Hello, friends my name is Michael Kontes, 00:00:30.44\00:00:32.78 and I want to welcome you to Faith Chapel. 00:00:33.01\00:00:35.65 Today I'm going to share with you my favorite 00:00:35.89\00:00:38.82 story in the entire Bible, but first 00:00:38.83\00:00:41.53 let us have a word of prayer. 00:00:41.70\00:00:42.89 Father we come to you now, 00:00:44.44\00:00:45.45 and we thank you for the word of God that 00:00:45.46\00:00:48.09 You have preserved throughout the centuries 00:00:48.10\00:00:49.87 to give us hope and inspiration and guidance. 00:00:49.88\00:00:52.35 We ask You to be with us today and help 00:00:52.87\00:00:54.50 us to understand Your character better 00:00:54.51\00:00:56.37 and help Your Spirit guide our hearts 00:00:56.66\00:00:58.42 and our minds in Jesus name, amen. 00:00:58.43\00:01:01.23 As most of you know, I'm of Greek descent. 00:01:02.92\00:01:05.82 My parents immigrated here to America in 1967. 00:01:05.83\00:01:10.90 And the story I'm gonna share with you today 00:01:11.28\00:01:13.03 comes from my favorite Bible author Luke. 00:01:13.35\00:01:17.36 And it has nothing to do that he was of Greek 00:01:17.52\00:01:20.15 descent just the little bit, right? I'm gonna 00:01:20.16\00:01:24.08 share with you a story that has so touched me. 00:01:24.09\00:01:26.04 Many people called the story the greatest story 00:01:26.05\00:01:28.35 in the Bible about righteousness by faith. 00:01:28.36\00:01:30.60 It comes from Luke chapter 15, 00:01:31.09\00:01:34.07 Luke chapter 15, let us open up our Bibles. 00:01:34.08\00:01:36.93 And he said, A certain man had two sons: 00:01:38.87\00:01:41.63 And the younger of them said to his father, 00:01:41.93\00:01:44.31 Father, give me the portion of goods that 00:01:44.32\00:01:46.96 falleth to me. And he divided unto them his 00:01:46.97\00:01:50.44 living. And not many days after the younger 00:01:50.45\00:01:54.38 son gathered all together, and took his 00:01:54.39\00:01:57.79 journey into a far country, and there 00:01:57.80\00:02:01.76 wasted his substance with riotous living. 00:02:02.12\00:02:05.65 Friends, this story to me is absolutely 00:02:08.21\00:02:11.52 unbelievable. I want to share with you in 00:02:11.53\00:02:14.19 the opening lines of this story. 00:02:14.20\00:02:16.12 This son who is really making a proclamation 00:02:17.39\00:02:22.26 to his father is not worthy to basically ask 00:02:22.27\00:02:25.76 his Father for his inheritance. 00:02:25.77\00:02:29.08 He is ultimately telling his father, father 00:02:29.35\00:02:31.91 I know that you're alive now, 00:02:32.28\00:02:33.71 I know that it's gonna be while till you die, 00:02:34.17\00:02:37.31 but I really want my inheritance now, 00:02:37.48\00:02:39.57 so really I wish that you were dead. 00:02:39.58\00:02:42.66 Friends, can you imagine sharing that with 00:02:43.75\00:02:45.27 your parents? Dad I wish you were dead. 00:02:45.28\00:02:47.64 As a father of myself, if my, if my son said, 00:02:48.31\00:02:51.59 dad I wish you were dead, so I can collect 00:02:51.60\00:02:53.52 my inheritance from you. I might say to my 00:02:53.53\00:02:56.03 son you know, what son, you may never get 00:02:56.04\00:02:58.07 any inheritance. Now, the father did not have 00:02:58.08\00:03:04.55 to give the request that his son made, 00:03:04.56\00:03:09.50 that was being made to him, but he did, why? 00:03:09.78\00:03:14.78 Because the father loves his son. 00:03:15.34\00:03:18.81 Now, notice it goes on in verse 13 to read, 00:03:19.52\00:03:24.13 not many days after the son took his 00:03:24.57\00:03:28.02 journey into a far away country, 00:03:28.03\00:03:30.62 far away country. Now, I live in Sacramento, 00:03:31.21\00:03:33.85 California and if I wouldn't say this to my 00:03:33.86\00:03:36.92 son and following my father and followed 00:03:36.93\00:03:39.51 the context of this story, I would not go to 00:03:39.52\00:03:43.40 St. Francisco, not Los Angeles maybe 00:03:43.41\00:03:46.87 Thompsonville, Illinois might be far enough. 00:03:47.67\00:03:50.03 I wanted to go as far away as I could, why? 00:03:50.47\00:03:55.03 Because it's very, very difficult friends to sin 00:03:55.19\00:03:59.66 openly and blatantly around the people you 00:04:00.17\00:04:03.12 love. So, what takes place, Satan begins to 00:04:03.13\00:04:06.82 plant seeds in the minds of people to make 00:04:06.83\00:04:13.79 them believe, and make them think that 00:04:13.80\00:04:17.17 "When you are going to sin and going to rebellion, 00:04:17.56\00:04:22.31 you need to get away from everyone because 00:04:22.52\00:04:24.46 they're gonna hold you back from sinning." 00:04:24.47\00:04:26.75 When ultimately Satan knows, 00:04:27.88\00:04:29.63 the reason why he wants to push you away 00:04:30.55\00:04:33.46 from family? And so, that you will be in 00:04:33.47\00:04:36.71 isolation and away from the ones that love 00:04:36.72\00:04:39.18 you and ultimately will try to wield you back. 00:04:39.19\00:04:41.09 Now, another point I'd like to make in this story 00:04:42.27\00:04:47.76 is, the son had no regards for his father, 00:04:47.77\00:04:52.06 the son did not remember by choice how 00:04:52.78\00:04:58.46 his father have loved him, clothed him, 00:04:58.47\00:05:00.58 given him all of his heart and mind, 00:05:01.25\00:05:04.93 probably stayed up at nights helping, 00:05:04.94\00:05:06.75 helping him to be fed, cleaned his diapers. 00:05:07.20\00:05:09.72 In fact, the son probably 00:05:09.83\00:05:11.55 mischaracterized the father, and in fact, 00:05:11.56\00:05:13.85 the son felt home was the prison house to him. 00:05:14.22\00:05:17.44 How many people today, how many children 00:05:18.06\00:05:19.82 today are looking at their homes and looking 00:05:19.83\00:05:22.28 at it as a prison home because the world 00:05:22.29\00:05:24.97 is becoming so appealing to them? 00:05:24.98\00:05:26.89 The God of this world meaning Satan has so 00:05:27.73\00:05:32.05 corrupted the minds of our young people to 00:05:32.15\00:05:34.68 think that the place that should be our 00:05:34.69\00:05:37.31 sanctuary home is a prison house. 00:05:37.32\00:05:40.96 Now, the Greek word here for wasted his living. 00:05:43.66\00:05:47.68 The Greek word is the, the word skorpizo, 00:05:48.05\00:05:51.16 which literally means to scatter; to scatter. 00:05:51.44\00:05:56.08 Here the son took a long journey into a far 00:05:56.60\00:06:00.24 country and as he went to this country he 00:06:00.25\00:06:04.49 started walking in the street to scattering 00:06:04.50\00:06:06.96 his cash. And in fact, we could say scattering 00:06:06.97\00:06:11.39 his father's substance with no regard to what 00:06:11.94\00:06:16.67 was taking place. Now, many of you've heard 00:06:16.68\00:06:18.70 this story and know many of the details. 00:06:18.71\00:06:21.74 To me, this story is absolutely amazing 00:06:21.75\00:06:24.39 because it shows the pitiful place that we are 00:06:24.43\00:06:28.63 as a people. We get away from our heavenly 00:06:29.31\00:06:33.83 Father at times, as far as we can go, 00:06:33.84\00:06:36.48 we throw away all the gifts that he has given 00:06:37.26\00:06:39.33 us, so that we can accomplish our own selfish 00:06:39.34\00:06:43.95 desire. Here the son was scattering the money, 00:06:43.96\00:06:46.93 and I'm sure friends as he was scattering the 00:06:46.94\00:06:48.59 money he had lots of friends. Isn't it amazing 00:06:48.60\00:06:54.01 that sometimes when you become popular or 00:06:54.02\00:06:56.42 you come into some money, or you come into 00:06:56.43\00:06:59.27 a situation where you have made a lot of 00:06:59.28\00:07:02.56 money or inherited a lot of money, 00:07:02.57\00:07:04.54 that people begin to flock to you? 00:07:04.77\00:07:07.32 You know, you see this in the sports world 00:07:08.09\00:07:09.79 quite often, here you have an individual who 00:07:09.80\00:07:12.36 has come up and had come up from a real 00:07:12.50\00:07:14.91 humble, humble background and then he 00:07:15.17\00:07:17.86 signs a big NFL contract or an NBA contract, 00:07:17.87\00:07:21.46 Major League Baseball contract and family 00:07:21.73\00:07:24.32 and friends out of the wood works begin to 00:07:24.33\00:07:26.30 call up. Hey, Jack where you've been? 00:07:26.31\00:07:31.42 How is it going? Can I get free tickets or 00:07:31.97\00:07:34.34 you know I need a loan? We have a real 00:07:34.35\00:07:38.77 serious problem with selfishness friends, 00:07:38.78\00:07:41.15 real serious problem. Friends come out of the 00:07:42.44\00:07:46.58 wood works and many times because we are 00:07:46.59\00:07:50.67 so blinded by our own sin, we cannot see the 00:07:50.68\00:07:54.28 direction and ultimate waterfall that we are 00:07:54.29\00:07:57.65 heading to. Now, verse 14 in Luke read this 00:07:57.66\00:08:06.56 follows. And when he spent all, and there 00:08:06.57\00:08:11.27 arose a mightily famine in that land; 00:08:11.28\00:08:14.45 and he began to be in want. And he went 00:08:15.18\00:08:18.26 and joined himself to a citizen of that country; 00:08:18.27\00:08:20.95 and he sent him into his fields to feed the 00:08:21.45\00:08:26.54 swine. And he would fain have filled his 00:08:26.55\00:08:31.75 belly with the husks that the swine did eat 00:08:31.76\00:08:35.23 and no man gave unto him. Notice here that 00:08:35.99\00:08:43.31 his friends disappeared. No one was around 00:08:43.32\00:08:47.60 to help him, he spent his father's money so 00:08:47.61\00:08:50.38 recklessly and now he came into a time of 00:08:50.39\00:08:52.85 want. Here what it says that he went to 00:08:52.86\00:08:57.73 feed the swine. This is the symbol for a Jew 00:08:57.74\00:09:01.22 of hitting rock bottom. This young boy came 00:09:01.49\00:09:04.95 to a place where he hit rock bottom? 00:09:04.96\00:09:07.81 He had nothing, but notice in the next text, 00:09:08.03\00:09:13.90 the Luke 15:17, something begins to 00:09:13.94\00:09:19.46 remind him of the goodness of his father. 00:09:20.51\00:09:23.44 And when he came to himself, he said, 00:09:25.41\00:09:28.11 How many hired servant of my father's 00:09:28.45\00:09:31.14 have bread enough and to spare, and I perish 00:09:32.29\00:09:36.40 with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, 00:09:36.81\00:09:42.37 and I will say unto him, Father; I have sinned 00:09:42.38\00:09:44.73 against heaven, and before thee, 00:09:44.74\00:09:47.15 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: 00:09:47.48\00:09:49.92 make me as thy hired servants. 00:09:50.57\00:09:54.18 Notice the prodigal had never really spent any 00:09:57.02\00:10:00.33 time contemplating about his life during 00:10:00.34\00:10:03.08 this time, but he said he came to himself. 00:10:03.09\00:10:06.82 Now, I want to share with you something 00:10:07.48\00:10:08.82 today brothers and sisters that there are 00:10:08.83\00:10:11.12 times, many times that the Holy Spirit brings 00:10:11.13\00:10:16.87 back to our remembrance things that 00:10:16.88\00:10:19.81 will guide us back to Jesus, guide us to 00:10:19.82\00:10:24.39 understand the love that the Father has for 00:10:24.40\00:10:27.39 us. And here notice the key point that the 00:10:27.40\00:10:32.37 writer Luke is trying to tell us is that the son 00:10:32.38\00:10:36.44 remembered that the father was way more 00:10:36.45\00:10:40.66 than just even with the servants. 00:10:40.67\00:10:43.25 So, the one thing that push the son away from 00:10:43.55\00:10:47.11 the father which was the character of his 00:10:47.12\00:10:49.15 father in the beginning I need to get out of 00:10:49.16\00:10:51.62 this house, I need to be free, I need to be 00:10:51.63\00:10:54.00 on my own. My father is too restrictive; 00:10:54.01\00:10:56.95 he has too many rules and regulations. 00:10:57.14\00:10:59.53 Now, the one thing that draws him back is that, 00:11:00.40\00:11:02.68 his father's just, his father's full of mercy, 00:11:03.64\00:11:07.87 and his father's full of compassion for the 00:11:08.62\00:11:11.53 workers of his household. How much 00:11:11.54\00:11:13.84 more would he not be for his son? 00:11:13.85\00:11:16.30 Also notice it took despair to spread over 00:11:18.60\00:11:23.83 this young boy's life. And as the despair went 00:11:24.48\00:11:28.60 over his life, he began to really think what was 00:11:28.61\00:11:34.28 taking place? Once again you've heard me say it, 00:11:34.29\00:11:37.43 before and I will say it again. God uses rock 00:11:37.74\00:11:41.96 bottom opportunities. God uses gutter 00:11:41.97\00:11:44.93 opportunities to bring glory to His name. 00:11:44.94\00:11:50.23 Jeremiah 31:3 reads: The Lord hath 00:11:53.53\00:11:58.05 appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, 00:11:58.06\00:12:01.67 I have loved thee with an everlasting love: 00:12:02.73\00:12:05.45 therefore with lovingkindness have I 00:12:05.59\00:12:08.17 drawn thee. Whimpering like a beaten 00:12:08.18\00:12:13.79 puppy, he arises to go to his father. 00:12:13.80\00:12:17.86 He made a choice, he purposed in his heart, 00:12:19.51\00:12:23.08 he resolved to say, my father is just and 00:12:23.09\00:12:25.95 merciful and full of compassion, I'm gonna 00:12:25.96\00:12:29.16 go back home to dad, I'm gonna go back 00:12:29.17\00:12:33.59 home to dad. Today, maybe there might be 00:12:33.60\00:12:38.38 some here watching and thinking, 00:12:38.39\00:12:40.15 I need to make recompent, I need to go 00:12:40.96\00:12:43.23 back and make right some things with my 00:12:43.24\00:12:46.24 father. I can share with you that has come 00:12:46.25\00:12:50.66 across in my life. When I grew up I felt 00:12:50.67\00:12:53.44 like my father didn't love me? 00:12:53.45\00:12:54.96 My father as I said earlier emigrated from 00:12:55.65\00:12:58.85 the country of Greece here to America, 00:12:58.86\00:13:00.74 and he was a very hard worker, 00:13:01.05\00:13:03.79 he was a carpet installer, a short man, 00:13:04.51\00:13:06.36 shorter than I'm, and I'm not that big, 00:13:06.37\00:13:08.70 I'm 5'7 and my father is 5'5 small man, 00:13:08.98\00:13:11.87 about 145 pounds, but I watch my father 00:13:11.88\00:13:14.58 throughout his life being a carpet seller, 00:13:14.59\00:13:16.30 carry 200 and 300 pound carpets on his 00:13:16.31\00:13:19.30 back. Everyday he'd leave the house at 00:13:19.31\00:13:21.33 7 o'clock and he'd come home at 7 in the 00:13:21.34\00:13:24.38 evening. And because he would never express 00:13:24.39\00:13:28.14 himself to me and say, Mike I love you. 00:13:28.15\00:13:29.92 Because he'd never show me some affection, 00:13:31.12\00:13:33.07 the affection that I was looking for, 00:13:33.08\00:13:34.96 I felt that my father didn't love me, 00:13:35.61\00:13:37.68 and I began to build animosity toward my 00:13:37.84\00:13:39.78 father. And to some degree I despise my 00:13:39.79\00:13:43.31 father, but it wasn't till years later till I 00:13:43.32\00:13:46.94 realize that no one had ever modeled 00:13:46.95\00:13:49.80 fathership to my dad. No one had ever 00:13:49.81\00:13:53.95 explain to him what it is to be a father? 00:13:54.11\00:13:56.38 And I realize that my father did the best 00:13:57.63\00:13:59.89 that he knew. And so, I began to tell my dad, 00:13:59.90\00:14:03.74 dad I love you and I thank you for what 00:14:03.75\00:14:06.01 you've done for me. Today there might be 00:14:06.02\00:14:10.07 some out there that might need to say that 00:14:10.08\00:14:11.80 to their fathers. Friends don't wait till maybe 00:14:11.81\00:14:16.04 your father is in the grave and have unspoken 00:14:16.05\00:14:19.16 words that you really know the Holy Spirit is 00:14:19.17\00:14:22.05 prompting you to share, to share your 00:14:22.06\00:14:24.70 heart with your father. Your father loves 00:14:24.71\00:14:28.13 you and yes, he may have not been the best, 00:14:28.14\00:14:29.87 and he may have done some things that 00:14:30.04\00:14:31.21 were even cruel, but there is not a parent 00:14:31.22\00:14:37.11 out there that does not love a child, 00:14:37.12\00:14:39.51 at least does not start off that way. 00:14:39.94\00:14:41.87 On his journey back home, I'm absolutely 00:14:45.50\00:14:49.42 confident, absolutely confident that the 00:14:49.43\00:14:53.94 accuser of the brethren followed him all 00:14:53.95\00:14:56.09 the way back home, and on his way back 00:14:56.10\00:14:59.62 home he kept on saying to him, 00:14:59.63\00:15:01.15 why are you going back home? 00:15:01.39\00:15:02.53 Your father thinks you're dead, 00:15:03.23\00:15:04.44 your father doesn't know what's going on, 00:15:05.07\00:15:06.79 your father, you took your father's money 00:15:07.13\00:15:08.76 and wasted it on prostitutes, 00:15:08.77\00:15:10.39 unrighteous living, you scattered it in the 00:15:10.50\00:15:12.51 streets. And now you have the gut to go 00:15:12.52\00:15:14.92 back home, even like a whimpering puppy 00:15:14.93\00:15:18.76 and nut and ask to even be a servant, 00:15:18.77\00:15:21.28 your dad doesn't want you to go back home. 00:15:21.98\00:15:24.50 In fact, he probably wishes you are dead. 00:15:25.84\00:15:28.01 And that is exactly what Satan always does 00:15:29.45\00:15:33.00 when we hit our lowest point. 00:15:33.01\00:15:34.46 He pushes us to a place to give up hope 00:15:35.91\00:15:38.02 and to have us embrace, 00:15:38.59\00:15:40.73 a mischaracterization of our father's 00:15:41.09\00:15:43.71 character. The Bible says, God is merciful, 00:15:43.72\00:15:48.20 compassionate, loving. Satan wanted to 00:15:48.21\00:15:51.76 believe he is a tormentor, unforgiving, 00:15:51.77\00:15:54.18 and hateful. Satan wants you to believe 00:15:54.27\00:15:57.75 that no matter what sin you're in the middle 00:15:58.26\00:16:01.04 of today that you cannot go to God, 00:16:01.05\00:16:04.28 it's not worth it you can't, don't go back he 00:16:05.54\00:16:08.37 is not gonna accept you. Friends I'm here 00:16:08.38\00:16:11.37 to share with you today that if Jesus Christ 00:16:11.38\00:16:14.72 and the Father love you today in the middle 00:16:14.73\00:16:17.53 of your sin. The same as if you're cleaned 00:16:17.54\00:16:24.57 up spotless with the robe of Christ. 00:16:24.58\00:16:27.62 And the reason being is because God's love 00:16:28.08\00:16:30.14 does not change, God's love is not defined by 00:16:30.15\00:16:35.17 our actions towards Him, God's love is defined 00:16:35.18\00:16:39.32 by Calvary. The Father's love is defined by 00:16:40.28\00:16:44.02 allowing the Son to come down to this 00:16:44.03\00:16:47.23 perishing planet and die for mankind. 00:16:47.24\00:16:50.99 The Son's love is expressed us through his 00:16:51.87\00:16:55.91 life and ministry on earth and the crucifiction 00:16:56.08\00:17:01.10 at Golgotha. And I'm thankful for that friends, 00:17:01.44\00:17:05.08 I'm thankful that God's love towards me is 00:17:05.09\00:17:07.15 set in stone. Now, as I envision Satan 00:17:07.16\00:17:15.52 pummeling him, I also envision him coming 00:17:15.65\00:17:19.90 to the borders of his dad's property, 00:17:19.91\00:17:24.01 his head hung low, maybe even embracing 00:17:26.34\00:17:30.19 the thought that yeah, maybe my dad won't 00:17:30.20\00:17:34.01 accept me, maybe my dad won't accept me. 00:17:34.02\00:17:37.53 Exactly, at that point I imagine the father 00:17:41.60\00:17:47.62 looking out from his house and seeing a 00:17:47.63\00:17:50.68 figure and saying, can it be, can it really be, 00:17:50.69\00:17:58.45 is it him? Friends I had a pastor while back 00:17:59.91\00:18:03.39 ago share something with me that's very 00:18:03.40\00:18:05.18 important. Many times Satan wants us to 00:18:05.19\00:18:11.21 be stuck on first base, second base, 00:18:11.22\00:18:14.65 or third base, but the one place it doesn't 00:18:15.05\00:18:17.86 want us to be were go to, is he doesn't 00:18:17.87\00:18:21.10 want us to come home. Sometimes in your 00:18:21.11\00:18:24.08 Christian walk you can get your base and 00:18:24.09\00:18:26.15 go to first base, and Satan will begin to 00:18:26.16\00:18:30.41 pummel you with discouragement, 00:18:30.55\00:18:31.80 and you'll get stuck at first base, 00:18:32.07\00:18:33.47 and never be able to make it home. 00:18:33.48\00:18:35.16 Other time it's a double and going to second 00:18:35.97\00:18:37.90 base and getting stuck. Other times it's 00:18:37.91\00:18:41.99 third base. He wants you to believe that you 00:18:42.00\00:18:48.18 cannot go home. And today I'm here to tell 00:18:48.30\00:18:51.19 you, you can go home, because the 00:18:51.20\00:18:53.19 scriptures reveal to us God wants you to 00:18:53.20\00:18:56.47 go home. God doesn't want you to be 00:18:56.48\00:18:59.14 abandoned and left alone. In fact, 00:18:59.15\00:19:01.17 Jesus says I'll never leave you nor forsake 00:19:01.18\00:19:03.83 you; He is always there with us. 00:19:03.84\00:19:06.22 In fact, it is we sinners who walk away from 00:19:06.25\00:19:16.43 Jesus. While He is extending His hand we 00:19:16.44\00:19:21.32 let go unclasps His hand and walk away. 00:19:21.65\00:19:26.36 God never leaves us or forsakes us. 00:19:27.20\00:19:30.18 In fact, the story says here that the father 00:19:30.19\00:19:32.81 ran to his son. Friends the Bible shows that 00:19:32.82\00:19:36.46 when Adam and Eve sinned God came to 00:19:36.47\00:19:39.25 Adam and Eve. When Cane sinned, 00:19:39.26\00:19:42.15 God came to Cane; God always comes to 00:19:42.78\00:19:47.04 us in hopes that through His unconditional 00:19:47.05\00:19:52.47 compassion and love, we will embrace Him. 00:19:52.48\00:19:55.55 Now, I'd like to read to you verses 21 00:19:55.91\00:19:59.77 through 24. And the son said unto him, 00:19:59.78\00:20:04.05 Father, I have sinned against heaven, 00:20:04.06\00:20:06.02 and in thy sight, and am no worthy to be 00:20:06.03\00:20:08.69 called thy son. But the father said to his 00:20:08.70\00:20:13.57 servants, Bring forth the best robe, 00:20:13.58\00:20:16.74 and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, 00:20:16.89\00:20:19.68 and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the 00:20:19.69\00:20:22.68 fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, 00:20:22.69\00:20:26.25 and be merry. This story is a epitome of God's 00:20:26.85\00:20:33.31 love for His wondering sons and daughters, 00:20:33.32\00:20:37.61 He wants all of us to go home. 00:20:38.60\00:20:41.95 Jimmy was the middle child, his brother 00:20:43.87\00:20:46.14 Johnny was an incredible athlete. 00:20:46.15\00:20:48.27 Johnny could play all sports, Jimmy was very 00:20:49.26\00:20:51.59 limited not as coordinated as his brother, 00:20:51.60\00:20:53.98 but he wanted to follow in his brother's 00:20:54.13\00:20:55.85 footsteps. Jimmy wanted to go out for the 00:20:55.86\00:20:58.99 little league team, so he did and he made 00:20:59.00\00:21:02.36 the team. They put him out in right field, 00:21:02.37\00:21:06.27 not too many balls are hit out in right field. 00:21:07.30\00:21:09.25 As opening day was soon approaching, 00:21:10.03\00:21:11.99 Jimmy was so proud, he wanted to call all 00:21:12.74\00:21:14.72 of his relatives that lived in Illinois and 00:21:14.73\00:21:16.93 Michigan, Wisconsin to converge and come 00:21:16.94\00:21:20.32 and watch him play on opening day. 00:21:20.54\00:21:22.69 Opening day came and Jimmy put on his 00:21:23.79\00:21:26.06 uniform and it was like, it was on a hanger, 00:21:26.07\00:21:28.76 Jimmy was so frail and small. 00:21:29.40\00:21:31.41 Was the bottom of the sixth Jimmy's team 00:21:34.43\00:21:36.66 was down by one run; Jimmy was the fourth 00:21:36.67\00:21:40.33 person up which meant that someone would 00:21:40.34\00:21:44.15 have to get on base probably for Jimmy to 00:21:44.16\00:21:47.35 be up. First person gets up strikes out, 00:21:47.36\00:21:51.78 everyone was praying prior to that please, 00:21:53.52\00:21:56.72 please let someone get to home run, 00:21:56.83\00:21:58.73 we don't want Jimmy to get up, 00:21:58.74\00:22:00.22 he struck out, he struck out. 00:22:01.10\00:22:04.19 Next person comes up gets a base hit, 00:22:04.75\00:22:07.70 next person goes to home play to be up 00:22:10.79\00:22:12.52 and Jimmy is in the batters box and Jimmy 00:22:12.53\00:22:14.31 is watching, Jimmy looks at this picture, 00:22:14.32\00:22:16.58 who is 6 foot 8, 250 pounds or at least that's 00:22:16.59\00:22:21.73 would it looks like to Jimmy, really he is 00:22:21.74\00:22:25.20 probably 5'10, a 130 pounds. 00:22:25.21\00:22:27.78 That person gets out as Jimmy is walking up 00:22:29.69\00:22:32.61 to home plate, everyone in the dugout 00:22:32.62\00:22:34.25 and his coach are shaking their heads, 00:22:34.26\00:22:35.76 thinking oh! My goodness, we've lost this 00:22:35.77\00:22:38.08 game, Jimmy isn't any good, why did they, 00:22:38.09\00:22:41.99 we should have put a pinch hitter in, 00:22:42.00\00:22:43.62 Jimmy walks up to the plate first pitch strike 00:22:44.64\00:22:48.40 one, second pitch strike two, 00:22:48.41\00:22:51.48 third pitch strike three. Jimmy drops his 00:22:52.13\00:22:58.52 bat and hangs his head down and walks back 00:22:58.53\00:23:01.76 into the dugout, his friends walk by or he is 00:23:01.77\00:23:04.97 so called friends and he said, 00:23:04.98\00:23:06.23 Jimmy you stink, you're terrible Jimmy. 00:23:06.24\00:23:09.48 The dugout begins to clear out, 00:23:11.33\00:23:12.91 everyone begins to leave, Jimmy hears the 00:23:13.44\00:23:15.98 pebbles coming underneath the tires in 00:23:15.99\00:23:18.42 the parking lot, dust is everywhere, 00:23:18.43\00:23:22.96 Jimmy is hanging his head down with his cap 00:23:24.67\00:23:26.34 over his eyes sobbing, and Jimmy hears a 00:23:26.35\00:23:30.02 voice and the voice says, it's not over Jimmy, 00:23:30.03\00:23:37.04 it's not over, Jimmy looks up and through 00:23:38.05\00:23:42.46 the dust he looks out in the field and on 00:23:42.47\00:23:45.04 the mount Jimmy sees his father. 00:23:45.05\00:23:46.74 Jimmy it's not over, you're up Jimmy, Jimmy 00:23:48.50\00:23:54.98 walks up the home plate and he picks up the 00:23:54.99\00:23:56.65 bat that he had left there. And Jimmy 00:23:56.66\00:24:01.15 looks out in the diamond and he sees his 00:24:01.16\00:24:04.73 brother Johnny, grandpa, Jack and Jane, 00:24:04.74\00:24:07.87 all of his family members on the diamond, 00:24:09.62\00:24:11.42 his dad pitches the ball strike one, 00:24:12.21\00:24:14.91 strike two Jimmy swinging as hard as he 00:24:15.61\00:24:18.68 can, consistent strikes, strike 15, 00:24:18.69\00:24:23.80 strike 20 and then Jimmy connects and he 00:24:24.18\00:24:28.69 hits the ball way out in left field, pow, 00:24:28.70\00:24:32.40 and Jimmy stands at home plate and he is 00:24:33.53\00:24:34.97 shocked, and Jimmy's dad begins to direct 00:24:34.98\00:24:36.95 him go to first Jimmy, go to first, and Jimmy 00:24:36.96\00:24:40.77 starts running the first base and as Jimmy is 00:24:40.78\00:24:42.67 getting the first base, his dad says Jimmy go 00:24:42.68\00:24:45.09 to second base, go to second base, 00:24:45.10\00:24:47.44 and he is looking from as he is running the 00:24:49.07\00:24:50.74 second base out in the left field then he 00:24:50.75\00:24:52.22 sees his brother Johnny pick up the ball 00:24:52.23\00:24:53.98 and, and he's gonna get ready to throw at 00:24:54.19\00:24:56.48 the second, but he turns and throws it out 00:24:56.49\00:24:58.09 in the center field and Jimmy is kind of 00:24:58.10\00:25:00.41 puzzle that he's getting the second base and 00:25:00.42\00:25:02.30 his dad goes Jimmy, Jimmy go to third base 00:25:02.31\00:25:05.01 Jimmy, go to third base, and Jimmy is turning 00:25:05.02\00:25:07.76 down around third base and he looks at 00:25:07.77\00:25:09.37 grandpa, Jack picking up the ball in center 00:25:09.38\00:25:11.16 field and he's throwing it out to his mom 00:25:11.17\00:25:13.56 out in right field. And as the ball is getting 00:25:13.78\00:25:17.96 out in right field, Jimmy is completely puzzled 00:25:17.97\00:25:20.32 and he's turning around and he is looking 00:25:20.33\00:25:21.56 out there and he sees his sis his little sister 00:25:21.57\00:25:24.29 Jenny with a diaper jammed between her 00:25:24.30\00:25:26.51 ankles running to try to get the ball. 00:25:26.52\00:25:28.39 And his dad is screaming Jimmy go home 00:25:28.95\00:25:31.09 Jimmy, go home Jimmy. And as Jimmy is 00:25:31.10\00:25:34.60 turning third base rounding third base and 00:25:34.61\00:25:36.82 coming home, he realizes that there is a 00:25:36.83\00:25:42.04 conspiracy going on. A conspiracy of love and 00:25:42.05\00:25:49.13 Jimmy is getting to home plate and dad goes 00:25:49.14\00:25:51.56 slide Jimmy, slide, slide Jimmy and Jimmy 00:25:52.03\00:25:55.49 slides and there is dust everywhere. 00:25:55.50\00:25:59.10 And Jimmy's father standing looking at him 00:26:01.76\00:26:04.73 saying, Jimmy you made at home Jimmy, 00:26:04.74\00:26:09.09 you made at home Jimmy. 00:26:10.45\00:26:11.49 Friends many of us are like the prodigal, 00:26:14.46\00:26:17.35 many of us go out into the world chasing 00:26:18.29\00:26:21.27 the allurements of the world, 00:26:21.28\00:26:22.74 chasing after sin, trying to find ourselves 00:26:23.42\00:26:26.08 worth, trying to find happiness outside of 00:26:26.09\00:26:31.29 the Father's house. Today Jesus is knocking 00:26:31.30\00:26:37.79 on the heart door of your life, 00:26:38.89\00:26:41.21 He's knocking and He's saying, 00:26:42.48\00:26:44.33 Suzy it's time to come home, Kristina it's 00:26:45.50\00:26:52.07 time to come home, Benn it's time to come 00:26:52.08\00:26:55.74 home, Mike it's time to come home. 00:26:55.75\00:26:58.85 There is no other fulfillment peace and joy 00:27:00.59\00:27:07.20 and being in the house of the father friends. 00:27:08.11\00:27:11.08 Jesus Christ wants us to be under His fold, 00:27:11.58\00:27:14.75 He wants us to realize and we don't have 00:27:15.53\00:27:17.32 to be stuck on first base, second base, 00:27:17.33\00:27:19.98 or third base. We don't have to believe the 00:27:19.99\00:27:22.99 accusations of Satan that God does not love us, 00:27:23.26\00:27:26.64 and we cannot come, we cannot come home. 00:27:26.65\00:27:29.14 Jesus Christ has shown us that we can come 00:27:29.40\00:27:33.96 home and the reason, why we can come home 00:27:33.97\00:27:37.19 is because Jesus came to us, and because 00:27:37.45\00:27:40.87 Jesus has come to us, and because Jesus 00:27:41.12\00:27:44.25 became one of us, because He became one 00:27:44.44\00:27:48.20 of us truly we have the opportunity to become 00:27:48.21\00:27:52.20 sons and daughters of God through His blood. 00:27:52.21\00:27:55.58