"And He said, "A man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them. And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate living recklessly. Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he was desiring to be fed with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! I will rise up and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.’" So he rose up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet, and bring the fattened calf, slaughter it, and let us eat and celebrate, for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.
"Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. And summoning one of the servants, he began inquiring what these things could be. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he became angry and was not wanting to go in, and his father came out and began pleading with him. But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and never have I neglected a command of yours. And yet never have you given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ And he said to him, ‘Child, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and is alive, and was lost and has been found.’"
Good Morning my beloved,
We welcome you to worship today in the name of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for joining us today, whether it's your first time or you are a faithful member of our family in Christ, your presence is acknowledged and truly appreciated. If you have recently received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, whether through this ministry or some other, please contact us so that we can include you in our prayers. If you haven't recently received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, could I encourage you consider crying out to Him today, while there's still time?
Of all of the human qualities, I believe that none is more divine, more difficult to do, than forgiveness. In Exodus 34:6–7, God identifies Himself as "compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth," who "forgives iniquity, transgression and sin, yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished." Since God is a God of forgiveness, we are never more God-like than when we forgive other, especially those who do not deserve it. In Matthew 6:12,
Jesus directly links our forgiveness of others to God’s forgiveness of us. Forgiveness is a gift that flows from being forgiven first, a reflection of our new identity in Christ. In Ephesians 4:31-32, Paul writes that as believers we are to "Let all bitterness and anger and wrath and shouting and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Instead, be kind to one another, tender-hearted, graciously forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has graciously forgiven you." Forgiveness is a central theme, that is consistently emphasized throughout the Scripture as both a divine command and as an act of grace to reflect God’s merciful nature, made possible through Christ’s sacrifice. In his epistle 1 John 1:9, our beloved Apostle John declares that "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." And, in stark contrast in verse 10 he says, "If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us." Jesus’ response to Peter in Matthew 18:21-22 very clearly illustrates that forgiveness should be limitless, mirroring God’s boundless mercy, Whose "mercies are not a one-time event but continually renewed with each new morning," offering us a fresh start regardless of yesterday’s failures or past struggles. Even in grief, sin, or suffering we experience God’s mercy provides hope and restoration, like the prophet Jeremiah during Jerusalem’s fall.
The Lord warns us that such forgiveness will be often be misunderstood and unappreciated, as seen here in the deceptively simple Parable of the Prodigal Son, where the son who didn't leave became angry with his father for being so forgiving, setting the stage for a radical redefinition of grace and divine, often drawing criticism from the Pharisees and scribes, who complained saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them." From which we learn how our Father loves and eagerly and completely forgives even His own rebellious children, which is contingent upon our forgiveness of others, the principle of God's forgiveness, if you want to be forgiven, forgive others who are also undeserving of such forgiveness. We live in a world where the hearts of many, if not most, people is full of anger, resentment, hatred and hostility, I believe at least partially due to the lack of any kind of Christian social restraint in our culture. Which is not hard to understand, because we know from Scripture, that sinful people are by nature prone to anger, prone to resentment, prone to bitterness, prone to hate, and even murder, like their father the devil; who was, from the beginning, a murderer. In the days in which we live, hatred and violence has erupted from the human heart and has become a normal way of life, a condition rooted in human fallenness. I remember some years ago hearing about a book written by Susan Forward that essentially said you are a victim of some toxic parents who poisoned you and until you put the blame on them where it belongs, you’re not going to be a healthy person. We live in a victim mentally culture that wants to make literally everybody the perpetrator of some sort of a crime against us. This is certainly the most retaliatory culture I've seen in my lifetime, to forgive anyone of anything is practically unthinkable. As Christians, we're taught that if anybody offends us we are to forgive them an unlimited amount of times because our Father in heaven has forgiven us. If we allow ourselves to buy into this unforgiving culture that says you are a victim and you don’t have to forgive, you have a right to make anybody who you feel has committed an offense against you wrong pay, and make them pay dearly for what they've done by the dehumanization of the target, and all of this anger and resentment has been "justified" by psychology, often arising from unmet emotional needs, trauma, fear, and perceived injustice deeply embedded in the human psyche.
Interestingly enough, the sixth commandment, "Thou shall not kill" is not just murder alone, but also the lack of forgiveness. Let me fill in the context, in Matthew 5:21-22, Jesus said "You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not murder’ and ‘Whoever murders shall be guilty before the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ shall be guilty before the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell." In other words, Jesus is saying that when God commanded you shall not kill, it also implied that He also meant you shall not hate, you shall not hold malice in your heart, you shall not be angry, you shall not carry bitterness and resentment, you shall not seek revenge in response to a perceived wrong, you shall not pursue vengeance as a sense of justice for an offense committed, nor shall you exhibit a lack of forgiveness. To put it another way, we are not to even entertain any emotion that could ultimately end up in taking someone’s life as the extreme outcome. Since every one of us who is created is created in the image of God, though that image is marred, we can forgive him, if we can see the image of God in him. Certainly, there are times when we must seek to see the image of God in our own selves, much less others. And, more often than not, we find it difficult to understand why someone wouldn't want to forgive us, since we are certainly eager to forgive ourselves, as we bear no grudge against ourselves. If, for some reason, we do hold an offense against ourself, it is certainly not our desire for destruction, is it? You better understand that holding hatred in your heart, refusing to forgive, no matter what the offense, is a violation of the sixth command, because lurking beneath that attitude of hatred is the desire to inflict harm on someone if you could get away with it, if not the cognitive commitment to kill the object of your hatred. You have to recognize the underlying condition of your heart, then deal with the issue of a lack of self-control. Whoever has offended you has offended God even greater. If He can forgive the greater sin, surely you and I can forgive the lesser. God has a compelling interest in the recovery, repentance and restoration of sinners for His own joy. When God forgives for our sin, He doesn’t leave our lives unchanged, with the same sinful desires. He's prepared something far better for us, giving us a new heart with new desires, renewing the inner person, with a longing to please God. The old self is gone, therefore, God’s forgiveness is inseparable from renewal. Grace is not permission to sin, but the power to overcome it. True sheep have experienced genuine grace, repent and turn from sin toward God. On the other hand, goats, do not repent, they pretend to be sheep, while clinging to their sin, ultimately going further from God.
God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked should turn from their ways and live. Therefore, repent, turn from your evil ways and live.
Let's pray
Heavenly Father,
Father, we are so thankful for Your Word, for this timely reminder just how important forgiveness is and how desperately the world needs to embrace it, including those who profess to belong to You. Lord, if there is anything, Lord, in my heart or in the hearts of Your people joining us today, that could be in any way seen as an unforgiving attitude toward anyone, please forgive us and remove it, for we know that You forbid an unforgiving heart, just as much as you forbid a murderous heart. We know that the lack of forgiveness forfeits fellowship with one another, our communion with You, and leaves our own sins unforgiven. O' Father work in every heart as only You can, use the sword of Your Spirit to perform spiritual surgery on any heart that is harboring hatred and unforgiveness toward anyone who has been unkind, unfair, or who has made life difficult or painful, and make us forgiving toward them, so that we can become more like You, Who forgives wretched sinners like us. May it all be for Your glory, and for Christ's sake and Your increase. In the most precious name of Your Son, we ask and pray these things.
Amen.
Today's Message: You Gotta Have Grace- Part 1
Open your Bibles with me to the Gospel of Luke, Luke chapter 15. Luke chapter 15, verses eleven through thirty-two. I encourage you to follow along with me as I read these twenty-one verses with an open heart to set the text in minds, while we prepare our hearts for what the Spirit of God has is saying to each of us. Listen for the voice of our Lord. Luke 15:11-32.
Let's begin with verse 11, "And He said, A man had two sons." introduces the Parable of the Prodigal Son, which is by far one of the most profound and theologically rich narratives in the New Testament. At face value, it sounds pretty straightforward, doesn't it? A man had two sons, there's nothing particularly significant about that. But, in order for us to better understand the story, we need to remember this is different culture, in a different time, with very different priorities. Shame and honor were big, very very big. Often overlooked is the cultural shockwave this story would have sent through Jesus' audience, where literally everything you did was tied to either shame or to honor. In first-century Jewish society, family honor, inheritance laws, and patriarchal dignity were sacrosanct. As we exposit this text, I believe that you will agree, Jesus paints a picture of divine love that shatters conventional "norms." While most often remembered for the younger son’s rebellion and return, this verse sets the stage for a much deeper exploration of divine grace, human brokenness, and the scandal of unconditional love. And, if properly applied, I believe it dramatically change how we relate to others—enabling us to forgive as we’ve been forgiven, to love without a grocery list of conditions, and begin to live with spiritual authenticity. Initially this sounds like a story about every family, every heart, but ultimately, its a in depth story about God's profound love for humanity. As we begin to delve deeply into these verses, I pray that you will consider the Lord’s character whenever you have an opportunity to forgive others, as I have, remembering He’s been compassionate, tender, merciful, full of love in His dealings with you and me.
Let's move onto verse 2, "And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them." This is a pivotal moment in the family dynamics, where the younger son demands his inheritance from his father. Inheritance was not claimed during a father’s lifetime unless under extraordinary circumstances, for a son to ask for one’s inheritance while the father was alive was tantamount to saying, "I wish you were dead," in a culture where elders were to be revered. Furthermore, it not only violated the Fifth Commandment to "Honor your father and mother," it also shattered filial piety, a cornerstone of Jewish ethics. Notice he begins his demand with a formal address—"Father"—which makes the demand even more jarring.
In other words, this was a really big deal, in ancient Near Eastern Jewish society, it was the ultimate disrespect, demonstrating entitlement and impatience, reducing fatherhood to finance. The younger son's actions desiring freedom from authority symbolizes the rebellious and fallen nature of humanity. As a son, you were expected to wait until your father's dead and then, under Jewish law according to Deuteronomy 21, the younger gets one third, the older gets two thirds. What kind of rebellious son would make such a dishonorable request, bringing shame upon the entire family. It was to be expected that a father would protect not only his personal honor but the honor of the family name by upholding integrity, leading with godly authority, and setting a moral example at all cost. The father was at the head of the family, then came the older brother, then came the younger. We can only imagine a father's response to such a shameful, disrespect. But, look at what this father did. Rather than striking him across the face for his insolence, "He divided his wealth between them," even though he has no obligation to do so. This is shocking! No self-respecting father who has been publicly humiliated, disrespected and embarrassed by his son, would respond to such dishonor with honor, but that's exactly what he does. In human terms, such a response may seem like a form of weakness—but in spiritual terms, it is the ultimate expression of strength in it's highest form. The greater the love, the greater the pain when that love is rejected. Especially the love of a child you have loved, nurtured and cared for their entire life up until this point. It's also consider the ultimate form of disrespect for a son to dishonor his father, evidence he has no genuine relationship with his father. This is a vivid picture of Roman's 1:24, God letting the rebellious sinner the freedom to go his own way, knowing it will lead to his destruction. By the way, in the ancient tradition, even though the younger son's inheritance was given to him, he couldn't actually take possession of it until the father passed away, however, he could sell it for cash, which it what this young man did, but the buyer couldn't take possession until the father died either. It was the exact opposite of "Buy now, Pay later" system we have today. It was a "Pay now, Take possession later" deal. There's never a better deal than when you're dealing with a desperate seller, and this young man wanted out, and he wanted out now. Get out fast, and get out far.
Verse 13, "And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate living recklessly." By honoring the son's request, it is in itself a radical act of grace, symbolizing God’s willingness to allow human free agency—even when it leads to self-destruction. The phrase "And not many days later," sets the stage for the rebellious son's rapid deliberate departure from the father’s presence, protection, and provision, driven by his deep-seated lustful and wicked desires. The younger son gathered everything together carries a much deeper significance beyond a simple act of packing belongings, representing the young man's calculated self-centered decision to abandon his familial responsibility, to pursue his own way, while spiritually severing ties with divine provision, symbolizes how human pride often begins with the illusion of self-sufficiency. Notice he "went on a journey into a distant country," to get as far away from the sense of his identity of his father and family as he could, so that he can live any way he wants to live. This is the monumental moment that marks the beginning of alienation from God, where everything that has been provided for him is no longer seen as a gift, but as a personal possession to be used for self-gratification. In other words, it represents the futility of life apart from God. "And there he squandered his estate living recklessly." This phrase intentionally evokes an image of total dissipation, not just reckless spending, but dispersing something valuable until nothing remains. I'd like you to notice it's the same term used for winnowing grain, separating chaff from wheat, symbolizing how sin fragments the soul. The path to repentance often requires hitting rock bottom, and the famine that so often follows is no accident—it is a divine consequence of human rebellion. This is far more than just an economic loss, it's a live lived devoid of godly purpose. In God’s economy, every experience, no matter how painful, difficult or meaningless it may appear, can be used by God to transform something once thought to be a waste into something purposeful and life-giving. By the way, haven't you ever wondered why the older son didn't step up and protect his father's honor? The answer is simple, because he didn’t have any genuine love for his father either, as we will see later.
Verse 14, "Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished." Notice the timing of the famine, it comes it comes after he has spent everything. This is not by coincidence but by divine design. Friends, here is the clear evidence that sin can never deliver on it's promises. This young man is the new guy in town with a big wad of cash, I can tell you from my own personal experience in my younger years, this guy was collecting all kinds of people who wanted to cash in on his foolish generosity. And, as soon as the money runs, they'll be running right out the door behind it. Life can really stink sometimes, but that's the way fair weather friends are, they around when things are going well, but when things become challenging, you quickly realize the relationship is one-sided. You'd be surprised what desperate people will do during hard times, they will do things they'd never do otherwise. Yes, I am again speaking from experience. I digress. When Israel was under siege, a wealthy widow driven by starvation, even cooked and ate her infant child and offered the remains to others. Earlier, during the Siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC, Lamentations chapter 4:10 states, "The hands of compassionate women boiled their own children; They became food for them because of the destruction of the daughter of my people." Deuteronomy 28:53–57 and Jeremiah 19:9 similarly warn that during sieges, people would resort to eating their own children out of desperation. This young son is not just hungry; he is spiritually malnourished, however, unaware of his true condition until desperation sets in.
Verse 15, "So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine." In times of severe famine, when life is at its lowest, people often make really bad decisions, decisions that ultimately make their bad circumstances even worse. Listen, we're talking about a level of desperation that’s beyond anything that any of us can probably conceive. When I was in Central America, as soon as I exited the airport, I saw young children, 5-6 years old, going through garbage cans. 8, 9, 10 year old prostituting themselves for $5-10 dollars. It was absolutely horrific circumstances for an adult, much less a small child! And there's no social services to assist them. God allows the consequences of our sin to unfold, because need prepares the way for a change of heart. Not these children did anything wrong, they're likely the victims of parents who made some really bad decisions. We will see Him use the famine to draw him back home where he belongs. Having squandered away his entire inheritance, facing a severe famine, this young man descends into the ultimate state of degradation. The party is officially over. Desperate times call for desperate measures as the ole saying goes. With nowhere to turn, and no one to turn, still not ready to go home to face the humiliation of his bad decisions, he hires himself out to one of the citizens of that country, a Gentile. He went looking for unrestrained pleasure to fulfill his lustful desires, and what he got was a hard life of pain, humiliation and unfulfillment. In the context of first-century Jewish society, the word "citizen" is significant, it represents someone from the world system detached from God, someone who has substituted a life of self-interest for God. The picture here is he find someone who has means, and begs him for work, instead of offering mercy or compassion for a fellow human being, he says, "Fine. Go into the fields and feed my pigs." Friends, this is the lowest job available, and the worst part is, and as it turns out, it doesn’t pay anything.
That brings us to verse 16, where we'll stop for today, "And he was desiring to be fed with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him." This sets the stage, for this once arrogant, now unwanted, undervalued slave, true awakening as he sees himself feeding pigs, hungry, desperate with no one to help he begins to recognize the depth of his fall. This is a Jewish boy in a Gentile land, serving a Gentile, by feeding pigs with no compensation eating slop with the pigs, and he had to battle them for it. The world no longer serves him—it has enslaved him. He has officially hit rock bottom. This young Jewish boy has found himself in the most unimaginable circumstances. The greatest rebellion has become the humblest repentant sinner. This is where heaven rejoices. Be sure to come back next time when this young man comes to his senses and realizes that nothing in this life has meaning, nothing in this life satisfies apart from God.
May it be so..
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
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