42 Preaching Teaching/ Luke 15:11-32: The Father's Heart-Engaging our Community!

EOT-The heartbeat of God is the celebrating sinners who come home. 

EOS-You must engage your community.

OSS-Hearers will take their next step towards having the father’s heart towards sinners.  

FCF-We are tempted to only share with and disciple those who look like us (people we deem righteous) but God want us to love all sinners with the hopes that they become disciples of Jesus.  

Phrase that pays: Christianity is a feast to be invited to and enjoyed.   

 Aren’t you glad God loves sinners?

Intro to series:

These next couple of weeks we are going to be doing a Series on TEAMS.

As you have noticed we have a lot of jersey’s up this week.

Who is your favorite TEAM. Well if you are a part of RCC you are first and foremost on TEAM Jesus, but you are also a part of RCC’s Team and for us to see our vision come to fruition we need you to be on our TEAMS.

We already have so many teams at this church but as a church plant we want to bring more people on each team, but it starts with this room.

Worship-Tech Team

Hospitality-Vikki

Compassionate Care-

Grounds and Safety-Joe and Randy

Life Groups-Carpenter's and Hall's

Children's-Danni

Youth-Mike

Outreach -Robert and Diana

MAJOR TESTIMONY

I am a sinner. And as a young man, not only was I a sinner, but I did not love God. I was so hard-hearted that God had to send many different people in my life to try to tell me about his love. Just off the top of my head, I can think of six other friends who have tried to share their love of Christ with me. The first was my grandmother, who was a little kid. 2)The next one was at a church camp I did not want to attend. [I cussed a lot back then, and I remember the youth pastor said if you don’t stop cussing, I am kicking you out of here. 3) The third person was my high school point guard, who, after becoming a follower of Christ, tried to share with me, but I did not want to hear about it. 4) When I graduated high school and realized that what was holding me back was that I could not jump, I talked to my old high school coach and asked him to help me with my vertical, only to have him attempt to share the gospel with me after I left. 5) On My first day at a Christian College, I met Timboe, who had just gotten kicked out of NC State. He was trying to get his life turned around. He tried to share the good news of Jesus with me. 6) Lastly, Bible Head Ted ran into me, and on September 3, 1998, I decided to stop trying to earn God’s favor, and I accepted his gift of what he did on the cross for me. Through all the times I rejected God, isn’t it amazing that God loved me while I rejected him and am a sinner.

At least 6 people shared with me before I became a follower of Christ. For some people it may take 1, for some 100, we have to keep sharing Christ. Do you think these people thought of it as a failure. This was the greatest day of my life.

I thought Christianity was boring religion but on this day I realized it was a feast.

God not only pursued me but now he was throwing a party for me because I came back to him. I will never forget that day.

You-Aren’t you glad that God loves you even though you are a sinner. Has there been a time in your life where you accepted God’s great gift?  Where you joined his party. Maybe you grew up in a home and accepted God’s gift at a young age. Maybe you accepted God’s gift in college. Maybe you accepted God’s gift as a result of a difficult situation. Or maybe you are sitting here asking does God really loves me, what are you talking about with this whole gift thing. You can accept his great gift today.

Today we are going to look at a famous story from the bible that comes from a question. 

Luke 15:1–2 (NIV)

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Mutter-Grumble-Complain

We see a huge difference how Jesus looks at people and how these religious men look at people.

Jesus is about to answer a question about how we should look at people, Is it okay to eat with sinner?

God is so serious about showing us his heart in response to this question that he does not just give us one story he gives us 3 stories.

The first one is about a shepherd who has 100 sheep and one leaves and the shepherd goes after the 1. Sheep were so valuable that he was willing to leave the one who went astray and when he found it here is what the Bible says.

Luke 15:7 NIV

I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

[Contrast] Notice the religious people were not rejoicing they were complaining. Could you imagine if we would be excited about the same things that excite God.

The second story is about a lady who has 10 coins and loses 1. Women during this time recieved 10 silver coins as a wedding gift. This lady rips her house up like never before to find the one coin.

Luke 15:10 NIV

In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Churches have made it about the color of the carpet, about the music but God has always made it about people. Could you imagine if our church would make it about people God values when sinners come home and when they do he throws a party while these religious people in the church want to mutter, complain and grumble. Could you picture how much joy we would have in our churches if we shared Jesus’ love and concern for the lost, diligently seeking them, and rejoicing when they come to the savior.

One of the reasons Heather and I have decided to go on this crazy adventure of church planting is because we want to bring the gospel places that it is not right now.

Church plants have the the tendency to engage their communities really well.

Today I want to challenge us to have the mentality to engage our community.

1. We must engage our community because lostness is so great (11-16)!

Luke 15:11–12 NIV

Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

Observation 1#-This story starts with a great ask for the wrong thing.

This is different than a God ask: Aiden is my younger Son if he asked me this I would be angry and then I would remember that I am a church planter and that i don’t have any money.

What are people asking for today?

God does not mind audacious asks. The younger son made an audacious ask: God loves audacious asks (12) but only when they are for the glory of God, this younger son wanted his dad dead so he can have his money.

Could you picture if one of your kids wanted you dead so he could have your money. This is crazy even in our time it would have been unheard of during this time it was a very patriarchal male dominated society. I would be like let me give you a spanking.

Notice this father gives the son what he asks for. Getting what we want is not always good.

What are people asking for today?

We will see in this story that getting what you asked for is not always a good thing.

Luke 15:13–16 (NIV)

“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. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

How did he do without his father-

Summary: He lived in deliberate rebellion, he was bad with money, the economy was bad, he had to sell himself into slavery, he was eating pig food (Have some dog food). He was not doing good. Aren’t we the same when we do life without God.

In the Jewish culture pigs could not be eaten or even touched or even offered as sacrifices. For a Jew to stoop to feeding pigs was a great humiliation, and for this young man to eat food that the pigs had touched was to be degraded beyond belief. The younger son had truly sunk to the depths. Could you picture Bill Gates son out on the streets of New York begging for money.

Observation #2-We have to feel the weight of our sin. PIGS

This guy made some really bad decisions, we think man I may have sin but not as bad as this guy. But the reality is that we are all prodigals, some hide it really well, before I was a believer I did not think my sin was that bad, but we look for life in our jobs, in who we please. We are all prodigals because we have all gone to other things to find love and acceptance other than God.

Romans 3:23 NIV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

The reality is we are all serious sinners.

Do you really think that your sin stinks?

Do you really think the greatest need of those around you is found in Jesus?

We must engage our community because lostness is great all around us.

2. We must engage our community because God’s heart is for sinners to know him.

Isn’t it amazing to think that even when id did not know God, when I rejected God that he wanted to know me?

Observation #3-We have to leave the pig pen of our sin.

Luke 15:17–19 (NIV)

“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! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’

Illustration of a kid when he apologizes because he has to and when he really gets it. Do I have a real illustration here.

Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (The younger son 15:11–24)

“. . . the boy’s proposal indicates that, while he desires the father’s house, he doesn’t understand the father’s heart.”

This prodigal does not understand GRACE-He just wants to stay out of trouble.

He had to get to the point where he would leave the pig pen. He may not have understood the fathers heart but he was willing to go back home and turn from his sin.

[SLOW HERE AND PICTURE HOW THE FATHER WAS WAITING FOR HIS SON, LONG NIGHTS] 15:20-23 . Can you picture the long nights, thinking where is my son tonight, I sure hope he comes back.

One thing I have learned about being a parent is that you never stop worrying about your kids.

Observation #4-God’s grace brings dead things to life. Really hammer on Grace here.

Luke 15:20 (NIV)

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.

The Gospel is a gospel of grace. Grace is when we get something we don’t deserve. The father is the hound of heaven and even when this prodigal wasn’t pursuing his father his father was pursuing him.

I hope you know this is true in your life, but do you really believe this is true in your neigbors life, your boss’s life, your friends life as well. This is the very heart of God.

We deserve death but Jesus offers life so much that he paid our debt in full.

Luke 15:21–24 (NIV)

“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“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. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

Salvation is a feast!!!

That the father saw his son coming from a long way off indicates that he habitually looked for his return. Perhaps the normal parental reaction to the younger son's return would be anger or at least deep disappointment, but this father's response displayed: (1) compassion, (2) love (threw his arms around his neck and kissed him), (3) celebration (a feast), and (4) joyful restoration of status for his son (a robe of distinction, signet ring of family authority, sandals worn by a son, in contrast to barefoot slaves).

Holman Bible Editorial Staff,Holman Bible Editorial Staff. HCSB Study Bible (Kindle Locations 138372-138375). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Gods grace brings dead things to life

GOSPEL-The gospel is the good news what Jesus had done on the behalf of man.

You cannot earn this it can only be recieved.

Just as the son came home to the father we just have to receive Jesus Christ because of what he did on Calvary [he died for our sins and rose again} so we could have life.

I have a friend who experienced Grace in the world.

This is the God who created the world out of nothing

Blood diamond-The Relentless Low of God. Solomon Vandy willing to do whatever it takes to find his son.

Scene where he found out that he lost his son and he went crazy, they had to hit him with rifles. He was willing to do whatever it took to find his son. Decaprio was motivated by the diamond, the father was motivated by the love he had for his son.

What we see here is the why: God loves to see the dead come to life. Christianity is not about a bunch of good works it is about the dead coming to life.

Heather and I are planting a church with this passion that we would see those who are spiritually dead come to life.

Application: Do you have a heart to see the love of God impact those around you?

3. We must engage our community because God wants others to feast.

Closer your eyes for a second. I want you to think of someone who is successful defined by the american dream. They have money, power or prestige, but they do not have a relationship with God. Whoever that person is you are thinking about is missing out.

This older brother represents the pharisees. The Pharisees were religious people who missed God a lot of the time.

The pharisees made disciples but they were making the wrong kind of disciples, because the disciples they made did not have the heart of God.

What a tragedy it is when the church has the same heart as the pharisees.

If Jesus was here and eating with people Church people are not supposed to eat with how would you respond. Would you grumble like the pharisees or would you rejoice for the chance that a non churched person may come home.

“Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop, Within a yard of hell.”

― C.T. Studd

Exposition:

Luke 15:25–27 NIV

“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

Who is this person:

15:25-30 Instead of the story ending on a note of joy and celebration, as might be expected, the spotlight shifts to the older brother. Unlike the father's positive attitude, the older brother (1) was surprised at the return of his sinning brother, (2) was offended and jealous at the father's celebration, (3) became angry at the father's forgiving love, (4) declared his own self-righteousness, and (5) focused on his brother's sinfulness rather than his newfound repentance.

Holman Bible Editorial Staff,Holman Bible Editorial Staff. HCSB Study Bible (Kindle Locations 138378-138381). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

This older brother looked good on the outside, he was a religious.It is crazy that someone could be religious, go to church and completely miss God.He was upset that someone else would receive the love and forgiveness of God. But he was not excited about the things God was excited about. We have to rejoice over what God rejoices over. The grace that the younger son needed the older son needed it as well.

Luke 15:28 (NIV)

“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.

The Father is pleading with the son to come in. Notice that the father actually leaves the party to plead. This brother was mad because the father accepted and forgave the younger son. This is the heart of Christianity.

Today I think God is pleading with the Church in America do not miss the feast I have. I am on mission and I want you not only to join me, I want you to invite other people to it.

Church lets not have the heart of the older brother:

The older son was given at least twice as much as the younger son, so he actually had more than the younger son, who now had nothing, and he wanted to keep it all for himself.

Church how can we use what we have for greater gospel impact.

.

Luke 15:29–30 NIV

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. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

This response of the older brother should break our heart. There is no rejoicing.

What is sad is what this really reveals is how much the older brother missed the gospel. The same love and forgiveness that the younger son needed is the same love and forgiveness that the older son needed.

What makes a great party. It is not just a one time event it is when we feast at God’s table and bring others to it. Feasting with God is not just a one time even it is a life time full of events.

Luke 15:31–32 (NIV)

“ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 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.’ ”

Christianity is about bringing the dead to life.

I love this Summary of the parable:

Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (The older brother 15:25–32)

“Thus the parable teaches that God loves sinners, that God searches for sinners, that God restores sinners, and that God confers the privileges and blessings of sonship on those who return to Him.”

Call to discipleship: Story of my brother

Illustration:  Growing up and even today my brother and I are very close. I call him pup because when he was younger and smaller than me he had huge hands and feet like a little puppy dog. The name stuck and my kids and wife even call him uncle pup. My brother was 6’1 in 7th grade and 6’3 in 8th grade and he dominated in basketball. I mean he was like Shaquille O’Neal for Middle school. But since he was always playing with older folks because he was playing with me he was really good. The high school we went to had 3000 people there and he started on varsity as a freshman. By the end of his high school career he shattered all the major records. Could you picture if I was jealous that he was better than me. During all this time my brother played I not once said I hope you have a terrible game, I hope you stink.

My brother way surpassed I wanted him to be a better basketball player. This story makes me think of discipleship. God wants us to join his feast and then bring others to it and teach them how to feast there. This is discipleship.

How many believers are missing out on the feast known as the mission of God.

How many churches are missing feast to see the world reached for Christ. 

Notice Jesus invites the scribes and pharisees back into his great feast. 

Last night I did a basketball workout with the boys. There was a guy on the other end, and we invited him to play a 2 on 2 game with us. Afterwards we asked him some gospel questions and shared the gospel with him. We went their wanting to work on the boys game. We left getting to share the good news.

Application: I want you to give someone a bridge card this week. You can hand it to them you can share it with them, you can lead them to Christ. But this week I want us all to share this card and give it to someone.