on there that we're doing, you know, very exclusive stuff that's going on there. But welcome everybody in the world of Buzzsprout. And on this broadcast. I see people jumping on online wherever you are across the world this morning. God bless you Simon we're in.
Simon Pinchbeck:It's great to be back with you, Ben. It's Thursday. Say Ben you're looking a little bit sharper than you normally look and you got you know, got the hairs all tidy and with no caspo cap today as well like so. So, you know we're really stepping up a notch shape me at the moment. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
Reverend Ben Cooper:we're going for it the #christian straight talk
Simon Pinchbeck:smart talk today,
Reverend Ben Cooper:trying to be smart and clean and tidy. I've had a bar for about a while. Oh, all that sort of stuff. I
Simon Pinchbeck:was going to mention that. But you know, you've you've seen the light.
Reverend Ben Cooper:I've seen the light. Let there be light. I've seen it. But we're in today. We're smart. We're tidy, we're clean. We've brushed our teeth. We've done our eyebrows. We're ready around
Simon Pinchbeck:the world The world just getting crazier and out there. I mean, if you're out there and and you're listening to this craggy the world is just everywhere. Everywhere you look, there's stuff happening. They just you think it can't get any crazier, but
Reverend Ben Cooper:it does. It gets absolutely nuttier as time goes on. And we welcome every one of you this morning, wherever you are across this earth. And I just want to say thanks again to all the 1000s of downloads that we're getting across this globe that we are on and we are walking on at this moment. But as you join us right now we've got an interesting subject. And we're going into one of the parables where the parable of the lost son. What is the Scripture scripture reference? It is Luke chapter 15. And we're in verse 11. Through interest in text, isn't it? Really deep one a lot of stuff packed in here. This
Simon Pinchbeck:is an interesting one. With this is an interesting one, Ben, and, you know, so we'll see what the two old farm dogs can can pull up out of this one because what we're talking about is a God shaped hole. And we're talking about Ben Drew, trying to fill people trying to fill this God shaped hole with anything but God
Reverend Ben Cooper:as well, anything but anything that God
Simon Pinchbeck:you know, anything goes these days. So there's this is a great, it's a great parables a great text it, it comes off the back of in Luke 15 of Jesus talking about. He talked about the lost sheep. He said, If you lost a sheep, and the sheep was wandered off, you got 99 out of 100 and the ones so stupid, he's wandered off because she bank brights. So he's wandered off this rejoicing when we get the one comes back back into the pen and that's it relates that to you know, the lost soul being brought back to to heaven and how they rejoice over one soul that comes in
Reverend Ben Cooper:and they seem really encouraging and it you know, Jesus, the Good Shepherd, the Lord is the Good Shepherd. So if you feel lost at this moment in time, remember, there is a shepherd that is chasing you down. A shepherd is coming to get you you know, you're not lost, you're found you know, you are blessed and highly favored. You know, sometimes we have a wobble. Sometimes we have a wander off here, there and everywhere. But the you know what we grafted in. And I think that's really important to remind ourselves, that each and every one of us is grafted in that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. And once we're in, we're in, we're in the shape. You're in the past, suddenly we might have a bit of a wonder to the left and a right but this is an interesting character in it when you look at the product or when you look at the prodigal son. He wanted everything at once. Then he wanted the money he wanted the fame he wanted the lifestyle
Simon Pinchbeck:you know the daily spend at every one is made in the father's image. So everyone is made to worship the Father, completely. But we have a choice that we have
Reverend Ben Cooper:a choice, am I going to worship him? Or am I going to follow what the world may be doing or what the world may be saying? I just see people just jumping online. Yeah. Hello, and good morning to you this morning as we just try and interact as well. And we thank you so much for wherever you are this morning. And we are in the parable of the lost son. And for everyone's reference, we are in Luke chapter 15, verse 11, should we ever read it? See what it says? Shall we just have a look? He says Jesus continued, There was a man who had two sons, the younger said to the Father, Father, give me give me my share of the estate. It must have been enormous Massenet give me my share of this estate.
Simon Pinchbeck:Well, the thing was that, you know, normally you don't even get it. So the sort of father died. So II as a, he must have been bored. This boy in the woods, when I met this young man, he must have been bored, must have beer. And we find that we people want to be restless, restless, they want to think they think they'll find peace and happiness in what the world is offering world is offering you know, and I've got to be honest with you, a couple of years ago, I was. I mean, I've been down this route. And what I'll talk about a little bit later, but but I was a couple of years ago, I found it interesting that I was out in India doing some stuff, Christina stuff, which was absolutely amazing. But I had a 12 hour layover at a Delhi airport. So I was just sitting there with a coffee just feet on the bag and just watching watching the world go by and it's amazing. The amount of middle aged white people generally coming through this airport, all dressed in bright colors, orange, they're searching for something spiritual,
Reverend Ben Cooper:we're looking for spirit in India, you know the world, find a guru, you know, we're gonna find a guru, we can find ourselves, we're going see what's going on. And
Simon Pinchbeck:we'll go back to a three bedroom semi in wherever Do you know, and we will pretend we're all spiritual. No, it just, it's, it's a last call. Yes,
Reverend Ben Cooper:people are searching online, people are searching. And the interesting thing is that majority of the human race thinks that it is money that brings the pleasure to the mind, the body, the soul, that if we've got the money, we can have this, we can do that. We can go on holiday, we can have the car, we can have the house, blah, blah, blah, it's okay. But the more you have, the more that you want. And that vacuum that is inside can only be filled with God, a vacuum needs to be filled with the Word of God. And when you got the word of God, you get filled with peace, the peace of God, that is the key, I believe,
Simon Pinchbeck:well, the thing has been the key is that to follow Jesus. So yeah, following Jesus is shown, he shows us the way he tells us the way he tells us he is the way you don't say, I know the way or or this might be the way or you know, they'd be nice if he went this way. He said I am the way so he shows us out to follow Him and He will lead us to the Father. And then this, this all consuming black hole that we have here that has to be filled with something if we don't fill it with with Jesus, if we don't fill it with a father, if you haven't got the Holy Spirit, that kind of find something else to to follow. And as you said, you know, money material things. All right, in the short term.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, but does it give you it's got to it money feed, doesn't it? That's the thing. Money is almost like a, an energy, a weapon a an emotional draw, you've got to be we've got to be really careful what, what money can do to you. And if you're a good steward of money, may God bless you in the name of Jesus. But if you like spending a few quid here and there and you've got you've always had that, and then suddenly you pop up, and you're suddenly you're a Christian. And that can be one of the biggest things to try and lay down the actual making money, the first and the foremost in your life, almost bringing it up as a god, you know, because you can worship money very easily.
Simon Pinchbeck:Jesus said, You know, you can't worship two masters about money and Jesus. So it's a very interesting part of the story of this young man who goes to his father and asked for his inheritance. And you right? It'd be quite a few shekels on it, you know, it will be
Reverend Ben Cooper:a serious amount of money. But the dad, the Father's love the fish say the Father's love being displayed in this as well. You say that the Father's love is so strong. It says so he divided his property between them. He didn't question him. He didn't. He didn't change. I didn't I didn't give him any reason to say no in any way, shape or form. And it says Jesus continued there was a man who had two sons, the younger son said to the Father have given me my share of the estate. So that can be divided up. And it was divided up between them. And it says not long after that the son got together all that he had set out for a distant country. And there he squandered it with wealth is wealth in wild living. And after it's spent everything, there was a severe famine in the whole country, you began to be in need. So he went
Simon Pinchbeck:look at that, then you'd have probably gone to Las Vegas or somewhere like that. And while you've got a few quid, you've got lots of friends. When you've
Reverend Ben Cooper:got money, everybody loves you. When you've got when you got a few quid hanging out your pocket, and you're there and you're everywhere apart, we haven't got a pot to fill up. You are no one no one wants to know. Yeah,
Simon Pinchbeck:no one wants to know you. So it seems he would have it sound, eagerly throwing his money around like a man with 10 arms, he would have wine women, the best cause just dressed everything, every feet of the whole,
Reverend Ben Cooper:who wants to know you when you got nothing? Who wants to be your friend when there is nothing in the bag? Who wants to know you when there is nothing? When there's nothing to offer? That is the question all the
Simon Pinchbeck:women had taken all this money when he'd been he'd probably been gambling, they've been gambling away. You know, he'd been nights of drunk drink and drug or whatever he's embraced, going on a whole thing that's on the table. But interestingly been in verse 17. What's he say on verse 17. And your translation
Reverend Ben Cooper:in my translation is let me catch up with me eyes, it says when he comes to his senses,
Simon Pinchbeck:doesn't really mean to his senses. That's a real good point. And
Reverend Ben Cooper:that's really, really important. See, we automatically will look at a lot of things and always go down the spiritual drive, don't we? But there comes a point in our life when we have to come to our senses. And our senses are triggered by the Holy Spirit. So God gives us that that button inside and God presses that button. And when that button is pressed, suddenly our senses are computing our understanding. It says when he come to his senses, he said, How many of my father's hands hired servants he said, hide hands have food to spare, you said that I am here and I'm starving to death.
Simon Pinchbeck:Was that coming to your senses? Man, it's a real interesting thing because I just went off the rails when I was in my 40s and you know into similar to this fella really although I was married and that kids and so you know, I was going out to nightclubs messing around here there and everywhere and and a fellow tapped me on the shoulder one day someone who was not far away ever been as Christie as you can imagine, but he tapped me on the shoulder and he said, Simon, you make it a bit of a fool yourself a bit of an idiot of yourself, you know what you're doing? You know, because you've got a nice lovely family and you're just playing the life of a single man and I thought a little bit about what he said but it you know, the sit well didn't know it didn't sit well. You know, you're you know, you're in so the drive to. And it was an incident incident where I went completely off the rails and it it's somebody which actually brought me to my senses. But but you a lot of people will come to a point in our lives and gone and go, Well, I can't listen, what else is there, there's nothing. I've tried all this and not there's nothing to fill this void to fill this void Ben and this is, this is this fella. So he is telling you here that he had a father that loved him now, many people out there wouldn't have parents that that support them, like this young man here but obviously the father here is
Reverend Ben Cooper:a loving nature of our Heavenly Father. Yeah, no questions asked it just. So there is that that word that comes into the bane of free world, isn't it? The power of free will so you can be in the father's house. And you can have all the blessings under the sun, you can have everything. But then when the world tries to draw you because this is a real, obviously a picture image of a believer that is in the father's house, something happens to them. They become this not lost but they become a bit unstable. They're not quite sure their life they're looking for for more than what they think that God can give.
Simon Pinchbeck:We live in because of the flesh. We live in that society at this moment. It's a very, where people are not satisfied. By the way they look. Not satisfied with the gender they've been given. I'm not satisfied by the way they live the home the car drivers they drive. They're always looking
Reverend Ben Cooper:for we're looking for a nice car. He's got the next the next sofa.
Simon Pinchbeck:Look, she's got it all together, look at that I'll do that. chasing, chasing, chasing.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So we're always chasing the dream. And that that line that slogans out there, you know, live the dream. What is the dream? Because when you get to where you think the dream is, you find that when you climb the elite tower when you climb the all these towers, you get to the top of the tree, and it's quite lonely
Simon Pinchbeck:is very lonely, and it's a slippery tower and you end up slipping back down. And I was doing a talk last Saturday at a group of fellows. And I said, I started off by saying, Our we fellows we live in the dream. We were rooting for the stars to fly with the eagles. They looked at me I go, No, we're not Oh, we were hanging on by a finger.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah. Like it's almost that, that situation. And thank goodness, you know, it's like that situation you ever thought about narrower and narrower. And when he built the ark when they was laughing at him? And they were saying what are you doing and he built this ark and he put it all together. And then suddenly the first drop of rain fell, stuffed that had a fall from heaven. It punched through the ground beneath it come up. So the floodwaters were rising, how many people were left on the outside trying to cling on? Like you said, trying to hang on to that boat bangin. Let me in, let me in. And there's gonna be another time when that's gonna run off. Oh, no, I want to because he just say what off and he just just let it flow out and just when it went away, so the Ark is a really important part of our history within the Word of God. Because when Christ comes, there won't be another chance. So there'll be there's people hanging on by their fingernails at this moment in time, see, hanging on to the outside, and what
Simon Pinchbeck:and what people don't want people don't realize that, that their spirit is searching for a relationship with Jesus. That's what it's searching for. And through Jesus to the Father, so so they, wherever you are, you would see movie stars, music stars, being worshipped. We were never made to be worshipped were we and that's why they you know, go into go off the rattle off the rails, because unless your life is God centered, you know, your life will be a train wreck completely.
Reverend Ben Cooper:It's got to be got to be Christ centered, everything we do is to be focused on Christ. You know, and you can be in the father's house, you can be in the Father's will. Yeah, but what we have here is a real clear understanding of this young man was drawn away by what his head was wanting. And what your head wants is different to what your heart wants, and your heart is connected with God and there must be uncountably many people in church in religious understand is that going to church on a Sunday, and actually saying to themselves, what what is this life all about? Because what the church is telling me, it's not really happening. Well, religionist and it's not really happening.
Simon Pinchbeck:We've got we'll come on to that in a little while because that's very interesting point, Ben, what you make and and I think more relates to his other son than it does to this one. Because I think this this one's probably, obviously in them days, it didn't have the internet, youtube or anything like that. So he's, he's probably running around speaking to all these other friends or whatever. And they're going, oh, you know, if you had this, if you could do this, and he's he's had this blinding idea which he thinks in his head that Oh, grab me money now.
Reverend Ben Cooper:And I'll go and spend it. Okay.
Simon Pinchbeck:All that stuff, listen to Bible tells us sin. Sin is fun for a short time, for moments, but there's a consequence to our actions in 100%. The enemy doesn't give any free lunches away. Does he
Reverend Ben Cooper:know and look at that a Famine and we're in a famine right now. We're in a family and we're in a family we're in? Yes, yes. People say, Well, what do you mean by famine? We are in the biggest spiritual spiritual verses of the world has ever seen it. So you can be in the father's house. You got to be careful, really, really careful. Am I in the Father's will? Am I in the Father's plan? And this this father didn't give him any opportunity to say no, he went there you go off. Celia. Take care. There you go. It has everything that you want. Very interesting, isn't it that the father didn't quibble? The father didn't say, I'm going to hold a little bit back. You know, he gave him everything. And the Bible says that this young man spent everything that he had had it come to the point of the end of self. Isn't it interesting that when you come to the end of self, you come back to Jesus, yeah. Did you realize nothing, everything is meaningless degree, everything is
Simon Pinchbeck:meaningless. And for that period of time, then he'd been a slave to sin and he had been a completely slicin Rather than being a servant of the father. So he let that take him wherever he is. Because when you have a few quid you never it's like anything and you never think it's gonna win, do you? Yeah. And
Reverend Ben Cooper:you'll call might put yourself in a position of being invincible. untouchable, I can add this I can have that he can. The Money Talks, the money buys. But actually the money it's by materialism where moth and rust destroys bond in your bond. It's true.
Simon Pinchbeck:old Chinese are going on stuff you pull in? Yeah, yeah. Because you can't take none of that stuff with you. Kenya, you can't
Reverend Ben Cooper:take anything with you. When they when they put the lid on. When they put the lid on. That's it. It's game over. There's nothing else they put the lid on. And then you say where am I going? Where am I going? So
Simon Pinchbeck:your your luxury SUV?
Reverend Ben Cooper:Your cars your house drive? Yeah, you everything you know, everything left to the cat time, whatever it may be, whoever it may be you it's quite a scary thought, isn't it? The you work all your life, you work all your life, you really, you graft, you put yourself out there for the system, you build this, you build that. And then suddenly, when when the hour comes to meet the maker of heaven and earth, you're not taking anything out, you're going out and they come in naked and you're going out naked. And
Simon Pinchbeck:that's a good point, to be honest with you. Because, you know, I see it now sort of the age I am. I see it now we're when we're people are retiring and what they've done, they planned me for the last 20 years for their retirement. Exactly. And I this is what I'm gonna do, I'm gonna have this is this is gonna be it. This is gonna be this is gonna fill this hole here because I'm going to retire up playing golf, and I will start playing golf and I was still on a few cruises. So Kai for a short while, but his cruises can you go but only times can you walk the dog, how many times can you read the pipe, how many times you can go down the pub. And and those people I see it like in their 60s, therefore an octopus, they've died.
Reverend Ben Cooper:And the thing is, as well. So many people in certain area that oh, they don't ever make that there's a lot of is a massive part of society that work all their work in life. They get to the retirement age, and then suddenly illness grabs off. And so I'm saying yeah, some some might stretch it for a little bit longer. But so when we're always forward focusing, we're always forward planning, we're always trying to anticipate how long we got left and what's happening and, and what's going on. And we're roadmapping our lives when Jesus says just worry about today.
Simon Pinchbeck:He said just worry about the day and we make plans don't worry for our retirement. But without my plans for eternity. Oh, to turn us who is oh, so. So you know, my stepdad died. He retired when he was 60 he retired he died when he's 64 Dead four years gone, gone. Like never did anything. It plan to do all this plan to go on trips here, there and everywhere Bosch
Reverend Ben Cooper:because the trigger that what they say is a lot of things in the world of science in that area of medicine, is because you're so busy and you're so active, you keep moving the adrenaline life keeps you moving. Suddenly that day comes and your your say goodbye to the office friends, then suddenly your body goes into a shock. And then suddenly you realize there is nothing and that triggers something else. So you have to be really careful how you live your life. And even when you come to the end of finishing work, there is a process that has to naturally take its Colton. And I see all day long. I see a lot of say in so many people's lives, they work all their lives, they paid into the system right into the system, and then suddenly the system offers them nothing. And then suddenly they're laying there in a bed completely surrounded by nothing basically, and just waiting for the for the heartbeat, the last heartbeat of life. So here you have this young man he had took everything off his father, the father said to him, off you go, son, bye bye, see you later. Sometimes we need to come to our senses in our own life that we don't have a spiritual awakening. It is just the normality of realization of what's going on what's going on with me. And that's what happened to him here. And, and we I believe in verse 14, it says And after he had spent everything, there was a severe famine and that's what's happening to this nation at this moment in this world. We are spending everything and we've got nothing else to spend the nation is in debt.
Simon Pinchbeck:And there's a shaking balloon and people are Everything they put their money into, it's been shaken. Even pensions have been shattered all that abandon everything. So it's all been shaken and Famine, Famine is on
Reverend Ben Cooper:us. But it's encouraging. And the reason why it's encouraging because the Bible tells us how it will be in the old days as it was in the days of Noah.
Simon Pinchbeck:Well, Jesus spoke a lot about money. Then he spoke, spoke on awful lot of amazing stuff about money. And he said something in Mark 836 He said, What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but lose his soul? So what that tells me Ben is that the soul and the spirit of the lowest homeless fella or woman that you ever meet on on the on the road is worth more than all the money or the riches or the businesses, everything in the world, his soul, her soul is worth more than that. And and so we often say, you know, where's the battle the battle is in the mind, but but the battle is for your soul and the battle, the ultimate battle, and you see it all the time. And so yeah, so the enemy wants that. Spirit spirits don't want you to go to heaven. But Jesus is waiting for you all the time. So there's that there's that battle going on? For that precious precious? Oh, definitely. You know, the, you know, the father, or whatever the Father don't want. Amazon upstairs, does he in heaven doesn't want the business. You don't say get out the way Jeff Bezos, I want that you don't say that.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Once the person was the person, the person's heart,
Simon Pinchbeck:and wherever you're listening to this a dime. Let's take this on board. I'm being encouraged by this because our father sees you as an individual. Yeah, as soon as you as a person you can no matter where you are, what you've been through whatever you're doing. You're very important to him.
Reverend Ben Cooper:100% important, and the sun was important to the Father are completely important beyond beyond human understand. And as the as it goes through, and it says he come to his senses and many of his father's hired servants, they had everything. And they had food to spare and he says, But Amir is starving to death in verse 18. And he says, I will sit back and go to my father, and say to him, father, I've sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired hands.
Simon Pinchbeck:So we had a speech all laid out. Anyway, he had his sermon ready, early sermon ready, set. speech ready. Yeah, right. But as we go into a little bit more, we find that the father have been watching maybe every afternoon or every once he's finished his work before and been waiting for him to come on. The father's
Reverend Ben Cooper:always waiting for that person to come back. The last shape the father is the Father's arms are always open.
Simon Pinchbeck:And he don't need that. He don't need that acceptance, forgiveness speech does.
Reverend Ben Cooper:It doesn't need that. He's not looking for the greatest sermon to come out. And it says, verse 20, say he got up and he went to his father, it says, but while he was still a long way off, I find that really interesting in verse 20, it says, while he was a long way off, while he was still a long way off, the father saw him. So he didn't see the Father, the Father, see the
Simon Pinchbeck:son recognize the way he was walking in because he shamed or center because he was his, his son. And he'd been waiting for him.
Reverend Ben Cooper:And the father is always waiting for the prodigal. Whoever you are, if you've just wandered to the left and the right, God is looking out for you. And God is with you, wherever you are. And it says while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him and ran to his son threw his arms around him and kissed him. Now, what we don't really mention a lot of ways when we unpack all this sort of stuff, is that this man had been living in a stipend living in the pigpen. He'd been eaten with swine, when you look at where he had lived and where it just come from. So he was covered in mud covered in mud. He wasn't dressed, right? He wasn't showered, he wasn't smelling good. Well, he was at what dirty individual what could we equate that to? Sin was covered in salmon. It's what I find amazing, don't we Simon here is that the father didn't go or go never wash and clean yourself up. Now. Stay back. And when you're when you're clean, then I will touch you see the Father as soon as the Father wraps himself around us. As soon as the Father wraps us up in him, Christ and the Father are one or two as we were wrapped by the deity and the Trinity. As soon as we're wrapped up, the blood has washed us we're clean. We're clean, we're clean. So as soon as the father comes to us, the father, the father is always rescuing the protocols.
Simon Pinchbeck:And again, been as we've said, it's a hot thing in a head thing is whole thing so the Father knows our heart. And He knows the Father knows the fact that you imagined been what it took for that young man to come home because he would he he's got a face of pride ego all that it's got a he's got to sort of humble himself yet is where we're at really
Reverend Ben Cooper:is a lot in this story there's a lot in this biblical story is enormous and like we're already 31 minutes in and you're thinking about who scratched the surface of of all this stuff but the father never rejects anybody. It doesn't matter where and who you are, how how mucky you are on the outside how how turned up and inside out we are, it doesn't matter what what has been going on to the metal is really important for me to understand them for us that the audience listening is that he come out of the pigpen. Now they looked at the pigs as the most dirtiest and the most filthiest animals on planet Earth. So it had been to the dirtiness the filthiest place in the world, you couldn't get any more dirty on what he was.
Simon Pinchbeck:So it's another really interesting point Bambrick. And I use it when you're working in a hospital. And I see it when I go into prisons. And quite often, people come up to me and go you know, God won't forgive me, because I've done I've done a,
Reverend Ben Cooper:b, c and d, you know, so much bad. There is nothing too big for the Father. And this is a real important fundamental point, that when he mentions the swine, he got his chosen the, what they would call the most unclean animal in their history and their culture. And this man was living in filthy was eatin with swine, he was, you can't begin to imagine what it would have looked like for his brother to know that hang on a minute, you're accepting my brother back. He had spent everything on wild living, had done everything that the world had offered. And not only that, dad, he had been laying in the pigpen eating and laying and in a filthy mess with them swine. And you've accepted him back. And the father said, Yeah, I have.
Simon Pinchbeck:And that's this, this is like just keeps unraveling. Because I think it takes sometimes people to fall that low for the until the realization comes that Yeah, but hold on, hang on, I've come I've come to my senses. You know, there's got to be change in my life got to be a change. And that and that's the fundamental. Yeah, another fundamental key to this, you know, you if you're out there, you may or may have been to a church, you may have been to a meeting or a conference or something and seen people raise their hand on the back of a little prayer. But listen, unless you actually change your life, then you know, you you are in danger. Because you have to be a jump free, free Christian, you have to be born again. And that means turning your back, like this young man hours on all of that rubbish. And embracing a new life. You can't say a little prayer and carry on eating with the pigs. But
Reverend Ben Cooper:now it is a time for all of us to come to the Father, Son, Holy Spirit and say, Lord, I thank you that you embrace me even when I've been with the swine. Lord, I thank you that you never reject me. Because when you look at this text, and in verse 20, it says, while he was still a long way off, his father saw him filled with compassion for him. He ran to his son threw his arms around him and kissed them. So there was contact there was there was a hug, there was a physical, there was a motion. The father did not look at the mess that he was in. He just, he was so pleased that his son was coming back. But I find it fascinating that the Father is always looking out. And we don't realize he's looking down
Simon Pinchbeck:realize that. And I'm going to ask you a question. And really, obviously, I don't know the answer. But do you think the Father is saying right now to people listening to this podcast, it's time to come on.
Reverend Ben Cooper:I believe God is saying that to people right now at this moment, me and you and everybody, because it applies to all of us, because all have sinned and fallen short that glory. But more than that, Simon, I believe God is saying that to the church. And what I mean by the church, I'm not just talking about conversate come. The congregations I'm referring to the denominations that are clearly falling, and I believe that there will be a moment when they come to their senses. What do you mean they're living with swine because they're not teaching the biblical doctrine truths. They've come away. So they're, they're in a very precarious place. But the father is always watching. And I believe God is speaking directly to the, to the heads of these denominations. And I believe there will be a turn around, I honestly believe there will be a turnaround in some denominations. But I also believe in the great falling away that we are that they some will be lost. So I think this applies to the individual. And also for where we sit, this is applied to denominations like Israel.
Simon Pinchbeck:Well, it's very, it's interesting that you know, because I honestly think, you know, there'll be people out there listening to this, and God's saying to you, it's time to get up at a dirt and it's time to come out, it's time to come on time to come on. When Jesus said it, then he Matthew 1128, he said, Come to me or those who are labeled at Navy. And I will give you the rest of it's the only place spring is the only place
Reverend Ben Cooper:and the church needs a rest. The church is almost more confused and what the world is because the world doesn't know any different. The world is living their dream, what they think the dream is what they've been sold by governments, by, by all what the world is doing live the dream lived the dream lived the dream, push, push, push, the Darwinistic way of survival of the fittest. But when you look at the church, the church knows the two sides of the two sides of the coin. And I believe the church is more lost than what the world is lost. Because it knows it has that choice. The world doesn't have a choice because it doesn't know anything else. It doesn't know the father doesn't know Jesus.
Simon Pinchbeck:And why is that bad because the church don't teach
Reverend Ben Cooper:because the church doesn't teach it at this. This is why we come back to the church having blood on its hands, not preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Simon Pinchbeck:It's interesting, you say that, because you know, this, this father had another son, and then you you, you relay that in and the other son got a little bit
Reverend Ben Cooper:heavy, what you're doing, and
Simon Pinchbeck:we that's a terminology we use, you know, our use killed the fatted calf for this one, but I'm here all the time. And, and that can equate to I think, probably people inside the church who were still searching. Yeah, we've been there all the time. We're in the church. And yeah, Carlson, this guy comes,
Reverend Ben Cooper:he comes in this person comes in completely out of nowhere. Or is it another thing? It's interesting. Church, people, religious people will look at certain people in the church and go, do you know what they really want to do now that, you know, our Ben's life used
Simon Pinchbeck:to be so judgmental thing? And so this is this is this, this son
Reverend Ben Cooper:represents religion and church, he represents religion
Simon Pinchbeck:at church. Yes, he does, man and people are still searching. In fact, you know, if they're in that situation, then now hearts may be hardened.
Reverend Ben Cooper:And that son had to come back into that environment. Knowing all that he had done, no one it was in the public arena. It was forgiven by the Father. And that's what happens to us in the church. But you walk in certain churches, you walk in certain areas, a church, something happens and someone falls down. And the church is the first one. And the first thing on planet Earth to be judging and point and hold the gun to you forever in a day.
Simon Pinchbeck:And you know what, if that sounds good to you, and you're listening to this out there, we really feel for you and we are we know what it's like, we know what it's like and know what that's like, you know, because we've encountered all that. We've been many to change in Simon it's still goes on. It's still I was talking, only talking to a fellow yesterday when he's in a big church down somewhere in the south of England and just just no leadership from you know, just the leader will rock up on a Sunday morning spat off a bit of theology and then you don't see him again. suscipit
Reverend Ben Cooper:Nando's?
Simon Pinchbeck:Yeah, they're not getting it. Not getting the
Reverend Ben Cooper:word at the Word of God needs to be continuous. Online sleep
Simon Pinchbeck:fed in our house. If you're in that situation this morning, we just ask. We just asked you to pray about it and see if that's really where the Lord wants you because he's got his arms open wide for for you to say everyone. He's got his arms open wide for the last. Yeah, is for the last in the church. For the church denominations. In our father is a loving father. That's correct. And won't force anybody to do anything.
Reverend Ben Cooper:He won't he won't, he won't. He won't do that at all. But we just want to encourage anyone out there that is in the church or in a religious area and you're coming to church but you know that their eyeballs on you because there are eyeballs on me and there are people in my life at this moment in time. There are leaders and people that are well known in certain circles that are walk around, still bring up my past trying to bring judgment back But I always go. And I go straight back to the to the great book of Romans chapter eight, verse one, there is now no condemnation. Religion will condemn you for what you've done. And religion will never forgive you. But Jesus Christ, now that to the cross, so if you are in that circle, if you are living, even certain people in your family, your life, your workspace, will always pull up the old stuff.
Simon Pinchbeck:And, and that's where we got another word, right? Yeah. And that's if we know the word then then they can pull up as much old stuff as they want, because we've moved on. But it is true because you can't escape your past. You know, this guy can't escape, it can never escape it is in the public. He's been embraced by everything, father, but there'll be times when he might be, you know, working with his father and a couple of women that he used to know will pop out of the blue is your family or his brother,
Reverend Ben Cooper:see, he's got a brother. That's really the church don't preach about this, the jealousy of the brother. There are many people in family there are many people in your workspace, many people in your life. Many people in church that are jealous because you've been forgiven by the Father, and may cannot forgive you because they are carrying bitterness, resentment. And yeah, well, I mean, there's a lot there's a big stir in in our crockery.
Simon Pinchbeck:That is, that's a huge point. And, and that forgiveness thing is massive. And we should talk about it sometime. Because if you can't forgive, then you're held in a prison, your cell phone. Yeah.
Reverend Ben Cooper:And what is what is the scripture say? Jesus says, Forgive as I forgave you, and do not judge because no one can judge someone else's life. No one can. No one has the right to pull up our historical events and try and reclaim them and put them across the airways of life. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory. And this is such a beautiful story that the father forgives us. When the family don't forgive us. When the work colleagues don't forgive us, you're bombing someone years down the line, they go, Oh, do you remember? How did you ever get away with that? Oh, could you do you know what you as lie? Oh,
Simon Pinchbeck:I'll get that all the time. Then. You know, if I if I, if I bump into someone, I used to work within the police, then you know, they want to pull you back into them? Stories, you know, but we're different. We're changed. We're a new creation. We're Yeah, that's correct. That was the the old Yeah, person, but it's still part of our past, and we can't get away with it. So we should, would accept it, embrace it, but know that we are a changed person. And because of that we've, we've we've moved forward and move forward. And you mentioned something there been? And I think it let's it's just sort of dropped in the meat really. But anybody's listening out there. There is a thing called sibling rivalry. And then there is Yeah, brothers and sisters, really get even spreads
Reverend Ben Cooper:out into the wider family. You know, your aunts, your uncles, the fringe of family. Because what did they say Jesus, who's Jesus? See, jealousy was in that who's he's a carpenter son. Can't be a prophet. A prophet is without honor in his own town. So you might be the preacher, the teacher, you might be a born again, believer, and you are really following the Word of God and you have really moved on in your life. But you know what, God through Christ as now all our history to the cross, and the only ones that resurrect that are those in our lives that just because we are moving,
Simon Pinchbeck:the problem is, you know, we have an enemy you don't want us to move on. And so we'll have an enemy that will use the darkness to pull you back because he pull you back into it. And so that lifestyle, yeah. So sometimes you may have to, like this fella, move away. You have and keep going. With family, it's more difficult. And one time we'll we'll examine a little bit of your life because I know that you have been in a whole
Reverend Ben Cooper:arena in of a hurricane. And you know what, the hurricane still rumbles do the historical hurricane is still trying to chase us down the storms that go for in life. And you know, what,
Simon Pinchbeck:it's a lot of people out there will relate to that, you know, you're right. And I think it's a great point that, that if you've, you know moved on you've you've embraced Jesus Christ, you've now walking in a relationship with him. People will look at you and go, now you you know what, so that's, you got to come back. You've got to come back. Although they'll make fun of you. But you know, so
Reverend Ben Cooper:and that's the thing they make, they ridicule you, they're very sarcastic. They you know, and all that sort of stuff, you know, time, the time has just absolutely escaped us. I love this this morning. Great, great, really we right fact, biblical fact, this
Simon Pinchbeck:this story, you know, there's so much we could carry on for another two hours talking about this, what Jesus said and and the way he's laid it here, you know? Yeah, that's right. It's really interesting because you know that we haven't even talked about the robe and a ring and all that. So there's so
Reverend Ben Cooper:much in it. It's so deep. It's about redemption.
Simon Pinchbeck:And the amazing finishes. I was with my little granddaughter, she's eight years old, and just Me and Earl and she said, granddad, you know, the story of the of the prodigal son. And I said, yeah, do she, she she, she knew it.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Hallelujah. It really does. It really does. Wherever you are, we got to cut this short. We've done 45 minutes, and we're almost it in the 46 minutes, wherever you are this morning. May God bless you and strengthen you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. God is with you. It Simon has been asked that question straight. Don't we use a Neelam just to push this out, you can find us on Patreon, come across to Patreon, and subscribe and get some exclusive stuff and loads of stuff that's on there. But those are in the world of Buzzsprout and Apple, podcasts and all the other platforms. We're still here. We're still doing what we're doing. But we're just progressing. We're stretching our legs a little bit further. We thank you for everyone being with us on this broadcast. Simon, take us out with something we're well
Simon Pinchbeck:I just want to say bend that wherever you are a day of whatever you're struggling with. As we've said, the Father's arms are open, they're never shut. They're open until the very last breath you take like the feet on across you embrace the Father's arms live a life with Jesus and and just go out on this bend because if you like Ben in a shirt and tie, give us a thumbs up and I will make it the apparel for the future but as a Christian straight talk, we love you our family and have a look at his own Patreon place and subscribe to us if you're not be part of the Patreon family of # Christian Straight Talk.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Amen. God bless