So heavy laden 00:00:38.37\00:00:45.07 And burdened down 00:00:49.34\00:00:54.58 I did not know 00:00:58.42\00:01:04.46 Just what to do 00:01:08.40\00:01:13.87 So I went and I prayed 00:01:16.87\00:01:23.88 For strength to endure 00:01:27.55\00:01:34.52 Jesus said 00:01:35.32\00:01:39.76 "Be still 00:01:39.79\00:01:44.57 I will 00:01:44.60\00:01:47.80 See you through" 00:01:47.84\00:01:53.04 So I tried Him 00:01:53.07\00:01:59.25 And I know Him 00:01:59.28\00:02:05.35 He'll stick closer than any brother 00:02:05.39\00:02:11.59 So I tried Him 00:02:11.63\00:02:17.33 And I know Him 00:02:17.37\00:02:23.74 He's been better to me than I've been to myself 00:02:23.77\00:02:29.88 There could never be a friend 00:02:34.05\00:02:40.16 As dear to me 00:02:40.19\00:02:44.99 As Jesus 00:02:45.03\00:02:49.93 So now 00:02:49.96\00:02:52.63 When you go through 00:02:52.67\00:02:59.64 Through your trials 00:03:00.71\00:03:04.21 And your tests 00:03:04.25\00:03:08.35 Please don't look 00:03:08.38\00:03:12.55 Don't look to man 00:03:12.59\00:03:17.29 For 00:03:17.33\00:03:18.99 They'll let you down 00:03:19.03\00:03:25.60 Just remember 00:03:25.63\00:03:29.87 there is just one, one, one, one 00:03:29.90\00:03:36.85 Who will go with you 00:03:36.88\00:03:39.81 To the end 00:03:39.85\00:03:44.12 His name is Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, 00:03:44.15\00:03:50.03 My Jesus 00:03:50.06\00:03:53.09 He'll tell you what, why and when 00:03:53.13\00:03:59.47 Ooh ohh 00:03:59.50\00:04:02.34 I tried Him 00:04:02.37\00:04:06.41 And I know Him 00:04:06.44\00:04:10.28 He'll stick you 00:04:10.31\00:04:12.55 He's been better to me 00:04:12.58\00:04:14.88 Than I've been to myself 00:04:14.92\00:04:18.02 So I tried Him 00:04:18.05\00:04:24.03 And I know Him 00:04:24.06\00:04:29.63 He's been better to me 00:04:29.66\00:04:31.93 Than I've been to myself 00:04:31.97\00:04:36.50 There could never be a friend 00:04:39.61\00:04:45.68 As dear to me 00:04:45.71\00:04:52.12 As Jesus. 00:04:52.15\00:04:58.19 Amen. 00:04:58.23\00:04:59.96 From the darkness came the light 00:05:05.17\00:05:11.34 Out of nothingness 00:05:11.37\00:05:13.91 You made life 00:05:13.94\00:05:17.91 And before the world You were 00:05:17.95\00:05:23.08 Bless Your name 00:05:23.12\00:05:25.25 Forevermore 00:05:25.29\00:05:28.86 Lord according to Your plan 00:05:28.89\00:05:35.10 You created every man 00:05:35.13\00:05:41.04 Just to glorify You 00:05:41.07\00:05:45.57 and Bless Your name 00:05:45.61\00:05:49.48 Forevermore 00:05:49.51\00:05:55.28 Then into the world You came 00:06:01.92\00:06:08.23 By the power of Your name 00:06:08.26\00:06:14.50 And You washed my sins away 00:06:14.54\00:06:19.97 I Bless Your name 00:06:20.01\00:06:22.68 Forevermore 00:06:22.71\00:06:26.08 So I come before your throne 00:06:26.11\00:06:29.98 And You come 00:06:30.02\00:06:32.19 Through no goodness 00:06:32.22\00:06:34.69 Of my own 00:06:34.72\00:06:37.89 And I worship You alone 00:06:37.93\00:06:44.37 Bless Your name 00:06:44.40\00:06:47.34 Forevermore 00:06:47.37\00:06:51.17 I will bless Your name, Jesus 00:06:51.21\00:06:56.81 I will bless Your name 00:06:56.85\00:07:02.92 I will bless Your name 00:07:02.95\00:07:07.39 Forevermore 00:07:07.42\00:07:14.40 I will bless Your name, Jesus 00:07:14.43\00:07:20.20 I will bless Your name 00:07:20.24\00:07:25.71 I will bless Your name 00:07:28.74\00:07:31.05 Forevermore 00:07:31.08\00:07:37.05 I will bless Your name 00:07:38.19\00:07:42.39 I will bless Your name 00:07:42.42\00:07:44.03 I will bless Your name 00:07:44.06\00:07:47.73 Your name's all we need 00:07:47.76\00:07:49.86 I will bless Your name 00:07:49.90\00:07:54.40 Forevermore 00:07:54.44\00:07:56.94 I will bless Your name 00:08:01.28\00:08:07.02 I will bless Your name 00:08:07.05\00:08:12.65 I will bless Your name 00:08:12.69\00:08:17.13 Forevermore 00:08:17.16\00:08:23.87 I will bless Your name 00:08:23.90\00:08:29.34 I will bless Your name 00:08:29.37\00:08:34.84 I will bless Your name 00:08:34.88\00:08:39.38 Forevermore 00:08:39.41\00:08:45.99 I will bless Your name 00:08:46.02\00:08:51.63 I will bless Your name 00:08:51.66\00:08:57.07 I will bless Your name 00:08:57.10\00:09:01.44 Forevermore 00:09:01.47\00:09:04.71 I will bless Your name 00:09:08.44\00:09:14.48 I will bless Your name 00:09:14.52\00:09:20.46 I will bless Your name 00:09:20.49\00:09:25.19 Forevermore 00:09:25.23\00:09:32.00 I will bless Your name 00:09:32.03\00:09:37.64 I will bless Your name 00:09:37.67\00:09:43.18 I will bless Your name 00:09:43.21\00:09:49.35 Forevermore 00:09:50.35\00:09:53.56 Forever and ever 00:09:53.59\00:09:57.49 I will bless Your name 00:09:57.53\00:10:00.60 Oh, the Lord 00:10:00.63\00:10:02.03 Forevermore. 00:10:02.06\00:10:06.23 Amen. 00:10:06.27\00:10:07.70 Luke Chapter 19 and considering verse 10. 00:10:11.34\00:10:18.01 Luke 19:10. 00:10:21.85\00:10:28.86 Trusting that you have it, read it with me everyone. 00:10:31.53\00:10:33.60 What does it say? 00:10:33.63\00:10:35.20 "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save" what? 00:10:35.23\00:10:41.07 "That which was lost." "That which was lost." 00:10:41.10\00:10:46.01 Before I enter to our message for today 00:10:46.04\00:10:48.54 "The Prodigal God" The Prodigal God, 00:10:48.58\00:10:54.42 you all know my momma don't you? 00:10:57.65\00:11:00.92 She is every bit of five foot nothing 00:11:00.96\00:11:05.76 but I learned something about her when growing up. 00:11:05.79\00:11:08.63 She was strong as an ox. 00:11:08.66\00:11:11.93 So whenever she said, "Go into your room, 00:11:11.97\00:11:15.30 I'm going to be in there with my strap." 00:11:15.34\00:11:19.34 Be prepared for a whipping. 00:11:19.37\00:11:21.34 A whipping. 00:11:24.58\00:11:25.91 I thought that I was getting the little wise 00:11:28.68\00:11:31.99 the older I got not kept getting whippings. 00:11:32.02\00:11:36.16 One day mom told me to go into my room 00:11:36.19\00:11:37.99 because she was coming into to give me a whipping 00:11:38.03\00:11:41.83 and I got this bright idea. 00:11:41.86\00:11:45.43 I decided to put on some layers of clothes. 00:11:45.47\00:11:51.74 So when she came in the room just one time 00:11:51.77\00:11:53.68 I was looking mighty muscular and husky. 00:11:53.71\00:12:00.08 But just as I was getting wise, Mom was already wise 00:12:00.12\00:12:03.18 and she said, "Take off my clothes. 00:12:03.22\00:12:04.75 I don't want to beat up on my clothes that I bought." 00:12:04.79\00:12:09.89 And layer after layer came off 00:12:09.92\00:12:14.06 until it was just me and the strap 00:12:14.10\00:12:18.57 and she began to whip and whip. 00:12:18.60\00:12:24.27 It must have worked I'm a preacher now. 00:12:24.31\00:12:26.01 But I often think about those times 00:12:31.31\00:12:35.08 when I would try to prepare myself 00:12:35.12\00:12:38.82 for what was coming ahead. 00:12:38.85\00:12:43.69 Christ ministry was coming to a rapid close in two months. 00:12:43.73\00:12:49.40 He would stand before the unjust justice 00:12:49.43\00:12:52.50 of Caiaphas' judgment hall. 00:12:52.53\00:12:55.20 In two months 00:12:55.24\00:12:57.61 He would bear the excruciating scourging 00:12:57.64\00:13:00.94 of that Roman whip call the cat o' nine tails. 00:13:00.98\00:13:05.31 In two months He will watch as disrespectful Roman soldiers 00:13:05.35\00:13:11.89 will clear their throat 00:13:11.92\00:13:14.19 and then project their garlic stain spittoon 00:13:14.22\00:13:17.26 into his face. 00:13:17.29\00:13:19.69 In two months He will model an ignominious clown that falls 00:13:19.73\00:13:25.53 and be thrust upon a splinter-ridden cross 00:13:25.57\00:13:30.07 that would dig deeply into his already bruised 00:13:30.11\00:13:33.01 and bleeding back. 00:13:33.04\00:13:35.54 In two months He would endure the insults 00:13:35.58\00:13:39.38 and ribaldry of a satanically inspired crowd. 00:13:39.41\00:13:45.55 If you can't come down don't stay up there. 00:13:45.59\00:13:49.49 He hung there for six hours. 00:13:49.52\00:13:54.56 Not because it was fashionable, not because He wanted to 00:13:54.60\00:13:58.80 but because He loved us that much. 00:13:58.83\00:14:01.40 Understand something, 00:14:01.44\00:14:03.47 we can quantify the time that Christ hung on the cross. 00:14:03.51\00:14:06.81 However for Him it was a little different experience. 00:14:06.84\00:14:10.58 Remember now, when He was on the cross 00:14:10.61\00:14:13.11 that Father enshrouded Him with a covering of darkness 00:14:13.15\00:14:18.09 so that He could not sense the presence of God 00:14:18.12\00:14:21.62 His Father anymore. 00:14:21.66\00:14:22.99 That was the first time in eternity history 00:14:23.02\00:14:25.93 that He had ever experienced 00:14:25.96\00:14:28.00 what it would be like to be cut off from the Father. 00:14:28.03\00:14:30.80 Let me share something with you, beloved. 00:14:30.83\00:14:32.77 Hell is not about the fire that's going to be there 00:14:32.80\00:14:37.44 to destroy the wicked. 00:14:37.47\00:14:38.81 Part, that's part of it but the other part, 00:14:38.84\00:14:40.84 the weightier part of it is hell is eternal separation 00:14:40.88\00:14:44.28 from the God who loves you 00:14:44.31\00:14:48.55 and cares about you. 00:14:48.58\00:14:51.39 You don't think like me that knowing of this, 00:14:51.42\00:14:53.62 Christ would have prepared himself for His whipping 00:14:53.66\00:14:59.09 and get me a few legions of angels to come, 00:14:59.13\00:15:03.30 they'll take care of the matter. 00:15:03.33\00:15:05.30 I don't have to suffer as badly 00:15:05.33\00:15:07.90 but instead knowing the condition of the heart 00:15:07.94\00:15:11.71 of those around Him, 00:15:11.74\00:15:13.07 the publicans and the sinners and the Pharisees. 00:15:13.11\00:15:16.31 Christ instead tries as if for the last time 00:15:16.34\00:15:19.75 to get them to understand 00:15:19.78\00:15:21.48 the unfathomable love of His Father. 00:15:21.52\00:15:25.69 He does so by telling them three back to back parables 00:15:25.72\00:15:30.76 as recorded in the 15th chapter of Luke. 00:15:30.79\00:15:33.73 Turn there with me in the 15th chapter of Luke. 00:15:33.76\00:15:37.50 There we find, you got it there three parables 00:15:37.53\00:15:43.04 called The Lost Sheep found in verses 3 through 7, 00:15:43.07\00:15:47.48 The Lost Coin in verses 8 through 10 00:15:47.51\00:15:50.55 and The Lost Boy in verses 11 through 32. 00:15:50.58\00:15:55.78 It is important to know that these parables represent 00:15:55.82\00:16:01.92 three dimensions of lostness. 00:16:01.96\00:16:07.16 They represent what? 00:16:07.20\00:16:09.56 Three dimensions of lostness 00:16:09.60\00:16:11.60 in the Parable of the Lost Sheep. 00:16:11.63\00:16:15.97 Here we find that the sheep knew it was lost 00:16:16.00\00:16:20.31 but it didn't know how to find its way back 00:16:20.34\00:16:23.95 out of its lostness. 00:16:23.98\00:16:25.48 It's also interesting to know that this particular parable 00:16:25.51\00:16:29.25 was addressed to the men in the crowd. 00:16:29.28\00:16:32.99 Then we'll come to the Parable of the Lost Coin, 00:16:33.02\00:16:38.53 The Lost Coin. 00:16:38.56\00:16:40.30 The coin does not, it's in the house 00:16:40.33\00:16:43.57 but it does not know that it's lost. 00:16:43.60\00:16:45.30 Let me see if I can help you understand a little bit better. 00:16:45.33\00:16:48.40 The coin is lost in the church 00:16:48.44\00:16:51.94 but it doesn't know that it's lost. 00:16:51.97\00:16:56.91 This particular parable 00:16:56.95\00:16:58.28 is directed at the women in the crowd. 00:16:58.31\00:17:03.69 Of all the 30 plus parables that Christ told, 00:17:03.72\00:17:09.02 perhaps none is more poignant, 00:17:09.06\00:17:11.13 passionate or popular as the next one, The Lost Boy. 00:17:11.16\00:17:17.37 The Last Boy because within that one parable 00:17:17.40\00:17:21.77 both dimensions of lostness are mentioned. 00:17:21.80\00:17:26.31 The sheep knew it was lost 00:17:26.34\00:17:28.61 but didn't know how to get back. 00:17:28.64\00:17:31.88 The coin was in the house 00:17:31.91\00:17:34.25 but didn't know it was lost in the house. 00:17:34.28\00:17:37.15 That's in that parable 00:17:37.19\00:17:38.62 but then there is a third dimension of lostness 00:17:38.65\00:17:40.86 that we have to also consider 00:17:40.89\00:17:42.72 and that is the father's lostness 00:17:42.76\00:17:45.89 at not being able to love his sons. 00:17:45.93\00:17:51.10 He is in fact the prodigal son. 00:17:51.13\00:17:53.80 It's interesting that Christ addressed this parable 00:17:53.84\00:17:56.77 to the young adults probably in the crowd. 00:17:56.81\00:18:01.11 It's just a parable that we want to focus on. 00:18:01.14\00:18:03.41 It comes in two acts. 00:18:03.45\00:18:05.18 Act one is the act about the younger brother. 00:18:05.21\00:18:09.88 Act two is the act about the elder brother. 00:18:09.92\00:18:14.36 You will recall some times ago 00:18:14.39\00:18:16.76 I preached about this first act, 00:18:16.79\00:18:18.73 do you recall. 00:18:18.76\00:18:20.10 I preached it under the sermon title 00:18:20.13\00:18:22.20 where little Wayne meets Sasha Fierce. 00:18:22.23\00:18:28.60 You know that? I will re-preach that. 00:18:28.64\00:18:33.88 But I want to lift up some highlights 00:18:33.91\00:18:36.61 to help fresh up our story. 00:18:36.64\00:18:38.98 You'd recall that a young man gets up one morning 00:18:39.01\00:18:42.78 smelling himself and he goes in to talk to his father. 00:18:42.82\00:18:45.15 Said, "Father, give me everything 00:18:45.19\00:18:47.36 that's coming to me." 00:18:47.39\00:18:48.72 Understand something 00:18:48.76\00:18:50.09 that while it was quite customary 00:18:50.13\00:18:52.26 for father to divide up his inheritance among his sons 00:18:52.29\00:18:56.40 while he was living, 00:18:56.43\00:18:57.77 he did not have to give it to them until he was dead. 00:18:57.80\00:19:01.87 And so for a son to come and ask his father 00:19:01.90\00:19:05.07 give me what's coming to me 00:19:05.11\00:19:06.44 doubt his father was still living 00:19:06.47\00:19:08.21 was to say to the father "I see you as being dead. 00:19:08.24\00:19:11.98 Give me what's mine." 00:19:12.01\00:19:14.45 Imagine the ache and the hurt 00:19:14.48\00:19:17.62 in the father's heart to have his son come and say 00:19:17.65\00:19:21.52 "Give me what's mine 00:19:21.56\00:19:23.29 because in my mind you're dead." 00:19:23.32\00:19:28.60 Why was he so hostile towards his father? 00:19:28.63\00:19:32.53 Simply because his father did everything possible 00:19:32.57\00:19:35.57 to provide him with a spiritual, stable home 00:19:35.60\00:19:40.48 and sometimes, sometimes 00:19:40.51\00:19:44.95 our children don't appreciate it. 00:19:44.98\00:19:49.48 They believe that perhaps you're hollowing something. 00:19:49.52\00:19:52.95 You're keeping them from knowing something 00:19:52.99\00:19:55.22 that they should know outside in the world 00:19:55.26\00:19:57.79 and so he comes and says 00:19:57.83\00:19:59.79 "Let me go into the far country. 00:19:59.83\00:20:04.83 Where is my stuff? 00:20:04.87\00:20:07.90 I want to take my stuff with me." 00:20:07.94\00:20:10.07 And so the Bible says that he took his inheritance 00:20:10.11\00:20:13.78 and he went into the far country 00:20:13.81\00:20:16.88 and there verse 13 it says, 00:20:16.91\00:20:18.98 "And there wasted his substance" 00:20:19.01\00:20:20.72 with what kind of living? 00:20:20.75\00:20:22.22 "Riotous living." 00:20:22.25\00:20:23.62 In fact, the Greek says living riotously, riotously. 00:20:23.65\00:20:28.12 That's an interesting thought to pick up living riotously. 00:20:28.16\00:20:32.93 Because when we look at that word riotously 00:20:32.96\00:20:37.13 in the Medo Greek, 00:20:37.17\00:20:38.90 it comes from the word "Asotos." 00:20:38.93\00:20:41.20 When you get a word in Greek that begins with the letter "A" 00:20:41.24\00:20:44.27 it takes on a negative connotation 00:20:44.31\00:20:46.61 so that to the word that follows the "A." 00:20:46.64\00:20:49.91 The word that follows the "A" is so which means to save. 00:20:49.94\00:20:54.82 So that if you put an "A" in front of a save 00:20:54.85\00:20:57.02 it means doing something opposite than saving. 00:20:57.05\00:21:02.52 You're destroying. You're squandering. 00:21:02.56\00:21:06.56 You're wasting. 00:21:06.59\00:21:08.60 You're living a riotous living. 00:21:08.63\00:21:13.97 In other words, it wasn't just any other kind of living, 00:21:14.00\00:21:16.87 this boy was a player player. 00:21:16.91\00:21:21.01 Mickity mickity mickity mack. 00:21:21.04\00:21:22.64 He had it all, 00:21:30.22\00:21:33.36 he had money, he had women, he had friends, 00:21:33.39\00:21:40.00 had everything that the world says 00:21:40.03\00:21:43.83 makes you successful. 00:21:43.87\00:21:47.94 But when they get to the place 00:21:47.97\00:21:49.40 that we allow someone or something else 00:21:49.44\00:21:51.37 that define success for us, that's the moment 00:21:51.41\00:21:53.71 when we find ourselves a failure. 00:21:53.74\00:21:56.38 But in fact, they complete their success 00:21:56.41\00:21:58.11 outside the will of God 00:21:58.15\00:21:59.91 only when they walk in the ways of the Lord 00:21:59.95\00:22:02.62 to truly understand success. 00:22:02.65\00:22:04.65 The ways of a good man are what? 00:22:04.69\00:22:07.29 Ordered. Ordered by the Lord. 00:22:07.32\00:22:09.76 If God is not ordering us, 00:22:09.79\00:22:11.39 expect how can you be successful? 00:22:11.43\00:22:16.87 Something else is going on in your life. 00:22:16.90\00:22:19.37 But the Bible says 00:22:19.40\00:22:23.00 that if we train up a child 00:22:23.04\00:22:26.51 in the way he should go will he what? 00:22:26.54\00:22:30.78 What will happen to him? He won't depart from it. 00:22:30.81\00:22:35.68 In the book 00:22:38.25\00:22:40.79 "Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions" 00:22:40.82\00:22:43.02 George Barna says that the most ideal time 00:22:43.06\00:22:47.10 to get a hold of our young children 00:22:47.13\00:22:48.66 and introduce them to Christ is at the age of five to thirteen. 00:22:48.70\00:22:52.83 And that if we miss that window of opportunity 00:22:52.87\00:22:56.47 should they wander off in the world, 00:22:56.50\00:22:58.24 it's more difficult for them to find their way back to God 00:22:58.27\00:23:01.71 because they never left him. 00:23:01.74\00:23:05.21 They had no starting point. 00:23:05.25\00:23:08.62 That he who confirms that concept because it says, 00:23:08.65\00:23:13.19 train up a little child in the way that he should go, 00:23:13.22\00:23:15.66 and when he is old, it won't depart from him. 00:23:15.69\00:23:22.33 It didn't say he won't depart from it, 00:23:22.36\00:23:29.24 it's going to stay there if it's put there. 00:23:29.27\00:23:32.57 It's gonna remain there if you'll put it there. 00:23:32.61\00:23:35.58 He will walk off from it 00:23:35.61\00:23:37.45 but it will never walk off from him. 00:23:37.48\00:23:40.48 If we train up a child in the range of God, 00:23:40.52\00:23:44.69 it's going to be there. 00:23:44.72\00:23:46.12 Somebody ought to say it today. 00:23:46.15\00:23:51.79 I got excited about it. 00:23:51.83\00:23:57.83 It won't depart from him. 00:23:57.87\00:24:03.61 He knows he is lost but he knows how to get back. 00:24:03.64\00:24:09.38 Don't think your children don't remember 00:24:12.61\00:24:14.48 what you taught them. 00:24:14.52\00:24:16.62 Don't think they don't remember 00:24:16.65\00:24:18.05 what's happening in Sabbath school. 00:24:18.09\00:24:20.56 Don't think they don't recall the lessons 00:24:20.59\00:24:22.52 in their little primaries. 00:24:22.56\00:24:25.33 Don't think, don't underestimate them, 00:24:25.36\00:24:27.70 they understand the stories in the guide. 00:24:27.73\00:24:31.83 And when you least expect that, when you have given up on them, 00:24:31.87\00:24:35.70 when you think 00:24:35.74\00:24:37.07 that they are completely out of their minds 00:24:37.11\00:24:39.71 the Bible says and then he came to himself. 00:24:39.74\00:24:44.65 Then he came to himself. 00:24:44.68\00:24:46.38 He understood that as long as he was living riotously 00:24:46.41\00:24:50.62 that he had lost his mind but praise God 00:24:50.65\00:24:52.75 that comes a moment in their experience 00:24:52.79\00:24:56.39 about wayward children when they come to themselves. 00:24:56.42\00:25:00.40 I want to thank God 00:25:04.57\00:25:08.14 that we come to ourselves. 00:25:08.17\00:25:14.78 It occurs to me for something to come to themselves 00:25:14.81\00:25:17.48 means that they have to be outside of themselves. 00:25:17.51\00:25:21.62 How consistent a definition 00:25:21.65\00:25:24.45 that is with what Christ declared from the cross. 00:25:24.49\00:25:27.02 Father, forgive them, why? 00:25:27.06\00:25:30.03 They don't know what they are doing. 00:25:30.06\00:25:31.39 Anytime you're involved or evolved 00:25:31.43\00:25:33.60 you'll say you are out of your mind 00:25:33.63\00:25:38.13 and you got to come back to yourself. 00:25:38.17\00:25:42.34 It's interesting that he knew exactly how to get back home. 00:25:45.77\00:25:51.51 Remember now, 00:25:51.55\00:25:52.88 he is a young Jewish gothic ruler 00:25:52.91\00:25:58.09 and yet he is in, he has taken a job 00:25:58.12\00:26:00.39 with all of his money gone 00:26:00.42\00:26:01.76 because he had to get rid of everything he had to pawn. 00:26:01.79\00:26:04.66 He had to pawn his iPod, his iPad, his iPhone 00:26:04.69\00:26:08.80 in order to keep up his crack habit. 00:26:08.83\00:26:10.87 And now he is working at a pig farm 00:26:18.14\00:26:23.01 eating the husk of the Ceratonia siliqua tree. 00:26:23.04\00:26:28.18 Carob beans. 00:26:28.22\00:26:30.69 Can you imagine eating the carob beans 00:26:30.72\00:26:33.69 morning in and morning out? 00:26:33.72\00:26:36.52 In fact, the Bible says 00:26:36.56\00:26:38.33 he doesn't even have the luxury of eating the beans. 00:26:38.36\00:26:41.53 And let me good pod of beans 00:26:41.56\00:26:43.73 but he didn't even have the opportunity to eat the beans. 00:26:43.77\00:26:46.74 He had to eat the husk that have the beans. 00:26:46.77\00:26:52.34 That's the same food that the pigs ate. 00:26:52.37\00:26:56.85 It says, taken life had gotten as low as that of a pig. 00:26:56.88\00:27:02.68 A Jew becoming a pig. 00:27:02.72\00:27:07.96 Are you listening to me? 00:27:07.99\00:27:09.32 Yes, sir. Yeah. 00:27:09.36\00:27:10.69 Things that you live for, that you would do. 00:27:10.73\00:27:13.53 Things that you thought were beyond you. 00:27:13.56\00:27:16.60 Then you get outside of yourself 00:27:16.63\00:27:18.83 you don't even know how far down. 00:27:18.87\00:27:21.44 You will recall 00:27:21.47\00:27:22.80 of what you will ever say I'll never. 00:27:22.84\00:27:27.04 Amen. Amen. 00:27:27.08\00:27:28.78 Put in the right circumstances 00:27:32.11\00:27:33.55 you don't know what you are doing. 00:27:33.58\00:27:36.42 I used to tell my family and to mom, 00:27:36.45\00:27:38.39 I'll never eat a skunk. 00:27:38.42\00:27:42.02 I've never been holy in the wilderness either. 00:27:42.06\00:27:45.19 I'll chase that rascal over that saint. 00:27:45.23\00:27:47.60 Now, but I just have to stink. 00:27:52.07\00:27:53.87 Sometimes I don't know where I get stuff from. 00:28:09.98\00:28:12.35 The Bible says in verse 20, 00:28:17.76\00:28:21.40 "And he arose, came to his father. 00:28:21.43\00:28:25.37 But when he was yet" how far? 00:28:25.40\00:28:29.14 "A great way off, his father" do what? 00:28:29.17\00:28:32.44 "Saw him, and had compassion, and ran, 00:28:32.47\00:28:34.61 and fell on his neck, and kissed him." 00:28:34.64\00:28:39.81 Imagine now, his father saw him 00:28:39.85\00:28:44.32 which indicated he been looking for him. 00:28:44.35\00:28:50.03 It doesn't say how long he'd been looking. 00:28:50.06\00:28:53.73 It didn't say how long he'd been away from home 00:28:53.76\00:28:56.16 but what it does say that he, 00:28:56.20\00:28:58.43 that he came from the kind of family, 00:28:58.47\00:29:01.37 he came from the kind of home 00:29:01.40\00:29:03.51 where his father would stay up and look for him 00:29:03.54\00:29:08.84 to come back home. 00:29:08.88\00:29:10.38 Oh, I miss somebody 'cause he admitted that 00:29:10.41\00:29:13.05 I'm talking about God the Father today. 00:29:13.08\00:29:15.52 His father was looking for him and as he walked, 00:29:22.02\00:29:27.20 he was in his rocking chair, you know. 00:29:27.23\00:29:31.70 Just rocking, enjoying the Palestinian breeze. 00:29:31.73\00:29:37.04 Having the cup of lemonade and he stops rocking. 00:29:41.24\00:29:45.98 I know the way that boy walks there. 00:29:49.18\00:29:52.55 I've seen that walk before. 00:29:52.59\00:29:55.79 But keeps rocking 00:29:55.82\00:29:58.26 because his hopes are starting to rise. 00:29:58.29\00:30:02.30 Understand now, 00:30:02.33\00:30:03.67 understand the father has been existed 00:30:03.70\00:30:06.13 in a state of lostness because his son had gone 00:30:06.17\00:30:10.44 and that was the one less a relation 00:30:10.47\00:30:15.34 that he had to look and so he felt 00:30:15.38\00:30:18.45 as if this can't be it. 00:30:18.48\00:30:20.25 My void is not about to be filled 00:30:20.28\00:30:22.85 but as the boy came closer 00:30:22.88\00:30:24.85 and he watched his hat blow in the wind. 00:30:24.89\00:30:27.46 He says he looks a little different. 00:30:27.49\00:30:30.53 He walks a little different, 00:30:30.56\00:30:32.76 but I declare that looks like my boy Jimmy. 00:30:32.79\00:30:36.70 I declare that's him and nobody were serous. 00:30:36.73\00:30:41.77 He doesn't wait for Jimmy 00:30:41.80\00:30:43.20 to come all the way up to the house. 00:30:43.24\00:30:44.97 The Bible says he went and ran 00:30:48.08\00:30:52.68 and got Jimmy. 00:30:52.71\00:30:55.65 And when he got to Jimmy 00:30:55.68\00:30:59.22 he said, "Look here, this is my boy. 00:30:59.25\00:31:05.19 He is ragged, he is stinking. 00:31:05.23\00:31:10.63 He looks gaunt and emaciated 00:31:10.67\00:31:14.77 but he is my boy." 00:31:14.80\00:31:17.57 And so the Bible says, he places a robe around him. 00:31:17.61\00:31:23.24 Now you seek a word robe in the Bible 00:31:23.28\00:31:26.41 but in the Greek it says stole 00:31:26.45\00:31:30.29 from which we get our word stole 00:31:30.32\00:31:33.25 from which we get mink stole. 00:31:33.29\00:31:35.66 He didn't put just any other kind of robe on him. 00:31:38.86\00:31:42.40 He put an expensive robe on him. 00:31:42.43\00:31:45.90 He put a robe on his path that the moment upon he saw him. 00:31:45.93\00:31:50.84 That would see that he was no longer coming 00:31:50.87\00:31:53.78 by the stain of his rebellion, the stain of his sin 00:31:53.81\00:31:58.41 but instead got cover him with his all righteousness. 00:31:58.45\00:32:03.95 Then the Bible says that he put a ring on his finger. 00:32:03.99\00:32:07.59 It's a signet ring that identifies 00:32:07.62\00:32:10.96 that you belong to a certain family. 00:32:10.99\00:32:13.03 He doesn't want anybody 00:32:16.26\00:32:17.63 to just look at him as if he just anybody. 00:32:17.67\00:32:20.44 He wants people to know this is my boy. 00:32:20.47\00:32:22.74 Oh, I love something about God 00:32:22.77\00:32:25.67 that no matter what a mess we make of ourselves, 00:32:25.71\00:32:29.38 He will never disown. 00:32:29.41\00:32:30.75 Have you ever had a family member 00:32:30.78\00:32:32.65 that disowned you because you made a mess of yourself 00:32:32.68\00:32:36.05 that just threw you to curtain? 00:32:36.08\00:32:37.95 And nobody claims you as theirs but when it comes to God, 00:32:37.99\00:32:43.59 God has a way of saying to the world 00:32:43.63\00:32:46.43 "I don't care what they've done 00:32:46.46\00:32:48.33 as long as they're coming back to me, 00:32:48.36\00:32:51.23 I claim them for My own." 00:32:51.27\00:32:53.67 He put shoes on his feet 00:32:53.70\00:32:57.71 because only slaves walked around barefoot. 00:32:57.74\00:33:03.45 But folk who belong to somebody 00:33:03.48\00:33:06.58 walk around in Stacy Adams. 00:33:06.61\00:33:10.89 He is mine. 00:33:10.92\00:33:14.92 And the Bible says, he said, "Kill the fatted calf." 00:33:14.96\00:33:17.43 The fatted calf is significant. 00:33:17.46\00:33:19.26 Now let me tell you something else. 00:33:19.29\00:33:20.63 When he goes to get his son 00:33:25.10\00:33:28.87 and he sees him a great way off, 00:33:28.90\00:33:32.01 inspiration gives us the impression 00:33:32.04\00:33:33.51 that he ran to meet him. 00:33:33.54\00:33:36.75 What's so significant about that? 00:33:36.78\00:33:39.35 Because when you reach a certain station in life, 00:33:39.38\00:33:43.95 you don't run in public. 00:33:43.99\00:33:45.59 You don't embarrass yourself like that 00:33:49.52\00:33:52.63 especially not for some ragged hobo bum son 00:33:52.66\00:33:55.76 that just got off of crack. 00:33:55.80\00:33:57.67 You maintain your dignity 00:33:57.70\00:34:00.24 but God was trying to illustrate for us, 00:34:00.27\00:34:03.00 I don't have any dignity to maintain 00:34:03.04\00:34:06.27 when it comes to My child who is always right at home. 00:34:06.31\00:34:10.81 Amen. 00:34:10.85\00:34:12.41 Praise the Lord. 00:34:12.45\00:34:13.78 Am I speaking to somebody today? 00:34:18.72\00:34:22.49 Parents don't worry about your name, 00:34:22.52\00:34:23.99 your name now mean nothing. 00:34:24.03\00:34:27.33 How can you mess with my name? 00:34:27.36\00:34:28.90 My dad name has been in the family, 00:34:28.93\00:34:30.97 that's all that is been in the family. 00:34:31.00\00:34:35.64 Haven't done nothing with it. 00:34:35.67\00:34:38.54 There, there he is, kill the fatted calf. 00:34:38.57\00:34:42.64 The calf was fatted for the entertainment 00:34:42.68\00:34:47.02 of the dignitary. 00:34:47.05\00:34:50.52 How can somebody from a pigpen now become a dignitary 00:34:50.55\00:34:53.66 at oriental banquet? 00:34:53.69\00:34:57.09 My faults are not your faults. 00:34:57.13\00:35:00.93 You don't mind my ways, your ways. 00:35:00.96\00:35:03.90 You run your party your way. 00:35:03.93\00:35:06.20 Let me run my party my way. 00:35:06.23\00:35:09.20 God places a completely different value 00:35:09.24\00:35:11.54 on a soul than we do. 00:35:11.57\00:35:13.41 And the party is going on. 00:35:18.21\00:35:20.65 Can't you hear the music, 00:35:20.68\00:35:22.02 "I want to dance with somebody?" 00:35:22.05\00:35:23.95 Did you hear it? 00:35:29.49\00:35:30.83 It's a celebration 00:35:34.13\00:35:37.33 but actually he is elder brother. 00:35:37.37\00:35:40.24 He's been out there all alone. 00:35:40.27\00:35:43.27 He's been out there in the field. 00:35:43.30\00:35:46.74 And here is the party coming on. 00:35:46.78\00:35:49.64 And as he gets up to the house he sees the service 00:35:49.68\00:35:52.81 doing the electric slide. 00:35:52.85\00:35:54.22 Where are you off scouting to? 00:35:58.85\00:36:01.46 Your father has come back home. 00:36:01.49\00:36:04.03 Your father has said to kill the fatted calf. 00:36:04.06\00:36:07.80 I want you to understand 00:36:07.83\00:36:09.16 everybody is silent except for the elder brother. 00:36:09.20\00:36:15.44 Get this. Don't miss this. 00:36:15.47\00:36:17.01 Don't miss this. 00:36:17.04\00:36:18.74 When folk come to Jesus 00:36:18.77\00:36:23.35 that we all attend a silent above that. 00:36:23.38\00:36:28.22 But let me tell you, let me tell you 00:36:28.25\00:36:29.75 what happens sometimes 00:36:29.78\00:36:32.19 when folk come back to the Lord. 00:36:32.22\00:36:33.82 Look at verse 25 and 4, it says 00:36:33.86\00:36:37.16 his elder brother came out of the field 00:36:37.19\00:36:38.76 and heard the music and the dancing 00:36:38.79\00:36:41.16 and he called the servant, what does it mean. 00:36:41.20\00:36:42.90 And 27 says your brother is back 00:36:42.93\00:36:44.70 and your father said killed the fatted calf. 00:36:44.73\00:36:47.44 Verse 28 and he was what? 00:36:47.47\00:36:49.27 Angry. 00:36:49.30\00:36:50.64 He was what? Angry! 00:36:50.67\00:36:55.71 He was angry. 00:36:55.74\00:36:57.68 And the Bible says he will not go in. 00:36:57.71\00:37:03.05 Are you getting this? 00:37:05.22\00:37:06.62 You think everybody is happy about your conversion? 00:37:09.92\00:37:14.63 You think everybody left you came back to city temple. 00:37:14.66\00:37:19.03 You think everybody is happy about the fact 00:37:19.07\00:37:22.60 that you found Jesus. 00:37:22.64\00:37:25.47 You forget this the elder brother 00:37:25.51\00:37:29.04 that sits in the church sometime getting angry. 00:37:29.08\00:37:33.42 This is a more subtle form of lostness because he is lost 00:37:33.45\00:37:39.05 and doesn't know he is lost. 00:37:39.09\00:37:41.19 He is so caught up in his moralistic practices. 00:37:45.39\00:37:51.73 I've been in field working, 00:37:51.77\00:37:55.54 I will come to the church faithfully. 00:37:55.57\00:37:59.01 I haven't given tiny headache one day of his life. 00:37:59.04\00:38:04.51 I stayed here and took care of him 00:38:04.55\00:38:07.95 while that fellow-- 00:38:07.98\00:38:12.15 Good thing, I got to edit it. 00:38:17.96\00:38:19.39 He ran out there and got with any little sister he could 00:38:25.03\00:38:30.97 and they're treating him like royalty. 00:38:31.01\00:38:33.68 Now notice what he says here. 00:38:33.71\00:38:35.04 Look here, look here verse 29. 00:38:35.08\00:38:36.81 "And he answered and said to his father, 00:38:36.85\00:38:38.18 'Lord, these many years do I serve thee, 00:38:38.21\00:38:39.71 neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment, 00:38:39.75\00:38:42.35 and yet thou never gavest me a kid, 00:38:42.38\00:38:46.25 that I might make merry with my friends." 00:38:46.29\00:38:47.92 Now understand he's killed a fatty calf for the other son 00:38:47.96\00:38:51.03 and he says you haven't even given me 00:38:51.06\00:38:53.06 one of the calf's babies. 00:38:53.09\00:38:56.93 Just paid me a little bit of attention 00:38:56.97\00:39:00.14 and I haven't done anything wrong. 00:39:00.17\00:39:01.70 You know, I've read 00:39:01.74\00:39:03.07 all the Spirit of Prophecy books. 00:39:03.10\00:39:04.77 I'm vegan now. 00:39:09.81\00:39:11.15 I've memorized entire chapters of the Bible. 00:39:15.38\00:39:19.99 On Sabbath I'm involved in personal ministries 00:39:20.02\00:39:23.06 and then in the afternoon I'm part of the Bible study 00:39:23.09\00:39:26.66 and yet you haven't even given me a kheer 00:39:26.70\00:39:31.90 to celebrate what I've done. 00:39:31.93\00:39:33.34 You must understand something 00:39:33.37\00:39:34.70 about the older brother mentality. 00:39:34.74\00:39:38.07 Sometimes the elder brother, 00:39:38.11\00:39:42.68 the elder brother makes it hard for the other brothers 00:39:42.71\00:39:47.22 to come back home. 00:39:47.25\00:39:49.18 Our cities are full, full of younger brothers 00:39:49.22\00:39:53.56 who go off into the far country and make messes of themselves 00:39:53.59\00:39:57.26 but when they come back to their churches 00:39:57.29\00:39:59.19 they find churches full of elder brothers. 00:39:59.23\00:40:02.33 I'm just telling something about the elder brother. 00:40:06.37\00:40:08.80 He has not stayed at home and done all of these things 00:40:08.84\00:40:13.91 out of obedience to his father, 00:40:13.94\00:40:17.15 instead he does it out of obligation 00:40:17.18\00:40:19.85 to make sure I will get my stuff when he dies. 00:40:19.88\00:40:26.49 So he gets two thirds as the elder brother. 00:40:26.52\00:40:30.96 The other one gets one third. 00:40:30.99\00:40:32.33 He is saying, how much did this party cost? 00:40:32.36\00:40:35.93 He got all his money 00:40:39.47\00:40:40.80 so this must be some of my money get to spend. 00:40:40.84\00:40:42.70 He is spending up my money on this barbeque. 00:40:45.91\00:40:50.18 The other brother sets a standard high for himself 00:40:57.82\00:41:02.56 that spoke of words righteousness. 00:41:02.59\00:41:07.90 I can somehow end my way into the father's favor. 00:41:07.93\00:41:14.04 I can earn my way into the kingdom. 00:41:14.07\00:41:18.07 Let me share something with you 00:41:18.11\00:41:19.74 as I come down the whole stretch. 00:41:19.77\00:41:21.31 In Isaiah 64, Isaiah 64 00:41:21.34\00:41:25.95 I want you to notice what the Word of God says here 00:41:25.98\00:41:28.15 in Isaiah 64:6, Isaiah 64:6 the Bible says, 00:41:28.18\00:41:33.72 "But we are all as an unclean thing, 00:41:33.76\00:41:38.19 and all our righteousness are as" what? 00:41:38.23\00:41:41.33 And our iniquities, like the wind, 00:41:47.14\00:41:49.30 have taken us away." 00:41:49.34\00:41:54.61 "There is none righteous, 00:41:54.64\00:41:57.71 no, not one." 00:41:57.75\00:42:02.72 Carol Cannon in her book in her 1993 epic work 00:42:02.75\00:42:06.02 called Never Good Enough, 00:42:06.05\00:42:09.16 states that there are some people 00:42:09.19\00:42:12.23 who live their lives 00:42:12.26\00:42:14.30 in a constant search for significance. 00:42:14.33\00:42:17.33 They are constantly looking for somebody 00:42:17.37\00:42:19.17 to affirm or validate their existence. 00:42:19.20\00:42:22.40 They measure that affirmation by the things they do, 00:42:27.84\00:42:34.12 never understanding that when it comes to God, 00:42:34.15\00:42:37.49 you can't do enough good to win His favor. 00:42:37.52\00:42:44.16 I want to turn to my favorite verse in scripture 00:42:44.19\00:42:46.13 I want you to see this here. 00:42:46.16\00:42:50.40 This is important, this is special. 00:42:50.43\00:42:53.40 Romans 5:8 notice what the Word of God says. 00:42:53.44\00:43:00.14 "But God commendeth his love toward us, 00:43:00.18\00:43:04.21 in that, while we were" what? 00:43:04.25\00:43:07.18 "Yet sinners," What does yet mean? 00:43:07.22\00:43:10.82 Still. Still sinners. 00:43:10.85\00:43:15.12 What does it say? 00:43:15.16\00:43:16.69 "Christ died" 00:43:16.73\00:43:19.56 you mean while I was in the wrong bed? 00:43:19.59\00:43:24.07 Don't get quiet only now. 00:43:28.44\00:43:32.34 You mean while I was pocketing the Lord's money? 00:43:32.37\00:43:36.54 Yes. 00:43:36.58\00:43:38.91 Do you mean while I was smelling white powder? 00:43:38.95\00:43:44.55 Yes. 00:43:44.59\00:43:46.35 What are you saying, pastor, 00:43:46.39\00:43:49.72 while I was molesting that child, 00:43:49.76\00:43:52.13 while I was abusing my wife, the Lord died for you, 00:43:52.16\00:43:57.40 right when you were in the midst of your sin. 00:43:57.43\00:44:02.27 Amen. Amen. 00:44:02.30\00:44:07.94 Now, now, can we talk? 00:44:07.98\00:44:09.51 Yes. 00:44:09.54\00:44:10.88 I'm your pastor and I love you but you would just have to die. 00:44:10.91\00:44:15.88 Oh, they seem to say, look at our pastor says, 00:44:26.26\00:44:27.96 you wouldn't have died for me either. 00:44:28.00\00:44:31.20 No, you would. 00:44:31.23\00:44:34.20 If somebody is messing up you just say, 00:44:34.24\00:44:35.87 they just got to mess up. 00:44:35.90\00:44:38.07 I'm not gonna help you. 00:44:38.11\00:44:39.67 But while we were yet sinners, 00:44:39.71\00:44:43.24 Christ died for us. 00:44:43.28\00:44:47.68 So why would the elder brother get angry? 00:44:50.49\00:44:55.96 Why? 00:44:55.99\00:44:58.49 Because all of his righteousness 00:44:58.53\00:45:02.03 is centered in his works. 00:45:02.06\00:45:05.23 He believes that I've earned the right, 00:45:05.27\00:45:11.81 earned the right to be called your son. 00:45:11.84\00:45:14.18 Earned the right to receive everything that's coming out. 00:45:14.21\00:45:17.88 I've earned it. 00:45:17.91\00:45:20.95 How could you then ignore me like this? 00:45:20.98\00:45:27.02 We have lost the moment we believe 00:45:27.06\00:45:30.73 that we deserve a place in God's kingdom 00:45:30.76\00:45:34.10 based on what we've done as opposed to what He has done. 00:45:34.13\00:45:39.80 If we ever get out of view what He has done, 00:45:39.83\00:45:43.44 if we ever get the cross get out of our vision, 00:45:43.47\00:45:47.08 we will never fully understand what it is 00:45:47.11\00:45:51.18 to live by faith in the grace of Jesus Christ. 00:45:51.21\00:45:56.48 Look up here at verse 1, 00:45:56.52\00:45:57.99 "Therefore being justified by faith," by what? 00:45:58.02\00:46:01.86 Faith. 00:46:01.89\00:46:03.22 "We have" what? "Peace." 00:46:03.26\00:46:04.59 Say that word again. Peace. 00:46:04.63\00:46:05.96 "Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 00:46:05.99\00:46:08.23 by whom also we have access by faith into" what? 00:46:08.26\00:46:12.27 Grace. 00:46:12.30\00:46:13.64 "Into this grace wherein we stand, 00:46:13.67\00:46:16.87 and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." 00:46:16.91\00:46:22.31 Amen. Amen. 00:46:22.34\00:46:26.61 We are the recipients of God's grace. 00:46:26.65\00:46:31.65 We are recipients of His imputed righteousness. 00:46:31.69\00:46:34.82 Do you know what I mean when I say 00:46:34.86\00:46:36.19 imputed righteousness? 00:46:36.22\00:46:37.56 That means that I'm guilty, 00:46:37.59\00:46:40.23 I'm a sinner. Yes. 00:46:40.26\00:46:41.96 But when I accept Jesus Christ based on His life, 00:46:42.00\00:46:46.17 I'm declared innocent. 00:46:46.20\00:46:48.17 Yes. 00:46:48.20\00:46:50.91 I was a teenager growing up in Germany 00:46:50.94\00:46:54.78 and succumb to peer pressure. 00:46:54.81\00:46:57.25 I want to be a member of that group in my school 00:46:57.28\00:46:59.78 called the Black Glove Club. 00:46:59.81\00:47:03.28 In order to become a member of the Black Glove Club 00:47:03.32\00:47:05.92 all you had to do is walk into the PX 00:47:05.95\00:47:08.46 and steal something without putting it in your clothes. 00:47:08.49\00:47:12.36 And I went to the PX and the boys were with me 00:47:12.39\00:47:16.50 and they were stealing stuff but the moment, 00:47:16.53\00:47:19.17 the moment that somebody got caught everybody is scattered. 00:47:19.20\00:47:22.84 Guess who got caught? 00:47:22.87\00:47:24.54 The Adventist. 00:47:24.57\00:47:27.88 You can always tell on occasion, 00:47:27.91\00:47:29.98 they dance too hard in the party. 00:47:30.01\00:47:32.61 They drink too much. 00:47:32.65\00:47:34.32 They get too loud you can tell it. 00:47:34.35\00:47:37.25 They leave me alone. 00:47:37.29\00:47:41.19 And as they were leading me up to the office, 00:47:41.22\00:47:44.56 they were leading me up to the office. 00:47:44.59\00:47:47.40 I said, I can pay for this. 00:47:47.43\00:47:49.56 I got some money. 00:47:49.60\00:47:51.13 I was just going outside to get a fresh air 00:47:51.17\00:47:53.90 before I went to the race to pay for it. 00:47:53.94\00:47:56.24 They took me up to the manager's office 00:48:02.08\00:48:05.45 and I saw the sign, "No shoplifting. 00:48:05.48\00:48:10.69 Violators will be prosecuted." 00:48:10.72\00:48:13.39 Gave them my ID card. 00:48:13.42\00:48:16.29 They said, the manager said get the MPs up here. 00:48:16.32\00:48:20.96 He looked at my ID card and he said, 00:48:21.00\00:48:22.96 it said, Eddie Polite. 00:48:23.00\00:48:24.33 He said, Eddie Polite. 00:48:24.37\00:48:28.30 Are you related to the commander, 00:48:28.34\00:48:30.37 Command Sergeant Major 00:48:30.41\00:48:32.34 of this post Edward E. Polite? 00:48:32.37\00:48:39.11 Yeah. 00:48:39.15\00:48:40.48 The man then said, hold, wait a minute don't call the MPs. 00:48:46.02\00:48:51.66 Call his daddy. 00:48:51.69\00:48:58.43 I said, "Please call the police. 00:48:58.47\00:49:00.94 Call the po-po, call the man you want to, but don't call, 00:49:00.97\00:49:05.04 have somebody, just don't call my daddy up here. 00:49:05.07\00:49:10.01 I have no daddy. 00:49:10.05\00:49:13.68 That brethren will beat me to death. 00:49:13.72\00:49:16.22 Amen. Amen. 00:49:21.32\00:49:23.69 But I heard them talking and they said, 00:49:23.73\00:49:28.96 the Sergeant Major wouldn't appreciate 00:49:29.00\00:49:31.00 this kind of publicity. 00:49:31.03\00:49:34.10 He has conducted himself with integrity the whole time, 00:49:34.14\00:49:38.51 he's been the commander. 00:49:38.54\00:49:41.64 Based on his life... 00:49:41.68\00:49:44.28 Based on his life and the way he's conducted himself 00:49:49.35\00:49:55.09 let's call his daddy 00:49:55.12\00:49:56.83 and forget about what his son has done. 00:49:56.86\00:50:01.43 And daddy came up there. 00:50:01.46\00:50:04.60 Didn't know what to expect. 00:50:04.63\00:50:08.90 They called him in the office, 00:50:08.94\00:50:11.67 spoke to him and daddy took me downstairs 00:50:11.71\00:50:15.08 and paid for what I got caught stealing. 00:50:15.11\00:50:17.05 You know, what I got caught stealing? 00:50:17.08\00:50:19.85 A box of Smith Brothers cough drops. 00:50:19.88\00:50:22.48 Don't offer me one if you see me coughing. 00:50:27.29\00:50:29.29 You talk about the excesses, give me a Smith Brothers cough. 00:50:41.70\00:50:46.14 Daddy went to the register 00:50:46.17\00:50:47.58 paid for that box of Smith Brothers cough drops. 00:50:47.61\00:50:51.78 I walked out the store 00:50:51.81\00:50:54.28 as if I had done absolutely nothing 00:50:54.32\00:50:58.82 because my daddy showed up. 00:50:58.85\00:51:03.93 And everybody treated me as if I was innocent. 00:51:03.96\00:51:08.93 That's imputed righteousness. 00:51:08.96\00:51:12.47 It's nothing that you had in control of it. 00:51:12.50\00:51:15.60 You haven't done a faint to deserve it. 00:51:15.64\00:51:18.41 He's done everything to deserve it 00:51:18.44\00:51:20.74 and we become the beneficiary 00:51:20.78\00:51:23.21 of Christ imputed righteousness. 00:51:23.24\00:51:26.78 And in order to stay that way, in order to stay that way, 00:51:26.82\00:51:31.52 he doesn't stop there, 00:51:31.55\00:51:32.89 He gives you His imparted righteousness. 00:51:32.92\00:51:35.32 When I got home, daddy gave me his imparted righteousness. 00:51:35.36\00:51:38.49 Yeah, he give me something to make sure 00:51:44.63\00:51:46.67 you know how to walk right. 00:51:46.70\00:51:48.17 Power to talk right. 00:51:52.17\00:51:56.04 Power to be right. 00:51:56.08\00:51:59.28 Power to behave right. 00:51:59.31\00:52:02.22 Power to sit right. 00:52:02.25\00:52:05.12 Power in imparted righteousness, 00:52:05.15\00:52:09.36 so that you can stay on the narrow way. 00:52:09.39\00:52:12.86 All of our righteousness is filthy before God. 00:52:16.73\00:52:23.71 You can't pray enough, you can't study enough, 00:52:23.74\00:52:27.74 you can't testify enough, you can't work enough, 00:52:27.78\00:52:31.95 you can't do enough to deserve it 00:52:31.98\00:52:36.82 that negates the elder brother mentality. 00:52:36.85\00:52:43.29 In closing, 00:52:43.32\00:52:47.33 whether you are the younger brother 00:52:47.36\00:52:50.70 or the older brother, 00:52:50.73\00:52:54.00 the father has come out to meet you. 00:52:54.04\00:52:58.17 He doesn't just sit there in glory 00:53:01.54\00:53:05.98 allowing us to flounder in our sins. 00:53:06.01\00:53:10.95 He is a kind of God 00:53:10.99\00:53:13.86 that that down take calls the hound of heaven. 00:53:13.89\00:53:16.96 He seeks after those who are lost. 00:53:16.99\00:53:23.47 I'm glad to serve a God like that today, 00:53:23.50\00:53:27.30 who understands my lostness 00:53:27.34\00:53:32.37 and does something for me. 00:53:32.41\00:53:36.04 When we were in England, 00:53:36.08\00:53:39.51 I was looking for a special church there. 00:53:39.55\00:53:45.25 And on the top of that church 00:53:45.29\00:53:47.42 there is a cross called Charing Cross. 00:53:47.46\00:53:50.56 You can play musicians. 00:53:50.59\00:53:52.79 Charing Cross, that cross 00:53:52.83\00:53:57.40 a little boy got lost one day 00:53:57.43\00:54:01.30 and wandered away from his home. 00:54:01.34\00:54:03.24 Didn't know his way back 00:54:06.27\00:54:10.01 so he just sat down on the curve started crying. 00:54:10.05\00:54:16.52 A buddy comes along, a policeman and asked him, 00:54:16.55\00:54:22.02 "Little boy, what's wrong with you?" 00:54:22.06\00:54:27.10 He says, "I'm lost." 00:54:27.13\00:54:28.93 He says, "How do you know you're lost?" 00:54:32.27\00:54:34.97 He said, "Because I don't recognize 00:54:35.00\00:54:37.47 anything around me." 00:54:37.51\00:54:41.74 He said, "What? 00:54:41.78\00:54:45.05 Tell me your address." 00:54:45.08\00:54:47.92 He said, "I don't know my address." 00:54:47.95\00:54:51.62 "Tell me your momma's name, big momma." 00:54:51.65\00:54:55.52 "Does big momma have a name?" 00:55:00.56\00:55:03.13 "That's the only name I know, big momma." 00:55:03.16\00:55:08.10 "What's about your daddy?" 00:55:08.14\00:55:09.47 "I didn't got a daddy." 00:55:09.50\00:55:10.84 "You got to tell me where you live 00:55:13.61\00:55:15.38 so I can help you get back home." 00:55:15.41\00:55:17.25 "He is saying I told you everything I know. 00:55:17.28\00:55:20.02 I don't know how to get back." 00:55:20.05\00:55:22.25 And he sat back now on the curve 00:55:22.28\00:55:24.22 and started crying some more. 00:55:24.25\00:55:26.22 The policeman decides 00:55:29.32\00:55:34.36 that let me go there piece of another round. 00:55:34.40\00:55:38.03 He said, "Do you remember anything 00:55:38.07\00:55:40.00 that's around the house that you live?" 00:55:40.04\00:55:45.11 He stopped crying for a moment. 00:55:45.14\00:55:48.78 He said, "There is a cross. 00:55:48.81\00:55:54.98 A big cross on top of the church 00:55:55.02\00:55:59.02 by my house. 00:55:59.05\00:56:01.32 If you can just take me to the cross, 00:56:01.36\00:56:05.19 I can find my way back home. 00:56:05.23\00:56:08.46 If you can take me to the cross, 00:56:08.50\00:56:12.43 I can find my way back home." 00:56:12.47\00:56:18.64 There is a prodigal God 00:56:18.67\00:56:21.58 who wanders off into the far country 00:56:21.61\00:56:24.31 not to waste his substance in riotous living 00:56:24.35\00:56:28.65 but to save others 00:56:28.68\00:56:30.85 who have wandered off into the far country 00:56:30.89\00:56:33.15 and wasted their lives in riotous living. 00:56:33.19\00:56:37.13 That's the kind of God we serve. 00:56:40.20\00:56:43.77 He will come after you. 00:56:43.80\00:56:47.74 He loves you that much. 00:56:47.77\00:56:51.27 Do you understand that the word prodigal in that context 00:56:51.31\00:56:57.88 is someone who is wasteful or extravagant 00:56:57.91\00:57:00.48 but it comes from the same root word as the word prodigy 00:57:00.52\00:57:05.09 which means a genius? 00:57:05.12\00:57:07.69 You're not a genius because you waste your life, 00:57:07.72\00:57:10.29 you are a genius because you recognized 00:57:10.33\00:57:12.86 that you're messed up 00:57:12.89\00:57:14.23 and you need to come back to God. 00:57:14.26\00:57:16.60