October 24, 2021
Luke 15:11-32
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. 25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ 31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
Jesus tells three things in this story:
1. A new picture of God
2. A new picture of Sin
3. A new picture of Salvation
God is here for you.
Who is far from God?
Who used to be close to Jesus and is now as He says, “This brother of yours was dead”.
Jesus radically redefines 3 things:
01 | Jesus Redefines God as our Father
02 | Jesus Redefines Sin
Each of these sons wanted the father’s things, but neither of them wanted the father himself!
Each one of these sons used the father to get what they really loved… His wealth…One son used the father by being very good…One son used the father by being very bad…but both sons are lost to the Father!
You can’t be committed to Jesus without being committed to church, but you can be committed to church and not be committed to Jesus.
Rebellious people disobey God to get things, just like the younger brother.
Religious people obey God to get things, just like the older brother.
People of the gospel, obey God … to get God.
03 | Jesus Redefines Salvation as Totally Undeserved
On this path, we don’t focus on doing the right thing, we simply focus on being obedient.
Two questions for you.
01 | Are you connected to Jesus today? Not are you connected to church, or the people of God or are you committed to doing the right thing?
02 | Who do you know who’s not connected to Jesus?
Local Missionary Oath:
“Jesus, I am here to be commissioned as a local missionary out of obedience to you. I know you want to use me to reach the people whose names I’ve written down on my card. Someone prayed for me, now it is my turn to pray for them. Someone told me about Jesus, now it is my turn to tell them.
I promise to look for opportunities to serve these people, to show God’s love to them, to listen and care for them and to bring the message of the gospel to them in a way they will understand.
I ask your Holy Spirit to empower me to move the mission of Jesus forward through me. I accept my commission as a local missionary today, and I promise to focus on the friends for the next two years to love them to Jesus in all I do and say.”