September 16, 2024 • 42 mins
In this week’s message, we explore the nature of God's forgiveness through a fresh lens. Drawing from the Psalms and three interactions with Jesus, we challenge conventional religious wisdom about how and when God forgives.
We examine the accounts of the paralytic man, the woman with the alabaster jar, and the woman caught in adultery. In each case, Jesus extends forgiveness without the formal confessions or rituals we often associate with repentance. This leads us to question: what truly is the basis of God's forgiveness?
The message explores the idea that faith, rather than verbal declarations or specific actions, opens the door to divine forgiveness. We discuss how internal repentance often precedes external expression and how God, seeing the heart, responds to this inner transformation with scandalous grace.
We also address how religious practices, while well-intentioned, can sometimes become barriers to experiencing God's forgiveness.
The discussion concludes with a fresh take on the Parable of the Prodigal Son, emphasizing the father's eagerness to forgive and restore his child. This story serves as a powerful metaphor for God's heart toward those seeking forgiveness.
Throughout the message, we emphasize that God is not a God of condemnation but a God of salvation and restoration. This message challenges us to embrace a view of God as compassionate, gracious, and abundantly merciful, always ready to forgive those who turn to Him in faith.
For more information on THE TABLE please visit:
www.thetablecalifornia.com
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Okay, shall we open God's Word?
We shall.
Okay, we're going to be in Luke, chapter 5 today.
Luke, chapter 5.
While you're turning to Luke,chapter 5, I want to read to you
from Psalm 103.
A beloved psalm, a well-knownpsalm.
(00:21):
It feels weird to say like areally good psalm, as if some
are not, but it's a great psalm.
Bless the Lord, o my soul andall that is within me.
Bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, o my soul, andforget none of his benefits.
(00:41):
Who forgives all of youriniquities, who heals all your
diseases, crowns you withsteadfast love and mercy and all
kinds of wonderful things?
He crowns you with these things.
He satisfies your desires withgood things and renews your
(01:03):
youth like the eagle.
And then, in verse eight, davidsays this the Lord is
compassionate, gracious, slow toanger and abounding in mercy.
He will not always strive withus, nor will he keep his anger
forever.
Listen to this he has not dealtwith us according to our sins,
(01:24):
nor rewarded us according to ouriniquities.
Who is this God?
For?
As high as the heavens areabove the earth, so great is his
mercy towards those who fearhim.
As far as the east is from thewest, so far has he removed our
(01:44):
transgressions from us.
That's a long distance away asfar as the east is from the west
.
As a father has compassion onhis children, so the Lord has
compassion on those who fear him, for he knows our frame.
(02:05):
He remembers that we are butdust.
I love that.
He remembers where man camefrom.
He remembers that day kneelingdown in the dust.
He remembers that we are butdust.
Do you believe this about ourGod?
(02:26):
Do you believe these thingsabout God?
Do you believe that he is acompassionate Father, that he is
gracious, that he is slow toanger and abounding in mercy?
Do you actually believe that hedoes not deal with you
according to your transgressionsand your sins?
(02:48):
Do you believe that heseparates you from your sin as
far as the east is from the west?
Or is this just a pretty Bibleverse?
Do you actually believe thesethings?
Do you believe with thepsalmist according to Psalm 25,
verse 8, that he actually showssinners the way?
(03:08):
Psalm 25, 8 says that Good andupright is the Lord.
Therefore, he shows sinners theway.
Who is this God?
Do you believe this about God?
Religion wants to convince youthat God is eager to condemn.
(03:35):
I'm going to do my best today toconvince you from Scripture and
show you how eager God is toforgive.
We're going to read from Luke,chapter 5.
We're going to begin with thestory of the paralytic man.
It's a story many of us haveheard often, so do me a favor
(03:56):
and hear it for the first time.
I'll do my best to speak overthe wind.
Luke 5, beginning in verse 17.
Now it happened on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there
were Pharisees and teachers ofthe law sitting by.
(04:16):
Listen to this language.
There were Pharisees andteachers of the law, scribes
sitting by that come from everytown of Galilee, judea and
Jerusalem, and the power of theLord was present to heal them.
And some men were carrying aman on a stretcher who was
(04:38):
paralyzed and they were tryingto bring him in and set him down
in front of Jesus.
But when they could not findhow they might bring him in and
set him down in front of Jesus,but when they could not find how
they might bring him in becauseof the crowd, who's in the
crowd?
Pharisees and teachers of thelaw.
They couldn't get in because ofthe crowd.
They went up on the roof andthey let him down with his bed
(05:01):
through the tiling into themiddle of the crowds before
Jesus.
Who was in the crowd?
Pharisees, keepers of the law,pharisees and teachers of the
law.
There were so many religiousobservers that the way to the
(05:22):
front door of the house whereJesus was was blocked.
It's a powerful image.
The Pharisees and the scribes.
They weren't there to learnabout Jesus.
They weren't there to receivefrom Jesus.
They weren't there to blessJesus and minister to him.
They were just sitting by, notsitting by his feet.
(05:43):
They were just sitting by, notsitting by his feet.
They were there as spectators,critiquers, spies.
They were sitting by the wordbut not sitting under the word.
They were not letting theliving word of God wash over
(06:04):
them.
Prideful religion always makesits way into the atmosphere of
truth being preached, but itnever allows itself to be
preached to.
Religious types already havegod figured out.
So they draw near to critiquebut not to be changed.
They draw near to nitpick butnot to be changed.
They draw near to nitpick butnot to be changed, and the
(06:27):
result is those who truly desireto get to Jesus they find their
way to him obstructed.
It's a powerful image.
Perhaps you found your way toJesus obstructed at times.
Perhaps blocked by religion,blocked by rules, blocked by
(06:54):
legalities that complicate God.
Perhaps your way to Jesus hasbeen blocked by painful church
experiences in the past.
Maybe your way to Jesus hasbeen blocked by family
situations or hypocriticalparents who say one thing about
God but then you see behindclosed doors that they are
(07:15):
nothing like how they act orspeak.
Perhaps your way to Jesus hasbeen blocked by unforgiveness,
sickness, unbelief, busyness, alack of zeal or a lack of
passion or lack of desire forGod.
There's lots of things that canblock our way to Jesus.
(07:38):
But a day comes when you realize, just like the paralytic in
this story, that you have to getto Jesus.
It doesn't matter, you've gotto find a way to get to that man
, no matter what, even if itmeans extreme measures.
I'd say that climbing up on aroof and ripping the ceiling
(08:00):
tiles out is extreme.
Ripping the ceiling tiles outis extreme.
But just like this paralyticman, you suddenly realize there
is a grace present to get toJesus, to bypass whatever it is
that's been blocking you.
When you feel the grace topursue Jesus.
Don't let that moment slip.
(08:22):
Don't wait.
Be like the paralytic man andhis buddies, willing to do
whatever it takes to get toJesus.
Tear the roof off if you haveto.
We may be worshiping and youfeel a grace to pursue God in a
way that you haven't a way toworship him in a way that you
(08:44):
haven't a way to worship him ina way that you haven't.
You hear something that'staught and a light bulb goes off
, something shifts and thingsjust make sense and there's a
grace present to grab hold ofGod in a way that wasn't there
before.
Leonard Ravenhill says theopportunity of a lifetime must
be seized in the lifetime of theopportunity when God comes in
(09:06):
the room and is present to dowhat only God can do.
Don't let the moment slip.
Go after God.
No matter what.
The hungry are always fed.
That's not my message.
That was extra.
You get that one for free.
That was extra.
You get that one for free.
(09:29):
I want to read verse 18 againand get to the actual message.
Behold, men brought on a bed aman who was paralyzed, whom they
sought to bring in and laybefore him.
And when they could not findhow they might bring him in
because of the crowd, they wentup on the house and they let him
down with his bed through thetiling into the midst before
(09:50):
Jesus Verse 20, when he sawtheir faith, he said to them man
, your sins are forgiven.
I'm sorry, this is actuallykind of embarrassing.
I apologize.
There must be something wrongwith my Bible because I don't
have in here the part where heasks for forgiveness.
(10:12):
It must be something wrong withmy Bible.
I don't have the part in here.
The editors must have left itout, the part where he
apologizes and confesses andasks for forgiveness.
Does anyone else's Bible havethat?
Maybe mine's just jacked up?
Where's the man's confession?
(10:36):
Where's the evidence of thisman's repentance?
Man, it's uncomfortable in hereright now.
(10:57):
Some of you may be a littleuncomfortable with what I'm
implying, with my sarcasm.
I get it.
I'm uncomfortable too, butlet's wrestle together with the
text to see if this story isrevealing something about the
nature of God.
Now, I'm not implying that thiswas a born again encounter for
(11:18):
this man, but Jesus clearlyopens the way of forgiveness of
sin to a man who didn't even askfor it.
So this is the question how isit legal for Jesus to extend
forgiveness to somebody whenthey don't even ask for it?
(11:40):
And as I was wrestling withthese questions, my first
thought was.
Well, he's God, he can dowhatever he wants.
And I thought about that somemore and I realized that was a
dumb idea.
To say that he's God and he cando whatever he wants, including
forgive whoever and whenever hewants.
(12:02):
That's just not good enough.
God is just.
God is just.
God is righteous, which meansGod plays by his own rules.
Jacqueline, I apologize, you'rehaving to strain to look this
way.
No, it's fine.
I'm reading my Bible too.
Okay, do you want to?
No, I'm fine, okay, okay.
Okay, it's fine.
God is righteous.
(12:23):
God is just, which means heplays by his own rules.
For the judge to pardon a guiltycriminal for no reason other
than the judge just feels likeit is terrifying.
Because what if, when you standbefore the judge, he doesn't
feel like it?
(12:44):
You see the problem there.
It's not a judge or a God thatwe would ever want to have
anything to do with.
I don't want to stand before ajudge like that and I don't want
to serve a God like that.
That's the God of Islam.
Maybe he's in a good mood today.
(13:04):
If he's not, let's stay awayand keep our distance.
That's not our God.
The story of the forgivenparalytic is not the story of a
man catching Jesus on a good day.
He didn't just happen tostumble across the judge on a
day when the judge was feelingreally good.
This story shows us somethingabout the nature of God.
(13:26):
I believe it's showing us thatforgiveness is a free gift of
God's grace, listen to me.
But it is also a response tosomething.
It's not God arbitrarily justdelving out forgiveness to
whoever he wants.
It's a response to something.
(13:48):
I'm going to give you anexample.
Lindsay and I went to TraderJoe's the other day.
As I walked through the parkinglot toward the front door, I
had zero concern that that doorwas going to open up for me and
let me in.
See, there's a mechanism insideof that door that waits to
(14:12):
respond to any movement in frontof it.
The response to my movementtoward the door causes that door
to slide wide open.
See, there's something.
Yes, sir, whose kid is this?
There's something in the door.
(14:36):
Whether it's the camera, Idon't know how it works.
All I know is when I walk up tothe door, it opens up.
Right, there is a sensor,there's a mechanism, a trigger.
There's something.
It's just waiting there forsomebody to come close so that
(14:59):
it can what Open and let youinto Trader Joe's.
See, trader Joe's has thisbusiness model that says we
don't want anything to stand inthe way of anyone coming inside
of our store.
We don't want anything to standin the way of anyone coming
inside of our store.
We don't want there to be anyobstructions, any excuses for
you to stay outside.
Interestingly, some peoplethink Trader Joe's is more eager
(15:21):
to bring people inside thanheaven is.
Eager to bring people insidethan heaven is.
Did I say that out loud, homer?
I meant to keep that one insideand it just popped out as if
Trader Joe's would be more eagerto bring people in than heaven.
(15:42):
Psalm 85, 6 says this For you, oLord, are good and ready to
forgive, you're abundant inmercy to all who call upon you.
He's good, he's abundant inmercy and he's eager to respond
with forgiveness, to fling thedoor wide open to anyone who
(16:04):
would come to him.
So let's return again to ourstory of the paralytic.
Yes, on what basis?
Let's ask again on what basisdid Jesus legally and
righteously forgive a man whodidn't even call out for it?
(16:25):
What was the trigger thatcaused the door of forgiveness
to sling wide open?
Yes, while everyone else, thesePharisees, these scribes, these
teachers of the law, whileeveryone else was reasoning
among themselves, these teachersof the law, while everyone else
(16:47):
was reasoning among themselves,trying to catch Jesus in
something that they disagreedwith, this man and his buddies
were doing anything they couldto get to Jesus, because they
believed that he had the powerand the authority to change a
life.
Faith was the motion thatopened the door of forgiveness.
(17:08):
Faith set off the trigger.
So we should now ask ourselvesanother question Was this a
one-time deal, like?
Was this an exception to thetypical way that Jesus deals
with people?
Or is this story revealingsomething to us about the nature
(17:29):
of God?
Is Jesus trying to show ussomething about the Father?
Let's look at another story,shall we?
In Luke chapter 7, someone elsefinds their way to Jesus,
bypassing what should haveblocked them from coming to
Jesus.
This time it was a woman, awoman of very questionable
(17:55):
character.
Scholars believe that thiswoman was a prostitute.
Now, jesus had been invited tocome to a Pharisee's home.
Another story with anotherPharisee come to the Pharisee's
house for a meal.
This woman of questionablecharacter finds her way to Jesus
(18:16):
.
Let's take a look at whathappens when her world
intersects with Jesus' world.
Luke 7, verse 36.
One of the Pharisees askedJesus to eat with him, and he
went to the Pharisee's house andsat down to eat.
And behold, a woman in the citywho was a sinner.
(18:36):
When she knew that Jesus sat atthe table in the Pharisee's
house, she brought an alabasterflask of fragrant oil verse 38,
and she stood at his feet behindhim, weeping.
She began to wash his feet withher tears.
She wiped his feet with herhair.
(18:56):
She kissed his feet and sheanointed them with fragrant oil
Verse 39.
Skip down to verse 44.
For she is a sinner.
Skip down to verse 44.
(19:28):
So Jesus turns to the woman andhe says to Simon the Pharisee do
you see this woman?
I entered your house.
You gave me no water for myfeet, but she has washed my feet
with her tears.
She's wiped them with the hairof her head.
You gave me no kiss, but thiswoman has not ceased to kiss my
(19:52):
feet since the time I came in.
Then he looks at the womanverse 48, and says Many are
forgiven, for she loved much.
Then he looks at the womanverse 48, and says your sins are
forgiven, your faith has savedyou.
(20:18):
Go into peace Again.
My Bible must be broken.
The editors left out the partwhere she asks for forgiveness.
Where was this woman's sinner'sprayer?
(20:40):
Where was her apology?
How many marriages had sheruined?
Where's the acknowledgement ofguilt?
But it clearly says right therein verse 48, your sins are
forgiven, your faith has saved.
(21:00):
You Go into peace.
So now we have two instances ofJesus flinging open wide the
door of forgiveness in asituation where religion is
seemingly blocking the way.
Did you pick up on thatmetaphor?
The Pharisee representsreligion.
(21:21):
Religion is wanting to keeppeople away from getting to God
on God's terms.
Another instance where religionis seemingly blocking the way.
Two instances where Jesus showsus something about God that
quite frankly, does not line uptoo well with conventional
(21:43):
wisdom about the who, what,where, when, why and how of
salvation and relationship withGod.
But why stop at two stories?
How about three?
Is he ready to eat?
Okay, another story.
For the sake of time, I'm goingto summarize this story.
(22:07):
It's in John, chapter 8.
In John chapter 8, we find thestory of the woman caught in
adultery.
The Pharisees again present inthe story.
The Pharisees bring this womanto Jesus Some scholars believe
she was caught in the act ofadultery Drag her out, place her
(22:29):
in front of Jesus, saying thatthey have permission from Moses
to stone her for her sin.
Religion is always looking foropportunities to condemn, but
what was Jesus' response?
He stoops down in the dust.
(22:51):
He remembers that we are butdust.
He stoops down in the dust andhe begins to write something
with his finger.
Was this a stalling tactic?
Was Jesus trying to figure outhow to navigate this sticky
situation?
A stalling tactic?
Was Jesus trying to figure outhow to navigate this sticky
situation?
Some say that maybe he waswriting the different sins that
(23:13):
the Pharisees themselves hadcommitted, writing these sins
out in the dust.
Maybe Jesus was pausing to letthe wind pass.
Maybe Jesus was pausing andremembering the day when he
stooped down in the dirt and,with those same hands, formed
man.
(23:35):
We don't know why Jesus stoopeddown and wrote in the dust.
But when Jesus finally doesspeak, he looks at the Pharisees
and he says something to theeffect of fine, you want to
condemn this woman, then condemnher.
And because you're so eager tocondemn, good news, whoever of
(23:55):
you is without sin, you're thelucky one who gets to throw the
first stone.
So have at it, boys.
Boys, of course, they all knowthat they too have sinned.
So they just stand there notknowing what to do next, and
during the awkward silence,jesus again stoops in the ground
(24:22):
and begins to write some more.
One by one, beginning with theoldest, the Pharisees begin to
leave Until, finally, jesus isleft alone with this woman who
was just caught in the act ofadultery.
He says woman, where are youraccusers now?
Has no one condemned you?
(24:46):
She says no one, lord.
He says neither do I condemnyou.
Go and sin no more.
This is the third time that myBible has left out something
very important.
(25:06):
Where's the admission of guilt?
Where's her confession?
Where's the plea forforgiveness?
Where is her apology?
It's not here, at least not inthe way that, honestly, I would
(25:28):
prefer it to be there, and Ithink most of us would prefer it
to be there.
See, it would be easier ifthere were metrics that we could
measure.
She said this.
So then Jesus said that.
She did this, and then Jesusdid that.
So then I'll say this, so thatJesus says that have you said
(25:53):
this?
Well then, how do you know?
How do we know that Jesus hasdone that for you?
Have you said that?
See, metrics, tangible thingsthat we can measure make it very
easy for us.
We like having these tangiblesbecause it makes us feel secure
(26:13):
about the rules.
We like having these tangiblesbecause it makes us feel secure
about the rules.
I know I'm saved because Iprayed this prayer.
I was baptized.
On this day.
I cried and I promised never todo it again, and that time I
really meant it.
Tangible things it's so mucheasier if repentance and
confession of sin is somethingthat we can measure.
(26:35):
But the danger is we become likethe Pharisees, potentially
blocking the way to Jesus.
Did you say the thing, did youdo the thing?
I'm gonna give you someexamples of how we can become
like the Pharisees, blocking theway to Jesus.
(26:58):
Some say that you have to bebaptized to be saved.
So baptism becomes a Phariseeblocking the way to Jesus.
Others say that the Godbaptizing you has to say the
right thing, because if he's notsaying the right thing when
he's baptizing you, it's notgoing to take.
Others say you have to bebaptized in the right
(27:23):
denomination, because if youwere baptized in a different
denomination, we don't know ifthe guy said the right thing.
We don't know what you got tomake sure that our guy is
baptizing you because we knowthat our guy is saying the right
thing.
We don't know what you got tomake sure that our guy's
baptizing you because we knowthat our guy is saying the right
thing.
Others say you have to takecommunion to be saved.
Some say you have to speak intongues.
(27:47):
And if you don't speak intongues you're not saved.
And these beautiful things thatGod intended to be gifts that
he's given to his church that wecelebrate and unite us, they
end up dividing us and blockingthe door that Jesus flung wide
(28:08):
open with his sacrifice on thecross.
Meanwhile, the world is stuckoutside in their sin and they
can't find their way to Jesusbecause of religious infighting.
Pharisees and scribes who thinkthey have God all figured out,
eager to condemn anyone whodoesn't play by their rules and
come to God the way that theythink you're supposed to come to
(28:29):
God.
Our God is not a God ofcondemnation.
Our God is not a God ofcondemnation.
That's not my opinion.
That's Bible, john 3, 17.
God did not send his son intothe world to condemn the world,
(28:51):
but that through him the worldwould be saved.
He's not a God of condemnation.
He's God of salvation andforgiveness and life.
Is there coming a day ofjudgment, when he's going to
judge the living and the dead?
Yes, but until that day, man,it is a day of salvation.
(29:16):
It's an opportunity for lifeand forgiveness to all who would
come to him.
Heaven forbid we misrepresenthim and become the stumbling
block to a lost world.
Who Jesus is eager to forgive.
Woe to anyone who causes one ofthese little ones who believe
in me to stumble.
Matthew 18, 6.
(29:39):
So let's ask the question againOn what basis was it permissible
for Jesus to open the door offorgiveness to a woman caught in
adultery?
On what basis Faith, faith?
On what basis?
Faith?
There was genuine repentancehappening internally that Jesus
(30:05):
responded to with genuineforgiveness.
You say how do you know that?
Well, if there was forgiveness,there was repentance.
You can't have forgivenesswithout repentance.
But we need to have theconversation of what, then, is
repentance.
Repentance is not a verbaldeclaration of sorrow.
(30:26):
It can be that and it veryoften is, but these stories show
us that we cannot pigeonholeGod.
He sees not as man sees, but hesees the heart.
He sees.
What's going on inside of anindividual Before repentance is
ever something that we canmeasure externally.
It first listen to this is aninternal explosion of awareness
(30:53):
that God is nothing like wethought he was.
An internal explosion ofawareness that I had you
completely wrong.
And repeatedly in the life ofJesus, we see God revealing
himself to be so eager to extendforgiveness that he doesn't
(31:17):
wait for the time it takes forwhat happened inside of you to
become words that are spoken outof your mouth.
He doesn't wait for theadulteress to get her apology
right.
He doesn't wait for theprostitute to convince him that
she won't do it again, becausehe sees what's going on inside
(31:39):
of that woman.
He responds to the internalawareness, that internal coming
to life, that the Holy Spirit isbirthing inside of that
individual, and he says forgiven, go into peace.
And, jesus, I haven't even gotmy apology right yet.
I saw what was going on in yourheart.
(32:02):
I delight in what's going on inthere and not in the external
sacrifice.
He's so eager to forgive basedon what he sees that by the time
the words ever come out of yourmouth, he's already opened the
door to forgiveness.
Okay, one more Joshua's hungry.
(32:28):
Okay, one more story from theBible.
Because I want to try to provethese things to you with one
last story, I'm going tosummarize this one.
It's in Luke, chapter 15.
Jesus tells the parable of theprodigal son.
If I were an editor of theBible, I would not call this
(32:49):
story the parable of theprodigal son.
I would call it the heart ofthe father.
His story is more so about thefather than it is the son.
I believe the story revealssomething.
The nature reveals somethingabout the nature of our heavenly
father.
So I'm going to summarize.
Most of you are familiar withthis story.
A son he asked his father forthe inheritance early so that he
(33:14):
could take off and live hisbest life.
Now he leaves.
He squanders his father's money, his own inheritance, on sinful
living.
He runs out of money.
He finds himself living in apigsty and he comes to his
senses and he's like you knowwhat.
This didn't work out like Ithought it was.
(33:35):
I should go back home see if mydad will take me back.
In Verse 18 says this theprodigal son.
He says I will arise and go tomy father and I'm going to say
to him father, I have sinnedagainst heaven and before you
and I'm no longer worthy to becalled your son.
(33:56):
Make me like one of your hiredservants.
Make me like one of your hiredservants.
The son had a perception of hisfather that told him dad's not
going to let me back in unless Iconvince him to Apply that to
(34:17):
us and our relationship with God.
Dad's not going to let me backin unless I convince him, unless
I get my apology right.
He's not going to let me in asa son, but maybe he'll let me in
as a servant.
Make me like one of your hiredservants.
(34:38):
That's religion.
I'm going to work really hardto convince you that I'm serious
this time and I'm going to workreally hard to convince you how
sorry I am.
That's religion.
So the son goes back to hisfather's house.
I'm sure I could just picturehim practicing his speech all
(35:01):
the way back to dad's house.
Father, I've sinned againstheaven and against you.
I'm no longer worthy to becalled your son.
Make me like one of your hiredservants.
I got to get this right so Ican convince dad.
Verse 20,.
When the son was still a greatways off, his father saw him and
(35:22):
had compassion and the fatherran out to him.
He hugged him and he kissed him.
And the son says to his fatherI got something to say, dad.
Father, I've sinned against youand I've sinned against heaven.
I'm no longer worthy to becalled your son.
But the father cries out.
I'm just picturing the fathersaying shut up, man, stop.
(35:47):
The father cries out quickly.
Bring the best robe and put iton my son, put a ring on his
finger and sandals on his feet.
Bring the fatted calf and killit.
Let us eat and be merry, for myson was dead, but now he's
alive.
My son was lost and now he'sfound.
(36:08):
The father wasn't going to lethis son talk like that.
The father wasn't going to lethis son talk like that.
The story reveals somethingabout our heavenly father.
We come to him by faith,believing that he is as good as
(36:39):
Jesus says he is, and helavishes forgiveness on us.
The response to that is goingto be words declaration Jesus is
Lord.
I confess with my mouth there'snone like you.
But it's not going to besomething that you have to pry
out.
When new life comes, there'salways a declaration.
(37:05):
When Seth and Olivia had babyMalachi, they didn't have to
convince baby Malachi to cry whyLife?
Something comes out.
When there's life that comes in.
When you become born again, youare going to release praise,
(37:25):
you are going to release yourGod and there is no other.
There will be a confession,will be a confession.
There is going to be fruit ofrepentance and then we continue
living and bearing the fruit ofrepentance and we look glorious
as we carry those things throughlife.
(37:46):
But he is so eager to extendforgiveness.
We have no idea.
We have no idea.
Maybe you haven't seen God thisway before.
Maybe you've spent way too longtrying to convince him how
(38:08):
serious you are this time.
I would encourage you to studythese passages.
Don't just take my word for it.
Pray, ask the Holy Spirit toguide you into truth.
Reveal Jesus to you.
Does anyone have any questions?
(38:32):
Any comments?
Amen, amen, amen.
How about we just take a minuteand I know kids are hungry and
we want to eat and all thatstuff, I know, let's just take a
minute and respond.
(38:53):
It was a heavy word.
Let's close in prayer and justask the Lord to help us.
Thank you, jesus, thank you Lord.
(39:19):
Lord, I confess.
I confess that there are thingsthat I would prefer you did
differently.
It'd be easier sometimes.
But then, when I look at my ownlife, I'm so thankful that you
(39:44):
are who you are.
Lord, I thank you for yourgrace, your mercy, your
compassion, your forgiveness,your loving kindness, your
patience.
Thank you, god.
(40:10):
Holy Spirit, I ask that youwould baptize us in an awareness
of who Jesus is.
Lord, we wanna divide your wordrightly.
We wanna understand who God is.
This is eternal life that theywould know.
God.
We wanna know you as you are,not how we've made you out to be
(40:36):
.
We don't want to serve a Godmade in our own image.
We don't want to serve adenominational representation of
God.
We want to know you as you are.
So, holy Spirit, guide us intoall truth.
Thank you that you are with us.
You are here to help us.
(40:58):
Thank you, jesus, for salvation, forgiveness, the born again
experience.
Thank you, god.
Lord, take us deep into theseplaces and Lord, give us
language to be able tocommunicate them to the world
around us, so that who you arewould be seen in our community.
(41:20):
Oh, we love you.
We desire to love you so muchmore, lord, as we gather around
the table together to share thismeal and to fellowship with one
another.
Lord, we ask that our timewould be sweet, that it would be
a fragrant aroma to you, lord,that we would build one another
(41:42):
up.
Thank you, god, that we arepeople of the Spirit.
Lord, let us speak spirituallydiscerned things to one another.
Bless this food to our bodies.
Thank you for everyone whoprepared this meal.
Oh, be with those who couldn'tbe with us today, lord, the ones
who are sick, oh, would youspeak life and healing over
their bodies.
In Jesus' name.
(42:02):
Thank you, lord.
It's in your name that we pray,amen.
Okay, shall we open God's Word?
We shall.
Okay, we're going to be in Luke, chapter 5 today.
Luke, chapter 5.
While you're turning to Luke,chapter 5, I want to read to you
from Psalm 103.
A beloved psalm, a well-knownpsalm.
(00:21):
It feels weird to say like areally good psalm, as if some
are not, but it's a great psalm.
Bless the Lord, o my soul andall that is within me.
Bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, o my soul, andforget none of his benefits.
(00:41):
Who forgives all of youriniquities, who heals all your
diseases, crowns you withsteadfast love and mercy and all
kinds of wonderful things?
He crowns you with these things.
He satisfies your desires withgood things and renews your
(01:03):
youth like the eagle.
And then, in verse eight, davidsays this the Lord is
compassionate, gracious, slow toanger and abounding in mercy.
He will not always strive withus, nor will he keep his anger
forever.
Listen to this he has not dealtwith us according to our sins,
(01:24):
nor rewarded us according to ouriniquities.
Who is this God?
For?
As high as the heavens areabove the earth, so great is his
mercy towards those who fearhim.
As far as the east is from thewest, so far has he removed our
(01:44):
transgressions from us.
That's a long distance away asfar as the east is from the west
.
As a father has compassion onhis children, so the Lord has
compassion on those who fear him, for he knows our frame.
(02:05):
He remembers that we are butdust.
I love that.
He remembers where man camefrom.
He remembers that day kneelingdown in the dust.
He remembers that we are butdust.
Do you believe this about ourGod?
(02:26):
Do you believe these thingsabout God?
Do you believe that he is acompassionate Father, that he is
gracious, that he is slow toanger and abounding in mercy?
Do you actually believe that hedoes not deal with you
according to your transgressionsand your sins?
(02:48):
Do you believe that heseparates you from your sin as
far as the east is from the west?
Or is this just a pretty Bibleverse?
Do you actually believe thesethings?
Do you believe with thepsalmist according to Psalm 25,
verse 8, that he actually showssinners the way?
(03:08):
Psalm 25, 8 says that Good andupright is the Lord.
Therefore, he shows sinners theway.
Who is this God?
Do you believe this about God?
Religion wants to convince youthat God is eager to condemn.
(03:35):
I'm going to do my best today toconvince you from Scripture and
show you how eager God is toforgive.
We're going to read from Luke,chapter 5.
We're going to begin with thestory of the paralytic man.
It's a story many of us haveheard often, so do me a favor
(03:56):
and hear it for the first time.
I'll do my best to speak overthe wind.
Luke 5, beginning in verse 17.
Now it happened on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there
were Pharisees and teachers ofthe law sitting by.
(04:16):
Listen to this language.
There were Pharisees andteachers of the law, scribes
sitting by that come from everytown of Galilee, judea and
Jerusalem, and the power of theLord was present to heal them.
And some men were carrying aman on a stretcher who was
(04:38):
paralyzed and they were tryingto bring him in and set him down
in front of Jesus.
But when they could not findhow they might bring him in and
set him down in front of Jesus,but when they could not find how
they might bring him in becauseof the crowd, who's in the
crowd?
Pharisees and teachers of thelaw.
They couldn't get in because ofthe crowd.
They went up on the roof andthey let him down with his bed
(05:01):
through the tiling into themiddle of the crowds before
Jesus.
Who was in the crowd?
Pharisees, keepers of the law,pharisees and teachers of the
law.
There were so many religiousobservers that the way to the
(05:22):
front door of the house whereJesus was was blocked.
It's a powerful image.
The Pharisees and the scribes.
They weren't there to learnabout Jesus.
They weren't there to receivefrom Jesus.
They weren't there to blessJesus and minister to him.
They were just sitting by, notsitting by his feet.
(05:43):
They were just sitting by, notsitting by his feet.
They were there as spectators,critiquers, spies.
They were sitting by the wordbut not sitting under the word.
They were not letting theliving word of God wash over
(06:04):
them.
Prideful religion always makesits way into the atmosphere of
truth being preached, but itnever allows itself to be
preached to.
Religious types already havegod figured out.
So they draw near to critiquebut not to be changed.
They draw near to nitpick butnot to be changed.
They draw near to nitpick butnot to be changed, and the
(06:27):
result is those who truly desireto get to Jesus they find their
way to him obstructed.
It's a powerful image.
Perhaps you found your way toJesus obstructed at times.
Perhaps blocked by religion,blocked by rules, blocked by
(06:54):
legalities that complicate God.
Perhaps your way to Jesus hasbeen blocked by painful church
experiences in the past.
Maybe your way to Jesus hasbeen blocked by family
situations or hypocriticalparents who say one thing about
God but then you see behindclosed doors that they are
(07:15):
nothing like how they act orspeak.
Perhaps your way to Jesus hasbeen blocked by unforgiveness,
sickness, unbelief, busyness, alack of zeal or a lack of
passion or lack of desire forGod.
There's lots of things that canblock our way to Jesus.
(07:38):
But a day comes when you realize, just like the paralytic in
this story, that you have to getto Jesus.
It doesn't matter, you've gotto find a way to get to that man
, no matter what, even if itmeans extreme measures.
I'd say that climbing up on aroof and ripping the ceiling
(08:00):
tiles out is extreme.
Ripping the ceiling tiles outis extreme.
But just like this paralyticman, you suddenly realize there
is a grace present to get toJesus, to bypass whatever it is
that's been blocking you.
When you feel the grace topursue Jesus.
Don't let that moment slip.
(08:22):
Don't wait.
Be like the paralytic man andhis buddies, willing to do
whatever it takes to get toJesus.
Tear the roof off if you haveto.
We may be worshiping and youfeel a grace to pursue God in a
way that you haven't a way toworship him in a way that you
(08:44):
haven't a way to worship him ina way that you haven't.
You hear something that'staught and a light bulb goes off
, something shifts and thingsjust make sense and there's a
grace present to grab hold ofGod in a way that wasn't there
before.
Leonard Ravenhill says theopportunity of a lifetime must
be seized in the lifetime of theopportunity when God comes in
(09:06):
the room and is present to dowhat only God can do.
Don't let the moment slip.
Go after God.
No matter what.
The hungry are always fed.
That's not my message.
That was extra.
You get that one for free.
That was extra.
You get that one for free.
(09:29):
I want to read verse 18 againand get to the actual message.
Behold, men brought on a bed aman who was paralyzed, whom they
sought to bring in and laybefore him.
And when they could not findhow they might bring him in
because of the crowd, they wentup on the house and they let him
down with his bed through thetiling into the midst before
(09:50):
Jesus Verse 20, when he sawtheir faith, he said to them man
, your sins are forgiven.
I'm sorry, this is actuallykind of embarrassing.
I apologize.
There must be something wrongwith my Bible because I don't
have in here the part where heasks for forgiveness.
(10:12):
It must be something wrong withmy Bible.
I don't have the part in here.
The editors must have left itout, the part where he
apologizes and confesses andasks for forgiveness.
Does anyone else's Bible havethat?
Maybe mine's just jacked up?
Where's the man's confession?
(10:36):
Where's the evidence of thisman's repentance?
Man, it's uncomfortable in hereright now.
(10:57):
Some of you may be a littleuncomfortable with what I'm
implying, with my sarcasm.
I get it.
I'm uncomfortable too, butlet's wrestle together with the
text to see if this story isrevealing something about the
nature of God.
Now, I'm not implying that thiswas a born again encounter for
(11:18):
this man, but Jesus clearlyopens the way of forgiveness of
sin to a man who didn't even askfor it.
So this is the question how isit legal for Jesus to extend
forgiveness to somebody whenthey don't even ask for it?
(11:40):
And as I was wrestling withthese questions, my first
thought was.
Well, he's God, he can dowhatever he wants.
And I thought about that somemore and I realized that was a
dumb idea.
To say that he's God and he cando whatever he wants, including
forgive whoever and whenever hewants.
(12:02):
That's just not good enough.
God is just.
God is just.
God is righteous, which meansGod plays by his own rules.
Jacqueline, I apologize, you'rehaving to strain to look this
way.
No, it's fine.
I'm reading my Bible too.
Okay, do you want to?
No, I'm fine, okay, okay.
Okay, it's fine.
God is righteous.
(12:23):
God is just, which means heplays by his own rules.
For the judge to pardon a guiltycriminal for no reason other
than the judge just feels likeit is terrifying.
Because what if, when you standbefore the judge, he doesn't
feel like it?
(12:44):
You see the problem there.
It's not a judge or a God thatwe would ever want to have
anything to do with.
I don't want to stand before ajudge like that and I don't want
to serve a God like that.
That's the God of Islam.
Maybe he's in a good mood today.
(13:04):
If he's not, let's stay awayand keep our distance.
That's not our God.
The story of the forgivenparalytic is not the story of a
man catching Jesus on a good day.
He didn't just happen tostumble across the judge on a
day when the judge was feelingreally good.
This story shows us somethingabout the nature of God.
(13:26):
I believe it's showing us thatforgiveness is a free gift of
God's grace, listen to me.
But it is also a response tosomething.
It's not God arbitrarily justdelving out forgiveness to
whoever he wants.
It's a response to something.
(13:48):
I'm going to give you anexample.
Lindsay and I went to TraderJoe's the other day.
As I walked through the parkinglot toward the front door, I
had zero concern that that doorwas going to open up for me and
let me in.
See, there's a mechanism insideof that door that waits to
(14:12):
respond to any movement in frontof it.
The response to my movementtoward the door causes that door
to slide wide open.
See, there's something.
Yes, sir, whose kid is this?
There's something in the door.
(14:36):
Whether it's the camera, Idon't know how it works.
All I know is when I walk up tothe door, it opens up.
Right, there is a sensor,there's a mechanism, a trigger.
There's something.
It's just waiting there forsomebody to come close so that
(14:59):
it can what Open and let youinto Trader Joe's.
See, trader Joe's has thisbusiness model that says we
don't want anything to stand inthe way of anyone coming inside
of our store.
We don't want anything to standin the way of anyone coming
inside of our store.
We don't want there to be anyobstructions, any excuses for
you to stay outside.
Interestingly, some peoplethink Trader Joe's is more eager
(15:21):
to bring people inside thanheaven is.
Eager to bring people insidethan heaven is.
Did I say that out loud, homer?
I meant to keep that one insideand it just popped out as if
Trader Joe's would be more eagerto bring people in than heaven.
(15:42):
Psalm 85, 6 says this For you, oLord, are good and ready to
forgive, you're abundant inmercy to all who call upon you.
He's good, he's abundant inmercy and he's eager to respond
with forgiveness, to fling thedoor wide open to anyone who
(16:04):
would come to him.
So let's return again to ourstory of the paralytic.
Yes, on what basis?
Let's ask again on what basisdid Jesus legally and
righteously forgive a man whodidn't even call out for it?
(16:25):
What was the trigger thatcaused the door of forgiveness
to sling wide open?
Yes, while everyone else, thesePharisees, these scribes, these
teachers of the law, whileeveryone else was reasoning
among themselves, these teachersof the law, while everyone else
(16:47):
was reasoning among themselves,trying to catch Jesus in
something that they disagreedwith, this man and his buddies
were doing anything they couldto get to Jesus, because they
believed that he had the powerand the authority to change a
life.
Faith was the motion thatopened the door of forgiveness.
(17:08):
Faith set off the trigger.
So we should now ask ourselvesanother question Was this a
one-time deal, like?
Was this an exception to thetypical way that Jesus deals
with people?
Or is this story revealingsomething to us about the nature
(17:29):
of God?
Is Jesus trying to show ussomething about the Father?
Let's look at another story,shall we?
In Luke chapter 7, someone elsefinds their way to Jesus,
bypassing what should haveblocked them from coming to
Jesus.
This time it was a woman, awoman of very questionable
(17:55):
character.
Scholars believe that thiswoman was a prostitute.
Now, jesus had been invited tocome to a Pharisee's home.
Another story with anotherPharisee come to the Pharisee's
house for a meal.
This woman of questionablecharacter finds her way to Jesus
(18:16):
.
Let's take a look at whathappens when her world
intersects with Jesus' world.
Luke 7, verse 36.
One of the Pharisees askedJesus to eat with him, and he
went to the Pharisee's house andsat down to eat.
And behold, a woman in the citywho was a sinner.
(18:36):
When she knew that Jesus sat atthe table in the Pharisee's
house, she brought an alabasterflask of fragrant oil verse 38,
and she stood at his feet behindhim, weeping.
She began to wash his feet withher tears.
She wiped his feet with herhair.
(18:56):
She kissed his feet and sheanointed them with fragrant oil
Verse 39.
Skip down to verse 44.
For she is a sinner.
Skip down to verse 44.
(19:28):
So Jesus turns to the woman andhe says to Simon the Pharisee do
you see this woman?
I entered your house.
You gave me no water for myfeet, but she has washed my feet
with her tears.
She's wiped them with the hairof her head.
You gave me no kiss, but thiswoman has not ceased to kiss my
(19:52):
feet since the time I came in.
Then he looks at the womanverse 48, and says Many are
forgiven, for she loved much.
Then he looks at the womanverse 48, and says your sins are
forgiven, your faith has savedyou.
(20:18):
Go into peace Again.
My Bible must be broken.
The editors left out the partwhere she asks for forgiveness.
Where was this woman's sinner'sprayer?
(20:40):
Where was her apology?
How many marriages had sheruined?
Where's the acknowledgement ofguilt?
But it clearly says right therein verse 48, your sins are
forgiven, your faith has saved.
(21:00):
You Go into peace.
So now we have two instances ofJesus flinging open wide the
door of forgiveness in asituation where religion is
seemingly blocking the way.
Did you pick up on thatmetaphor?
The Pharisee representsreligion.
(21:21):
Religion is wanting to keeppeople away from getting to God
on God's terms.
Another instance where religionis seemingly blocking the way.
Two instances where Jesus showsus something about God that
quite frankly, does not line uptoo well with conventional
(21:43):
wisdom about the who, what,where, when, why and how of
salvation and relationship withGod.
But why stop at two stories?
How about three?
Is he ready to eat?
Okay, another story.
For the sake of time, I'm goingto summarize this story.
(22:07):
It's in John, chapter 8.
In John chapter 8, we find thestory of the woman caught in
adultery.
The Pharisees again present inthe story.
The Pharisees bring this womanto Jesus Some scholars believe
she was caught in the act ofadultery Drag her out, place her
(22:29):
in front of Jesus, saying thatthey have permission from Moses
to stone her for her sin.
Religion is always looking foropportunities to condemn, but
what was Jesus' response?
He stoops down in the dust.
(22:51):
He remembers that we are butdust.
He stoops down in the dust andhe begins to write something
with his finger.
Was this a stalling tactic?
Was Jesus trying to figure outhow to navigate this sticky
situation?
A stalling tactic?
Was Jesus trying to figure outhow to navigate this sticky
situation?
Some say that maybe he waswriting the different sins that
(23:13):
the Pharisees themselves hadcommitted, writing these sins
out in the dust.
Maybe Jesus was pausing to letthe wind pass.
Maybe Jesus was pausing andremembering the day when he
stooped down in the dirt and,with those same hands, formed
man.
(23:35):
We don't know why Jesus stoopeddown and wrote in the dust.
But when Jesus finally doesspeak, he looks at the Pharisees
and he says something to theeffect of fine, you want to
condemn this woman, then condemnher.
And because you're so eager tocondemn, good news, whoever of
(23:55):
you is without sin, you're thelucky one who gets to throw the
first stone.
So have at it, boys.
Boys, of course, they all knowthat they too have sinned.
So they just stand there notknowing what to do next, and
during the awkward silence,jesus again stoops in the ground
(24:22):
and begins to write some more.
One by one, beginning with theoldest, the Pharisees begin to
leave Until, finally, jesus isleft alone with this woman who
was just caught in the act ofadultery.
He says woman, where are youraccusers now?
Has no one condemned you?
(24:46):
She says no one, lord.
He says neither do I condemnyou.
Go and sin no more.
This is the third time that myBible has left out something
very important.
(25:06):
Where's the admission of guilt?
Where's her confession?
Where's the plea forforgiveness?
Where is her apology?
It's not here, at least not inthe way that, honestly, I would
(25:28):
prefer it to be there, and Ithink most of us would prefer it
to be there.
See, it would be easier ifthere were metrics that we could
measure.
She said this.
So then Jesus said that.
She did this, and then Jesusdid that.
So then I'll say this, so thatJesus says that have you said
(25:53):
this?
Well then, how do you know?
How do we know that Jesus hasdone that for you?
Have you said that?
See, metrics, tangible thingsthat we can measure make it very
easy for us.
We like having these tangiblesbecause it makes us feel secure
(26:13):
about the rules.
We like having these tangiblesbecause it makes us feel secure
about the rules.
I know I'm saved because Iprayed this prayer.
I was baptized.
On this day.
I cried and I promised never todo it again, and that time I
really meant it.
Tangible things it's so mucheasier if repentance and
confession of sin is somethingthat we can measure.
(26:35):
But the danger is we become likethe Pharisees, potentially
blocking the way to Jesus.
Did you say the thing, did youdo the thing?
I'm gonna give you someexamples of how we can become
like the Pharisees, blocking theway to Jesus.
(26:58):
Some say that you have to bebaptized to be saved.
So baptism becomes a Phariseeblocking the way to Jesus.
Others say that the Godbaptizing you has to say the
right thing, because if he's notsaying the right thing when
he's baptizing you, it's notgoing to take.
Others say you have to bebaptized in the right
(27:23):
denomination, because if youwere baptized in a different
denomination, we don't know ifthe guy said the right thing.
We don't know what you got tomake sure that our guy is
baptizing you because we knowthat our guy is saying the right
thing.
We don't know what you got tomake sure that our guy's
baptizing you because we knowthat our guy is saying the right
thing.
Others say you have to takecommunion to be saved.
Some say you have to speak intongues.
(27:47):
And if you don't speak intongues you're not saved.
And these beautiful things thatGod intended to be gifts that
he's given to his church that wecelebrate and unite us, they
end up dividing us and blockingthe door that Jesus flung wide
(28:08):
open with his sacrifice on thecross.
Meanwhile, the world is stuckoutside in their sin and they
can't find their way to Jesusbecause of religious infighting.
Pharisees and scribes who thinkthey have God all figured out,
eager to condemn anyone whodoesn't play by their rules and
come to God the way that theythink you're supposed to come to
(28:29):
God.
Our God is not a God ofcondemnation.
Our God is not a God ofcondemnation.
That's not my opinion.
That's Bible, john 3, 17.
God did not send his son intothe world to condemn the world,
(28:51):
but that through him the worldwould be saved.
He's not a God of condemnation.
He's God of salvation andforgiveness and life.
Is there coming a day ofjudgment, when he's going to
judge the living and the dead?
Yes, but until that day, man,it is a day of salvation.
(29:16):
It's an opportunity for lifeand forgiveness to all who would
come to him.
Heaven forbid we misrepresenthim and become the stumbling
block to a lost world.
Who Jesus is eager to forgive.
Woe to anyone who causes one ofthese little ones who believe
in me to stumble.
Matthew 18, 6.
(29:39):
So let's ask the question againOn what basis was it permissible
for Jesus to open the door offorgiveness to a woman caught in
adultery?
On what basis Faith, faith?
On what basis?
Faith?
There was genuine repentancehappening internally that Jesus
(30:05):
responded to with genuineforgiveness.
You say how do you know that?
Well, if there was forgiveness,there was repentance.
You can't have forgivenesswithout repentance.
But we need to have theconversation of what, then, is
repentance.
Repentance is not a verbaldeclaration of sorrow.
(30:26):
It can be that and it veryoften is, but these stories show
us that we cannot pigeonholeGod.
He sees not as man sees, but hesees the heart.
He sees.
What's going on inside of anindividual Before repentance is
ever something that we canmeasure externally.
It first listen to this is aninternal explosion of awareness
(30:53):
that God is nothing like wethought he was.
An internal explosion ofawareness that I had you
completely wrong.
And repeatedly in the life ofJesus, we see God revealing
himself to be so eager to extendforgiveness that he doesn't
(31:17):
wait for the time it takes forwhat happened inside of you to
become words that are spoken outof your mouth.
He doesn't wait for theadulteress to get her apology
right.
He doesn't wait for theprostitute to convince him that
she won't do it again, becausehe sees what's going on inside
(31:39):
of that woman.
He responds to the internalawareness, that internal coming
to life, that the Holy Spirit isbirthing inside of that
individual, and he says forgiven, go into peace.
And, jesus, I haven't even gotmy apology right yet.
I saw what was going on in yourheart.
(32:02):
I delight in what's going on inthere and not in the external
sacrifice.
He's so eager to forgive basedon what he sees that by the time
the words ever come out of yourmouth, he's already opened the
door to forgiveness.
Okay, one more Joshua's hungry.
(32:28):
Okay, one more story from theBible.
Because I want to try to provethese things to you with one
last story, I'm going tosummarize this one.
It's in Luke, chapter 15.
Jesus tells the parable of theprodigal son.
If I were an editor of theBible, I would not call this
(32:49):
story the parable of theprodigal son.
I would call it the heart ofthe father.
His story is more so about thefather than it is the son.
I believe the story revealssomething.
The nature reveals somethingabout the nature of our heavenly
father.
So I'm going to summarize.
Most of you are familiar withthis story.
A son he asked his father forthe inheritance early so that he
(33:14):
could take off and live hisbest life.
Now he leaves.
He squanders his father's money, his own inheritance, on sinful
living.
He runs out of money.
He finds himself living in apigsty and he comes to his
senses and he's like you knowwhat.
This didn't work out like Ithought it was.
(33:35):
I should go back home see if mydad will take me back.
In Verse 18 says this theprodigal son.
He says I will arise and go tomy father and I'm going to say
to him father, I have sinnedagainst heaven and before you
and I'm no longer worthy to becalled your son.
(33:56):
Make me like one of your hiredservants.
Make me like one of your hiredservants.
The son had a perception of hisfather that told him dad's not
going to let me back in unless Iconvince him to Apply that to
(34:17):
us and our relationship with God.
Dad's not going to let me backin unless I convince him, unless
I get my apology right.
He's not going to let me in asa son, but maybe he'll let me in
as a servant.
Make me like one of your hiredservants.
(34:38):
That's religion.
I'm going to work really hardto convince you that I'm serious
this time and I'm going to workreally hard to convince you how
sorry I am.
That's religion.
So the son goes back to hisfather's house.
I'm sure I could just picturehim practicing his speech all
(35:01):
the way back to dad's house.
Father, I've sinned againstheaven and against you.
I'm no longer worthy to becalled your son.
Make me like one of your hiredservants.
I got to get this right so Ican convince dad.
Verse 20,.
When the son was still a greatways off, his father saw him and
(35:22):
had compassion and the fatherran out to him.
He hugged him and he kissed him.
And the son says to his fatherI got something to say, dad.
Father, I've sinned against youand I've sinned against heaven.
I'm no longer worthy to becalled your son.
But the father cries out.
I'm just picturing the fathersaying shut up, man, stop.
(35:47):
The father cries out quickly.
Bring the best robe and put iton my son, put a ring on his
finger and sandals on his feet.
Bring the fatted calf and killit.
Let us eat and be merry, for myson was dead, but now he's
alive.
My son was lost and now he'sfound.
(36:08):
The father wasn't going to lethis son talk like that.
The father wasn't going to lethis son talk like that.
The story reveals somethingabout our heavenly father.
We come to him by faith,believing that he is as good as
(36:39):
Jesus says he is, and helavishes forgiveness on us.
The response to that is goingto be words declaration Jesus is
Lord.
I confess with my mouth there'snone like you.
But it's not going to besomething that you have to pry
out.
When new life comes, there'salways a declaration.
(37:05):
When Seth and Olivia had babyMalachi, they didn't have to
convince baby Malachi to cry whyLife?
Something comes out.
When there's life that comes in.
When you become born again, youare going to release praise,
(37:25):
you are going to release yourGod and there is no other.
There will be a confession,will be a confession.
There is going to be fruit ofrepentance and then we continue
living and bearing the fruit ofrepentance and we look glorious
as we carry those things throughlife.
(37:46):
But he is so eager to extendforgiveness.
We have no idea.
We have no idea.
Maybe you haven't seen God thisway before.
Maybe you've spent way too longtrying to convince him how
(38:08):
serious you are this time.
I would encourage you to studythese passages.
Don't just take my word for it.
Pray, ask the Holy Spirit toguide you into truth.
Reveal Jesus to you.
Does anyone have any questions?
(38:32):
Any comments?
Amen, amen, amen.
How about we just take a minuteand I know kids are hungry and
we want to eat and all thatstuff, I know, let's just take a
minute and respond.
(38:53):
It was a heavy word.
Let's close in prayer and justask the Lord to help us.
Thank you, jesus, thank you Lord.
(39:19):
Lord, I confess.
I confess that there are thingsthat I would prefer you did
differently.
It'd be easier sometimes.
But then, when I look at my ownlife, I'm so thankful that you
(39:44):
are who you are.
Lord, I thank you for yourgrace, your mercy, your
compassion, your forgiveness,your loving kindness, your
patience.
Thank you, god.
(40:10):
Holy Spirit, I ask that youwould baptize us in an awareness
of who Jesus is.
Lord, we wanna divide your wordrightly.
We wanna understand who God is.
This is eternal life that theywould know.
God.
We wanna know you as you are,not how we've made you out to be
(40:36):
.
We don't want to serve a Godmade in our own image.
We don't want to serve adenominational representation of
God.
We want to know you as you are.
So, holy Spirit, guide us intoall truth.
Thank you that you are with us.
You are here to help us.
(40:58):
Thank you, jesus, for salvation, forgiveness, the born again
experience.
Thank you, god.
Lord, take us deep into theseplaces and Lord, give us
language to be able tocommunicate them to the world
around us, so that who you arewould be seen in our community.
(41:20):
Oh, we love you.
We desire to love you so muchmore, lord, as we gather around
the table together to share thismeal and to fellowship with one
another.
Lord, we ask that our timewould be sweet, that it would be
a fragrant aroma to you, lord,that we would build one another
(41:42):
up.
Thank you, god, that we arepeople of the Spirit.
Lord, let us speak spirituallydiscerned things to one another.
Bless this food to our bodies.
Thank you for everyone whoprepared this meal.
Oh, be with those who couldn'tbe with us today, lord, the ones
who are sick, oh, would youspeak life and healing over
their bodies.
In Jesus' name.
(42:02):
Thank you, lord.
It's in your name that we pray,amen.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!