Run For It!

Introduction

You Tube clip — Opie Wants to Run away!

Wouldn’t it be great if all dads were as wise as Andy Taylor.

When I was a kid, all 4 of my nieces would come to our house for most of the summer. I was the only boy in the house

What makes a person run?

Fear

The challenge of winning

The reward or prestige of winning

Fun

Some people run for love

Scripture:

Luke 15:1–3 ESV

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” So he told them this parable:

Lost Sheep (3-7)

Lost Coin (8-10)

Lost Son (11-32)

Luke 15:11–24 (ESV)

And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. “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.” ’ 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.

Prayer

Have you ever ran away?

Home — Trouble — Responsibilities — Conflict —

One of the most common things we do is run away from God — because of rebellion, we want to do things our own way, we don’t want to follow the rules or do what other people want us to do

Many times people run from God without even knowing it — sin blinds our eyes to the truth — it is very deceptive

Here’s something you probably already know...

IF YOU RUN AWAY, THE FATHER WON’T STOP YOU

The younger son — “Father, I wan’t my inheritance now!”

The father gave him what he wanted — the older son was probably fit to be tied

The younger son went to Vegas or Jamaica, or somewhere he could have lots of fun

He soon wasted his entire inheritance

He became desperate and went to work feeding pigs…the worst job ever for a Jewish person

Transitional: What do you think the father was going through while his son was gone?

IF YOU RUN AWAY, THE FATHER WON’T GIVE UP ON YOU

From the story, we can surmise that the father of this prodigal son held out hope that his son would one day return home

He must have gone to the edge of his property every morning and several times a day, watching, waiting, praying, and hoping —

You parents probably understand — if you have ever had a wayward child, it hurts. But you hold out hope — you pray for the best, you keep one eye on the horizon, just in case something happens that will bring them back to their senses

Transitional: The father in this parable represents God the father…the only father who has ever loved perfectly. He sets the example for how to love the unlovable and forgive the unforgivable.

WHEN YOU COME BACK, THE FATHER COMES RUNNING

Luke 15:20 ESV

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.

One reason this story is so fascinating is that the father ran to meet his son

In the first century, a Middle Eastern man never, ever — ran. The only way for him to run would require that he hitch up his tunic so he could run without tripping. If he hitched up his tunic, he would show his bare legs. In that culture it was humiliating and degrading for a man to reveal his bare legs.

If it was so shameful for a man to run, why did this father run when he saw his son in the distance? Why would he shame himself in this manner? Couldn’t he just wave and wait for his son to get there? Couldn’t he just send a servant to meeting his son?

One of the best way to understand that situation is to take a look at a first-century Jewish custom, called Kezazah

Kezazah - “A severing of connections, a cutting off”

Kenneth Bailey, author of The Cross & the Prodigal, explains that if a Jewish son lost his inheritance among Gentiles, and then returned home, the community would perform a ceremony, called the kezazah. They would break a large pot in front of him and yell, “You are now cut off from your people!” The community would totally reject him.

This sheds new light on why the father ran…shaming himself…ruining his reputation as a solid citizen.

He willingly took on the shame of running so he could get to his son before he entered the village

The father was determined to get to his son before the community got to him — he did so to protect his sone from the shame and humiliation that came with the Kezazah ceremony

Many from the community would have ran after the father and would have witnessed what took place between the father and his prodigal son

In the face of this emotional reunion between father and son — a reunion marked by grace, mercy, and lavish love, the people realized there would be no Kezazah ceremony — not opportunity to reject this young man - despite what he had done

The son had repented and turned to his father

The father had taken the full brunt of shame that was meant for the son

The father made sure the community knew that his son was loved and welcome back into full sonship.

CHALLENGE

Here’s something you can bank on today:

The Father has taken our shame and guilt through Jesus, who willingly endure the shame and suffering of the Cross for us

He took our sin’s shame so we would not have to

Because of what Jesus did, we can be forgiven, restored and accepted as full members of the family of God

Only the father could restore the prodigal — he was at the mercy of his dad

There is nothing we can do to restore our lost relationship with God

He calls to us and waits — all it takes is a single step of repentance and the Father is off and running to welcome us home

Jesus took your sin and shame — now receive His embrace of love, mercy, and grace

Psalm 62:5–9 ESV

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath.