WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:03.439 Thank you for listening to the Kelowna Christian Center Podcast. 00:00:03.600 --> 00:00:08.080 Our desire is that today's message will be fresh and encouraging to you. 00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:13.599 For more information on KCC and how to connect, visit us at KCC.net. 00:00:14.480 --> 00:00:17.679 You know, we have such a great local family. 00:00:17.839 --> 00:00:23.359 We have such a great local group here that uh it meets together regularly. 00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:25.760 But do you know that we're not on our own? 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:35.439 That we're actually connected to uh a fellowship of Christian Center that is actually around the world right now. 00:00:36.320 --> 00:00:40.560 And uh sometimes it's it's hard to see, sometimes it's hard to connect. 00:00:40.640 --> 00:01:00.640 Uh we do our best to kind of inform everyone as to where we are and what we're doing in different places, but right now uh Pastor Dave is actually in Mexico and he's at uh the church down there, and they just experienced, I actually just have a picture online, they experienced an earthquake. 00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:02.799 I have some uh pictures here. 00:01:03.119 --> 00:01:07.920 An earthquake in the zone of uh uh Pinatepa. 00:01:08.319 --> 00:01:15.680 Now um we have some people here today that are from Porto Escondido, or that why don't you just stand up? 00:01:15.760 --> 00:01:20.799 If anyone's here from the or place down there, we've got a few that are sitting over here. 00:01:21.359 --> 00:01:23.359 Welcome to church. 00:01:24.879 --> 00:01:26.959 I love your smiles. 00:01:27.280 --> 00:01:29.760 It's great to have you with us. 00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:38.159 Uh they're here, and uh, some of our family is here, and some of our family is actually down there. 00:01:38.239 --> 00:01:50.560 And this morning my my dad was actually going to minister in the city where a 7.2 uh magnitude uh earthquake, and there are volcanoes around, it's pretty crazy, hey? 00:01:50.719 --> 00:01:51.680 We're in snow. 00:01:51.840 --> 00:01:54.959 How many of you experienced a storm last night, the wind blowing? 00:01:55.120 --> 00:02:11.280 And we have like volcanoes on the other side of the world, and they were driving in today to actually make sure that we we said we'd just pray for them because the roads were dislodged in some areas and uh the ground was still really unstable. 00:02:11.439 --> 00:02:16.319 Um, but there was the follow-up earthquake of 5.6 on the Richter Sale. 00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:18.319 That's pretty incredible stuff. 00:02:18.479 --> 00:02:22.719 So let's just bow our heads and pray for our church body down there. 00:02:22.960 --> 00:02:26.400 Father, we just thank you that you are blessing us. 00:02:26.719 --> 00:02:43.439 Lord, that you're blessing not us only here in Kelowna, but your hand of protection is on those in Mexico, in Porto Escondido, in Zikitela, in in uh Pinatepa, Father, we thank you that your hand of protection is on our people there. 00:02:43.840 --> 00:02:54.719 We ask, Lord, for safe journeys in and out, and Lord, that your message would just be delivered strong in those areas, Lord, that people will come to know you in a saving way. 00:02:54.960 --> 00:02:57.039 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:02:57.599 --> 00:02:58.159 Amen. 00:02:58.319 --> 00:03:13.360 We also have uh, I don't know if some of you may not have been here for the particular service we had a few weeks ago, but last month we were able to burn our mortgage, which was really exciting for us. 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:20.960 Um we paid off the total of this building, the property, uh, and any of our renovations that have happened here. 00:03:21.360 --> 00:03:34.719 And uh we believe that we were to take what we would be paying into the next uh payment of that renovation and sow it, place it into a place where we believe that God was leading us. 00:03:34.879 --> 00:03:47.280 In essence, sow our first fruits of our savings, sow it into the church community, sow it into wherever God was directing us to sow. 00:03:47.599 --> 00:03:59.919 And globally, this is a year of uh a special day for a lot of the world, especially in parts of Asia, the Chinese New Year, and it happens to be the year of the dog, if anyone cares to know. 00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:02.080 It's the year of the dog, roof. 00:04:02.719 --> 00:04:14.319 It's one of the few times in the year where manufacturing work stops, and which is a huge deal in that part of the world, and people return home to spend time with their family. 00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:24.800 Uh, they remember their family that is past, they tend to grave sites, uh, they give gifts to one another in little red envelopes, they play games, etc. 00:04:25.279 --> 00:04:34.800 And many of you may know that we actually have a church there, Grace Christian Center, pastored by our own Michelle Liu. 00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:50.000 And Michelle's been leading this church, and their church has paid off, had paid off the mortgage on their previous building, and uh before they decide to release their building fully paid to the group that they were with. 00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:56.480 And they are now in the process of purchasing another building and have raised a large portion of it. 00:04:56.639 --> 00:05:08.319 But because February is for family, and this family is actually uh halfway across the world, we actually have some of their family here with us today. 00:05:08.639 --> 00:05:12.560 Pastor Michelle's sons are here with us today, and uh they've brought a friend. 00:05:12.639 --> 00:05:14.399 I just like them to come on forward. 00:05:14.639 --> 00:05:18.399 Does Ben, Ben, can you get your bros and come on up? 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:22.079 We had them at the house the other day, and what a great group. 00:05:22.240 --> 00:05:23.839 Uh let's give them a hand. 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:33.519 This is come on up here, boys. 00:05:35.199 --> 00:05:36.560 They don't know what's going on. 00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:39.120 This was a little bit of a surprise for them. 00:05:39.439 --> 00:05:41.439 Look at that way over there. 00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:43.279 See how they don't come from the front? 00:05:43.360 --> 00:05:45.759 They like very good boys. 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:49.680 Come on right up here. 00:05:49.839 --> 00:05:55.759 Um, this is our family from Taipei and from Taiwan. 00:05:56.879 --> 00:06:01.279 And uh they've been here for a few weeks and you guys are enjoying it. 00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:02.319 It's pretty good. 00:06:02.639 --> 00:06:03.439 Yeah, good. 00:06:03.519 --> 00:06:04.560 You're enjoying it. 00:06:04.800 --> 00:06:28.399 We just wanted, we believe that we want to be able to sow our first fruits, and we believe that because God has helped us to be able to pay off our mortgage, we wanted to be able to present you guys with the first contribution to your uh mortgage on your building on your uh so this is for you guys, all right? 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:30.480 So this is yeah. 00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:32.000 So thank you guys. 00:06:32.160 --> 00:06:33.759 Let's uh thank you. 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:36.000 Yeah, Shay Shay. 00:06:36.240 --> 00:06:37.199 That means thank you. 00:06:37.360 --> 00:06:38.800 I know Chinese like that. 00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:42.000 That's I just want to be able to pray for them. 00:06:42.160 --> 00:06:43.120 Would you do that with me? 00:06:43.360 --> 00:06:45.279 Let's just extend our hands to them. 00:06:45.360 --> 00:07:01.839 Father, we thank you for the generosity that uh this family has had, Lord, into reaching out into their community, into their massive city of Taipei, and Father, to being able to make a difference in the schools and make a difference in the lives of young people. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:04.959 And we thank you, Lord, for their faithfulness towards you. 00:07:05.120 --> 00:07:25.519 And we ask, Lord, that as they remain faithful and they set their eyes on you, you would, Lord, open up the windows of heaven upon their church, Lord, blessing their pastor, blessing their congregation, leading them, Lord, into ways, into new and fresh revelation, that they would have a message, Lord, for their community that cannot be stopped. 00:07:25.759 --> 00:07:33.680 We ask, Lord, for for revival in their families, Lord, that your dream would be accomplished in their lives and in their homes. 00:07:33.839 --> 00:07:43.199 And we ask, Lord, for a blessing on them individually here, as they these young men are raised up, Lord, into their own future as adults, Lord. 00:07:43.360 --> 00:07:54.319 You would just direct their paths, keep them on the straight and narrow, Lord, and keep them uh their eyes focused on you and and to be able to experience, Lord, all that you have for them. 00:07:54.480 --> 00:07:56.160 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:07:56.480 --> 00:07:57.120 Amen. 00:07:57.439 --> 00:07:57.920 Amen. 00:07:58.079 --> 00:07:59.839 Bless you guys, love you. 00:08:00.800 --> 00:08:05.040 Yeah, oh, thank you, Benjamin. 00:08:05.920 --> 00:08:06.879 Oh man. 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:14.480 So there's our first donation, our first gift to our family in Taipei. 00:08:15.040 --> 00:08:18.319 Um, February is for family. 00:08:18.800 --> 00:08:22.240 And we believe that uh God's heart is all about family. 00:08:22.399 --> 00:08:24.079 How many of you believe that? 00:08:24.480 --> 00:08:45.919 Uh if you are, if you're sensitive to the Spirit of God and you're sensitive to what God is doing, I believe that you would you'll find a relation between your own sense of protection, your own sense of passion, your own sense of love that you have for your family. 00:08:46.080 --> 00:08:52.720 You'll know that that actually comes, that's derived from the source of God, a source from the Lord. 00:08:53.039 --> 00:08:55.519 All that love comes from Him. 00:08:55.679 --> 00:09:08.399 There's a familial love, there's a Phileo love, that love that is connected within the body, and that ultimately holding it all together is that agape love. 00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:20.879 February is for family, and so we also want to make a quick announcement here that uh there was a parenting uh grow day this past week that went over really well. 00:09:21.279 --> 00:09:32.639 And uh this Saturday we are uh finalizing our our month for family on uh our marriage grow day, February 24th. 00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:42.080 And we're gonna be talking about communication and uh conflict resolution and being able to understand the values related to marriage. 00:09:42.159 --> 00:09:46.480 And if you're interested in being a part of that, we encourage you to quickly sign up. 00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:50.799 You can do it online, you can do it on the app, you can call into the office. 00:09:50.960 --> 00:10:01.360 Uh just make sure that if if if this is something that you feel God's directing to you to and leading you to, that you actually take advantage of the opportunity to be a part of it. 00:10:01.519 --> 00:10:01.840 Okay. 00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:24.159 So God's heart, God's heart, God's dream, God's passion, where it where it sits, where it rests, between you and your family, you and your wife, you and your your spouse, your children. 00:10:25.200 --> 00:10:29.679 We believe that God is doing something in the hearts of families. 00:10:30.559 --> 00:10:33.200 And it's it's ever it's not anything new. 00:10:33.360 --> 00:10:34.879 We believe it's from the beginning. 00:10:35.120 --> 00:10:48.240 His first commandment was establish good families, fruitful families, growing families, families that will be a blessing to the world, families that will take responsibility for the world. 00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:59.759 And the best place to be is in the center of God's will, the center of God's vision, where God is looking, and we believe that God's looking at families right now. 00:11:00.080 --> 00:11:05.600 And I want to see, I want you to see yourself as part of that vision. 00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:17.679 Too often in our Instagram culture, we scroll through pictures and we see everything about some of everyone else, but we actually don't see ourselves in the picture. 00:11:17.919 --> 00:11:22.159 But God has a vision, and he doesn't have a vision just for somebody else. 00:11:22.480 --> 00:11:24.320 God has a vision for you. 00:11:25.519 --> 00:11:28.480 Turn to your neighbor and tell them, God has a vision for you. 00:11:28.799 --> 00:11:30.720 God has a vision for you. 00:11:31.200 --> 00:11:33.840 He wants to put you in the picture. 00:11:34.159 --> 00:11:38.639 And we can't follow Jesus unless we know where Jesus is going. 00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:42.559 If we don't know, then how can we be leaders? 00:11:42.799 --> 00:11:50.480 How can we lead in the direction where we believe Jesus is to go if we don't know where he's going? 00:11:50.639 --> 00:11:55.759 We need to have his instruction, we need to have his directive. 00:11:56.559 --> 00:12:08.799 And uh, as much as I love worship, as much as I believe that worship brings hope, it drives back the darkness, as much as I believe worship lifts people up. 00:12:09.039 --> 00:12:14.799 When Jesus came to people, he didn't say, came to the earth, he didn't say, Everyone worship me. 00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:19.679 Instead, he said, I want you to follow me. 00:12:20.320 --> 00:12:32.639 Go where I go, do the things I'm doing, speak the words I speak, follow in the dust of the rabbi, follow in my footsteps, go where I go. 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:37.360 And there's uh a relevance to this. 00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:44.399 How can we invest our lives into the best of the mission that God has called us towards? 00:12:44.799 --> 00:12:49.279 Where is God calling and directing each one of us? 00:12:49.600 --> 00:12:51.120 Where's the vision? 00:12:51.919 --> 00:13:02.240 I want you to know and just be reminded of this: that we're in a culture, we're living in a culture that is searching for uh, they're just searchers. 00:13:02.399 --> 00:13:17.200 They're searching for belonging, they're searching for that significance, they're searching for understanding, they're searching for truth, they're searching for uh significance in this family, they're looking for a place to belong. 00:13:17.759 --> 00:13:29.039 And when I think about this, and when I think about this state of the world, I I don't think it's actually something that is like never happened before. 00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:36.960 In fact, I've every speaker I've heard, you know, they can look back at their own day and say, you know what, the same thing was happening. 00:13:37.200 --> 00:13:38.480 People were still searching. 00:13:38.559 --> 00:13:47.919 If it was during the Jesus days or the 60s or it was whatever time it was, people were always looking for truth. 00:13:48.240 --> 00:14:05.519 Because inside of each of us is a hunger for truth, it's a hunger for belonging, it's a hunger for love, it's a hunger for making being able to make a difference, the state of significance. 00:14:06.639 --> 00:14:18.320 So for each of us who are looking, um, the world can be a complicated place because I can't follow the footsteps of somebody else. 00:14:18.559 --> 00:14:28.799 In fact, I can't follow the footsteps of someone on TV or someone on the internet or someone who's running a successful podcast or a channel. 00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:38.559 You have to follow the directive that you've been given by the Lord, and that requires us to have that vision in our heart. 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:51.120 So I'd like you to go to chapter 15 of the book of Luke, where it starts off like this it says, Tax collectors, sinners often came to hear Jesus teach. 00:14:51.759 --> 00:14:58.000 And this is so significant in itself is that people were searching, they wanted to hear Jesus teach. 00:14:58.080 --> 00:15:05.600 Now, these tax collectors, sinners, they were like people who didn't follow Christ. 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:10.159 They came to hear him teach because in his teaching they found significance. 00:15:11.519 --> 00:15:14.320 In his teaching they found truth. 00:15:14.879 --> 00:15:27.919 And one of the greatest uh, one of the um best authors today on Amazon, if you were to download a book, he actually is coming out of uh Canada, out of Ontario. 00:15:28.240 --> 00:15:41.440 And he's uh clinical psychologist, he's taught in the University of Toronto, and his message, even though controversial, has become what he's had as now one of the greatest followings. 00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:43.039 His name's Jordan Peterson. 00:15:43.600 --> 00:16:03.600 He's got a following because he's a person who follows after truth, and in doing so, he's actually a believer, he actually has his roots in faith, but people, including university students, are following him, listening to what he's saying. 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:06.639 Because there with truth is life. 00:16:07.759 --> 00:16:11.600 Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. 00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:16.080 So if you want life, you have to be walking in the way of truth. 00:16:16.879 --> 00:16:20.720 And if you want truth, you have to be walking in the way of life. 00:16:21.679 --> 00:16:28.879 The way it goes hand in hand, unless you have truth, you're not going to have life, and you won't have life unless you have truth. 00:16:30.480 --> 00:16:39.200 So talking, teaching, sharing, eating with people who are searching, this was Jesus' world, this was his day. 00:16:39.519 --> 00:16:43.120 And that's where we need to be because we have a solution. 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:51.600 The people he was connecting with were unlikely, they were unforgiving, they were unlovable, they were sinners. 00:16:51.840 --> 00:17:00.399 In fact, even the Pharisees that were around Jesus of the time were saying, Why does Jesus hang out with such scum? 00:17:01.440 --> 00:17:04.319 Why does he hang out with these people? 00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:08.559 Doesn't he know that they're dirty by culture? 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:11.279 He shouldn't be with them. 00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:14.240 And yet Jesus loved them where they were at. 00:17:14.400 --> 00:17:15.759 And he dropped the un. 00:17:16.559 --> 00:17:17.680 He made them lovable. 00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:26.880 He made he gave them forgiveness, he made them belong, he made them touchable, he connected with them. 00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:37.039 So the way as the Pharisees are actually you're driving people away, Jesus was welcoming people to himself. 00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:39.039 He was helping them belong. 00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:46.079 I'll tell you, if you want to create a culture of belonging, you have to stop saying ugly stuff about other people. 00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:52.000 You can't be calling other people out. 00:17:53.039 --> 00:18:00.000 You have to start loving people, embracing people, welcoming people, caring for people. 00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:15.039 In the core, authentically, out of a truth that says, you know what, you're valuable because of who you are, not because of what you've done, not because of what you have, but based on who you are, you are valuable. 00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:22.480 And Jesus, when he heard this, he heard the Pharisees talking about these people, he stopped what he was doing. 00:18:22.640 --> 00:18:26.160 And he said that he said, He gave them three stories. 00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:36.480 The first two were about a man or a woo a man who is a shepherd who lost his sheep, had a hundred sheep, lost one, went to look for that one. 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:40.079 Another was about a woman who had lost a coin in the house. 00:18:40.319 --> 00:18:44.319 So she swept the whole house looking for that lost coin. 00:18:44.640 --> 00:18:53.599 And lastly, he he spent a little bit more time talking about this parable, giving this parable of the lost son. 00:18:55.680 --> 00:19:00.000 Which is really, in fact, a story of the lost two sons. 00:19:00.960 --> 00:19:05.440 Because one lost son was lost in rebellion, the other was lost in religion. 00:19:05.839 --> 00:19:09.039 You know, you can be at church today and still be lost. 00:19:09.920 --> 00:19:14.559 You can go to church every Sunday, sit in your seat, and still live lost. 00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:24.160 Not connected to God's heart towards you, for you, intentional on your mission and your direction. 00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:31.839 You can be lost in this place, but the parable is not just about these two lost sons either. 00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:34.000 It's about this patient father. 00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:38.880 It's a story about a father who is actually pursuing his sons. 00:19:39.599 --> 00:19:57.200 One of the most powerful stories Jesus has ever shared, and it's a story I know you've all heard, one that's been preached many, many, many, many times, but it's been preached this way, and it was shared this way because God's dream is for family. 00:19:58.319 --> 00:20:08.640 It was in the beginning, and it's going to continue until the day you die and you move into your heavenly home where God is still your father. 00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:17.279 He becomes your heavenly father, and he's prepared a house for you, and there are many, many rooms so people can hang out together and not be so cool, right, Natalie? 00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:18.799 Be great. 00:20:19.440 --> 00:20:46.480 And uh, it may be an odd place, it may be an odd scripture to discuss and learn about family, because if you understand the dynamics of the story, but this will actually it's gonna be our text today, and it's a parable that many have used to communicate about reaching people, which is true, finding the one that is lost, which is true, God's grace, his redemption, it's all that, but it's a lesson about God's dream. 00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:57.359 How God's dream is that family would that is uh would come close, whether they've been gone away, whether they're lost, that they would become found. 00:21:01.039 --> 00:21:06.640 The scripture starts in the story, Jesus says this there was a man who had two sons. 00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:13.680 And the younger said to his father, Father, I want right now what's coming to me. 00:21:14.240 --> 00:21:24.319 So the father divided the property between them, and it wasn't long before the younger son packed his belongings and left for a distant country. 00:21:24.640 --> 00:21:33.839 And in this culture, virtually, the son was saying, it was equivalent to him saying, uh, Dad, I wish you were dead. 00:21:35.039 --> 00:21:43.119 Dad, I wish you weren't here, because I want my inheritance and I want it now, and I want it on my terms. 00:21:43.359 --> 00:22:32.640 So he packed his belongings, he packed the things that he believed got uh created value in his life, and who knows what those things were, but when you create uh a space for your belongings, it could be Just things, material things, your clothing, your your you know, in today's culture, it could be your your car, your couch, your um, your I don't know what else you have, your blender, it could be what your toaster of and it's just the things that you've got, your belongings that you believe actually create significance, you pack those and you we laugh because when we look at what things actually create belonging, those things are so small. 00:22:34.000 --> 00:22:35.920 They they mean nothing. 00:22:36.319 --> 00:22:45.119 And yet he left his own father, the one who actually was the source of giving him something of significance. 00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:49.920 He left the one who brings belonging. 00:22:51.039 --> 00:22:53.440 And he packed his things and he left. 00:22:54.720 --> 00:22:57.599 He took his inheritance, wasted his money. 00:22:57.839 --> 00:23:04.240 The scripture says he wasted it in wild living, lost everything that was uh was of his. 00:23:04.720 --> 00:23:07.440 He sold everything, he was left penniless. 00:23:08.079 --> 00:23:18.000 And that happens when you put your trust in things, those things won't satisfy, and the attachment to them is only temporary. 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:31.279 Cars, uh, accounts, jobs, sex, it's this identity, fame, intel like your intelligence and education, all those things that you put your attachment to. 00:23:31.519 --> 00:23:37.680 This is what it means to belong together to me right now. 00:23:38.079 --> 00:23:42.160 Those things, after a while, they'll just slip through your fingers. 00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:46.799 And this is what happened with the lost son. 00:23:47.200 --> 00:23:49.359 It slipped through his fingers. 00:23:50.000 --> 00:23:57.839 His accounts got closed, his social network slipped away, and people started to unfollow him. 00:23:58.319 --> 00:24:04.000 Um, unsubscribe, dislike, all those things happened. 00:24:04.240 --> 00:24:07.599 And isn't it true that we're all on a journey? 00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:12.880 It's that space that we're on, we're like, what is valuable right now? 00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:18.559 Is it the things that we have, or is it the one that we have? 00:24:20.799 --> 00:24:23.440 At that time a famine came across the land. 00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:24.960 He began to starve. 00:24:25.440 --> 00:24:27.920 He found employment with a pig herder. 00:24:28.400 --> 00:24:34.720 He became so desperate that uh he began to just even eat the food that they were feeding the pigs. 00:24:35.200 --> 00:24:40.000 All of his robes had become tarnished and broken. 00:24:40.640 --> 00:24:48.240 And he became, he he looked at the food and he thought, he said this, he said, it brought him to his senses. 00:24:49.759 --> 00:24:55.119 He said, All those farmhands who are working with my father sit down to eat three meals a day. 00:24:55.279 --> 00:24:57.680 Here I am starving to death. 00:24:58.000 --> 00:24:59.680 I'm going back to my father. 00:24:59.839 --> 00:25:06.400 I'll say to him, Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you, I don't deserve to be called your son. 00:25:06.640 --> 00:25:08.559 Take me on his hired hand. 00:25:08.799 --> 00:25:12.000 And he got right up and went home to his father. 00:25:12.319 --> 00:25:15.759 And isn't this what God's heart is for the world? 00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:20.720 That people, if they are lost, that they actually change their mind. 00:25:21.680 --> 00:25:23.519 Come to their senses. 00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:28.640 Another word for that, very spiritual word, is revival. 00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:35.039 They come to their senses about their current condition that they're living in. 00:25:35.920 --> 00:25:39.279 How many of you know someone who needs to come to their senses? 00:25:40.960 --> 00:25:42.319 Not your neighbor. 00:25:44.559 --> 00:25:45.759 We all do. 00:25:46.880 --> 00:26:00.400 There's a space in us that's like, you know, we spend our time and our energy, our effort, our talent, our treasure that God has placed in us on things that aren't going to bring us satisfaction. 00:26:00.640 --> 00:26:05.839 And there comes a time where it's like we've drifted from the one who loves us. 00:26:06.559 --> 00:26:10.000 We drifted from the one who gives us belonging. 00:26:10.960 --> 00:26:13.920 And he said this, he said, I'm going home. 00:26:14.319 --> 00:26:18.160 And this is the heart of the Father for humanity. 00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:22.720 Humanity, that humanity would say, I want to come home. 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:26.640 I want to return home to the Father. 00:26:27.039 --> 00:26:28.559 I want to come back. 00:26:29.759 --> 00:26:42.960 So people who stay in it, who make this decision, um, it becomes quite clear when you take that first step to the Father, it's like the communication gets a little bit tighter. 00:26:43.200 --> 00:26:50.480 Uh, it's evident every day you get a little bit closer, every day you begin to see him a little bit more visibly. 00:26:51.039 --> 00:26:55.200 All these things become closer and more clear. 00:26:56.319 --> 00:27:01.039 So this verse, come home, come home to the father, makes a difference. 00:27:02.079 --> 00:27:04.559 And I believe this can be our prayer. 00:27:04.960 --> 00:27:06.000 Come home. 00:27:06.240 --> 00:27:07.759 Come home to the Father. 00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:09.599 February is for family. 00:27:09.839 --> 00:27:13.759 Do you have someone in your life you believe needs to come home? 00:27:14.319 --> 00:27:19.839 Do you have someone in your in your family that you need to pray this prayer over? 00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:20.799 Come home. 00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:28.160 Just put it on the wall of your of your mirror and your bathroom, put it on the fridge, put it over your door, come home. 00:27:28.319 --> 00:27:30.240 Every time you see it, come home. 00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:31.039 Come home. 00:27:31.200 --> 00:27:38.480 You're believing that God will help them come to their senses and come home. 00:27:38.720 --> 00:27:43.839 Help them realize the love and the acceptance that he has for them. 00:27:44.960 --> 00:27:47.839 So, like this verse, come back home. 00:27:48.319 --> 00:27:51.519 When he was still a long ways off, his father saw him. 00:27:51.839 --> 00:27:53.519 His heart was pounding. 00:27:53.759 --> 00:27:57.119 He ran out, he embraced him, he kissed him. 00:27:57.279 --> 00:27:58.640 The son started to speak. 00:27:58.799 --> 00:28:01.039 He said, Father, I've sinned against God. 00:28:01.200 --> 00:28:02.720 I've sinned before you. 00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:07.519 I don't deserve to be called your son ever again. 00:28:07.839 --> 00:28:19.200 And imagine this being a long way off, making your way home from a distant city, and you're coming back and you're carrying the weight of shame. 00:28:19.599 --> 00:28:34.559 You're carrying the weight of conviction, you're carrying the weight of the robes that are tattered, and you've just been with the pigs, and you're skinny, you haven't been eating, you've been starving, and you're coming back home. 00:28:34.720 --> 00:28:40.640 And the father had a vision, and he was looking for his son to come back home. 00:28:40.880 --> 00:28:44.319 So he didn't just have a passion, he had a vision. 00:28:45.599 --> 00:28:50.799 He was looking for him, he was waiting for him, he had it on his mind. 00:28:51.039 --> 00:28:56.480 He was he was waiting for the day he would see him coming down the road. 00:28:57.279 --> 00:29:02.240 And when he saw him coming down the road, he made a bolt for it. 00:29:02.480 --> 00:29:03.519 And you know why? 00:29:03.759 --> 00:29:10.880 Because the audience of Jesus' day, when he's telling the story, this was a highly offensive verse. 00:29:11.440 --> 00:29:31.599 Highly offensive story because Leviticus actually would give instruction that this kind of person who was left like this, they were supposed to take the son out and stone him, kill him for the way he treated his family, the way he dishonored his home. 00:29:31.839 --> 00:29:37.039 And so it was even more important that the dad was the first to him. 00:29:37.920 --> 00:29:40.640 The dad was the first to embrace him. 00:29:40.880 --> 00:29:44.640 The culture would not define what they were going to do with his son. 00:29:45.200 --> 00:29:50.880 He was going to be the one who was going to determine what was going to happen to his son. 00:29:51.039 --> 00:29:53.279 So he wraps his arms around him. 00:29:53.519 --> 00:29:55.359 Son, you're home. 00:29:58.240 --> 00:29:59.519 So glad you're here. 00:29:59.759 --> 00:30:03.200 Put a ring on his finger, put sandals on his feet. 00:30:04.079 --> 00:30:10.000 Tell everyone who's coming out, picking up stones, that stop, stop, stop. 00:30:10.160 --> 00:30:12.160 We're gonna put on a party. 00:30:12.559 --> 00:30:14.799 We're gonna put on a barbecue. 00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:22.319 Everyone's invited to this great celebration because my son that was lost has now been found. 00:30:24.079 --> 00:30:28.240 The culture would not define what would happen to his family. 00:30:28.799 --> 00:30:36.640 He was going to determine what was going to happen to his family because he had a vision for his home. 00:30:37.920 --> 00:30:40.079 A vision for your home. 00:30:41.839 --> 00:30:43.440 God gets there first. 00:30:44.160 --> 00:30:46.799 Mothers and fathers, they get there first. 00:30:47.519 --> 00:30:49.359 They define their family. 00:30:49.599 --> 00:30:51.119 They define their home. 00:30:51.359 --> 00:30:59.119 Refuse to allow the lies and the standards of culture that have been created in culture to determine your child's destiny. 00:31:00.480 --> 00:31:03.440 Do what you can do to define it. 00:31:03.839 --> 00:31:06.480 I'm not saying that you can do everything. 00:31:06.880 --> 00:31:13.119 God has given each person like a state of their will to make choices and decisions on their own. 00:31:13.440 --> 00:31:18.480 But I'm telling you this: that you are, as a parent, you have the greatest influence. 00:31:18.960 --> 00:31:24.559 A spiritual shepherd of your home, taking care of the sheep. 00:31:24.799 --> 00:31:30.720 I tell my son sometimes, I'm like, son, God placed me in your life like a shepherd. 00:31:30.799 --> 00:31:32.400 A shepherd has a staff. 00:31:32.559 --> 00:31:35.839 And if the sheep goes off a little bit, you gotta tap them. 00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:37.920 Just like which way to go? 00:31:38.079 --> 00:31:42.079 But if they keep going that way, sometimes the shepherd has to tap them a little harder. 00:31:42.160 --> 00:31:43.440 You get where I'm going with this? 00:31:43.599 --> 00:31:45.119 And he's like, uh-huh. 00:31:46.160 --> 00:31:49.119 He knows I'm like, so I'm tapping right now. 00:31:49.759 --> 00:31:52.000 I'm helping, I'm nudging. 00:31:52.480 --> 00:31:59.920 But Caden or Judah, whoever it is, Evangeline, never evangeline. 00:32:00.000 --> 00:32:01.599 She's like perfect. 00:32:02.000 --> 00:32:05.759 But Caden, come on, buddy, you can do it. 00:32:06.000 --> 00:32:07.440 Make a good choice. 00:32:07.599 --> 00:32:08.160 Come on. 00:32:08.319 --> 00:32:10.319 I'm the pastor of my home. 00:32:10.559 --> 00:32:13.200 My wife is the pastor of our home. 00:32:13.680 --> 00:32:21.839 Helping teach and and and create that environment of belonging for our kids and our family. 00:32:23.359 --> 00:32:28.960 We need to realize that this dream of God is not going to come with resistance without resistance. 00:32:29.279 --> 00:32:33.839 The father runs, tries to restore his son, wraps his hands around his son. 00:32:34.079 --> 00:32:36.079 And the son resists. 00:32:36.319 --> 00:32:37.200 He says this. 00:32:38.880 --> 00:32:40.480 He says, he's ashamed. 00:32:40.559 --> 00:32:42.720 He says, you know what, just make me a hired hand. 00:32:42.799 --> 00:32:43.599 I know you don't want me. 00:32:43.680 --> 00:32:44.240 I'm dirty. 00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:44.960 I'm filthy. 00:32:45.519 --> 00:32:47.440 You don't want to be on me. 00:32:47.680 --> 00:32:52.880 But his dad actually fights against this resistance, it resists against his son. 00:32:53.039 --> 00:32:55.680 He says, No, I'm going to establish you again. 00:32:55.920 --> 00:32:57.599 I'm going to put you in place. 00:32:57.920 --> 00:33:10.400 You know, there are, if each of our lives were under a microscope, like personally, and you were able to look at your life, there are times in your life where you haven't been perfect. 00:33:11.200 --> 00:33:13.839 There are times in your life where you've done wrong. 00:33:14.079 --> 00:33:17.759 And that's why we come back to this communion table. 00:33:18.160 --> 00:33:18.640 Why? 00:33:18.799 --> 00:33:23.119 Because this communion table reminds us of this new beginning. 00:33:23.359 --> 00:33:28.640 That God literally gives us the opportunity for a fresh start. 00:33:28.960 --> 00:33:30.400 Isn't that a good news? 00:33:31.039 --> 00:33:35.839 That's why we come on a Sunday, we celebrate the Lord because you know what He's done for us? 00:33:36.160 --> 00:33:43.200 He's established and given us a new start, not only for us personally, but for our families as well. 00:33:43.759 --> 00:33:48.240 So there's no one who's outside of the hope that God has for us. 00:33:49.119 --> 00:33:52.079 I know this scripture has been said a lot of times. 00:33:52.480 --> 00:33:58.000 Sometimes you may have heard it with the same ears and just be like, okay, I've heard this story before. 00:33:58.240 --> 00:34:01.599 Maybe it's a little out of context because of culture. 00:34:02.000 --> 00:34:12.239 So there's a short little video I'm gonna ask the team to play that's gonna just actually try and bring it back to life for you, maybe make it a little bit more contemporary. 00:34:12.400 --> 00:34:13.360 Enjoy it. 00:36:54.719 --> 00:36:55.920 I'm home. 00:36:56.960 --> 00:36:58.239 Now you're home. 00:37:03.440 --> 00:37:14.320 I uh look, I just want to tell you that I know Madmin. 00:37:14.960 --> 00:37:16.159 You're the best son. 00:37:18.079 --> 00:37:20.400 Look, I guess what I'm trying to say is. 00:37:24.800 --> 00:37:26.079 I'm sorry for that, Dad. 00:37:32.559 --> 00:37:33.199 You know what? 00:37:33.280 --> 00:37:35.119 I don't know what I'm doing, all right? 00:37:35.679 --> 00:37:37.119 You've been fine without me? 00:37:37.360 --> 00:37:39.760 You know, I'm sure you'll continue to be fine without me. 00:37:40.000 --> 00:37:43.360 I uh I won't bother you no more, Dad. 00:37:47.840 --> 00:37:48.559 Sorry. 00:37:49.199 --> 00:37:49.920 Sorry, for that. 00:39:47.840 --> 00:39:49.760 Makes it a little more real, perhaps. 00:39:51.280 --> 00:40:04.559 But uh the scripture says in Galatians four, five it says this that God sent Jesus to buy freedom for us who are slaves to the law so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 00:40:05.760 --> 00:40:08.719 God's intention is that his family grow. 00:40:09.360 --> 00:40:22.320 And it's not gonna grow through like reproduction, it's gonna grow through adoption, where we get pulled into his family one person at a time, one by one by one. 00:40:22.960 --> 00:40:26.000 Turn to your neighbor and say, You've been adopted. 00:40:28.639 --> 00:40:31.760 I'd like to welcome uh Andrew Green to come up. 00:40:35.519 --> 00:40:43.119 During worship, the Lord was just speaking to us as a church, and I'm just gonna let Andrew just share. 00:40:43.840 --> 00:40:51.360 Yeah, I had a train of thought that came to me while we were worshiping, and having heard Rodie's message, I had no idea what he was gonna say this morning. 00:40:51.599 --> 00:40:53.840 I feel it's right to share it. 00:40:54.000 --> 00:41:00.159 And so, really, what I felt God was saying was today is a day of surrender. 00:41:01.199 --> 00:41:05.840 Today is a day to stop fighting, to stop running. 00:41:07.280 --> 00:41:09.360 Today is a day of surrender. 00:41:10.960 --> 00:41:20.800 The fight and the run is fueled by fear or anger or pride, and it's just sucking the life out of whoever this is for. 00:41:21.519 --> 00:41:25.920 So today is the day to stop it and just surrender. 00:41:27.199 --> 00:41:33.199 And the other the other thought was that God does doesn't want to subjugate you or subjugate us. 00:41:44.000 --> 00:41:50.800 So if that's for you, I would encourage you to stop the fight today and surrender. 00:41:51.679 --> 00:41:56.880 And perhaps at the end of the service you can come forward because the prayer team will be here. 00:41:57.519 --> 00:41:59.679 So I felt to share that. 00:42:04.000 --> 00:42:08.320 If you have someone in your heart today, would you just bow your heads? 00:42:09.519 --> 00:42:10.719 And let's just pray. 00:42:10.880 --> 00:42:18.159 Father, we thank you that you've adopted us as your family, to be a part of your family. 00:42:18.320 --> 00:42:27.840 And we, Father, we know today that we're not alone, but Father, that you have uh created a space for us. 00:42:29.360 --> 00:42:34.559 And your desire is that we be pulled in home, we be pulled close. 00:42:35.440 --> 00:42:53.519 And Father, we just resist the world's uh thought that we don't belong, that we can't return back, that we won't be forgiven, that we won't be loved again, that we won't have a put position and a place that we'll never find belonging. 00:42:53.679 --> 00:43:04.559 But Father, today we just say into the Spirit, we say, this is a place where people belong, and where Jesus matters, and because He matters, we belong. 00:43:04.719 --> 00:43:08.800 And Father, we thank you that you've created that space for us. 00:43:09.199 --> 00:43:24.880 We thank you that you've created that that uh that that love that love capacity, that um space, that grace capacity for us to be able to come back home. 00:43:25.119 --> 00:43:44.320 So we Father, today we just pray on behalf of not just ourselves, Lord, a revival, Lord, a renewal of our own, coming to our own senses, but we pray for others, Lord, that might be at home today, in a space where they're just reflecting on their life and they're saying, Where are where am I? 00:43:44.480 --> 00:43:46.000 How did I get here? 00:43:46.239 --> 00:43:49.760 Why have I left the love that my father had for me? 00:43:50.000 --> 00:44:05.119 Father, I just pray for them today, Lord, that that renewal of sense, that coming back to their senses, Lord, would drive them home into the home into the arms of a loving father who's got a vision for them here. 00:44:05.760 --> 00:44:07.360 In Jesus' name. 00:44:07.679 --> 00:44:10.480 Lord, we thank you for your dream for family. 00:44:10.719 --> 00:44:14.320 We thank you that your your dream is that your house would be full. 00:44:14.480 --> 00:44:21.360 And we thank you, Lord, that not one you desire one to perish, but that all might have this life. 00:44:21.519 --> 00:44:25.360 And we accept it and we receive it today with grateful hearts. 00:44:25.599 --> 00:44:27.199 In Jesus' name. 00:44:27.519 --> 00:44:28.159 Amen. 00:44:28.400 --> 00:44:28.880 Amen. 00:44:28.960 --> 00:44:30.960 Let's give them a round of applause.