WEBVTT 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:07.280 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:07.599 --> 00:00:11.599 We exist to awaken this generation to new life in Christ. 00:00:11.839 --> 00:00:13.039 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:16.399 To find out more, go to awakeningchurch.com. 00:00:18.879 --> 00:00:20.559 Welcome to Awakening. 00:00:20.719 --> 00:00:21.920 My name's Ryan. 00:00:22.160 --> 00:00:25.760 We're absolutely thrilled to have you join us today. 00:00:26.079 --> 00:00:29.839 And before we dive in, I just want to draw your attention to two things. 00:00:30.079 --> 00:00:38.799 One, this Wednesday, uh, we're having something take place on um at lunchtime called If My People. 00:00:38.960 --> 00:00:47.920 It's a movement of churches gathering together, praying, seeking the heart of God for exactly what we just sang revival for justice, for healing. 00:00:48.079 --> 00:00:49.119 And so, would you do this? 00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:50.240 Would you mark your calendar? 00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:50.960 Get your phone out. 00:00:51.039 --> 00:00:55.679 I don't have it on me, but if I did, get your phone out, mark it at 12 p.m. 00:00:56.079 --> 00:00:56.960 this Wednesday. 00:00:57.119 --> 00:00:58.079 It's on Facebook. 00:00:58.240 --> 00:01:00.320 We'll send you all the information. 00:01:00.479 --> 00:01:09.599 Uh, you can check out our Facebook page on that and come pray with churches all over the Bay Area for this movement called If My People. 00:01:09.840 --> 00:01:13.200 The second thing is we're kicking off a new series called This Is Good. 00:01:13.280 --> 00:01:19.840 And many of you picked up your journal this week, and some of you kids have your journal, which is super fun, super exciting. 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:24.400 We want to dive in afresh and lean into what God has for us this season. 00:01:24.560 --> 00:01:27.680 And so if you didn't get one, would you grab one? 00:01:27.840 --> 00:01:32.319 And if you go like, I'm moved, I'm not sure I can get one, we'll send it to you. 00:01:32.480 --> 00:01:38.879 And so there's times and we'll send all the information and post that for when you can pick them up here at the office. 00:01:38.959 --> 00:01:40.560 You know, like, well, I missed the first week. 00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:41.840 No, lean in now. 00:01:42.079 --> 00:01:46.000 Go ahead, dive in, grab a journal. 00:01:46.560 --> 00:01:52.560 All right, so let's dive in to this new season uh season and series called This Is Good. 00:01:52.719 --> 00:01:54.640 Now, here's what's amazing. 00:01:54.959 --> 00:02:05.599 When the New Testament writers were documenting the life of Jesus, they couldn't help but call it good news. 00:02:06.400 --> 00:02:16.319 In fact, if you know and you've heard this before, the the four biographies we have of the life of Jesus in the Bible are called Gospels. 00:02:16.879 --> 00:02:18.240 Literally, good news. 00:02:18.400 --> 00:02:19.759 Uangellion. 00:02:20.319 --> 00:02:27.680 It's good news, news that makes one happy, information that causes one joy. 00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:28.639 Isn't that good? 00:02:28.800 --> 00:02:34.080 Words that bring a smile, a message that causes the heart to be sweet. 00:02:34.400 --> 00:02:44.800 See, filled in these pages about the life and teaching of Jesus is not just good advice, to somehow help you navigate life better. 00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:50.080 And certainly there is good advice, but something amazing here is it's good news. 00:02:50.319 --> 00:02:51.360 I like the way N. 00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:51.599 T. 00:02:51.759 --> 00:03:00.319 Wright talks about news, and he defined it this way: that news is something that has happened, as a result of which the world is a different place. 00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:17.840 Something took place, and the world is a different place, and something happened in this very obscure part of the Roman Empire that, as a result, the writers were saying the world is a completely different place, and it's good. 00:03:19.280 --> 00:03:29.680 And they're gonna say that that something is good news, not just to them in their day, it's good news to you and me in our day. 00:03:29.759 --> 00:03:33.120 It's good news to all people for all time. 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:45.199 In fact, it's such good news that it has the power to transform your life and to bring profound purpose to your life. 00:03:45.599 --> 00:03:50.080 This, by the way, is really, really good. 00:03:50.639 --> 00:03:57.199 And isn't it true in a year filled with bad news and sad news that we could use some good news? 00:03:57.919 --> 00:04:06.639 And so, what exactly is so very good about Jesus today for us? 00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:10.719 Well, that's exactly what we're gonna spend the next four weeks talking about. 00:04:10.800 --> 00:04:15.199 And this morning, we want to talk about the heart of God. 00:04:15.919 --> 00:04:29.279 Chances are your environment, your circumstances, the state of the world, we begin to question, okay, what is going on, and what exactly is the heart of God? 00:04:29.600 --> 00:04:35.439 And maybe you've wrestled with this question what is God really like? 00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:38.079 Like, what is he really like? 00:04:38.240 --> 00:04:49.600 And maybe in your mind comes this picture of a cosmic killjoy, like his arms are just crossed, and you know, he's out to get you, he's out to, if you screw up, he's out to hit you over the head. 00:04:49.759 --> 00:04:54.480 Maybe he's this distant deity to be appeased, and he's not really involved in your life. 00:04:54.560 --> 00:04:56.079 He doesn't care, he's impassionate. 00:04:56.240 --> 00:04:58.959 Maybe, maybe you're like, I don't even know if there is a God. 00:04:59.040 --> 00:05:01.680 Maybe it's just this impersonal force. 00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:05.120 And the reality is, isn't it true? 00:05:05.279 --> 00:05:12.720 That picture, whatever picture comes to mind, often is informed by religious people. 00:05:13.360 --> 00:05:15.360 You're like, well, Ryan, you're a religious person. 00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:19.680 Well, actually, I I beg to differ, but we'll get to that. 00:05:20.480 --> 00:05:26.160 See, because religious people tell us that God just loves the super special. 00:05:27.439 --> 00:05:30.639 And then he kind of dislikes everybody else. 00:05:30.879 --> 00:05:41.120 And so you gotta be a part of this secret club, this perfect club, this, you know, and if you're not, well, sucks to be you. 00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:47.279 But what if God is nothing like the God of religion? 00:05:47.519 --> 00:05:58.959 What if the God you rejected as a teenager, as a college student, what if the God that you've been wrestling with in this season is nothing like God at all? 00:06:00.160 --> 00:06:01.199 Could it be? 00:06:02.240 --> 00:06:11.120 Could it be that God, the God that you have in your mind and picture is very different than who God is? 00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:22.560 Now, this is precisely why the early followers of Jesus who documented, their eyewitnesses documented the life of Jesus, would say, this is good news. 00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:32.560 Because when Jesus, what they saw, this is powerful, don't miss this, that the life of Jesus actually brought into focus the very heart of God. 00:06:33.279 --> 00:06:41.360 That if you wanted to know what God is really like, you didn't have to, you know, somehow hope and wish and wonder. 00:06:41.759 --> 00:06:44.800 All you have to do is look at Jesus. 00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:50.639 If you want to know what God cares about, all you have to do is look at Jesus and see how he responded. 00:06:50.720 --> 00:07:05.519 If you want to know how he would love the least of these and respond to vulnerable, if you want to know how he would stand up to injustice and oppression and religious self-righteousness, look to Jesus. 00:07:05.680 --> 00:07:12.800 See, the life of Jesus brings the heart of God into crystal clear focus. 00:07:12.959 --> 00:07:14.639 And this is problematic. 00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:20.240 This is problematic in their day, and it's problematic in our day. 00:07:20.399 --> 00:07:20.720 Why? 00:07:21.040 --> 00:07:27.920 Because Jesus reveals a God very different than the God of religion. 00:07:28.240 --> 00:07:36.720 Well, we pick it up actually in Luke chapter 15, and there's this line here that I think if you grew up in church world, you you totally miss it. 00:07:36.959 --> 00:07:39.439 You you miss how staggering this is. 00:07:39.759 --> 00:07:40.560 It says this. 00:07:40.720 --> 00:07:46.800 It says, now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 00:07:47.279 --> 00:07:48.160 Tax collectors. 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:49.439 Now imagine this. 00:07:49.920 --> 00:07:55.439 We can't put the hate for this people group in proper context. 00:07:55.759 --> 00:08:10.800 Tax collectors in Jesus' day, these were Jewish people who had betrayed their people, then went to work for the oppressive regime, Roman government, and are exploiting their own people. 00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:12.800 These are tax collectors. 00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:22.079 And then the minute anyone heard tax collector in any story, they would want to boo and hiss and ah, and they had every right to feel anger towards them. 00:08:22.160 --> 00:08:38.080 And it says, those people and sinners, people who are so far from God, people who had no care, people who were nothing like Jesus, think about this, really, really like to be around Jesus. 00:08:38.399 --> 00:08:39.759 This was so staggering. 00:08:39.919 --> 00:08:52.080 And then it goes on to say, but the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, muttered, this man welcomes sinners and eats with them. 00:08:53.120 --> 00:08:55.360 This is not the God of religion. 00:08:55.519 --> 00:08:58.480 This is something completely different. 00:08:58.639 --> 00:09:02.879 See, religion, religion doesn't welcome sinners. 00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:05.200 It ostracizes them. 00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:08.960 Religion doesn't eat with sinners. 00:09:10.399 --> 00:09:12.000 It pushes them away. 00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:29.519 Religion doesn't love people, it shames people, and yet Jesus is bringing into focus the very heart of God, his heart for you, his heart for me, and this is good. 00:09:30.399 --> 00:09:36.559 And to do this, he's gonna talk to the Pharisees, and he's gonna give a collection of three stories. 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:44.159 They're called parables, and he's gonna tell us three stories that build with intensity and clarity the very heart of God. 00:09:44.639 --> 00:10:01.120 And he's gonna tell these three stories, and I want you to notice the audience, he's actually responding to the religious leaders and their objections to why he's loving and engaging with those that are far, far away from God. 00:10:01.279 --> 00:10:02.559 Now notice what he says. 00:10:02.720 --> 00:10:07.519 He first says he's gonna give them the story of the wandering sheep. 00:10:07.840 --> 00:10:09.120 Many of you have heard this story. 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:15.759 He says, you know, if a shepherd had a hundred sheep and one of them wanders off, you know, it just kind of wandered off. 00:10:15.919 --> 00:10:17.360 He just went on his own way. 00:10:17.519 --> 00:10:20.480 The shepherd doesn't go, well, that's a dumb sheep. 00:10:21.279 --> 00:10:21.919 You know what? 00:10:22.080 --> 00:10:24.240 Oh well, I have 99 more. 00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:26.159 Shepherd says, No, no, no. 00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:30.240 I'm going to go and search after my lost sheep. 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:31.039 It's my sheep. 00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:33.200 I love that sheep, it's valuable. 00:10:33.360 --> 00:10:38.080 I'm gonna search after that lost sheep, and until I find it, I'm not stopping. 00:10:38.159 --> 00:10:40.240 And when I find it, notice what he says. 00:10:40.559 --> 00:10:53.600 I tell you, after I've found the lost sheep, in the same way, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who do not need to repent. 00:10:54.879 --> 00:10:59.919 Saying that every there aren't just good sheep and bad sheep, right sheep and wrong sheep. 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:03.360 No, we're just sheep that are loved, that are valuable. 00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:05.679 Saying there's rejoicing. 00:11:05.919 --> 00:11:08.480 Heaven throws a party. 00:11:08.879 --> 00:11:16.000 See, religion at its core talks about you have to pursue God and somehow work your way and get right with God. 00:11:16.639 --> 00:11:18.879 And this is what Jesus is saying. 00:11:18.960 --> 00:11:22.080 He flips the script and says, No, God's pursuing you. 00:11:22.720 --> 00:11:26.720 God's moving after you, God loves you. 00:11:26.960 --> 00:11:31.200 Well, if we didn't get that one, then he gives another story and it's a lost coin. 00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:40.000 And say, Suppose a woman had 10 coins, and this would be essentially her life savings, her dowry, and she loses one of them. 00:11:40.159 --> 00:11:44.559 And to put this in context, it's like losing your wedding ring. 00:11:47.519 --> 00:11:52.960 Would you not turn on lights, sweep the house, and keep looking until you found it? 00:11:53.759 --> 00:11:54.960 Of course you would. 00:11:55.120 --> 00:11:58.240 In my house, I don't really know what that would be like. 00:11:58.320 --> 00:12:04.000 I, you know, if I lost my wedding ring, but I know how diligent we search for when we lose the remote control. 00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:08.799 You know, it's like if the remote's gone, we're like, okay, we gotta find this thing. 00:12:08.879 --> 00:12:12.320 We're pulling up cushions, we're looking everywhere. 00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:14.480 How much more valuable? 00:12:14.720 --> 00:12:30.879 And he says, heaven throws a party in the same way I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner, one person far from God who repents and turns to him. 00:12:31.679 --> 00:12:36.879 And Jesus explains the heart of God very differently than the God of religion. 00:12:37.039 --> 00:12:46.799 It's a God who searches carefully, a God who says that's what's lost isn't a waste or a failure or a mistake. 00:12:47.759 --> 00:12:54.480 But what's lost is worthy to be searched for, is valuable and longed for and desired. 00:12:55.200 --> 00:12:58.879 Well, it builds to the climax. 00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:04.879 These three stories are all Jesus explaining the heart of God one after another. 00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:12.000 It's a story we're familiar with even in our day, in our culture, even if you're not familiar with Jesus. 00:13:12.240 --> 00:13:15.279 It's the parable of the prodigal son. 00:13:16.320 --> 00:13:18.960 And Jesus continues and says this. 00:13:22.879 --> 00:13:28.480 The younger one said to his father, Father, give me my share of the estate. 00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:37.200 Now, I cannot express to you the gravity of this statement and how offensive it was to the father. 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:51.440 In the ancient Near East, to say this to the father, to your father, is the equivalent of saying, Dad, I hate your guts, I wish you were dead, and give me what will be coming to me when you are dead. 00:13:51.759 --> 00:13:58.720 And in an honor culture, this is the most offensive thing a son could do. 00:13:59.679 --> 00:14:18.639 In fact, many scholars who have researched how one would respond, how a father would respond, whether it's in the Middle East or in parts of Africa today, still to this day, the honor culture would say, you can yell, cuss, and beat your son and kick him out. 00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:22.240 But notice what the father does. 00:14:24.320 --> 00:14:29.440 The father divides his property between them. 00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:30.720 No. 00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:44.399 And says, not long after that, the younger son got together all he had and set off for a distant country. 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:49.200 Set off for some land that looked better than his homeland. 00:14:49.840 --> 00:14:54.559 And there he squandered his wealth and wild living. 00:14:54.879 --> 00:15:00.879 And the truth is, is we all want life on our terms, don't we? 00:15:02.559 --> 00:15:05.519 We want to be true to ourselves. 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:08.720 We want to live out our own truth. 00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:16.080 We don't want anyone to tell us what to do, and we want to, you know, be authentically us and do you. 00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:19.360 It's just human nature. 00:15:20.159 --> 00:15:23.440 I like how Bishop T D Jakes had said it. 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:28.399 He said, the prodigal son walked away from family for fake friends. 00:15:29.440 --> 00:15:33.600 He left those who loved him for those who liked him. 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:36.080 And this is what we do. 00:15:36.559 --> 00:15:39.279 It's not what they do, it's what I do. 00:15:39.759 --> 00:15:49.120 We head off for distant country looking for something or someone to satisfy for a life. 00:15:49.440 --> 00:15:50.799 No, it goes on. 00:15:51.039 --> 00:16:03.279 It says, after he had spent everything, after he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in the whole country, and he began to be in need. 00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:13.840 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country who sent him to uh to his field to feed pigs. 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:24.559 Now he longed, this is how bad it got, he longed to fill his stomach with pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 00:16:24.799 --> 00:16:28.000 See, the distant country offers what it cannot provide. 00:16:28.080 --> 00:16:36.720 It says, no, you will realize who you really are, and it just pulls you back, and you end up devastated. 00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:40.799 See, the younger son is in the distant country. 00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:53.120 He had wasted his inheritance, traded his family for fake friends, and discovered that his truth had come crashing down around him. 00:16:53.919 --> 00:16:56.480 The distant country of pleasure. 00:16:56.720 --> 00:17:07.680 The distant country of experiencing whatever you want to experience, the distant country of just you doing life on your turn. 00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:11.680 And everything had fallen apart. 00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:22.880 And perhaps during this COVID season has been the famine in your soul that might bring you to the point where the prodigal son is. 00:17:24.160 --> 00:17:37.759 In the kindness of God, in his severe mercy that would allow things to come into our lives to bring us to awareness of our spiritual bankruptcy. 00:17:38.960 --> 00:17:40.960 Notice what it says next. 00:17:41.440 --> 00:17:43.839 It says, when he came to a senses. 00:17:44.799 --> 00:17:46.559 When he came to a senses. 00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:54.480 Meaning, prior to this, he was out of his mind. 00:17:57.680 --> 00:18:02.000 There was a moment where life became crystal clear. 00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:05.359 He realized the direction of his life. 00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:14.000 It wasn't producing or fulfilling the deep longings and hunger of his life. 00:18:14.079 --> 00:18:16.400 In fact, everything had fallen apart. 00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:23.839 And he realized he left his father for the distant country, and the distant country did not satisfy. 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:25.519 It only disappointed. 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:32.880 And so he says this how many of my father's hired hands have food to spare, and here I am starving to death. 00:18:33.119 --> 00:18:39.839 I'll set out and go back to my father and say to him, Father, I've sinned against heaven and against you. 00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:45.599 I'm going to confess my wrong, and I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. 00:18:46.799 --> 00:18:48.799 I've blown my inheritance. 00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:52.559 Would you just make me like one of your hired servants? 00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:58.240 And then it says this line: So he got up and went back to his father. 00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:02.559 Now don't miss this. 00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:03.599 This is good. 00:19:04.079 --> 00:19:09.119 Repentance opens the door for the return home. 00:19:09.519 --> 00:19:10.640 Repentance. 00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:20.960 Coming to our senses, confessing that we have blown it, and then turning our direction towards home and taking steps. 00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:25.039 Repentance opens the door to the return home. 00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:25.920 I like how Dr. 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:28.880 Tony Evans says it when it comes to repentance. 00:19:28.960 --> 00:19:37.039 He says, repentance is the inner resolve and determination to turn from your sin and return to fellowship with God. 00:19:37.119 --> 00:19:47.839 It's the awareness, it's the coming to your senses, the realization that the direction that I've headed has ended in devastation. 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:50.400 I gotta turn. 00:19:50.640 --> 00:19:52.319 I'm turning towards you. 00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:58.079 I'm turning from the life I'm living and I'm returning to home. 00:20:01.599 --> 00:20:03.039 Now notice this. 00:20:03.359 --> 00:20:09.359 Because I think the question is who's gonna meet me when I get home? 00:20:11.680 --> 00:20:15.119 What kind of dad is gonna meet me when I get home? 00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:27.119 See, many of us don't want to make that long walk home because we think there's gonna be a dad with crossed arms that are ready to go. 00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:28.559 I told you so? 00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:32.319 How could you? 00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:35.279 You're a failure? 00:20:35.920 --> 00:20:38.400 I want nothing to do with you. 00:20:40.240 --> 00:20:47.039 And yet Jesus is explaining to the heart of God, and this is good. 00:20:47.839 --> 00:20:49.279 Notice what he says. 00:20:51.440 --> 00:20:55.839 He says, Flip the page. 00:20:56.400 --> 00:21:16.319 But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him, meaning his father had been looking to the horizon every day, wondering if his son would ever come back, hoping and longing. 00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:22.559 And while he is but a speck on the horizon, he could see that it was the gate of his son's walking. 00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:31.759 He understood all the idiosyncrasies of his son's personality, that he could even notice when he couldn't see his face yet, that it was his son walking home. 00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:36.319 And his father doesn't arms crossed, wait till his son gets to him. 00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:42.480 No, his father, his father, filled with compassion, ran to his son. 00:21:43.039 --> 00:21:43.680 He ran. 00:21:43.920 --> 00:21:48.559 He said, No, no, no, I'm gonna do everything that a patriarch does not do. 00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:54.559 A patriarch says, You come, you grovel, and I'm gonna stay in my position and you come to me. 00:21:54.720 --> 00:21:59.839 And he pulls up his robe, which is totally just dishonoring for the fucking. 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:06.079 No ancient father would do this and runs towards his son. 00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:12.240 Runs towards you right now, in this moment. 00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:17.759 And threw his arms around him and kissed him. 00:22:18.079 --> 00:22:22.240 See, when you return home, you don't return to a father with arms crossed. 00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:27.839 You return to a father who's running to you, arms open, ready to embrace you. 00:22:28.079 --> 00:22:30.720 Well, the son confesses. 00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:36.000 He confesses, oh, I want to get this. 00:22:36.559 --> 00:22:38.720 I want you to miss, I don't want you to miss this. 00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:39.839 This is good. 00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:46.880 The love of the father is greater than the rejection of the Son. 00:22:49.119 --> 00:22:52.160 For some, you feel like you could never return home. 00:22:52.640 --> 00:22:56.240 You feel like you've wandered too far, you've done too much. 00:22:56.400 --> 00:22:59.359 You go, Ryan, you don't know where I've been or what I've done. 00:22:59.680 --> 00:23:04.960 The love of the Father is greater than anything you have ever done. 00:23:05.200 --> 00:23:14.240 And in this moment, as I'm speaking, would you come to your senses and would you make the journey home to find the Father's embrace? 00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:17.839 So the son begins his confession. 00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:22.880 The son begins his speech he'd been rehearsing on that long walk home. 00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:25.519 Father, I've sinned against heaven and against you. 00:23:25.599 --> 00:23:27.839 I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:30.000 And then the father interrupts him. 00:23:30.319 --> 00:23:32.960 The father doesn't let him finish his speech. 00:23:33.359 --> 00:23:38.160 But the father said to his servants, Quick, bring the best robe. 00:23:38.400 --> 00:23:41.920 I'm gonna put this robe, the sign of sonship on you. 00:23:42.079 --> 00:23:46.880 I'm gonna put my ring on your finger in the sandals. 00:23:48.720 --> 00:23:53.119 I want you to notice that the father interrupts his speech. 00:23:53.839 --> 00:23:57.440 It's actually pretty important where he interrupts the speech. 00:23:58.720 --> 00:24:02.960 See, the son comes and confesses and says, I blew it. 00:24:04.319 --> 00:24:06.880 And he says, I'm no longer the worthy to be your son. 00:24:07.200 --> 00:24:12.079 And the second part of his speech was, would you make me one of your hired hands? 00:24:13.119 --> 00:24:18.480 See, the son came back to the father trying to figure out how he could pay the father back. 00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:20.720 How he can work his way back. 00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:23.039 I'm gonna just work for you. 00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:25.599 I'll pay you back in all that I squandered. 00:24:25.759 --> 00:24:30.160 The father interrupts in that moment and places sonship on him. 00:24:31.119 --> 00:24:34.240 The ring, the seal of sonship. 00:24:34.559 --> 00:24:35.759 And notice this. 00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:36.799 This is good. 00:24:36.960 --> 00:24:38.160 This is for you. 00:24:38.640 --> 00:24:44.319 Your identity, your identity is received and not achieved. 00:24:44.640 --> 00:24:47.279 See, religion says, work your way to God. 00:24:48.079 --> 00:25:01.680 Jesus says God has run to you and he places on you son, daughter, worthy, valuable, loved, honored. 00:25:02.559 --> 00:25:11.039 It's such a heavy thing, and some of you have been wrestling under this, trying to work out your identity. 00:25:14.160 --> 00:25:24.559 Trying to be your authentic you, and then when that breaks down, you're you're working it out, and God says, I've given you all you need. 00:25:24.880 --> 00:25:28.480 You are an adopted daughter and son of the Most High. 00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:31.519 You don't have to work for it, you can't earn it, you don't have to achieve it. 00:25:31.759 --> 00:25:36.160 It's placed on you received. 00:25:36.799 --> 00:25:39.839 And the father then throws a party. 00:25:40.079 --> 00:25:42.000 Says, Bring the fattened calf and kill it. 00:25:42.079 --> 00:25:43.920 Let's have a feast and celebrate. 00:25:44.160 --> 00:25:46.799 The son of mine is dead and is alive again. 00:25:47.039 --> 00:25:49.039 He was lost and is found. 00:25:49.279 --> 00:25:52.000 So they began to celebrate. 00:25:52.480 --> 00:25:56.559 I like how Tim Keller unpacks the gospel. 00:25:56.960 --> 00:26:00.799 Because what we just heard is the gospel, the good news. 00:26:01.440 --> 00:26:03.119 The gospel is this. 00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:08.559 We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dare believe. 00:26:08.880 --> 00:26:21.440 We are, I am, the prodigal who has wandered home, the coin that has been lost, the sheep who's wandering in the away from the flock. 00:26:21.920 --> 00:26:30.960 Yet, at the very same time, we are more loved and accepted in Christ Jesus than we ever dared hope. 00:26:31.119 --> 00:26:37.200 You do not have a God who says, work your way to me, my arms are crossed. 00:26:37.440 --> 00:26:45.599 You have a God who's searching, who's pursuing, who's loving, whose arms are open wide for you right now. 00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:46.720 This is good. 00:26:47.359 --> 00:26:54.640 This is why when John would talk about Jesus and try to explain how good it was. 00:26:54.799 --> 00:26:59.599 And in fact, this is our memory verse this week, where we're going to memorize scripture together. 00:26:59.920 --> 00:27:06.000 John would say what has become, I think, perhaps the most famous verse in all of the Bible. 00:27:06.319 --> 00:27:09.759 For God so loved the world. 00:27:11.119 --> 00:27:14.640 That's his, that's your starting point with God. 00:27:14.799 --> 00:27:22.960 For God so loves you, that he gave his one and only Son, that he's been pursuing after you. 00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:11.359 He killed the fat calf. 00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:15.440 And the older brother's sitting outside, angry, seething. 00:28:16.720 --> 00:28:19.200 And the father goes and talks to him. 00:28:19.920 --> 00:28:24.880 See, the older brother wants the younger brother to just get what he deserves. 00:28:26.559 --> 00:28:31.200 The older brother represents the religious leaders that Jesus is talking to. 00:28:32.160 --> 00:28:41.359 The older brother is the frame in which we often understand what God is really like, that he's condemning, that he's against. 00:28:42.400 --> 00:28:45.759 And yet it's the father pleading with the older brother. 00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:50.400 Son, all that I have is yours. 00:28:51.359 --> 00:28:53.039 Would you come in and celebrate? 00:28:54.400 --> 00:29:00.799 Let's welcome someone who was lost, your brother, home, because he was dead and now he's alive. 00:29:00.960 --> 00:29:02.319 Welcome home. 00:29:03.200 --> 00:29:08.880 And then the story ends with a cliffhanger. 00:29:09.279 --> 00:29:15.599 And we don't know whether the older brother went inside to the party or not. 00:29:16.000 --> 00:29:24.880 And I think for some of us, that is the invitation because we may not identify with the sheep. 00:29:26.000 --> 00:29:27.839 Maybe, or the prodigal. 00:29:28.079 --> 00:29:36.799 We might feel like we've lived life the way we're supposed to, and look at all those people and look at the narrative that's going around, and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. 00:29:37.039 --> 00:29:39.680 And I just need to put people in their place. 00:29:41.359 --> 00:29:54.880 Now the heart, listen, friends, the heart of the Father is to welcome you home, invite you into the party wherever you are at. 00:29:56.160 --> 00:30:00.480 And so today, would you come home? 00:30:02.799 --> 00:30:05.039 Maybe you've been wandering. 00:30:05.519 --> 00:30:10.799 And COVID has set you wandering in your faith and your journey. 00:30:11.519 --> 00:30:13.119 Would you come home? 00:30:13.920 --> 00:30:15.599 Maybe you're just lost. 00:30:15.839 --> 00:30:17.039 You don't know where you're at. 00:30:17.119 --> 00:30:18.640 You don't know how you got there. 00:30:18.880 --> 00:30:22.079 There's nothing intentional that you would say, I just went. 00:30:22.640 --> 00:30:24.319 But you just feel lost. 00:30:24.880 --> 00:30:26.559 Would you come home? 00:30:27.839 --> 00:30:30.480 And maybe, just maybe, you're the prodigal. 00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:36.480 The person who you thought God could never love or once. 00:30:36.799 --> 00:30:41.200 And the person Jesus says, I came precisely for. 00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:43.839 Would you come home? 00:30:45.119 --> 00:30:51.279 See, the heart of the Father is to welcome you home. 00:30:52.160 --> 00:30:53.440 Me home. 00:30:53.920 --> 00:30:56.480 Arms open wide. 00:30:57.039 --> 00:31:05.920 In this moment, I want to give you an opportunity to respond to this good news that you are loved more than you ever knew. 00:31:06.160 --> 00:31:13.039 And to take that step of repentance, to turn from the direction you're going and make that return home. 00:31:13.279 --> 00:31:17.359 And so I'm going to invite you to pray after me, just this simple prayer. 00:31:17.599 --> 00:31:27.119 And so would you, in the quietness of your heart at your house, would you close your eyes even with me and pray this prayer? 00:31:27.599 --> 00:31:35.359 Heavenly Father, thank you that you welcome me home. 00:31:36.400 --> 00:31:38.799 Today, I repent. 00:31:39.920 --> 00:31:44.000 I am turning from my sin and turning to you. 00:31:44.559 --> 00:31:48.000 Will you forgive me and make me new? 00:31:48.640 --> 00:31:50.799 I believe you came for me. 00:31:51.200 --> 00:32:02.000 I believe you died for me in the person of Jesus Christ and you rose again to new life that I might have life and be welcomed home. 00:32:02.880 --> 00:32:05.839 In Jesus' name, amen.