God cares for the lost Part 2

There were many men that were given everything that the world could offer them yet lost everything in an instant.

Example Al Capone. This man was rich and was considered an untouchable. Yet within a few moments the government took him down imprisoned him and he was left without anything.

Example Celebrities who were insanely rich but became broke

Nicholas Cage was making $40 million in one year, He bought cars, houses, and artifacts, and owed millions to the IRS. According to Business Insider, from 1996 to 2011, he spent $150 million, which was nearly all of the money he had made from acting. There are some celebrities who save and invest and others that spend their entire life’s fortune within a few years. Today in Luke 15 verse 11 we will see that even in the Bible there was a man who wasted and blew an entire fortune within a few years. A man that left home to party and live his “best life”. Lets pray. Dear Lord please help us to really hear from your Word today. Help it to pierce our hearts in places that our hearts are hard, cold, and bitter. Help us to see from your perspective so we can be more like you!

Context:

This section of scripture we are focusing on is Luke chapter 15, verses 11-32. This section of scripture is often referred to as Jesus travel narrative as he was doing ministry and traveling to Jerusalem from Galilee. (New international commentary on the New Testament) Jesus has just shared 2 parables with Pharisees that were questioning Him as to why he would sit and be around tax collectors and sinners. We are in the final response that Jesus gives to the pharisees as to why He would allow Himself to be around these sinners and people that were considered to be very worldly and rejected by many.

Let’s open up to Luke chapter 15 together, starting in verse 11.

This story is a very well known story. Some people know it as the parable of the lost son and most of you know it as the story of the prodigal son.

Jesus had just mentioned 2 stories of valuable things that had been lost, and great joy that would be experienced once the lost were found. Jesus shows the Pharisees again through this next story, in verse 11.

Luke 15:11–13 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.

This is a story so the first conflict we notice in this narrative is that there are two brothers. Two brothers means two voices, and two voices means 2 different opinions and in this case 2 different ways of living. That is the minor conflict, but the major conflict we see in this passage is that the younger son got his inheritance blew it and lived worldly, and recklessly. He took everything that his father had spent time earning and working for and within an instant he made all that his father had done for him worthless. A great supply of wealth within an instance completely gone.

This reminds me of someone who has been helped time and time again. In a sense bailed out of their situation. Instead of taking the ball and running with it, they continuously misuse and abuse what they have been given. I have seen people do this where someone gives them a good amount of money to help pay their rent, gas, and get them on their feet, but instead of using it to help them gain stability they will drink or gamble their money away and ask again for money. Are we being wise with what God has given us. Are we using the time, the talent, and treasure that God has given us as our Heavenly Father to give glory to His name or are we like the younger son. Are we squandering what God has given us. Have we misused our inheritance or our title Christian? Are we living as a person of the world but still holding the title Christian?

Point 1: God has blessed His children with an inheritance. (Luke 15:11-13)

Luke 15:14–18 ESV

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.

He came to the reality that he was at an all time low in his life. Going back to his father would be much greater than all the suffering in the world he had been experiencing.

Suffering draws us back to God. Hitting rock bottoms helps us realize that we are not in control, but instead we have a Heavenly Father Who is ready to receive us and help us even in times of our greatest need. In our darkest moments God still searches, pursues, and desires us!

Tim Keller: “You don’t really know Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.”

It is in this pit of despair that the younger son is experiencing that he remembers that he still has a Father that cares and loves him.

In this same way we have a Heavenly father that loves and cares for us,

Point 2: God has adopted us as His children. (Luke 15:14-21)

Luke 15:19–21 (ESV)

Luke 15:19–21 (ESV)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.’

Explain: Even though his the father’s son left, as soon as he saw him, he felt compassion and still loved him. He still cared for him and took him in as his son despite all of the shameful things the son had done, the way his son had acted and was unwise with his life and his finances, the Father still had a heart full of love and compassion for his son.

Illustration: This reminds me of the story of Hosea,

In the book of Hosea in the Old Testament, God commands Hosea to marry a prostitute. He married her and she would often times have sex with other men committing adultery in their relationship. However, instead of Hosea doing what we would all think of doing. Being angry and bitter towards our wife. He steps in finds that she has sold her self to a man, and Hosea shows compassion towards her. Even though she has messed up her life in many ways and acted unwisely, Hosea steps in and buys her back, redeeming her and showing her what love is and does. It is this type of love that is an example of the Father’s love for us.

Application: Accept the Lord as your Father and trust and know that He loves you as His own child.

Point 3: God clothes His children with majesty when we choose to live for Him. (Luke 15:22-24)

Luke 15:22–24(ESV)

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.

A ring symbolizes a covenantal relationship. Like in Genesis 12:1-3 God establishes a covenant with Abram, later on names him Abraham and through his blood he blesses all the nations. Through Jesus.

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (Covenant)

A solemn agreement between two or more parties, made binding by some sort of oath (cf. Ger. Bund). What is mutually agreed upon is usually the future conduct of one or both of the parties concerned. “Covenant”-type relationships were ubiquitous in antiquity, and in the Bible they are undoubtedly alluded to more frequently than a simple study of Heb. bĕrɩ̂ṯ and Gk. diathḗkē would suggest. Such relationships might include compacts or pledges between private persons (e.g., Ruth 1:16–17; 3:11–13; Exod. 21:2–6), agreements or compacts between a king and private persons (cf. Judg. 4:17; 2 Sam. 19:31–39), treaties or alliances between kings and/or political states (1 Kgs. 5:1 [MT 15]; 2 Kgs. 24:17; cf. Ps. 2:1–3; Isa. 30:1), promissory oaths proclaiming official policies (Neh. 5:11–13; 9:38–10:39 [10:1–40]), and covenants between Yahweh and human beings (e.g., Gen. 25:23; 1 Kgs. 14:7–19

A covenant was a promise and an ongoing relationship with someone. One example of a modern covenant today is marriage. In the covenant of marriage that God created and can first be seen in Genesis, it is establishing a relationship between one man and one woman. It symbolizes the gospel.

“To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything. It liberates us from pretense, humbles us out of our self-righteousness, and fortifies us for any difficulty life can throw at us.” ― Timothy Keller, The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God

Point 4: God celebrates when his lost children are found! (Luke 15:25-32)

Luke 15:25–32 ESV

“Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”

CS Lewis - The salvation of a single soul is more important than the production or preservation of all the epics and tragedies in the world.

Warren Wiersbe - God can use you to help win the lost.

The entire theme of Luke is this

Luke 19:10 ESV

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

This is the purpose of Jesus coming down to the earth was to find those who were lost, broken, and save them. The same thing is happening today, He is looking for people that have tried finding their own way, and have come to the end of their rope. He is looking for people to become changed and made brand new!

Application:

Christians:

Find people that are hurting and broken. People who don’t know God and remember to share what God has done in your life. Invite them to church and one invitation can change the entire trajectory of a person’s life.

Non- Christians: See who Christ is. He is the only One who is completely good and completely just and loving. He has the power to save and change lives. Only through Him can we people who often become distracted, bored, and are constantly searching for something new find contentment and satisfaction in God. He never changes and never will. Give your life to God and see how your life and purpose can be transformed. How you can experience so much peace and joy even in some of the hardest and deepest and darkest circumstances. If you are interested in accepting Jesus as Lord and savior and becoming a follower of Christ, see me after service so I can pray for you and talk with you.

Let’s pray.

Thank you for adopting us as your children, giving us an inheritance that never ends, clothing us with righteousness and majesty, and accepting us with open arms when we have walked away. Help us to stay on your path and live for You. May our lives represent you well and bring honor to your name.