Night of Worship: Prodigal Sons

Josh opened us up with the first half of the parable of the prodigal sons. We have seen the younger son’s desire to leave the father…the famine he experienced…and his moment of clarity that this is not where he wants to do. All of us in one way or another, have experienced the famine and lack of satisfaction that comes from a trying to build a life steered by ourselves..and without any thought for God or HIs guidance. He however decided to come home..He comes back to His father…and His father recieved him with open arms. But even though he comes to the Father we see in this passage there are things which hinder him from recieving & seeing God’s love. We’ve taken some time and called you to reflect, now we want to call you to respond. As we look at these things that hinder us from seeing and recieving God’s love..my call to you is to not to let them keep you where you are…but today, to respond, and to come to the Father.

Luke 15:21-32

Luke 15:21–32 ESV

21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. 25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”

What are the things that keep us outside of a relationship with God? What are the things that can still keep us from God, even when we want to. 2 Things: Lies, People.

1. The Lies that Keep us From Receiving the Fathers Love & God’s Response

2. The People that Keep Us From Seeing the Fathers Love & God’s Response

The Lies that Keep us From Recieving the Love of God

The Younger Brother

Luke 15:21 ESV

21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

Lie #1- Shame- The younger son recognizes his wrong, acknowledges his sin..but says, I’ve messed up too much to be a son. He comes in rags, and still smells like the mess he was in. He asked for his fathers death, forfeited his inheritance and said, that he no longer wanted to be a son, or to be with the father. So when he comes back, he doesn’t see himself as a son..he sees himself as the rags and filth he comes in. He has done wrong, but his wrong has now changed his very perception of himself. To where he says, I can’t be a son…I will be a servant. His identity was no longer in who HIs father was..but in his own failure.

His own shame made it so that even when the Father embraced Him, he couldn’t recieve or see the love of God! He had been in sin so long…He defined himself by it. He says, I am worthy, I am not worth it.

“God Will Never Forgive Me”, It is the belief not only that you have failed but you are a failure. Shame seeks to identity you with your worst mistakes. Guilt says, I’ve done wrong and have messed up..Shame says, My mess-ups are who I am. He saw the Fathers love, but He thought, I am not your son anymore..I have done too much to you, my past is too full of mistakes.

I’m here to tell you today, that if you have messed up so long that you feel like a mess up, that if you have failed so much you feel like a failure..if you are here and you just think..God can’t love me. It is a lie. Maybe you want to be loved by God, you want to come to God..but you feel too messy…youve done too much in you past that it has defined your present..it is not true! Your decisions that you have made in your past matter…but there is one decision that can redefine everything.

Woman with the issue of blood, Mark 5…she pushes through, despite her shame, despite her being unclean..despite being that way for years..to just tough the hem of Jesus Robe. She got to Jesus..and that decision redefined everthing about her life.

Hear me..your shame, mess, and mistakes is not wide enough, deep enough..or bad enough to hinder the love of God to you! Jesus love runs deeper! Recognize this lie..and do not let it stop you from seeing and receiving the love of God today! Come to the Father, recieve HIs love!

2Corinthians 5:17

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

You are not your worst mistakes..Coming to the Father will change you name and cover your shame.

Lie # 2- Servant- The younger son wants to come home, knows he messed up, and says, Maybe the father will let me work as a servant. Maybe I can earn my place in the house by doing good things for him. He comes back trying to repay his father.

We think if we come to God we have to work real hard to earn our place…and that then maybe God will be pleased. We think that when we come to God Him being pleased with us will be on how well we live, and how we repay him with our obedience. It is a belief that some how we have to earn our way back to the father.

Maybe you are here, and you want to come to God…but you think its too much work to be saved. You say, If I get saved, that just means I have to work real hard to be saved and do my part..and then if I don’t do my part..God won’t do His. It is this lie that says, “I can come to God and be saved if I do my part” And so we are afraid to come to God not just because of our shame..but because we know that even if we try to serve God..were going to fail. And we think..I’m not strong enough. We think that it is by our effort.

Just nothing you do thats so bad that keep God from saving you..and theres nothing so good you can do to earn Him saving you. You’re not saved by trying hard..you’re not saved by being good..you are saved by surrendering and being His.

There is no shame so bad that can keep you from God..and there is no service so good that you can earn your way to God!

God’s goodness does not waver according to your bad or your good..God just is good!

God’s Response to those Lies

Luke 15:22 ESV

22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.

1. The Father’s Robe- The father responds to his shame, and to his attempt to earn his place with this, “Bring quickly the best robe”. He says wait, I have something for you. The Father tells the servants to get a robe, a ring, shoes..and puts it on him. He puts it on Him..so that the son no longer identities himself with his rags…his failures..but with the Father. Why? Because whose robe would have been the best robe..the Fathers. The Father put his robe on Him…so that the son looked like Him. Now when the son looked at his reflection..what does He see? The Father. Not only does the son now see himself differently…but now all of the servants and people who had heard about what he did…don’t see him the shamed son..see Him as the loved son. He didn’t have his rags anymore..He had the fathers robe!

You see God, knows your mess..he knows what you’ve done..and He says this..though you were ashamed of me, I am not ashemd of you..and though you brought shame on yourself....and dishonered me…I put my love and honor on you.

To every person today who says, “But you don’t know what I’ve done” “Get the Best Robe” God I’ve messed up, Get the best robe. The Father does everything! He covers you!

Isaiah 61:10 ESV

10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

God has a robe of righteouness…through the blood of Jesus..for every shamed son or daughter. Will you recieve it? God doesn’t remove our old clothers and leave us with nothing on..he puts his best robe on you!

So no there is no shame that is so deep that love of God can not cover .

Mark 5, woman with the issue of blood..touch Just the hem..He gives you himself. He doesn’t give you a part of it..He gives you it all to wear. I’ll do you one better.

And if you will come to God,

2. The Father’s Name- The father says, this is my son.

And for those who say, they have to serve or earn thier way to God..listen to what the Father says…Luke 15:24

Luke 15:24 ESV

24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

While hes still stinking, while he still looks like the mess He came out of…The Father..says this, my son was dead. There was no earning, no working..The Father loved Him…gave Him a new Robe..and then brought Him back into the family!

There is not earning your way into the family of God, there is no mess that keep you from the Fathers love and no failure that can remove it! God loves you because he loves you..because he loves you…you don’t have to try to be a child. You don’t have to earn it. He makes you his child. All you have to do is recieve. The younger son played no part in this..all he did was bring his rags and shame..God does everything! The father doesnt shame him, or beat him, or condemn him..he offers him love.

Don’t let shame convince you that you are unsaveable or unloveable…don’t let this idea that you have to try real hard to keep your salvation or earn your salvation keep you from God. You bring the mess…God will do the rest. You have to recieve and trust Him..He will put the robe on you..He will bring you into His family! He will give you a new name.

But the story isn’t over yet! There is another brother..and in this we learn not only are there lies which keep us from seeing the love of God, but there are people who keep us from seeing it.

The People that Keep Us From God

The Older Brother

The older brother was so angry, and jealous of his brothers celebration he did not even come in. He stayed outside of the party, and wouldn’t go to where his father was because of his self-righteousness. That should be my part. His brother had been dead, and came back, and he didn’t care. His thought was..why have I never gotten a party? Why are we celebrating him when I’ve been here the whole time. Its not fair.

Just like the younger brother..he also wanted the Father’s stuff..but while the younger brother did it by being real bad..the older did it by being real good. We know that His love was for the Fathers stuff..and not the Father or His brother..because He could not celebrate! The younger brother had already used his inheritance..that meant whatever the Father had now was going to be his. He thought this is my my stuff..I”m more deserving.

What would have happened if the older brother saw his brother coming back first before the father did. What would’ve happened if the older brother would’ve got to him first? Can you imagine how discouraging it would’ve been to come home and your own brother not be excited to see you.

We know the brother had very little care or love or his brother because he could not celebrate!

Sometimes even when we can get past or shame and guilt to come to God..even when we are ready to belive that God can save me…its not Jesus we are discouraged by...its the people in churh who see us coming and get to us first. And rather than lead us home...We say, “You got to get your life right first. We condemn, we judge. We shake our head, we look down our noses. All we see is the mess that people bring..we can’t celebrate people coming to Jesus. And so you’re worried, well if I come to God, what’ll happen I don’t have the church clothes, or I don’t know the books of the bible..and I still might struggle with some sins..and I’m not all put together yet like the people in church.

If you are here tonight..and you see God calling..and you want to come to God..and you know God can save you..but you’re afraid of what people will say because of what they know aobut you..or afraid of coming to church and you don’t have the right clothes..or even if you get saved and still struggle with some sins..you’re worried by what they’ll say. If you have been discouraged or made to think that you are unlovable or too much of a mess to come to God..or even to come to a church..I am sorry. And I want to tell you..let God deal with them…and let God save you! Come..don’t let the older brothers convince you that God is not excited to see you.

God’s Answer to those People

Luke 15:27-31

Luke 15:27–31 ESV

27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.

You are in my house, but you do not have my heart.

Listen nobody can keep you from the love of God! And if the people who know your past can’t celebrate with you..if people in the church hurt you…I am sorry! But God will celebrate. We will celebrate!

You see, if you are a Christian here tonight can not celebrate people in mess and struggle coming home..we have missed it. This message is not just about the lost outside of God..its for the people in church too!

Let us not forget that no matter how long we’ve been in church..or how “good” we may be…we all come in filthy rags..in need of Jesus.

Isaiah 64:6

Isaiah 64:6 ESV

6 We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

How do we know that the older brother did not really love his father?

He didn’t love what the father loved..he wanted what the father had.

If he had truly loved his Father..He would’ve loved what the Father loved. And if He loved His brotheror that matter…he would not have waited for his brother to come home. He would have went to go get him.

He would’ve left home and brought his brother back!

The responsibility of the church is not to condemn and people for the mess that they bring when they come to God…we are suppose to be the ones to go get them! To bring them home! Thats why we are here tonight..on UNCP campus..on behalf of God the Father..to call you home!

How do we know thats what the older brother should have done?

God’s Answer to the Younger Brother & The Older Brother is the Same:

The Father deals with the shame and guilt of the sinful, and deals with the arrogance and pride of the self-righteous the same.

God the Father sends a Better Older Brother: Jesus

Jesus deals with the Shame and Guilt

2Corinthians 5:21

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

1Peter 2:24

1 Peter 2:24 ESV

24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

Jesus is a better older brother, that goes and gets us!

Philippians 2:5–11 ESV

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Luke 15 Lost Sheep

3 CALLS

Call to the Lost Outside of God

Jesus deals with your shame..He puts on you his robe! He celebrates. He changes your name!

Jesus will deal with every person who has made you feel like you’re too bad or too messed up to come home! I am sorry if the Older Brother has discouraged you. I am sorry if you have been condemned! But Jesus is a better older brother..and where the church messes it up..Jesus will fix it!

Call to those who are in the house, but don’t have the fathers heart!

God is calling Christians to reevaluate as well. This is a call to rededicate..this is a call to reflection. Jesus has set before us the example..not to condemn people for the mess they’re in..but to go to them in thier mess and love them and bring them home!

We must become more concerned with getting our lost brothers and sisters, than “doing good church activities inside of our four walls” That is a good thing to do..but is isn’t the God thing to do. Jesus goes out.

Call to those who wherever you are, feel like you are in the middle of a famine..maybe you know Jesus, but you need more. What you’ve done up to this point is not enough..but you’ve realized you have been so busy doing church things you haven’t taken time to enjoy the Father Himself! The Father is calling you too! If you would like prayer, and if you believe God is calling you just to enjoy his presence more..to remove distractions..this is for you too