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.
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