As you're well aware,
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we're living in
unprecedented times.
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Join us now for
Today special program.
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my words
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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Hello, I'm Shelley
Quinn, squeaky Quinn here,
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and we just wanna welcome you
to 3ABN Today, we're excited.
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This Today program
will be a Bible topic,
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and we will look
at Luke Chapter 15,
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the parables of
the lost and found.
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And I believe you are
going to learn some things today
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about the Lord's character
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and the Lord's work that
you've never heard before.
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Let me introduce our guests,
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our family, my
brothers in Christ.
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We have Ryan Day.
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Ryan, so glad you're here.
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I'm glad to be here as well.
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I'm looking
forward to the study.
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Oh, me too.
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And Pastor John Dinzey.
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We're glad you're here, Johnny.
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It's a blessing to be here
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and I'm looking forward as well.
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We know that God
will bring a blessing
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to all that want a blessing.
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Amen and amen.
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And we are going to study
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these three
consecutive parables of grace
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and truth, parables of God's,
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how much each
precious soul is worth to God.
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And a parable is like a
life sketch if you will.
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It's a story that has
rich symbolic meaning.
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I know that I learned
something in studying mine,
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but what we will find
about these is usually
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you look at it and
people feel that well,
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they're all
saying the same thing,
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but it's not true.
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This is not repetitious.
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What it is each
parable builds on the previous.
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We're gonna see
the work of Jesus,
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the Holy Spirit, and the
Father in these three parables.
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Would you like to open
with prayer, Brother Ryan?
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Absolutely. Yeah, let's pray.
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Our Father in heaven,
Lord, we are so blessed,
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so privileged and
honored to be here,
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Lord, to be able to open
the bread of life and to study
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and to come to know
Your will for our life.
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Lord, there are so many people
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that are watching
around the world right now.
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I just pray Lord
that Your Holy Spirit
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be poured out on
each and every one of us,
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those listening,
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those of us here
on the panel here
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that are, we'll be
discussing and studying.
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Lord, may there be a blessing
poured out on each of us,
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and may we each be
drawn closer to Jesus Christ.
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We ask in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Amen. Amen.
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Let me just open
up with the first few
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and then scriptures.
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And then I'm gonna
toss it to you, Johnny.
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You know what we
see in Luke Chapter 15,
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is God's divine hand of mercy
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reaching down to
human hands of misery.
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We see how God
put such great value
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on every precious soul.
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And He is seeking
people to save people.
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It starts, Luke 15.
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It says, "All the tax collectors
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and the sinners
drew near to Him,
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to Jesus, to hear Him.
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And the
Pharisees and the scribes
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complained saying,
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'This man receives
sinners and eats with them.'"
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So what we have here,
Jesus is at this feast,
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He's with sinners,
He's with tax collectors
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because He knew
they needed salvation.
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But these
Pharisees are complaining,
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they're grumbling,
they're pointing fingers
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and casting
accusations at Jesus.
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So, Johnny, why don't
you give the first parable?
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Okay.
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So I am going to
keep reading verse 3
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and I'll read the parable
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and then we'll come
back and look at it.
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So He spoke this
parable to them saying,
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what man of you
having a hundred sheep,
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if he loses one of
them does not leave
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the ninety-nine
in the wilderness
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and go after the one
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which is lost until he finds it?
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And when he has found it,
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he lays it on his
shoulders rejoicing.
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And when he comes home,
he calls together his friends
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and neighbors, saying
to them, 'Rejoice with me,
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for I have found my
sheep which was lost!'
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I say to you that
likewise there will be more joy
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in heaven over
one sinner who repents
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than over
ninety-nine just persons
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who need no repentance.'"
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Oh, I love that scripture.
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It is indeed a
marvelous scripture.
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The whole parable is
a tremendous blessing
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to consider it.
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If we look at the verses,
I'll just go back to verse 1.
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It says, "Then
all the tax collectors
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and the sinners
drew near to hear Him."
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So we have a picture here
of tax collectors and sinners
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wanting to hear Jesus.
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That's good news.
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That's good news.
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They are interested in
hearing what Jesus has to say.
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Now, why are they interested
in what Jesus has to say?
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Maybe they've heard.
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Maybe they've seen things
and they say, wait a minute,
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there's something
about this person.
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We need to go hear Him.
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There's something
different about Jesus.
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So they come near and
when someone comes near,
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there's interest.
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You know, you can
stand the far off.
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You're hearing someone.
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I'm not sure about this person.
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I'll just stand back here.
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Then in case, I
don't like what I hear,
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I'll just walk right and out.
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I'm sure you've
been to a church.
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You see somebody come
in, they sit way in the back
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kind of just
seeing how things go
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and they can slip right out.
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Or maybe they
don't wanna be noticed,
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but these individuals came here.
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So that's good news.
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Now, it's interesting
that the parable, I mean the...
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This scene before the
parable doesn't say, okay,
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you sinners, you guys,
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no, you can't be
here, you need to go.
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No, Jesus allows
them to come near,
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but not only does He allow them,
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but look at verse 2,
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"And the Pharisees
and scribes complained."
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Where do the scribes
and Pharisees want to be?
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Close.
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They wanna be close,
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but the sinners are
there close to Jesus.
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And said, "They took our place."
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They took our place, but
not only are they looking
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at the situation,
but they are complaining.
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Wait a minute, who is this guy?
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Why is He receiving sinners?
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They're complaining
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because you're not
supposed to do that.
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You're doing
something wrong, Jesus.
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And so they are complaining.
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He says this man
receives sinners.
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And then they add,
and eats with them.
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What? You're
eating with sinners?
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Oh no, there's
something wrong with you.
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Because eating was what?
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In the east was
assigned, A, I accept you.
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I want to know you better.
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I want to have a
close relationship with you.
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So Jesus is
eating with the sinners.
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That's good news for us.
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Jesus will receive people.
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Not only does it say
that He receives them,
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but He eats with them.
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Jesus wants to have a
close relationship with us.
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And let's look at the
parable a little more.
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It says, "What man of
you having a hundred sheep."
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So he puts this to them.
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Think about it.
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If you had one
sheep that was missing,
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wouldn't you go out and find it?
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Yeah. Right.
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And notice, now
He's comparing them.
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Consider the love of God.
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If you as a human being
will go for one lost sheep,
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what about God
that created the sheep?
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Amen.
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His interest is
even greater than yours,
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but He's trying to put them,
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put Himself on their
level so that they understand
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why I'm doing what I'm doing.
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So He says He leaves the 99
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and goes out to
find the lost sheep.
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Why is He wasting time,
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they would say
after one lost sheep?
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Because one, it's
important, two, it has value.
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Amen.
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And it shows that He goes
out to look for this lost sheep.
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What's out there?
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There could be danger out there.
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You know, Jesus
told another parable
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that a person was
on his way somewhere
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was attacked and
they left him dying.
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So the person,
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the man goes out to
seek the lost sheep.
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Of course, he goes,
with probably a staff
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because they can
defend themselves with that.
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But He...
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It shows that He goes to search.
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And the good news is that
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He comes back finding the sheep.
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He seeks until He
finds. That's right.
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And this is what
Jesus does with us.
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I mean, He knows
where we are, but it says,
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He goes to where we are
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and calls us from there to come.
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Now it says that He
takes it upon His shoulders.
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Now the sheep is
above the danger.
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Yes, amen The
sheep is above the danger
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and no one can
come to that sheep
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unless the
shepherd allows that access.
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But he's got the
sheep, He's protecting,
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lays it on His shoulder.
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Care is shown here.
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And, of course,
what's the intention?
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Bind up the wounds.
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Maybe the sheep is injured.
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This is what Christ would do.
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He will bind up our wounds.
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He will bring
healing to our souls.
00:10:13.94\00:10:16.11
And this is a picture of Jesus
00:10:16.14\00:10:18.45
that goes out to
seek for us, receives us.
00:10:18.48\00:10:23.08
And when the
sheep is brought back,
00:10:23.12\00:10:25.62
what do you do with it?
00:10:25.65\00:10:27.66
You feed it, you
nurture it back to health.
00:10:27.69\00:10:31.26
And so it says that
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when He finds
it, He's rejoicing.
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That's right.
00:10:36.00\00:10:37.33
God rejoices to
find the lost sheep.
00:10:37.37\00:10:41.07
No condemnation is shown here.
00:10:41.10\00:10:42.87
There is rejoicing.
00:10:42.90\00:10:44.67
And look at verse 6.
00:10:44.71\00:10:46.04
And when He comes
home, He's not quiet.
00:10:46.07\00:10:49.51
Hey, I found my lost sheep.
00:10:49.54\00:10:50.88
Yeah.
00:10:50.91\00:10:52.25
You know the sheep was lost?
00:10:52.28\00:10:53.88
No, He immediately...
00:10:53.92\00:10:56.08
Interesting thing is,
00:10:56.12\00:10:57.45
when He notices
the sheep is missing,
00:10:57.49\00:10:59.25
He immediately goes out.
00:10:59.29\00:11:00.79
He doesn't say, well,
00:11:00.82\00:11:02.16
I'll go to
tomorrow, I'm kind of tired.
00:11:02.19\00:11:03.53
You know, it's been a long day.
00:11:03.56\00:11:05.99
Tomorrow I'll go out.
00:11:06.03\00:11:07.36
Maybe when it's not
raining, I'll go out there.
00:11:07.40\00:11:09.66
No, He leaves.
00:11:09.70\00:11:11.23
And He goes out to find.
00:11:11.27\00:11:12.60
Now He finds the lost sheep
and He wants to share this joy
00:11:12.63\00:11:16.04
with His friends and
neighbors saying to them,
00:11:16.07\00:11:19.71
"Rejoice with me for
I have found my lost...
00:11:19.74\00:11:23.11
My sheep which was lost.
00:11:23.14\00:11:25.68
I say to you that likewise,
00:11:25.71\00:11:27.18
there will be
more joy in heaven,
00:11:27.22\00:11:28.92
over one sinner who
repents than over ninety-nine
00:11:28.95\00:11:33.82
just persons who
needs no repentance."
00:11:33.86\00:11:36.26
Not that there's
not joy for the 99,
00:11:36.29\00:11:39.19
but there's more
joy over that one
00:11:39.23\00:11:43.23
that repents
comes home is received.
00:11:43.26\00:11:47.80
Amen.
00:11:47.84\00:11:49.17
And there's great
rejoicing in all of heaven.
00:11:49.20\00:11:52.67
Amen. You know,
you think about that.
00:11:52.71\00:11:55.48
God is happy.
00:11:55.51\00:11:57.58
The angels are happy
because they are also involved
00:11:57.61\00:12:00.88
in the process of salvation.
00:12:00.92\00:12:02.52
You think about it.
00:12:02.55\00:12:03.89
And so this parable is
so wonderful, so precious.
00:12:03.92\00:12:08.32
And I would just
encourage everyone to look at it
00:12:08.36\00:12:11.03
and consider I
am the lost sheep,
00:12:11.06\00:12:13.16
you know, and Jesus is
willing to seek for me.
00:12:13.19\00:12:16.36
One is the very lowest number.
00:12:16.40\00:12:19.37
And you know,
people have said about this
00:12:19.40\00:12:21.27
and I'm sure you've
heard it or said it yourself.
00:12:21.30\00:12:23.81
This shows us
00:12:23.84\00:12:25.24
that if there
was just one sinner
00:12:25.27\00:12:27.78
in the whole universe,
00:12:27.81\00:12:30.28
God for that one
sinner will give His Son,
00:12:30.31\00:12:33.01
Jesus Christ to die
for that one person.
00:12:33.05\00:12:35.42
And so, I would
encourage you to consider that,
00:12:35.45\00:12:37.69
you are of such
great value to God
00:12:37.72\00:12:40.02
that He would send His
only Son to die for you,
00:12:40.06\00:12:42.82
so that you could
have eternal life.
00:12:42.86\00:12:44.83
You know, this makes
me think of Isaiah 40.
00:12:44.86\00:12:47.10
In Isaiah 40 talking
about the Messiah coming.
00:12:47.13\00:12:51.87
We know that Jesus came
to seek and save the lost.
00:12:51.90\00:12:56.00
That's what He says.
00:12:56.04\00:12:57.37
But in Isaiah 40, it
says, it's talking about,
00:12:57.41\00:13:00.78
behold, He's coming.
00:13:00.81\00:13:02.14
His reward is with Him.
00:13:02.18\00:13:03.61
Verse 11 of Isaiah 40 says,
00:13:03.65\00:13:05.68
"He will feed His
flock like a shepherd.
00:13:05.71\00:13:08.55
He will gather the
lambs with His arm.
00:13:08.58\00:13:11.02
He'll carry them in His bosom
00:13:11.05\00:13:13.72
and gently lead
those who are with young."
00:13:13.76\00:13:16.22
So Jesus isn't cracking
the whip and driving them out
00:13:16.26\00:13:20.96
or hitting them over
the head with the rod.
00:13:21.00\00:13:23.16
He's picking them
up and carrying them.
00:13:23.20\00:13:24.97
It's a beautiful picture.
00:13:25.00\00:13:26.33
When I was...
00:13:26.37\00:13:27.70
As you were studying
00:13:27.74\00:13:29.07
through this and
reading through this,
00:13:29.10\00:13:30.44
and I'm looking at all
the details, I couldn't help,
00:13:30.47\00:13:32.27
but my mind was drawn
to the larger picture.
00:13:32.31\00:13:36.88
You know, the
Bible makes it clear
00:13:36.91\00:13:38.88
in the Book of Hebrews,
that there are other worlds.
00:13:38.91\00:13:40.88
Yes, absolutely.
00:13:40.92\00:13:42.58
And, but this is the only
world that needed repentance.
00:13:42.62\00:13:45.15
This is the only fallen world.
00:13:45.19\00:13:46.89
And in a very literal sense,
00:13:46.92\00:13:48.79
the Son of God left His
kingdom to come to the one lost.
00:13:48.82\00:13:53.09
Amen.
00:13:53.13\00:13:54.46
And I love this
detail here in verse 5
00:13:54.50\00:13:56.33
because it says here,
00:13:56.36\00:13:57.70
"And when He has found it,
He lays it upon His shoulders."
00:13:57.73\00:14:00.64
That's precious.
00:14:00.67\00:14:02.00
And I could just see Jesus there
00:14:02.04\00:14:03.37
in the Garden of Gethsemane,
00:14:03.41\00:14:04.74
as He's now within the
heart of the earth, right?
00:14:04.77\00:14:06.74
In a spiritual, from
a spiritual perspective,
00:14:06.78\00:14:08.68
He's there in the
heart of the earth.
00:14:08.71\00:14:10.05
He's laying the sin of the world
00:14:10.08\00:14:11.85
upon His shoulders.
00:14:11.88\00:14:13.21
And it leads Him to the cross
00:14:13.25\00:14:14.58
to make the greatest sacrifice
of all for the one world,
00:14:14.62\00:14:17.59
the one lost and dying world
out of all of who knows the...
00:14:17.62\00:14:21.49
We don't really know
00:14:21.52\00:14:22.86
how many other worlds there are,
00:14:22.89\00:14:24.23
but the one world that is lost
00:14:24.26\00:14:25.76
and that God could
easily just go forget that.
00:14:25.79\00:14:28.60
You know, let's
hit the reset button
00:14:28.63\00:14:30.37
and start over.
00:14:30.40\00:14:31.73
He sent His Son
00:14:31.77\00:14:33.13
and Jesus came and died
for the one lost kingdom,
00:14:33.17\00:14:36.14
the one lost world
that needed redemption.
00:14:36.17\00:14:38.44
And so, as we were
reading through that,
00:14:38.47\00:14:39.97
my mind went to
that Jesus upon a cross
00:14:40.01\00:14:42.11
bearing the sin of the
world upon His shoulders,
00:14:42.14\00:14:44.61
going all the way to
save and redeem mankind.
00:14:44.65\00:14:47.22
Absolutely.
00:14:47.25\00:14:48.65
And it's just so
exciting because every life
00:14:48.68\00:14:53.15
is, every precious soul
is valuable to the Lord.
00:14:53.19\00:14:55.96
So let's look at the
parable of the lost coin.
00:14:55.99\00:14:58.56
I wanna leave you some
time on the other end of this,
00:14:58.59\00:15:01.83
the next parable.
00:15:01.86\00:15:03.20
So here we see
the work of Jesus.
00:15:03.23\00:15:04.57
The parable of the lost
coin says, "Of what woman,
00:15:04.60\00:15:08.74
this is Jesus speaking,
00:15:08.77\00:15:10.11
"having ten silver
coins, if she loses one coin,
00:15:10.14\00:15:13.38
does not light a
lamp, sweep the house,
00:15:13.41\00:15:16.14
and search
carefully until she finds it?
00:15:16.18\00:15:19.28
And when she has found
it, she calls her friends
00:15:19.31\00:15:22.18
and her neighbors together,
saying, 'Rejoice with me,
00:15:22.22\00:15:26.99
for I have found
the piece which I lost!'
00:15:27.02\00:15:30.99
Likewise, I say to you,
00:15:31.03\00:15:33.29
there is joy in the
presence of the angels of God
00:15:33.33\00:15:37.83
over one sinner who repents.''
00:15:37.87\00:15:40.30
You know what?
00:15:40.34\00:15:41.67
I didn't really
wanna do this parable,
00:15:41.70\00:15:43.17
but I can't assign it to
somebody else if I don't...
00:15:43.20\00:15:46.57
I've never heard a sermon
00:15:46.61\00:15:49.34
on the parable of the lost coin.
00:15:49.38\00:15:51.35
There's not much
to be said about it.
00:15:51.38\00:15:53.62
So as I'm praying,
00:15:53.65\00:15:55.25
here's what I'm
going to give you
00:15:55.28\00:15:57.45
an interpretation that
maybe you've not heard before.
00:15:57.49\00:16:00.52
I've certainly
never heard it before.
00:16:00.56\00:16:02.86
But as I was looking,
parables are so symbolic.
00:16:02.89\00:16:07.56
In Scripture,
what is the church?
00:16:07.60\00:16:11.20
It's a woman.
00:16:11.23\00:16:12.57
The church is
referred to as a woman.
00:16:12.60\00:16:15.30
So here we see a
woman whose husband is away.
00:16:15.34\00:16:19.81
She's home alone.
00:16:19.84\00:16:21.21
Just like the church,
our bridegroom is in heaven
00:16:21.24\00:16:25.21
and she's got a problem.
00:16:25.25\00:16:28.28
She knows that
something's missing.
00:16:28.32\00:16:33.62
And this coin had great value.
00:16:33.66\00:16:37.13
It was stamped with
the image of the king,
00:16:37.16\00:16:40.43
just like every soul is
stamped with the image of God.
00:16:40.46\00:16:45.40
But the coin was
not a living thing.
00:16:45.43\00:16:47.50
It wasn't like
the reckless sheep
00:16:47.54\00:16:49.10
that walked off, the
sheep was still living.
00:16:49.14\00:16:52.41
The coin was unconscious,
unaware of its own condition.
00:16:52.44\00:16:57.21
Just laying there
powerless to move on its own.
00:16:57.25\00:17:01.12
And you know, I just wanna say,
00:17:01.15\00:17:03.12
if we're living
in sin, we're dead.
00:17:03.15\00:17:07.69
And there are people who
don't know their condition.
00:17:07.72\00:17:11.03
They don't
realize that they're dead,
00:17:11.06\00:17:15.36
but it's laying in
the dust unconscious lost
00:17:15.40\00:17:21.24
but not forgotten.
00:17:21.27\00:17:22.84
I believe that this
parable is showing the work
00:17:22.87\00:17:26.27
of the Holy Spirit
through the church.
00:17:26.31\00:17:30.18
It was lost in the house.
00:17:30.21\00:17:31.68
Now the house could be
00:17:31.71\00:17:33.48
in because she's
bringing in her neighbors.
00:17:33.52\00:17:35.68
Let's say the
house is the church.
00:17:35.72\00:17:37.95
And its sphere of influence,
00:17:37.99\00:17:40.82
the neighborhood in
which the church is.
00:17:40.86\00:17:44.33
She lights a lamp.
00:17:44.36\00:17:46.86
The Bible says in Psalm 119:105,
00:17:46.90\00:17:49.73
"The word is a lamp to our
feet and a light to our path."
00:17:49.76\00:17:55.57
Now, when you think about this,
00:17:55.60\00:17:58.31
when she lights the
lamp, what was the lamp?
00:17:58.34\00:18:02.24
Oil and fire.
00:18:02.28\00:18:04.61
What are those symbols serve?
00:18:04.65\00:18:06.48
Holy Spirit.
00:18:06.51\00:18:07.85
The Holy Spirit.
00:18:07.88\00:18:09.22
So now in Christ's day,
00:18:09.25\00:18:13.39
there were no glass windows.
00:18:13.42\00:18:16.26
So homes usually
either were windowless
00:18:16.29\00:18:19.09
or they had little tiny
slots that were ladder step.
00:18:19.13\00:18:23.80
So even at high noon
00:18:23.83\00:18:26.53
they have to light a
candle to search for something.
00:18:26.57\00:18:29.57
But so this woman,
00:18:29.60\00:18:31.61
if you think of the
church without the word,
00:18:31.64\00:18:35.01
the church can't
be lit up inside,
00:18:35.04\00:18:38.05
but without the fire and
the oil of the Holy Spirit,
00:18:38.08\00:18:42.78
we can't get out
there and search,
00:18:42.82\00:18:46.15
searching in the church.
00:18:46.19\00:18:47.72
Let's not talk
about in the house.
00:18:47.76\00:18:49.56
When you're in your
Sabbath School class,
00:18:49.59\00:18:51.13
your Sunday school
class, whatever class you're in,
00:18:51.16\00:18:54.16
the young adults, the seniors,
00:18:54.20\00:18:56.83
there are people who
are lost inside the church,
00:18:56.87\00:18:59.80
but then think at
this sphere of influence,
00:18:59.83\00:19:01.80
we should be out
there knocking on the doors,
00:19:01.84\00:19:04.24
passing out tracts,
doing all of these things.
00:19:04.27\00:19:07.74
And this coin had great value
00:19:07.78\00:19:11.91
just as every precious soul
has great value to the Lord.
00:19:11.95\00:19:17.62
Amen.
00:19:17.65\00:19:18.99
Lost but not forgotten.
00:19:19.02\00:19:21.12
So when she
finds it, she rejoices,
00:19:21.16\00:19:23.22
she calls in her friends
and neighbors to celebrate,
00:19:23.26\00:19:26.49
but notice what was
lost after it was found.
00:19:26.53\00:19:32.33
It excites the
hearts of the angels.
00:19:32.37\00:19:36.17
Now I think that's
kind of interesting.
00:19:36.20\00:19:39.01
Did you know,
00:19:39.04\00:19:40.38
the Bible tells
us in 1 Peter 1:12,
00:19:40.41\00:19:43.01
angels are intently watching
00:19:43.04\00:19:47.78
any time there is a
conversion of one lost soul
00:19:47.82\00:19:52.39
to the gospel of
salvation by grace,
00:19:52.42\00:19:55.89
through faith in Christ Jesus.
00:19:55.92\00:19:58.19
1 Peter 1:12 says,
00:19:58.23\00:20:00.53
"That the things which
now have been reported to you
00:20:00.56\00:20:03.67
through those who have
preached the gospel to you
00:20:03.70\00:20:07.47
by the Holy
Spirit sent from heaven,
00:20:07.50\00:20:10.54
these things
angels long to look into."
00:20:10.57\00:20:15.41
So we've got the work of
Jesus in the first parable.
00:20:15.44\00:20:19.81
The work of the Holy
Spirit through the church
00:20:19.85\00:20:23.75
in the second parable.
00:20:23.79\00:20:25.25
Now let's dive into the
parable of the prodigal son.
00:20:25.29\00:20:29.09
Before we do though,
I've got to just also say
00:20:29.12\00:20:31.16
about this
parable of the lost coin.
00:20:31.19\00:20:33.03
I also see a prophetic
application here as well.
00:20:33.06\00:20:36.56
Amen.
00:20:36.60\00:20:37.93
Because again, the
woman being the church
00:20:37.97\00:20:39.77
and in Revelation 12:17,
00:20:39.80\00:20:41.67
it says the description
of that woman's character
00:20:41.70\00:20:44.04
is that she's a
commandment keeping people
00:20:44.07\00:20:46.24
with the
testimony of Jesus Christ.
00:20:46.27\00:20:49.04
And when I read this,
00:20:49.08\00:20:50.41
it's interesting that
it says she had 10 coins,
00:20:50.45\00:20:52.31
but she lost one
00:20:52.35\00:20:53.92
just as God gave
us Ten Commandments.
00:20:53.95\00:20:58.15
And in a span
of historical time,
00:20:58.19\00:21:00.26
there was one that was
lost and what happened?
00:21:00.29\00:21:02.82
She lit a lamp,
again, the oil of the spirit.
00:21:02.86\00:21:06.06
And she has the word
there, the lamp unto my feet,
00:21:06.09\00:21:08.76
a light unto my path, the Word.
00:21:08.80\00:21:10.23
And it says that when she...
00:21:10.27\00:21:12.13
Excuse me, that she
swept the house, right?
00:21:12.17\00:21:15.40
She swept the house
and she searched for it.
00:21:15.44\00:21:18.21
And we see kind of a
prophetic implication here
00:21:18.24\00:21:20.81
that God's Church, God's people
00:21:20.84\00:21:23.01
at an
appropriate time in history,
00:21:23.04\00:21:24.71
we know the mid 1800s.
00:21:24.75\00:21:26.18
You know, there was
that one commandment
00:21:26.21\00:21:28.15
the world had
seemed to forgotten,
00:21:28.18\00:21:29.52
the very commandment
that God said to remember
00:21:29.55\00:21:31.79
is the one they forgotten,
the Sabbath commandment.
00:21:31.82\00:21:33.86
There was Ten Commandments.
00:21:33.89\00:21:35.22
One was forgotten
00:21:35.26\00:21:36.59
and God's people,
His remnant church...
00:21:36.62\00:21:38.93
Through His remnant church,
He brought that truth back.
00:21:38.96\00:21:41.83
And because of it, we
rejoice of that, right?
00:21:41.86\00:21:44.10
And so, as I was
reading through that,
00:21:44.13\00:21:45.47
that came into my mind.
00:21:45.50\00:21:46.84
I just have to
add one more thought.
00:21:46.87\00:21:48.20
When you think about it,
00:21:48.24\00:21:49.64
she didn't just light
the lamp and sit there.
00:21:49.67\00:21:51.71
Right.
00:21:51.74\00:21:53.07
She grabbed the
burned lamp, she was...
00:21:53.11\00:21:54.84
Moved things aside.
00:21:54.88\00:21:56.21
Searched diligently. Yeah.
00:21:56.24\00:21:58.11
She's stirring up the dust.
00:21:58.15\00:22:00.65
And you know what?
00:22:00.68\00:22:02.02
We as a church need
to stir up some dust.
00:22:02.05\00:22:04.62
That's right.
00:22:04.65\00:22:05.99
Sometimes it makes
people choke on it,
00:22:06.02\00:22:08.19
but we can't worry
00:22:08.22\00:22:10.13
about the dust
we're stirring up.
00:22:10.16\00:22:11.96
As we go out to evangelize,
00:22:11.99\00:22:15.03
we've got to
search for those precious.
00:22:15.06\00:22:18.90
I'd like to add, you
know, this coin like you said,
00:22:18.93\00:22:21.20
it's inanimate.
00:22:21.24\00:22:22.57
It doesn't have a
care in the world.
00:22:22.60\00:22:24.11
There are people
like that in the church
00:22:24.14\00:22:26.07
and out of the
church, they don't care.
00:22:26.11\00:22:28.94
They're lost in
trespasses and sin.
00:22:28.98\00:22:31.95
They don't care to be found.
00:22:31.98\00:22:34.32
Did the coin care to be found?
00:22:34.35\00:22:35.88
No, it didn't matter to the coin
00:22:35.92\00:22:37.99
whether it was lost or found.
00:22:38.02\00:22:40.36
But the coin does
not know its value.
00:22:40.39\00:22:41.76
Yeah.
00:22:41.79\00:22:43.12
God knows our value.
00:22:43.16\00:22:44.49
Amen.
00:22:44.53\00:22:45.86
And it shows, again,
this is a picture of God
00:22:45.89\00:22:47.50
interested in
finding those that are lost,
00:22:47.53\00:22:49.73
even though
they are indifferent,
00:22:49.76\00:22:51.43
they don't understand.
00:22:51.47\00:22:52.93
But when you bring to
them the message of Jesus
00:22:52.97\00:22:55.57
that He came to this
world, suffered in this world,
00:22:55.60\00:22:58.94
was tempted like we are,
went to the cross, died for us.
00:22:58.97\00:23:03.71
Then that person
that is, wait a minute,
00:23:03.75\00:23:06.78
maybe there's more to
this than I understood.
00:23:06.82\00:23:09.65
There's
something of greater value
00:23:09.68\00:23:11.12
than what I am doing
and what I am enjoying.
00:23:11.15\00:23:13.56
There's
something of greater value.
00:23:13.59\00:23:14.96
And there's a rescue mission
00:23:14.99\00:23:17.46
is put in place and another
successful rescue mission.
00:23:17.49\00:23:21.23
Amen.
00:23:21.26\00:23:22.60
Amen. Amen.
00:23:22.63\00:23:23.97
Praise the Lord. Okay.
00:23:24.00\00:23:25.33
Search diligently,
00:23:25.37\00:23:26.70
study to show
thyself approved, right?
00:23:26.74\00:23:28.07
A workman not ashamed,
00:23:28.10\00:23:29.44
rightly dividing
the word of truth.
00:23:29.47\00:23:30.81
And that's what we're
doing here in Luke 15.
00:23:30.84\00:23:32.74
This last parable in
the 15th chapter of Luke
00:23:32.77\00:23:35.74
is probably one of the
most notorious parables
00:23:35.78\00:23:38.51
that Jesus
tells in His lifetime.
00:23:38.55\00:23:41.18
This is probably
one of my favorite,
00:23:41.22\00:23:43.28
if not my favorite parable,
00:23:43.32\00:23:44.65
just because it has so
much meaning to it so much...
00:23:44.69\00:23:47.09
There's just so many
jewels in here and richness.
00:23:47.12\00:23:50.03
And so this is the
parable of the lost son.
00:23:50.06\00:23:51.76
We're gonna begin in verse 11.
00:23:51.79\00:23:53.33
I may not read the entire
parable for the time sake,
00:23:53.36\00:23:55.86
'cause I know there's a
lot to be said about it,
00:23:55.90\00:23:58.00
but let's just start reading,
and then we'll go from there.
00:23:58.03\00:24:00.67
Verse 11 says, "Then He said:
'A certain man had two sons.
00:24:00.70\00:24:05.54
And the younger of
them said to his father,
00:24:05.57\00:24:07.71
'Father, give me the portion
of goods that falls to me.'
00:24:07.74\00:24:11.71
So he divided to
them his livelihood.
00:24:11.75\00:24:15.02
And not many days after,
00:24:15.05\00:24:16.38
the younger son
gathered all together,
00:24:16.42\00:24:18.52
journeyed to a far country,
00:24:18.55\00:24:20.79
and there wasted his possessions
00:24:20.82\00:24:22.79
with prodigal living.
00:24:22.82\00:24:25.16
But when he had spent all,
00:24:25.19\00:24:27.10
there arose a
severe famine in that land,
00:24:27.13\00:24:29.70
and he began to be in want.
00:24:29.73\00:24:32.50
Then he went and joined himself
to a citizen of that country,
00:24:32.53\00:24:36.50
and he sent him into
his fields to feed swine.
00:24:36.54\00:24:41.71
And he would gladly have
filled his stomach with the pods
00:24:41.74\00:24:45.01
that the swine ate, and
no one gave him anything."
00:24:45.05\00:24:48.05
So this guy, he
first goes and he asks
00:24:48.08\00:24:50.79
for the inheritance
father, give me my inheritance.
00:24:50.82\00:24:54.09
And we'll get to
that in just a moment.
00:24:54.12\00:24:55.46
There's a significance to that.
00:24:55.49\00:24:56.83
And he goes out and he's
living just in the world,
00:24:56.86\00:24:59.73
however, with no care at all.
00:24:59.76\00:25:01.36
And, of course, now
he's finding himself
00:25:01.40\00:25:02.93
that the world does
not have all that it's...
00:25:02.96\00:25:05.43
The world's not all that
it's cracked up to be, right?
00:25:05.47\00:25:07.87
He now is desiring to
go back to his father.
00:25:07.90\00:25:10.37
That's where we
come to verse 17.
00:25:10.41\00:25:11.74
It says, "But he
came to himself, and said,
00:25:11.77\00:25:15.51
'How many of my
father's hired servants
00:25:15.54\00:25:17.95
have bread enough to
spare, and I perish with hunger!
00:25:17.98\00:25:21.52
I will arise
and go to my father,
00:25:21.55\00:25:22.95
and will say to him,
00:25:22.98\00:25:24.32
'Father, I have sinned
against heaven and before you,
00:25:24.35\00:25:26.59
and I am no longer
worthy to be called your son.
00:25:26.62\00:25:29.29
Make me like one of
your hired servants.'
00:25:29.32\00:25:33.86
Then he arose and
came to his father."
00:25:33.90\00:25:35.50
I love this part.
00:25:35.53\00:25:36.87
"But when he was
still a great way off,
00:25:36.90\00:25:40.97
his father saw him
and had compassion,
00:25:41.00\00:25:44.14
and ran and fell on
his neck and kissed him.
00:25:44.17\00:25:47.18
And the son said to him,
00:25:47.21\00:25:48.54
'Father, I have sinned against
heaven and in your sight,
00:25:48.58\00:25:51.18
and am no longer
worthy to be called your son.'
00:25:51.21\00:25:54.45
But the father
said to his servants,
00:25:54.48\00:25:56.02
'Bring out the best
robe and put it on him,
00:25:56.05\00:25:58.12
and put a ring on his
hand and sandals on his feet.
00:25:58.15\00:26:01.26
And bring the fatted
calf here and kill it,
00:26:01.29\00:26:03.63
and let us eat and be merry,
00:26:03.66\00:26:05.36
for this son was
dead and is alive again,
00:26:05.39\00:26:09.30
he was lost and is found.'
00:26:09.33\00:26:10.93
And they began to be merry.'"
00:26:10.97\00:26:14.14
And if you read through
the rest of this parable,
00:26:14.17\00:26:16.34
you know, they are celebrating,
00:26:16.37\00:26:18.64
the father is happy
that the son has returned.
00:26:18.67\00:26:20.74
Well, the older
son, you know, he comes
00:26:20.78\00:26:22.58
and he sees the
celebration happening.
00:26:22.61\00:26:24.51
He recognizes his brother's back
00:26:24.55\00:26:25.95
and he gets in this jealous
00:26:25.98\00:26:27.85
and he refuses to
go into the ceremony.
00:26:27.88\00:26:30.22
The father comes out,
has a meeting with him,
00:26:30.25\00:26:32.39
and addresses the
issue with the son.
00:26:32.42\00:26:33.76
Come inside, come
celebrate with us.
00:26:33.79\00:26:35.69
And, of course, out of
jealousy the son's words
00:26:35.72\00:26:38.96
are this right here...
00:26:38.99\00:26:41.23
He says Verse 29.
00:26:41.26\00:26:44.73
Verse 29. Thank you.
00:26:44.77\00:26:46.20
"So he answered
and said to his father,
00:26:46.23\00:26:47.60
'Lo, these many years
I have been serving you,
00:26:47.64\00:26:50.07
I never transgressed
your commandment at any time,
00:26:50.11\00:26:52.47
and yet you never
gave me a young goat,
00:26:52.51\00:26:55.28
that I might make
merry with my friends.
00:26:55.31\00:26:57.48
But as soon as this
son of yours comes home,
00:26:57.51\00:26:59.55
or your son came,
00:26:59.58\00:27:01.48
who has devoured your
livelihood with harlots,
00:27:01.52\00:27:04.05
you killed the
fatted calf for him."
00:27:04.09\00:27:05.69
And I love these closing verses.
00:27:05.72\00:27:07.26
"And he said to him,
'Son, you are always with me,
00:27:07.29\00:27:09.42
and all that I have is yours.
00:27:12.69\00:27:14.73
It was right that we
should make merry and be glad,
00:27:14.76\00:27:17.47
for your brother was
dead and is alive again,
00:27:17.50\00:27:19.97
and was lost and is found.'"
00:27:20.00\00:27:23.47
I used to read
through this parable again
00:27:23.51\00:27:25.31
with my Western cultural
mindset as most people do
00:27:25.34\00:27:28.51
and you read kind
of read through it.
00:27:28.54\00:27:29.98
And on the surface, you
get this beautiful story of,
00:27:30.01\00:27:32.18
oh, he leaves home
and he comes back again.
00:27:32.21\00:27:34.85
And the father's like, oh,
00:27:34.88\00:27:36.22
there's my son and embraces him.
00:27:36.25\00:27:37.59
And the younger brother
is jealous and the father
00:27:37.62\00:27:39.49
puts him in his place and
says, look, I love you both.
00:27:39.52\00:27:41.62
And it just kind of, you know,
00:27:41.66\00:27:42.99
from our
Western culture mindset,
00:27:43.02\00:27:44.36
we miss a lot of these details,
00:27:44.39\00:27:45.96
but I took a
class a few years ago
00:27:45.99\00:27:48.60
at seminary at
Andrews University.
00:27:48.63\00:27:50.50
And one of my instructors
there, Dr. Joseph Kidder,
00:27:50.53\00:27:53.94
who is from Nineveh,
he's from the Middle East.
00:27:53.97\00:27:56.07
He tells his story.
00:27:56.10\00:27:57.44
He tells his... He
gives his personal testimony.
00:27:57.47\00:28:00.78
And in that personal testimony,
he talks about the prodigal son
00:28:00.81\00:28:04.31
and he relates his testimony
kind of to the prodigal son.
00:28:04.35\00:28:07.25
And he taught us
something amazing.
00:28:07.28\00:28:09.82
After that class, I
went and dug into the things
00:28:09.85\00:28:12.85
that he was talking about to do
a little bit further research.
00:28:12.89\00:28:15.62
And I found that you
really don't fully appreciate
00:28:15.66\00:28:19.49
this particular parable or
many of the parables to say
00:28:19.53\00:28:23.23
unless you look at it
through a Middle Eastern lens.
00:28:23.26\00:28:25.73
Absolutely.
00:28:25.77\00:28:27.10
When Christ told a lot of these
parables, He was telling them
00:28:27.14\00:28:29.40
to the Pharisees, to
the people of His time,
00:28:29.44\00:28:32.24
so that He could relate to them.
00:28:32.27\00:28:33.61
For instance, in the
very next chapter, Chapter 16,
00:28:33.64\00:28:35.88
you have the parable of
the rich man and Lazarus,
00:28:35.91\00:28:37.91
and many people look
at that and say, well,
00:28:37.95\00:28:39.28
that's a story of, you
know, God trying to teach us
00:28:39.31\00:28:41.35
about heaven and
hell when really God...
00:28:41.38\00:28:43.45
Jesus was using
a similar parable
00:28:43.49\00:28:45.29
that was often told by
the Pharisees in those times
00:28:45.32\00:28:48.56
to relate to them
instead He did it with the twist
00:28:48.59\00:28:51.03
to teach them a lesson.
00:28:51.06\00:28:52.39
If we looked at this parable
00:28:52.43\00:28:53.96
and all the others
through a Middle Eastern lens,
00:28:54.00\00:28:56.80
from a Middle
Eastern perspective,
00:28:56.83\00:28:58.17
we learn a lot from this.
00:28:58.20\00:28:59.53
I just wanna share
a few gems about this
00:28:59.57\00:29:01.37
that I think really
brings this to light,
00:29:01.40\00:29:03.34
and then we can discuss
it amongst ourselves here.
00:29:03.37\00:29:05.54
So it's powerful that Pastor
Kidder or Professor Kidder
00:29:05.57\00:29:08.68
shared a story with us
about an actual professor,
00:29:08.71\00:29:12.48
seminary professor by the
name of Kenneth Bailey who many,
00:29:12.51\00:29:15.65
many years ago was
given basically the assignment
00:29:15.68\00:29:19.29
by the dean of his school.
00:29:19.32\00:29:21.46
said, I want you to come
up with a powerful sermon
00:29:21.49\00:29:23.32
on the prodigal son.
00:29:23.36\00:29:24.69
And so as he began to
study and look into it,
00:29:24.73\00:29:27.63
he asked the question
as he was looking at it,
00:29:27.66\00:29:29.30
he said, wait a second.
00:29:29.33\00:29:30.73
Why did the son
asked for the inheritance?
00:29:30.77\00:29:33.34
That's strange
because even in our culture,
00:29:33.37\00:29:35.47
I mean, you wouldn't
go to your father and say,
00:29:35.50\00:29:37.04
hey, you, dad, you know,
00:29:37.07\00:29:38.87
you know, give to
me now what's mine.
00:29:38.91\00:29:40.28
You know, you
just wouldn't do that.
00:29:40.31\00:29:41.74
It's disrespectful. And it's...
00:29:41.78\00:29:43.48
Not that it's
unheard of in our culture,
00:29:43.51\00:29:45.41
but it's something
that you just don't do.
00:29:45.45\00:29:47.58
And so he was
wondering about that
00:29:47.62\00:29:49.85
and he asked the
dean of his seminary
00:29:49.88\00:29:53.36
for a four-week sabbatical.
00:29:53.39\00:29:55.16
And that four-week
sabbatical turned into 40 years.
00:29:55.19\00:29:58.03
Wow.
00:29:58.06\00:29:59.39
For he would spend the
majority of the rest of his time
00:29:59.43\00:30:03.03
in ministry in 40
years in the Middle East,
00:30:03.06\00:30:06.80
where he literally went
4,000 miles east to west
00:30:06.84\00:30:10.37
from Morocco to Iran
00:30:10.41\00:30:12.01
and from Turkey to the Sudan,
4,000 miles north and south,
00:30:12.04\00:30:15.48
he was asking the question.
00:30:15.51\00:30:17.41
He wanted to know if
someone came in this culture
00:30:17.45\00:30:21.92
in this
particular area of the globe
00:30:21.95\00:30:24.59
and ask for the inheritance.
00:30:24.62\00:30:26.12
If a son ask his
father for the inheritance,
00:30:26.15\00:30:27.82
would this be the response?
00:30:27.86\00:30:29.19
What's the...
00:30:29.22\00:30:30.56
'Cause this doesn't make sense
00:30:30.59\00:30:31.93
that the father
would respond in this way
00:30:31.96\00:30:33.29
and what he found was amazing.
00:30:33.33\00:30:35.50
And so here's
the just of it all.
00:30:35.53\00:30:38.53
In the Middle East, it
would be, for somebody to come
00:30:38.57\00:30:41.97
and ask for the inheritance,
it's a complete shame.
00:30:42.00\00:30:44.47
It brings
complete shame and utter...
00:30:44.51\00:30:46.88
Just it's like the greatest
disrespectful slap in the face
00:30:46.91\00:30:50.28
for somebody to do that.
00:30:50.31\00:30:51.65
In fact, it's
something worthy of death.
00:30:51.68\00:30:54.48
He did 4,000 miles this
way, 4,000 miles this way.
00:30:54.52\00:30:57.39
And in all of his 40
years of asking this question
00:30:57.42\00:30:59.92
and researching this, he found
00:30:59.95\00:31:01.36
that there was never one
incident or one scenario.
00:31:01.39\00:31:04.39
And it's not like, he
went to the big cities.
00:31:04.43\00:31:05.99
He went to all the little
rural areas where, you know,
00:31:06.03\00:31:08.30
he wanted to know
in these cultures,
00:31:08.33\00:31:10.60
you know, is that
something that's is that normal
00:31:10.63\00:31:12.90
here to people come and
ask for their inheritance?
00:31:12.93\00:31:14.84
And every single
answer he received was no,
00:31:14.87\00:31:17.07
that's just unheard
of and to do so would put
00:31:17.11\00:31:19.91
that young man who
asked in a situation
00:31:19.94\00:31:22.81
where he would
have been rebellious,
00:31:22.84\00:31:24.91
he would have
been disrespectful,
00:31:24.95\00:31:26.28
brought shame on his family.
00:31:26.31\00:31:27.85
And that would have
been grounds for him
00:31:27.88\00:31:29.52
to be put to death.
00:31:29.55\00:31:31.22
It's almost like
saying, I wish you were dead.
00:31:31.25\00:31:33.36
Exactly, exactly. Yeah.
00:31:33.39\00:31:35.36
And so, it's interesting
because this actually goes in
00:31:35.39\00:31:37.89
harmony with what
we see in Deuteronomy.
00:31:37.93\00:31:39.73
This is actually a biblical
basis and Deuteronomy 21:18-21.
00:31:39.76\00:31:44.90
I'm not gonna read the texts,
00:31:44.93\00:31:46.27
but if you go read
Deuteronomy 21:18-21,
00:31:46.30\00:31:48.90
you see there that God
actually gives permission
00:31:48.94\00:31:51.37
at that particular
time for that culture
00:31:51.41\00:31:53.38
and that set, he says, look,
00:31:53.41\00:31:55.28
if you have a rebellious
son and they've done this,
00:31:55.31\00:31:57.91
this, this, and this,
00:31:57.95\00:31:59.28
and they're proven to
be continuously rebellious,
00:31:59.31\00:32:01.48
they have the right to
take that young rebellious son
00:32:01.52\00:32:04.69
out and stone him to death,
00:32:04.72\00:32:06.42
whatever case that may be,
00:32:06.45\00:32:07.82
that brought shame and
dishonor to the family.
00:32:07.86\00:32:10.59
And so he'd spent all
these many years looking to see,
00:32:10.63\00:32:13.19
well, this is interesting
because in the parable
00:32:13.23\00:32:15.56
he asked for the inheritance,
00:32:15.60\00:32:17.70
but he didn't receive the
death decree upon his return.
00:32:17.73\00:32:22.37
And that's the beautiful
thing about this parable
00:32:22.40\00:32:24.31
is how does the father
respond once he returns?
00:32:24.34\00:32:28.34
Because according to
Middle Eastern culture and law,
00:32:28.38\00:32:31.41
this is something
that is obviously worthy
00:32:31.45\00:32:33.82
of being, you can be killed.
00:32:33.85\00:32:35.25
You can be murdered,
beheaded, stoned to death,
00:32:35.28\00:32:37.25
whatever the case may be.
00:32:37.29\00:32:39.05
But if you read
back in the parable,
00:32:39.09\00:32:40.49
it's powerful here.
00:32:40.52\00:32:41.86
It says here.
00:32:41.89\00:32:44.09
And when, this is verse 20,
00:32:44.13\00:32:45.46
"When he arose and
came to his father.
00:32:45.49\00:32:46.83
But when he was
still a great way off,
00:32:46.86\00:32:49.00
his father saw him
and had compassion,
00:32:49.03\00:32:51.50
and ran and, notice, he fell
on his neck and he kissed him."
00:32:51.53\00:32:56.87
And this is where Dr.
Kidder brought up the fact
00:32:56.91\00:32:58.44
that he said,
this is unheard of.
00:32:58.47\00:33:00.04
He says, but what
this father is doing,
00:33:00.08\00:33:01.58
and this is where the
spiritual application comes.
00:33:01.61\00:33:03.88
Why did he run at him?
00:33:03.91\00:33:06.21
And why did he fall
upon him and kiss him?
00:33:06.25\00:33:08.75
He ran unto him
and he fell upon him...
00:33:08.78\00:33:11.22
because he knew
what that What faith
00:33:11.25\00:33:13.52
that young man was going to meet
00:33:13.56\00:33:15.56
if he were to return,
the only person that could
00:33:15.59\00:33:18.09
save him was his own father.
00:33:18.13\00:33:19.96
Because upon return, what was...
00:33:20.00\00:33:21.66
What could he look
forward to upon his return?
00:33:21.70\00:33:24.73
Death.
00:33:24.77\00:33:26.74
If the city folk would
have gotten a hold of him,
00:33:26.77\00:33:29.07
they would have taken him out.
00:33:29.10\00:33:30.44
They would've
stoned him and killed him.
00:33:30.47\00:33:32.34
The father ran at him,
00:33:32.37\00:33:34.44
threw himself upon
him almost as to say,
00:33:34.48\00:33:37.61
you know what?
00:33:37.65\00:33:38.98
I pardoned him.
00:33:39.01\00:33:40.35
You came to kill
him would be to kill me.
00:33:40.38\00:33:43.12
Just as Jesus
comes into this world,
00:33:43.15\00:33:45.85
and He falls upon us
and He takes the penalty
00:33:45.89\00:33:48.06
that we deserve to save us.
00:33:48.09\00:33:49.66
Powerful, powerful stuff.
00:33:49.69\00:33:51.59
And there's a few extra
details here that we see here,
00:33:51.63\00:33:54.06
for instance, the, oh,
00:33:54.10\00:33:56.56
and it's also
found this as well,
00:33:56.60\00:33:58.33
which is really awesome.
00:33:58.37\00:34:00.34
In the Middle East,
00:34:00.37\00:34:01.80
and this is actually
really, even to this day.
00:34:01.84\00:34:03.77
In certain parts
of the Middle East,
00:34:03.81\00:34:05.37
men over the
age of 50 don't run.
00:34:05.41\00:34:08.54
It's not. They can't run.
00:34:08.58\00:34:10.78
It's not dignified.
00:34:10.81\00:34:12.15
It's not
dignified, but in some cases,
00:34:12.18\00:34:14.62
you can actually
have severe punishment.
00:34:14.65\00:34:17.22
If you're over 50 and
you are found running,
00:34:17.25\00:34:19.95
for instance, in 1976,
00:34:19.99\00:34:21.86
there was a
McCall Valley earthquake.
00:34:21.89\00:34:23.93
And there was these
people having this big gathering
00:34:23.96\00:34:27.06
and the mountain started shaking
00:34:27.10\00:34:28.43
and they had all of
their cars parked up
00:34:28.46\00:34:30.07
on the edge of the
rim of the mountain.
00:34:30.10\00:34:31.70
And when the
earth started shaking,
00:34:31.73\00:34:33.67
all of the cars started
falling inward upon the people.
00:34:33.70\00:34:36.04
The people ran and there
were four older men that refused
00:34:36.07\00:34:39.11
to run because they
didn't wanna bring shame
00:34:39.14\00:34:40.84
upon themselves
and upon their family.
00:34:40.88\00:34:42.68
And they allowed
the cars to crash
00:34:42.71\00:34:45.21
in on them and kill them.
00:34:45.25\00:34:46.58
That's an actual real story.
00:34:46.61\00:34:47.95
There was another
story that pastor Kidder
00:34:47.98\00:34:49.32
was telling us.
00:34:49.35\00:34:50.69
In Nineveh, a man lost his job
00:34:50.72\00:34:53.02
because he was running
to avoid being run over
00:34:53.05\00:34:55.32
by a car at the last second.
00:34:55.36\00:34:57.39
Did they explain why
you can't run after 50s?
00:34:57.43\00:35:01.20
I didn't...
Haven't done that far,
00:35:01.23\00:35:02.76
but the point is, the point,
00:35:02.80\00:35:04.13
overall point that
I'm trying to get at
00:35:04.17\00:35:05.50
is that what this man
was doing in the parable,
00:35:05.53\00:35:08.84
what the father is
doing was unheard of.
00:35:08.87\00:35:10.81
It was shameful in his,
00:35:10.84\00:35:12.17
even in his
community to run it all,
00:35:12.21\00:35:15.88
to run at this young
man as he was far off.
00:35:15.91\00:35:19.01
Of course, we know he
was running to save his son,
00:35:19.05\00:35:21.32
but he was willing
to even bring shame
00:35:21.35\00:35:23.52
upon himself in
order to save his son.
00:35:23.55\00:35:26.65
And it reminds me of
that text in Hebrews,
00:35:26.69\00:35:28.76
where it says that the
joy that was set before Him,
00:35:28.79\00:35:32.33
He despised the shame, right?
00:35:32.36\00:35:35.16
That He endured the
cross and despised the shame.
00:35:35.20\00:35:37.80
But yet, in this case, Jesus
was willing to take the shame
00:35:37.83\00:35:40.84
of the sinful world
upon Himself to save us.
00:35:40.87\00:35:43.34
There's so many
beautiful little imageries here
00:35:43.37\00:35:46.84
that we can take from this.
00:35:46.88\00:35:49.11
He tells him in the parable,
he says, bring the best robe
00:35:49.14\00:35:52.21
and put it upon my son.
00:35:52.25\00:35:53.82
In a Middle Eastern context,
00:35:53.85\00:35:55.78
if you
understand what that means,
00:35:55.82\00:35:57.15
it basically means a veto right.
00:35:57.19\00:35:59.45
And by him placing that
robe upon his son and saying,
00:35:59.49\00:36:02.02
I'm putting the
best robe upon him.
00:36:02.06\00:36:03.39
He's telling the
rest of his community,
00:36:03.43\00:36:04.86
don't touch my son.
00:36:04.89\00:36:06.23
He's pardoned.
00:36:06.26\00:36:07.60
Whatever he has
done, it's forgiven.
00:36:07.63\00:36:08.96
It's clean.
00:36:09.00\00:36:10.33
He has returned and
he's rewarded accordingly.
00:36:10.37\00:36:11.70
Hallelujah. He puts
the ring upon his hand.
00:36:11.73\00:36:14.04
There's three or four
things that's mentioned here,
00:36:14.07\00:36:15.54
the robe, the ring.
00:36:15.57\00:36:16.91
He puts shoes upon his feet
and he kills the fatted calf.
00:36:16.94\00:36:19.54
All of these are
very highly symbolic
00:36:19.57\00:36:21.68
in Middle Eastern culture.
00:36:21.71\00:36:23.04
They mean something.
00:36:23.08\00:36:24.41
The ring was as
equal to him giving him
00:36:24.45\00:36:26.82
his checkbook or his
credit card and saying,
00:36:26.85\00:36:28.92
you now have...
00:36:28.95\00:36:30.29
You are as equal
with me as anybody else.
00:36:30.32\00:36:32.72
I'm giving you the family name.
00:36:32.75\00:36:35.26
And in fact,
often in these rings
00:36:35.29\00:36:36.86
that they would
wear these family rings.
00:36:36.89\00:36:38.56
The family name
was engraved upon
00:36:38.59\00:36:40.60
or under the ring there.
00:36:40.63\00:36:41.96
So it was like he
was giving him the right
00:36:42.00\00:36:44.20
to the kingdom by
placing the ring upon his hand.
00:36:44.23\00:36:47.00
And shoes upon his feet,
00:36:47.04\00:36:48.70
this is a
representation of freedom.
00:36:48.74\00:36:50.64
You're now set free.
You're free to come and go.
00:36:50.67\00:36:53.01
Because often these people
in these particular scenarios
00:36:53.04\00:36:55.64
would not be wearing shoes.
00:36:55.68\00:36:57.05
Certain servants
didn't wear shoes. Yeah.
00:36:57.08\00:36:59.05
And you'll find in
this parable, he says,
00:36:59.08\00:37:00.75
don't make me just a servant,
00:37:00.78\00:37:02.12
make me a hired servant
lower than the regular servants.
00:37:02.15\00:37:05.62
But he says, no, no, no.
00:37:05.65\00:37:06.99
I'll put shoes upon his feet.
00:37:07.02\00:37:08.36
He's my son that has returned.
00:37:08.39\00:37:09.72
And of course the
fatted calf, you know,
00:37:09.76\00:37:11.23
there was three instances
in this Middle Eastern culture
00:37:11.26\00:37:14.03
where the fatted calf
would have been okay and brought
00:37:14.06\00:37:17.10
forth and they
deemed okay to kill and to,
00:37:17.13\00:37:20.24
you know, eat for the
purpose of celebration.
00:37:20.27\00:37:22.27
That would be
the birth of a child,
00:37:22.30\00:37:23.84
a wedding, or some type of
major business transaction.
00:37:23.87\00:37:26.88
So in this case,
there was an exception made,
00:37:26.91\00:37:29.68
the young son has returned
home, kill the fatted calf.
00:37:29.71\00:37:32.51
Let's celebrate
because he has returned.
00:37:32.55\00:37:36.35
And, of course,
last but not least,
00:37:36.38\00:37:37.72
I'm gonna end on this
00:37:37.75\00:37:39.09
and let you guys
kind of chime in on this.
00:37:39.12\00:37:40.56
There's just so much richness
in this parable to learn from,
00:37:40.59\00:37:44.26
but it's one last point
00:37:44.29\00:37:45.63
that I got here was
the brother's response,
00:37:45.66\00:37:47.33
the older brother.
00:37:47.36\00:37:49.10
He didn't leave the father.
00:37:49.13\00:37:51.03
He stayed with the father
00:37:51.07\00:37:52.87
and a lot of people
can relate to that brother
00:37:52.90\00:37:57.14
in a real world scenario.
00:37:57.17\00:37:59.07
They see that they can,
00:37:59.11\00:38:00.44
they feel like
that older brother,
00:38:00.48\00:38:01.81
yeah, you know, he
left and I understand
00:38:01.84\00:38:03.24
the way that brother feels
00:38:03.28\00:38:04.61
'cause he didn't
leave the father.
00:38:04.65\00:38:05.98
He stayed with the
father. He worked hard.
00:38:06.01\00:38:07.42
He didn't disobey.
00:38:07.45\00:38:08.78
He was there, but yet,
00:38:08.82\00:38:11.02
while he did all that was
right as far as his deeds,
00:38:11.05\00:38:16.22
his heart was not
in the right place,
00:38:16.26\00:38:18.73
which brought me to this.
00:38:18.76\00:38:20.10
Is it possible on a
greater spiritual note.
00:38:20.13\00:38:23.50
Is it possible to
live in the father's house,
00:38:23.53\00:38:26.94
but not know the father's heart?
00:38:26.97\00:38:29.90
Do you think when I look
at this part of the parable,
00:38:29.94\00:38:34.21
I always think it's
kind of like the comparison
00:38:34.24\00:38:37.81
between salvation by
grace and salvation by works.
00:38:37.85\00:38:42.22
The brother, as you said,
00:38:42.25\00:38:43.82
did not have the right attitude.
00:38:43.85\00:38:46.76
He's not got a heart of
love we see 'cause he's angry,
00:38:46.79\00:38:49.79
he's not excited.
00:38:49.82\00:38:51.56
And he's judgmental.
00:38:51.59\00:38:53.66
He's comparing himself,
00:38:53.70\00:38:55.96
which the Bible says,
we're not supposed to compare
00:38:56.00\00:38:58.23
ourselves with
others, but it's kind of like
00:38:58.27\00:39:01.17
I did this, I did that.
00:39:01.20\00:39:02.70
I've obeyed everything.
00:39:02.74\00:39:04.57
And I think, you know,
this is what you just said,
00:39:04.61\00:39:08.01
in the church, there are people.
00:39:08.04\00:39:11.28
I mean, obviously,
the younger brother was,
00:39:11.31\00:39:13.82
is a picture of
salvation by grace.
00:39:13.85\00:39:16.42
Is it not? That's right.
00:39:16.45\00:39:17.79
The robe of
Christ's righteousness.
00:39:17.82\00:39:20.46
The ring, grace
writes the check.
00:39:20.49\00:39:22.62
Faith takes it to the
bank, but the sandals, you know,
00:39:22.66\00:39:26.03
I mean everything about this,
00:39:26.06\00:39:28.26
but I've always
kind, do you see that?
00:39:28.30\00:39:30.70
Oh, absolutely. In
fact, it's interesting.
00:39:30.73\00:39:33.07
Take it a step further.
00:39:33.10\00:39:34.44
The older brother,
00:39:34.47\00:39:35.84
when they
started this celebration,
00:39:35.87\00:39:37.41
he was out in the field working
00:39:37.44\00:39:39.14
and from a spiritual kind
00:39:39.17\00:39:40.81
of a Christian
works perspective.
00:39:40.84\00:39:42.74
You know, we should be in
the father's field, right?
00:39:42.78\00:39:45.68
That, you know, the
fields are ripe for the harvest.
00:39:45.71\00:39:48.58
We need to be out there working,
00:39:48.62\00:39:50.02
but it is possible for us
00:39:50.05\00:39:52.19
to be doing the
deeds of the father.
00:39:52.22\00:39:54.42
Yes.
00:39:54.46\00:39:55.79
It is possible for
us to be, you know,
00:39:55.82\00:39:57.16
I didn't break that commandment.
00:39:57.19\00:39:58.63
I didn't break.
00:39:58.66\00:40:00.00
You know, we're
doing all of the great
00:40:00.03\00:40:01.36
deeds per se, but as you
brought out very clearly,
00:40:01.40\00:40:03.90
our heart's not
in the right place.
00:40:03.93\00:40:05.53
That was the case
with this younger...
00:40:05.57\00:40:06.90
With this older brother,
when he returns he's out there,
00:40:06.94\00:40:10.01
he's been with the father.
00:40:10.04\00:40:11.47
He's never left
the father, but yet,
00:40:11.51\00:40:13.24
while he was dwelling in
the presence of his father,
00:40:13.27\00:40:16.38
he lacked to reflect
the heart of the father.
00:40:16.41\00:40:19.85
And that's what we
can learn from here
00:40:19.88\00:40:21.25
that grace works aspect.
00:40:21.28\00:40:22.68
Amen. Amen.
00:40:22.72\00:40:24.22
There's so many wonderful things
00:40:24.25\00:40:26.92
in each one of these parables.
00:40:26.96\00:40:28.29
We can keep talking
here for hours and hours.
00:40:28.32\00:40:32.09
The prodigal son is
one of those stories
00:40:32.13\00:40:36.67
that really touches the heart.
00:40:36.70\00:40:39.07
You know, when you look
at it, there are many things.
00:40:39.10\00:40:41.57
Let me mention a couple here.
00:40:41.60\00:40:43.97
You know, you see the father is,
00:40:44.01\00:40:45.87
as in, nobody came
to tell the father,
00:40:45.91\00:40:48.84
hey, is that your son coming?
00:40:48.88\00:40:51.11
He was in eager
anticipation, looking.
00:40:51.15\00:40:55.38
And he says, he
saw him as a far off,
00:40:55.42\00:40:57.75
it wasn't that, is that
really my son, you know?
00:40:57.79\00:41:01.69
There's a thing about parents.
00:41:01.72\00:41:03.32
There's a thing about
people that love other people.
00:41:03.36\00:41:05.13
They learn how their walk is.
00:41:05.16\00:41:07.20
They may not be able
to distinguish the face,
00:41:07.23\00:41:09.03
hey, that's so-and-so
00:41:09.06\00:41:11.47
and you know,
00:41:11.50\00:41:12.83
so the father knew,
00:41:12.87\00:41:14.20
and there's this eager
anticipation, he runs to him.
00:41:14.24\00:41:17.54
And like you said, acceptance
and the father didn't say,
00:41:17.57\00:41:22.54
okay, what have you been up to,
00:41:22.58\00:41:23.95
you know?
00:41:23.98\00:41:25.31
It was none of that.
00:41:25.35\00:41:26.68
He says all is forgiven.
00:41:26.72\00:41:29.05
That's right. You are accepted.
00:41:29.08\00:41:31.05
Absolutely.
00:41:31.09\00:41:32.42
And he didn't even
get to He didn't give
00:41:32.45\00:41:34.09
He didn't even
have the opportunity
00:41:34.12\00:41:36.19
to give his little
speech that he prepared.
00:41:36.22\00:41:38.69
You know father
just make me as one.
00:41:38.73\00:41:41.90
I'm not worthy. And it's true.
00:41:41.93\00:41:43.73
When we come to the Lord,
00:41:43.77\00:41:45.23
considering we are not worthy,
00:41:45.27\00:41:47.30
but His mercy like
you said, His mercy,
00:41:47.34\00:41:50.71
His mercy is so great.
00:41:50.74\00:41:52.47
In the Book of Psalms, it says,
00:41:52.51\00:41:53.84
"His mercy is as high as
the heaven from the earth."
00:41:53.88\00:41:58.61
Okay.
00:41:58.65\00:41:59.98
That God's mercy
for each one of us
00:42:00.02\00:42:02.52
is not only extended offered.
00:42:02.55\00:42:05.39
And you have
different pictures here.
00:42:05.42\00:42:07.72
The shepherd goes
out to seek the sheep.
00:42:07.76\00:42:09.52
You have the
search for the lost coin.
00:42:09.56\00:42:11.93
You know, there's, people
ask, well, why is the father?
00:42:11.96\00:42:14.06
Why didn't he go out
to search for the son?
00:42:14.10\00:42:15.83
Sure. That's the question.
00:42:15.86\00:42:17.60
And there's an
interesting discussion
00:42:17.63\00:42:19.37
we could have about that.
00:42:19.40\00:42:20.94
But you see here
that the son realizes
00:42:20.97\00:42:26.37
that I was
better off where I was.
00:42:26.41\00:42:29.88
And that's the thing
00:42:29.91\00:42:31.38
for all the people
that walk away, you know?
00:42:31.41\00:42:37.15
Eventually the Holy
Spirit reaches them,
00:42:37.19\00:42:40.02
you know, in their deepest need.
00:42:40.06\00:42:42.26
You were better off.
00:42:42.29\00:42:43.63
You are better off with
the Lord than anything...
00:42:43.66\00:42:45.93
that you can gain out
there In this situation,
00:42:45.96\00:42:49.43
we have a prodigal son
00:42:49.46\00:42:51.20
It says he spent all his things
00:42:51.23\00:42:53.67
on prodigal living It doesn't
detail you, detail what that is
00:42:53.70\00:42:57.17
What does the
word prodigal mean?
00:42:57.21\00:42:59.97
Prodigal? Prodigal means
the I have it written here.
00:43:00.01\00:43:04.15
It's carelessness,
basically carelessness,
00:43:04.18\00:43:08.28
you know.
00:43:08.32\00:43:09.65
And so when we realize
00:43:09.68\00:43:13.86
that we are
better off with the Lord,
00:43:13.89\00:43:16.26
that we have a need
that nothing in the world
00:43:16.29\00:43:19.39
could really fill
because there are people
00:43:19.43\00:43:22.40
that leave the Lord and
they don't lose everything,
00:43:22.43\00:43:25.43
but they do not
have satisfaction.
00:43:25.47\00:43:28.67
They don't have that peace.
00:43:28.70\00:43:30.81
And this coming home,
00:43:30.84\00:43:34.08
coming to God is what
brings that satisfaction
00:43:34.11\00:43:37.25
that nothing in the
world could ever fill,
00:43:37.28\00:43:40.28
nothing in the
world could ever fill.
00:43:40.32\00:43:41.68
It's powerful to
consider, because again,
00:43:41.72\00:43:44.42
looking at this parable
from a Middle Eastern lens
00:43:44.45\00:43:47.39
or through a
Middle Eastern lens,
00:43:47.42\00:43:49.79
we can relate to it to
00:43:49.82\00:43:51.16
a certain extent
because every community,
00:43:51.19\00:43:52.86
every culture,
every nation has laws
00:43:52.89\00:43:55.33
and there's repercussions,
there's consequences
00:43:55.36\00:43:57.50
for breaking those laws.
00:43:57.53\00:43:59.13
What this young man
deserved he did not get.
00:43:59.17\00:44:02.64
But he deserved death.
00:44:02.67\00:44:04.44
And upon his return,
whether he knew it or not,
00:44:04.47\00:44:07.84
he was, would
have been originally
00:44:07.88\00:44:09.31
met with eternal death.
00:44:09.34\00:44:11.31
Right? Yes.
00:44:11.35\00:44:12.68
But the... I just get
that image in my mind.
00:44:12.71\00:44:14.95
It's so powerful
00:44:14.98\00:44:16.38
that when we read this from our,
00:44:16.42\00:44:18.22
you know, our Western
cultural American perspective,
00:44:18.25\00:44:21.12
you know, we see
this happy father,
00:44:21.16\00:44:22.56
just running with a
big smile on his face.
00:44:22.59\00:44:24.69
But yet when you hear
it from their perspective,
00:44:24.73\00:44:28.30
he was running because he was
trying to save his son's life,
00:44:28.33\00:44:31.40
a life that in most cases,
00:44:31.43\00:44:33.17
most of these
fathers would have said,
00:44:33.20\00:44:34.67
you know what?
00:44:34.70\00:44:36.04
And most of them
wouldn't even blink an eye,
00:44:36.07\00:44:37.87
you brought shame on the family.
00:44:37.91\00:44:39.31
You brought shame on me.
00:44:39.34\00:44:40.68
You've come and asked
me for the inheritance.
00:44:40.71\00:44:42.11
How much shameful can you be?
00:44:42.14\00:44:44.38
And slap me in my face,
00:44:44.41\00:44:45.81
disrespect me than
to come to me and ask me
00:44:45.85\00:44:48.18
for your inheritance
before I've even died.
00:44:48.22\00:44:50.45
You know, I don't have a
chance to leave it to you,
00:44:50.49\00:44:52.22
want me to give it to you now?
00:44:52.25\00:44:53.62
You're
rebellious. You're shameful.
00:44:53.66\00:44:55.79
You brought
shame upon this family.
00:44:55.82\00:44:57.16
You've dishonored
me, you know, so be it.
00:44:57.19\00:44:59.19
Many fathers would
have subject their kids
00:44:59.23\00:45:01.23
in this culture in
that Middle Eastern,
00:45:01.26\00:45:03.16
they would have subject
their kids to what they thought
00:45:03.20\00:45:05.00
was a just
punishment, in this case, death.
00:45:05.03\00:45:07.64
But this father
ran and it just...
00:45:07.67\00:45:09.10
It preaches to the
heart of our Savior
00:45:09.14\00:45:13.07
that that's
exactly how Jesus views us
00:45:13.11\00:45:15.31
in the way that
this father responds
00:45:15.34\00:45:17.38
to this young man
who deserved death,
00:45:17.41\00:45:19.78
he deserved the
consequences of the sin
00:45:19.81\00:45:22.08
that he had had
basically drowned himself in.
00:45:22.12\00:45:25.25
But yet the father runs
at him, and falls on him
00:45:25.29\00:45:27.46
and embraces him just as
Jesus does the same for us.
00:45:27.49\00:45:30.79
He doesn't give
us what we deserve.
00:45:30.83\00:45:32.59
He saves us.
00:45:32.63\00:45:34.16
Now He wants to
save us from our sins
00:45:34.20\00:45:36.56
and He has the greatest
gifts and the greatest blessings
00:45:36.60\00:45:39.43
that He wants to bestow upon us.
00:45:39.47\00:45:41.04
All we have to do
is just return home
00:45:41.07\00:45:42.94
and say, father, forgive me.
00:45:42.97\00:45:44.54
I've sinned against you.
00:45:44.57\00:45:45.97
I've sinned
against everyone Lord,
00:45:46.01\00:45:48.04
I've sinned and
I've dishonored you,
00:45:48.08\00:45:49.64
Lord, please
create in me a clean heart
00:45:49.68\00:45:52.08
and renew a right spirit in me.
00:45:52.11\00:45:53.68
And He will put the
robe of righteousness on us
00:45:53.72\00:45:55.95
and He will save
us from our sins.
00:45:55.98\00:45:57.49
That's beautiful. But I do
want to point out one thing.
00:45:57.52\00:46:00.36
This young man did
suffer the consequences
00:46:00.39\00:46:04.56
of sin for a time.
00:46:04.59\00:46:06.36
Yes, that's right he did.
00:46:06.39\00:46:07.73
You know what we see here,
00:46:07.76\00:46:10.00
there was a young desire,
00:46:10.03\00:46:12.70
a young and foolish action
00:46:12.73\00:46:16.97
and results because
here is a Jewish boy
00:46:17.01\00:46:22.88
who ends up
spending all of his money.
00:46:22.91\00:46:25.68
He's out chasing wine,
women, and song, whatever it is.
00:46:25.71\00:46:31.12
And he ends up feeding
00:46:31.15\00:46:33.96
the swine an unclean thing.
00:46:33.99\00:46:36.46
This is very, I mean,
it shows the consequences.
00:46:36.49\00:46:40.80
It reminds me of something
00:46:40.83\00:46:44.70
from Haggai chapter 1.
00:46:44.73\00:46:46.30
I just wanna read
this real quickly,
00:46:46.33\00:46:50.01
'cause this is what
the Lord is telling us.
00:46:50.04\00:46:53.27
Now, therefore, thus
says the Lord of hosts,
00:46:53.31\00:46:56.71
consider your ways.
00:46:56.75\00:46:58.88
You have so much
and bring in little,
00:46:58.91\00:47:03.42
you eat, but do not have enough.
00:47:03.45\00:47:05.12
You drink, but you
are not filled with drink.
00:47:05.15\00:47:08.62
You clothe
yourselves, but no one is warm.
00:47:08.66\00:47:11.89
And he who earns
wages earns wages...
00:47:11.93\00:47:17.17
to put into a bag with holes
00:47:17.20\00:47:21.50
Think about
that We've got people
00:47:21.54\00:47:25.07
who And youth who say,
00:47:25.11\00:47:28.28
I don't want this.
00:47:28.31\00:47:29.74
Right. Give me my freedom.
00:47:29.78\00:47:31.58
I'm gonna go out and do this.
00:47:31.61\00:47:33.08
I'm gonna chase my dream.
00:47:33.11\00:47:34.45
I'm gonna chase the
money. I'm gonna chase this.
00:47:34.48\00:47:37.59
And God says, you're basically,
00:47:37.62\00:47:40.62
you've got a pocketbook
that's got a hole in it.
00:47:40.66\00:47:43.06
And here you are,
you're trying to do this,
00:47:43.09\00:47:45.56
trying to do that.
00:47:45.59\00:47:47.00
But there is no real building
00:47:47.03\00:47:51.30
up of a treasure.
00:47:51.33\00:47:53.67
Our treasures are in heaven...
00:47:53.70\00:47:55.20
And, you know,
00:47:55.24\00:47:56.57
we just want to
encourage everybody.
00:47:56.60\00:47:58.54
That's right. We see here.
00:47:58.57\00:48:00.54
And what I see in the first,
00:48:00.58\00:48:03.58
the parable of the sheep,
00:48:03.61\00:48:05.11
I see Jesus.
00:48:05.15\00:48:06.48
Amen.
00:48:06.51\00:48:07.85
He came to seek and
save that which is lost.
00:48:07.88\00:48:10.55
He came specifically
to the house of Israel,
00:48:10.59\00:48:13.19
did He not?
00:48:13.22\00:48:14.62
That's right. And then
it was open to the Gentiles.
00:48:14.66\00:48:17.63
I see the church,
00:48:17.66\00:48:20.20
the Holy Spirit
operating through the church
00:48:20.23\00:48:22.93
in this second one.
00:48:22.96\00:48:24.43
And I see the attitude of God,
00:48:24.47\00:48:27.54
the Father who loved us enough,
00:48:27.57\00:48:29.87
that He sent His
Son to die for us
00:48:29.90\00:48:32.94
while we were yet sinners.
00:48:32.97\00:48:34.31
That's right. Amen.
00:48:34.34\00:48:35.68
To me, it's just, they
build one upon the other.
00:48:35.71\00:48:38.95
And you see how... That's right.
00:48:38.98\00:48:41.75
And let me say this so,
00:48:41.78\00:48:43.49
and then I'll let y'all
say another comment too,
00:48:43.52\00:48:45.49
but I just have to say this.
00:48:45.52\00:48:47.09
I may even repeat it.
00:48:47.12\00:48:48.82
When we come out
on the other side,
00:48:48.86\00:48:52.19
somebody that's
listening to our voices
00:48:52.23\00:48:56.30
has heard you're worthless.
00:48:56.33\00:49:00.00
You'll never amount to anything.
00:49:00.04\00:49:02.47
I wanna tell you something.
00:49:02.50\00:49:04.21
God once really
impressed upon my heart
00:49:04.24\00:49:06.84
to say this as often as I could.
00:49:06.88\00:49:09.51
You are worth
nothing less to God
00:49:09.54\00:49:14.15
than the price
that He paid for you
00:49:14.18\00:49:16.69
with the precious
blood of Jesus Christ.
00:49:16.72\00:49:19.79
That's right. You
have... We're all undeserving.
00:49:19.82\00:49:24.46
None of us are
deserving of salvation by,
00:49:24.49\00:49:26.90
but that's why it's by grace.
00:49:26.93\00:49:28.66
Hallelujah.
00:49:28.70\00:49:30.03
None of us are deserving,
00:49:30.07\00:49:32.43
but our worth to God
00:49:32.47\00:49:36.50
is more than this sheep.
00:49:36.54\00:49:38.44
More, you know,
and it's interesting.
00:49:38.47\00:49:40.44
It was one out of a 100.
00:49:40.48\00:49:43.08
Then it got to one out
of 10 and all of a sudden,
00:49:43.11\00:49:46.35
it's one out of two.
00:49:46.38\00:49:48.45
We are worth more to God.
00:49:48.48\00:49:52.69
And He wants us in
His house celebrating
00:49:52.72\00:49:56.79
with that robe, with
that ring, with those sandals.
00:49:56.83\00:50:00.20
Amen. This is beautiful.
00:50:00.23\00:50:02.36
Again, going back to
the prodigal son here,
00:50:02.40\00:50:04.27
because when...
00:50:04.30\00:50:05.93
There's a picture,
I'm sure you have seen it.
00:50:05.97\00:50:08.37
It's like a person.
00:50:08.40\00:50:10.54
Jesus is hugging a person.
00:50:10.57\00:50:11.91
You don't see the person's face.
00:50:11.94\00:50:13.27
Jesus is hugging a
person in this painting
00:50:13.31\00:50:14.71
that somebody made and
He has his eyes closed,
00:50:14.74\00:50:17.38
like an embrace, a passionate
embrace of this person.
00:50:17.41\00:50:22.45
And this is a
picture of God's great love.
00:50:22.48\00:50:25.92
Jesus, the great love.
00:50:25.95\00:50:27.56
You have accepted my
sacrifice and I'm receiving you.
00:50:27.59\00:50:32.09
And in the prodigal son,
the story the father says,
00:50:32.13\00:50:35.76
he hugged him and kissed him.
00:50:35.80\00:50:39.20
This is a show of
such affection and love,
00:50:39.23\00:50:42.80
the son, it doesn't
matter what you have done.
00:50:42.84\00:50:46.21
You are my son and you
are welcome in this house.
00:50:46.24\00:50:51.08
You are my son.
00:50:51.11\00:50:52.71
What a picture this
is of God saying to you,
00:50:52.75\00:50:56.82
come and I will accept you
00:50:56.85\00:50:59.12
no matter what you've done.
00:50:59.15\00:51:00.49
This guy was feeding pigs.
00:51:00.52\00:51:01.86
The lowest thing they
could possibly do in those times
00:51:01.89\00:51:04.33
and the father didn't care.
00:51:04.36\00:51:05.69
He didn't care how he
smelled, how he looked.
00:51:05.73\00:51:08.46
This is my son.
00:51:08.50\00:51:10.27
Amen. You're welcome home.
00:51:10.30\00:51:11.63
Amen. Amen. You
know, we've got to...
00:51:11.67\00:51:13.37
We're gonna have to
hold our other comments
00:51:13.40\00:51:15.67
till we get on the
other side of the news break.
00:51:15.70\00:51:19.11
But we just want to remind you,
00:51:19.14\00:51:21.21
please help you stay with us
for the last couple of minutes,
00:51:21.24\00:51:24.35
but there is joy in heaven.
00:51:24.38\00:51:27.32
There is joy
among God the Father,
00:51:27.35\00:51:31.19
the Holy Spirit, the
Son and among the angels
00:51:31.22\00:51:34.99
when one person turns
around and heads toward God.
00:51:35.02\00:51:40.50
Lost, sought, and found.
00:51:40.53\00:51:43.33
We're gonna have
a quick news break
00:51:43.37\00:51:45.43
and we'll be right
back with a closing thought.
00:51:45.47\00:51:47.40