Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: EG
Program Code: EG002924
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00:09 >> IT'S BEEN 2,000 YEARS SINCE THE GLORIOUS LIGHT OF THE CROSS
00:12 ILLUMINATED A WORLD VEILED IN DARKNESS AND CONFUSION 00:15 ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF GOD. 00:17 AND STILL TODAY, THE GREATEST NEED OF MANKIND IS A REVELATION 00:20 OF GOD'S LOVE AS REVEALED IN THE LIFE OF CHRIST. 00:23 AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS "THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL" 00:26 WITH PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR. 00:28 COMING TO YOU EACH WEEK FROM SACRAMENTO CENTRAL CHURCH 00:31 IN SUNNY CALIFORNIA. 00:32 DISCOVER HIDDEN TREASURES IN GOD'S WORD TODAY. 00:39 >> I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU THIS MORNING ONE OF THE MOST 00:43 BEAUTIFUL STORIES IN THE BIBLE. 00:45 THAT IS A PARABLE THAT JESUS SHARED, AND IT'S GENERALLY KNOWN 00:49 BY PEOPLE AS "THE PRODIGAL SON." 00:51 I STARTED TO TRY AND COME UP WITH SOME CREATIVE NEW TITLE, 00:56 AND I REALIZED IT DOESN'T NEED REINVENTING. 01:00 THERE'S ONE EXAMPLE IN THE BIBLE OF THIS STORY. 01:03 IT DOES NOT APPEAR IN THE GOSPELS OF MATTHEW OR MARK 01:07 OR JOHN. 01:08 IT'S ONLY FOUND IN LUKE CHAPTER 15. 01:11 AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO JUST READ THROUGH THE 01:13 STORY AS JESUS GAVE IT, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BACK UP AND LOOK 01:18 AT IT CAREFULLY BECAUSE IT'S FILLED WITH JUST WONDERFUL 01:22 ANALOGIES THAT HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND OUR FATHER AND 01:26 THE PLAN OF SALVATION. 01:28 SO, PLEASE TURN IN YOUR BIBLES TO LUKE CHAPTER 15 01:32 AND WE'LL BEGIN WITH VERSE 11. 01:37 LUKE 15:11, "NOW A CERTAIN MAN HAD TWO SONS. 01:47 AND THE YOUNGER OF THEM SAID TO HIS FATHER, 'FATHER, GIVE ME 01:51 THE PORTION OF GOODS THAT FALLETH TO ME.' 01:54 SO HE DIVIDED TO THEM HIS LIVELIHOOD. 01:57 AND NOT MANY DAYS AFTER, THE YOUNGER SON GATHERED ALL 02:00 TOGETHER, AND JOURNEYED TO A FAR COUNTRY, AND THERE HE WASTED HIS 02:04 POSSESSIONS WITH RIOTOUS OR PRODIGAL LIVING. 02:08 BUT WHEN HE HAD SPENT ALL, THERE AROSE A SEVERE FAMINE 02:13 IN THAT LAND, AND HE BEGAN TO BE IN WANT. 02:16 THEN HE WENT AND JOINED HIMSELF TO A CITIZEN OF THAT COUNTRY, 02:19 AND HE SENT HIM INTO HIS FIELDS TO FEED SWINE. 02:24 AND HE WOULD GLADLY HAVE FILLED HIS STOMACH WITH THE PODS THAT 02:27 THE SWINE ATE, AND NO ONE GAVE HIM ANYTHING. 02:31 BUT WHEN HE CAME TO HIMSELF, HE SAID, 'HOW MANY OF MY FATHER'S 02:36 HIRED SERVANTS HAVE BREAD ENOUGH AND TO SPARE, AND I PERISH 02:39 WITH HUNGER! 02:41 I WILL ARISE AND GO TO MY FATHER, AND I'LL SAY TO HIM, 02:44 'FATHER, I HAVE SINNED AGAINST HEAVEN AND BEFORE YOU, AND I AM 02:49 NO LONGER WORTHY TO BE CALLED YOUR SON. 02:51 MAKE ME LIKE ONE OF YOUR HIRED SERVANTS.' 02:54 AND HE AROSE AND CAME TO HIS FATHER. 02:57 BUT WHEN HE WAS STILL A GREAT WAY OFF, HIS FATHER SAW HIM AND 03:01 HAD COMPASSION, AND RAN AND FELL ON HIS NECK AND KISSED HIM. 03:06 AND THE SON SAID TO HIM, 'FATHER, I HAVE SINNED AGAINST 03:09 HEAVEN AND IN YOUR SIGHT, AND I AM NO LONGER WORTHY TO BE CALLED 03:13 YOUR SON.' BUT THE FATHER SAID TO HIS 03:15 SERVANTS, 'BRING OUT THE BEST ROBE AND PUT IT ON HIM, AND PUT 03:19 A RING ON HIS HAND AND SANDALS ON HIS FEET. 03:22 AND BRING THE FATTED CALF HERE AND KILL IT AND LET US 03:24 BE MERRY-- AND LET US EAT AND BE MERRY; 03:27 FOR THIS MY SON WAS DEAD AND IS ALIVE AGAIN; 03:30 HE WAS LOST AND IS FOUND.' AND THEY BEGAN TO BE MERRY. 03:35 NOW HIS OLDER SON WAS IN THE FIELD. 03:38 AND HE CAME AND DREW NEAR THE HOUSE, HE HEARD MUSIC 03:41 AND DANCING. 03:42 SO HE CALLED ONE OF THE SERVANTS AND HE ASKED WHAT THESE THINGS 03:45 MEANT. 03:47 AND HE SAID TO HIM, 'YOUR BROTHER HAS COME, AND BECAUSE HE 03:49 HAS RECEIVED HIM SAFE AND SOUND, YOUR FATHER HAS KILLED 03:52 THE FATTED CALF.' AND HE WAS ANGRY AND WOULD 03:55 NOT GO IN. 03:57 THEREFORE HIS FATHER CAME OUT AND PLEADED WITH HIM. 04:00 SO HE ANSWERED AND SAID TO HIM, SAID TO HIS FATHER, 04:03 'LO, THESE MANY YEARS I HAVE SERVED YOU; 04:06 AND I'VE NEVER TRANSGRESSED YOUR COMMANDMENT AT ANY TIME; 04:09 AND YOU NEVER GAVE ME AS MUCH AS A YOUNG GOAT, 04:12 THAT I MIGHT MAKE MERRY WITH MY FRIENDS. 04:14 BUT AS SOON AS THIS SON OF YOURS CAME, WHO HAS DEVOURED YOUR 04:17 LIVELIHOOD WITH HARLOTS, YOU KILLED THE FATTED CALF FOR HIM.' 04:23 AND HE SAID, 'SON, YOU ARE ALWAYS WITH ME, AND ALL THAT 04:25 I HAVE IS YOURS. 04:27 IT WAS RIGHT THAT WE SHOULD MAKE MERRY AND BE GLAD, FOR YOUR 04:30 BROTHER WAS DEAD AND IS ALIVE AGAIN, AND HE WAS LOST 04:34 AND IS FOUND.'" AND THAT'S WHERE THE PARABLE 04:37 ENDS. 04:40 JESUS NEVER TELLS US WHETHER OR NOT THE OLDER BROTHER WENT IN. 04:44 THIS STORY IS A BEAUTIFUL STORY, AND IT NEEDS TO BE STUDIED AND 04:48 UNDERSTOOD IN THE CONTEXT THAT IT IS THE THIRD IN A SERIES OF 04:52 THREE PARABLES. 04:54 JESUS TALKS ABOUT THE PARABLE OF THE LOST SHEEP. 04:57 HE TALKS ABOUT THE PARABLE OF THE LOST COIN. 05:00 AND THEN HE ENTERS AND HE CONCLUDES WITH THE PARABLE OF 05:02 THE LOST SON. 05:05 NOW, ALSO KEEP IN MIND THAT JESUS IS SPEAKING TO SCRIBES 05:10 AND PHARISEES THAT CONSIDER THEMSELVES RIGHTEOUS AND THEY 05:14 COULD NOT UNDERSTAND HOW GOD COULD ACCEPT THESE PUBLICANS AND 05:19 SINNERS SO FREELY AND GIVE THEM ETERNAL LIFE AFTER THE SCRIBES 05:24 AND THE PHARISEES HAD SERVED GOD SO FASTIDIOUSLY OVER ALL THESE 05:29 YEARS AND THE SINNERS WHO HAD JUST WASTED THEIR LIVES SERVING 05:34 THE DEVIL AND THE WORLD NOW COULD BE ALSO ACCEPTED AND GIVEN 05:37 EQUAL STATUS IN HEAVEN IN THE FATHER'S HOUSE. 05:40 AND SO, ONE OF THE PRINCIPLE THINGS THAT JESUS IS TRYING TO 05:43 TEACH IS THAT SALVATION IS AVAILABLE TO ALL WHO COME TO 05:46 THE FATHER'S HOUSE. 05:48 AND SO WITH THAT BACKGROUND, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS 05:50 GO THROUGH THIS STORY WITH YOU. 05:53 BY THE WAY, YOU'RE IN THE STORY. 05:56 YOU KNOW, I FOUND THAT IF YOU GIVE A PERSON A BOOK AND YOU 06:01 SAY, YOU KNOW, "I THINK YOU'RE IN THIS BOOK SOMEWHERE." 06:04 THEY'RE A LOT MORE LIKELY TO READ IT. 06:07 OR IF YOU HAND THEM A PICTURE AND SAY, YOU KNOW, "ARE YOU IN 06:10 THAT PICTURE SOMEWHERE?" 06:11 THEY'LL STUDY THE PICTURE AND WHAT'S THE FIRST THING THEY 06:13 LOOK FOR? 06:14 BUT I'M NOT TEASING YOU WHEN I SAY YOU'RE IN THE STORY 06:18 SOMEWHERE. 06:19 BECAUSE THIS STORY REALLY INVOLVES THE GREAT CONTROVERSY. 06:24 IT TALKS ABOUT THE FATHER, WHO IS THAT? 06:27 IT'S OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN. 06:29 IT TALKS ABOUT A SON WHO KNEW THE TRUTH AND WANDERED AWAY 06:31 AND CAME BACK. 06:33 ANYBODY WHO'S ENDED UP IN THE PIGPEN, WHETHER YOU STARTED 06:35 OUT THERE OR YOU WANDERED THERE, YOU'RE IN THE STORY. 06:38 IT TALKS ABOUT THOSE WHO WERE RAISED IN THE FATHER'S HOUSE 06:41 AND THEY NEVER REALLY RUN AWAY FROM HOME. 06:43 THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE OTHER GROUP, WHO'VE BEEN RAISED IN 06:45 THE FAITH OR IN THE CHURCH. 06:47 AND IT TALKS ABOUT THE MAN WHO SENT THAT BOY OUT INTO THE FIELD 06:51 TO FEED PIGS AND THAT'S THE DEVIL. 06:55 AND SO, YOU'VE GOT THE FATHER'S HOUSE AND THE FATHER'S SERVANTS. 06:59 YOU'VE GOT THE FAR COUNTRY AND THE FRIENDS THERE AND 07:02 THE STRANGER WHO SENDS HIM OUT IN THE FIELD TO FEED PIGS, 07:05 YOU'VE GOT THE DEVIL, AND YOU'VE GOT EVERYBODY ELSE INVOLVED. 07:09 AND SO, EVERYONE IS IN THIS STORY SOMEWHERE. 07:13 ALRIGHT, FIRST OF ALL, LET'S TAKE IT POINT BY POINT AND SEE 07:16 WHAT WE CAN LEARN ALONG THE WAY. 07:19 IT TALKS ABOUT ONE FATHER AND TWO SONS. 07:23 BY THE WAY, THERE ARE TWO DESTINIES. 07:25 JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED BETWEEN TWO INDIVIDUALS. 07:29 WE BELIEVE ONE WAS LOST AND ONE WAS SAVED. 07:32 THE INTERESTING THING IS THEY BOTH ASKED FOR SALVATION, 07:36 "A CERTAIN MAN HAD TWO SONS, AND THE YOUNGER OF THEM SAID 07:40 TO HIS FATHER, 'FATHER, GIVE ME THE PORTION OF GOODS 07:43 THAT FALLS TO ME.'" SO THE FATHER, OF COURSE, 07:46 REPRESENTS OUR FATHER, WHICH ART IN HEAVEN, JESUS SAID. 07:50 IF YOU READ IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, 07:52 THEY EVEN UNDERSTOOD IN THE TIME OF CHRIST FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 07:54 SCRIPTURES THAT GOD WAS OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN. 07:57 MALACHI 2:10, "HAVE WE NOT ALL ONE FATHER? 08:01 HAS NOT ONE GOD CREATED US?" 08:04 NOW, IT IS TRUE THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE REJECTED THEIR 08:10 FATHER IN HEAVEN. 08:11 THE BIBLE SAYS JESUS DECLARED, "YOU ARE OF YOU FATHER, 08:14 THE DEVIL." 08:15 BUT ULTIMATELY, EVERYONE BELONGS TO GOD THE FATHER. 08:19 THIS IS OUR FATHER'S WORLD. 08:21 THIS YOUNG MAN WANTED TO LEAVE. 08:24 WHY? 08:26 WHY DID HE WANT TO LEAVE? 08:27 DOES THE BIBLE EVER TELL US THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG 08:29 WITH THE FATHER? 08:31 WELL EVENTUALLY, HE CAME TO HIS SENSES AND FOUND OUT THAT 08:34 THE FATHER WAS GOOD. 08:36 BUT SOMEHOW, HE DIDN'T RECOGNIZE THAT. 08:39 YOU KNOW, IT'S OFTEN TRUE, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'VE GOT 08:42 'TIL IT'S GONE. 08:43 AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO MIGHT GROW UP IN A FAMILY, CHRISTIAN 08:46 FAMILY, WHERE THERE'S SOME RULES AND THERE'S SOME GUIDELINES AND 08:49 THERE'S SOME STANDARDS AND THEY LOOK IN THE WORLD OUT THERE 08:51 AND THEY HEAR THE ALLURE OF THE PLEASURES OF SIN, AND THEY BEGIN 08:57 TO CHAFE UNDER THE RESTRICTIONS OF THE FATHER'S HOUSE. 09:01 AND THEY THINK, "I CAN'T WAIT TO GET AS FAR AWAY AS I CAN." 09:04 YOU NOTICE IT'S THE YOUNGER SON, "AND TO ENJOY MY FREEDOM, 09:12 I DON'T WANT TO BE UNDER THE SHADOW OF MY FATHER. 09:17 I WANT TO GET AS FAR AWAY AS I CAN." 09:19 AND YOU KNOW, WHENEVER I READ THIS STORY, IT'S HARD FOR ME NOT 09:21 TO RELATE A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I HAD ONE REAL BROTHER WHO STAYED 09:26 HOME, WENT TO WORK FOR DAD, AND DID ALL THOSE THINGS 09:30 HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO. 09:31 I WAS THE YOUNGER BROTHER WHO WAS IRRESPONSIBLE AND WHEN 09:35 I RAN AWAY FROM MY DAD'S HOUSE IN FLORIDA, I WENT AS FAR 09:40 AS I COULD GET WITHOUT BUYING AN OCEAN LINER. 09:43 AND THAT WAS CALIFORNIA. 09:44 I WANTED TO GET AS FAR AWAY, AND YOU KNOW WHAT? 09:47 I WAS SO--WELL, I WAS SORT OF UPSET WITH MY FATHER AND JUST 09:53 WANTED TO BE OUT FROM UNDER HIM AND SO FED UP WITH WHAT WAS 09:57 GOING ON THERE THAT I DIDN'T EVEN CALL HOME FOR MONTHS. 10:03 AND YOU KNOW, 30 YEARS LATER WHEN I TALKED TO MY FATHER, 10:07 HE WAS STILL UPSET ABOUT THAT. 10:09 AND THAT JUST--I DIDN'T REALLY REALIZE HOW MUCH IT HURT HIM 10:14 THAT HERE HE'S GOT THIS 15-YEAR-OLD THAT'S OFF LIVIN' 10:17 SOMEWHERE WITH THESE STREET PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA AND NEVER 10:23 EVEN CALLED. 10:24 I MEAN, ONCE EVERY FEW MONTHS, I'D MAKE A COLLECT PHONE CALL 10:26 AND JUST SAY, "YEAH, I'M FINE." 10:28 WOULDN'T TELL HIM VERY MUCH AND THAT WOULD BE THE END OF THAT. 10:31 AND DIDN'T REALLY REALIZE, YOU KNOW, KIDS SOMETIMES DON'T 10:35 REALIZE HOW MUCH THEY HURT THEIR PARENTS OR HOW MUCH THEIR 10:38 PARENTS LOVE THEM. 10:39 AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THE PARENTS DO, 10:40 IT'S SORT OF A CURSE, THEY SAY, "I HOPE YOU HAVE 10:42 KIDS JUST LIKE YOU." 10:46 ONE FATHER, TWO SONS. 10:50 AND HE SAYS, "FATHER, GIVE ME THE PORTION OF GOODS THAT FALLS 10:53 TO ME." 10:54 THIS MIGHT YOU CALL ESTATE PLANNING. 10:57 NOW, THAT MIGHT SEEM ODD TO YOU OR VERY COLD. 11:03 I MEAN WHAT WOULD IT MEAN IN OUR CULTURE TODAY IF A BOY WALKED UP 11:06 TO HIS DAD AND SAID, "YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT'S GOING 11:09 TO TAKE YOU TO DIE, BUT WHATEVER YOU'RE THINKING OF GIVING ME IN 11:12 THE WILL, CAN I HAVE MINE NOW?" 11:15 AND I'VE ACTUALLY HEARD PREACHERS PORTRAY IT THAT WAY. 11:17 IN THE FAR EAST OR IN THE MIDDLE EAST, 11:20 THAT IS NOT THAT UNUSUAL BECAUSE FATHERS TYPICALLY 11:24 DIVIDED THEIR ESTATE TO THEIR CHILDREN WHILE THEY WERE ALIVE. 11:29 THAT'S ASSUMING THEY HAD SOME INFLUENCE, AND THAT WAS 11:32 SUPPOSEDLY SUPPOSED TO HELP THEM GET ESTABLISHED WITH THEIR WIVES 11:35 AND THEIR NEW FAMILIES. 11:37 AND SO, THIS YOUNG BOY, HE'S NOT MARRIED, SO HE IS ASKING THAT. 11:40 HE SAYS, "LOOK, I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY PROSPECTS BUT DON'T 11:43 WAIT UNTIL I'M ENGAGED AND START A FAMILY. 11:46 DAD, I WANT MY INHERITANCE NOW." 11:48 HE WASN'T REALLY SAYING, "I WISH YOU WERE DEAD." 11:50 BUT THAT COULD'VE BEEN IMPLIED. 11:53 ONE THING THAT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND FROM THIS IS HE'S 11:55 KIND OF SAYING, "I WANT YOUR MONEY, BUT I DON'T WANT YOU." 11:59 NOW BEFORE I RUSH PAST THIS POINT, THE FATHER DOES IT. 12:05 HE GIVES HIM THE ESTATE. 12:07 I'D LIKE TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT AND TALK TO PARENTS HERE ABOUT 12:12 ESTATE PLANNING. 12:16 YOU KNOW, IT'S POSSIBLE TO GIVE TOO MUCH TO YOUR CHILDREN. 12:21 DO YOU KNOW THAT? 12:23 AND BELIEVE ME, I HAVE SEEN IT. 12:27 IT IS POSSIBLE AND MY DAD UNDERSTOOD THAT MONEY COULD 12:33 DESTROY YOU. 12:34 HE TOOK THE BULK OF HIS ASSETS AND HE PUT IT IN A FOUNDATION. 12:36 MY DAD WAS NOT A CHRISTIAN. 12:38 IF HE WAS A CHRISTIAN, I WOULD HOPE THAT HE WOULD'VE TAKEN 12:40 THE BULK OF HIS ASSETS AND PUT IT INTO GOD'S WORK SOMEHOW. 12:43 IF YOUR CHILDREN ESPECIALLY ARE NOT BELIEVERS, IF YOU INVEST THE 12:51 BULK OF YOUR RESOURCES IN THEM-- HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN TRAGIC 12:56 STORIES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CHRISTIANS ALL THEIR LIFE AND 12:58 THEY'VE ACCUMULATED SOME WEALTH AND THEN THEY DIE AND THEY GIVE 13:01 IT TO THEIR CHILDREN THAT DO NOT BELIEVE AND WHAT HAPPENS? 13:05 THAT MONEY THAT COULD'VE GONE INTO THE CAUSE OF GOD AND 13:08 EXPANDING THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS SQUANDERED ON WORLDLY THINGS 13:12 OR IT'S FRITTERED AWAY. 13:13 AND YOU KNOW, THOSE PARENTS, THEY MAY LOVE THEIR CHILDREN 13:18 BUT I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S AN ACCOUNT THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE 13:20 TO GOD FOR ACTUALLY ENCOURAGING WASTEFULNESS. 13:26 I THINK YOU OUGHT TO GIVE, EVEN TO YOUR UNBELIEVING CHILDREN, 13:29 YOU OUGHT TO GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO DEMONSTRATE YOU LOVE THEM. 13:33 BUT YOU ALSO OUGHT TO DEMONSTRATE TO YOUR CHILDREN 13:36 THAT YOUR PRIORITY IS GOD. 13:39 YOU WILL SEND A MESSAGE TO THEM BY MAKING SURE YOU REMEMBER 13:44 THE WORK OF GOD IN YOUR WILL. 13:47 SO, THE FATHER DIVIDED UNTO THEM HIS SUBSTANCE. 13:51 NOW, IT DOESN'T TELL US HOW MUCH HE GAVE HIM. 13:53 BUT THIS EVIDENTLY WAS A MAN OF SOME MEANS. 13:56 HE'S THE YOUNGER SON AND SO ACCORDING TO THE LAW, THE OLDER 13:59 SON, THERE'S ONLY TWO BOYS, HE WAS TO GET A DOUBLE PORTION. 14:02 IF THERE'S ONLY TWO SONS, THAT WOULD MEAN THE OLDER SON GETS 14:04 2/3, THE YOUNGER SON WOULD GET 1/3, THE FATHER, HE, OF COURSE, 14:09 GETS TO ENJOY THE HOUSE AND ALL OF THE EXISTING ASSETS AS LONG 14:12 AS HE'S ALIVE. 14:15 AND SO, HE GAVE THIS SON WHAT HE ASKED FOR. 14:17 NOW, DID IT END UP DOING THE SON ANY GOOD? 14:21 WHICH BRINGS ME TO ANOTHER IMPORTANT POINT, DOES GOD 14:24 SOMETIMES ANSWER PRAYERS WHEN WE'RE NOT PRAYING FOR 14:29 THE RIGHT THING? 14:31 IS IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO ASK GOD FOR SOMETHING AND PLEAD 14:35 FOR SOMETHING THAT MAYBE YOU SHOULDN'T GET, BUT HE'LL GIVE IT 14:37 TO YOU BECAUSE YOU SAY, "I'VE GOT TO HAVE IT." 14:41 DID THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL PLEAD AND YEARN FOR QUAIL? 14:45 GOD DIDN'T SAY, "YOU KNOW, I REALLY THINK QUAIL SHOULD BE 14:48 PART OF YOUR MENU." 14:50 THEY ASKED FOR SOMETHING ADDITIONAL. 14:53 THEY STARTED LUSTING FOR THE FLESHPOTS OF EGYPT. 14:55 GOD SAY, "OKAY, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU QUAIL. 14:57 I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU QUAIL LIKE YOU'VE NEVER HAD QUAIL. 15:01 I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU QUAIL SO IT'S GOING TO BE PILED UP 3-FEET 15:03 DEEP ALL AROUND THE CAMP. 15:05 YOU'RE GOING TO EAT QUAIL SO YOU ARE SO FULL OF QUAIL, IT IS 15:07 GOING TO COME OUT OF YOUR NOSE." 15:09 THAT'S WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS, AND THAT'S TALKING ABOUT--THAT 15:12 WAS AN EXPRESSION THEY USED IN HEBREW FOR VOMITING. 15:15 I WON'T GO INTO DETAIL. 15:16 BUT HE SAID, "I'LL GIVE YOU WHAT YOU'RE PRAYING FOR." 15:20 ONE TIME, THEY PRAYED AND SAID, "OH, WOULD GOD WE HAD DIED IN 15:23 THIS WILDERNESS!" 15:26 AND GOD SAID, "OKAY, I'M GOING TO ANSWER YOUR PRAYER. 15:28 BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU PRAY FOR." 15:30 SOMETIMES, GOD'LL ANSWER PRAYERS AND YOU'LL BE SORRY HE DID. 15:35 SO, YOU NEED TO PRAY ACCORDING TO GOD'S WILL. 15:38 AND THE FATHER SAID, "OKAY, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU WHAT YOU'RE 15:41 ASKING FOR." 15:42 YOU NOTICE THE BOY WANTS THE FATHER'S RESOURCES, BUT HE 15:47 DOESN'T WANT THE FATHER, 'CAUSE THE FIRST THING THAT HAPPENS 15:50 AFTER THE FATHER DIVIDES THE INHERITANCE, IT SAYS HE 15:54 TAKES THE MONEY AND HE RUNS. 15:57 YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER THE STORY ABOUT THE MENENDEZ BROTHER A FEW 16:03 YEARS AGO, LYLE AND ERIC MENENDEZ, WHO HAD VERY WEALTHY 16:07 PARENTS. 16:09 AND ON AUGUST 20TH, 1989, WE MAY NEVER KNOW EXACTLY WHAT 16:14 THE REASONS ARE, THE BOYS TOOK A SHOTGUN AND THEY 16:19 MURDERED THEIR PARENTS IN THE LIVING ROOM. 16:23 THEN, THEY CONCOCTED SOME STORY. 16:25 THEY WENT TO A MOVIE. 16:25 IT WAS ALL PREMEDITATED, TOOK RECEIPTS OF THIS "BATMAN" MOVIE 16:29 THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE GONE TO, AND CAME HOME AND FEIGNED 16:34 THAT THEY WERE CALLING 9-1-1 AND THAT SOMETHING HAD--THERE 16:37 HAD BEEN THIS TERRIBLE MURDER, AND THE POLICE EVIDENTLY 16:39 BELIEVED IT AND STARTED SEARCHING FOR THE MURDERERS. 16:41 BUT THEN, THEY NOTICED THE BOYS IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AND MONTHS 16:45 FOLLOWING THE MURDER WERE LIVING PRETTY HIGH ON THE HOG. 16:49 I MEAN THEY WERE SPENDING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS 16:52 ON CARS AND PRIVATE TENNIS LESSONS AND ROLEX WATCHES. 16:57 AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, I THINK THEY SPENT A MILLION DOLLARS 17:00 OF THEIR PARENTS' MONEY. 17:01 THEY DIDN'T WANT THEIR PARENTS, BUT THEY WANTED THEIR PARENTS' 17:04 MONEY. 17:06 AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE AND IN THE WORLD, 17:10 THEY WANT THE BLESSINGS OF GOD. 17:13 THEY WANT EVERYTHING GOOD THAT GOD CAN GIVE THEM, BUT THEY 17:16 DON'T REALLY WANT GOD. 17:17 AND SOME PASTORS OUT THERE EXPLOIT THAT WEAKNESS IN HUMAN 17:21 NATURE AND THEY'VE TWISTED THE GOSPEL INTO THIS PROSPERITY 17:25 GOSPEL THAT SAYS, "YOU KNOW, IF YOU TAKE GOD, YOU GET ALL THESE 17:29 GOODIES, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE GOD ALSO." 17:32 BECAUSE WHAT THE PEOPLE REALLY WANT IS THE GOODIES, 17:34 THEY DON'T WANT GOD. 17:35 THEY SAY, "ALRIGHT WELL, IF THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE GOODIES IS 17:37 TO TAKE GOD, OKAY, I'LL COME TO GOD AND I'LL BE WEALTHY, 17:42 HEALTHY AND WISE. 17:44 AND I'LL HAVE ALL THESE BLESSINGS AND RICHES." 17:47 AND THEY'VE GOT THIS WHOLE PROSPERITY GOSPEL. 17:49 I TALKED ABOUT THAT A LITTLE LAST WEEK WHEN I WAS TALKING 17:53 ABOUT THE RICH YOUNG RULER, BUT IT APPLIES HERE AS WELL. 17:57 DO YOU REALLY WANT THE LORD OR DO YOU JUST WANT THE FRINGE 18:01 BENEFITS? 18:03 IF YOU COULD CHOOSE BETWEEN THE FATHER AND FATHER'S BLESSINGS, 18:06 WOULD YOU SAY, "YOU KNOW, EVEN IF MY LIFE IS ONE OF TRIAL 18:10 AND A CROSS, I STILL WANT THE FATHER. 18:14 I LOVE HIM MORE THAN HIS STUFF"? 18:17 I THINK SOMETIMES WE TRAIN OUR CHILDREN TO WANT OUR STUFF 18:20 INSTEAD OF US BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR OUR CHILDREN, AND 18:23 INSTEAD WE BUY THEM LITTLE GIFTS AND TOYS AND GIVE THEM THINGS 18:26 TO GET THEM OUT OF OUR HAIR. 18:28 BUT WE DON'T GIVE THEM OUR TIME, AND SO WE ARE TRAINING THEM TO 18:32 VALUE OUR STUFF INSTEAD OF US. 18:35 WHAT DOES GOD REALLY WANT? 18:37 DOES HE WANT TO JUST GIVE US THINGS OR DOES HE WANT US? 18:42 HE WANTS A RELATIONSHIP WITH US. 18:45 WELL, THIS YOUNG MAN TOOK THE MONEY AND HE RAN. 18:48 AS SOON AS HE GOT THINGS PACKED, HE WENT INTO A FAR COUNTRY. 18:51 HE SAID, "I WANT TO GET AWAY, SO FAR AWAY FROM DAD THAT I DON'T 18:55 EVEN KNOW ANYBODY THAT KNOWS DAD. 18:58 I WANT TO GET SO FAR AWAY THAT HE'S NOT GOING TO KNOW ANYBODY 19:00 THAT KNOWS ME. 19:02 I'M GOING TO DO THINGS THAT HE WON'T KNOW ABOUT AND SO, I DON'T 19:06 WANT TO BE UNDER HIS SHADOW OR HIS EYE ANYMORE." 19:10 BUT WHERE CAN YOU REALLY FLEE FROM GOD'S PRESENCE? 19:14 IS THERE ANYWHERE YOU CAN GO? 19:16 AND SO WHILE THAT YOUNG MAN WAS GONE, IT SAYS, "HE WASTED HIS 19:22 POSSESSIONS WITH RIOTOUS OR PRODIGAL LIVING." 19:28 HE JUST SAID, "LOOK, I'M GONNA GO INTO THE WORLD 19:33 AND I'M GOING TO HAVE FUN. 19:35 AND HOW MANY YOUNG PEOPLE DO WE ALL KNOW AND THEY SAY, 'YOU 19:38 KNOW, MAYBE WHEN I'M OLDER, I'LL SERVE GOD BUT WHEN I'M YOUNG, 19:41 I WANT TO ENJOY THE WORLD.'" AND SO, THEY GO OUT THERE 19:44 IN THE WORLD. 19:45 NOTICE THE WORLD "WASTED." 19:48 AS A MATTER OF FACT, SOME PEOPLE WHEN THEY GET DRUNK OR HIGH, 19:50 HOW DO THEY DESCRIBE IT? 19:52 "I WAS WASTED." 19:54 AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE WASTED THEIR LIVES LIVING, TRYING TO 19:58 FIND SATISFACTION IN THE WORLD. 20:00 YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO HAPPINESS IN THE WORLD. 20:03 I KNOW. 20:05 I DRANK, I SMOKED, I USED DRUGS, I LIVED IMMORALLY. 20:12 I DID EVERYTHING I COULD THINK OF THAT THE WORLD DOES. 20:14 WILD LIVING, ALL-NIGHT PARTIES, I WON'T EVEN GO INTO DETAIL. 20:20 BUT I KNOW WHAT'S OUT THERE AND YOU KNOW WHAT? 20:23 IT LEAVES YOU SICK AND HUNG-OVER AND EMPTY AND GUILTY. 20:26 YOU FEEL ASHAMED. 20:27 YOU FEEL DIRTY. 20:30 IT DOESN'T BRING SATISFACTION. 20:31 THERE'S NO PURPOSE. 20:34 BUT THERE'S THE PLEASURE OF SIN HAS AN ALLURE TO IT, AND 20:40 THE DEVIL TRIES TO MARKET IT TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE 20:43 THAT THEY'RE MISSING OUT. 20:45 AND SO, THEY GO AND THEY DO THE DANCING SCENE AND THE PARTYING 20:48 SCENE AND THE SCENE OF THE WORLD AND ALL THE ENTERTAINMENT 20:53 AND THE TALK OF THE WORLD AND THE SPORTS CRAZES AND 20:56 ALL THE DIFFERENT SHOPPING ADDICTIONS AND IT DOESN'T BRING 21:01 ANY SATISFACTION. 21:04 HE HAD MONEY FOR A WHILE AND WHEN HE HAD MONEY, 21:07 HE HAD FRIENDS. 21:08 AND LIFE WAS ONE BIG PARTY. 21:11 BUT HOW LONG DOES IT LAST WHEN YOU LIVE THAT WAY? 21:15 ANY INHERITANCE THAT'S RECEIVED HASTILY LIKE THAT IS SQUANDERED. 21:18 YOU KNOW, THE NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE SAYS, 21:22 "HE SQUANDERED HIS ESTATE WITH LOOSE LIVING." 21:27 PROVERBS 6:26, "FOR ON ACCOUNT OF A HARLOT, ONE IS REDUCED TO A 21:33 LOAF OF BREAD AND AN ADULTERESS HUNTS FOR THE PRECIOUS LIFE." 21:38 BY THE WAY, HIS BROTHER SAID, "THIS SON OF YOURS WHO'S WASTED 21:40 HIS SUBSTANCE WITH HARLOTS." 21:43 HE'D BEEN LIVING AN IMMORAL LIFE. 21:47 PROVERBS 21:17, "HE WHO LOVES PLEASURE WILL BECOME 21:52 A POOR MAN." 21:56 PROVERBS 23:19, "HEAR, MY SON, AND BE WISE, AND GUIDE YOUR 22:01 HEART IN THE WAY. 22:02 DO NOT MIX WITH WINE BIBBERS OR WITH GLUTTONOUS EATERS OF MEAT 22:06 FOR THE DRUNKARD AND THE GLUTTON WILL COME TO POVERTY AND 22:09 DROWSINESS WILL CLOTHE A MAN WITH RAGS." 22:14 IT'S NOT JUST THE DRINK, IT'S EVEN THE FOOD. 22:16 SOME PEOPLE MAKE A LIFE; INSTEAD OF EATING TO LIVE, THEY LIVE TO 22:19 EAT AND THEY WORSHIP THE PLEASURE OF THE PALATE. 22:23 OTHERS, IT'S DRUGS OR YOU TAKE YOUR PICK. 22:27 THERE'S A BROAD SPECTRUM OF DISTRACTIONS IN THE WORLD. 22:31 ISAIAH 55:2, "WHY DO YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY FOR THAT WHICH IS NOT 22:36 BREAD AND YOUR WAGES FOR THAT THAT DOES NOT SATISFY? 22:40 LISTEN CAREFULLY TO ME AND EAT WHAT IS GOOD, AND LET YOUR SOUL 22:44 DELIGHT ITSELF IN ABUNDANCE." 22:46 SO, THE SON IS OUT THERE SQUANDERING HIS LIFE. 22:50 WHO IS PAYING THE EXPENSE FOR HIS FOLLY? 22:54 THE FATHER IS. 22:56 HE'S DOING THIS AT THE FATHER'S EXPENSE. 22:58 AND ALL THOSE YEARS THE FATHER WORKED TO RAISE THAT MONEY, 23:03 THE SON IS NOW WASTING IT. 23:06 WE ARE WASTING THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS SOMETIMES WHEN WE RUN TO 23:11 THE WORLD. 23:12 AND THEN, IN HIS MERCY, GOD SENDS TROUBLE. 23:16 IT SAYS A FAMINE AROSE. 23:19 GOD OFTEN SENDS TROUBLE TO SAVE US. 23:22 A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE IN THE WORLD WILL TELL YOU 23:25 WHEN THEY COME BACK TO THE LORD, THEY'LL SAY, 23:27 "YOU KNOW, THEN A CRISIS CAME AND GOD PUT THIS WEIGHT ON 23:31 MY BACK AND SENT ME TO MY KNEES. 23:33 THERE WAS THIS TERRIBLE HEALTH PROBLEM THAT I HAD" OR "MY BEST 23:37 FRIEND DIED IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND SUDDENLY, I WOKE UP." 23:40 SOME FAMINE COMES INTO THEIR LIFE. 23:43 THEY BEGIN TO RUN OUT OF THE RESOURCES OF THE WORLD, 23:46 AND THEY REALIZE IT'S EMPTY. 23:50 WHEN YOU PRAY FOR THE SALVATION OF YOUR LOVED ONES, DO YOU JUST 23:56 PRAY FOR THEIR PROTECTION OR HAVE YOU PRAYED AND SAID, "LORD, 23:58 YOU DO WHATEVER IT TAKES"? 24:01 "IF IT MEANS YOU NEED TO SEND A FAMINE IN ORDER TO SAVE THEM, 24:04 SEND A FAMINE." 24:06 THERE'S BIBLE SUPPORT FOR THAT. 24:09 NOW, WE ALL KNOW THE STORY ABOUT ELIJAH PRAYING THAT GOD WOULD 24:12 SEND THE RAIN AT THE END OF THE FAMINE BUT MANY PEOPLE 24:15 FORGET ELIJAH IS THE ONE WHO PRAYED FOR THE FAMINE. 24:19 JAMES 5:17, "ELIJAH WAS A MAN WITH A NATURE LIKE OURS AND HE 24:24 PRAYED EARNESTLY THAT IT WOULD NOT RAIN." 24:28 WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? 24:30 NOW IN CALIFORNIA, WHAT ARE WE PRAYING FOR, RAIN OR NO RAIN? 24:33 BUT IF CALIFORNIA STARTS GOING DOWN THE WRONG ROAD MORALLY, 24:39 I GUESS IT'S TIME, ISN'T IT? 24:42 DO YOU THEN PRAY FOR FAMINE? 24:45 WELL, WHAT WILL THAT MEAN TO ME? 24:48 IF IT MEANS THE SAVING OF A NATION OR THE SAVING OF GOD'S 24:52 PEOPLE, SHOULD WE PRAY THAT GOD SENDS TROUBLE THAT GOD'LL SAVE 24:57 HIS PEOPLE? 24:58 YOU KNOW, FOLKS HAVE ASKED ME BEFORE, "WHAT DO YOU THINK IS 25:02 GOING TO BRING THE LATTER RAIN? 25:03 WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO REVIVAL?" 25:05 IF I READ MY BIBLE CORRECTLY, IT'S GOING TO BE PERSECUTION. 25:08 THERE'LL BE TRIAL. 25:10 GOD'S PEOPLE DURING TIMES OF PLENTY END UP BECOMING 25:12 LAODICEAN. 25:14 WE THINK WE'RE RICH AND INCREASED WITH GOODS 25:15 AND IT'S OFTEN ONLY AFTER WE GO THROUGH A FAMINE 25:18 THAT WE TURN BACK TO GOD AND WE COME TO OUR SENSES AGAIN. 25:22 SO WHEN YOU PRAY FOR YOUR LOVED ONES THAT MAY BE LOST, I'M 25:26 ASSUMING THAT WE ALL KNOW SOMEBODY. 25:27 LET ME JUST SEE IF I'M RIGHT. 25:28 HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW SOMEONE, A LOVED ONE, A FAMILY MEMBER, 25:31 FRIEND THAT'S LOST? 25:33 AND YOU PRAY FOR THEM, AND YOU'RE TEMPTED TO PRAY THAT 25:36 GOD'LL PROTECT AND BLESS THEM. 25:37 MAYBE WHAT YOU OUGHT TO BE SAYING IS, "LORD, DO WHATEVER 25:40 YOU NEED TO DO TO SAVE THEM"? 25:42 BECAUSE WHAT GOOD WILL IT BE IF THEY'RE COMFORTABLE AND 25:45 PROTECTED AND SO THEY DIE IN THEIR BED OF OLD AGE AND THEY'RE 25:49 LOST. 25:50 WOULDN'T YOU RATHER HAVE GOD DO WHATEVER HE NEEDS TO DO 25:53 TO SAVE THEM? 25:55 SO, YOU MIGHT PRAY THAT GOD'LL SEND A FAMINE. 25:58 THAT'S WHAT ELIJAH-- DID THAT FAMINE BRING THE NATION 26:00 BACK TO GOD? 26:02 IT DID. 26:03 IT BROUGHT A REVIVAL ULTIMATELY. 26:07 SO, A FAMINE AROSE. 26:10 NOW WHILE THAT YOUNG MAN WAS BUYING DRINKS FOR EVERYBODY IN 26:18 THAT FOREIGN LAND, WHEN HE HAD MONEY, HE PROBABLY HAD 26:20 A LOT OF FRIENDS. 26:21 HE WAS WASTING HIS SUBSTANCE WITH RIOTOUS LIVING. 26:24 AND YOU CAN BUY THE ILLUSION OF LOVE IF YOU'VE GOT ENOUGH MONEY. 26:28 I'VE SEEN THAT PLAY OUT. 26:32 IF YOU'VE GOT ENOUGH MONEY, YOU CAN BE A WRINKLED, OLD MAN OR 26:37 WOMAN AND YOU CAN FIND SOMEONE WHO'LL SAY, "I LOVE YOU 26:42 AND YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL." 26:46 TRUST ME. 26:49 I'VE SEEN IT. 26:50 IT'S REAL TRAGIC. 26:53 BUT WHEN THE MONEY RUNS OUT, THE LOVE RUNS OUT. 26:58 THERE'S ANOTHER VERSE IN THE BIBLE THAT TALKS ABOUT THAT. 27:01 PROVERBS 14:20, "THE POOR MAN IS HATED EVEN BY HIS OWN NEIGHBOR." 27:06 WHY? 27:07 THE POOR MAN'S ALWAYS BORROWING EVERYTHING. 27:09 "BUT THE RICH MAN HAS MANY FRIENDS." 27:13 AND I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE BIT--NOW, DOES SOLOMON KNOW 27:14 ABOUT RICH MEN? 27:17 WERE THEY FRIENDS? 27:19 AND WHEN THAT YOUNG BOY'S RESOURCES RAN OUT, HOW MANY 27:24 FRIENDS DID HE HAVE LEFT? 27:27 OH, THERE'S A FAMINE THAT AROSE IN THAT COUNTRY AND HE BEGAN TO 27:31 BE IN WANT AND HE WENT TO HIS BUDDIES THAT HE USED TO DRINK 27:34 WITH. 27:34 THEY WERE ALWAYS WILLING TO TAKE A DRINK WHEN HE WAS BUYING 27:37 OR WHEN THEY NEEDED SOME NEW CONTRAPTION FOR THEIR CHARIOT. 27:41 HE SAID, "OH, I'LL BUY IT FOR YOU. 27:43 IT'S ON ME." 27:44 'CAUSE HE FOUND EVERYONE LIKED HIM WHEN HE WAS GENEROUS, 27:46 THE GOOD OL' GUY. 27:47 AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN, HE'S OUT AND HE SAID, "HEY, HEY BUD, 27:50 YOU KNOW, I'M KINDA RUNNIN' A LITTLE SHORT HERE. 27:52 WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO HELP ME?" 27:53 "NO, I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE." 27:56 "NOT NOW, I'M HAVING HARD TIMES MYSELF." 27:59 NO MAN GAVE HIM ANYTHING. 28:01 NOW, THERE'S SOME SIGNIFICANCE TO THAT VERSE. 28:04 WHEN WE ARE IN SPIRITUAL WANT, IS THERE ANYTHING ANY MAN CAN 28:08 REALLY DO FOR US? 28:11 OR DO WE HAVE A PROBLEM THAT ONLY GOD CAN REALLY ADDRESS? 28:15 AND NO MAN'LL REALLY GIVE YOU WHAT ONLY GOD CAN GIVE YOU. 28:18 YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND YOUR SATISFACTION EXCEPT IN THE LORD. 28:22 SO FINALLY, HE JOINS HIMSELF TO A CITIZEN OF THAT COUNTRY 28:30 WHO SAYS, "YEAH, I GOT A JOB FOR YOU. 28:32 I WANT YOU TO FEED MY PIGS." 28:35 AND HE SENDS HIM INTO THE FIELD THERE AND PIGS LIKE TO WALLOW IN 28:40 THE MUCK, AND HE'S SLOGGING AROUND OUT THERE IN THE MIRE AND 28:45 THE MUCK AND HE'S SLOPPING PIGS. 28:48 HE'S THROWING HUSKS OUT TO THE PIGS. 28:51 AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S A DIRTY JOB. 28:55 I'VE GOT A NEIGHBOR THAT HAD PIGS WHEN WE LIVED UP IN 28:57 THE HILLS. 28:58 AND ONCE THEY HAD TO LEAVE TOWN, HE NOT ONLY ASKED ME IF I'D MILK 29:00 THE GOAT AND FEED THE HORSE, BUT HE SAID, "AND CAN YOU TAKE CARE 29:04 OF OUR PIGS?" 29:05 AND I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO FIND A BETTER WAY TO DESCRIBE WHAT 29:09 THAT'S LIKE EXCEPT TO TELL YOU THAT PIGS ARE PIGS. 29:13 THEY GOT A WHOLE WORD THAT'S GROWN UP AROUND THEIR REPUTATION 29:15 BECAUSE THEY STINK AND THEY'RE FILTHY AND THEY'RE UNCOUTH. 29:19 AND IF YOU'RE A JEW, WHAT WOULD BE THE LOWEST THING THAT YOU 29:25 COULD END UP DOING? 29:27 CHRIST IS SPEAKING NOW, OF COURSE, TO JEWISH LISTENERS. 29:30 AND THEY UNDERSTAND. 29:32 JUST TO REMIND YOU, EVEN JESUS SAID, SPEAKING OF THE PIGPEN, 29:36 "DO NOT GIVE WHAT IS HOLY TO THE DOGS NOR CAST YOUR PEARLS BEFORE 29:42 SWINE FOR THEY WILL TRAMPLE THEM UNDER THEIR FEET AND TURN 29:45 AND TEAR YOU IN PIECES." 29:47 AGAIN, PETER SAYS, "BUT IT'S HAPPENED TO THEM ACCORDING TO 29:49 THE TRUE PROVERB; THE DOG HAS RETURNED TO HIS OWN VOMIT, 29:52 AND THE PIG HAVING BEEN WASHED WHO ARE WALLOWING IN THE MIRE." 29:56 SOME OF YOU REMEMBER THAT CARTOON WRITTEN BY 30:00 CHARLES SCHULTZ, "PEANUTS." 30:02 AND ONE OF THE CHARACTERS, WHAT WAS HIS NAME? 30:04 PIGPEN. 30:06 AND EVERYWHERE HE WENT, HE TOOK WITH HIM THIS ATMOSPHERE OF 30:10 FILTH THAT JUST SWIRLED AROUND HIM AND HE ALWAYS HAD FLIES 30:13 BUZZING AROUND HIM. 30:15 AND MAYBE CHARLES SCHULTZ HAD A FRIEND LIKE THAT GROWING UP. 30:19 WE PROBABLY ALL KNOW SOMEBODY IN SCHOOL, ESPECIALLY ELEMENTARY 30:22 SCHOOL. 30:23 HOPEFULLY, THEY GROW OUT OF IT. 30:25 THAT ALWAYS SHOWED UP LOOKING A LITTLE BIT LIKE PIGPEN, 30:28 AND YOU WORRIED ABOUT THEIR HOME SITUATION, RIGHT? 30:32 GOD'S GOT SOME CHILDREN OUT THERE IN THE WORLD THAT 30:35 ARE LIKE PIGPEN. 30:37 AND IN THEIR THOUGHTS AND IN THEIR LIVES AND IN THEIR ATTIRE, 30:41 THEY JUST LOOK LIKE THE WORLD. 30:43 AND THEY'RE FILTHY, THEY'RE POOR AND THEY'RE WRETCHED 30:50 AND THEY'RE MISERABLE. 30:53 YOU REMEMBER THE DEMONIAC THAT JESUS DELIVERED? 30:57 AND HE CAST THE DEVILS OUT AND WHERE'D THE DEVILS GO? 31:00 THEY WENT INTO THE PIGS. 31:02 THAT MAN WHO WAS LIVING THERE AMONG THE DEAD WAS SURROUNDED 31:05 BY PIGS. 31:07 THAT'S THE PICTURE OF THE LOST WORLD THAT WE'RE IN, 31:10 AND HE ENDED UP IN THE PIGPEN. 31:13 STARTED OUT THINKING, "OH, I'LL BE SO MUCH BETTER OFF IF 31:16 I CAN JUST GET AWAY FROM HOME. 31:17 I'LL BE FREE." 31:20 AND THEN, HE BEGAN TO FIND OUT, "YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT AS NICE AS 31:23 I THOUGHT." 31:25 EVENTUALLY, YOU MIGHT ENJOY THE PLEASURES OF SIN FOR 31:28 A SEASON BUT IT DOESN'T LAST. 31:31 YOUR SIN WILL FIND YOU OUT AND THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS THERE IN 31:33 NUMBERS 32:23, THERE ARE ALWAYS DIFFICULT RETURNS ON 31:41 THE INVESTMENT WITH SIN. 31:45 WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT TOOK, PROBABLY JUST AFTER A WHILE, 31:50 FEEDING THOSE PIGS, GETTING SO HUNGRY THAT HE COULD FEEL THE 31:56 TOP OF HIS STOMACH SHAKING HANDS WITH THE BOTTOM OF HIS STOMACH. 31:59 AND EVEN THE HUSKS OF THE PIGS LOOKED GOOD. 32:06 HAVE YOU EVER BEEN SO HUNGRY THAT YOU'D EAT EVEN THE FOOD 32:09 YOU LIKE THE LEAST? 32:13 I WON'T TELL YOU WHAT THEY ARE, BUT I'VE GOT SOME THINGS THAT 32:19 I JUST CAN'T EAT, I DON'T KNOW HOW ANYBODY CAN EAT 'EM. 32:24 WELL, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT THEY ARE. 32:26 IT'S BEETS. 32:28 FIRST TIME I ATE BEETS, I THOUGHT, "WHY WOULD 32:31 ANYBODY EAT DIRT?" 32:32 IT TASTED LIKE DIRT TO ME. 32:34 I SEE SOME OF YOU NODDING. 32:35 IT'S JUST WE'RE ALL MADE DIFFERENT. 32:37 CAN I HAVE AN AMEN? 32:41 HA HA! 32:44 BUT I'VE NEVER BEEN HUNGRY ENOUGH TO EAT BEETS. 32:46 HE WAS SO HUNGRY, HE WAS WILLING TO EAT THE PIGS' FOOD. 32:53 NOW, SOMEONE'S GOING TO BRING BEETS TO THE POTLUCK TODAY. 33:01 AND THEN, HE BEGAN TO YEARN AFTER THE AROMA OF THE FRESH 33:06 BAKED BREAD IN HIS FATHER'S HOUSE AND TO THINK, 33:11 "WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME? 33:13 I HAD IT SO GOOD. 33:14 HERE, I WAS WEARING BRAND-NEW CLOTHES OFF THE HANGER. 33:17 AND NOW, I'M WEARING RAGS. 33:20 I HAD A CLEAN BATH EVERY DAY. 33:22 AND NOW, I STINK WITH NOWHERE TO BE CLEAN. 33:27 I WAS SURROUNDED WITH SERVANTS AND NOW I'M SURROUNDED 33:29 WITH PIGS. 33:31 I HAD FRIENDS THAT WOULD ALWAYS SHARE AND LEND, AND 33:34 NOW NOBODY'LL GIVE ME ANYTHING. 33:37 I HAD A FAMILY, AND NOW I'M SERVING A STRANGER." 33:40 AND HE SAYS, "HOW MANY SERVANTS IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE EAT BETTER 33:47 THAN ME? 33:48 THEY'VE GOT AN ABUNDANCE OF BREAD, THE SERVANTS DO." 33:56 AND FINALLY, HE CAME TO HIS SENSES. 33:59 LUKE 15:17, "WHEN HE CAME TO HIMSELF, HE SAID, 'HOW MANY OF 34:04 MY FATHER'S HIRED SERVANTS HAVE BREAD ENOUGH AND TO SPARE 34:07 AND I PERISH WITH HUNGER?'" YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T NEED 34:13 TO EAT THE PIGS' SLOP. 34:15 GOD WANTS US TO COME TO OUR SENSES. 34:18 SOMETIMES IT TAKES A WHILE FOR PEOPLE TO REALIZE, 34:21 "WHAT AM I DOING IN THE PIG PEN? 34:23 I COULD BE IN THE FATHER'S HOUSE." 34:25 YOU'LL NEVER FIND SATISFACTION WITH WHAT THE WORLD HAS 34:28 TO OFFER. 34:29 YOU'LL ONLY FIND IT IN THE BREAD OF GOD. 34:31 THERE IS BREAD IN THE FATHER'S HOUSE. 34:34 NOW, WHAT IS THE FATHER'S HOUSE? 34:36 WELL ULTIMATELY, JESUS SAID, "I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR 34:38 YOU; IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE ARE MANY MANSIONS." 34:41 ULTIMATELY, THE FATHER'S HOUSE IS HEAVEN. 34:44 WHILE WE'RE IN THIS WORLD, THE CLOSEST THING TO THE 34:47 FATHER'S HOUSE IS THE CHURCH, WHAT WE CALL THE "HOUSE OF GOD." 34:51 AND WHEN YOU COME TO CHURCH EVERY WEEK, AND WE OPEN UP 34:54 THE BIBLE, THIS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE. 34:57 THERE IS BREAD IN THE FATHER'S HOUSE AND TO SPARE. 35:01 THERE IS AN ABUNDANCE. 35:02 THE FAMINE, THERE'S A FAMINE FOR THE WORD OF GOD OUT THERE 35:06 IN THE WORLD. 35:07 YOU READ IN THE BOOK OF AMOS CHAPTER 8, "'THE DAYS ARE 35:09 COMING,' SAYS THE LORD, 'WHEN I WILL 35:11 SEND A FAMINE ON THE LAND.'" NOT A FAMINE FOR FOOD 35:14 OR A THIRST FOR WATER, BUT FOR HEARING THE WORD OF GOD 35:18 AND MEN'LL WANDER FROM NORTH TO SOUTH AND EAST TO WEST 35:21 LOOKING FOR THE WORD OF GOD AND THEY'LL NOT FIND IT. 35:26 YOU LISTEN TO WHAT PEOPLE TALK ABOUT OUT THERE IN THE WORLD, 35:29 AND SOME OF THE GOOFY THINGS THAT PEOPLE BELIEVE AND 35:33 THE EMPTY THINGS, THE HUSKS THAT THEY'RE EATING. 35:36 WHY DO YOU WANT TO EAT THAT WHICH IS NOT BREAD? 35:40 AND THERE'S NO SATISFACTION. 35:41 THERE'S NO NUTRITIONAL VALUE IN THE FOOD OF THE WORLD, BUT 35:45 THERE'S BREAD IN THE FATHER'S HOUSE THAT WILL SATISFY YOU. 35:49 IT'LL GIVE YOU A PURPOSE FOR LIVING. 35:52 IT'LL NOURISH YOUR SOUL. 35:53 BY THE WAY, WHAT IS THAT BREAD? 35:55 JESUS SAID, "I AM THE BREAD THAT CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN." 35:58 CHRIST IS THE WORD. 36:00 CHRIST IS THAT BREAD OF LIFE. 36:02 AND SO, HE SAID, "I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO WHERE THE BREAD IS. 36:07 WHY DID I EVER LEAVE?" 36:08 YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE WHO ARE RAISED IN THE CHURCH 36:12 ARE AT RISK. 36:14 'CAUSE IF YOU GREW UP SURROUNDED WITH FRESH BREAD EVERY DAY, 36:17 YOU GET TO WHERE YOU TAKE IT FOR GRANTED. 36:19 YOU GET OUT THERE IN THE WORLD AND YOU START FINDING OUT 36:22 THE BIZARRE AND ZANY AND EMPTY THINGS THAT THE WORLD BELIEVES, 36:26 THEIR IDEA OF BREAD, AND HOW PEOPLE JUST CHASE THEIR OWN TAIL 36:30 LOOKING FOR PURPOSE OUT THERE AND DO THE CRAZIEST THINGS 36:34 TRYING TO FIND HAPPINESS. 36:36 AND YOU START THINKING, "WHAT AM I DOING OUT HERE? 36:39 IN THE CHURCH, I HAD PURPOSE. 36:42 IN THE CHURCH, I HAD TRUTH THAT SATISFIES." 36:48 SO, HE CAME TO HIMSELF. 36:50 AND YOU NOTICE IT ALSO SAYS, "THE SERVANTS HAVE BREAD 36:54 ENOUGH AND TO SPARE." 36:56 YOU KNOW, WHEN JESUS FED THE MULTITUDES, 36:58 WAS THERE BREAD TO SPARE? 37:01 WERE THERE LEFTOVERS? 37:02 WHEN ELISHA, NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE KNOW THIS STORY, WHEN ELISHA 37:06 MULTIPLIED THE BREAD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, THERE WAS EXTRA. 37:10 WHEN HE MULTIPLIED THE OIL, THERE WAS EXTRA. 37:12 GOD HAS LEFTOVERS. 37:15 SO, HE REALIZES, "YOU KNOW, I NEED TO GO BACK TO MY FATHER 37:18 AND I'M GOING TO MAKE CONFESSION." 37:21 HE SAID, "I WILL ARISE AND I'LL GO TO MY FATHER AND I'LL SAY, 37:24 'FATHER, I HAVE SINNED AGAINST HEAVEN AND AGAINST THEE AND I'M 37:26 NO MORE WORTHY TO BE CALLED THY SON.'" 37:30 ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT HAS TO HAPPEN IF WE'RE GOING 37:32 TO MAKE OUR WAY HOME, WE NEED TO REALIZE THIS IS GOING TO BE 37:35 GRACE IF OUR FATHER TAKES US BACK. 37:37 WE DON'T DESERVE IT. 37:38 HE WENT OUT PROUD. 37:40 HE'S COMING HOME HUMBLE. 37:43 SO WHEN YOU COME HOME, IT NEEDS TO BE WITH A SPIRIT OF HUMILITY, 37:47 REALIZING, "YOU KNOW, I'VE WASTED MY LIFE, I'VE 37:50 WASTED MANY PRECIOUS YEARS." 37:53 HOSEA 14:1-2, "O ISRAEL, RETURN TO THE LORD YOUR GOD, 37:59 FOR YOU HAVE STUMBLED BECAUSE OF YOUR INIQUITY." 38:02 LISTEN TO THIS, "TAKE WORDS WITH YOU, AND RETURN TO THE LORD 38:06 AND SAY TO HIM, 'TAKE AWAY ALL INIQUITY; RECEIVE US GRACIOUSLY, 38:12 FOR WE WILL OFFER THE SACRIFICES OF OUR LIPS.'" 38:15 THE SON WAS PREPARING A SPEECH. 38:18 WHEN WE COME BACK TO GOD, SHOULD WE TAKE WORDS WITH US? 38:22 WHAT DOES THIS SYMBOLIZE? 38:23 PART OF THE STEP--ONE OF THE STEPS IN SALVATION 38:27 IS CONFESSION. 38:29 IT'S, YOU KNOW, YOU OFTEN HEAR PREACHERS TALK ABOUT COMING BACK 38:34 TO GOD AND THEY'LL SIMPLY SAY, "YOU JUST COME AND YOU REPEAT 38:37 THIS PRAYER, AND NOW YOU'VE GOT ETERNAL LIFE." 38:39 AND WE REALLY DON'T TEACH WHAT IT MEANS TO HUMBLE OURSELVES, TO 38:43 REPENT AND TO CONFESS TO GOD OUR SINS. 38:47 YOU DON'T CONFESS 'EM TO PEOPLE. 38:49 THERE MIGHT BE SOMEONE YOU NEED TO APOLOGIZE WITH OR RECONCILE 38:52 WITH AND SOMETIMES, THERE'S RIGHTS THAT NEED TO BE RIGHTED 38:57 OR WRONGS THAT NEED TO BE RIGHTED WITH OTHER INDIVIDUALS. 39:01 BUT YOU SHOULD CONFESS YOUR SINS TO GOD, AND YOU KNOW WHAT 39:05 THEY ARE. 39:07 YOU MIGHT EVEN ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT 39:09 TO HELP YOU MAKE A LIST, AND WE'RE TO COME TO THE LORD. 39:14 NOW, HE BEGINS TO MAKE THIS JOURNEY. 39:16 AND THIS IS ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL PARTS OF THE STORY. 39:19 SO, THE BOY GETS UP AND IT SAYS HE'S GONE TO A FAR COUNTRY. 39:22 HE PROBABLY--THE FIRST THING HE DID WHEN HE GOT OUT OF TOWN 39:25 IS HE BOUGHT A CHARIOT WHEN HE LEFT. 39:27 AND HE RODE THIS GILDED CHARIOT TO THIS FAR COUNTRY. 39:30 NOW, THE CHARIOT'S BEEN PAWNED. 39:32 HIS CLOTHES AND HIS JEWELS HAVE ALL BEEN PAWNED. 39:35 HE'S GOT NOTHING. 39:36 HE'S GOING BACK HOME ON FOOT. 39:39 HIS SANDALS ARE WORN OUT IF HE EVEN HAS THEM, 39:42 AND IT'S A LONG TRIP. 39:44 YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THE JOURNEY HOME TAKES A WHILE. 39:49 YOU CAN READ WHERE EVEN MARY AND JOSEPH TOOK THEIR EYES OF JESUS 39:52 AND IT SAYS, "WHEN THEY FOUND CHRIST, WE HAD SPENT THREE DAYS 39:56 SORROWING, SEARCHING FOR YOU." 39:59 WE TAKE OUR EYES OFF CHRIST, IT MIGHT TAKE A WHILE TO FIND 40:01 OUR WAY BACK. 40:02 SOME PEOPLE HAVE A REVOLVING DOOR IDEA OF GOD THAT YOU CAN 40:07 LEAVE HIM AND COME BACK AND LEAVE HIM AND COME BACK. 40:08 IT'S DANGEROUS TO LEAVE HIM BECAUSE SOMETIMES, YOU WANDER 40:11 AWAY FROM THE LORD AND YOU GO, YOU KNOW, 10 MILES IN THIS 40:14 DIRECTION, YOU'VE GOT TO TURN AROUND AND BACKTRACK. 40:17 GOD'LL RECEIVE YOU RIGHT AWAY, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S A PROCESS TO 40:21 EXTRICATE YOURSELF FROM THE PIGPEN. 40:25 SO, HE BEGINS HIS JOURNEY HOME. 40:28 "AND HE AROSE," I LIKE ALL THE TIMES I FIND IN THE BIBLE WHERE 40:32 IT SAYS WHEN PEOPLE CAME TO GOD, "THEY AROSE," 40:35 "AND CAME TO HIS FATHER." 40:38 GOD SAID TO JONAH, "ARISE AND DO MY WILL." 40:42 INSTEAD, HE WENT DOWN TO JOPPA. 40:45 "BUT WHILE HE WAS STILL A GREAT WAY OFF, HIS FATHER SAW HIM." 40:51 HOW IS IT HIS FATHER SAW HIM SO SOON? 40:56 BECAUSE THE FATHER IS LOOKING FOR HIM. 41:00 CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT THANKSGIVING WAS LIKE IN THAT 41:02 FATHER'S HOUSE WITH THAT EMPTY CHAIR EVERY YEAR? 41:06 AND HE JUST CONSTANTLY THOUGHT ABOUT THAT SON THAT WAS MISSING. 41:09 WHAT DO YOU THINK IT DID TO THE LIVING--NOT THE LIVING SON, 41:13 THE SON THAT STAYED HOME WHEN HE SAW THE FATHER PINING 41:18 FOR THE MISSING SON? 41:20 HE PROBABLY BEGAN TO GET A LITTLE BIT RESENTFUL. 41:23 HE SAID, "LOOK, I'M STILL HERE AND I SEE YOU ALL 41:25 THE TIME LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD. 41:27 WHAT ABOUT ME?" 41:29 AND I THINK DURING THE TIME THE FATHER WAS LONGING FOR 41:32 AND PINING AND YEARNING FOR THIS MISSING SON, HE KEPT GLANCING UP 41:37 THE ROAD, WISTFULLY, WISHING HIS SON WOULD COME BACK. 41:40 SO THAT AS SOON AS HE SAW THE FAMILIAR SILHOUETTE OF HIS 41:43 SON CRESTING THE HILL, EVEN THOUGH HIS STEP WAS A LITTLE 41:48 SLOWER, HE SAID, "THAT'S HIM. 41:51 HE IS COMING HOME." 41:53 DID THE FATHER SAY, "LOOK, I'M GOING TO WAIT UNTIL HE COMES TO 41:56 THE FRONT DOOR AND I'M GOING TO TAP MY FOOT AND FOLD MY ARMS 41:58 AND SAY, 'WELL, LOOK AT YOU! 42:01 WHERE ARE THOSE FINE CLOTHES THAT YOU WERE WEARING? 42:03 YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE SO SMART. 42:05 YOU WOULDN'T LISTEN TO ME. 42:06 I WAS RIGHT, WASN'T I? 42:08 ALL THOSE LECTURES THAT YOU WEREN'T LISTENING TO!'" 42:11 IS THAT WHAT THE FATHER DOES? 42:14 THAT'S WHAT MY FATHER DID. 42:17 AND SOMETIMES, I THINK THOSE OF US THAT ARE HERE, WE DON'T ACT 42:20 LIKE THE FATHER IN THE PARABLE. 42:22 MOMS AND DADS, WHEN OUR KIDS MAKE MISTAKES AND WE TOLD THEM 42:26 NOT TO GET INTO TROUBLE AND THEY GET INTO TROUBLE, WE LIKE 42:29 SOMETIMES FOLD OUR ARMS AND SAY, "I TOLD YOU SO." 42:33 BUT IT DOESN'T SAY THE FATHER DID THAT. 42:35 YOU KNOW WHY? 42:36 I'M SLOWLY LEARNING. 42:38 YOU USUALLY DON'T HAVE TO TELL A PERSON WHEN THEY'VE DONE 42:40 SOMETHING DUMB. 42:41 THEY USUALLY KNOW IT. 42:43 AND WHAT THEY REALLY NEED IS NOT YOUR LECTURE, 42:47 THEY NEED YOUR ACCEPTANCE. 42:50 NOW, THERE MIGHT BE TIMES WITH OUR KIDS THAT YOU MIGHT 42:53 NEED TO DEBRIEF A LITTLE BIT. 42:56 YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? 42:57 BUT WHAT THEY REALLY NEED IS ACCEPTANCE WHEN THEY'VE MADE 43:00 MISTAKES. 43:02 AND SO, HE BEGAN HIS JOURNEY HOME. 43:05 AND HE SAW HIM COMING NEAR. 43:07 WHAT DID THE FATHER DO? 43:08 HE RAN AND HE HAD COMPASSION. 43:10 INSTANTLY, HE WAS FILLED WITH COMPASSION. 43:12 "AND HE FELL ON HIS NECK AND HE KISSED HIM." 43:16 IMMEDIATELY, HE RECEIVES HIM, HE EMBRACES HIM. 43:20 YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE SAYS IN JAMES 4:8, "DRAW NEAR TO GOD 43:24 AND HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU." 43:27 AS SOON AS GOD SEES YOU DRAWING NEAR, YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER, 43:30 HE RUNS TO MEET YOU. 43:33 HEBREWS 10:22, "LET US DRAW NEAR WITH A TRUE HEART IN FULL 43:37 ASSURANCE OF FAITH, HAVING OUR HEARTS SPRINKLED FROM AN EVIL 43:40 CONSCIENCE AND OUR BODIES WASHED WITH PURE WATER." 43:43 DRAW NEAR. 43:45 1 CHRONICLES 28:9, "IF YOU SEEK HIM, HE WILL BE FOUND BY YOU. 43:51 BUT IF YOU FORSAKE HIM, HE'LL CAST YOU OFF FOREVER." 43:54 THAT'S WHAT DAVID SAID TO SOLOMON. 43:55 SEEK GOD, HE WILL BE FOUND. 43:57 HE WANTS TO BE FOUND BY YOU, BUT WE NEED TO COME HOME. 44:01 WE NEED TO DRAW NEAR TO GOD. 44:03 MALACHI 3:7, "'YET FROM THE DAYS OF YOUR FATHERS, YOU HAVE GONE 44:08 AWAY FROM ME, FROM MY ORDINANCE, AND YOU'VE NOT KEPT THEM. 44:12 RETURN TO ME AND I WILL RETURN TO YOU,' 44:15 SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS." 44:17 SO ALL THROUGH THE BIBLE, DO YOU SEE THAT IF WE ARE WILLING 44:19 TO REPENT, IF WE'RE WILLING TO CONFESS, IF WE'RE WILLING 44:22 TO COME BACK TO GOD AND SOFTEN OUR HEARTS AND HUMBLE OURSELVES, 44:26 HE'LL RECEIVE US? 44:28 HE'LL RUN TO MEET US. 44:30 AND HOW DID THE FATHER ACCEPT HIM? 44:33 HE PUT THE BEST ROBE ON HIM. 44:34 WHAT DOES THAT REPRESENT? 44:36 HE COVERS HIS FILTH. 44:38 THAT'S JUSTIFICATION. 44:39 THAT'S THE ROBE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT GOD'LL GIVE TO EVERYBODY 44:41 THAT COMES TO HIM. 44:43 JUST LIKE WE ARE, HE THEN COVERS UP THE WHOLE MISTAKE OF 44:47 THE PIGPEN WITH HIS BEST ROBE. 44:50 WHY IS IT THE BEST ROBE? 44:52 WHAT DID JACOB MAKE FOR JOSEPH, HIS SON THAT HE LOVED, 44:56 THE BEST ROBE? 44:57 JACOB WAS LIKE THE FATHER, JOSEPH LIKE JESUS THE SON 45:02 HAD THE BEST ROBE. 45:05 AND HOW DID THE BROTHERS COVER THE SIN, I'M TALKING 45:08 ABOUT JOSEPH'S BROTHERS? 45:10 WHEN THEY TOOK THE ROBE FROM JOSEPH, THEY COVERED IT 45:13 WITH BLOOD AND THEY PRESENTED IT TO THE FATHER. 45:16 THIS REPRESENTS THAT BLOOD-STAINED ROBE OF CHRIST 45:19 THAT HE OFFERS US TO COVER OUR SIN. 45:22 WE COME JUST AS WE ARE AND HE ACCEPTS US. 45:24 AND HE PUTS A RING ON HIS FINGER AND SOME PEOPLE, THEY LIKE 45:31 JEWELRY, AND THEY LOVE TO POINT TO THIS AND SAY, "AH-HA!" 45:35 AND I LIKE TO REMIND THEM, "FRIENDS, THAT HAD NOTHING 45:37 TO DO--IT MAY HAVE BEEN THE UGLIEST RING IN THE WORLD." 45:39 IT WAS A SIGNET RING. 45:40 IT HAD TO DO WITH YOU NOW HAVE THE AUTHORITY OF THE FAMILY. 45:44 YOU REMEMBER WHEN AHASUERUS TOLD ESTHER AND MORDECHAI, 45:46 "LOOK, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AUTHORITY. 45:48 HERE'S A RING." 45:49 WHEN JOSEPH WAS BROUGHT INTO THE PALACE OF PHARAOH, 45:52 HE SAID, "I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AUTHORITY. 45:53 HE'S A RING. 45:54 SO, YOU CAN SEAL DOCUMENTS." 45:55 AND THE FATHER WAS SAYING TO THE SON, "I'M NOT MAKING YOU AS 45:57 A HIRED SERVANT. 45:58 YOU'RE COMING BACK WITH A FULL STATUS OF A SON. 46:01 I'M GIVING YOU THE BEST ROBE, AND I'M GIVING YOU A FAMILY 46:05 SIGNET RING SO THAT YOU'VE GOT THE AUTHORITY OF A SON, 46:07 EVEN THOUGH YOU WASTED YOUR INHERITANCE." 46:10 THIS IS WHAT GOD IS SAYING, "BEHOLD WHAT MANNER OF LOVE 46:13 THE FATHER'S BESTOWED ON US," 1 JOHN CHAPTER 3, 46:17 "THAT WE SHOULD BE CALLED NOT JUST THE SERVANTS OF GOD 46:20 BUT THE SONS OF GOD." 46:22 HE ADOPTS US BACK IN AS HIS CHILDREN. 46:25 EVEN THOUGH BY EVERY RIGHT, HE SHOULD SAY, "I'M THROUGH 46:28 WITH YOU, I'M WRITING YOU OFF." 46:30 AND A LOT OF FATHERS DO THAT. 46:32 SONS RUN AWAY FROM HOME. 46:35 THEY SAY, "I'M THROUGH WITH YOU." 46:38 YOU KNOW, IN SOME RELIGIONS, SONS GO AWAY AND FATHERS SAY, 46:42 "LOOK, IF YOU CHANGE YOUR FAITH, I'M GOING TO DISOWN YOU. 46:45 I'M GOING TO ACT LIKE YOU'RE DEAD." 46:49 HE COMES HOME AND HE CELEBRATES AND ACCEPTS HIM. 46:54 NOW, THE FATHER SAYS, "BRING THE FATTED CALF HERE AND KILL IT." 46:58 THERE'S A SACRIFICE THAT'S MADE. 47:01 "AND LET US EAT AND BE MERRY." 47:03 THERE'S REJOICING THAT'S HAPPENING NOW 'CAUSE THE SON 47:06 HAS COME HOME. 47:07 WHAT HAPPENS IN HEAVEN WHEN SOMEONE IS SAVED? 47:11 REJOICING IS WHAT HAPPENS. 47:15 YOU CAN READ IN LUKE 15:6, THE SAME CHAPTER, 47:18 "AND WHEN HE COMES HOME, HE CALLS TOGETHER HIS FRIENDS 47:22 AFTER HE'S FOUND HIS LOST SHEEP. 47:24 HE SAYS, 'REJOICE WITH ME.'" LUKE 15:9, "AND WHEN SHE FINDS 47:28 THE MISSING COIN, SHE CALLS HER FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS 47:31 TOGETHER SAYING, 'REJOICE WITH ME FOR I FOUND THE PIECE 47:35 WHICH WAS LOST!'" LIKEWISE JESUS ADDS, "I SAY TO 47:39 YOU THERE IS JOY IN THE PRESENCE OF THE ANGELS OF GOD OVER 47:43 ONE SINNER WHO REPENTS." 47:45 YEAH, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW FAR AWAY THEY WENT FROM GOD, 47:48 HOW DESPICABLE THEIR WASTE WAS, HOW MANY PRIVILEGES THEY 47:53 SPURNED, HOW MUCH JESUS SUFFERED FOR THEM, THERE'S REJOICING 47:58 IN HEAVEN WHEN ONE OF THOSE CHILDREN COMES HOME. 48:01 AND THAT'S STILL TRUE TODAY. 48:04 NOW, YOU'LL NOTICE IN THE STORY IT SAYS, "THE PRODIGAL SON, 48:09 PART ONE." 48:11 I WAS EVEN TEMPTED TO TITLE THIS SERMON, 48:14 "THE PRODIGAL SONS" BECAUSE THERE'S TWO IN THE STORY 48:20 THAT ARE REALLY PRODIGAL, JUST IN DIFFERENT WAYS. 48:24 RIGHT NOW, WE'RE GOING TO PAUSE AND THINK ABOUT THE BEAUTY 48:29 OF THE FATHER'S RECEPTION. 48:31 HE FULLY RECEIVES HIS SON JUST AS HE IS WHEN HE COMES HOME, 48:36 EVEN THOUGH IT'S COST HIM SO MUCH. 48:39 HE WANTS THE SON. 48:41 HE'S NOT WORRIED ABOUT HIS WASTED RESOURCES. 48:44 WHAT HE WANTS IS THE SON. 48:46 AND WHAT THE LORD WANTS, OUR FATHER, WANTS EVERY CHILD 48:49 THAT HAS WANDERED AWAY AND HE IS LOOKING TO HAVE EACH ONE OF US 48:54 COME HOME. 48:55 NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE IN YOUR JOURNEY WITH GOD. 48:59 I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SEE YOURSELF AS ONE OF THE SONS THAT STAYED 49:01 HOME OR IF ONE THAT HAD MAYBE SQUANDERED, IT'S POSSIBLE THERE 49:06 ARE EVEN THOSE WHO ARE IN CHURCH. 49:07 I KNOW THERE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE WATCHING, MAYBE ON VIDEO OF THIS 49:10 PROGRAM, AND YOU'RE OUT THERE IN THE WORLD AND YOU'RE WATCHING 49:12 ON TV OR SOMEONE GAVE YOU A CD OR A DVD. 49:19 BUT EVEN THOSE WHO MIGHT BE SITTING IN THE CHURCH, IT'S 49:21 POSSIBLE TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO OUT OF HABIT OR A SENSE OF LOYALTY, 49:25 THEY COME TO CHURCH EACH WEEK, BUT THEY KNOW THEY'VE BEEN IN 49:27 THE PIGPEN AND THEY'RE STILL IN THE PIGPEN AND YET THEY'RE 49:31 IN CHURCH. 49:33 BECAUSE AS SOON AS THEY LEAVE CHURCH, THEY'RE IN THE WORLD 49:36 AND THE WORLD'S IN THEM. 49:38 AND GOD IS PRAYING AND LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD LIKE YOUR--HE'S 49:43 YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER, LIKE THE FATHER IN THE STORY YEARNING 49:45 FOR YOU TO SAY, "THE WORLD JUST IS NOT SATISFYING ME. 49:49 THERE'S NO PEACE, THERE'S NO HAPPINESS." 49:51 AND HE WANTS YOU TO COME HOME. 49:52 THE SERVANTS IN THE FATHER'S HOUSE HAVE PLENTY OF BREAD, 49:56 AND THERE'S JOY IN THE FATHER'S HOUSE. 49:58 HE WANTS YOU TO REJOICE WITH HIM. 50:01 AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO TURN TO OUR CLOSING SONG. 50:04 IT'S "I HAVE WANDERED FAR AWAY FROM GOD AND NOW I'M COMING 50:09 HOME," HYMN NUMBER 296. 50:12 AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO STAND AND I'M GOING TO MAKE AN 50:17 APPEAL THIS MORNING AND INVITE SOME WHO MAY BE HERE WHO SENSE 50:23 THAT THEY'RE IN THAT CATEGORY THAT THEY'VE BEEN OUT IN THE 50:26 WORLD, THEY'RE NOT SATISFIED, THEY'RE EMPTY, MAYBE 50:30 THEY'VE DRIFTED FROM GOD. 50:32 IT'S SO EASY FOR THE WORLD TO TAKE OVER BECAUSE WE'RE 50:34 SURROUNDED BY IT EVERY DAY. 50:36 GOD WANTS YOU TO LIVE NOT ONLY IN THE FATHER'S HOUSE ONE DAY 50:40 A WEEK WHEN YOU'RE IN CHURCH, HE WANTS YOU TO ABIDE IN 50:43 THE FATHER'S HOUSE EVERY DAY. 50:45 IF YOU COME TO HIM JUST LIKE YOU ARE, HOW IS GOD GOING TO 50:49 RESPOND? 50:50 YOU LOOK IN THE STORY HERE AND YOU CAN SEE IT, RIGHT? 50:53 HE RUNS TO MEET YOU. 50:55 YOU DRAW NEAR TO HIM. 50:56 HE'LL DRAW NEAR TO YOU. 50:58 HAVE YOU BEEN UNSATISFIED WITH THE THINGS OF THE WORLD? 51:01 HAVE YOU FELT EMPTY AND YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THAT PEACE? 51:04 AS WE SING THIS SONG AND YOU'D LIKE TO RETURN TO THE LORD 51:08 OR IF YOU HAVE SOME SPECIAL NEED OF PRAYER, I'D LIKE 51:11 TO INVITE YOU TO COME. 51:12 VERSE 1, "LORD, I'M COMING HOME." 51:16 [MUSIC] 51:25 ♪ I'VE WANDERED FAR AWAY ♪ ♪ FROM GOD. ♪ 51:31 ♪ NOW, I'M COMING HOME. ♪ ♪ THE PATHS OF SIN ♪ 51:39 ♪ TOO LONG I'VE TROD. ♪ ♪ LORD, I'M COMING HOME. ♪ 51:48 ♪ COMING HOME, COMING HOME, ♪ ♪ NEVER MORE TO ROAM. ♪ 52:00 ♪ OPEN WIDE THINE ARMS OF LOVE ♪ ♪ LORD, I'M COMING HOME. ♪ 52:12 >> IN JUST A MOMENT, WE'LL SING VERSE 3 TOGETHER, BUT I'D JUST 52:16 LIKE TO EXTEND THE APPEAL AGAIN. 52:19 WHO IS OUR EXAMPLE OF WHAT IS TRUTH AND WHAT IS RIGHTEOUSNESS? 52:24 IT'S CHRIST. 52:26 HAVE YOU BEEN KEEPING CHRIST BEFORE YOU AS YOUR EXAMPLE? 52:31 ARE YOU LIVING THE LIFE THAT HE WANTS YOU TO LIVE? 52:34 I REALLY BELIEVE, AND I'VE BEEN UNDER CONVICTION, FRIENDS, 52:37 PERSONALLY THAT GOD IS WANTING US TO LIVE BY A HIGHER STANDARD. 52:43 YOU KNOW, IT'S POSSIBLE FOR A PERSON TO BE SO USED TO 52:47 THE PIGPEN THAT THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW THEY'RE THERE. 52:51 I WAS JUST OUT IN THE DESERT A FEW DAYS AGO AND WE DROVE OVER 52:56 TO A TOWN OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT THAT HAD BEEN BUILT 53:00 RIGHT BY A SEWER TREATMENT PLANT. 53:03 AND I COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE COULD LIVE BY SOMETHING 53:07 THAT SMELLED SO BAD. 53:09 AND I GUESS THEY JUST GET USED TO IT. 53:13 YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S HAPPENED TO A LOT OF FOLKS 53:14 IN THE CHURCH. 53:16 WE'RE NOT REALLY READING OUR BIBLES. 53:18 WE'RE NOT PRAYING EVERY DAY. 53:19 WE'RE NOT TRYING TO BE LIKE CHRIST. 53:21 WE'RE HOPING THAT IF WE JUST GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS OF RELIGION 53:25 THAT SOMEHOW THAT'LL BE GOOD ENOUGH, AND WE'VE JUST GOTTEN 53:28 USED TO THE PIGPEN. 53:32 WHAT ARE YOU FEEDING ON? 53:33 ARE YOU FEEDING ON THE WORD OF GOD, THE FATHER'S BREAD? 53:36 OR ARE YOU FEEDING ON THE HUSKS OF THE WORLD? 53:39 YOU'RE SPENDING MORE TIME IN THE WORD OR WATCHING TELEVISION, 53:42 MOVIES AND VIDEOS? 53:44 SURFING THE INTERNET AND ALL THE GIBBERISH AND GARBAGE 53:46 THAT'S OUT THERE. 53:48 I REALLY BELIEVE WE'RE NEAR THE END, FRIENDS. 53:52 AND IF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS SPEAKING TO YOU RIGHT NOW, MAYBE 53:56 THAT'S GOD ASKING YOU TO COME TO YOURSELF, COME TO YOUR SENSES. 54:00 SAY, "YOU KNOW, IT'S LEAVING ME EMPTY. 54:02 I WANT TO COME BACK AND REALLY LIVE FOR GOD, FOLLOW HIS WILL 54:06 FOR MY LIFE." 54:07 AS WE SING VERSE 3 TOGETHER, IF YOU HAVE A SPECIAL PRAYER ON 54:11 YOUR LIFE OR IF YOU SENSE IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO COME BACK, COME 54:15 AND WE'LL PRAY WITH YOU, VERSE 3. 54:19 ♪ I'M TIRED OF SIN ♪ ♪ AND STRAYING, LORD. ♪ 54:25 ♪ NOW, I'M COMING HOME. ♪ ♪ I'LL TRUST THY LOVE, ♪ 54:34 ♪ BELIEVE THY WORD. ♪ ♪ LORD, I'M COMING HOME. ♪ 54:43 ♪ COMING HOME, COMING HOME, ♪ ♪ NEVER MORE TO ROAM. ♪ 54:54 ♪ OPEN WIDE ♪ ♪ THINE ARMS OF LOVE, ♪ 54:59 ♪ LORD, I'M COMING HOME. ♪ 55:06 >> WILL THE FATHER RECEIVE US IF WE COME? 55:09 EVEN MORE THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE IN THIS PARABLE THAT WE'VE READ. 55:13 GOD IS ANXIOUS. 55:15 HE'S PAID SO MUCH FOR OUR REDEMPTION. 55:17 IF WE SHOW EVEN THE INKLING OF DRAWING NEAR TO HIM, 55:20 HE RUNS TO MEET US. 55:23 "DRAW NEAR TO GOD AND HE'LL DRAW NEAR TO YOU." 55:25 AND HE'LL COVER YOU WITH THAT ROBE THAT HAS BEEN WASHED 55:28 AND MADE WHITE IN THE BLOOD OF HIS OWN SON. 55:31 HE WANTS YOU TO BE SAVED, FRIENDS. 55:33 LET'S SING VERSE 5 TOGETHER. 55:34 AND AGAIN, IF THERE ARE ANY AND THE HOLY SPIRIT'S SPEAKING, 55:37 MAYBE IN THE BALCONY OR IN THE ORGAN LOFT THERE, COME DOWN 55:40 AND WE'LL HAVE PRAYER TOGETHER, VERSE 5. 55:46 [MUSIC] ♪ I NEED HIS CLEANSING BLOOD, ♪ 55:55 ♪ I KNOW. ♪ ♪ NOW, I'M COMING HOME. ♪ 56:02 ♪ O WASH ME WHITER THAN ♪ ♪ THE SNOW. ♪ 56:08 ♪ LORD, I'M COMING HOME. ♪ ♪ COMING HOME, COMING HOME, ♪ 56:19 ♪ NEVER MORE TO ROAM. ♪ ♪ OPEN WIDE ♪ 56:27 ♪ THINE ARMS OF LOVE, ♪ ♪ LORD, I'M COMING HOME. ♪ 56:39 >> FATHER IN HEAVEN, LORD, WE'RE VERY THANKFUL FOR THIS 56:43 PICTURE THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THIS BEAUTIFUL PARABLE, THIS TIMELESS 56:46 STORY THAT REVEALS YOUR LOVE, THAT YOU ARE STANDING THERE 56:51 WITH YOUR ARMS STRETCHED OUT. 56:53 INDEED, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO JESUS ON THE CROSS. 56:56 HE STRETCHED OUT HIS ARMS TO DEMONSTRATE HIS LOVE AND 56:59 HIS WILLINGNESS TO RECEIVE US. 57:02 WHY WOULD WE HESITATE? 57:04 LORD, I PRAY THAT EACH PERSON THAT HEARS THE CALL, THE 57:08 HOLY SPIRIT'S STIRRING THEIR HEARTS TO ARISE AND TO COME 57:12 TO THEIR SENSES AND TO GO TO THEIR FATHER'S HOUSE 57:15 THAT THEY'LL RESPOND RIGHT NOW. 57:17 I PRAY, LORD, THAT THOSE WHO HAVE COME FORWARD WILL SENSE 57:20 THAT YOU ARE EMBRACING THEM, THAT YOU ARE SAYING THAT YOU 57:24 LOVE THEM, THAT YOU'LL RECEIVE THEM, THAT YOU'LL CLEANSE THEM, 57:27 THAT THEY CAN BE ACCEPTED BACK INTO YOUR HOUSE, NOT WITH 57:30 THE STATUS OF SERVANTS BUT THE STATUS OF SONS. 57:34 I PRAY YOUR BLESSING IN THEIR LIVES, LORD. 57:37 HELP THEM TO KNOW THAT THEIR SINS ARE FORGIVEN. 57:39 AND THEN, AS WE JUST SANG IN THE SONG, LORD, WE'RE COMING 57:42 HOME AND BY YOUR GRACE, NEVER MORE TO ROAM. 57:47 WE WANT TO COME HOME, AND WE WANT TO STAY HOME. 57:50 I PRAY, LORD, THAT WE CAN GROW IN OUR FAITH. 57:53 THANK YOU FOR THE ACCEPTANCE THAT YOU DEMONSTRATE IN THIS 57:56 BEAUTIFUL PARABLE, LORD, THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO 57:58 RECEIVE US AS YOUR CHILDREN. 58:00 I PRAY THAT WE'LL BE WILLING TO ABIDE IN THE FATHER'S HOUSE 58:04 AND TO EAT YOUR BREAD. 58:06 BLESS US, LORD, AND I PRAY THAT YOU'LL FILL US 58:08 WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, HELP US TO BE YOUR WITNESSES. 58:12 AND LORD, PREPARE US FOR YOU'RE SOON COMING. 58:15 WE ASK IN CHRIST'S NAME, AMEN. 58:19 [MUSIC] |
Revised 2015-02-06