June 6, 2021 Sunday Morning Service

Now we come to the end of a series of lessons. I hope you've benefited by then. Dealing with The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly dealing with a number of Parables from The Book of Luke, and we have spent about three weeks or so on this last parable of the parable of the lost, boys of the prodigal son. And as we get into the lesson today, I'm minded of the story of the young woman who was preparing for her wedding day. However, she also was dealing with the divorce of her own parents. So there was a lot on her mind and she wanted to cheer up her own mother because she was going through a difficult time. So she decided to take her shopping for the wedding dress for her mother. And then went shopping and they found the beautiful. Beautiful wedding gown And she turned to her mother, and she said you're going to be the prettiest mother of the bride ever, and she saw all. Thank you, dear. So I look so forward to it. But a week later, the young girl learned that her father had a girlfriend. And the girlfriend bought the exact same dress. So she went over to persuade her, not to wear that particular dress, so her mother could wear it but she refused. She said I look like a million bucks in this dress and I'm going to wear it. So she decided to take her mother shopping one more time. And they went out shopping and they found another gorgeous. Beautiful gown for her mother. And she again turned to her mother and said, you're still going to be the prettiest mother of the bride ever. Thank you, dear. Now, let's go since you don't have an occasion to wear it? And she said, oh dear. Yes, I do have an occasion to wear. I'll be wearing it to the rehearsal party the night before the wedding. So,

Didn't get that was good cuz I know women have a when it comes to having the same dresses on wearing. The same thing, reminds me of of that. Part of that story is reminding me of we lack those endings to stories at the jokes because we find that we like to see people get revenge on someone else. We like to see someone get their comeuppance if you will and it's all those kind of stories. Give us a spirit of The older brother the spirit of the older brother, kind of looking down upon someone else in and getting hoping they get what's coming to them and we call the story of The Prodigal Son. But we know it's a very beginning of the story was the words of the Pharisees. They had come and saw Jesus. And they said, Does he even know he eats with Sinners and so Jesus respond by telling them three. Parables, the parable of the lost sheep Parable, the Lost coin and the parable of the lost. Boy, The Prodigal Son, now, All those stories are about lostness being love. Because the Pharisees looked at Sinners as lost. As well as they are. But they looked at them as worthless also. I saw they had nothing to do with Sinners and Jesus comes along and says listen. You're not seeing centers as the father, sees the Sinners, and he need to rethink your thinking on the matter because the father, although he sees someone who's lost someone who is in need of help. Is ready and willing to provide that Grace. For the Lost individual. Why? Because God, so loved the world. He loves his creation. It hurts him when his creation walks away from him, but that love is still greater than the her. House. Oh well, we just celebrated What is the we call the Lord's. Supper, the communion and miss. These emblems represent the body and the blood of our Lord. And we sang that song, I've given everything for you. What have you given for me? Jesus song. well, the thing about it is that Jesus gave all and so he gave all because of his love for you. That's how much he loves you. That he died so that you might have eternity with him. And so stories about the prodigal of the Wayward, Son, the wasteful son, but it involves a prodigal. Son involves a wasteful son, but of course, the story also says, there was a certain man who had two sons, right? So it's not just the story of The Prodigal Son. it's a story really up to prodigal sons and one never left home. One never left home. And so, I like this to turn to Luke chapter 15 if you will, and we're going to go back and read that particular section. But before we do, there are a number of things that we need to consider as far as the Pharisees are concerned because this story is about Jesus telling the Pharisees about a revolutionary way of looking at the Father. The Jews had never done this before. That the problem of Sinners, the father cares for Sinners. The Father loves the lost and wants them to return. The father does not give up on the lost. That's the Revolutionary thought that Jesus comes with. And as we look at this idea of the story, he's telling a story that one kid needed Grace. I want to look at the older brother. He's also in need of grace even though he's at home, Because he to rejects the father and his authority. So, as he tells the ending part of the story about the older son, he's really addressing the Pharisees. You see the Pharisees were like that older brother? They were self-righteous. They were self-righteous. You see they they stayed at home and they did all that the father had commanded but when it came time to help his brother in need, who was spiritually drowning, He decided his brother wasn't really worth it. And he compared himself with his brother. Imagine that he became of judgmental individual. And so really this stories about Jesus addressing the Pharisees concerning, how they should properly view, their Heavenly Father. and as we consider the self righteousness of the Pharisees, we think about, this passage and brother, looks like you're going to have to

speed data.

Alright, Mark. Chapter 7. Here's the story of self-righteousness. Then the Pharisees. And some of the scribes came together to him, having come from Jerusalem. Now, when I saw some of his disciples eat bread with the file bread, with defiled, that's with unwashed hands. They found fault for the Pharisees and all the Jews. Do not eat, unless they wash their hands in a special way holding the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat. Unless they wash. And there are many after those of many other things that what they have received and hold like the washing of Cups and pictures and copper. Vessels and other such things. He says, when the Pharisees and scribes asked him. Why is your disciples or ride? Your, your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands, he answered to them. Well, well did Isaiah prophesied of you? You Hypocrites, as it is written. This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. And in vain, they worship me teaching as Doctrine, the Commandments with men for having laying aside. The Commandment of God, you hold at your Christmas traditions of men, the washing of pictures and cups and many other such things you do. So here we find that the Pharisees were self-righteous in the fact that they were taking Traditions from the fathers and holding those Traditions as a necessity and they were binding on the people saying if you don't do these predictions are going to go to hell. So you better do these traditions and so they will be sending the traditions of the father's rather than binding God's word. They were replacing God's word with their own Traditions. Their own doctrines, our teachings and so by that, they were saying we don't rely upon God's word, we rely upon ourselves and the teachings that come from our fathers. That's self-righteousness. That's not God's righteousness. Because Friday, then holding on to the teachings of the doctrine of God, they would have been following the righteousness of God, but as it is, they put aside the righteousness of God for their own self-righteousness. Their traditions, Another Romans chapter 10, I want you to take a look at this, as we read together, it's his brother, my heart's, desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be safe for? I bear witness that they had a Zeal for God, but not according to knowledge, for they being ignorant of God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own righteousness. Self-righteousness have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes for the point here is that they had a Zeal for God. Like many people do today who have a Zeal for God, but it's not according to righteousness. Now, where do we find God's righteousness? It doesn't fall from the sky, it's not super naturally given. It comes from the gospel Paul says, for I'm not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God to Salvation for everyone, who believes for the Jew first. And also, for the Greek for in it. The gospel for in it, the righteousness of God is revealed. There we find the righteousness of God. The right doings of God. We look for the right doings of God. The right? Two things are simply those things that God tells us to do. Why? Because their righteousness, the David said, in Psalm 119, and 172 all that come in our righteousness, So these juice that Paul is talking about his brethren in Blood and flesh, he saying that they have his deal but it's not according to knowledge. Why? Because they reject the gospel by rejecting the gospel. They don't have the knowledge of the righteousness of God. They have the Old Testament scriptures, which contain at that time, the righteousness of God for the Jews. But now the gospel has come and replace. The Old Testament has regarding a new series of teachings, but new lessons. And I'm new things to follow and to obey. That's what they reject and therefore they were following after their own righteousness, their self-righteousness. And that's exactly what the Pharisees were doing. That's exactly what the Pharisees were teaching. That's exactly why the Pharisees were so against Jesus because they rejected Jesus that rejected his teachings. Because they could not fathom Jesus, at least this Jesus being their Messiah because this Jesus came from a town called Nazareth. This, Jesus Came From Galilee, this is blue Collierville. This Jesus was supposed to be from the lineage of David, which meant he was supposed to be a relative. Of course, he was a royalty, but he came from a blue-collar town and they didn't like that. They didn't come from the University Town. Income from an educated community. so they despised him and of course, you know that all the people, when they heard Jesus preach they said This man preachers like no other. His teaching is so much different than what we're accustomed to with the Pharisees and scribes his teaching, you something that is powerful. but the Pharisees rejected, it and they asked the people to continue to reject Jesus. So this is the idea of righteousness. Remember John says this? Do not be deceived. For those who do the righteous works of the law will be righteous, just as he is righteous. So we need to do, what is right. Righteousness is nothing more than doing that which is right doing that which is right and God gives us through, Jesus Christ, all those things that are right? So as we consider the text, let's go back to the text. He says now he's older son was in the field and as he came and Drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and ask what what do you think, men? And he said to them, your brother has come at because he has received him safe and sound your father has killed the fatted calf. But he was angry and would not go in there for his father. Came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father Lo these many years. I have been serving you. I've been slaving for you. That's the word for slave doulos. I've been slaving for you.

And many years, I have done this and I had never transgressed your commandant at any time. And yet you never gave me a young goat that I might make Merry with my friends but as soon as the son of this, son of yours came noticed that this son of yours son of yours. Not my brother. Your son. Soon, as this brother, the son of yours can't come. He who has devoured your livelihood with harlots you kill the fatted calf for him. Now, think about this, what's on the mind of the brother? At this time, the older brother is his livelihood. Notice he's, he's using all this money. This great expense for this love is party on behalf of the boy that has come home. And so the brother, the older brother looks at that he says, hey he's wasted all his. Now, you're taking some of my money and throwing a lavish party for him. This is crazy. And I'll have nothing to do with this. I'll have nothing to do with you and I'll have nothing to do with my brother. And so he said to him, son. You are always with me. And then the tents there is you have been and always are with me. And all that I have. Has been yours. It was right that we should make Merry and be glad. For your brother was dead, and is alive again, and was lost and is found. So, here's the question. Why is this young man? So angry, you know, we look at the Prodigal, Son, the story itself. And we often picture a happy ending because the sun came home, but it's really a sad story because the story continues and that story shows us the self-righteousness of some people. And that's what Jesus is really putting out here. And really, he's sticking it into the face of the Pharisees because remember, they're the ones who ask the question, why are you eating with sinners? So, Jesus respond with these free stories, and this story is perhaps The Greatest Story one could ever tell. And it shows it shows, the older brother a self righteous person who is ignoring the father, ignoring the authority of his father and it's become a prodigal just like the younger brother. Yet he hasn't even left home. He has rejected the father's Authority. He has rejected the father's Graces and he has rejected his own brother. So why is he so angry? Because he really doesn't care about the Lost. He doesn't care about the look, he cares. More about his present circumstances or what he perceived to be which is worse yet. What are his present circumstances rather than loving his brother? Notice he doesn't go after his brother. He should have been the one to go after his brother, but it had to be the father to go after the brother. But he could care less. You never read or hear about this brother stepping in and saying my brother, you need to change your ways. Dad loves you, I love you. You need to do things a little better. We can help you out. We have everything here. You don't need to go to the far country. You'll have everything and we'll have everything by remaining here. So he wasn't concerned with his brother, he wasn't concerned that his brother left, he wasn't concerned with his brothers sinful actions.

That sounds like some of us. We have friends, we have neighbors, we have family members who find themselves.

In the throes of sin. And yet we don't help them. We don't try to see or to try to point out for them into them the right way. rather, we feel like we might drive them away further. By bringing them Jesus by talking about repentance by talking about forgiveness by talking about the blood of Christ. My talking about the grace of God, I talkin about the very fact that Jesus told tells his story so that we all can know who the father is. The father loves you. He loves you. Any want you with him? That's the whole point. He doesn't care if you're lost, you can come back and when you come back, you're back home. You're back in the grace of God.

Yes, people can be bad. Even Christians. And, yes, people can be lost. Even Christians, Christians can be lost. There's a whole group of people and the religious community. Today, that teachers, otherwise they teach that once your saved your always saved. You're always saved and it doesn't matter what you do, what you say, or what you think that you're going to go to heaven. That's why every funeral. You've been to. Someone has been preached into Heaven, by someone doing the eulogy. Because everyone thinks that way they called out universalism. Universalism. Salvation is universal for everybody. And everybody's going to go to heaven. But you can't find that teaching in God's word. Paul said this. I just miss first missionary journey. He said to those, who is preaching the Jews had risen up against him, to drive him away. And so he was wiping off the dust from his clothes and he was heading on to teach the Gentiles and as he was preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, the Gentiles turned to his preaching, they accepted Jesus. They were baptized into Christ. Have been just before he leaves to go to another place. Paul tells them continue in the grace of God. Why would Paul say continue in the grace of God? If you couldn't help but be in the grace of God?

Factors that you can lose Grace. Is that Paul says that some in Galatians, chapter 5 severed themselves from Christ and have fallen from Grace. So it's about once faithfulness, not his Perfection because no one can be perfect but faithfulness and in this respect, we have a prodigal who has returned and he is now showing his face. That's what God loves those. You come back from disaster. We have another good story to tell because of their faith. They did not give up on God, that came back and that's what God desires. But then, the father has to suffer one more time. Because he sees his older son. Look at his older brother. As worthless as something. Not worthy of respect, has something not worthy of God's grace of the fathers Mercy. And so his own older son has now playing The Prodigal part. By his own actions, but the point of the story. Also, Jesus is saying there's value in that, which is lost There was value in that one sheet that was lost. There was value in that coin that the lady lost and found. Now there is value in a person who's wanted from God, given up on God, but now has come to their senses and return to God. One person. And so it is that the brother the older brother should have known that by virtue of being in the father's house and how many today are looking for something. And they look at God and they see all these people out here and there they're doing so good in life. But here I am I've been doing my best. I've been doing all these things for you got and it just doesn't seem to get me anywhere. A lot of people leave God because of that, a lot of people leave the church because of that they get depressed, they get disappointed disappointed. And they blame God. and then they realize at some point that God is no longer for them and then decide to leave Here's a story of some Investment corporation down in South Florida. They were moving to this new building and they were getting ready to open up the new office and one of the workers there. One of the supervisors decides that these three statues that have been hanging around or no longer worthy of the new office so he package them up and he brought them over to the Goodwill store. About a week later the Goodwill store called them and said, would you like to have 1.5 million dollars in tax deductions? Because that's what you have given each statue was worth $500,000 a piece. They did not know that and so they didn't know the value and I didn't appreciate the value of the statues. And so, what did they do? Just got rid of it. Just discarded it. But someone, realizing the value decided that they should return that to this company and a company would, please. That's the point Jesus making. Sometimes we don't value. Those who are lost but God does. And he desires the lost to be saying, Remember 2nd Peter chapter 3 verse 9, God is Not slack concerning, his slackness or God is Not slack concerning his promise as some called count slackness, but he is long-suffering toward us. Not willing that any should perish, but that all a l. L, all should come to repentance. That's present, tense. Keep on repenting, I think God knew that tents that he wanted for the Greek that was used in writing the New Testament scriptures because he knew that man including Christians would continue to send. But he also knew that the Christian can continue to repent to continue to have the grace of God in their lives. So, I hope you understand, I just want to close out with this.

My favorite team. I grew up watching Rodger Staubach as many as you did. And you can see that when they would go to the Super Bowl, they typically have to play the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s. And in this case, Chucky Smith Pro Bowl tight end, he's at the end of his career. He had retired from the vents St. Louis Cardinals. But Tom Landry, got a hold of them said come play for us for this season and he did and he hadn't dropped the ball all year long. To mr. Wide open. In the end zone, Dallas could have won the Super Bowl that year 1978. But no Jackie Smith had to drop the ball and that's exactly the way the Dallas Cowboy fans have been in 40 years. That's how they view Jackie Smith. Oh my goodness. Jackie Smith. Can you sense the lack of Mercy or the lack of Grace? In his life story. Jackie Smith was so hurt by the fact that he dropped that ball. He live with that nightmare. He lived with it so much so that I eat. Tried to commit suicide. That's Tuff. Living with the past. And the brother, the older brother should have realize that because he has a past too and just like his younger brother who has now created a past in his own life. Also needed the grace of the Father, the older brother should have said, I've been there. I've done. Let me help you out. Here's what I can do. But it didn't, I don't want to close out with this one first, it says, Luke chapter 15 verse 28, there for his father, came out and pleaded with him. That's what God is doing today. He's pleading with you

He's pleading with me. The word. Therefore please is parak. Leo para means. To call to a side or B side and Kaleo means to call to call to one's side. It's a legal term. It means advocate. It means one who was a counselor one who offers legal advice, one who is your attorney one? Who is your lawyer? And your lawyer is out to protect you. And that lawyer is Christ. Jesus is the advocate. He says we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ, the righteous Let me please for you and for me. Any please through his word. Remember we began by saying Jesus, said these words? What were those words? The word that I have spoken. The same will judge you. In the last day in Jesus Will judge us all by his word. How did you live up to his word? How did you live up to the father's will? The older brother. Evidently was living. Go to the father's will, but not consciously. He was not living according to his heart. It wasn't something that he loved to do because the truth came out. And yeah, I didn't hear, I've been slaving for you all these many years. and yet Jesus comes along and says, you know, we don't love We don't we don't follow the commands of God because we have to we follow the commands of God because we love God. We love God. And so, therefore, it's out of love that we do these things. Not because we're keeping score of right and wrong. Like that older brother.

Literally is begging each of us. Remain devoted remain constant continue to abide in his word. Do not forsake. What is right? Be righteous as Jesus is righteous. And yet he still planning and calling for the rest of the world as well. He calls World by and through the gospel. And the gospel message that Jesus declared as this he that believes and is baptized shall be saved. there's some here today that They can understand that but they're not willing to do so. Well, that's not loving God, we love God. And when we love God, we keep his Commandments. First John chapter 5 verse 3. In Ecorse. Jesus said, if you love me, if you say that, you love me publicly, keep my Commandments. And Jesus says he that believes and is baptized shall be saved. There's some here perhaps we have not done so But you can love Jesus this morning, you can do what Jesus has asked you to do. I didn't, you could know out of love and for his out of his own concern for your soul that you are in a safe state by being baptized for salvation, some of you have done that. Some of you however have acted like the older brother and have refused. Rejected and walked away from his authority and yet his authority, still calls, come on back, come on back come back home. if you're subject to the invitation of Jesus Christ, this morning, not come forward this morning as Together, We Stand and say,