Lost and Don't Know it

Introduction

A woman who was reported missing from an Icelandic tour unwittingly joined a search for herself.

According to the Reykjavik Grapevine, a woman described as "Asian, about 160cm, in dark clothing and speaks English well" was listed as missing Saturday near the Eldgjá volcanic canyon in southern Iceland.

A search continued through the weekend with reports saying she got off a tour bus and never returned.

It turns out the woman merely changed clothes during the bus stop, and after she returned, those on the bus didn't recognize her.

When the description of the "missing" woman was circulated, apparently the lady who changed her outfit didn't recognize the description of herself. So she joined the search party.

About 50 people searched the area in vehicles and on foot, and a helicopter was ready to assist.

Eventually it occurred to the "missing" woman that she could very well be the person everyone was looking for, and she promptly reported herself as safe and sound to police.

The search was called off early Sunday morning.

Today we are going to take a look at the older son in the story of the Lost son, because there are really two lost sons in this parable. Let’s recap the story.

Avoid a self-righteous attitude

Explanation:

It’s important for us to remember the context us this passage. Jesus is telling a series of parables of lost things being found to communicate God welcoming lost sinners. He’s telling this because tax collectors and sinners were coming to Jesus and the Pharisees (the religious elite) didn’t like Jesus being buddy with sinners. The Pharisees were self-righteous like the older son. He’s been working hard in the field and as he’s coming near the house, he hears turn table scratching, music blaring, he smells meat on the grill, and people doing the wobble. He doesn’t enter party but he summons a servant to explain to him what is going on. The servant tells him and he gets upset and decides not to go in the party. The father demonstrating the same love for the older son that he had shown for the younger son leaves the party and comes out to his son pleads him to the party. He responds by pointing how hard he works and how irresponsible and unrighteous his brother has been. The older son has self-righteousness oozing out of himself.

It’s important for us to remember the context us this passage. Jesus is telling a series of parables of lost things being found to communicate God welcoming lost sinners. He’s telling this because tax collectors and sinners were coming to Jesus and the Pharisees (the religious elite) didn’t like Jesus being buddy with sinners. The Pharisees were self-righteous like the older son. He’s been working hard in the field and as he’s coming near the house, he hears turn table scratching, music blaring, he smells meat on the grill, and people doing the wobble. He doesn’t enter party but he summons a servant to explain to him what is going on. The servant tells him and he gets upset and decides not to go in the party. The father demonstrating the same love for the older son that he had shown for the younger son leaves the party and comes out to his son pleads him to the party. He responds by pointing how hard he works and how irresponsible and unrighteous his brother has been. The older son has self-righteousness oozing out of himself.

Here’s the issue with self-righteousness. Self-righteousness says that I am righteous because of my own ability. The bible uses this word called justification. Justification or being justified means that you are declared righteous and in good standing. You cannot be in good standing on your own. Your good deeds are not good enough

Galatians 2:16 CSB

and yet because we know that a person is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we ourselves have believed in Christ Jesus. This was so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified.

16 and yet because we know that a person is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we ourselves have believed in Christ Jesus. This was so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified.

Bridge Illustration

You are not God's employee, you are His child

Explanation: The son had the attitude of a slave. The language the older son uses is that of a slave or an employee not a son. Look at his words to his Father. "I've been slaving many years for you." "I've never disobeyed your orders." I've been breaking my back working for you, I've done on things on the check list to do and you couldn't give me a goat to celebrate with. He really doesn't sound like a son he sounds like a slave. He sounds like an employee not a child.

And many of us live in a very similar way in our relationship with Jesus. We live like we are God's employee and not his child. We go through our Christian check list and say I go to church every Sunday, I go to midweek services, I give in the collection when it passes around. We do all of these tasks and then we expect a check at the end of it. Our expectations are that God things in my life should be better at this point. God you owe me a nicer house, you owe me good health, you owe me obedient children; because I've been your employee. I've been fulfilling my job description hitting every benchmark for a Christian and now you owe me compensation for my hard work.

Romans 8:14–16 CSB

14 For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” 16 The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children,

14 For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. 15 You did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” 16 The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children,

Turn with me to . God did not give us a spirit of slavery, but that of sonship. With the old covenant, God covenantal name Yahweh was so holy that people wouldn't even speak it. In fact, if you read an Old Testament Hebrew manuscript, you will see that the vowels in God's name are left out so when you read it aloud you won't accidentally speak it when reading. But now because of the finished work of Jesus Christ that needs no supplement, you can now freely call God "Abba" which is an affectionate term meaning Father.

Illustration: Jesus baptism/orphan illustration

Application: You don't have to win your Father's approval because he already gave it to you.

Self-righteousness isolates you from the joy of the Father.

Explanation: The older son was more interested in pointing out the faults of his brother than being in relationship with his father. It is easy to point out the more obvious sins of his brother; but discussing the hidden religious sins are not easy. The son spent all the time with his father but was only interested in what he had to offer or he didn't have. We can allow our love to be rooted in what we do. According to , God wants us to follow his commands, but from a place of love. Our obedience to God's commands comes from a place of love for Christ not obligation. The son refuse to rejoice about his lost brother because of his self-righteousness and isolated him from the joy of the father.

Application: My fear is that you look to much at your own performance and not that of Jesus Christ. What Jesus Christ did on the cross for your sins, in your place was enough for you, I, snoop dogg, and they your coworkers. We did not find saving grace on our own.

Mahatma Gandhi merely believe that Christ was an example for us not that his sacrifice atoned for our sins. Jeffry Dahmer

Revered the world over for his nonviolent philosophy of passive resistance, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was known to his many followers as Mahatma, or “the great-souled one.” He began his activism as an Indian immigrant in South Africa in the early 1900s, and in the years following World War I became the leading figure in India’s struggle to gain independence from Great Britain. Known for his ascetic lifestyle–he often dressed only in a loincloth and shawl–and devout Hindu faith, Gandhi was imprisoned several times during his pursuit of non-cooperation, and undertook a number of hunger strikes to protest the oppression of India’s poorest classes, among other injustices. After Partition in 1947, he continued to work toward peace between Hindus and Muslims. Gandhi was shot to death in Delhi in January 1948 by a Hindu fundamentalist

Jeffry Dahmer also known as the Milwaukee Cannibal, was an American serial killer and sex offender, who committed the rape, murder, and dismemberment of 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991. Many of his later murders involved necrophilia,[1] cannibalism, and the permanent preservation of body parts—typically all or part of the skeleton