Sunday 3-31-2019

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Dr. Shanitria Cuthbertson
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We are still following Jesus to the Cross Journey with him to Jerusalem and on his way to Jerusalem. He stopped. And we're going to catch up with him as he begins to speak in Luke 15. on The Prodigal Son This is a popular story and you can see depicted right there and we're going to go through it. But as I begin to read it this time, it starts to shine a little differently than the way it. I've heard it teach didn't even probably preached it before so you don't know the Prodigal Son didn't you know about a time you leave?

It's one of those messages where I kept trying to prepare and prepare and prepare and I listened to this doctor and that doctor and I listen to this teacher and that teacher and I read this this commentary and that commentary and I really tried to go look at the academic pieces of preaching that go behind the preparation and study. But with this particular Parable is what it is. I couldn't get settled in the academics. Because sometimes the academic served their purpose was some time with God is trying to say is so deep that the academics won't get it. So I tried to study like I normally do but this one wouldn't fall so easy and I think the reason why is because this is the kind of message if delivered effectively no pressure on me. Is the kind of message that it was delivered effectively its shares the Gospel of Jesus Christ in its purest form what he came to do. So the academics have their place with this one goes to the heart of why he came so he's on his way to Jerusalem and he's teaching on his way and he knows and he's tried to warn his disciples, but he knows he's on his way to a cross. So every teaching that Jesus has given in his ministry. It has something heavy on it cuz he knows where he's headed. It has a seriousness and an urgency to it. And so Luke 15. The first verse we're going to read the first three in his skip to 11. It says then all of the tax collectors and the Sinners Drew near to him to hear him. tax collectors the ratchet people The people who was simple and they knew what they were lying about it. since I drove to him But they weren't the only ones and the Pharisees. So the religious is well and the scribes so they were following him. cuz in the midst of all the company that the anointing will bring some time haters will show up to and so it's not so much that they believed in him. They just they need to know what he about to say next. He's been doing these Miracles and and and preaching and all the people are looking to him now and not them for their ultimate Authority and it when he preaches the Bible says it comes with an authority they never heard before so they are following him now. So says the Pharisees and scribes complained when I saw who was drawing to him. They said this man receives Sinners and eats with them. So we spoke this Parable to them to them saying so for a minute. They said no we going to follow him and see what's happening to. Cuz this man receives Sinners because they thought that they were so holy they thought because they were working hard to keep the Jewish law. They thought because they fasted often and pay money into the the the the synagogue that they were good. And so they would not receive sin as you are not worthy of my presence. It's almost like the Sinners were perceived as lepers in the sense that I might catch what you got if I hang with you. So they wouldn't even receive Center. So they say first of all if he was always holy as he says or implies that he is he would not receive them. Not only do he receive them say hey chitchat kick it with him. He going to eat with them. He sits down to eat with them. And the Pharisees and scribes they wouldn't do that. You know these people dirty, you know, they ratchet, you know, they send you just let them come all around you. That's how I know. You ain't right. That's how they felt it. So Jesus says to the crowd Nellis to pick the crowd as he's told us. Tax Collectors who were people that worked on behalf of the Roman Empire and they would be Jews but they tax the Jews and they over text them so they were seen as dirty people too cuz they were corrupt. So it says corrupt people and sinners were drawn to him to him. So that's a part of the audience. The other part of the audience is defrocked the Pharisees and describes. So the religious the dignified of the Church of the day they were also drawing to him and so both of them are the audience that he's speaking to. Jesus says listen cuz he spoke in Parables often. He said let me tell you a story matter fact. I'm going to tell you three. I want you to get something out of the story. The first one you don't have to move yet Sunshine the first story he tells this audience that is both Center and so-called righteous. He says which one of you if you had a hundred sheep and you lost one would not leave the 99 and go into the wilderness. To get it and when you catch it, you put it on your shoulders and you were choice because you found your sheep and you go home and you have a party with your friends. He said which one of you would not leave the 99 to go get it in the wilderness would go into desolate places to get your lost sheep. The next door he tells them it's about a woman. I don't know why I chose you as a woman, but he did. He said she had 10 coins in the house. Now the coins he speaking of in a text that would be equivalent to a date. So she has 10 days wages in the in the in the house, you know, a full paycheck that probably be an 80 hours that the whole thing. She got in the house.

And it says she swept the house looked under everything and I'm sure y'all would to y'all lost $200 in the house. You will be looking all over the place. It says she swept and she went under everything. She turned everything over she searched carefully and when she found it she called her neighbors is a girl. I found my money.

She rejoiced Jesus. He's sitting it up here. He's given a point that when you lose something that is valuable to you you go to Great Lengths to get it clean up you sweep. You look under stuff you go through the Wilderness in danger and desolate places to get it and when you find it you rejoice.

And he's going to go to another Parable but he also says to them. He said that site to you likewise, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over. Ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. And he's giving them is a paradoxical statement cuz we know all have fallen short of the glory but they think they re so he's talking to him. Listen go after whoever I got to get and I don't care where they are it when I get them. It says Heaven rejoices. Do you know when you said yes to Jesus Christ that heaven threw a party. Can you even imagine that heaven was was turning up on your behalf? Turn up flip the phrase that you said. Yes to God in the angels are giving each other. I was going to say hi, but they got wings, so I don't know how but the angels are rejoicing in heaven. In the Lord don't care where you came from and what you did just that you said yes. And I imagine that the Pharisees and scribes are a little upset at this because they keep their rules for a reason. They think their rules make them righteous. They think their rules open the door of heaven and it's tough Jesus talk about where it don't make no sense. So he lays them into a story of The Prodigal Son which is where we're going to focus today.

And The Prodigal Son you can go forward Sean.

It says a certain man, so he's telling them the story. He always told them Parables and he taught them in Parables cuz he said he was going to hide something in that Parable that those that they really didn't want to fool with him. They weren't going to get they were just going to hear a story but those who are turning their hearts toward him. It was going to be something in that story that they got to help them move on and face. So he said to them a certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father father give me the portion of goods that falls to me. So what he saying is give me my inheritance right now. Now in this particular culture and even now is still will be disrespectful. He was the younger brother of two and the older brother always got a double portion. So whatever his father was going to leave he was going to have a third of it and his brother was going to have 2/3 and so whatever his father was going to leave a third of it was coming to him but his father is alive and well and he goes to his father and he says, Miss. I know you ain't dead yet, but I kind of wish you were because I want my portion of the inheritance is it?

I want my portion of inheritance. I want it now. So in this culture, they're very strongly family-oriented what he's saying is you're dead to me. It has some harsh words to give to a father but this boy is particular this one. He's he's gone. And that's what he wants. It's all the father does that see it wasn't just money that he was after because he's a part of an agricultural family. He has land to split up. He has some property to split up he has servants. He has a bunch of stuff. And so this young man, he said give me everything now and so it says he divided them them. So the older brother come in before we even realize it. He divided them his livelihood. So the father obliged them and he gave them what was due to him and go forward.

It says not many days after the younger son gathered all together journey to a far country and they're a waste of his possessions with prodigal living. So here's what he did. He cashed out. That was disrespectful to your family all together because you had land that was supposed to sit with you and go to your son's and stay in our family for what this young man did is in order for him to go to another country and spend all he had to cash out. So we sold everything that his father gave him that wasn't already liquidated. He has disrespected the family the culture and everything else but he is gone so it don't even matter and it went and it said he had practical living that's a fancy way to say. He was a mess. He was wild. He was out there prodigal living he was with prostitutes. He was with he was somewhere I was thinking cuz I've been knowing old slang and I'm not around enough young people to know consistently to know New Slang. So I was like, you know, I think Make It Rain was hot a couple years ago sounds like that's exactly what he's doing. He's somewhere making it rain know he is and he's living in a prayer that he is the man is a man where you So if he was in modern-day he be riding around in a Bentley. I mean, he's that do in a far country Zoe exotic.

But it says all that family land all that wealth all that inheritance all that his daddy spent a lifetime working for he wasted it all. And we have spent all their roles of famine in the land and he began to be in want so the money ran out. Because the truth of the matter is when you live like that you going to run out it might not be money. It could be anything else, but you're going to run out when you live so far from God so he began to be in one can go forward.

Then he went he's so broke that he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country and he sent him into the fields to feed swine this young man is from a Jewish culture. They don't deal with pigs Pixar nasty, but he is so low at this point that he does not have a choice. He has to take the lowest job possible and it's not so we can even make a living on have somewhere to stay. He just trying to get a job to eat something and the only thing that he has is to go in a field and feed swine for somebody else. This boy came from a family that was already wealthy and had servants. He was never worrying about anything to eat. But now that he has been foolish. He has found himself broke alone and far away from home and he feeds pigs now. To all the fancy robes and all the stuff he bought and everything is gone. And I'm sure all the people that was helping him spend his money they gone to and he has by himself and he is feeding swine. This is a parable cuz I'm pretty sure the Pharisees and scribes were listening. They were missing it cuz she's just talkin to them. But he's talkin to the Sinners and a test collectors in front of them because they might not have literally fed swine but they have been in a broken broke down a place to where they were so low and so far that they were just filthy and dirty and as low as it pops is a possibly could be you can go forward.

Who's what he said to himself. He would gladly fill his stomach with the pods that the swine ate and no one gave him anything. He would gladly feel his stomach with the pods that the pigs ate. Oh, no, we have a saying pig slop or the little pod when I was trying to do some research suggests that what the pigs eat the pasta to talk about aren't even necessarily digestible by humans, but he was so desperate that the pig food look good because when you get low enough and hungry enough stuff start looking different. And it says no one gave him anything. He come from a home. Where is father? Liquidated and gave him his inheritance early, but now he's in a Land by himself. Where He broken ain't nobody there for him go forward.

What is white lie a lot of preachers of you've been in like a a church with somebody who this is usually the hoop verse but I don't who I could try one day, but when he came to himself, you got to read it loud, but when he came to himself, he said how many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare and I perish with Hunger he got his mind right when he came to himself see when he was out here living foolishly. He was not himself and it comes a time where you can really Lose Yourself where you can spin around and foolishness so much that you don't know who you are or why you do what you do and it says he came to himself and he said this is my daddy's servants eat better than this.

He remembered his daddy. And I'm sitting here hungry in a pig pan sweep looking at the swan stinking. Could you imagine how he smells at this point? So he went from wearing all that nice cologne and being fly now you just stink. He said they can eat at my daddy house.

Arise and go to my father has to keep part in this verse I will arise and go to my father and it's what I'm going to say to him till he start preparing a speech. Father I have sinned against heaven and before you father, I have sinned against heaven and before you and I am no longer worthy to be called your son make me like one of your hired servants or I will I will father I will serve in your house. I'm not worthy anymore in according to their culture. He's not the way he has betrayed their family. There's a there's a ceremony is called the cuz I and what that means is in Jewish culture land in this Palestinian culture where they're at. When you dishonor or you embarrass your family like that the community will come out and they get a big jar and a break it in front of you cuz I was kind of dramatic back in the day and they break it in front of you and that symbolizes a cutting off from you and your family like no you out you gone that is what he deserved and probably what he thought he had coming and so he said I'll be a serving then I don't have to be a son.

And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a great way off his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him just has a lot of contacts in it that you can miss in this culture Elder men. Don't run. It's actually it's a big thing. You don't run as an elder man. You walk at with a dignified man in your robe is all way to your feet in order for you to run to have to hike up your robe and you hike up your robe. That's just dishonorable to why you running as an old man, you don't do that, but it is it his father did not care all the customs of that time. He was supposed to give him a kazoo ceremony and break him off. But instead the community could even try to do that soon as he saw that boy from a far-off. He started running.

He started running. He ain't supposed to be running. But remember the two Parables he told before when you lose something of Great Value you go to Great Lengths to get it back. And so now he's running toward his son and when he get on to be fell on his neck, and he kissed him. Not a father is very clear on where his son has been what his son has done what his son has done to the family how a third of the family wealth has been lost because he liquidated and ran off the neck. He knows. He don't care cuz he lost something that was great value to him and he break every Rule and custom to get to him cuz that's how much he loved him go forward.

And the sign said to him father. I sinned against heaven and in your sight. And I'm no longer worthy to be called your son.

But the father said to his servants bring out the best robe and put it on them and put a ring on his hands and sandals on his feet is waiting at shoes on.

Go back go back home soon. I want y'all to remember what he was rehearsing to himself. He said. Father sending is heaven. I sinned against you make me a servant to your house. He didn't get to get it out. Cuz Daddy said get them the best robe World Center get him the best throw put them on him put a ring on them. Put something on his feet.

And bring the fatted calf. This is a big deal. Bring the fatted calf and kill it and let's have a cookout. Is boiling in a Cook-Out Cook-Out has a fancy word to say that have a banquet. Let's have a banquet. Let us eat and be merry for this son of mine. He was dead and he's alive against it is what Jesus trying to teach him through the story. He was dead sometime soon can be so much and so powerful and so at work in your life that you might as well be dead. The decisions you're making are leading to death that they're the people you are around a leading to death that are leading to death and he saying listen this boy was dead, but he's alive again. He was lost like that. She was lost and is found and they begin to be married. Everybody was happy with the father.

Except his brother. Nye's oldest son was in a field and he came and Drew near to the house and heard music and dancing. So he working like he's supposed to be. And he come home and hear music and dancing is going on cuz here's another thing in their culture if you're throwing a big party or anything like that the Elder had a bunch of responsibility on him. So he would be like the main host is he would she would represent the presence of the family in the party and so it would be going to people and greeting them and he's coming home and like what is this? So it called when the service and ask them with what's going on over here. And they said to him and your brother back. And because he has received him safe and sound your father has killed the fatted calf. He probably said it like what in there like happiness.

But he was angry and he wasn't going to party now corn today rules and structure brother. You are the main Hostess you supposed to be in this party. Technically. That's the law or the rules Customs, but I should be in his party cuz your brother back the way he was living He was going to die. Your daddy was sitting waiting at any moment to get word back that his son had passed but now his son is back and he's safe and he's sound you don't care there for his father came out and pleaded with him. His father came out in like listen and your brother is this is your brother. So you got to remember who Jesus telling his story to he's already spoke to the sinners now, he's talking to the older brother. He's talking to the scribes and the Pharisees. You religious you righteous. You wanted it already following all the rules. You mad cuz your brother been received back y'all mad, cuz I sit with tax collectors and sinners. He's so smooth. Jesus is doing so much work at once in one story go forward. So we answered and said to his father loathe of these MIT this will the Sun is saying these many years. I've been serving you. I never transgressed your commitment at any time and yet you never gave me a young goat that I might make Merry with my friends. He said you gon give him the

He's disrespectful in his posturing is also out of customer only been not going in at party. Now. He's not a custom cuz he has a disrespectful Foster to his father as well. But as soon as this son of yours came tothe and his brother no more. Yo child. That's what you say something your parents you mad at you said your child disassociative your child. Who has devoured your livelihood? He took a third of our family wealth and went with prostitutes. Now, you won't come and kill the fatted calf for him. This is what the father said. This is why the main point of this is the Father's Love is shining through to both boys. He says to the son. He said Son you are always with me and all that I have is yours. Wasted away 1/3 of the family wealth the brother was getting 2/3 anyway in the beginning of the parable. He said he he split his livelihood between them. He's not even you literally have all that I have. And you have me cuz you been with me. What is not enough for him go forward? Exact time is it right that we should make Merry and be glad for your brother was dead. And he's alive and was lost and is found at the end of the story Jesus talking to the scribes and the Pharisees these Sinners that I'm sitting with these Tax Collectors. They are lost and I am moving up on a way to be found. Should you be mad that I'm eating with them go for Odyssey

Throwing the story leaves off his ironic card.

You don't show us that the song Get Right which son?

Thank Jesus telling them just sit. This is slippery slope to such a dangerous story. Don't thank you. So right that you can't miss it and don't ever think you so dirty that you can't come back to guy Martin Luther said it's I'm paraphrasing. He said something like you are more sinful. I said it before here. You are more sinful than you even know. If God laid you out before yourself in every way that you offended his nature and his Spirit on your saying your attitude YouWager have it if you would God let you see all that you are you be surprised it's not the stuff you're saying Lord forgive me for it's much more than that. So it says we are more sinful than we know but we are more loved than we can comprehend.

And that's the love that we live out of.

Can go forward Sean.

the Bible says that he has not his King James version right here dealt with us according to our sins nor punished us according to our iniquities. That's what the prodigal son is about and it's not just one son is to he has not dealt with us according to our sins nor punished us according to our iniquities. Jesus said in Revelation. He said they thought they were rich, but you don't realize that you're wretched pitiful poor blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you can become rich and white clothes to wear so that you can cover your shameful nakedness and Salve to put over your eyes so you can see. What is he telling them? He's not really saying buy gold or buy white clothes or go. Get some spit to put in your eyes. He said come to me. Come to me. And that's what the boy did that's what the one that usually name is the prodigal son only he said when he came to himself he went back home. And I think that's why this message was so important why my academic study couldn't cut it.

Cuz of people don't know that they can come back on.

We don't discuss in the church some of the real stuff people dealing with people are dealing with some real stuff in their hearts in their souls and they don't tell anybody but the people closest to them and we know how to cover it up and make it look good. But Jesus has shown us to these Parables did. I'm looking for what's lost this is already showing his I'm already looking for what's loss. If you would come to yourself. And get your mind right and come back to me like you should I'm sitting here waiting. And when the father saw that the boy mine was right it says he ran to him and that's exactly what Jesus did the Bible says when he left Heaven empty himself. He became poor he stepped out of heaven and ran toward this earth live 33 years so that he can cover our mess. And because he did that we can live this life better and with purpose and we can begin to walk out and walk in ways that benefit brothers and sisters and forgetting to tell people about this Christ. Not that we found but they found us.

And that's what he's trying to get over to them. In this parable. Somebody Pray this morning before we do I announce Miss and offering cuz I don't know where you are you do. I don't know what you need. Can you do what I do know is it all have fallen short of the glory? There's not a soul in his room that cannot be found in this story. There is an area that we have as much as we think we're right. Well, we need to run back to the fog. about your heads

For God we thank you this morning. God we thank you that you come after what is valuable to you. Your word says that the wages of sin that is stiff. But God we thank you that you found such value When I was Your creation you gave us such love for God that you said you would break all the rules to come get us. What you came from heaven and lived 33 years Lord God and they were not a pleasant 33 years and they left out in much pain and Agony, but God you stayed on the cross anyway to you that it is finished cuz you were determined to get us back. now that we know that

we understand that we are wretched pitiful poor blind and naked. in our spirits And we need you. You are the only one when the prodigal son got out there. He got to a point and said no one would give him anything. We're not looking to humanity Lord God. We're looking to you. Help each of us whatever area it is. Well. You know.

You can heal it you can walk us through it. You can push us onto better places. if we let you we get up and walk with you if we stumble and still get back up. We can trust you. Take us to a place of total healing and then that last day you're going to give us Incorruptible bodies like you have your soap. Bless your name. Delivery prodigal place in our lives Sonia lights and help us run back to you God we bless you and we love you in Jesus name. Amen. Amen.

We going to move to our offering at this time.

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