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[music]

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Father.

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Father.

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Of all the words that I've had
the pleasure of preaching in

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15 years at Mars Hill Church,
every time we talk about father,

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the reactions are extreme.

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For some of you, that word
immediately conjures up

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something very positive.

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Your father loved you and you
love him and that relationship

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is warm and it was safe
and it was healthy.

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For some of you,
it's very negative.

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Your father was absent, he
was abusive, he was violent,

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he was greedy, stingy,
religious, controlling,

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negligent, selfish,
irresponsible,

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or domineering
in a deadly way.

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For some of you,
it's just an ache.

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You wish you had a father.

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You've always wanted a father.

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Forty-three percent of children
tonight in our nation go to bed

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without a father, no dad.

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If those statistics
were true at Mars Hill,

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today we would have 500
children at church with no dad.

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In the black community,
that number goes up to 70%.

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Seventy percent of black
children have no father.

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Native American populations,
reports indicate,

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are likely even higher.

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A friend of mine who has a great
church in downtown Philadelphia,

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an African American pastor with
a multi-ethnic congregation,

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but in his primarily black
neighborhood, 90% of all births,

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we're not even talking
and counting abortions,

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90% of all births
in his neighborhood

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are to a single mother,
no father.

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No father.

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We don't have a lot of examples
for what a good father

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is and does.

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And every time we hit the
concept and idea of fatherhood

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in the Bible, there's
a wide variance in reactions.

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And we do so again today
as we enter into the parable

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of the prodigal son
in Luke 15:11-32.

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We're going to get to know
an amazing father and his

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interaction with a rebellious
and a religious son.

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And as we enter into the story,
it's a parable that Jesus taught

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on his way to Jerusalem to be
crucified in our place

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for our sins.

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Jesus is the greatest
storyteller

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in the history of the world.

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The good samaritan and the story
of the prodigal son are arguably

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the two most
profound, beloved stories

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in the history of the world.

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Non-Christians even
know these stories.

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You could argue that the story,
the parable of the prodigal son,

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is the most famous, most
beloved story ever told.

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Ever told.

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It's the longest
of Jesus' parables.

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Shakespeare wrote
plays based upon it.

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Rembrandt, over
my right shoulder,

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painted a painting of this
story of the prodigal son.

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And as we enter into the story,
we need to first acknowledge

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who the characters are.

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The father is ultimately
to reveal to us God the Father,

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and then the two sons are
opportunities for us

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to insert ourselves
in the story.

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Which are we, the
rebellious or the religious?

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And I'd say one thing as well,
for those of you who want

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to study this section of your
Bible a little more thoroughly,

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we've got some copies
of this book for sale.

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It's a nice little
hardbound easy read, $15,

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$5 off the list price.

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"The Prodigal God"
by Tim Keller,

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a dear pastor and good friend
and someone who's helped me

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a lot over the years and I have
the pleasure of serving with on

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The Gospel Coalition counsel.

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Some of you will want to study
this more thoroughly

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and his book is great.

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Father.

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As we investigate the fatherhood
of God in the parable,

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it is also an opportunity for
those of you men who are single

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to be thinking about
becoming a father,

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maybe even marrying one
of those single mothers.

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For us men who are honored
and privileged to be fathers,

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it's an opportunity for us to
examine how we are fathering

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our own children.

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And for those who do
not have a father,

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it's an opportunity to remember
that God himself is a Father

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to the fatherless.

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And since faith comes by
hearing the Word of God,

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let's just read
it in totality

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and then unpack it
in succession.

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Luke 15:11-32, "And he,"
that is Jesus,

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"said, 'There was a man
who had two sons.

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"'And the younger of them
said to his father, "Father,

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"'give me the share of property
that is coming to me."

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"'And he divided his
property between them.

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"'Not many days later,
the younger son

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"'gathered all he had and took
a journey into a far country,

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"'and there he
squandered his property

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"'in reckless living.

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"'And when he had
spent everything,

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"'a severe famine
arose in that country,

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"'and he began to be in need.

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"'So he went and hired himself
out to one of the citizens

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"'of that country, who sent him
into his fields to feed pigs.

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"'And he was longing to be fed
with the pods that the pigs ate,

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"'and no one gave him anything.

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"'But when he came to
himself, he said,

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"'"How many of my father's hired
servants have more than enough

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"'"bread, but I perish
here with hunger!

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"'"I will arise
and go to my father,

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"'"and I will say to him,
‘Father, I have sinned

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"'"‘against heaven
and before you.

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"'"‘I am no longer worthy
to be called your son.

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"'Treat me as one of
your hired servants.’”

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"'And he arose
and came to his father.

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"'But while he was
still a long way off,

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"'his father saw him
and felt compassion,

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"'and ran and embraced him
and kissed him.

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"'And the son said to him,
"Father I have sinned

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"'"against heaven
and before you.

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"'I am no longer worthy
to be called your son."

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"'But the father said
to his servants,

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"'"Bring quickly the best robe,
and put it on him,

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"'"and put a ring on his hand,
and shoes on his feet.

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"'"And bring the fattened calf
and kill it,

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"'"and let us eat and celebrate.

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"'"For this my son was
dead, and is alive again;

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"'he was lost, and is found."

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"'And they began to celebrate.

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"'Now his older son
was in the field,

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"'and as he came and
drew near to the house,

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"'he heard music and dancing.

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"'And he called one of
the servants and asked

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"'what these things meant.

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"'And he said to him, "Your
brother has come, and your
father

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"'"has killed the fattened calf,
because he has received him

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"'back safe and sound."

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"'But he was angry and
refused to go in.

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"'His father came out and
entreated,'" or begged, “‘him,

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"'but he answered
his father, "Look,

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"'"these many years I have
served you,

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"'"and I never disobeyed your
command, yet you never gave me

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"'"a young goat, that I might
celebrate with my friends.

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"'"But when this son
of yours came,

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"'"who has devoured your
property with prostitutes,

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"'you killed
the fattened calf for him!"

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"'And he said to him, "Son, you
are always with me,

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"'"and all that is mine
is yours.

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"'"It was fitting to celebrate
and be glad,

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"'"for this your brother,
was dead, and is alive;

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he was lost and is found."'"

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A father and two sons,
one son who is rebellious,

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the other who is religious.

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We'll start with the father.

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The father here is by all
accounts an amazing father.

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To be sure, sometimes
parents reap what we sow.

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The way we raise our children
sets them up for a pattern

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of sin and death.

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Sometimes, however, a good
parent has a rebellious child.

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That is the case here.

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The father has loved
and served his children well.

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There is no obvious reason
that this son

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would so hate his father.

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Additionally, we see that this
father is a good businessman.

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And this is a part of the story
that oftentimes gets overlooked.

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He understood how to make money.

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He understood how to
invest and save and spend.

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Proverbs says that a wise man
leaves an inheritance

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for his children's children.

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That means that men are to
be thinking not just about

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themselves, but their families
and their extended families.

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Ultimately, men, it should be
our ambition when we die

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that we leave something
not only for our families

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but our extended families,
our children's children,

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our grandchildren,
that we should be able to,

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by the grace of God and good
stewardship and prudent living

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and hard working
and smart investing,

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help them with
a down payment for their home.

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If our grandsons want
to plant a church,

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we should be the first ones to
write the check to help that

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become a reality.

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That should be the desire
in the heart of every man,

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not to just waste all of his
money and go into debt pursuing

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toys and possessions, but
investing in his legacy

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and his future.

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That's exactly what
this father did.

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He apparently was
successful in business.

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We can infer or assume,
because he's a godly man,

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he's given generously to God.

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He helps the poor, he
stewards his resources well,

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and he has saved up to give
an inheritance to his sons.

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And this inheritance may have
started long before he was

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even born because in
that day the wealth,

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particularly the land in
this agrarian society,

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it was passed on from one
generation to the next.

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So as a boy, you would work the
land that your dad worked and

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your granddaddy worked and your
great-granddaddy worked

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and things would be kept in
the family so that the family

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could have ongoing wealth,
security, and some provision.

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And so the father by all
accounts is good with money

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and he's good with love.

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He's built a world for his
boys to grow up in and he has

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affectionately tended to their
heart in that world he has made.

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And the boys respond tragically.

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The first responds rebelliously.

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And the rebellious son says
and does the unthinkable.

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The unthinkable.

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He dishonors his father.

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He reaches a point of
at least physical maturity,

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he's not emotionally
or spiritually mature,

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he's like many young men today.

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He's immature, though
physically grown.

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And he approaches his father
and he essentially says this:

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"I wish you were dead.

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"The best case scenario
for my life would be

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"that you were dead.

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"And it's a complicating
variable, Dad,

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"that you're still alive,
because you have a lot of wealth

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"and I know that a third of that
inheritance will go to me.

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"And I would really
like that money.

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"And since you're
alive, I can't have it.

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"So I regret the fact
that you're alive.

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"I wish you were dead.

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"I love your wealth
more than I love you.

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"In fact, I would like to take

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all of my inheritance
and leave."

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Now, as a dad with five
kids, three boys, two girls,

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this would destroy me.

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This would absolutely
destroy me.

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The thought of one of my kids
looking me in the eye

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and actually saying, "The best
case scenario for me is

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"that you were dead.

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"The second best case
scenario is, Dad,

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"that you cash in your
retirement account,

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"you liquidate your life insurance,

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you sell possessions,

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"that you cash in all
your investments,

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"that you do so quickly,
even if at a loss,

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"so you can just give me
the money so I can leave.

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"And I never want to
see you again, Dad.

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I wish you were dead."

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That's exactly what
this young man does.

242
00:12:37,375 --> 00:12:39,167
He dishonors his father.

243
00:12:39,250 --> 00:12:40,917
He disgraces his father.

244
00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:43,167
He disowns his father.

245
00:12:43,250 --> 00:12:45,792
He does the unthinkable.

246
00:12:45,833 --> 00:12:52,417
And the father gives this
young man what he wants.

247
00:12:56,500 --> 00:13:01,833
And in so doing, he took
a massive financial loss.

248
00:13:01,917 --> 00:13:04,500
There's no way that you
liquidate things quickly

249
00:13:04,542 --> 00:13:07,833
for a good price.

250
00:13:07,917 --> 00:13:11,167
Money he's worked his whole
life to accrue is gone.

251
00:13:11,250 --> 00:13:14,000
Furthermore, this is the money
that the dad needs to pay

252
00:13:14,083 --> 00:13:16,750
his own bills
and live his life.

253
00:13:16,833 --> 00:13:19,083
If he or his wife
should get sick,

254
00:13:19,167 --> 00:13:22,833
this is money that should
be spent for their keep.

255
00:13:25,500 --> 00:13:30,083
He liquidates his assets and he
hands it all to his foolish son.

256
00:13:30,167 --> 00:13:32,083
And what does the son do?

257
00:13:32,167 --> 00:13:35,500
He literally turns his back on
his father and he walks away.

258
00:13:35,542 --> 00:13:37,833
And I need you to see that.

259
00:13:37,917 --> 00:13:42,167
I need you to see the dad
handing to the son

260
00:13:42,208 --> 00:13:45,083
a great amount of wealth
as the son

261
00:13:45,167 --> 00:13:49,083
turns his back and walks away.

262
00:13:49,167 --> 00:13:53,458
And I anticipate the father
just stood there weeping,

263
00:13:53,500 --> 00:13:55,917
just bawling,

264
00:13:58,167 --> 00:14:00,583
perhaps even
hoping that at some point

265
00:14:00,667 --> 00:14:04,792
the son will turn around
and at least give him

266
00:14:04,833 --> 00:14:06,333
a farewell glance.

267
00:14:06,417 --> 00:14:09,083
And the son never does.

268
00:14:09,167 --> 00:14:13,750
Just with a hard heart he
literally just turns away

269
00:14:13,833 --> 00:14:17,583
from his father and he
just walks away.

270
00:14:17,667 --> 00:14:20,583
He doesn't turn around.

271
00:14:20,667 --> 00:14:23,083
He doesn't respond.

272
00:14:23,167 --> 00:14:24,917
He doesn't make eye contact.

273
00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:27,917
In his heart, his father's dead

274
00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:33,667
and there stands
his devastated dad.

275
00:14:33,750 --> 00:14:39,833
And because he's a fool, he does
like even many of you have done.

276
00:14:39,875 --> 00:14:42,333
Probably moves to a big city.

277
00:14:42,417 --> 00:14:47,167
He doesn't understand saving
or investing or finances.

278
00:14:47,250 --> 00:14:51,333
This would be the equivalent of
a guy who gets a big inheritance

279
00:14:51,417 --> 00:14:53,500
from his family and,
next thing you know,

280
00:14:53,542 --> 00:14:56,667
he's out buying new clothes
and a new car and a new condo

281
00:14:56,750 --> 00:15:01,125
and new furnishings and rounds
of drinks at the bar are on him

282
00:15:01,167 --> 00:15:05,667
and really nice vacation and
lots of toys and technology

283
00:15:05,750 --> 00:15:10,167
and loose women and strip clubs
and prostitutes and women

284
00:15:10,208 --> 00:15:14,750
who don't have character and
aren't meritous of marriage.

285
00:15:14,833 --> 00:15:18,333
They're in it for the money.

286
00:15:18,375 --> 00:15:23,333
And he just starts spending.

287
00:15:23,375 --> 00:15:27,750
And next thing you know,
he's running out of money.

288
00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:31,667
And a famine hits.

289
00:15:31,750 --> 00:15:35,625
That's their equivalent
of an economic downturn.

290
00:15:35,667 --> 00:15:40,667
All of a sudden, real estate's
down, gas prices are up,

291
00:15:40,750 --> 00:15:44,500
unemployment rates are high.

292
00:15:44,583 --> 00:15:47,333
Your investments go upside down.

293
00:15:47,375 --> 00:15:50,292
Everything that you
had is worth less.

294
00:15:50,333 --> 00:15:53,833
Financial crisis hits.

295
00:15:53,875 --> 00:15:56,167
He's been living
beyond his means

296
00:15:56,250 --> 00:15:59,750
and now it's catching
up with him.

297
00:15:59,833 --> 00:16:03,167
It gets to the point that he
has to start selling his assets,

298
00:16:03,250 --> 00:16:07,417
like his father did, at
a significantly reduced rate.

299
00:16:07,500 --> 00:16:10,167
This is the guy who's walking
into the pawn shop with

300
00:16:10,250 --> 00:16:14,417
his flat screen one week
and his Xbox the next week.

301
00:16:14,500 --> 00:16:17,125
All right, and he's got his
car for sale on Craigslist,

302
00:16:17,167 --> 00:16:20,292
you know, "need to sell
immediately, best offer."

303
00:16:20,333 --> 00:16:22,667
He's that guy.

304
00:16:22,750 --> 00:16:25,500
He's taken all of his clothes
down to the Buffalo Exchange.

305
00:16:25,542 --> 00:16:27,583
He's trying to make
pennies on the dollar.

306
00:16:27,667 --> 00:16:30,333
He's that guy.

307
00:16:30,375 --> 00:16:34,958
And pretty soon he's
kicked out of his condo.

308
00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:36,833
He can't afford
to pay his bills.

309
00:16:36,875 --> 00:16:38,417
He's taking the bus.

310
00:16:38,500 --> 00:16:40,000
He needs to look for work.

311
00:16:40,083 --> 00:16:43,625
Nobody will hire him because
he's not been a good employee.

312
00:16:43,667 --> 00:16:46,417
He hasn't built a decent resume.

313
00:16:46,500 --> 00:16:51,167
The market is upside down,
there's no work to be had.

314
00:16:51,250 --> 00:16:54,667
Pretty soon, this guy's
homeless, he's on the streets,

315
00:16:54,750 --> 00:16:58,500
he's lost weight,
he's maybe strung out.

316
00:16:58,583 --> 00:17:00,917
He's that kind of guy.

317
00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:04,250
He's looking rough,
it's going bad.

318
00:17:04,333 --> 00:17:07,333
He finally gets the only job
that he can obtain and that's

319
00:17:07,375 --> 00:17:13,500
to work for the Gentile
pagans on their pig farm.

320
00:17:13,542 --> 00:17:15,583
Now he's a Jewish boy.

321
00:17:15,667 --> 00:17:19,583
This is the worst possible
job for a Jewish boy.

322
00:17:19,667 --> 00:17:21,000
Pigs are unclean animals.

323
00:17:21,083 --> 00:17:23,292
You're not supposed
to work with them.

324
00:17:23,333 --> 00:17:25,625
You're not supposed to eat them.

325
00:17:25,667 --> 00:17:29,500
And he is out tending
to the pagans' pigs.

326
00:17:29,583 --> 00:17:32,750
And he's so hungry that he's
looking at the pig food,

327
00:17:32,833 --> 00:17:35,167
wondering if maybe
he should eat it.

328
00:17:35,250 --> 00:17:37,667
And nobody comes along
and does anything for him.

329
00:17:37,750 --> 00:17:42,333
The last time this guy got
a gift was from his dad.

330
00:17:42,417 --> 00:17:44,583
It gets to the point where
he is hungry,

331
00:17:44,667 --> 00:17:46,833
he is homeless, he is dirty.

332
00:17:46,875 --> 00:17:49,667
This is the kind of guy who
walks into the mission

333
00:17:49,750 --> 00:17:54,458
on his last leg and you can tell
it's been a rough run for him.

334
00:17:54,500 --> 00:17:57,125
That's exactly what
this boy looks like.

335
00:17:57,167 --> 00:17:59,458
And what does he do?

336
00:17:59,500 --> 00:18:03,417
The Bible says he
comes to his senses.

337
00:18:03,500 --> 00:18:06,833
He thinks to himself,
"I'm going to die.

338
00:18:06,917 --> 00:18:10,583
"Yet at home, my dad, who's got
a good financial mind and

339
00:18:10,667 --> 00:18:15,583
"had a plan, he's got servants,
people who work for him,

340
00:18:15,667 --> 00:18:17,583
"they're not starving to death.

341
00:18:17,667 --> 00:18:19,167
"My dad's feeding them.

342
00:18:19,208 --> 00:18:21,750
"They're not homeless,
my dad is housing them.

343
00:18:21,833 --> 00:18:23,625
"My dad's a great guy.

344
00:18:23,667 --> 00:18:25,458
"I'm an idiot.

345
00:18:25,500 --> 00:18:28,083
"I need to get home to my dad.

346
00:18:28,167 --> 00:18:31,167
"Maybe he'll allow
me to be a servant.

347
00:18:31,208 --> 00:18:35,667
Maybe he'll allow
me to just work."

348
00:18:35,750 --> 00:18:39,458
This is like a wealthy, affluent
father and the son's thinking,

349
00:18:39,500 --> 00:18:43,458
"Maybe he'll let
me be a janitor.

350
00:18:43,500 --> 00:18:47,167
"Maybe there's some floors I
could sweep if I tell him

351
00:18:47,208 --> 00:18:50,167
how sorry I am and how
stupid I've been."

352
00:18:50,208 --> 00:18:52,750
And so the Bible says that
he understood his sin

353
00:18:52,833 --> 00:18:54,333
and he acknowledged his sin.

354
00:18:54,375 --> 00:18:56,667
He says, "I've sinned
against my Father in heaven

355
00:18:56,708 --> 00:18:58,667
and I've sinned against my
father on earth."

356
00:18:58,708 --> 00:19:01,083
And the truth is he's
sinned against both.

357
00:19:01,167 --> 00:19:04,833
And repentance is
literally turning around.

358
00:19:04,875 --> 00:19:08,667
So as he turned his back on his
father and literally walked away

359
00:19:08,708 --> 00:19:11,250
toward a life of sin,
he comes to his senses.

360
00:19:11,333 --> 00:19:13,792
Repentance is he turns around
and he decides,

361
00:19:13,833 --> 00:19:16,667
"That's it, I'm going
to walk back to my dad.

362
00:19:16,750 --> 00:19:20,083
I'm going to walk
back to my dad."

363
00:19:20,167 --> 00:19:24,750
And then we pick up
the story with the father.

364
00:19:24,833 --> 00:19:27,917
And the story says that while
his son was still a long ways

365
00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:30,500
off, the father saw him coming.

366
00:19:30,583 --> 00:19:32,833
What was the father doing?

367
00:19:32,875 --> 00:19:38,167
Waiting, hopefully
and anxiously.

368
00:19:38,250 --> 00:19:41,167
You get the picture that this
dad every morning would wake up

369
00:19:41,208 --> 00:19:46,000
and look out the window just
to see, "Is he coming home?"

370
00:19:46,083 --> 00:19:47,500
All right, the father's
getting reports,

371
00:19:47,583 --> 00:19:53,625
maybe from friends or
extended relationships,

372
00:19:53,667 --> 00:19:55,333
"Yeah, he's on drugs now.

373
00:19:55,375 --> 00:19:56,667
"He's drinking a lot.

374
00:19:56,750 --> 00:19:59,833
"Yeah, he almost--he passed
out the other night, he OD'd.

375
00:19:59,875 --> 00:20:03,417
He got arrested, he got
kicked out of his place."

376
00:20:03,500 --> 00:20:07,000
And the dad's heart is
broken, "That's my son."

377
00:20:07,042 --> 00:20:08,667
"He's lost a lot of weight.

378
00:20:08,708 --> 00:20:11,667
"He had to go to the clinic
to get an AIDS test.

379
00:20:11,708 --> 00:20:14,083
He's really in a bad place."

380
00:20:14,167 --> 00:20:16,917
Every morning, he opens
the window, looks out,

381
00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:18,500
"Is he coming?

382
00:20:18,542 --> 00:20:20,167
I don't see him."

383
00:20:20,250 --> 00:20:23,000
But every morning, he's
hoping to see his son return.

384
00:20:23,042 --> 00:20:26,167
You get the idea that he's out
in the fields during the day,

385
00:20:26,208 --> 00:20:28,583
working or supervising
his employees.

386
00:20:28,667 --> 00:20:30,917
He's the dad who's looking
over his shoulder, like,

387
00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:32,583
"Is he coming?
Just checking.

388
00:20:32,667 --> 00:20:33,958
"No, he's not here yet.

389
00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:35,458
"Lord God,
please bring him home.

390
00:20:35,500 --> 00:20:37,500
Please don't let him die."

391
00:20:37,542 --> 00:20:43,167
And then, one day, he sees
a figure way down the road.

392
00:20:43,208 --> 00:20:48,333
And he wonders,
"Is that my boy?"

393
00:20:48,417 --> 00:20:52,750
As his son gets closer, he can
tell from his build and the way

394
00:20:52,833 --> 00:20:57,792
he walks, because every
dad knows who his kids are,

395
00:20:57,833 --> 00:21:01,417
we observe them all
the time,

396
00:21:01,500 --> 00:21:04,417
"That's him!
My son's back!"

397
00:21:04,500 --> 00:21:06,667
So what does the dad do?

398
00:21:06,708 --> 00:21:08,625
He runs.

399
00:21:08,667 --> 00:21:12,750
Now, culturally you don't do
this in an eastern culture.

400
00:21:12,833 --> 00:21:14,750
Grown men don't run, right?

401
00:21:14,833 --> 00:21:17,750
You see a grown man running,
one of two things is happening.

402
00:21:17,833 --> 00:21:22,167
He's committed a crime, okay,
or someone is trying to do

403
00:21:22,250 --> 00:21:24,583
something really
bad to him, okay?

404
00:21:24,667 --> 00:21:27,167
Men don't run.

405
00:21:27,250 --> 00:21:30,167
Old men don't run, especially
in an eastern culture.

406
00:21:30,208 --> 00:21:33,167
Even to this day, it's
a dignified culture.

407
00:21:33,250 --> 00:21:37,500
Older men are to be respectable
and respected

408
00:21:37,542 --> 00:21:39,167
and they carry themselves
with dignity.

409
00:21:39,250 --> 00:21:42,333
Plus, in that culture,
he's wearing a robe with an

410
00:21:42,375 --> 00:21:46,167
undergarment, so to run means he
needs to be like a little girl

411
00:21:46,250 --> 00:21:48,500
who hikes up his skirt.

412
00:21:48,583 --> 00:21:51,750
All right, there's no grown man
who
wants to do a little skirt-

413
00:21:51,833 --> 00:21:53,833
pull-up jog, right?

414
00:21:53,917 --> 00:21:57,833
I mean that's just--that's
not a dude thing to do, right?

415
00:21:57,917 --> 00:22:00,417
Now people are going to
see his undergarments,

416
00:22:00,500 --> 00:22:03,000
which was really weird.

417
00:22:03,083 --> 00:22:05,667
All right, I mean, just
all of this weird.

418
00:22:05,708 --> 00:22:12,000
But he can't wait another second
to be reconciled to his son.

419
00:22:12,042 --> 00:22:14,625
And in that culture, there were
a lot of things

420
00:22:14,667 --> 00:22:16,625
he could have done to his son.

421
00:22:16,667 --> 00:22:18,167
He could have disowned him.

422
00:22:18,250 --> 00:22:21,083
All right, the Bible says to
honor your mother and father,

423
00:22:21,167 --> 00:22:22,458
Exodus 20:12.

424
00:22:22,500 --> 00:22:24,458
It's one of the
Ten Commandments.

425
00:22:24,500 --> 00:22:26,333
He had absolutely
dishonored his father,

426
00:22:26,375 --> 00:22:30,833
so the father could
have disowned him.

427
00:22:30,917 --> 00:22:32,500
He could have had him beaten.

428
00:22:32,542 --> 00:22:35,500
There was a provision in the
law that if your son rebelled

429
00:22:35,542 --> 00:22:37,167
against you, you could beat him.

430
00:22:37,208 --> 00:22:40,083
He could have had him beat.

431
00:22:40,167 --> 00:22:42,667
Some of us do that to our
children with our words.

432
00:22:42,750 --> 00:22:45,083
"You are so stupid.
I told you so.

433
00:22:45,167 --> 00:22:47,250
"You're an idiot.
You've ruined everything.

434
00:22:47,333 --> 00:22:51,417
How could you do this to me?"

435
00:22:51,500 --> 00:22:54,000
He could have actually
had him killed.

436
00:22:54,042 --> 00:22:55,625
All right, it's
in Deuteronomy 21,

437
00:22:55,667 --> 00:22:58,167
there's a provision that if you
rebel against your parents

438
00:22:58,208 --> 00:23:01,500
and it's extreme enough,
you could be put to death.

439
00:23:01,542 --> 00:23:04,667
So in coming home, this boy's
taking an enormous risk.

440
00:23:04,750 --> 00:23:11,000
He's unsure what kind of
reception he might receive.

441
00:23:11,083 --> 00:23:14,333
You can anticipate this boy's
looking at the ground

442
00:23:14,417 --> 00:23:18,667
and he's thinking to himself,
"What have I done?

443
00:23:18,708 --> 00:23:20,583
"Lord God, help me out.

444
00:23:20,667 --> 00:23:22,917
"What's my dad going to say?

445
00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:25,917
"Is he going to disown me?
Is he going to beat me?

446
00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:28,917
"Is he going to kill me?
Is he going to shame me?

447
00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:30,583
Is he going to shun me?"

448
00:23:30,667 --> 00:23:33,583
Kind of see the boy looking at
the ground, shaking his head,

449
00:23:33,667 --> 00:23:35,667
nervous, thinking it through.

450
00:23:35,708 --> 00:23:38,750
And he looks up,
there's his dad,

451
00:23:38,833 --> 00:23:42,917
running with
a smile on his face,

452
00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:45,458
yelling at the top of
his lungs, "Welcome home!

453
00:23:45,500 --> 00:23:48,167
Welcome home!
Welcome home!"

454
00:23:48,250 --> 00:23:51,917
His arms are stretched out as he
approaches and his robe falls to

455
00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:55,500
the ground and the dad grabs his
son and gives him a big hug

456
00:23:55,542 --> 00:23:58,000
and picks him up.

457
00:23:58,083 --> 00:24:00,917
And the Bible says that he
kissed him, in the Greek,

458
00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:03,917
kept kissing him.

459
00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:05,917
Some of you dads are not
affectionate enough

460
00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:08,917
with your children,
especially your sons.

461
00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:11,417
Some of you say, "Well,
I need to be tough."

462
00:24:11,500 --> 00:24:13,833
Fathers, we need to
be tough and tender.

463
00:24:13,875 --> 00:24:16,250
If you're only tender,

464
00:24:16,333 --> 00:24:18,500
you're not going to protect
your family.

465
00:24:18,583 --> 00:24:24,458
If you're only tough, you're
going to be their abuser.

466
00:24:24,500 --> 00:24:29,458
So you be tough for your family,
be tender with your family.

467
00:24:29,500 --> 00:24:34,167
You protect them and
you be a safe place.

468
00:24:34,208 --> 00:24:37,500
And this father, he's here
very tender with his son.

469
00:24:37,583 --> 00:24:41,125
Some of you have never
been hugged by a father.

470
00:24:41,167 --> 00:24:45,667
Some of you men haven't been
hugged by your father in years.

471
00:24:45,750 --> 00:24:48,083
I just need to tell
all of you dads,

472
00:24:48,167 --> 00:24:49,833
you always hug
and kiss your kids.

473
00:24:49,875 --> 00:24:54,167
It doesn't matter how big
they are, even the boys.

474
00:24:54,250 --> 00:24:56,500
Now you don't do
it embarrassing.

475
00:24:56,583 --> 00:24:59,333
All right, you don't run into
their dugout after they hit

476
00:24:59,417 --> 00:25:04,500
a double and kiss them,
all right?

477
00:25:04,542 --> 00:25:07,542
That's not acceptable.

478
00:25:09,833 --> 00:25:12,583
But when you're home or when
you're alone, you acceptably,

479
00:25:12,667 --> 00:25:14,667
lovingly give them
a hug and a kiss.

480
00:25:14,750 --> 00:25:17,917
And this could even be coming up
from behind them when the boys

481
00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:19,917
are bigger, give
them a big bear hug

482
00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:21,917
and a kiss on top of the head.

483
00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:23,417
"Your daddy loves you."

484
00:25:23,500 --> 00:25:25,750
And they'll--sometimes
they'll squirm.

485
00:25:25,833 --> 00:25:27,750
And they'll say things
like, "Don't do that!"

486
00:25:27,833 --> 00:25:29,750
And what they mean
is, "Do that again."

487
00:25:29,833 --> 00:25:33,583
That's what they mean.

488
00:25:33,667 --> 00:25:35,583
And that's exactly
what this daddy does.

489
00:25:35,667 --> 00:25:39,667
And it says that
he had compassion.

490
00:25:39,708 --> 00:25:41,000
Can you see that?

491
00:25:41,042 --> 00:25:43,833
In the dad's eyes,
compassion.

492
00:25:43,875 --> 00:25:46,333
It says that he embraced him
and he kissed him

493
00:25:46,375 --> 00:25:49,000
and that he celebrated.

494
00:25:49,042 --> 00:25:51,167
The dad is really happy.

495
00:25:51,250 --> 00:25:53,667
And again, who's the father?

496
00:25:53,708 --> 00:25:56,167
In the story, who's
the father typify?

497
00:25:56,208 --> 00:26:00,167
It's God, right, that we're
like this prodigal son.

498
00:26:00,208 --> 00:26:04,625
We sin and rebel
and ruin our life,

499
00:26:04,667 --> 00:26:07,583
and if in repentance we
turn back to the Father,

500
00:26:07,667 --> 00:26:09,167
he runs to meet us.

501
00:26:09,250 --> 00:26:15,333
He's compassionate, he embraces
us, he blesses us,

502
00:26:15,417 --> 00:26:19,333
he kisses us,
he celebrates with us.

503
00:26:19,375 --> 00:26:23,167
What a great Father we have.

504
00:26:23,208 --> 00:26:25,333
And he's here setting
a precedent for the whole

505
00:26:25,417 --> 00:26:28,583
community because the other
people would treat the son

506
00:26:28,667 --> 00:26:30,167
however the father
treated the son.

507
00:26:30,250 --> 00:26:34,083
He got to make the call.

508
00:26:34,167 --> 00:26:36,458
Because he's rejoicing,
everyone should rejoice.

509
00:26:36,500 --> 00:26:39,625
Because he's received his son,
everyone should receive his son.

510
00:26:39,667 --> 00:26:42,500
And this is a good word
for us as a church.

511
00:26:42,542 --> 00:26:44,958
If God embraces someone,
we need to embrace them.

512
00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:48,000
If God welcomes someone,
we need to welcome them.

513
00:26:48,083 --> 00:26:50,167
If God has thrown
his arms around them,

514
00:26:50,250 --> 00:26:53,333
we need to do the same.

515
00:26:53,375 --> 00:26:57,292
And the Bible says then
the father is lavish.

516
00:26:57,333 --> 00:26:59,625
It says, "Get him a ring."

517
00:26:59,667 --> 00:27:03,833
And a ring in that day was
a way of transacting business.

518
00:27:03,917 --> 00:27:06,667
This would be akin in our
day to the father saying,

519
00:27:06,750 --> 00:27:09,000
"Go get the notary public.

520
00:27:09,083 --> 00:27:14,000
"We've got to add this
boy to our bank accounts.

521
00:27:14,083 --> 00:27:16,958
"We're going to need
a credit card for him.

522
00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:20,667
"He's going to need
some clothes.

523
00:27:20,750 --> 00:27:23,625
"He's sold everything,
he's lost everything.

524
00:27:23,667 --> 00:27:25,667
"We're going to
need to bless him.

525
00:27:25,750 --> 00:27:28,083
"Legally, financially, we're
going to reinstate him

526
00:27:28,167 --> 00:27:30,667
as a member of the family."

527
00:27:30,708 --> 00:27:34,500
Now some of you say,
"He doesn't deserve that!"

528
00:27:34,542 --> 00:27:36,417
That's grace.

529
00:27:36,500 --> 00:27:37,917
Grace is unmerited.

530
00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:40,667
Grace is undeserved.

531
00:27:40,750 --> 00:27:43,417
Romans tells us that
it's the kindness of God

532
00:27:43,500 --> 00:27:46,250
that leads to repentance.

533
00:27:46,333 --> 00:27:49,250
This dad is going to be kind
and gracious to this boy,

534
00:27:49,333 --> 00:27:53,792
and that kind grace is going
to continue to change him.

535
00:27:53,833 --> 00:27:56,500
It's the same kind grace
that caused him to come home.

536
00:27:56,542 --> 00:28:01,167
It will compel him to
continue with his father.

537
00:28:01,250 --> 00:28:05,250
Additionally, he says,
"Get him some shoes."

538
00:28:05,333 --> 00:28:09,958
In that day, slaves
were barefoot.

539
00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:14,000
Those who were
free wore shoes.

540
00:28:14,042 --> 00:28:18,167
This boy apparently had gotten
to such a desperate place

541
00:28:18,250 --> 00:28:23,583
that he had sold his shoes.

542
00:28:23,667 --> 00:28:26,958
And so he's humiliated.

543
00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:30,500
And the father says, "No, we're
going to put shoes on you, Son."

544
00:28:30,542 --> 00:28:34,917
It means he made that whole walk
home just feeling--and the roads

545
00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:36,833
in those days were
dirty and gross.

546
00:28:36,917 --> 00:28:40,958
Animals traveled on them and
there wasn't a clean-up crew

547
00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:44,625
so there's just a really gross
condition on the road

548
00:28:44,667 --> 00:28:47,917
of animal feces and urine
and dirt and mud

549
00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:53,667
and trash all over his feet.

550
00:28:53,750 --> 00:28:55,750
He's embarrassed, he's
humiliated, he's ashamed.

551
00:28:55,833 --> 00:28:59,875
With every single
step, he's reminded,

552
00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:03,167
"I've really sinned
against my father.

553
00:29:03,250 --> 00:29:05,833
And look what I've
done to myself."

554
00:29:05,917 --> 00:29:08,000
And his father says,
"Let's clean him up.

555
00:29:08,083 --> 00:29:09,667
"Let's put some shoes on him.

556
00:29:09,750 --> 00:29:13,167
My son needs his dignity back."

557
00:29:13,250 --> 00:29:16,583
He doesn't look at his son and
say, "You know, in a few months,

558
00:29:16,667 --> 00:29:19,083
"if I feel like you've
actually made some changes,

559
00:29:19,167 --> 00:29:21,667
then I'm going to take
you shoe shopping."

560
00:29:21,750 --> 00:29:23,583
Some parents are like that.

561
00:29:23,667 --> 00:29:25,917
"If you earn it, then
I'll give you grace."

562
00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:28,667
Well, then it's not grace
because grace is

563
00:29:28,750 --> 00:29:31,417
by definition undeserved.

564
00:29:31,500 --> 00:29:33,667
And he says, "Let's
get him a coat,"

565
00:29:33,750 --> 00:29:37,500
like Joseph got this
coat from his father.

566
00:29:37,542 --> 00:29:41,917
"Let's honor him, let's
cover him, let's protect him,

567
00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:45,833
let's comfort him."

568
00:29:45,917 --> 00:29:50,083
How do you think the boy
feels at that moment?

569
00:29:50,167 --> 00:29:52,958
He's overwhelmed.

570
00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:56,292
See, because in that day, if a
son rebelled against a father

571
00:29:56,333 --> 00:29:59,667
like that, it was his duty to
bring a gift to his father,

572
00:29:59,708 --> 00:30:02,667
sort of a peace
offering and an apology.

573
00:30:02,708 --> 00:30:06,167
"Dad, I am so sorry and I bought
this gift and I'm giving it

574
00:30:06,208 --> 00:30:09,750
to you so that you'll know
that I'm really sorry."

575
00:30:09,833 --> 00:30:11,250
The boy comes what?

576
00:30:11,333 --> 00:30:13,750
Hands full, or hands empty?

577
00:30:13,833 --> 00:30:15,417
Hands empty.

578
00:30:15,500 --> 00:30:17,417
And this is a great
picture of us,

579
00:30:17,500 --> 00:30:21,667
empty-handed sinners just going
to the Father, asking for grace.

580
00:30:21,750 --> 00:30:25,125
And he's--actually,
I should correct that.

581
00:30:25,167 --> 00:30:28,750
I feel like the Holy Spirit
wants me to correct that.

582
00:30:28,833 --> 00:30:31,792
This boy didn't ask
for anything, did he?

583
00:30:31,833 --> 00:30:35,833
The father just gave it.

584
00:30:35,875 --> 00:30:40,167
The father just gave it, and
that's how God works with us.

585
00:30:40,208 --> 00:30:43,083
He gives things to people
who don't deserve it

586
00:30:43,167 --> 00:30:45,333
and didn't even ask for it.

587
00:30:45,417 --> 00:30:47,167
He's a God of grace.

588
00:30:47,250 --> 00:30:50,792
Salvation is this amazing gift
to a bunch of ill-deserving

589
00:30:50,833 --> 00:30:54,500
rebels who don't
even ask for it.

590
00:30:54,583 --> 00:30:56,583
And that's what
the father does.

591
00:30:56,667 --> 00:31:01,417
Can you feel
the heart of the son?

592
00:31:01,500 --> 00:31:04,833
And then the father
goes over the top.

593
00:31:04,917 --> 00:31:07,083
"Somebody get me
an event coordinator!

594
00:31:07,167 --> 00:31:10,167
"We're going to need a band.

595
00:31:10,250 --> 00:31:14,250
"All right, set up the tables,
invite the whole community.

596
00:31:14,333 --> 00:31:19,792
"Everybody who was so grieved
for me and embarrassed for me,

597
00:31:19,833 --> 00:31:21,750
"bring them in.

598
00:31:21,833 --> 00:31:24,625
We're going to have
a huge barbecue."

599
00:31:24,667 --> 00:31:28,500
They didn't eat meat very often,
especially a fattened calf.

600
00:31:28,583 --> 00:31:31,500
This is for a big
deal, like a wedding.

601
00:31:31,583 --> 00:31:34,500
"We're going to throw a huge
party and I'm going to spend

602
00:31:34,583 --> 00:31:35,958
"more money on this kid.

603
00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:38,458
"This kid who's already
blown a lot of money,

604
00:31:38,500 --> 00:31:39,958
"we're going to blow some more.

605
00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:41,958
"And we're going to
rejoice and celebrate

606
00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:44,333
that what was lost is found."

607
00:31:44,375 --> 00:31:46,625
And everybody
comes and rejoices.

608
00:31:46,667 --> 00:31:49,458
And as they're partying
and celebrating

609
00:31:49,500 --> 00:31:51,833
the return of
the rebellious son,

610
00:31:51,917 --> 00:31:55,333
we're then introduced
to the religious son.

611
00:31:55,375 --> 00:31:58,292
The religious son is
a seemingly good boy.

612
00:31:58,333 --> 00:32:00,958
He's out in
the field, working hard.

613
00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:03,333
See, because now his
job has gotten harder.

614
00:32:03,417 --> 00:32:06,125
It used to be that he and his
brother split oversight

615
00:32:06,167 --> 00:32:08,083
of the family business.

616
00:32:08,167 --> 00:32:11,292
Well, since his brother went off
to the big city to blow money

617
00:32:11,333 --> 00:32:14,917
and be a fool, now he
has to do both jobs.

618
00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:17,167
He's working harder than ever.

619
00:32:17,208 --> 00:32:19,333
So he's out in
the field, working hard.

620
00:32:19,417 --> 00:32:22,667
He hears a ruckus and he sees
a crowd and he's wondering

621
00:32:22,750 --> 00:32:25,417
what's going on, so he
approaches the home

622
00:32:25,500 --> 00:32:28,583
and the band gets louder
and he can smell barbecue

623
00:32:28,667 --> 00:32:31,083
and he's wondering what
the situation is.

624
00:32:31,167 --> 00:32:34,250
And some of the people who are
on the outskirts of the party

625
00:32:34,333 --> 00:32:35,917
say, "Haven't you
heard the news?

626
00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:37,917
"Your brother was
lost, now he's found.

627
00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:39,417
"He's returned home.

628
00:32:39,500 --> 00:32:41,417
"Your dad's throwing
a huge party

629
00:32:41,500 --> 00:32:43,250
"and he's blowing a ton of money

630
00:32:43,333 --> 00:32:46,167
to celebrate the return
of your brother."

631
00:32:46,208 --> 00:32:49,667
And the religious brother
becomes indignant and bitter

632
00:32:49,750 --> 00:32:52,833
and self-righteous and critical.

633
00:32:52,917 --> 00:32:55,250
And the religious brother
walks up to his father

634
00:32:55,333 --> 00:32:56,667
and he dishonors his dad.

635
00:32:56,750 --> 00:32:59,500
"Dad, what are you doing?"

636
00:32:59,542 --> 00:33:01,917
You ever said that
to your parent?

637
00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:04,500
"What are you doing?"

638
00:33:04,542 --> 00:33:07,333
"Well, your brother,
he's repented.

639
00:33:07,375 --> 00:33:09,500
"He's come back to God
and to us.

640
00:33:09,542 --> 00:33:11,833
"There's hope, he's not dead.

641
00:33:11,917 --> 00:33:15,500
"I think it's real and genuine,
so we need to celebrate this

642
00:33:15,542 --> 00:33:17,917
"and encourage this.

643
00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:21,083
"Son, please come in.
Join the party.

644
00:33:21,167 --> 00:33:23,833
"Your brother would
love to see you.

645
00:33:23,917 --> 00:33:27,583
He feels bad about
what he's done."

646
00:33:27,667 --> 00:33:29,917
"Dad, there's no
way I'm going in!

647
00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:31,917
"I'm not going to
reconcile with him.

648
00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:37,583
"When he turned his back and he
walked away, he was dead to me.

649
00:33:37,667 --> 00:33:40,667
"I don't want to see him.
I don't want to talk to him.

650
00:33:40,750 --> 00:33:42,625
"I don't want to celebrate him.

651
00:33:42,667 --> 00:33:45,500
"I don't want to treat
him like a hero.

652
00:33:45,542 --> 00:33:48,792
"Dad, I'm still a virgin.

653
00:33:48,833 --> 00:33:52,000
"He's been out with all
kinds of loose women.

654
00:33:52,083 --> 00:33:54,000
"I've not spent
any of your money.

655
00:33:54,083 --> 00:33:57,250
"He blew a third of our estate.

656
00:33:57,333 --> 00:34:01,292
"I was doing all my chores
and doing his as well.

657
00:34:01,333 --> 00:34:04,583
"He's an embarrassment.
He's a humiliation.

658
00:34:04,667 --> 00:34:08,000
"He's a shame.

659
00:34:08,083 --> 00:34:13,500
"That he has the same last
name as me, it's humiliating.

660
00:34:13,542 --> 00:34:16,167
"People ask me, 'How is
your brother doing?'

661
00:34:16,250 --> 00:34:18,167
"I don't even want
to talk about him.

662
00:34:18,208 --> 00:34:21,083
I'm ashamed of him."

663
00:34:21,167 --> 00:34:26,667
The father says, "Please, Son,
please come in to the party."

664
00:34:28,167 --> 00:34:30,125
"No."

665
00:34:30,167 --> 00:34:31,583
And he dishonors his father.

666
00:34:31,667 --> 00:34:34,000
He keeps saying, "You."

667
00:34:34,083 --> 00:34:38,500
You can see his finger pointed
and his brow furrowed, "No, you!

668
00:34:38,542 --> 00:34:41,292
"You, Dad, you need
think about this.

669
00:34:41,333 --> 00:34:43,667
"You need to rebuke him.
You need to discipline him.

670
00:34:43,750 --> 00:34:46,417
"You need to make him pay.

671
00:34:46,500 --> 00:34:49,167
You."

672
00:34:50,500 --> 00:34:55,000
What does the father say?

673
00:34:55,042 --> 00:35:00,667
He says, "Son, you're
always with me.

674
00:35:00,750 --> 00:35:03,583
"Son, I'm not agreeing with
anything your brother has done,

675
00:35:03,667 --> 00:35:08,292
"but I love you both
with all of my heart

676
00:35:08,333 --> 00:35:13,250
"and I welcome him home and I'm
glad you've never left.

677
00:35:16,542 --> 00:35:19,000
"You and I have
always been together.

678
00:35:19,083 --> 00:35:22,458
"My heart's desire is that
we would always be together.

679
00:35:22,500 --> 00:35:26,792
"This isn't anything
negative about you, Son.

680
00:35:26,833 --> 00:35:28,833
"He was lost, now he's found.

681
00:35:28,875 --> 00:35:30,333
"I've got my sons back.

682
00:35:30,375 --> 00:35:32,583
"I'm just really happy.

683
00:35:32,667 --> 00:35:34,125
"Yeah, he's lost weight.

684
00:35:34,167 --> 00:35:36,125
"Yeah, we got to
put him in rehab.

685
00:35:36,167 --> 00:35:38,000
"Yeah, his life is a wreck.

686
00:35:38,083 --> 00:35:42,625
"But he's alive and he's back.

687
00:35:42,667 --> 00:35:45,958
"And were this you, I would feel
exactly the same because

688
00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:48,833
I love both you boys the same."

689
00:35:48,875 --> 00:35:52,417
This dad's not
playing favorites.

690
00:35:52,500 --> 00:35:54,917
He also says, "All
that is mine is yours."

691
00:35:55,000 --> 00:35:57,667
"Son, look, he blew
his inheritance.

692
00:35:57,750 --> 00:35:59,833
"Yours is still there.

693
00:35:59,917 --> 00:36:02,583
Son, if you're worried
about the money, don't be."

694
00:36:02,667 --> 00:36:04,500
According to
the provision of the law,

695
00:36:04,583 --> 00:36:07,000
the younger son got
a third of the estate,

696
00:36:07,083 --> 00:36:09,333
the older son got
two-thirds of the estate.

697
00:36:09,417 --> 00:36:11,917
Because upon the death of
the father the oldest son

698
00:36:12,000 --> 00:36:14,500
would become the patriarch
and he would oversee

699
00:36:14,583 --> 00:36:17,417
not only the immediate, but also
the extended family,

700
00:36:17,500 --> 00:36:23,500
so he'd have to look after and
tend to the extended family.

701
00:36:23,542 --> 00:36:26,000
So he says, "Son, yeah,
he blew his inheritance.

702
00:36:26,042 --> 00:36:28,167
"Your two-thirds is still there.

703
00:36:28,250 --> 00:36:30,167
"I haven't touched any of that.

704
00:36:30,250 --> 00:36:32,500
"And it's all yours.
It's all yours.

705
00:36:32,583 --> 00:36:35,500
"And if you want to be generous
with your brother, feel free,

706
00:36:35,583 --> 00:36:37,500
"but it's your money,
you make the decision.

707
00:36:37,583 --> 00:36:39,000
"I don't care about the money.

708
00:36:39,083 --> 00:36:44,500
I just want my sons and I
want us to be a family."

709
00:36:44,542 --> 00:36:47,125
And he says it was, quote,
"Fitting to celebrate

710
00:36:47,167 --> 00:36:50,500
and be glad."

711
00:36:50,583 --> 00:36:53,625
"Son, it's
the right thing to do."

712
00:36:53,667 --> 00:36:58,500
This is what the heart
of the father is.

713
00:36:58,542 --> 00:37:04,167
And the religious son says,
"No. No.

714
00:37:04,208 --> 00:37:10,292
"I will not rejoice at
the return of he who rebelled.

715
00:37:10,333 --> 00:37:12,167
"I will not!

716
00:37:12,250 --> 00:37:16,417
"I will not join in
this celebration.

717
00:37:16,500 --> 00:37:18,583
"I will not submit
to your request.

718
00:37:18,667 --> 00:37:20,417
"I will not enter the home.

719
00:37:20,500 --> 00:37:24,833
I will not reconcile
with my brother."

720
00:37:27,542 --> 00:37:32,583
We've got two sons, the
rebellious and the religious.

721
00:37:32,667 --> 00:37:35,625
My question to you is this:

722
00:37:35,667 --> 00:37:38,083
Which are you?

723
00:37:38,167 --> 00:37:44,083
Every one of us tends to lean
one direction or the other.

724
00:37:44,167 --> 00:37:46,917
Some of us, we lean rebellious.

725
00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:51,833
Others of us lean religious.

726
00:37:51,917 --> 00:37:56,250
Let me unpack this
a bit for you.

727
00:37:56,333 --> 00:37:58,958
Rebellion is about innovation.

728
00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:03,667
New lifestyle, new sexuality,
new culture, new day.

729
00:38:03,750 --> 00:38:06,333
"I'm not going to be
bound by the past.

730
00:38:06,417 --> 00:38:08,417
"Things are different now.

731
00:38:08,500 --> 00:38:09,833
It's the 21st century."

732
00:38:09,875 --> 00:38:14,833
They were saying that in
the first century too.

733
00:38:14,917 --> 00:38:17,167
Religion is about tradition.

734
00:38:17,250 --> 00:38:19,417
"This is the way we've
always done things.

735
00:38:19,500 --> 00:38:23,083
We need to keep our
customs and traditions."

736
00:38:23,167 --> 00:38:25,417
People who are religious
like to say things like,

737
00:38:25,500 --> 00:38:29,125
"I wish we could just get
back to the good old days."

738
00:38:29,167 --> 00:38:31,458
Ecclesiastes says,
"Do not ask,

739
00:38:31,500 --> 00:38:33,625
"'Why were the old days
better than these?'

740
00:38:33,667 --> 00:38:37,000
It's foolish to
ask that question."

741
00:38:37,083 --> 00:38:40,583
Fifty years ago, there was sin.

742
00:38:40,667 --> 00:38:43,500
Five hundred years
ago, there was sin.

743
00:38:43,583 --> 00:38:48,000
Five thousand years
ago, there was sin.

744
00:38:49,500 --> 00:38:51,833
Rebellion is about
nonconformity.

745
00:38:51,917 --> 00:38:54,958
"I'm not going to abide by
the cultural presuppositions

746
00:38:55,000 --> 00:38:58,167
and standards," right?

747
00:38:58,250 --> 00:39:00,500
Nonconformity.

748
00:39:00,583 --> 00:39:03,958
Urban, arty, indie culture says,

749
00:39:04,000 --> 00:39:08,917
"It's all about self-expression,
nonconforming."

750
00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:11,625
So it's alternative sexuality
and alternative spirituality and

751
00:39:11,667 --> 00:39:14,500
alternative political ideology
because it's all about

752
00:39:14,542 --> 00:39:19,000
expression, like
that's a good thing.

753
00:39:19,083 --> 00:39:22,292
Because it's not.
It's just nonconformity.

754
00:39:22,333 --> 00:39:24,625
Whereas religion's
all about conformity.

755
00:39:24,667 --> 00:39:26,083
"Play by the rules.

756
00:39:26,167 --> 00:39:29,292
"Make sure you do what's
best for everyone.

757
00:39:29,333 --> 00:39:31,000
Don't stick out."

758
00:39:31,042 --> 00:39:33,833
You know, "Dress the same,
act the same, live the same.

759
00:39:33,917 --> 00:39:38,500
Don't be a unique individual."

760
00:39:38,583 --> 00:39:40,792
Rebellion breaks the rules.

761
00:39:40,833 --> 00:39:42,583
All right,
that's the son.

762
00:39:42,667 --> 00:39:44,500
He breaks the rules.

763
00:39:44,583 --> 00:39:46,333
Religion is about
keeping the rules.

764
00:39:46,417 --> 00:39:48,417
And that's exactly what
the religious son says,

765
00:39:48,500 --> 00:39:50,667
"Dad, I've never," he
literally says this,

766
00:39:50,750 --> 00:39:53,083
"I've never broken any rules.

767
00:39:53,167 --> 00:39:59,667
"When we were kids, you gave us
a chore chart and every day

768
00:39:59,708 --> 00:40:03,083
"I've checked every box
for every chore.

769
00:40:03,167 --> 00:40:04,667
"And he didn't!

770
00:40:04,750 --> 00:40:06,667
"I'm the good kid,
he's the bad kid.

771
00:40:06,750 --> 00:40:10,833
I keep the rules,
he breaks the rules."

772
00:40:10,875 --> 00:40:14,583
Rebellion tends to be liberal.

773
00:40:14,667 --> 00:40:16,583
For some of you,
that's a good word.

774
00:40:16,667 --> 00:40:17,958
You like that word.

775
00:40:18,000 --> 00:40:19,333
"Liberal, that's me.

776
00:40:19,417 --> 00:40:21,000
I'm liberal."

777
00:40:21,083 --> 00:40:23,833
For some of you, you say,
"That's a very bad word."

778
00:40:23,917 --> 00:40:28,083
That's because you're
conservative, right?

779
00:40:28,167 --> 00:40:32,458
For some of you,
“conservative” is a very bad
word.

780
00:40:32,500 --> 00:40:35,917
Religion tends
to be conservative.

781
00:40:36,000 --> 00:40:38,667
Religious people, they always
take the conservative side.

782
00:40:38,750 --> 00:40:41,750
Rebellious people always
take the liberal side.

783
00:40:41,833 --> 00:40:43,917
And they fight and they argue.

784
00:40:44,000 --> 00:40:45,792
That's why we have
two political parties

785
00:40:45,833 --> 00:40:48,458
and two kinds of talk radio.

786
00:40:48,500 --> 00:40:51,750
And the rebellious
criticize the religious,

787
00:40:51,833 --> 00:40:57,167
and the religious
criticize the rebellious.

788
00:40:57,250 --> 00:40:58,917
Rebellion tends to be immoral.

789
00:40:59,000 --> 00:41:03,000
You can look at the rebellious
son, it's obvious he's immoral.

790
00:41:03,042 --> 00:41:06,250
The guy with a whole group of
women that are going to his

791
00:41:06,333 --> 00:41:11,083
condo to drink and be up all
night breaking commandments,

792
00:41:11,167 --> 00:41:12,750
he's not fooling anybody.

793
00:41:12,833 --> 00:41:14,083
He's not even trying.

794
00:41:14,167 --> 00:41:16,958
You log on to his Facebook
account, click photos,

795
00:41:17,000 --> 00:41:22,625
it's pretty clear
what's been going on.

796
00:41:22,667 --> 00:41:25,458
The religious guy, he's moral.

797
00:41:25,500 --> 00:41:28,833
He's really--he's a moral guy.

798
00:41:28,875 --> 00:41:31,583
He's up early, to bed late,
works hard, never cheats,

799
00:41:31,667 --> 00:41:33,917
keeps the rules, doesn't
drink, doesn't smoke.

800
00:41:34,000 --> 00:41:37,167
He is clean living.

801
00:41:37,208 --> 00:41:39,125
Very moral.

802
00:41:39,167 --> 00:41:42,125
Rebellion is about
being disobedient.

803
00:41:42,167 --> 00:41:44,792
So the rebellious son,
he disobeys his father,

804
00:41:44,833 --> 00:41:46,917
he disobeys God.

805
00:41:47,000 --> 00:41:50,583
The religious son, he's
all about being obedient.

806
00:41:50,667 --> 00:41:52,167
"I obey.

807
00:41:52,208 --> 00:41:54,417
You tell me to do
something, I do it."

808
00:41:54,500 --> 00:41:57,333
Very compliant.

809
00:41:57,417 --> 00:42:00,750
Rebellion ultimately
is about being lazy.

810
00:42:00,833 --> 00:42:02,833
Some of you call
it being an artist.

811
00:42:02,875 --> 00:42:06,458
It's really just lazy.

812
00:42:06,500 --> 00:42:10,667
Because artists will say,
"I work when I'm inspired,"

813
00:42:10,708 --> 00:42:15,167
which is a very creative
way of saying, "I'm lazy."

814
00:42:15,250 --> 00:42:18,917
All right, now, the
rebellious son, he's lazy.

815
00:42:19,000 --> 00:42:21,583
He takes all his dad's money,
but he doesn't go out

816
00:42:21,667 --> 00:42:23,167
and earn his own.

817
00:42:23,208 --> 00:42:25,833
He doesn't invest his
dad's money, he blows it.

818
00:42:25,875 --> 00:42:27,417
He's lazy.

819
00:42:27,500 --> 00:42:29,917
Religion is about working hard
and that's exactly what

820
00:42:30,000 --> 00:42:31,417
the religious son says.

821
00:42:31,500 --> 00:42:34,333
"Dad, I've worked very,
very, very, very hard.

822
00:42:34,417 --> 00:42:37,167
I'm very hard-working."

823
00:42:37,250 --> 00:42:40,833
Rebellion, the sin is visible.

824
00:42:40,917 --> 00:42:43,000
It's obvious.

825
00:42:43,083 --> 00:42:46,000
The guy's lost weight, strung
out, on his way to rehab,

826
00:42:46,083 --> 00:42:48,583
and can't find shoes.

827
00:42:48,667 --> 00:42:50,500
It's visible.

828
00:42:50,583 --> 00:42:52,333
In religion,
the sin is invisible.

829
00:42:52,375 --> 00:42:55,333
It's not out there,
it's in here.

830
00:42:55,375 --> 00:42:57,500
He's got pride
and self-righteousness

831
00:42:57,583 --> 00:43:02,500
and a critical spirit
in his heart.

832
00:43:05,500 --> 00:43:12,000
Rebellion uses people just
like this son used his dad.

833
00:43:12,042 --> 00:43:14,625
He just used him for the money.

834
00:43:14,667 --> 00:43:17,000
Those of you who are
rebellious, you use people.

835
00:43:17,083 --> 00:43:20,000
You want your parents, family,
friends, coworkers, boyfriend,

836
00:43:20,042 --> 00:43:22,000
girlfriend, husband,
wife, church,

837
00:43:22,083 --> 00:43:26,917
government to just pick up
your mess and pay your tab.

838
00:43:27,000 --> 00:43:29,583
You use people.

839
00:43:29,667 --> 00:43:34,083
Religious people don't use
people, they judge people.

840
00:43:34,167 --> 00:43:37,583
"You're stupid, you're
lazy, you're an idiot,

841
00:43:37,667 --> 00:43:41,083
you're not as good as me."

842
00:43:41,167 --> 00:43:44,333
That's exactly what
the religious son does.

843
00:43:44,417 --> 00:43:47,917
Rebellion is unrighteous.

844
00:43:48,000 --> 00:43:51,500
It's just unrighteous.

845
00:43:51,583 --> 00:43:55,125
Religion is self-righteous.

846
00:43:55,167 --> 00:43:58,125
Rebellion is, "I'm my own person
and I express myself

847
00:43:58,167 --> 00:44:01,083
"and I'm a free spirit and I'm
unique and I don't play

848
00:44:01,167 --> 00:44:04,833
by the rules and I do what I
feel and I'm true to myself."

849
00:44:04,875 --> 00:44:07,000
And it's unrighteous.

850
00:44:07,042 --> 00:44:08,583
And religion comes
along and says,

851
00:44:08,667 --> 00:44:11,083
"And I'm better than those
people and I'm smarter than

852
00:44:11,167 --> 00:44:13,958
"those people and I'm harder
working and more compliant

853
00:44:14,000 --> 00:44:16,417
"and I make a better
contribution to society.

854
00:44:16,500 --> 00:44:20,750
They ruin everything and I'm
the one holding it together."

855
00:44:20,833 --> 00:44:23,167
They're self-righteous.

856
00:44:23,250 --> 00:44:26,292
And the only thing
in the story that

857
00:44:26,333 --> 00:44:29,333
the rebellious and the religious
son hold in common?

858
00:44:29,375 --> 00:44:31,125
They're both using the father.

859
00:44:31,167 --> 00:44:33,167
Neither of them is loving him.

860
00:44:33,250 --> 00:44:37,583
The rebellious son uses
the father to go sin,

861
00:44:37,667 --> 00:44:40,583
and when it actually comes down
to where the father is looking

862
00:44:40,667 --> 00:44:44,667
the religious son in
the eye, saying, "Son, please,

863
00:44:44,708 --> 00:44:48,167
"come into the house, reconcile
with your brother,

864
00:44:48,208 --> 00:44:49,667
"make your father happy.

865
00:44:49,750 --> 00:44:52,500
Let's do the gospel here."

866
00:44:52,583 --> 00:44:54,625
He says, "No, Dad.

867
00:44:54,667 --> 00:44:58,333
"I was just using you to
build an economic empire.

868
00:44:58,375 --> 00:45:01,167
"I was using you to
build my resume.

869
00:45:01,208 --> 00:45:04,792
"I was using you to build
my legacy and now, Dad,

870
00:45:04,833 --> 00:45:06,958
"that you want me to love you?

871
00:45:07,000 --> 00:45:09,500
The answer is no."

872
00:45:09,583 --> 00:45:11,833
Both sons were using
the father.

873
00:45:11,875 --> 00:45:15,125
They were just using
him in different ways.

874
00:45:15,167 --> 00:45:17,167
Neither of them loved him.

875
00:45:18,000 --> 00:45:21,125
Neither of them loved him.

876
00:45:21,167 --> 00:45:25,500
My question to you is
this: which are you?

877
00:45:25,583 --> 00:45:28,417
Rebellious or religious?

878
00:45:28,500 --> 00:45:30,833
Are you more rebellious
or religious?

879
00:45:30,917 --> 00:45:33,833
When your heart inclines
one way or the other,

880
00:45:33,875 --> 00:45:36,167
which direction does it go?

881
00:45:36,250 --> 00:45:38,417
And during the course
of your life

882
00:45:38,500 --> 00:45:41,000
these need not be
mutually exclusive.

883
00:45:41,083 --> 00:45:46,500
I have seen some people who
are really rebellious

884
00:45:46,542 --> 00:45:50,167
all of a sudden become
really religious.

885
00:45:50,208 --> 00:45:53,000
All of a sudden they're like,
"I can't believe they're wearing

886
00:45:53,042 --> 00:45:56,833
"that, smoking that, drinking
that, acting like that.

887
00:45:56,917 --> 00:46:00,958
"I used to do that yesterday
and I am mortified

888
00:46:01,000 --> 00:46:03,583
by their behavior."

889
00:46:03,667 --> 00:46:07,625
It's like,
"Really? Really?

890
00:46:07,667 --> 00:46:11,167
You flipped so quick."

891
00:46:11,250 --> 00:46:12,667
I've seen just the opposite,

892
00:46:12,750 --> 00:46:14,833
where people are
really religious.

893
00:46:14,875 --> 00:46:17,000
Conservative church,
conservative home,

894
00:46:17,042 --> 00:46:21,083
conservative schooling,
conservative politics,

895
00:46:21,167 --> 00:46:25,000
very, very conservative.

896
00:46:25,083 --> 00:46:27,500
And sometimes it's
even like this guy.

897
00:46:27,583 --> 00:46:30,000
They hit a certain age,
they move out of their

898
00:46:30,083 --> 00:46:31,500
parents' house, rebellious.

899
00:46:31,583 --> 00:46:33,167
They make up for lost time.

900
00:46:33,250 --> 00:46:34,583
They go far fast.

901
00:46:34,667 --> 00:46:37,083
They lose their mind.

902
00:46:39,250 --> 00:46:40,833
Which are you?

903
00:46:40,875 --> 00:46:43,250
Which way does
your heart incline?

904
00:46:43,333 --> 00:46:46,000
Rebellion or religion?

905
00:46:46,083 --> 00:46:49,667
Now, I'll tell you about me.

906
00:46:49,750 --> 00:46:52,917
And I think it's important that
we're all honest and I want you

907
00:46:53,000 --> 00:46:55,417
to be honest with your family,
friends, your community group,

908
00:46:55,500 --> 00:46:57,083
your own kids.

909
00:46:57,167 --> 00:47:00,667
Okay, now me, I use
myself as an example.

910
00:47:00,708 --> 00:47:04,667
Do you think I'm more prone
toward rebellion or religion?

911
00:47:04,750 --> 00:47:06,667
Religion.

912
00:47:06,708 --> 00:47:11,500
Even when I rebel, it's only
considered rebellion

913
00:47:11,542 --> 00:47:15,083
by those that are
more religious than me.

914
00:47:17,333 --> 00:47:18,667
Here's my story.

915
00:47:18,708 --> 00:47:20,583
I'll tell you my story.

916
00:47:20,667 --> 00:47:23,333
God didn't save me till
I was 19 years of age,

917
00:47:23,375 --> 00:47:24,667
a freshman in college.

918
00:47:24,750 --> 00:47:26,958
Before that, I grew up
in a neighborhood

919
00:47:27,000 --> 00:47:29,167
that I would say was rebellious.

920
00:47:29,250 --> 00:47:32,125
I grew up down in
SeaTac by the airport,

921
00:47:32,167 --> 00:47:33,667
some of you know my story,

922
00:47:33,750 --> 00:47:35,833
before it was incorporated
as a city.

923
00:47:35,917 --> 00:47:38,625
So if you have an airport
without a police force and

924
00:47:38,667 --> 00:47:42,958
everybody flies in anonymous,
it's going to go bad.

925
00:47:43,000 --> 00:47:44,792
Right, it's
the days of the judges.

926
00:47:44,833 --> 00:47:49,167
Everybody does right in his
own eyes, it's really bad.

927
00:47:49,208 --> 00:47:52,833
And so we had strip
clubs and prostitutes

928
00:47:52,875 --> 00:47:55,583
and the Green River Killer
and Ted Bundy and we found

929
00:47:55,667 --> 00:47:59,333
murdered women at
our Little League fields

930
00:47:59,417 --> 00:48:01,417
and it was like
the Wild West.

931
00:48:01,500 --> 00:48:03,625
It was a little crazy,
and that's the neighborhood

932
00:48:03,667 --> 00:48:07,833
I grew up in.

933
00:48:07,875 --> 00:48:09,917
As well, in this
rebellious neighborhood,

934
00:48:10,000 --> 00:48:11,333
there weren't any fathers.

935
00:48:11,375 --> 00:48:14,167
I was one of
the only kids with a dad.

936
00:48:14,208 --> 00:48:16,500
My dad hung sheetrock
to feed five kids

937
00:48:16,542 --> 00:48:18,958
until he broke his back.

938
00:48:19,000 --> 00:48:22,458
And my dad goes to Mars Hill now
and it's really cool to see

939
00:48:22,500 --> 00:48:24,583
what God's done in my family.

940
00:48:24,667 --> 00:48:27,667
But I decided I was
going to be the good kid.

941
00:48:27,750 --> 00:48:29,583
I was jack, marginal Catholic.

942
00:48:29,667 --> 00:48:32,083
Some Catholics love Jesus,
I wasn't one of them.

943
00:48:32,167 --> 00:48:33,833
I just thought,
"There is a God.

944
00:48:33,917 --> 00:48:35,250
You be a good person."

945
00:48:35,333 --> 00:48:37,417
That's basically it,
general religion, right?

946
00:48:37,500 --> 00:48:39,250
Those are the two
underpinnings of religion:

947
00:48:39,333 --> 00:48:42,417
There is a God, he wants
you to be good, so do it.

948
00:48:42,500 --> 00:48:43,958
That's religion.

949
00:48:44,000 --> 00:48:48,583
So for me, I never drank.

950
00:48:48,667 --> 00:48:50,833
I never drank.

951
00:48:50,917 --> 00:48:55,833
To this day I've never had
even a puff of a cigarette.

952
00:48:55,917 --> 00:48:57,833
Some of you say,
"It's not a sin."

953
00:48:57,917 --> 00:48:59,833
I just don't think it's
healthy, all right?

954
00:48:59,917 --> 00:49:05,000
And the evidence is on my side.

955
00:49:05,083 --> 00:49:09,750
I--to this day I have never
done any drugs in my whole life,

956
00:49:09,833 --> 00:49:11,750
even weed.

957
00:49:11,833 --> 00:49:14,750
I started having drugs offered
to me when I was as young

958
00:49:14,833 --> 00:49:16,167
as nine or ten.

959
00:49:16,208 --> 00:49:19,000
That's when I first remember
being offered all kinds of drugs

960
00:49:19,042 --> 00:49:22,667
and I said no
every single time.

961
00:49:22,708 --> 00:49:27,667
So I was the very,
you know, “good kid.”

962
00:49:27,750 --> 00:49:30,958
Good grades, student
body--in high school,

963
00:49:31,000 --> 00:49:35,167
student body president,
most likely to succeed,

964
00:49:35,250 --> 00:49:37,833
man of the year, editor
of the school paper,

965
00:49:37,875 --> 00:49:39,500
4-year letterman
in baseball.

966
00:49:39,542 --> 00:49:42,500
Every time there was a dance,
like a prom or homecoming or

967
00:49:42,542 --> 00:49:46,333
a tolo, I always got a crown on
my head and I was the king.

968
00:49:46,375 --> 00:49:47,833
That was me.

969
00:49:47,875 --> 00:49:50,667
They made me a “natural helper,”
which was where I would counsel

970
00:49:50,708 --> 00:49:55,333
other students,
which is ridiculous.

971
00:49:55,375 --> 00:49:58,167
And I wasn't a Christian
but I was the good kid.

972
00:49:58,208 --> 00:50:00,000
Now I'll share
something with you.

973
00:50:00,042 --> 00:50:02,583
And I'll show this to you.

974
00:50:02,667 --> 00:50:06,000
This is my letterman's
jacket from high school.

975
00:50:06,042 --> 00:50:07,458
Okay?

976
00:50:07,500 --> 00:50:09,625
Now what does it
say on the back?

977
00:50:09,667 --> 00:50:12,458
Mr. Driscoll.

978
00:50:12,500 --> 00:50:15,667
Okay now, let me
explain this to you.

979
00:50:15,708 --> 00:50:20,000
I decided I was
part of the faculty.

980
00:50:20,042 --> 00:50:23,958
Not a student,
part of the faculty.

981
00:50:24,000 --> 00:50:28,167
So I thought, "Everyone else
here is just drunken and stupid.

982
00:50:28,208 --> 00:50:30,125
I'll be one of the adults."

983
00:50:30,167 --> 00:50:33,167
And so I literally put
Mr. Driscoll on the back

984
00:50:33,250 --> 00:50:38,250
of my letterman's jacket
in my freshman year.

985
00:50:41,667 --> 00:50:44,500
I don't know why
you're laughing.

986
00:50:44,542 --> 00:50:49,250
I was very helpful
as part of the faculty.

987
00:50:50,750 --> 00:50:53,667
And so I just felt I was
morally superior to everyone.

988
00:50:53,708 --> 00:50:55,083
I'm a good person.

989
00:50:55,167 --> 00:50:57,083
Don't drink, don't
smoke, don't do drugs,

990
00:50:57,167 --> 00:50:59,083
don't beat people
unless they deserve it.

991
00:50:59,167 --> 00:51:02,458
I was a very good person.

992
00:51:02,500 --> 00:51:05,167
And then people would try
to take me to youth group.

993
00:51:05,208 --> 00:51:07,000
"Oh, you need to meet Jesus!"
"Why?"

994
00:51:07,042 --> 00:51:08,417
"He'll take away your sin."

995
00:51:08,500 --> 00:51:11,667
"I don't have sin.
I'm a good person.

996
00:51:11,750 --> 00:51:13,167
"I'm a moral person.

997
00:51:13,250 --> 00:51:16,167
I'm a decent person," right?

998
00:51:16,250 --> 00:51:21,583
I got crowns, like,
"I have crowns."

999
00:51:24,083 --> 00:51:27,667
And then I was reading the Bible
that Gracie gave me when I was

1000
00:51:27,750 --> 00:51:32,667
in college and I realized,
ah, religion's a sin.

1001
00:51:32,750 --> 00:51:34,417
Self-righteousness is a sin.

1002
00:51:34,500 --> 00:51:38,000
Ah, living your life apart from
your father

1003
00:51:38,042 --> 00:51:40,333
is the worst sin of all.

1004
00:51:40,417 --> 00:51:43,083
Pretending like you don't need
him and in your heart

1005
00:51:43,167 --> 00:51:46,583
you really don't love him.

1006
00:51:46,667 --> 00:51:48,625
Oh, my gosh, I'm religious.

1007
00:51:48,667 --> 00:51:50,458
I'm really religious.

1008
00:51:50,500 --> 00:51:54,000
Like, non-Christian religious.

1009
00:51:57,000 --> 00:52:01,000
And those are
the guys who murdered God.

1010
00:52:01,083 --> 00:52:03,583
And most religious people
just don't see it that way.

1011
00:52:03,667 --> 00:52:09,333
So my heart is to
incline toward religion,

1012
00:52:09,417 --> 00:52:12,833
to incline toward religion.

1013
00:52:12,917 --> 00:52:17,125
So we look at the story,
rebellious, religious.

1014
00:52:17,167 --> 00:52:19,083
How many of you are rebellious?

1015
00:52:19,167 --> 00:52:21,167
How many of you are religious?

1016
00:52:21,208 --> 00:52:26,250
And the question is,
Well, who should we be?

1017
00:52:28,333 --> 00:52:32,167
Some of you have tried both.

1018
00:52:32,250 --> 00:52:35,167
There's a third
son in the story.

1019
00:52:35,208 --> 00:52:38,333
It's actually the son
who tells the story.

1020
00:52:38,417 --> 00:52:40,833
He's the key
to the whole story.

1021
00:52:40,917 --> 00:52:42,417
He's not the rebellious son.

1022
00:52:42,500 --> 00:52:43,833
He never did sin.

1023
00:52:43,917 --> 00:52:45,792
He's not the religious son.

1024
00:52:45,833 --> 00:52:47,500
He's the Son of God.

1025
00:52:47,542 --> 00:52:49,917
His name is Jesus.

1026
00:52:50,000 --> 00:52:53,792
And yes, Jesus is friends
with those who are rebellious.

1027
00:52:53,833 --> 00:52:55,667
But he never does sin.

1028
00:52:55,750 --> 00:52:58,333
And he's actually friends
with those who are religious,

1029
00:52:58,375 --> 00:53:01,083
but he's not religious.

1030
00:53:01,167 --> 00:53:04,167
The religious people are going
to put him to death and he's

1031
00:53:04,250 --> 00:53:07,167
going to die for their sin
and the sin of the rebellious.

1032
00:53:07,250 --> 00:53:09,500
Jesus Christ is
God become a man.

1033
00:53:09,583 --> 00:53:11,917
He is our big brother.

1034
00:53:12,000 --> 00:53:15,667
He is the Son of God and at
this point in Luke's gospel,

1035
00:53:15,750 --> 00:53:19,958
starting in chapter 9 verse 50,
excuse me, in verse 51, it says,

1036
00:53:20,000 --> 00:53:22,167
"He set his face
toward Jerusalem."

1037
00:53:22,250 --> 00:53:24,583
So Jesus, the Son of God,
our big brother,

1038
00:53:24,667 --> 00:53:29,083
he's on a mission to get to
Jerusalem and to die on a cross

1039
00:53:29,167 --> 00:53:35,125
in our place for our
sins to pay our debt.

1040
00:53:35,167 --> 00:53:38,333
And he rises to
give us new life.

1041
00:53:38,375 --> 00:53:42,292
And so we all start
like the rebellious son,

1042
00:53:42,333 --> 00:53:45,167
like the religious son.

1043
00:53:45,250 --> 00:53:50,917
But because of Jesus we
can be like the third son.

1044
00:53:51,000 --> 00:53:55,333
Jesus Christ is how
the Father runs to us.

1045
00:53:55,417 --> 00:53:57,833
He's how the Father embraces us.

1046
00:53:57,917 --> 00:54:00,125
He's how the Father kisses us.

1047
00:54:00,167 --> 00:54:02,167
He's how the Father blesses us.

1048
00:54:02,250 --> 00:54:08,167
He's how the Father
adopts us into his family.

1049
00:54:08,208 --> 00:54:14,167
He actually clothes us with
a robe of his righteousness.

1050
00:54:14,208 --> 00:54:17,667
And the meal that we'll eat with
the Father at the end of time,

1051
00:54:17,750 --> 00:54:20,458
the great feast
to end all feasts,

1052
00:54:20,500 --> 00:54:23,917
will be a table set by
Jesus Christ, the Son of God,

1053
00:54:24,000 --> 00:54:25,917
our big brother.

1054
00:54:26,000 --> 00:54:29,583
And I tell it to you all
the time but I need to tell you

1055
00:54:29,667 --> 00:54:31,792
again because it's so important.

1056
00:54:31,833 --> 00:54:35,292
2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "God
made him who knew no sin

1057
00:54:35,333 --> 00:54:37,792
"to become sin so that
in him we might become

1058
00:54:37,833 --> 00:54:39,167
the righteousness of God."

1059
00:54:39,250 --> 00:54:41,292
Martin Luther calls
that the Great Exchange.

1060
00:54:41,333 --> 00:54:46,417
The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son
of God, he goes to the cross,

1061
00:54:46,500 --> 00:54:48,167
and there's this great exchange.

1062
00:54:48,250 --> 00:54:51,167
He takes upon himself
all of our sin.

1063
00:54:51,250 --> 00:54:53,083
For those of you
who are rebellious,

1064
00:54:53,167 --> 00:54:55,250
all of your rebellion.

1065
00:54:55,333 --> 00:54:58,917
For those of us, I include
myself, who are religious,

1066
00:54:59,000 --> 00:55:03,667
all of our religion.

1067
00:55:03,750 --> 00:55:07,500
And he invites us to put
to death, in his death,

1068
00:55:07,542 --> 00:55:11,500
our rebellion and our religion.

1069
00:55:11,542 --> 00:55:14,000
Some of you, this will shock you
because you thought

1070
00:55:14,042 --> 00:55:16,667
the only two options were
rebellion or religion.

1071
00:55:16,750 --> 00:55:20,167
No, there's a third
option, Jesus Christ.

1072
00:55:20,250 --> 00:55:23,000
Having our rebellion
and religion put to death

1073
00:55:23,083 --> 00:55:25,667
through his death,
as he rises from death

1074
00:55:25,708 --> 00:55:28,583
he gives us his righteousness.

1075
00:55:28,667 --> 00:55:32,083
So now just like the rebellious
son who stands before the father

1076
00:55:32,167 --> 00:55:38,500
empty handed and shoeless,
and he's given this grace,

1077
00:55:38,542 --> 00:55:42,417
we receive this gracious
gift of the righteousness,

1078
00:55:42,500 --> 00:55:46,500
the perfect Spirit-filled life
of obedience of Jesus Christ.

1079
00:55:49,833 --> 00:55:53,833
The result is we get to live a
new life because the Son of God

1080
00:55:53,917 --> 00:55:56,917
takes away our sin, gives
us his righteousness,

1081
00:55:57,000 --> 00:56:02,167
to live a life that is holy
but is humble and is helpful

1082
00:56:02,250 --> 00:56:06,667
toward others and has a heart of
compassion like the father and

1083
00:56:06,708 --> 00:56:10,417
runs to those who are repentant
like the father did and embraces

1084
00:56:10,500 --> 00:56:14,250
and kisses and welcomes and
graces them and is generous

1085
00:56:14,333 --> 00:56:17,500
toward them to extend the love
of the Father

1086
00:56:17,583 --> 00:56:20,875
that's been given to us.

1087
00:56:28,542 --> 00:56:34,333
My hope, my prayer is that you
would run home to the Father,

1088
00:56:36,000 --> 00:56:38,333
those of you who are rebellious

1089
00:56:38,417 --> 00:56:40,833
and those of us
who are religious.

1090
00:56:40,917 --> 00:56:43,333
Father God, thank you.

1091
00:56:43,417 --> 00:56:46,750
Thank you that we get
to use the word "Father."

1092
00:56:46,833 --> 00:56:51,667
Of all the words that you could
have chosen to reveal yourself

1093
00:56:51,708 --> 00:56:57,000
to us, what
a magnificent word that is.

1094
00:56:57,083 --> 00:57:01,167
A father, a dad.

1095
00:57:01,250 --> 00:57:07,333
Father God, for those of us who
are rebellious I pray that you

1096
00:57:07,375 --> 00:57:11,792
would send the Holy Spirit to
convince us that if we

1097
00:57:11,833 --> 00:57:16,958
turn around and head
home, you're waiting.

1098
00:57:17,000 --> 00:57:23,250
You're willing to run, to smile,
to have compassion,

1099
00:57:23,333 --> 00:57:29,458
to embrace, to keep kissing,
and to bless.

1100
00:57:29,500 --> 00:57:33,167
Father God, I pray that today
the rebellious would return home

1101
00:57:33,208 --> 00:57:35,958
to their Dad.

1102
00:57:36,000 --> 00:57:38,750
God, for those of us
who are religious,

1103
00:57:38,833 --> 00:57:41,833
we have a hard time rejoicing.

1104
00:57:41,917 --> 00:57:45,750
Grace makes us angry.

1105
00:57:45,833 --> 00:57:50,125
We like to judge.

1106
00:57:50,167 --> 00:57:52,333
We don't like to love.

1107
00:57:52,375 --> 00:57:56,000
We have a hard time with
emotion and celebration.

1108
00:57:56,042 --> 00:57:59,667
I pray God that you too would
send the Holy Spirit to those of

1109
00:57:59,708 --> 00:58:06,750
us who are religious so that we
might share in your joy, Father,

1110
00:58:07,917 --> 00:58:13,083
and celebrate your grace in the
other members of the family.

1111
00:58:13,167 --> 00:58:17,000
And God, thank you that you
don't turn sinners

1112
00:58:17,042 --> 00:58:20,500
who are rebellious into
the self-righteous who are

1113
00:58:20,583 --> 00:58:24,750
religious, that you call us both
to repent of our rebellion

1114
00:58:24,833 --> 00:58:28,167
and our religion and come to
Jesus, the Son of God,

1115
00:58:28,250 --> 00:58:32,500
who makes a new way, a way of
holiness by grace through faith

1116
00:58:32,583 --> 00:58:36,583
that leads to humility and love
for others and a great joy

1117
00:58:36,667 --> 00:58:38,167
in the presence of the Father.

1118
00:58:38,250 --> 00:58:40,167
Amen.