WEBVTT 00:00:00.959 --> 00:00:04.879 But we are in week four of going through the season of Lent. 00:00:05.040 --> 00:00:11.599 So if you remember, Lent is the 40 days leading up to Good Friday and Easter weekend. 00:00:11.839 --> 00:00:21.600 When I looked at the lectionary, which is a series of texts for different Sundays, and this story was the story and the text out of the Gospels for this Sunday. 00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:25.839 There was a part of me that's like, ah, you know, like, man, like we a lot of us know this one. 00:00:25.920 --> 00:00:30.000 You know, it's like, you know, uh, like, how am I gonna, you know, how am I gonna re-preach this? 00:00:30.079 --> 00:00:31.199 I've preached it a lot. 00:00:31.280 --> 00:00:37.600 Um, there's always that feeling for preachers when a text is overly familiar for a lot of people. 00:00:37.840 --> 00:00:38.640 Not everybody. 00:00:38.799 --> 00:00:41.840 For some of you, it may be a news story, but incredibly refreshing. 00:00:42.000 --> 00:00:47.359 But for all of us, because even as I got into it this week and I read it, I was like, this story's always good. 00:00:47.439 --> 00:00:54.079 It's like the movie that you you just you know, it's like Shawshank Redemptions on TBS at 3:30 on a Saturday. 00:00:54.240 --> 00:00:55.200 You end up watching it. 00:00:55.280 --> 00:00:58.880 Like it's just the story that just never fails. 00:00:59.119 --> 00:01:08.799 Such a good story about this younger son who asked his dad for his share of the inheritance would have hurt the father's feelings. 00:01:09.040 --> 00:01:13.280 And then the son runs off in reckless living and squanders it. 00:01:13.920 --> 00:01:19.120 So we're gonna work our way through the passage that Reed read for us and make some points along the way. 00:01:19.200 --> 00:01:21.840 We'll jump in, Luke 15, verse 12. 00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:27.040 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the share of property that's coming to me. 00:01:27.200 --> 00:01:29.519 And he divided his property between them. 00:01:29.760 --> 00:01:36.159 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country. 00:01:36.400 --> 00:01:39.040 And there he squandered his property in reckless living. 00:01:39.200 --> 00:01:45.280 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 00:01:45.920 --> 00:01:50.879 So, point number one is this we have belonging, yet we are prone to wander. 00:01:51.040 --> 00:01:52.079 We do have belonging. 00:01:52.159 --> 00:01:54.319 We have a home, we have a family, we have a father. 00:01:54.560 --> 00:01:56.159 We were created by God. 00:01:56.400 --> 00:01:59.599 We have a belonging, yet we're prone to wander. 00:02:00.079 --> 00:02:07.599 This past summer I spent a few days by myself hiking and fishing and driving through Idaho. 00:02:07.760 --> 00:02:11.039 And one day I took this road called Trail Creek Road. 00:02:11.199 --> 00:02:17.919 Here's a picture of it, coming out of Ketchum, Idaho, going into the salmon choss national forest. 00:02:18.080 --> 00:02:18.879 It's a secret. 00:02:18.960 --> 00:02:21.039 I shouldn't even tell you because nobody's there. 00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:27.680 It's like everybody goes to Colorado and nobody knows that Idaho's right there waiting for us, and nobody was there. 00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:31.439 Ten minutes out of town, ten minutes out of town, this is what you hit. 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:37.919 And I just keep driving down this gravel road and eventually you drive up through the pass, you get over the pass. 00:02:38.000 --> 00:02:43.759 So you're driving up through the pass, you get over this pass, you get on the other side of the mountains. 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:46.719 It's desolate, distant country. 00:02:46.879 --> 00:02:51.680 Your phone does not work, you don't see anything that is man-made. 00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:52.719 Nothing. 00:02:52.960 --> 00:02:56.240 Nothing is man-made except the gravel road you are on. 00:02:56.719 --> 00:02:59.599 Finally, I got out of the car, and here's a picture. 00:02:59.840 --> 00:03:01.199 I was so happy. 00:03:01.520 --> 00:03:06.400 I mean, I was I was just like, oh, I just got out, and I mean, you don't see any other car. 00:03:06.639 --> 00:03:07.759 There's there's nothing. 00:03:07.919 --> 00:03:09.039 There's nothing. 00:03:09.520 --> 00:03:11.280 And you know, it's so quiet. 00:03:11.360 --> 00:03:13.199 I don't know if you've ever been in that place, it's so quiet. 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:18.000 Your ears are trying to like trying to find something, and it almost hurts your brain a little bit. 00:03:18.080 --> 00:03:23.520 Like my ears kept trying to find the sound, and like there's not even a sound. 00:03:24.080 --> 00:03:25.759 I mean, it I I love that. 00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:28.240 Like, I mean, I eat that stuff up. 00:03:28.800 --> 00:03:30.800 But it is desolate. 00:03:30.879 --> 00:03:33.599 I mean, that is desolate, distant country. 00:03:33.759 --> 00:03:37.840 Like, if if that car doesn't re-crank, I mean, that's the thought I had when I got out. 00:03:37.919 --> 00:03:38.879 I turned the car off. 00:03:39.039 --> 00:03:42.960 You know, I walk out one of those fields, you know, kind of like all by myself, you know, just having this moment. 00:03:43.039 --> 00:03:46.400 And there's that little bit like, what if it the car doesn't crank back up? 00:03:46.479 --> 00:03:47.840 You know, like, right? 00:03:47.919 --> 00:03:49.759 What if I have a heart attack out here? 00:03:49.919 --> 00:03:52.719 My phone doesn't work, there's nobody driving by. 00:03:52.960 --> 00:03:54.639 Nobody even knows about this road. 00:03:54.719 --> 00:03:57.120 Like, I mean, it is desolate, right? 00:03:57.280 --> 00:04:00.800 You're far from home, you're far from safety. 00:04:02.479 --> 00:04:08.800 Now, maybe maybe nature's not your thing, but I felt the same thing at the back of an IKEA. 00:04:08.960 --> 00:04:13.280 Because maybe you've been at the back of an IKEA, not the front. 00:04:13.520 --> 00:04:24.399 The front feels really good and safe, and they have some food up there you can buy, but by the time you get to the back, years ago we were first married, and IKEA came to Atlanta. 00:04:24.480 --> 00:04:25.600 I don't know if you remember when that happened. 00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:26.480 That was a big deal. 00:04:26.639 --> 00:04:28.000 IKEA came to Atlanta. 00:04:28.160 --> 00:04:30.000 We made the just horrible marital decision. 00:04:30.079 --> 00:04:31.600 We're gonna spend a Saturday. 00:04:31.839 --> 00:04:33.839 You know, it's gonna be a great Saturday, you know. 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:42.399 Go to IKEA, and we work our way through all the displays, you know, heaven forbid they actually sell the products there. 00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:44.160 You know, work your way through. 00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:50.480 We get to the back, and I just look because I'm like, I'm out, like I'm suffocating, I gotta get out of here. 00:04:50.639 --> 00:04:54.959 Like you can find the$7 vase on your own, you know? 00:04:55.199 --> 00:04:57.519 And I'm just like, hey, I'll I'll meet you outside. 00:04:57.680 --> 00:05:00.480 Okay, like you have a time of your life, I'll meet you outside. 00:05:00.560 --> 00:05:02.560 And I just try to get my way. 00:05:02.879 --> 00:05:05.920 Some of you have tried to get out of the back of an IKEA. 00:05:06.240 --> 00:05:11.519 And you try to wig your way through the displays, and it's a maze, like there's no clear shut out. 00:05:12.079 --> 00:05:14.160 And then you have to go through their warehouse. 00:05:14.319 --> 00:05:17.279 Like they have you laboring in their warehouse before you check out. 00:05:17.360 --> 00:05:18.639 I mean, that was brilliant. 00:05:18.800 --> 00:05:19.120 Yeah, right? 00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:21.839 Like you went to shop and you're working in their warehouse. 00:05:21.920 --> 00:05:22.959 I mean, it's unbelievable. 00:05:23.120 --> 00:05:24.879 You barely get out of there, right? 00:05:25.120 --> 00:05:27.439 It's really distant in the back of an IKEA. 00:05:27.519 --> 00:05:29.439 It's the same feeling as the middle of Idaho. 00:05:29.519 --> 00:05:37.680 Like you're just you're far from home, far from safety, far from peace, that's for sure, for most of us, right? 00:05:37.839 --> 00:05:40.959 Now, let's think about the boy, okay, and the story. 00:05:41.120 --> 00:05:42.079 Think about the boy. 00:05:42.319 --> 00:05:49.040 He's running to a distant country, far from home, far from the safety of the father. 00:05:49.839 --> 00:05:51.120 We've all felt this. 00:05:51.199 --> 00:05:56.079 Some of us actually have run to those places in real life, not even the metaphors I just shared. 00:05:56.319 --> 00:05:58.079 Here's what we're learning. 00:05:58.319 --> 00:06:12.000 We are learning, we're becoming aware of, it's only when we recognize we're in desolate country when we finally cry out for rescue from the Father. 00:06:13.120 --> 00:06:16.480 And isn't that disappointing that we're that stubborn? 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:20.720 You're just like, but I am, I am, and so are you. 00:06:21.279 --> 00:06:28.160 At verse 14, the boy begins to starve and is in need, and still he doesn't go home. 00:06:28.319 --> 00:06:28.560 Right? 00:06:28.720 --> 00:06:29.680 Like that hit me this week. 00:06:29.759 --> 00:06:31.439 I'm like, he still doesn't go home. 00:06:31.600 --> 00:06:33.439 He's out of money, he's starving. 00:06:33.600 --> 00:06:34.720 He could go home then. 00:06:35.040 --> 00:06:38.399 No, he still is resisting turning back. 00:06:40.720 --> 00:06:42.480 He's still resisting. 00:06:43.199 --> 00:06:48.800 We all desire we all desire to belong, but we all resist the Heavenly Father. 00:06:50.720 --> 00:06:52.399 We have a belonging need. 00:06:52.720 --> 00:06:53.920 Where do I fit in? 00:06:54.240 --> 00:06:55.759 Who will accept me? 00:06:56.399 --> 00:06:58.079 Will someone accept me? 00:06:58.879 --> 00:07:00.720 Will someone validate me? 00:07:01.519 --> 00:07:10.959 A very fragile, sinful self that's inside of us that we have belonging with our Creator, we have belonging with our Heavenly Father, and yet we resist it. 00:07:11.120 --> 00:07:12.000 We wander. 00:07:14.399 --> 00:07:18.079 I'm rereading the book Abba's Child by Brendan Manning. 00:07:18.800 --> 00:07:27.360 The subtitle, look down at the subtitle this week while studying for this, the cry of the heart for intimate belonging. 00:07:27.519 --> 00:07:29.839 And that we all have that, right? 00:07:30.319 --> 00:07:37.600 Our core identity is children of the Heavenly Father, and yet sadly, in our sinful condition, we look for belonging in all different places. 00:07:37.839 --> 00:07:39.920 Distant country stuff. 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:50.879 And then we're like the boy who, even when he's starving, still insist on performance or self-reliance. 00:07:51.279 --> 00:07:53.759 In his case, he's gonna solve this problem. 00:07:53.839 --> 00:07:55.040 He's not gonna go home. 00:07:55.279 --> 00:07:56.959 Not ready for that yet. 00:07:57.279 --> 00:08:00.240 He's gonna try to feed himself, hiring himself out. 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:01.920 We can see the story. 00:08:02.160 --> 00:08:03.439 Jump back in at verse 15. 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:09.360 So he went and he hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country who sent him into the fields to feed pigs. 00:08:09.519 --> 00:08:13.839 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate. 00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:16.319 And no one gave him anything. 00:08:17.279 --> 00:08:22.800 But remember a couple weeks ago we talked about that, that word, when that word's in scripture, gar? 00:08:23.439 --> 00:08:25.600 Like something, something's about change. 00:08:25.839 --> 00:08:33.919 But when he came to himself, he said, How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread? 00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:43.759 But I perish here with hunger, I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I've sinned against heaven, and before you I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. 00:08:44.000 --> 00:08:45.600 Treat me as one of your hired servants. 00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:52.879 Point number two is this we are called home by our need, but our pride keeps us in self-reliance. 00:08:53.919 --> 00:08:56.720 Our need is telling us something. 00:08:56.960 --> 00:08:59.600 He's calling us home to the Father. 00:09:00.879 --> 00:09:05.039 But even then, part of our wandering is this self-reliance. 00:09:05.519 --> 00:09:05.840 Right? 00:09:06.000 --> 00:09:09.440 The boy went from outright rebellion to self-reliance. 00:09:09.759 --> 00:09:14.720 He's still not yet dead to himself, to his attempt. 00:09:14.879 --> 00:09:19.759 He's not surrendered, humble enough to come home and say, God, I really do need you. 00:09:21.279 --> 00:09:26.639 But, but, verse 17, he came to his senses. 00:09:26.879 --> 00:09:28.000 Came to himself. 00:09:28.240 --> 00:09:30.879 So he thinks, well, maybe my father will have me back. 00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:32.159 Will he still love me? 00:09:32.399 --> 00:09:33.360 Forms that little speech. 00:09:33.519 --> 00:09:36.320 I've sinned against you in heaven, not worthy is your son. 00:09:37.279 --> 00:09:38.639 Hire me out. 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:42.879 And he just starts in on that speech when he gets home. 00:09:43.039 --> 00:09:52.720 It's a beautiful image we have of when he finally comes home and he starts in on that speech because he's thinking in his mind, I'll now perform, I'll perform to the father. 00:09:53.279 --> 00:09:54.799 He still doesn't get it yet. 00:09:55.039 --> 00:09:56.799 How much his dad loves him. 00:10:01.759 --> 00:10:04.399 And he arose and came to his father. 00:10:05.759 --> 00:10:13.200 But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 00:10:13.360 --> 00:10:19.120 And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. 00:10:19.679 --> 00:10:22.000 But again, right? 00:10:22.480 --> 00:10:24.879 Gar, that's that Greek word, something something's about to happen. 00:10:25.039 --> 00:10:35.759 But the father said to his servants, Bring quickly the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet, and bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 00:10:35.919 --> 00:10:38.720 For this my son was dead and is alive again. 00:10:38.799 --> 00:10:39.919 He was lost and is found. 00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:41.679 And they began to celebrate. 00:10:41.919 --> 00:10:52.960 Point number three is this we naturally want to prove something to God, even when we come to him, give, give him our life, and surrender to him, say, Jesus be my Savior, even in that softening. 00:10:53.039 --> 00:10:58.240 We want to prove something to God that we are worthy to be his child or worthy to be a Christian. 00:10:58.480 --> 00:10:59.039 Even then. 00:10:59.279 --> 00:11:05.759 So we naturally want to prove something to God, but God loves us without requirement. 00:11:07.279 --> 00:11:11.120 Priest and author Robert Capin said this about this parable. 00:11:11.200 --> 00:11:16.000 He said, This parable is a festival of death. 00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:18.559 A festival of death. 00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:20.320 We see three deaths. 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:24.720 The son has to die to himself as to return. 00:11:24.960 --> 00:11:25.840 Death number one. 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:30.960 Death number two, the father has to die to himself as to accept the son. 00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:31.840 Right? 00:11:31.919 --> 00:11:37.759 It's the humility of the father that allows the son to come back in and welcomes the end and begins to throw that party. 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:39.600 Death number three. 00:11:40.559 --> 00:11:51.600 The calf, which is the image of Christ, has to be sacrificed for the party to begin. 00:11:53.600 --> 00:12:00.000 The party is about enjoying the free forgiveness that we have in Jesus' death. 00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:01.279 Free to us. 00:12:02.480 --> 00:12:05.759 The party is about the free righteousness that we have. 00:12:06.080 --> 00:12:07.120 That's put upon us. 00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:08.559 Our sin is put upon the crosses. 00:12:08.879 --> 00:12:10.480 Righteousness is given to us. 00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:12.559 The party of free righteousness. 00:12:12.720 --> 00:12:18.399 And that we are rescued out of shame religion and guilt trip motivation. 00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:23.039 We are free to rest and grow in the grace of God. 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:26.480 What does this mean for you? 00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:30.240 Three ideas. 00:12:31.360 --> 00:12:40.159 Number one, I don't know where you come from, I don't know your story, how far you've wandered to the back of the IKEA and feel stuck. 00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:44.240 We are always welcomed home by the Heavenly Father. 00:12:44.960 --> 00:12:51.440 Number two, the party of faith is provided by Jesus' work for us. 00:12:52.960 --> 00:12:57.440 That calf being sacrificed so a party could begin, not our work for him. 00:12:58.559 --> 00:13:01.440 See, the party of faith is a party of grace. 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:13.440 And number three, the more we come alive to the love and embrace of God to our wandering self, the more we grow to honor him with our lives. 00:13:14.480 --> 00:13:19.600 The parable doesn't call us to shame motivation as to have behavioral change. 00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:35.840 The parable presents what it means for our hearts to be reconciled and healed to the Father through the death of Jesus so that our hearts are changed and so that our life would honor Him. 00:13:38.320 --> 00:13:39.600 Verse 25. 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:47.279 Now, now his older son was in the field. 00:13:47.679 --> 00:13:53.279 And he came, drew near to the house, and he heard the music and dancing. 00:13:54.000 --> 00:13:57.759 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 00:13:57.840 --> 00:14:05.919 And he said to him, Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound. 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:10.320 But he was angry and refused to go in. 00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:12.639 His father came out and entreated him. 00:14:12.960 --> 00:14:23.279 But he answered, His father, Look, these many years I have served you and never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat that I might celebrate with my friends. 00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:31.519 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him? 00:14:33.039 --> 00:14:39.039 And he said to him, Son, you're always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:45.039 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead and is alive, he was lost and is found. 00:14:45.200 --> 00:14:53.919 Point number four is this we reject God when we run in rebellion, or stand in self-righteousness. 00:14:54.159 --> 00:14:54.559 Right? 00:14:54.720 --> 00:14:57.519 Two sons, one in rebellion, one in self-righteousness. 00:14:57.679 --> 00:15:00.960 Both refusing the party of grace. 00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:11.440 The older brother couldn't even see that the father wanted to relate to the younger brother and to him in grace. 00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:15.600 So often we feel like the older brother, the older son. 00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:18.080 We kind of like reading this, you're like, yeah, that's not fair. 00:15:18.159 --> 00:15:21.200 Like the older brother has a valuable point here, right? 00:15:21.759 --> 00:15:24.240 Like this older brother, like he's been working really hard. 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:27.600 He's never even gotten like a like a calf or a good party. 00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:28.559 Good point. 00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:32.000 Like we kind of can associate with him. 00:15:34.240 --> 00:15:38.399 But this brother is proud of how good he is. 00:15:39.039 --> 00:15:44.320 He's judgmental, self-righteous, self-consumed with his own record. 00:15:45.039 --> 00:15:52.240 He makes himself feel better by comparison with no ability to extend compassion to someone hurting. 00:15:53.840 --> 00:15:56.720 Alright, so that was two sentences I just read. 00:15:57.519 --> 00:15:58.879 I just rattled those off. 00:15:59.039 --> 00:16:04.399 The first time I heard those two sentences read, I was driving from my office at Church of the Apostles. 00:16:04.480 --> 00:16:11.279 It was probably 12, 13, 14 years ago, driving from Church of the Apostles to walk the loop around Chastain Park. 00:16:11.360 --> 00:16:15.600 I was on Blackland Drive, driving by those beautiful Buckhead Estates. 00:16:15.679 --> 00:16:17.519 And I had a sermon CD. 00:16:17.679 --> 00:16:18.559 Remember C D? 00:16:18.960 --> 00:16:19.440 Circle. 00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:20.320 Don't scratch it. 00:16:20.399 --> 00:16:20.799 Be careful. 00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:21.759 Don't scratch it. 00:16:22.639 --> 00:16:27.840 Yeah, I was listening to Sermon C D, driving down Blackland. 00:16:28.240 --> 00:16:30.080 And the preacher says that. 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:31.759 He says this, I'll say it again. 00:16:31.919 --> 00:16:38.480 The brother is proud of how good he is, judgmental, self-righteous, self-consumed with his own record. 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:45.440 He makes himself feel better by comparison with no ability to extend compassion to someone hurting. 00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:53.039 I heard it, and it nailed me accurately, still, still does. 00:16:53.360 --> 00:16:54.320 Pulled my car over. 00:16:54.399 --> 00:17:05.200 I'm blackling, which is a sketchy thing to do when you're an old forerunner because they think, like, and you're writing stuff down, like, you know, like you're casing something out, and everybody's, you know, they're not sure. 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:10.480 I write down every word of those two sentences. 00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:11.920 Still have them. 00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:17.119 Man, God, I'm more of an older brother than I thought. 00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:19.680 Like there, there's a lot of that in me. 00:17:20.880 --> 00:17:24.640 My journey hasn't been much of being a younger brother. 00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:26.799 Maybe yours has. 00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:28.160 Maybe yours is right now. 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:30.559 You really associate with that younger brother. 00:17:31.119 --> 00:17:35.039 But maybe your journey's been the older brother. 00:17:35.839 --> 00:17:38.799 And it turns out, this is a really bad thing. 00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:42.640 Turns out it's real easy to be a younger brother. 00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:47.599 Come to faith, give your life to Jesus, and swing on over to being an older brother. 00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:49.839 Like it's so easy even to do that. 00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:55.119 And that older brother, deep in his heart, he's just so insecure. 00:17:55.920 --> 00:17:57.599 That poor guy. 00:17:58.960 --> 00:18:06.799 Feeling like he has to prove himself to stay in this family, unsure how this relationship with the father works, and the whole time the father said, Hey, do you not get it? 00:18:06.880 --> 00:18:08.079 All this is yours. 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:10.319 This party's all yours. 00:18:11.759 --> 00:18:25.119 Author and priest Henri Nowen, he wrote this: As long as we belong to this world, we will remain subject to its competitive ways and expect to be rewarded for all the good we do. 00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:32.960 But when we belong to God, who loves us without conditions, we can live as he does. 00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:40.319 The great conversion called for by Jesus is to move from belonging to the world to belonging to God. 00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:42.400 That's our conversion. 00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:45.519 Now we have that conversion in the work of Jesus. 00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:49.599 That's what makes it secure for us, his work for us. 00:18:49.839 --> 00:18:52.640 Now back to the book I'm reading, Abba's Child. 00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:55.680 I got so curious about this. 00:18:55.759 --> 00:18:57.279 Is the image on the front of the book. 00:18:58.640 --> 00:19:00.720 I said, oh, it's the prodigal. 00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:01.920 It's the prodigal son. 00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:05.039 It took me a second to realize that I had to Google for a second. 00:19:05.359 --> 00:19:07.440 Cover art, Abba's Child. 00:19:09.200 --> 00:19:12.720 It's the prodigal son, it's drawn by Charles Macassie. 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:17.039 So Charles Macassy was the visual artist. 00:19:17.680 --> 00:19:22.640 His recent book is probably sitting on your coffee table, The Boy, the Mole, The Fox, and the Horse. 00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:27.759 Macassy became a Christian years ago while sitting on the toilet. 00:19:27.920 --> 00:19:31.119 And he heard he heard the song, Oh Happy Day. 00:19:31.599 --> 00:19:34.880 Some of you have you've sung that song on the toilet. 00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:36.559 You had some victory. 00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:38.319 It was your own journey. 00:19:39.119 --> 00:19:40.240 We don't need to know about it. 00:19:40.559 --> 00:19:43.759 That's how he was converted on the toilet. 00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:47.759 Now Macassie drew a second picture. 00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:49.680 The prodigal daughter. 00:19:49.839 --> 00:19:52.319 And here's the image of the prodigal daughter. 00:19:54.720 --> 00:19:56.880 And just keep that picture up while I read. 00:19:57.039 --> 00:20:02.000 Just in closing, I'll read that text that he has written in the background. 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:04.960 This is the story of the prodigal daughter. 00:20:05.519 --> 00:20:12.240 It should really be called the running father, who waited every day for his girl to come home. 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:15.599 The daughter who had rejected him so badly. 00:20:16.079 --> 00:20:23.119 But when he saw her from a long way off, he ran to her and hugged her and kissed her. 00:20:25.119 --> 00:20:26.000 That's our story. 00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:27.200 Let's pray together. 00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:44.400 God, thank you for your grace to us that is known perfectly in the Son of Jesus, the very one who taught this parable, for us to understand the Father's heart to us, to show us our need of the sacrifice of the calf. 00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:55.519 For us to see our need, for the party to begin, a life of faith and grace to begin, that it is your work for us on the cross. 00:20:56.559 --> 00:21:05.119 May we come more alive to that lavish love that you have for us, the sufficiency of the cross. 00:21:06.559 --> 00:21:10.000 May we root deeper into who we are as your children. 00:21:10.160 --> 00:21:12.160 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:21:12.319 --> 00:21:12.720 Amen.