Prodigal God pt3
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Title: Prodigal God pt3
Text: Luke 15
D.T
Introduction: This week's sermon is going to be a direct continuation of last week's message. Two weeks ago we started a series called “The Prodigal God” . This series is based on Tim Keller's book by the same name, and it takes a deep dive into the parable of the prodigal son. In last week's message we concluded that each brother may have different philosophies on life, their end goal was the same. Each only loved their father for what he could do for them, rather than loving the father for himself. The younger brother displays this through disobedience. I am going to assert control over my father through disobedience. I will demand my inheritance now, this will allow me to get what I need from my father, then I can disappear and live my own life. The older brother displays his conditional love for his father through obedience. I will be obedient to my father, so when the time comes, I can use my strict obedience to gain leverage on my father. Once I have leverage, he will have to listen to what I say. I’ve never disobeyed you, so now we’re going to do things my way. In reaching this conclusion, I challenged us to think about our love for Jesus. Is it really unconditional? Or are we like the 2 lost sons? Is our love for Jesus based on what he can do for us? Or do we love Jesus for who he is?
This parable reminds us that conditional love places us on the path of disaster.
A transactional relationship is characterized by a mutual exchange where each partner provides something of value to the other, often with clear expectations and boundaries. This type of relationship can be seen in various contexts, including personal, professional, and social interactions.
And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 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.’ 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. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
For the younger brother, the disaster came because he believed he could use his father, and seperate himself from his father. However after separating himself from his father, he completely lost touch with morality, and he pays dearly by losing everything.
The disaster for the older brother came when he learned the leverage of his own morality was an illusion. This illusion came cascading with a loud crash. The moment the father brought the younger son into his graces, everything the older brother believed about his place of power disappeared.
If our relationship with Christ is based on conditional love, it’s prone to disaster.
Before we continue, I want to clarify something. If a person's love for Jesus is based on, “get me out of hell,” and never grows beyond, that relationship is transactional. It’s based on what Jesus can bring you. A transactional relationship is enough to get someone to heaven. Many Christians have lived their lives where their love for Jesus was conditional. It existed because Jesus offered something they needed, and it never grew beyond. If a transactional relationship with Jesus is enough, then why do I seem to be suggesting a looming disaster?
Transactional relationships are fragile. When I talk about marriage, I will echo a sentiment shared by many Church leaders. Which is “a marriage that is a transactional relationship is bound to fail.” The weight of expectations which come with a transactional relationship could be enough to cause the relationship to collapse. This is why a transactional relationship with Jesus is so dangerous, it brings with it expectation. “I’ve been faithful to Jesus, therefore I am owed a good life. We may not voice this, however that doesn’t mean we don’t think it at some level. What happens if our life becomes hard?
But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 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. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’
To illustrate this, let’s think about an alternate version of the parable of the prodigal son. (Tell parable of the 2 lost sons where the younger brother succeeded, but the older brother began to be in need). In the actual Parable of the 2 lost sons, who does the younger son blame for his trouble? He blames himself! (READ Luke 15:17-19
“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’
However, who do you think the older brother would blame if his life was the one that fell apart? The older brother would blame the father.
How many people have come to Jesus because they were living a life of moral dissolution and ruined their life. They realized they were the reason for their demise, and turned to Jesus for help.
On the flip side, how many faithful Christians have experienced a crisis of faith when trouble or tragedy hits? Why? Expectation. This expectation comes about due a transactional relationship with Jesus. I’ve been faithful to you Jesus, so I should have salvation and a good life. Jesus never promised an easy life, he actually said the opposite. However it's so easy for us to bring expectation in our relationship with Jesus. This expectation will skyrocket if our relationship with Jesus is transactional. This is why having a transactional relationship with Jesus is dangerous and prone to disaster.
Disaster isn’t the only hidden danger of having a conditional and transactional relationship with Jesus. This relationship is prone to jealousy.
(ILLUSTRATION: Saliere and Mozart: Why was saliera jealous
How many Christians are jealous of Christians who got to live a wildlife in their 20’s?
This jealousy is sure to exist if a person's relationship with Jesus is conditional and transactional.
I forwent enjoying a wilder life in my 20’s to be faithful to Jesus. Now the former morally dissolute person who gave their life to Jesus gets the same salvation and life I get?
If a person values bringing Joy to Jesus, remaining faithful to Jesus from a young age would bring peace to their life, rather than jealousy of the worldly experience of those who came to Jesus later in life.
If a person’s relationship with Jesus is conditional and transactional, they may get jealous of the lives of other Christians and churches.
So in conclusion, where is why a transactional relationship with Jesus is so dangerous. You will spend most of your life looking over your shoulder worried that some else is getting a better deal.
Did they suffer as much as me? Are they more successful? Do they have a bigger family? Are their children faithful? What’s their role in their church? How big is their church?
This will make your relationship with Jesus bogged down with anxiety, fear, anger, jealousy.
Look how easy it is for this mindset to creep in your lives. (John 21: 21-22
When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”
Loving Jesus unconditionally is the only way to fight this. What if each brother loved their father unconditionally? They never would have been lost. If we love Jesus unconditionally, neither will we.
