May 16, 2021 Sunday Morning Service

Now, we'll continue with The Good, The Bad, and The Steve's.

Good morning. We are. We continue our lessons on The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. And hopefully, you were getting some something out of these lessons. I hope so via The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, sometimes, we don't know exactly who they are. When Jesus is telling the story a lot of times, he's telling you stories to the Pharisees, at least, they're part of the audience and they thought, they knew who the good people were, but Jesus turns the story on them and often times he brings for somebody they would never expect to be considered good. And that's what's so interesting about these stories that are only found in Loop. Lux account, and that's what we're looking at. Because there's a little bit of trickery I suppose if you will. And the way that the stories are told concerning the individuals involved, And speaking of an individual that's involved. What do you call a pig? Who knows karate?

Wait a minute. You get it. Karate chop.

Oh, that's terrible.

I came across, I was looking for some ridiculous jokes and I came across coronavirus jokes so I'd like to share those with you. Hopefully it's not too early to tell coronavirus jokes but I think we do need a little humor and just about every situation that we can think of and any of that it says what jokes are allowed when you are quarantine for Coronavirus.

Inside jokes.

Did you hear, did you hear the one about the coronavirus? I won't tell you because only 99% of you will get it.

Why do they call it the novel coronavirus? It's too long of a story.

Get it novel.

Did you hear the one about the coronavirus? So I'll never mind. I don't want to spread it.

If I tell you a joke about the coronavirus, it might take some of you a week or two to get it.

Okay, enough of the the funny jokes for the morning, that work against thankful that you can last at least pretend to laugh. And that's always a good sign. And I were talking about party time. Whatever we see Jesus would think about the individuals that he has meals within a lot of times. Those meals are more than just a meal in the Bangles. There are occasions where people have been invited to meet with Jesus's this itinerant preacher and often times he finds himself in the company of Sinners and a lot of the Pharisees, in the leaders of the Jews of the day. They thought that was a horrible thing because he was mingling with Sinners. Imagine that. so, a lot of these stories present, The way the Pharisees saw God. But a lot of these stories. Also, tell us about the way we portray got ourselves. And the way we portray God, or the way we portray our things, I should say. Is often related to the way. We see God ourselves. For instance. if I said, Let's go to happy hour at 5.

A lot of people would have something different in their minds when I said that, but we are going to have happy hour happy hour, but a lot of people don't understand that it may be some kind of you don't understand that. This is a happy time that we can come together and that we can worship God and a lot of us in all week. We think we were Christians and it's a time of seriousness especially during the Lord's Supper. But even then it's about Thanksgiving and it's about receiving enjoy having that Joy, because of what Jesus did on the cross or somber moment. Yes, a reflection of the death, we Proclaim it until he comes. But at the same time, we're dealing with our Salvation, we're dealing with Joy, were dealing with the fact that God wanted that to occur. Why? Because he loved you and now I love but loves you. So, whenever we talk about the Lord's supper, and when we take it and whenever we read scripture, that talks about Christ died for sin, always put yourself in the picture or in that scripture that Christ died for me, me. Christ shed, his blood for me. Of all the people, he could have shed his blood for shut it from me. And I find that incredible when I think that way. But that's the point about what Jesus is talking about here. And if I came for reading that particular passage and of course, we're dealing with the Prodigal Son. The Greatest Story Ever Told it's that popular. Everyone knows about the story and the way Jesus told it gives us some indication of what was on his mind, but in order to understand and appreciate that story a little bit better, We need to understand the story behind the story. And so, you know what I think.

well, as we continue to see, This story, we need to find out what it says. In the backstory. It's only Luke chapter 15 beginning in verses 1 and 2. That says then all the tax collectors in the Sinners Drew near to him, to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained go. There you go. That's exactly who they were these Pharisees were about. Their religion was only for them, God was exclusive and only for them. And any mention of salvation outside of Judaism was blasphemy. But now that was true for a time but things are changing and it back in your own law, God foretold that. The Gentiles would be accepted by God and that they would enter into the kingdom, as well. So, if you're in that part of scripture, the Pharisees decided that they were the only chosen people of God, that, God, loved no one else. But them. And so, anyone else outside of that little circle was not welcomed either. Buy them or by God, and now we're dealing with Collective tax collectors and a sin. And we realize that just prior or not just part of it sometime prior to this occasion, Jesus that already met with Matthew. You met with Matthew was a tax collector? No tax collector, of course, was one, who was despised by the Jews, they were considered traitors, and to a large degree, they were because of what they were doing was, they would volunteer for the Roman government. To go to their own Brethren to take their money so that that money can help out Caesar. And so that would be kind of a traitorous situation. But that was Matthew and he was despised. He was a crook, he was the right? So you had to the Gentiles who were at this level right there, kind of low on the totem pole. And then you had the, then he had the Samaritans. They were lower than the gentle, right? The Gentiles were dogs. So what does that make this American? So I don't know. But that's pretty low. But now, if you are tax collector, Your your your can you see me?

I'm you were the scum of the totem pole. That's how unpopular Tax Collectors were and here he is. He's something eating being with his dining with these tax collectors, and Sinners. And Just the thought of it would make anyone tremble. And so it says in the Pharisees and scribes complain saying this man receives Sinners and eats with them. Also, you remember just a week or so ago, we were talking about signing who was a Pharisee and a Jesus had gone to his house to suck to have a meal. And all of a sudden, this woman comes barging in and starts wiping. Her tears are dripping down her face and wiping his feet with her hair and so forth and offering up the oil. And and so here we find the Pharisees looking at one another and they said within themselves, he doesn't even know that she's a sinner. How could he be Messiah, right? He doesn't even recognize or Center when he needs to. And so the question that's asked, is why does he party with the wrong crime? He should be partying with us. And so, the story that were talking about is really about a party and we find here that Jesus paints a different picture, concerning their idea of a proper party. I'm not sure. I'm going to be able to read that, but I'm going to go get her to go. So I was so he spoke

Saying what man of you having a hundred sheet if he loses one of them does not leave the 99 in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost until he finds it. And when he has found, I found it. He landed on his shoulders, rejoicing rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together as friends and neighbors saying to them Rejoice with me for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say to you that likewise, there will be more joy in heaven. Over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. So here we find that Jesus is telling a story not to accountants, not to the brainiacs of the day. But just a regular phone and the regular folk are those people that use both their mind and heart when they're reading or when you're listening to a story or when they're listening to their preacher tell corny jokes they listen and you listen to it. So this is what's going on here. No, this is one of those stories really where you have to set aside the mind. and then to the heart more Because if you are telling this story to an accountant, the account would say, are you kidding me? You're going to go after one and perhaps risk, losing the other 99. Don't do it. That's a big risk to take. But Jesus hears painting. Another picture it obviously is drawing attention to a spiritual fact about God. He's telling them who their father is. Which is in direct contrast to their own view of the father, see their heart painted, a picture of God, that was untrue and Jesus hears, correcting that painting. And now he's making some new brushes to the painting and redoing that picture over that God is about Finding the lost seeking the Lost. You Got 99 over here, that's great. But he wants everybody, he wants everybody and that one is just as valuable as anyone of a 99. That's the father, we serve. You know, a lot of us have gone astray. And really, this is what this portion of scripture is about. It's about children of God. Who started out strong. But somewhere along the way, they stumble, they got caught up in the world, they got caught up on materialism. They got caught up in themselves. They had other Pursuits more so that they thought were more important than God. And so he's telling a story that God loves those people to. Jesus is going to die. For those people soon but he's making it a point here to show just how much God loves everyone. I love that years and years ago, it was a preacher who was telling a story about for God, so loved the world and that really there was no definition. There's no way to really describe the immense love of God. So what did John do? John said for God so loved the world, right? Know, if you were a child telling that story, you would say, for God, so loved the world, right? And then even then you can't describe him as love of God because it's so immense, all you can say is so that's how much he loves each and every one of you and Saul. Again, Jesus paints a different picture than what the Pharisees were painting concerning God.

And as we consider the next portion first, he tells a story. It's basically a story that he's addressing two men right now he's going to tell a story that's

and it says, or what woman having ten silver coins if she loses one coin. Does not light a lamp sweep. The house and start carefully until she finds it. And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying Rejoice, there's that word again Rejoice with me for I found the piece which I lost likewise. I say to you, there was a joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner. Who repents? About coming home.

It's about coming home. And God. Is asking me everyday. He's one of us when child. Are you coming home? When will you come back to me? Don't you think now's the time to come home? You've been out there in the world long enough. Come on. And the father that we're going to read about, is an interesting father, because obviously, he represents God. But as we get closer, and closer now to that story of The Prodigal Son, we're getting a picture of who God is that his love is so immense I told him you think about this particular coin that this woman loses. It's a DACA, it's a it's a coin that was printed. If you would during the Greek Empire, hundreds of years previous

Because the Greek Empire. Is no longer in existence, right? But the Greek money still floating around and a lot of it's disappearing. So like today, when you find a valuable coin I watch that show The Curse of Oak Island and they're always finding different artifacts and they go back and they date these artifacts back to the 14th June 13th and it's amazing thing to consider but it's on a coin on Oak Island just a little island off the coast of Nova Scotia way up North and it was a Chinese coin from the 13th century. How did that get there? Amazing. But it's a valuable coin and it was with these folks, and they would take these coins and they would put a hole in it. They wear it as a necklace of sometime. Some jewelry. I saw the woman loses this point, and how many people here? Specially our women would not searched high and low for their wedding ring? If they had lost it, I can remember my mother looking for the ring that she lost and so, it becomes valuable not so much because the price But because of the sentiment behind it, right? How many, how many people would people here, would be heartbroken to see that their children are our grandchildren's pictures that they put up on. The refrigerator have been destroyed accidentally because that was so valuable to the mom to the dad. What is here too? And this is exactly what Jesus is getting across to us. So as we consider, The story. This is what that story kind of reminds me of it's that Embrace at the end, right? It's about the father running out to his son and they have that heartwarming and brakes. But before we get there let's go over the story for just a a little bit because we're going to spend some time here not just this morning but also for the next two, maybe three weeks talking about this particular story because this story has so much to offer. And so we're going to be dealing with this at length but here we find that this boy love his dad. He has I don't know but hanging out with the wrong crowd the but whatever the case is he says to his dad, you know it's about time for me to get out of here. Sia pop. Really haven't liked it. Here. You really haven't done much for me, but I know this. I want my inheritance now.

You know, if you were a son in that day and you did that to your father, you'd be stoned to death, put to death. Because what you're saying is Dad, you're not dead yet. I wish you were dead but I want the money now. And so Dad says, well, I'm not dead yet. I don't want you to go some, but I'm going to give you your money. And so what is the boy? Do? He takes the money, he goes into the far country. Can you blow it on, right? Just living and you know what happens? Now broke doesn't know what to do. It's always he do. He starts working for the pig herders and becomes a pit her slapping pigs. Looks back and he's thinking to himself, you know, I came from a place of privilege. I came from a place where I was respected here. I am slap and blood with the pigs. It's all he really rehearses his thoughts for a moment about what he's going to tell his dad. Because now he's thinking about going back home, and he says, you know, Dad if you just take me back, I'll I'll be one of them, just your hired servants. So if you could take me back that's that would that would be great. and so he returns home now, before we get there because I know, you know, the story, I know, you know that the dad runs to the job And I know you know that they hug and embrace and I know you know that the father turned around to the service he says they prepare the fattest cat. Give me a roll of purple and put it on his bed for. My son is now come home and is fat. I know, you know, all that. It's not a picture of Rex, right? That's a picture of Greg's, it's giving something to somebody who doesn't deserve it. Right. Is getting something to someone who needs it. But doesn't necessarily deserve it. And so, that's right now, since we're talkin about injections, and, viruses and needles, I want you to picture. I have a need a little here in my hand. And I want you to Picture Me. Poking, that story. And then pull in that syringe lever and just pulling all that Grace, out of that story and I take it out. Here's what you might have. Oh, look who's back?

You mean like you here? You wish I was there. I want you out of my sight and you know, by the law I should have you put to death. But I'm going to be nice to you. Just get out of here and don't ever return. Your mother thinks your dad. Because you're that bad. She wants nothing to do with you. Don't ever come back.

Okay. Got that needle here. We should take it back in.

Drop that plunger down. Which store do you like better? Obviously, the one that's graceful, right? One that's filled with loved one, that's filled with Mercy. Kindness compassion. Well, that's exactly what our father is. Like and that's exactly the way some people don't view their own father. You know, that a lot of people don't look to God as someone who's loving as someone who's forgetting. But they look at the father at someone who is out to get them. How many of us have thought that along the way? Sometimes what you doing to me?

God's not doing anything to you, he's allowing things to take place in your life is not doing anything to you.

He's not out to get you. Because if he was, all of us would be dead a long time ago, right?

Be patient.

I know, I know, we know that idea of patience. But I know, we know the idea of love, but do you know the idea of love when it's concerns? God, That's an impossibility. I can't comprehend in my mind. What that love is all about patience. You know Joe had patients right? The great patience of Joe and that was only until the third chapter. Lenny loses it. And yet he was still patient with God. God still calling patient, but God's patient is not your patience. And his patience is not my pictures. His patience of Supernatural. This patience is overwhelming, God can, wait and is waiting. You know, we sing that song about about the Lord coming, right? We want the Lord to come back. Soon and very soon, right? Most likely it's not soon and very soon. Thankfully, we have a god, whose patient. God is Not slack concerning his promise as some count slackness but his long-suffering toward us, not really that anyone should perish, but what? But that all should come to repentance. Repentance a change of heart. A change of mine that says Dad on Raw. Tell me how. That's what that's about. So as we consider that story, we've summarized will be looking at it in detail as the weeks come. But at the moment, I just want you to think about that invitation. No lost in one recent, what's in imitation? And imitation is what the Bible closes with the spirit. And the bride says come, what's the bride? The church, the bride of Christ. What's the spirit? The spirit is the source of Revelation, the spirit spoke through the apostles and they wrote down those words and scripture. And so therefore the spirit and the church. And by the way, the church is, the means by which the gospel is to be preached, right? therefore the spirit and the bride say, come and whosoever will come, there's the great invitation but part of that invitation Is understanding who God is and Jesus says, listen, there's nothing in your laugh except there's nothing in your life that's in the past. But now you have a future that's bright and it all begins. When Jesus says he that believes believes in Jesus Christ. Believe that he loves you, that he died for you that he shed his blood for you. He said you believe that he says he that believes and is baptized shall be saved. point of fact and a promise at the same time, That's something to think about. It's so when one sinner repents just think about the party time that's going on in heaven. Think about that while Together We Stand and sing.