WEBVTT

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 Today's scripture reading comes from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 15.

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 Please follow along in your bulletin.

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 And he said, A man had two sons.

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 The younger of them said to his father,

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 Father, give me my share of the estate that falls to me.

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 So he divided his wealth between them.

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 And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together

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 and went on a journey into a distant country.

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 And there he squandered his estate with loose living.

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 Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country

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 and he began to be impoverished.

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 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country

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 and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

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 And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pots that the swine were eating

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 and no one was giving anything to him.

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 But when he came to his senses, he said,

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 How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread?

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 But I am dying here with hunger.

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 I will get up to my father and say to him,

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 Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.

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

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 Make me as one of your hired men.

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 So he got up and came to his father.

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 But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him

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 and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

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 And the son said to him,

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 Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.

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

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 But the father said to his slaves,

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 Quickly, bring out the best robe and put it on him

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 and put on a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet

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 and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.

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 For this son of mine was dead and has come to life again.

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 He was lost and has been 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 when he came and approached the house,

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 he heard music and dancing.

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 And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring

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 what these things could be.

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 And he said to him,

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 Your brother has come and your father has killed the fattened calf

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 because he has received him back safe and sound.

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 But he became angry and was not willing to go in.

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 And his father came out and began pleading with him.

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 But he answered his father and said,

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 Look, for so many years I've been serving you.

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 I've never neglected a command of yours.

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 And yet you have never given me a young goat

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 so 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 wealth with prostitutes,

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 you killed the fattened calf for him.

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 And he said to him,

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 Son, you've always been with me.

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 And all that is mine is yours.

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 But we had to celebrate and rejoice.

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 For this brother of yours was dead

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 and has begun to live again and was lost and has been found.

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 This is God's word.

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 Good morning.

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 How is everyone today?

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 Wow, everyone's asleep apparently.

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 How is everyone?

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 Okay, that's a little better.

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 For those of you who don't know me,

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 my name is Eric.

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 I'm the youth guy here at Watermark.

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 I've been here a little over a year now, I guess.

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 And as you heard,

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 we're talking today about a story about a lost son.

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 And I wanted to start out today

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 looking back at what's been happening in this passage

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 before we get to this story

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 because it's sort of important as we look at this story

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 to see the context that it's in.

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 So as we look at this story of this lost son,

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 what we see is actually that Jesus is telling a series of stories.

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 It's three stories in a row about things that are lost and found.

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 First, there's a sheep.

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 This man has a hundred sheep.

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 One of them wanders away.

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 He goes out.

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 He searches for the sheep.

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 He leaves the 99 that are there,

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 goes out, gets this sheep,

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 brings it back,

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 and has a party to celebrate

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 that this sheep that was lost has been found.

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 Next up, there's a woman.

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 She has 10 coins,

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 and one of them goes missing.

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 She leaves the nine where she knows where they are

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 and scours her house,

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 looks up, down, left, right,

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 everywhere she can for this lost coin

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 until she finds it.

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 And when she does,

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 she has a party,

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 invites all her friends over,

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 and they celebrate

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 because this coin that was lost is found.

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 And then we get to today's story.

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 There's a father.

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 He has two sons.

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 The younger one comes to him and says,

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 Dad, give me my share of the inheritance.

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 Basically, I don't care about you.

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 I just want your stuff.

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 So give me my stuff so I can go.

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 The dad gives him his share of the inheritance,

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 and he leaves.

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 He goes out to a foreign land.

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 He spends all his money,

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 parties it up,

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 has fun,

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 enjoys life,

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 runs out of money,

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 and right as he does,

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 boom, a famine hits the land.

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 And so this man has no money,

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 and even if he had friends

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 who'd be willing to help him,

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 they didn't really have anything

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 to help him with

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 because there was no food available in the land.

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 He looks for a job,

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 gets a job feeding pigs,

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 which for a Jewish boy

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 was like the worst job you could ever have,

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 and gets to the point

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 where he's so desperate and so low

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 that he just wants to eat the food

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 that he is feeding to the pigs.

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 And he takes a step back,

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 and he looks at his life,

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 and he realizes,

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 wow,

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 in my dad's house,

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 everyone,

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 even the lowest servants,

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 at least they have food to eat.

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 And I've basically forfeited my right

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 to be a son anymore,

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 but maybe I can go back.

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 Maybe I can say to my dad,

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 hey, I'll work for you.

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 I'll be your servant.

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 I'll try and pay back

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 maybe some of what I owe you.

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 And at least then

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 I can have some food in my stomach.

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 I won't have to feed these pigs.

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 It'll be okay.

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 So he goes home,

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 starts this journey along,

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 going back,

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 and his dad sees him from far away

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 and runs out

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 and gives him a huge hug.

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 And the son says,

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 Dad, I'm sorry.

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 I sinned against you and against God.

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 I don't deserve to be your son anymore.

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 Please just take me back as a slave.

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 And the dad says,

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 Son, come.

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 You are my son.

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 We're putting the best robe on you.

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 We're putting a ring on you.

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 We're putting sandals on you.

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 We're celebrating.

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 We're going to have a party

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 because you were gone.

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 You were dead.

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 And now you are back.

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 Now you are alive.

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 And so they have this huge, huge party.

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 And there's another son in this story.

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 This son is the older brother.

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 He's out working in the field.

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 He has been working in the field

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 the entire time

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 that the younger brother has been gone.

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 working hard,

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 working long hours,

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 doing his work,

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 being industrious.

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 And he hears the sound of a party

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 going on back home.

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 And he calls one of the slaves over.

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 And he says,

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 What's going on down there?

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 The slave says,

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 There's a party.

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 Your brother who left,

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 he's come back.

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 And this older brother is furious.

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 Rather than rejoicing

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 that his brother has come back,

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 he is angry and bitter

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 and refuses to go into the party.

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 The father comes out,

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 which he should never have had to do,

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 to invite his son into the party,

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 the celebration.

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 And the older brother complains,

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 Dad, I've never disobeyed you.

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 Dad, I've always done exactly

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 what I was supposed to do.

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 Come on, why can't I have a party

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 with my friends?

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 And the dad basically tells him,

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 Look, your brother,

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 he was gone.

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 He was dead.

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 He's alive again.

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 He left us and he has come back.

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 We need to celebrate.

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 Look, everything that I have,

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 it's yours already.

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 You can do whatever you want with it.

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 But we have to celebrate right now

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 because your brother was gone

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 and he has come back.

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 Come join the party.

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 And the story ends.

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 And two weeks ago,

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 Mike spoke on the younger brother.

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 He shared about the journey

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 of the younger brother

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 and what it took for him to come back

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 and this whole process.

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 But today we're looking at

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 a different character in the story.

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 We're looking at the older brother.

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 And personally for me,

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 the older brother is actually

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 one of the characters in the Bible

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 that I can relate to the best.

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 I am an older brother.

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 I'm the oldest of four boys.

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 And growing up,

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 I would get in trouble occasionally,

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 but I was always like the good kid.

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 And my brothers got really annoyed by that.

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 I was the kid in Sunday school class.

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 We'd have little charts

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 and we'd have stickers

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 for like Bible memory verses

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 and Bible reading and stuff.

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 And you get prizes

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 if you got enough stickers.

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 And I was the one

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 who would have stickers

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 all the way across

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 and the rest of the class

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 would have like two or three stickers each.

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 That was me.

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 I was the kid in school

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 who like every teacher

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 wanted me in their class

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 because I was well behaved

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 and I got my straight A's.

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 And my brothers actually hated

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 having teachers

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 that I had had before

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 because the teachers expected them

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 to live up to that standard

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 that I had set.

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 And so I was the ideal older brother.

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 I did everything right

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 and I had this all down

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 and my younger brothers knew it.

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 They knew that I had it all down

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 and they knew that they were expected

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 to have it all together

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 because I had had it all together.

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 And so they really did not enjoy that.

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 And I didn't really enjoy it either

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 because when they would go in there

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 and they would have these same teachers

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 that I had had

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 and they would get a B in that class,

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 I'd be like,

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 you let me down.

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 Come on, bro.

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 And so I can really relate

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 to the older brother

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 and his feeling of how

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 this younger brother

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 had let him down

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 because he hadn't lived up

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 to the same standard

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 that he had lived up to.

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 And as we've gotten older,

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 my brothers have actually

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 turned out pretty okay.

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 But my older brother complex

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 I think is something

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 that has definitely stuck around.

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 And so today we're going to take

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 a closer look

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 at the older brother in the story.

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 We're going to see

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 what it is about him

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 that makes him

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 refuse to go into this party,

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 refuse to celebrate,

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 refuse to rejoice

00:10:35.559 --> 00:10:36.179
 in the fact

00:10:36.179 --> 00:10:37.779
 that his brother has come home

00:10:37.779 --> 00:10:39.219
 and see what parts

00:10:39.219 --> 00:10:41.179
 of our lives reflect him.

00:10:42.539 --> 00:10:43.439
 And as we look

00:10:43.439 --> 00:10:44.299
 at this older brother,

00:10:44.659 --> 00:10:45.379
 the first thing

00:10:45.379 --> 00:10:46.240
 that I want us to see

00:10:46.240 --> 00:10:47.279
 is that yes,

00:10:47.360 --> 00:10:48.059
 this older brother

00:10:48.059 --> 00:10:49.199
 has always stayed at home.

00:10:49.279 --> 00:10:51.179
 He has always obeyed perfectly

00:10:51.179 --> 00:10:52.439
 everything the father

00:10:52.439 --> 00:10:54.039
 has ever commanded him to do.

00:10:54.419 --> 00:10:54.799
 However,

00:10:54.799 --> 00:10:57.599
 despite his obedience,

00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:00.159
 he was just as lost

00:11:00.159 --> 00:11:01.000
 as his younger brother.

00:11:04.059 --> 00:11:05.799
 Even though he had stayed home,

00:11:06.159 --> 00:11:07.339
 even though he had not run away,

00:11:07.479 --> 00:11:08.759
 even though he had worked

00:11:08.759 --> 00:11:10.079
 to build the family fortune

00:11:10.079 --> 00:11:10.819
 instead of going

00:11:10.819 --> 00:11:11.620
 to a far off land

00:11:11.620 --> 00:11:12.459
 and squandering it,

00:11:12.459 --> 00:11:14.240
 he was just as lost

00:11:14.240 --> 00:11:15.599
 as his younger brother.

00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:19.000
 The first thing we see

00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:19.620
 of the older brother

00:11:19.620 --> 00:11:20.180
 in this story

00:11:20.180 --> 00:11:21.040
 is that he's refusing

00:11:21.040 --> 00:11:22.680
 to come into a party

00:11:22.680 --> 00:11:24.180
 to celebrate the return

00:11:24.180 --> 00:11:25.460
 of his younger brother.

00:11:26.960 --> 00:11:28.779
 He stands outside the party,

00:11:29.480 --> 00:11:31.840
 not just despite his obedience,

00:11:32.060 --> 00:11:33.040
 but actually because

00:11:33.040 --> 00:11:33.759
 of his obedience.

00:11:33.920 --> 00:11:35.159
 The father welcomes him in

00:11:35.159 --> 00:11:36.379
 to this rejoicing,

00:11:36.700 --> 00:11:37.379
 and the son says,

00:11:37.500 --> 00:11:39.139
 no, because I have been

00:11:39.139 --> 00:11:40.240
 such a good kid,

00:11:40.779 --> 00:11:42.060
 I'm not going in.

00:11:42.059 --> 00:11:44.619
 His obedience keeps him

00:11:44.619 --> 00:11:45.459
 away from the father.

00:11:45.779 --> 00:11:46.959
 It's actually a form

00:11:46.959 --> 00:11:48.219
 of rebellion in some ways.

00:11:49.779 --> 00:11:50.500
 And ultimately,

00:11:50.779 --> 00:11:51.339
 it's because

00:11:51.339 --> 00:11:52.819
 he doesn't see himself

00:11:52.819 --> 00:11:53.500
 as a son.

00:11:53.839 --> 00:11:54.659
 He sees himself

00:11:54.659 --> 00:11:55.519
 as a slave.

00:11:59.339 --> 00:12:00.139
 The older brother

00:12:00.139 --> 00:12:01.039
 does not understand

00:12:01.039 --> 00:12:01.759
 that he is a son

00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:02.299
 to the father.

00:12:02.539 --> 00:12:03.939
 He thinks that he is

00:12:03.939 --> 00:12:04.739
 a slave to the father.

00:12:04.799 --> 00:12:05.459
 And we see this

00:12:05.459 --> 00:12:06.519
 as soon as the father

00:12:06.519 --> 00:12:07.779
 comes out to talk to him.

00:12:09.039 --> 00:12:10.019
 The father comes out,

00:12:10.059 --> 00:12:10.339
 he says,

00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:10.939
 hey, we got a party

00:12:10.939 --> 00:12:11.559
 going on inside.

00:12:11.559 --> 00:12:12.059
 Do you want to come?

00:12:14.059 --> 00:12:15.339
 And rather than saying,

00:12:15.959 --> 00:12:17.079
 hey, I'm your son too,

00:12:17.399 --> 00:12:18.679
 the older brother's response

00:12:18.679 --> 00:12:20.039
 is that I have always

00:12:20.039 --> 00:12:21.339
 perfectly obeyed

00:12:21.339 --> 00:12:22.379
 everything you've

00:12:22.379 --> 00:12:23.339
 commanded me to do.

00:12:24.859 --> 00:12:25.439
 He says,

00:12:25.539 --> 00:12:26.279
 I have been

00:12:26.279 --> 00:12:27.619
 the ideal slave.

00:12:30.059 --> 00:12:30.799
 Not I have been

00:12:30.799 --> 00:12:31.479
 the ideal son,

00:12:31.559 --> 00:12:31.939
 I have been

00:12:31.939 --> 00:12:32.799
 the ideal slave,

00:12:32.939 --> 00:12:33.759
 and I deserve

00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:34.779
 special treatment

00:12:34.779 --> 00:12:36.699
 because of my obedience.

00:12:39.019 --> 00:12:39.419
 Basically,

00:12:39.559 --> 00:12:40.319
 his sense of justice

00:12:40.319 --> 00:12:41.159
 had been messed up.

00:12:41.159 --> 00:12:42.199
 I have always

00:12:42.199 --> 00:12:42.959
 perfectly obeyed,

00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:43.579
 he hasn't.

00:12:44.240 --> 00:12:45.079
 I deserve

00:12:45.079 --> 00:12:45.819
 special treatment,

00:12:46.139 --> 00:12:46.860
 he doesn't.

00:12:47.779 --> 00:12:48.699
 He is getting

00:12:48.699 --> 00:12:49.319
 special treatment,

00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:50.240
 and I am not.

00:12:50.919 --> 00:12:51.839
 That is not right,

00:12:51.980 --> 00:12:52.679
 that is not fair,

00:12:52.779 --> 00:12:53.639
 I am not going in.

00:12:55.799 --> 00:12:56.600
 And the reason

00:12:56.600 --> 00:12:57.199
 that this sense

00:12:57.199 --> 00:12:57.679
 of justice

00:12:57.679 --> 00:12:58.459
 has been let down

00:12:58.459 --> 00:12:59.559
 is because he sees

00:12:59.559 --> 00:13:01.000
 himself as a slave

00:13:01.000 --> 00:13:01.919
 rather than a son.

00:13:03.639 --> 00:13:04.459
 But the problem

00:13:04.459 --> 00:13:05.120
 with the older brother

00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:06.139
 is that his complaints

00:13:06.139 --> 00:13:06.779
 to the father

00:13:06.779 --> 00:13:07.939
 are based on

00:13:07.939 --> 00:13:08.919
 a wrong understanding

00:13:08.919 --> 00:13:09.959
 of their relationship.

00:13:11.879 --> 00:13:12.599
 And the father

00:13:12.599 --> 00:13:13.740
 sees this immediately.

00:13:15.099 --> 00:13:15.759
 Mike talked

00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:16.339
 last time

00:13:16.339 --> 00:13:16.879
 about how

00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:17.399
 the father

00:13:17.399 --> 00:13:18.159
 is a good father,

00:13:18.279 --> 00:13:19.139
 he knows his sons.

00:13:19.240 --> 00:13:19.899
 When the younger son

00:13:19.899 --> 00:13:20.419
 came to him,

00:13:20.759 --> 00:13:21.639
 the father could have said,

00:13:21.799 --> 00:13:21.939
 no,

00:13:22.159 --> 00:13:23.099
 I am not giving you

00:13:23.099 --> 00:13:23.639
 your inheritance,

00:13:23.860 --> 00:13:24.620
 you are staying here.

00:13:25.139 --> 00:13:25.699
 But instead,

00:13:25.839 --> 00:13:26.519
 he knew his son

00:13:26.519 --> 00:13:26.879
 well enough

00:13:26.879 --> 00:13:27.479
 to give him

00:13:27.479 --> 00:13:27.979
 the inheritance,

00:13:28.539 --> 00:13:29.419
 let the son go off,

00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:30.339
 and wait for the son

00:13:30.339 --> 00:13:30.919
 to come back.

00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:32.799
 With the older son,

00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:33.799
 he could have used

00:13:33.799 --> 00:13:35.339
 this son's arguments

00:13:35.340 --> 00:13:36.460
 against the older son.

00:13:38.120 --> 00:13:38.879
 He entreats

00:13:38.879 --> 00:13:39.460
 the older son,

00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:40.019
 he says to him,

00:13:40.060 --> 00:13:40.139
 hey,

00:13:40.200 --> 00:13:40.860
 come into the party.

00:13:41.120 --> 00:13:41.759
 And the older son

00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:41.980
 says,

00:13:42.040 --> 00:13:42.180
 no,

00:13:42.240 --> 00:13:42.660
 I've always

00:13:42.660 --> 00:13:43.420
 perfectly obeyed

00:13:43.420 --> 00:13:43.740
 everything.

00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:45.180
 And the father

00:13:45.180 --> 00:13:45.879
 has the option

00:13:45.879 --> 00:13:46.580
 at this moment

00:13:46.580 --> 00:13:47.300
 to give him

00:13:47.300 --> 00:13:47.740
 a command,

00:13:48.080 --> 00:13:48.940
 come to the party now.

00:13:50.379 --> 00:13:51.040
 If you say

00:13:51.040 --> 00:13:51.480
 you've always

00:13:51.480 --> 00:13:52.340
 perfectly obeyed,

00:13:52.519 --> 00:13:53.340
 perfectly obey now,

00:13:53.519 --> 00:13:54.040
 come inside.

00:13:56.379 --> 00:13:56.920
 The father

00:13:56.920 --> 00:13:57.540
 doesn't do that.

00:13:57.780 --> 00:13:58.160
 He knows

00:13:58.160 --> 00:13:58.740
 that the issues

00:13:58.740 --> 00:13:59.600
 in his son's heart

00:13:59.600 --> 00:14:00.379
 are deeper

00:14:00.379 --> 00:14:01.639
 than mere

00:14:01.639 --> 00:14:02.960
 obedience issues.

00:14:02.960 --> 00:14:05.720
 The issues

00:14:05.720 --> 00:14:06.580
 in his son's heart

00:14:06.580 --> 00:14:07.780
 come from a wrong

00:14:07.780 --> 00:14:08.280
 understanding

00:14:08.280 --> 00:14:09.019
 of their relationship.

00:14:09.500 --> 00:14:10.100
 And so rather

00:14:10.100 --> 00:14:11.639
 than issuing

00:14:11.639 --> 00:14:12.500
 the son a command,

00:14:12.620 --> 00:14:13.379
 you need to come

00:14:13.379 --> 00:14:13.940
 now.

00:14:15.420 --> 00:14:16.480
 Rather than arguing

00:14:16.480 --> 00:14:17.080
 with the son,

00:14:17.160 --> 00:14:17.360
 saying,

00:14:17.480 --> 00:14:17.540
 no,

00:14:17.620 --> 00:14:18.300
 you haven't always

00:14:18.300 --> 00:14:19.240
 perfectly obeyed me.

00:14:19.320 --> 00:14:20.000
 Remember that time

00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:20.780
 you disobeyed

00:14:20.780 --> 00:14:22.360
 with whatever?

00:14:24.560 --> 00:14:25.220
 The father

00:14:25.220 --> 00:14:26.220
 changes the whole

00:14:26.220 --> 00:14:26.940
 topic of the

00:14:26.940 --> 00:14:28.060
 conversation with his son.

00:14:29.620 --> 00:14:30.600
 Rather than saying,

00:14:30.700 --> 00:14:30.780
 no,

00:14:30.860 --> 00:14:31.680
 you haven't been

00:14:31.680 --> 00:14:32.879
 the perfect slave,

00:14:32.960 --> 00:14:34.560
 he says,

00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:35.200
 I don't want

00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:35.940
 you to relate

00:14:35.940 --> 00:14:36.340
 to me

00:14:36.340 --> 00:14:37.580
 as a slave.

00:14:38.180 --> 00:14:38.720
 I don't want

00:14:38.720 --> 00:14:39.420
 to be a commander

00:14:39.420 --> 00:14:40.980
 who bosses you around.

00:14:41.100 --> 00:14:41.540
 I want to be

00:14:41.540 --> 00:14:41.960
 your father

00:14:41.960 --> 00:14:42.620
 who loves you.

00:14:42.879 --> 00:14:43.360
 I want you

00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:44.160
 to be my son.

00:14:44.420 --> 00:14:45.080
 The question

00:14:45.080 --> 00:14:45.759
 that we are

00:14:45.759 --> 00:14:46.360
 dealing with here

00:14:46.360 --> 00:14:46.780
 is not,

00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:47.420
 have you always

00:14:47.420 --> 00:14:48.259
 perfectly obeyed

00:14:48.259 --> 00:14:49.100
 everything I said,

00:14:49.900 --> 00:14:51.080
 but do I want

00:14:51.080 --> 00:14:52.460
 you to treat

00:14:52.460 --> 00:14:53.519
 me as a commander?

00:14:55.040 --> 00:14:55.740
 And the answer

00:14:55.740 --> 00:14:56.080
 is no.

00:14:56.160 --> 00:14:56.580
 The father

00:14:56.580 --> 00:14:57.759
 wants the son

00:14:57.759 --> 00:14:58.480
 to treat him

00:14:58.480 --> 00:14:59.460
 as a father,

00:15:00.300 --> 00:15:00.980
 to love him,

00:15:01.040 --> 00:15:01.820
 not to see it

00:15:01.820 --> 00:15:02.820
 as I need

00:15:02.820 --> 00:15:03.379
 to do this

00:15:03.379 --> 00:15:03.680
 in order

00:15:03.680 --> 00:15:04.540
 to get

00:15:04.540 --> 00:15:05.080
 what I can.

00:15:06.640 --> 00:15:07.480
 That ultimately

00:15:07.480 --> 00:15:08.140
 his obedience

00:15:08.140 --> 00:15:08.800
 as a slave

00:15:08.800 --> 00:15:09.480
 didn't determine

00:15:09.480 --> 00:15:10.160
 whether the father

00:15:10.160 --> 00:15:10.879
 accepted him

00:15:10.879 --> 00:15:12.280
 because he was

00:15:12.280 --> 00:15:13.060
 already accepted

00:15:13.060 --> 00:15:14.040
 by the father

00:15:14.040 --> 00:15:15.320
 for his status

00:15:15.320 --> 00:15:15.900
 as a son.

00:15:17.900 --> 00:15:18.900
 And because the older

00:15:18.900 --> 00:15:19.520
 brother misunderstood

00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:20.539
 this, rather than

00:15:20.539 --> 00:15:21.240
 bringing love

00:15:21.240 --> 00:15:22.079
 into his relationship

00:15:22.079 --> 00:15:22.699
 with the father,

00:15:23.159 --> 00:15:24.059
 he brought hatred

00:15:24.059 --> 00:15:24.779
 and anger

00:15:24.779 --> 00:15:25.620
 and bitterness

00:15:25.620 --> 00:15:27.460
 that were poisonous

00:15:27.460 --> 00:15:28.360
 to their relationship.

00:15:30.419 --> 00:15:31.720
 Also, because the brother

00:15:31.720 --> 00:15:32.559
 had a messed up

00:15:32.559 --> 00:15:33.019
 understanding

00:15:33.019 --> 00:15:33.759
 of his relationship

00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:34.399
 with the father,

00:15:35.039 --> 00:15:35.779
 he has a messed up

00:15:35.779 --> 00:15:36.240
 understanding

00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:36.960
 of the father's

00:15:36.960 --> 00:15:37.980
 possessions as well.

00:15:39.379 --> 00:15:40.480
 Because he sees himself

00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:41.059
 as a slave

00:15:41.059 --> 00:15:41.939
 rather than a son,

00:15:42.199 --> 00:15:43.419
 he sees the father's

00:15:43.419 --> 00:15:43.799
 possessions

00:15:43.799 --> 00:15:44.980
 as his wages

00:15:44.980 --> 00:15:46.000
 for obedience

00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:47.279
 rather than his

00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:48.259
 possessions already.

00:15:48.259 --> 00:15:50.779
 I mean, basically,

00:15:50.919 --> 00:15:51.360
 if you look at

00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:52.059
 the older brother's

00:15:52.059 --> 00:15:52.399
 argument,

00:15:52.620 --> 00:15:53.659
 a lot of his argument

00:15:53.659 --> 00:15:54.720
 about not coming

00:15:54.720 --> 00:15:55.299
 into the party

00:15:55.299 --> 00:15:55.980
 when the younger

00:15:55.980 --> 00:15:56.759
 brother comes home

00:15:56.759 --> 00:15:58.139
 has to do with the fact

00:15:58.139 --> 00:15:58.919
 that this party

00:15:58.919 --> 00:15:59.840
 costs so much

00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:00.519
 and you spent it

00:16:00.519 --> 00:16:01.019
 all on him

00:16:01.019 --> 00:16:01.740
 and not on me.

00:16:03.259 --> 00:16:04.179
 You owe me, Dad.

00:16:04.819 --> 00:16:05.759
 I've always been here.

00:16:05.860 --> 00:16:06.639
 I've always been working.

00:16:06.759 --> 00:16:07.919
 I've always been industrious.

00:16:08.120 --> 00:16:08.659
 He hasn't.

00:16:08.799 --> 00:16:09.659
 He went and wasted

00:16:09.659 --> 00:16:10.179
 all your money

00:16:10.179 --> 00:16:10.960
 and now you're

00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:11.679
 giving him more.

00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:14.460
 What's up with that?

00:16:17.019 --> 00:16:18.000
 The issue is that

00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:18.960
 because the son

00:16:18.960 --> 00:16:19.539
 saw himself

00:16:19.539 --> 00:16:20.279
 as a slave

00:16:20.279 --> 00:16:21.100
 rather than a son,

00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:22.659
 he saw the father's

00:16:22.659 --> 00:16:23.220
 possessions

00:16:23.220 --> 00:16:24.399
 as his wages

00:16:24.399 --> 00:16:25.899
 rather than

00:16:25.899 --> 00:16:27.299
 as his own possessions.

00:16:27.820 --> 00:16:28.600
 And the father

00:16:28.600 --> 00:16:29.659
 sees this as well.

00:16:31.080 --> 00:16:31.919
 He jumps up

00:16:31.919 --> 00:16:32.360
 and he says,

00:16:32.460 --> 00:16:32.620
 hey,

00:16:33.419 --> 00:16:34.740
 everything that I own,

00:16:34.779 --> 00:16:35.320
 it's yours.

00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:38.419
 Everything that I have

00:16:38.419 --> 00:16:39.919
 belongs to you now.

00:16:42.039 --> 00:16:42.340
 You know,

00:16:42.440 --> 00:16:42.679
 yeah,

00:16:42.740 --> 00:16:43.700
 I haven't given you

00:16:43.700 --> 00:16:44.320
 this kid

00:16:44.320 --> 00:16:45.279
 so that you can have

00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:46.340
 a party with your friends,

00:16:46.440 --> 00:16:46.879
 but guess what?

00:16:46.879 --> 00:16:48.080
 You own all of them.

00:16:50.539 --> 00:16:51.620
 It's like this kid's

00:16:51.620 --> 00:16:52.320
 waiting for his dad

00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:53.519
 to hand him a $10 bill

00:16:53.519 --> 00:16:54.399
 and the dad's like,

00:16:54.480 --> 00:16:54.580
 look,

00:16:54.620 --> 00:16:55.559
 you've already got a bank account

00:16:55.559 --> 00:16:56.700
 with a million dollars in it.

00:16:57.019 --> 00:16:57.679
 Don't complain.

00:16:57.820 --> 00:16:58.679
 I'm not withholding.

00:16:59.019 --> 00:17:00.019
 You just don't understand

00:17:00.019 --> 00:17:01.299
 what's already in front of you.

00:17:03.580 --> 00:17:04.440
 And so because

00:17:04.440 --> 00:17:05.819
 the son doesn't understand

00:17:05.819 --> 00:17:06.480
 his relationship

00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:07.500
 with his father correctly,

00:17:07.579 --> 00:17:08.539
 he doesn't understand

00:17:08.539 --> 00:17:10.460
 how the father's possessions

00:17:10.460 --> 00:17:11.859
 relate to him as well.

00:17:11.859 --> 00:17:13.139
 and

00:17:13.139 --> 00:17:15.139
 he becomes bitter

00:17:15.139 --> 00:17:16.039
 against his brother

00:17:16.039 --> 00:17:17.279
 because he sees

00:17:17.279 --> 00:17:17.879
 these possessions

00:17:17.879 --> 00:17:18.759
 as more valuable

00:17:18.759 --> 00:17:19.419
 than his family.

00:17:21.339 --> 00:17:21.759
 Basically,

00:17:21.919 --> 00:17:22.299
 culturally,

00:17:22.979 --> 00:17:24.099
 the inheritance

00:17:24.099 --> 00:17:24.919
 got divided up

00:17:24.919 --> 00:17:25.899
 so that the older brother

00:17:25.899 --> 00:17:27.419
 got twice as much

00:17:27.419 --> 00:17:28.959
 as the younger one.

00:17:29.799 --> 00:17:30.919
 So the older brother

00:17:30.919 --> 00:17:31.740
 would get two-thirds

00:17:31.740 --> 00:17:32.879
 of the father's wealth.

00:17:33.119 --> 00:17:33.659
 The younger brother

00:17:33.659 --> 00:17:34.319
 would get one-third.

00:17:35.119 --> 00:17:36.099
 When the younger brother

00:17:36.099 --> 00:17:37.259
 came and asked his dad

00:17:37.259 --> 00:17:37.779
 for his share

00:17:37.779 --> 00:17:38.339
 of the inheritance,

00:17:38.339 --> 00:17:39.720
 the father would have

00:17:39.720 --> 00:17:40.539
 given him a third

00:17:40.539 --> 00:17:41.220
 of everything

00:17:41.220 --> 00:17:41.899
 the father had.

00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:43.480
 The younger brother

00:17:43.480 --> 00:17:44.119
 goes off.

00:17:44.659 --> 00:17:45.839
 He goes to a far-off land.

00:17:45.919 --> 00:17:46.659
 He spends it all.

00:17:47.379 --> 00:17:48.099
 And in doing this,

00:17:48.159 --> 00:17:49.339
 he forfeits his position

00:17:49.339 --> 00:17:50.500
 as a son in the family.

00:17:52.019 --> 00:17:52.879
 In order for him

00:17:52.879 --> 00:17:53.480
 to come back

00:17:53.480 --> 00:17:54.079
 to the family,

00:17:54.699 --> 00:17:56.179
 he would need

00:17:56.179 --> 00:17:57.059
 to be adopted back,

00:17:57.139 --> 00:17:57.720
 which means

00:17:57.720 --> 00:17:58.980
 that he once again

00:17:58.980 --> 00:17:59.759
 would receive

00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:00.740
 a share of the inheritance.

00:18:02.299 --> 00:18:03.059
 Which means

00:18:03.059 --> 00:18:04.079
 for the older brother,

00:18:04.379 --> 00:18:05.000
 rather than getting

00:18:05.000 --> 00:18:05.480
 two-thirds

00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:06.519
 of what the father has,

00:18:06.720 --> 00:18:07.659
 he gets two-thirds

00:18:07.660 --> 00:18:08.440
 of two-thirds

00:18:08.440 --> 00:18:09.480
 of what the father has

00:18:09.480 --> 00:18:10.480
 once the brother

00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:11.120
 comes back.

00:18:12.380 --> 00:18:13.420
 And because he sees

00:18:13.420 --> 00:18:13.940
 the possessions

00:18:13.940 --> 00:18:14.720
 as more valuable

00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:15.340
 than the family,

00:18:15.460 --> 00:18:16.320
 he becomes bitter

00:18:16.320 --> 00:18:17.140
 when the brother

00:18:17.140 --> 00:18:17.800
 comes back

00:18:17.800 --> 00:18:18.800
 because he knows

00:18:18.800 --> 00:18:19.620
 that this is going

00:18:19.620 --> 00:18:20.300
 to cost him

00:18:20.300 --> 00:18:21.060
 a lot financially

00:18:21.060 --> 00:18:22.000
 and he doesn't want

00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:22.759
 to bear that burden.

00:18:25.600 --> 00:18:26.620
 He sees the money

00:18:26.620 --> 00:18:27.440
 as more valuable

00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:28.120
 than the brother.

00:18:28.259 --> 00:18:29.300
 And here's the thing,

00:18:29.380 --> 00:18:30.279
 money is not bad.

00:18:30.360 --> 00:18:31.460
 Material possessions

00:18:31.460 --> 00:18:32.460
 are a good thing.

00:18:32.560 --> 00:18:33.019
 They are blessings

00:18:33.019 --> 00:18:33.580
 from God.

00:18:33.960 --> 00:18:35.860
 But when we view them

00:18:35.860 --> 00:18:36.500
 as more important

00:18:36.500 --> 00:18:37.000
 than God

00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:37.759
 or when we view them

00:18:37.759 --> 00:18:38.440
 as more important

00:18:38.440 --> 00:18:39.160
 than the people

00:18:39.160 --> 00:18:39.759
 that God has put

00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:40.359
 in our lives,

00:18:40.940 --> 00:18:41.960
 that becomes an issue.

00:18:43.640 --> 00:18:44.799
 And I think as we look

00:18:44.799 --> 00:18:45.720
 at the older brother

00:18:45.720 --> 00:18:46.460
 and these issues

00:18:46.460 --> 00:18:47.119
 that are going on

00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:47.759
 in his life,

00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:49.180
 a lot of times

00:18:49.180 --> 00:18:50.279
 they can reflect us.

00:18:51.779 --> 00:18:52.579
 They can reflect

00:18:52.579 --> 00:18:53.099
 the attitudes

00:18:53.099 --> 00:18:53.720
 and thoughts

00:18:53.720 --> 00:18:54.359
 that are going on

00:18:54.359 --> 00:18:54.759
 in our hearts.

00:18:54.819 --> 00:18:55.660
 Maybe not to such

00:18:55.660 --> 00:18:56.400
 an extreme level,

00:18:57.319 --> 00:18:58.059
 but I think they're there.

00:18:59.400 --> 00:19:00.380
 I think a lot of times

00:19:00.380 --> 00:19:01.420
 we can look at

00:19:01.420 --> 00:19:02.059
 our immediate

00:19:02.059 --> 00:19:03.180
 present circumstances

00:19:03.180 --> 00:19:05.920
 and see something

00:19:05.920 --> 00:19:06.740
 not going our way

00:19:06.740 --> 00:19:07.200
 and think,

00:19:07.340 --> 00:19:07.440
 hey,

00:19:08.340 --> 00:19:09.080
 God's withholding

00:19:09.080 --> 00:19:09.860
 from me right now

00:19:09.860 --> 00:19:11.220
 because we can't see

00:19:11.220 --> 00:19:11.880
 the full picture

00:19:11.880 --> 00:19:13.340
 because we don't understand

00:19:13.340 --> 00:19:14.320
 that he is a good father

00:19:14.320 --> 00:19:15.720
 and that we are his children

00:19:15.720 --> 00:19:17.080
 rather than his slaves.

00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:19.680
 Ultimately,

00:19:20.080 --> 00:19:21.039
 the Bible says

00:19:21.039 --> 00:19:22.820
 that God

00:19:22.820 --> 00:19:24.259
 is a good father,

00:19:24.460 --> 00:19:25.580
 that we are his children,

00:19:25.660 --> 00:19:26.700
 that we are not his slaves,

00:19:26.820 --> 00:19:28.360
 and that through Christ

00:19:28.360 --> 00:19:29.140
 he has given us

00:19:29.140 --> 00:19:29.720
 everything.

00:19:29.720 --> 00:19:33.160
 The question is,

00:19:33.920 --> 00:19:34.839
 do we see that?

00:19:34.920 --> 00:19:35.779
 Do we understand that?

00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:36.680
 Or do we look at

00:19:36.680 --> 00:19:38.519
 a business transaction

00:19:38.519 --> 00:19:39.380
 that didn't go through

00:19:39.380 --> 00:19:40.579
 that cost us a lot of money

00:19:40.579 --> 00:19:41.400
 and say,

00:19:41.460 --> 00:19:42.180
 God is withholding

00:19:42.180 --> 00:19:42.900
 from me right now.

00:19:43.559 --> 00:19:44.640
 God is not a good father

00:19:44.640 --> 00:19:45.640
 because he didn't

00:19:45.640 --> 00:19:46.319
 give this to me.

00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:50.100
 And I think,

00:19:50.220 --> 00:19:50.519
 you know,

00:19:50.559 --> 00:19:51.039
 this is something

00:19:51.039 --> 00:19:52.079
 that even happens with me.

00:19:52.279 --> 00:19:53.579
 So for me,

00:19:53.640 --> 00:19:54.720
 I think it's very easy

00:19:54.720 --> 00:19:55.680
 to look at

00:19:55.680 --> 00:19:56.460
 all of the things

00:19:56.460 --> 00:19:57.140
 that I've done

00:19:57.140 --> 00:19:57.799
 for God.

00:19:58.680 --> 00:19:59.660
 To look at everything

00:19:59.660 --> 00:20:00.779
 that I've accomplished

00:20:00.779 --> 00:20:03.000
 and to think that God

00:20:03.000 --> 00:20:04.060
 owes me because of that.

00:20:05.080 --> 00:20:06.000
 A couple months ago

00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:06.440
 I was having

00:20:06.440 --> 00:20:07.420
 some stomach issues

00:20:07.420 --> 00:20:08.759
 and I went in

00:20:08.759 --> 00:20:10.000
 to have some tests done

00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:12.259
 and I had been

00:20:12.259 --> 00:20:12.920
 having these issues

00:20:12.920 --> 00:20:13.720
 for a long time

00:20:13.720 --> 00:20:14.759
 and I thought to myself,

00:20:15.640 --> 00:20:16.620
 I really hope

00:20:16.620 --> 00:20:17.540
 God heals me right now.

00:20:18.940 --> 00:20:20.060
 And I looked back

00:20:20.060 --> 00:20:21.040
 through the list

00:20:21.040 --> 00:20:21.600
 of things

00:20:21.600 --> 00:20:22.840
 that I had done for God.

00:20:23.840 --> 00:20:24.160
 I mean,

00:20:24.259 --> 00:20:25.240
 I was top

00:20:25.240 --> 00:20:26.100
 of my high school class.

00:20:26.200 --> 00:20:26.820
 I could have gotten

00:20:26.820 --> 00:20:27.740
 a top level

00:20:27.740 --> 00:20:29.060
 college education

00:20:29.059 --> 00:20:30.059
 that could have gotten

00:20:30.059 --> 00:20:30.980
 me an incredibly

00:20:30.980 --> 00:20:31.859
 high paying job

00:20:31.859 --> 00:20:33.440
 and I didn't.

00:20:33.559 --> 00:20:34.779
 I went and studied

00:20:34.779 --> 00:20:35.539
 Bible so I could

00:20:35.539 --> 00:20:36.139
 go into the ministry.

00:20:36.299 --> 00:20:36.819
 I gave up

00:20:36.819 --> 00:20:37.879
 lots of money

00:20:37.879 --> 00:20:39.159
 in order to go

00:20:39.159 --> 00:20:40.000
 and follow him.

00:20:41.259 --> 00:20:42.440
 When I was in college,

00:20:42.819 --> 00:20:43.119
 you know,

00:20:43.179 --> 00:20:43.859
 during my summers,

00:20:43.940 --> 00:20:44.579
 instead of going

00:20:44.579 --> 00:20:45.500
 and partying it up,

00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:46.799
 I went and worked

00:20:46.799 --> 00:20:47.740
 at a Christian camp

00:20:47.740 --> 00:20:48.619
 so I could tell kids

00:20:48.619 --> 00:20:49.220
 about Jesus.

00:20:50.359 --> 00:20:51.299
 And then my third

00:20:51.299 --> 00:20:52.240
 summer of college,

00:20:52.399 --> 00:20:53.079
 I packed up

00:20:53.079 --> 00:20:54.240
 and I moved overseas

00:20:54.240 --> 00:20:54.980
 to Hong Kong

00:20:54.980 --> 00:20:56.119
 to work in a church.

00:20:56.119 --> 00:20:58.239
 And I'd been here

00:20:58.239 --> 00:20:58.939
 for two years

00:20:58.939 --> 00:20:59.879
 away from my family,

00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:00.759
 away from my friends

00:21:00.759 --> 00:21:01.219
 back home,

00:21:01.439 --> 00:21:02.019
 and I looked at

00:21:02.019 --> 00:21:02.719
 all of these things

00:21:02.719 --> 00:21:03.619
 that I had done for God

00:21:03.619 --> 00:21:04.299
 and I said,

00:21:04.379 --> 00:21:04.619
 God,

00:21:05.219 --> 00:21:05.539
 look,

00:21:05.839 --> 00:21:06.639
 look at everything

00:21:06.639 --> 00:21:07.799
 that I have done for you.

00:21:08.339 --> 00:21:09.219
 You owe this to me

00:21:09.219 --> 00:21:09.899
 to fix me

00:21:09.899 --> 00:21:10.599
 and make me better

00:21:10.599 --> 00:21:11.459
 to heal my stomach.

00:21:13.239 --> 00:21:14.500
 I had this mentality

00:21:14.500 --> 00:21:15.179
 of a slave

00:21:15.179 --> 00:21:15.959
 rather than a son

00:21:15.959 --> 00:21:16.779
 and I looked at

00:21:16.779 --> 00:21:17.639
 the things that I had done.

00:21:17.719 --> 00:21:18.659
 I looked at my obedience

00:21:18.659 --> 00:21:19.459
 and I said,

00:21:19.539 --> 00:21:20.119
 God owes me

00:21:20.119 --> 00:21:20.919
 for these things

00:21:20.919 --> 00:21:21.959
 rather than

00:21:21.959 --> 00:21:23.339
 recognizing that

00:21:23.339 --> 00:21:23.839
 every breath

00:21:23.839 --> 00:21:24.459
 that I get

00:21:24.459 --> 00:21:25.699
 is a gift from him.

00:21:26.119 --> 00:21:28.979
 And ultimately,

00:21:29.379 --> 00:21:29.719
 you know,

00:21:29.799 --> 00:21:30.659
 it turned out

00:21:30.659 --> 00:21:31.839
 that the thing

00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:32.299
 that I had

00:21:32.299 --> 00:21:33.500
 was not easily curable,

00:21:33.639 --> 00:21:34.639
 that it's probably

00:21:34.639 --> 00:21:35.459
 something that's chronic

00:21:35.459 --> 00:21:36.079
 that's going to stick

00:21:36.079 --> 00:21:37.959
 with me for a long time

00:21:37.959 --> 00:21:38.579
 if not forever.

00:21:39.379 --> 00:21:40.539
 And when I found that out,

00:21:40.579 --> 00:21:41.539
 I was upset,

00:21:41.659 --> 00:21:42.299
 I was angry,

00:21:42.479 --> 00:21:42.759
 I was,

00:21:43.259 --> 00:21:44.419
 I felt like God

00:21:44.419 --> 00:21:45.059
 had let me down,

00:21:45.159 --> 00:21:46.159
 like God was withholding

00:21:46.159 --> 00:21:46.579
 from me

00:21:46.579 --> 00:21:47.579
 something good

00:21:47.579 --> 00:21:48.719
 that I thought I deserved

00:21:48.719 --> 00:21:50.199
 because of this

00:21:50.199 --> 00:21:50.979
 big brother attitude.

00:21:51.500 --> 00:21:51.919
 And so,

00:21:52.239 --> 00:21:52.459
 you know,

00:21:52.500 --> 00:21:53.299
 as I talk today

00:21:53.299 --> 00:21:54.019
 about the big brother,

00:21:54.099 --> 00:21:54.839
 I think I'm

00:21:54.839 --> 00:21:55.859
 the primary person

00:21:55.859 --> 00:21:56.639
 that I'm talking to

00:21:56.639 --> 00:21:58.879
 because this mentality

00:21:58.879 --> 00:21:59.659
 of the big brother

00:21:59.659 --> 00:22:00.419
 is something that is

00:22:00.419 --> 00:22:02.459
 so strong within me.

00:22:04.519 --> 00:22:05.279
 And I think

00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:06.159
 within the church,

00:22:06.839 --> 00:22:07.819
 the big brother attitude

00:22:07.819 --> 00:22:08.500
 is sometimes

00:22:08.500 --> 00:22:10.099
 even encouraged

00:22:10.099 --> 00:22:11.579
 because obedience

00:22:11.579 --> 00:22:12.179
 is a good thing.

00:22:12.259 --> 00:22:13.079
 We want obedience.

00:22:14.119 --> 00:22:14.759
 And so,

00:22:14.839 --> 00:22:15.339
 we take people

00:22:15.339 --> 00:22:15.959
 who are obedient

00:22:15.959 --> 00:22:16.539
 and we give them

00:22:16.539 --> 00:22:17.459
 these higher positions

00:22:17.459 --> 00:22:18.099
 in the church.

00:22:18.099 --> 00:22:20.439
 but in reality,

00:22:20.779 --> 00:22:22.740
 this can create problems

00:22:22.740 --> 00:22:23.959
 because when we're

00:22:23.959 --> 00:22:25.259
 in this big brother mentality,

00:22:25.599 --> 00:22:27.299
 we look at ourselves

00:22:27.299 --> 00:22:28.639
 as our means of salvation.

00:22:28.639 --> 00:22:29.740
 We look at our slavery

00:22:29.740 --> 00:22:30.899
 and our service to God

00:22:30.899 --> 00:22:31.839
 as the way

00:22:31.839 --> 00:22:32.819
 that we are saved

00:22:32.819 --> 00:22:34.199
 rather than recognizing

00:22:34.199 --> 00:22:35.119
 that we are sinners

00:22:35.119 --> 00:22:35.779
 who need grace.

00:22:36.919 --> 00:22:37.639
 And the thing is,

00:22:37.679 --> 00:22:38.279
 if you're sick

00:22:38.279 --> 00:22:39.099
 and you know

00:22:39.099 --> 00:22:39.659
 that you're sick,

00:22:39.719 --> 00:22:40.500
 you'll go to a doctor,

00:22:40.719 --> 00:22:41.379
 you can get cured.

00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:42.740
 If you're sick

00:22:42.740 --> 00:22:43.519
 and you don't know

00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:43.980
 you're sick,

00:22:44.079 --> 00:22:44.879
 you don't go to the doctor,

00:22:44.939 --> 00:22:45.439
 you just die.

00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:47.299
 If you're a sinner

00:22:47.299 --> 00:22:48.000
 and you know

00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:48.720
 that you're a sinner,

00:22:48.940 --> 00:22:49.940
 you go to the Savior

00:22:49.940 --> 00:22:51.539
 to be saved.

00:22:52.279 --> 00:22:53.120
 If you're a sinner

00:22:53.120 --> 00:22:54.080
 and you don't know

00:22:54.080 --> 00:22:54.720
 that you're a sinner,

00:22:55.220 --> 00:22:56.180
 you don't go to the Savior,

00:22:56.360 --> 00:22:56.880
 you just die.

00:22:58.220 --> 00:22:58.980
 And I think that

00:22:58.980 --> 00:23:00.320
 this older brother mentality

00:23:00.320 --> 00:23:02.160
 keeps us from recognizing

00:23:02.160 --> 00:23:03.299
 the fact that we are sinners.

00:23:03.460 --> 00:23:04.220
 It keeps us

00:23:04.220 --> 00:23:05.799
 from running to the Savior,

00:23:06.200 --> 00:23:06.740
 the only one

00:23:06.740 --> 00:23:08.180
 who can fix our brokenness

00:23:08.180 --> 00:23:09.779
 and just leaves us

00:23:09.779 --> 00:23:10.420
 in this place

00:23:10.420 --> 00:23:12.480
 where we're left to ourselves

00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:14.400
 and where we die

00:23:14.400 --> 00:23:15.420
 separated from God.

00:23:15.440 --> 00:23:18.180
 And as we look

00:23:18.180 --> 00:23:18.620
 at our lives

00:23:18.620 --> 00:23:19.519
 and our hearts

00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:20.220
 and we see

00:23:20.220 --> 00:23:21.180
 what is it

00:23:21.180 --> 00:23:22.440
 that are the traits

00:23:22.440 --> 00:23:23.019
 of the big brother,

00:23:23.120 --> 00:23:24.279
 I sort of brainstormed

00:23:24.279 --> 00:23:24.600
 this week

00:23:24.600 --> 00:23:25.259
 and thought about

00:23:25.259 --> 00:23:26.580
 what are traits

00:23:26.580 --> 00:23:28.160
 that would appear

00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:28.900
 in the big brother,

00:23:29.299 --> 00:23:30.100
 in the older brother.

00:23:31.440 --> 00:23:32.220
 The first one

00:23:32.220 --> 00:23:32.860
 I came up with

00:23:32.860 --> 00:23:33.840
 is that older brothers

00:23:33.840 --> 00:23:35.059
 are very fast

00:23:35.059 --> 00:23:36.160
 to admit that they're sinners

00:23:36.160 --> 00:23:37.660
 in a broad and general sense

00:23:37.660 --> 00:23:39.360
 but slow to admit

00:23:39.360 --> 00:23:40.220
 the specific sins

00:23:40.220 --> 00:23:40.960
 that they deal with.

00:23:42.120 --> 00:23:42.920
 We're older brothers,

00:23:43.019 --> 00:23:44.120
 we have our doctrine down.

00:23:44.119 --> 00:23:44.879
 We know that

00:23:44.879 --> 00:23:45.859
 all have sinned.

00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:47.459
 We're not going to

00:23:47.459 --> 00:23:48.359
 mess that one up

00:23:48.359 --> 00:23:49.779
 on a Bible trivia test

00:23:49.779 --> 00:23:51.879
 but when someone says

00:23:51.879 --> 00:23:52.859
 what specific sins

00:23:52.859 --> 00:23:54.219
 do you deal with,

00:23:55.000 --> 00:23:55.919
 it gets really quiet

00:23:55.919 --> 00:23:56.519
 really fast

00:23:56.519 --> 00:23:58.659
 because we don't want

00:23:58.659 --> 00:23:59.000
 to admit

00:23:59.000 --> 00:24:00.199
 actually how messed up

00:24:00.199 --> 00:24:00.419
 we are.

00:24:00.500 --> 00:24:01.259
 We just want to admit

00:24:01.259 --> 00:24:02.679
 vaguely that we're messed up

00:24:02.679 --> 00:24:03.919
 so that people don't think

00:24:03.919 --> 00:24:04.839
 that we're full of ourselves.

00:24:04.839 --> 00:24:08.459
 The next trait of older brothers

00:24:08.459 --> 00:24:10.859
 is that we harbor anger,

00:24:11.159 --> 00:24:11.359
 bitterness,

00:24:11.559 --> 00:24:12.480
 and envy in our hearts

00:24:12.480 --> 00:24:13.519
 when our sense of justice

00:24:13.519 --> 00:24:14.240
 isn't upheld.

00:24:15.439 --> 00:24:16.619
 Because we see God

00:24:16.619 --> 00:24:17.480
 as a slave master

00:24:17.480 --> 00:24:18.480
 and ourselves as slaves,

00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:21.079
 we don't like it

00:24:21.079 --> 00:24:21.799
 when other people

00:24:21.799 --> 00:24:23.019
 that we think

00:24:23.019 --> 00:24:24.959
 have done a less good job,

00:24:25.079 --> 00:24:25.839
 a worse job,

00:24:26.099 --> 00:24:26.859
 being slaves,

00:24:27.199 --> 00:24:28.220
 get good things

00:24:28.220 --> 00:24:28.899
 and we don't.

00:24:28.900 --> 00:24:31.360
 When someone else

00:24:31.360 --> 00:24:33.340
 gets some type

00:24:33.340 --> 00:24:34.720
 of amazing house,

00:24:35.640 --> 00:24:35.880
 you know,

00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:36.980
 houses like I said

00:24:36.980 --> 00:24:37.780
 are good things,

00:24:37.900 --> 00:24:38.440
 good houses

00:24:38.440 --> 00:24:39.040
 are good things

00:24:39.040 --> 00:24:39.860
 but when someone else

00:24:39.860 --> 00:24:40.420
 gets them

00:24:40.420 --> 00:24:41.420
 and we don't

00:24:41.420 --> 00:24:42.600
 and we look at God

00:24:42.600 --> 00:24:43.000
 and we say,

00:24:43.100 --> 00:24:44.280
 hey, what's going on?

00:24:45.160 --> 00:24:45.840
 That's not fair.

00:24:47.540 --> 00:24:48.680
 We have anger

00:24:48.680 --> 00:24:49.320
 and bitterness

00:24:49.320 --> 00:24:50.060
 and jealousy

00:24:50.060 --> 00:24:50.880
 towards that person

00:24:50.880 --> 00:24:51.720
 and towards God

00:24:51.720 --> 00:24:54.940
 because our sense of justice

00:24:54.940 --> 00:24:55.900
 hasn't been upheld.

00:24:55.900 --> 00:24:58.820
 older brothers

00:24:58.820 --> 00:24:59.740
 think that we've made it

00:24:59.740 --> 00:25:00.680
 on our own goodness.

00:25:01.300 --> 00:25:02.380
 We don't recognize

00:25:02.380 --> 00:25:03.640
 the fact that we need Christ.

00:25:05.920 --> 00:25:06.759
 Older brothers

00:25:06.759 --> 00:25:08.100
 hate grace

00:25:08.100 --> 00:25:11.200
 because grace

00:25:11.200 --> 00:25:12.220
 gives to other people

00:25:12.220 --> 00:25:13.420
 what they don't deserve

00:25:13.420 --> 00:25:16.259
 and grace makes us admit

00:25:16.259 --> 00:25:17.240
 that we're not really

00:25:17.240 --> 00:25:18.120
 as good as we'd like

00:25:18.120 --> 00:25:18.820
 the world around us

00:25:18.820 --> 00:25:19.540
 to think that we are.

00:25:22.740 --> 00:25:23.480
 Older brothers

00:25:23.480 --> 00:25:24.200
 want control.

00:25:24.320 --> 00:25:24.680
 They want to be

00:25:24.680 --> 00:25:25.640
 in leadership positions.

00:25:25.640 --> 00:25:26.320
 They want people

00:25:26.320 --> 00:25:27.780
 to see how good

00:25:27.780 --> 00:25:28.740
 they really are

00:25:28.740 --> 00:25:30.660
 and sometimes

00:25:30.660 --> 00:25:31.200
 older brothers

00:25:31.200 --> 00:25:31.840
 are more concerned

00:25:31.840 --> 00:25:32.820
 about being in positions

00:25:32.820 --> 00:25:33.320
 of leadership

00:25:33.320 --> 00:25:35.259
 than about living lives

00:25:35.259 --> 00:25:36.020
 that follow Christ.

00:25:38.780 --> 00:25:39.920
 I think the summary

00:25:39.920 --> 00:25:40.560
 of it is

00:25:40.560 --> 00:25:41.500
 older brothers

00:25:41.500 --> 00:25:42.240
 are okay

00:25:42.240 --> 00:25:43.280
 not becoming

00:25:43.280 --> 00:25:44.240
 more like Christ

00:25:44.240 --> 00:25:45.340
 as long as they can

00:25:45.340 --> 00:25:46.040
 convince the world

00:25:46.040 --> 00:25:46.460
 around them

00:25:46.460 --> 00:25:47.240
 that they really are.

00:25:49.740 --> 00:25:50.460
 Older brothers

00:25:50.460 --> 00:25:51.080
 are okay

00:25:51.080 --> 00:25:52.360
 being stuck in their sin

00:25:52.360 --> 00:25:53.160
 as long as they can

00:25:53.160 --> 00:25:54.580
 put this mask on

00:25:54.580 --> 00:25:55.440
 for the world around them

00:25:55.440 --> 00:25:55.820
 that says

00:25:55.820 --> 00:25:56.340
 that they're not.

00:26:02.420 --> 00:26:03.100
 Older brothers

00:26:03.100 --> 00:26:03.640
 are willing

00:26:03.640 --> 00:26:04.299
 to sacrifice

00:26:04.299 --> 00:26:05.299
 a relationship

00:26:05.299 --> 00:26:05.940
 with Christ

00:26:05.940 --> 00:26:06.420
 in order

00:26:06.420 --> 00:26:07.220
 to appear

00:26:07.220 --> 00:26:07.640
 to the world

00:26:07.640 --> 00:26:08.180
 around them

00:26:08.180 --> 00:26:09.240
 to have life

00:26:09.240 --> 00:26:09.860
 all together.

00:26:12.380 --> 00:26:13.180
 And as we look

00:26:13.180 --> 00:26:13.740
 at the big brother

00:26:13.740 --> 00:26:14.320
 we see

00:26:14.320 --> 00:26:16.440
 that his situation

00:26:16.440 --> 00:26:17.019
 is bad.

00:26:17.080 --> 00:26:17.660
 His situation

00:26:17.660 --> 00:26:18.279
 is desperate.

00:26:18.420 --> 00:26:19.059
 He is separated

00:26:19.059 --> 00:26:19.620
 from his father.

00:26:19.720 --> 00:26:20.259
 He is separated

00:26:20.259 --> 00:26:20.880
 from his family.

00:26:20.880 --> 00:26:21.960
 He doesn't understand

00:26:21.960 --> 00:26:23.040
 his relationship

00:26:23.040 --> 00:26:23.680
 to them

00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:25.420
 but when we get

00:26:25.420 --> 00:26:26.980
 a clearer understanding

00:26:26.980 --> 00:26:27.500
 of the story

00:26:27.500 --> 00:26:28.240
 we actually see

00:26:28.240 --> 00:26:29.000
 that his situation

00:26:29.000 --> 00:26:30.780
 is even worse

00:26:30.780 --> 00:26:31.620
 than it first appeared.

00:26:33.580 --> 00:26:35.000
 See the older brother

00:26:35.000 --> 00:26:35.920
 doesn't really come

00:26:35.920 --> 00:26:36.560
 into this story

00:26:36.560 --> 00:26:37.500
 until the second half

00:26:37.500 --> 00:26:38.040
 of the story.

00:26:40.120 --> 00:26:41.380
 Jesus starts the story

00:26:41.380 --> 00:26:42.200
 and says there's a man

00:26:42.200 --> 00:26:43.820
 who had two sons.

00:26:44.140 --> 00:26:44.780
 The younger one

00:26:44.780 --> 00:26:45.340
 comes to him

00:26:45.339 --> 00:26:47.059
 and we know

00:26:47.059 --> 00:26:47.419
 that there's

00:26:47.419 --> 00:26:48.119
 a second son

00:26:48.119 --> 00:26:48.899
 but we don't hear

00:26:48.899 --> 00:26:49.679
 anything about him

00:26:49.679 --> 00:26:50.559
 until the story

00:26:50.559 --> 00:26:51.199
 is halfway over.

00:26:54.899 --> 00:26:56.159
 And that's sort of odd.

00:26:58.819 --> 00:26:59.699
 And as we look

00:26:59.699 --> 00:27:00.459
 at the context

00:27:00.459 --> 00:27:01.579
 of what's going on here

00:27:01.579 --> 00:27:02.319
 in the stories

00:27:02.319 --> 00:27:04.379
 we see the first story

00:27:04.379 --> 00:27:05.179
 of lost and found

00:27:05.179 --> 00:27:06.259
 that Jesus tells

00:27:06.259 --> 00:27:07.459
 involves a lost sheep

00:27:07.459 --> 00:27:08.019
 and when the sheep

00:27:08.019 --> 00:27:08.480
 gets lost

00:27:08.480 --> 00:27:09.259
 someone goes out

00:27:09.259 --> 00:27:09.980
 to look for it.

00:27:11.259 --> 00:27:12.139
 The second story

00:27:12.139 --> 00:27:12.799
 is a lost coin

00:27:12.799 --> 00:27:13.279
 and when the coin

00:27:13.279 --> 00:27:13.659
 gets lost

00:27:13.659 --> 00:27:14.159
 someone goes

00:27:14.159 --> 00:27:14.799
 to look for it

00:27:14.799 --> 00:27:15.419
 and in each

00:27:15.419 --> 00:27:16.039
 of these stories

00:27:16.039 --> 00:27:16.519
 there's someone

00:27:16.519 --> 00:27:17.279
 who obviously

00:27:17.279 --> 00:27:17.879
 is supposed

00:27:17.879 --> 00:27:18.559
 to be looking for it.

00:27:18.599 --> 00:27:19.180
 There's a shepherd

00:27:19.180 --> 00:27:20.259
 who is responsible

00:27:20.259 --> 00:27:20.919
 for the sheep

00:27:20.919 --> 00:27:22.779
 and the shepherd

00:27:22.779 --> 00:27:23.220
 is the one

00:27:23.220 --> 00:27:23.879
 who goes to find

00:27:23.879 --> 00:27:24.379
 the lost sheep.

00:27:24.480 --> 00:27:24.899
 There's a woman

00:27:24.899 --> 00:27:26.000
 who owns the coins

00:27:26.000 --> 00:27:28.859
 and when they get lost

00:27:28.859 --> 00:27:29.839
 she is the one

00:27:29.839 --> 00:27:30.240
 who goes

00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:30.940
 and looks for

00:27:30.940 --> 00:27:31.639
 the lost coin.

00:27:33.859 --> 00:27:34.859
 But I think culturally

00:27:34.859 --> 00:27:35.680
 we lose out

00:27:35.680 --> 00:27:36.159
 on the fact

00:27:36.159 --> 00:27:36.599
 that someone

00:27:36.599 --> 00:27:37.399
 was also supposed

00:27:37.399 --> 00:27:38.180
 to go look

00:27:38.180 --> 00:27:39.099
 for this lost brother.

00:27:40.440 --> 00:27:41.119
 When Jesus

00:27:41.119 --> 00:27:42.019
 starts the story

00:27:42.019 --> 00:27:42.879
 by saying there was

00:27:42.879 --> 00:27:43.339
 a man

00:27:43.339 --> 00:27:44.559
 who had two sons

00:27:44.559 --> 00:27:46.579
 his audience

00:27:46.579 --> 00:27:47.220
 would have

00:27:47.220 --> 00:27:48.139
 automatically thought

00:27:48.139 --> 00:27:49.240
 of another two sons.

00:27:50.859 --> 00:27:51.240
 They were Cain

00:27:51.240 --> 00:27:51.639
 and Abel.

00:27:52.720 --> 00:27:53.480
 For those of you

00:27:53.480 --> 00:27:54.000
 who don't know

00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:54.799
 Cain was Abel's

00:27:54.799 --> 00:27:55.299
 older brother.

00:27:55.700 --> 00:27:56.099
 They brought

00:27:56.099 --> 00:27:57.200
 sacrifices to God.

00:27:57.299 --> 00:27:58.480
 God accepted Abel's

00:27:58.480 --> 00:27:59.960
 he didn't accept Cain's

00:27:59.960 --> 00:28:01.099
 and Cain was angry

00:28:01.099 --> 00:28:01.659
 with his brother

00:28:01.659 --> 00:28:02.480
 and killed him.

00:28:03.579 --> 00:28:04.559
 God comes to Cain

00:28:04.559 --> 00:28:05.220
 and he says

00:28:05.220 --> 00:28:06.240
 Cain where's your brother?

00:28:06.759 --> 00:28:07.359
 And Cain says

00:28:07.359 --> 00:28:08.859
 am I my brother's keeper?

00:28:09.019 --> 00:28:09.679
 Am I responsible

00:28:09.679 --> 00:28:10.819
 for taking care of him?

00:28:11.159 --> 00:28:12.439
 And God basically says

00:28:12.439 --> 00:28:13.899
 yes you are

00:28:13.899 --> 00:28:14.639
 and I know

00:28:14.639 --> 00:28:15.279
 that you killed him.

00:28:16.779 --> 00:28:17.779
 And so as Jesus'

00:28:18.019 --> 00:28:19.000
 audience hears

00:28:19.000 --> 00:28:19.939
 Jesus say

00:28:19.939 --> 00:28:21.139
 this intro line

00:28:21.139 --> 00:28:22.019
 there's a man

00:28:22.019 --> 00:28:23.039
 who had two sons.

00:28:24.740 --> 00:28:25.359
 They would have been

00:28:25.359 --> 00:28:26.899
 reminded of Cain and Abel.

00:28:26.980 --> 00:28:27.439
 They would have been

00:28:27.439 --> 00:28:28.539
 reminded of this

00:28:28.539 --> 00:28:29.839
 thing that God

00:28:29.839 --> 00:28:30.579
 says to Cain

00:28:30.579 --> 00:28:31.480
 that he is responsible

00:28:31.480 --> 00:28:32.399
 for his younger brother.

00:28:32.759 --> 00:28:33.859
 And when the younger brother

00:28:33.859 --> 00:28:34.720
 goes away

00:28:34.720 --> 00:28:35.720
 they would have expected

00:28:35.720 --> 00:28:37.099
 that the older brother's

00:28:37.099 --> 00:28:38.159
 duty as a son

00:28:38.159 --> 00:28:39.200
 would be to go

00:28:39.200 --> 00:28:40.559
 and look for his younger brother.

00:28:42.759 --> 00:28:43.980
 And the older brother's

00:28:43.980 --> 00:28:45.100
 absence from the first

00:28:45.100 --> 00:28:45.960
 half of this story

00:28:45.960 --> 00:28:47.100
 tells us that

00:28:47.100 --> 00:28:48.259
 he did not do that.

00:28:50.340 --> 00:28:51.400
 He stayed at home.

00:28:51.519 --> 00:28:52.259
 He was industrious.

00:28:52.319 --> 00:28:52.920
 He was productive.

00:28:53.220 --> 00:28:54.220
 He was earning money

00:28:54.220 --> 00:28:54.920
 for the family.

00:28:56.100 --> 00:28:57.400
 He was so focused

00:28:57.400 --> 00:28:58.420
 on being a slave

00:28:58.420 --> 00:28:59.420
 and doing his duty

00:28:59.420 --> 00:29:00.779
 of being a slave well

00:29:00.779 --> 00:29:01.880
 that he missed out

00:29:01.880 --> 00:29:03.100
 on doing his duty

00:29:03.100 --> 00:29:03.660
 as a son

00:29:03.660 --> 00:29:05.140
 and as a brother.

00:29:05.140 --> 00:29:09.640
 And the thing is

00:29:09.640 --> 00:29:11.100
 in the first two stories

00:29:11.100 --> 00:29:12.040
 the thing that was lost

00:29:12.040 --> 00:29:12.900
 was way less valuable

00:29:12.900 --> 00:29:14.080
 than a person.

00:29:14.900 --> 00:29:16.020
 But the people thought

00:29:16.020 --> 00:29:17.180
 that it was of such value

00:29:17.180 --> 00:29:17.660
 that they went

00:29:17.660 --> 00:29:18.420
 and looked for the sheep.

00:29:18.480 --> 00:29:19.200
 They looked for the coin.

00:29:19.600 --> 00:29:19.980
 And here

00:29:19.980 --> 00:29:21.540
 the brother doesn't understand

00:29:21.540 --> 00:29:22.340
 the value

00:29:22.340 --> 00:29:23.280
 of his younger brother.

00:29:24.400 --> 00:29:24.940
 He understands

00:29:24.940 --> 00:29:25.580
 the value of money.

00:29:26.680 --> 00:29:27.440
 He understands

00:29:27.440 --> 00:29:28.240
 the value of getting

00:29:28.240 --> 00:29:29.060
 in the good crop

00:29:29.060 --> 00:29:29.920
 for his father.

00:29:31.180 --> 00:29:32.259
 He doesn't understand

00:29:32.259 --> 00:29:32.800
 the value

00:29:32.800 --> 00:29:33.980
 of a human being.

00:29:33.980 --> 00:29:36.240
 And so rather than

00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:36.700
 going out

00:29:36.700 --> 00:29:37.259
 and searching

00:29:37.259 --> 00:29:37.900
 for this brother

00:29:37.900 --> 00:29:38.519
 who was lost

00:29:38.519 --> 00:29:39.299
 he stays.

00:29:39.440 --> 00:29:40.099
 He works on

00:29:40.099 --> 00:29:40.759
 building up

00:29:40.759 --> 00:29:41.420
 the bank account

00:29:41.420 --> 00:29:43.140
 that one day

00:29:43.140 --> 00:29:43.920
 is going to be his.

00:29:47.420 --> 00:29:48.519
 And Jesus tells

00:29:48.519 --> 00:29:49.019
 this story.

00:29:49.140 --> 00:29:50.319
 He tells of this

00:29:50.319 --> 00:29:51.319
 horrible older brother

00:29:51.319 --> 00:29:52.319
 who doesn't understand

00:29:52.319 --> 00:29:52.880
 his duty

00:29:52.880 --> 00:29:54.059
 as an older brother.

00:29:54.299 --> 00:29:55.339
 And he shows

00:29:55.339 --> 00:29:55.799
 this brother

00:29:55.799 --> 00:29:57.079
 failing so miserably.

00:29:57.319 --> 00:29:58.420
 And as he does this

00:29:58.420 --> 00:30:00.480
 he puts this longing

00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:01.059
 in us.

00:30:01.059 --> 00:30:04.579
 He puts this desire

00:30:04.579 --> 00:30:05.639
 for a brother

00:30:05.639 --> 00:30:06.980
 who will do things right.

00:30:08.460 --> 00:30:09.299
 Who will go out

00:30:09.299 --> 00:30:10.500
 and search for the younger one

00:30:10.500 --> 00:30:11.240
 when he is lost.

00:30:12.500 --> 00:30:13.480
 Who will celebrate

00:30:13.480 --> 00:30:14.359
 when he comes home.

00:30:15.519 --> 00:30:16.399
 Who will understand

00:30:16.399 --> 00:30:17.419
 yes it will cost me

00:30:17.419 --> 00:30:18.419
 I will be less productive

00:30:18.419 --> 00:30:19.179
 I will have to

00:30:19.179 --> 00:30:20.440
 share more of the family

00:30:20.440 --> 00:30:21.220
 fortune with him

00:30:21.220 --> 00:30:22.039
 but ultimately

00:30:22.039 --> 00:30:22.839
 it is worth it

00:30:22.839 --> 00:30:24.200
 to bring my brother home.

00:30:24.200 --> 00:30:27.660
 And the way

00:30:27.660 --> 00:30:28.680
 that this older brother

00:30:28.680 --> 00:30:29.400
 in this story

00:30:29.400 --> 00:30:31.160
 fails to do this

00:30:31.160 --> 00:30:33.019
 just creates

00:30:33.019 --> 00:30:34.200
 this longing in us

00:30:34.200 --> 00:30:35.259
 for an older brother

00:30:35.259 --> 00:30:35.680
 who will.

00:30:37.220 --> 00:30:38.279
 And the older brother

00:30:38.279 --> 00:30:38.900
 that this story

00:30:38.900 --> 00:30:40.080
 is ultimately pointing to

00:30:40.080 --> 00:30:41.279
 is Jesus.

00:30:42.980 --> 00:30:43.759
 Because the Bible

00:30:43.759 --> 00:30:44.539
 says that all of us

00:30:44.539 --> 00:30:45.059
 whether we

00:30:45.059 --> 00:30:46.059
 have the tendencies

00:30:46.059 --> 00:30:46.920
 of an older brother

00:30:46.920 --> 00:30:48.880
 to try and perfectly obey

00:30:48.880 --> 00:30:50.240
 and make it on our own

00:30:50.240 --> 00:30:51.340
 or whether we're like

00:30:51.340 --> 00:30:51.920
 the younger brother

00:30:51.920 --> 00:30:52.660
 who goes off

00:30:52.660 --> 00:30:53.380
 and goes astray

00:30:53.380 --> 00:30:54.880
 and parties it up

00:30:54.880 --> 00:30:55.880
 and lives the wild life.

00:30:56.900 --> 00:30:57.680
 That ultimately

00:30:57.680 --> 00:30:58.620
 all of us are sinners.

00:30:58.780 --> 00:30:59.620
 All of us have gone

00:30:59.620 --> 00:31:00.280
 far away

00:31:00.280 --> 00:31:01.560
 from God our Father.

00:31:03.920 --> 00:31:05.020
 That all of us

00:31:05.020 --> 00:31:06.300
 have become separated

00:31:06.300 --> 00:31:07.160
 from home.

00:31:09.560 --> 00:31:10.480
 That all of us

00:31:10.480 --> 00:31:11.900
 need an older brother

00:31:11.900 --> 00:31:12.560
 to come out

00:31:12.560 --> 00:31:13.520
 to search for us

00:31:13.520 --> 00:31:14.540
 in a far off land.

00:31:16.040 --> 00:31:16.760
 That we need

00:31:16.760 --> 00:31:17.360
 an older brother

00:31:17.360 --> 00:31:17.900
 who is willing

00:31:17.900 --> 00:31:18.780
 to bring us back

00:31:18.780 --> 00:31:19.360
 to the Father

00:31:19.360 --> 00:31:20.600
 at great cost

00:31:20.600 --> 00:31:21.200
 to himself.

00:31:23.380 --> 00:31:24.060
 And in Jesus

00:31:24.060 --> 00:31:24.740
 we have that.

00:31:24.940 --> 00:31:25.880
 We have an older brother

00:31:25.880 --> 00:31:26.680
 who came down

00:31:26.680 --> 00:31:27.180
 to the earth,

00:31:27.580 --> 00:31:28.920
 left the comforts

00:31:28.920 --> 00:31:29.280
 of heaven

00:31:29.280 --> 00:31:30.060
 and came to this

00:31:30.060 --> 00:31:30.840
 far off land,

00:31:32.080 --> 00:31:32.660
 humbled himself

00:31:32.660 --> 00:31:33.660
 to becoming a slave,

00:31:34.720 --> 00:31:35.740
 perfectly obeyed God

00:31:35.740 --> 00:31:36.660
 his entire life

00:31:36.660 --> 00:31:37.700
 and then humbled himself

00:31:37.700 --> 00:31:38.980
 to the point of death

00:31:38.980 --> 00:31:39.660
 on a cross.

00:31:40.940 --> 00:31:42.480
 He paid the ultimate price,

00:31:42.560 --> 00:31:43.320
 his own life,

00:31:43.740 --> 00:31:45.260
 to bring us back

00:31:45.260 --> 00:31:46.000
 to the Father

00:31:46.000 --> 00:31:46.940
 because he is

00:31:46.940 --> 00:31:48.020
 our perfect older brother.

00:31:48.019 --> 00:31:48.099
 father.

00:31:50.339 --> 00:31:51.139
 And as Jesus

00:31:51.139 --> 00:31:52.119
 tells this story,

00:31:52.500 --> 00:31:54.119
 he points to himself.

00:31:57.019 --> 00:31:58.440
 And he ends

00:31:58.440 --> 00:31:59.019
 the story

00:31:59.019 --> 00:32:00.859
 without an ending.

00:32:03.200 --> 00:32:04.139
 The father is out

00:32:04.139 --> 00:32:04.579
 in the field

00:32:04.579 --> 00:32:05.400
 with the older brother.

00:32:05.759 --> 00:32:06.559
 The father invites

00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:07.940
 the older brother

00:32:07.940 --> 00:32:08.660
 into the party

00:32:08.660 --> 00:32:11.460
 and we don't get

00:32:11.460 --> 00:32:11.779
 an answer.

00:32:12.539 --> 00:32:13.019
 We don't know

00:32:13.019 --> 00:32:13.740
 whether the older brother

00:32:13.740 --> 00:32:14.519
 went back or not.

00:32:14.519 --> 00:32:17.339
 The reason he did this

00:32:17.339 --> 00:32:17.859
 is because

00:32:17.859 --> 00:32:18.779
 the crowd

00:32:18.779 --> 00:32:19.740
 that he was talking to

00:32:19.740 --> 00:32:20.839
 was made up

00:32:20.839 --> 00:32:21.920
 of religious leaders.

00:32:22.839 --> 00:32:23.579
 He was talking

00:32:23.579 --> 00:32:24.220
 to older brothers.

00:32:24.379 --> 00:32:24.859
 He was talking

00:32:24.859 --> 00:32:25.420
 to the people

00:32:25.420 --> 00:32:26.000
 in Israel

00:32:26.000 --> 00:32:26.859
 who had done

00:32:26.859 --> 00:32:28.139
 everything right

00:32:28.139 --> 00:32:29.480
 their entire lives.

00:32:31.139 --> 00:32:32.000
 He was talking

00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:32.599
 to the guys

00:32:32.599 --> 00:32:34.319
 who had books

00:32:34.319 --> 00:32:35.279
 to interpret

00:32:35.279 --> 00:32:36.440
 the Old Testament law

00:32:36.440 --> 00:32:37.619
 that added on

00:32:37.619 --> 00:32:38.519
 all these barriers

00:32:38.519 --> 00:32:39.259
 to keep them

00:32:39.259 --> 00:32:39.759
 from breaking

00:32:39.759 --> 00:32:40.319
 these rules

00:32:40.319 --> 00:32:40.920
 and commandments

00:32:40.920 --> 00:32:42.619
 and who thought

00:32:42.619 --> 00:32:43.460
 that they had made it

00:32:43.460 --> 00:32:44.339
 through their own goodness.

00:32:44.519 --> 00:32:47.160
 And because they thought

00:32:47.160 --> 00:32:47.740
 that they had made it

00:32:47.740 --> 00:32:48.400
 through their own goodness

00:32:48.400 --> 00:32:49.220
 they looked down

00:32:49.220 --> 00:32:50.420
 on the others

00:32:50.420 --> 00:32:50.920
 who hadn't.

00:32:52.240 --> 00:32:53.079
 They looked down

00:32:53.079 --> 00:32:53.599
 on the fact

00:32:53.599 --> 00:32:54.660
 that Jesus would love

00:32:54.660 --> 00:32:55.519
 tax collectors

00:32:55.519 --> 00:32:56.279
 and sinners

00:32:56.279 --> 00:32:57.240
 and prostitutes.

00:32:59.420 --> 00:33:00.139
 And Jesus

00:33:00.139 --> 00:33:01.139
 basically says

00:33:01.139 --> 00:33:01.420
 hey

00:33:01.420 --> 00:33:04.079
 I'm here

00:33:04.079 --> 00:33:04.879
 to save.

00:33:06.379 --> 00:33:06.960
 I'm here

00:33:06.960 --> 00:33:07.379
 to bring you

00:33:07.379 --> 00:33:08.180
 back to the father.

00:33:09.420 --> 00:33:10.139
 These ones

00:33:10.139 --> 00:33:11.279
 who went astray

00:33:11.279 --> 00:33:11.940
 who messed up

00:33:11.940 --> 00:33:12.900
 they recognize that

00:33:12.900 --> 00:33:14.220
 they've come back

00:33:14.220 --> 00:33:15.019
 and were celebrating

00:33:15.019 --> 00:33:16.920
 and now the invitation

00:33:16.920 --> 00:33:17.420
 is for you.

00:33:17.519 --> 00:33:18.100
 Will you come?

00:33:19.200 --> 00:33:20.180
 And he leaves the story

00:33:20.180 --> 00:33:20.720
 without an ending

00:33:20.720 --> 00:33:21.620
 because he wants them

00:33:21.620 --> 00:33:22.600
 to write their own ending

00:33:22.600 --> 00:33:23.220
 to the story.

00:33:24.600 --> 00:33:25.360
 He leaves them

00:33:25.360 --> 00:33:25.900
 with a question

00:33:25.900 --> 00:33:26.559
 will you

00:33:26.559 --> 00:33:28.299
 come in

00:33:28.299 --> 00:33:29.860
 and join the party

00:33:29.860 --> 00:33:30.900
 join the celebration

00:33:30.900 --> 00:33:32.240
 celebrate the fact

00:33:32.240 --> 00:33:33.079
 that God is working

00:33:33.079 --> 00:33:34.079
 that God is saving

00:33:34.079 --> 00:33:36.059
 or will you continue

00:33:36.059 --> 00:33:37.440
 to rely on your own goodness

00:33:37.440 --> 00:33:38.759
 continue to trust

00:33:38.759 --> 00:33:39.259
 in yourself

00:33:39.259 --> 00:33:39.940
 for salvation.

00:33:39.940 --> 00:33:43.559
 as we're here today

00:33:43.559 --> 00:33:44.779
 the story still

00:33:44.779 --> 00:33:45.500
 doesn't have an ending.

00:33:47.200 --> 00:33:47.620
 Ultimately

00:33:47.620 --> 00:33:48.680
 the ending of this story

00:33:48.680 --> 00:33:50.200
 is for each of us.

00:33:52.200 --> 00:33:53.000
 Will we look

00:33:53.000 --> 00:33:53.820
 at our good deeds

00:33:53.820 --> 00:33:56.220
 and trust

00:33:56.220 --> 00:33:57.460
 in our ability

00:33:57.460 --> 00:33:58.640
 to obey as slaves

00:33:58.640 --> 00:34:00.539
 in order to make us

00:34:00.539 --> 00:34:01.059
 good enough

00:34:01.059 --> 00:34:01.720
 to be accepted

00:34:01.720 --> 00:34:02.360
 by the father?

00:34:02.359 --> 00:34:06.539
 or will we

00:34:06.539 --> 00:34:07.479
 recognize

00:34:07.479 --> 00:34:09.279
 that it's not

00:34:09.279 --> 00:34:09.779
 our obedience

00:34:09.779 --> 00:34:10.440
 that's needed

00:34:10.440 --> 00:34:12.299
 that Christ

00:34:12.299 --> 00:34:13.039
 has already been

00:34:13.039 --> 00:34:13.960
 our perfect obedience

00:34:13.960 --> 00:34:17.079
 that we have failed

00:34:17.079 --> 00:34:17.920
 that we have messed up

00:34:17.920 --> 00:34:18.500
 and that we need

00:34:18.500 --> 00:34:19.920
 our perfect older brother

00:34:19.920 --> 00:34:20.639
 to bring us back

00:34:20.639 --> 00:34:21.199
 to the father

00:34:21.199 --> 00:34:22.339
 and will we trust

00:34:22.339 --> 00:34:22.759
 in that

00:34:22.759 --> 00:34:23.819
 and go with him

00:34:23.819 --> 00:34:24.579
 back

00:34:24.579 --> 00:34:25.759
 to the celebration

00:34:25.759 --> 00:34:27.000
 with our father?

00:34:27.000 --> 00:34:30.900
 let's pray

00:34:30.900 --> 00:34:33.559
 dear father

00:34:33.559 --> 00:34:34.460
 we thank you for

00:34:34.460 --> 00:34:34.880
 today

00:34:34.880 --> 00:34:35.599
 for this chance

00:34:35.599 --> 00:34:36.320
 to come together

00:34:36.320 --> 00:34:36.980
 as your people

00:34:36.980 --> 00:34:39.360
 to look at your word

00:34:39.360 --> 00:34:40.039
 to celebrate

00:34:40.039 --> 00:34:40.699
 the fact

00:34:40.699 --> 00:34:41.480
 that we have

00:34:41.480 --> 00:34:42.619
 a perfect older brother

00:34:42.619 --> 00:34:43.780
 who has come

00:34:43.780 --> 00:34:44.559
 to bring us back

00:34:44.559 --> 00:34:45.000
 to you

00:34:45.000 --> 00:34:46.380
 who has come

00:34:46.380 --> 00:34:47.260
 at a great cost

00:34:47.260 --> 00:34:47.840
 to himself

00:34:47.840 --> 00:34:49.239
 to a far off land

00:34:49.239 --> 00:34:50.900
 has paid

00:34:50.900 --> 00:34:51.900
 the ultimate price

00:34:51.900 --> 00:34:53.539
 to give us

00:34:53.539 --> 00:34:54.320
 a new relationship

00:34:54.320 --> 00:34:55.019
 with you

00:34:55.019 --> 00:34:55.659
 our father

00:34:55.659 --> 00:34:58.379
 God I pray

00:34:58.379 --> 00:34:59.039
 that each of us

00:34:59.039 --> 00:35:00.039
 would examine our hearts

00:35:00.039 --> 00:35:00.539
 would look

00:35:00.539 --> 00:35:01.299
 for the places

00:35:01.299 --> 00:35:02.899
 where we have followed

00:35:02.899 --> 00:35:03.500
 and resembled

00:35:03.500 --> 00:35:04.179
 the older brother

00:35:04.179 --> 00:35:07.559
 and trusted

00:35:07.559 --> 00:35:08.259
 in our obedience

00:35:08.259 --> 00:35:09.239
 as a form

00:35:09.239 --> 00:35:09.799
 of rebelling

00:35:09.799 --> 00:35:10.399
 against you

00:35:10.399 --> 00:35:13.719
 forgive us

00:35:13.719 --> 00:35:14.579
 for those times

00:35:14.579 --> 00:35:16.279
 let us recognize

00:35:16.279 --> 00:35:17.079
 that through you

00:35:17.079 --> 00:35:17.759
 we are sons

00:35:17.759 --> 00:35:18.259
 and daughters

00:35:18.259 --> 00:35:19.179
 not slaves

00:35:19.179 --> 00:35:21.739
 let us recognize

00:35:21.739 --> 00:35:22.339
 that through you

00:35:22.339 --> 00:35:23.000
 we are accepted

00:35:23.000 --> 00:35:23.779
 because of Jesus

00:35:23.779 --> 00:35:24.460
 and not because

00:35:24.460 --> 00:35:25.239
 of our obedience

00:35:25.239 --> 00:35:26.419
 and that ultimately

00:35:26.419 --> 00:35:27.179
 what you desire

00:35:27.179 --> 00:35:27.739
 from us

00:35:27.739 --> 00:35:29.500
 is our love

00:35:29.500 --> 00:35:30.959
 and not our slavery

00:35:30.959 --> 00:35:33.500
 thank you for your love

00:35:33.500 --> 00:35:33.959
 for us

00:35:33.959 --> 00:35:35.119
 in Jesus name

00:35:35.119 --> 00:35:35.759
 amen

00:35:35.759 --> 00:35:36.759
 amen

00:35:36.759 --> 00:35:37.699
 can I hear amen

00:35:37.699 --> 00:35:38.059
 to that

00:35:38.059 --> 00:35:39.199
 thanks Eric

00:35:39.199 --> 00:35:40.459
 for sharing God's words

00:35:40.459 --> 00:35:41.059
 really good

00:35:41.059 --> 00:35:42.359
 hey if you

00:35:42.359 --> 00:35:43.000
 we don't want you

00:35:43.000 --> 00:35:43.719
 to leave here

00:35:43.719 --> 00:35:44.579
 if you have something

00:35:44.579 --> 00:35:45.339
 on your heart

00:35:45.339 --> 00:35:45.899
 you want to share

00:35:45.899 --> 00:35:46.299
 with somebody

00:35:46.299 --> 00:35:46.719
 have somebody

00:35:46.719 --> 00:35:47.539
 pray for you

00:35:47.539 --> 00:35:48.459
 so we have people

00:35:48.459 --> 00:35:48.899
 who we've been

00:35:48.899 --> 00:35:49.479
 training up

00:35:49.479 --> 00:35:50.459
 as prayer leaders

00:35:50.459 --> 00:35:51.599
 to pray for you

00:35:51.599 --> 00:35:52.539
 it's all confidential

00:35:52.539 --> 00:35:53.860
 they'll be up here

00:35:53.860 --> 00:35:54.500
 in the front

00:35:54.500 --> 00:35:56.599
 actually right afterwards

00:35:56.599 --> 00:35:57.460
 there's a training time

00:35:57.460 --> 00:35:57.980
 for people who are

00:35:57.980 --> 00:35:58.559
 interested in being

00:35:58.559 --> 00:35:59.519
 part of the prayer team

00:35:59.519 --> 00:36:00.619
 and what that entails

00:36:00.619 --> 00:36:01.360
 and it'll be right out

00:36:01.360 --> 00:36:01.840
 these doors

00:36:01.840 --> 00:36:02.480
 in a room right

00:36:02.480 --> 00:36:03.099
 across the hall

00:36:03.099 --> 00:36:04.259
 so if you are

00:36:04.259 --> 00:36:05.039
 interested in that

00:36:05.039 --> 00:36:06.559
 please join that

00:36:06.559 --> 00:36:07.139
 because we

00:36:07.139 --> 00:36:08.539
 we are a church

00:36:08.539 --> 00:36:09.400
 that we realize

00:36:09.400 --> 00:36:10.199
 how much we

00:36:10.199 --> 00:36:11.239
 need to pray

00:36:11.239 --> 00:36:11.920
 continually

00:36:11.920 --> 00:36:13.219
 as God has placed us

00:36:13.219 --> 00:36:13.940
 here in this community

00:36:13.940 --> 00:36:15.440
 also as you walk

00:36:15.440 --> 00:36:16.019
 out on the door

00:36:16.019 --> 00:36:17.279
 there's a table there

00:36:17.279 --> 00:36:18.360
 and on the left hand

00:36:18.360 --> 00:36:18.820
 side of the table

00:36:18.820 --> 00:36:19.900
 there's a sign up sheet

00:36:19.900 --> 00:36:20.680
 for the choir

00:36:20.680 --> 00:36:21.680
 we're going to start

00:36:21.680 --> 00:36:22.500
 a Christmas choir

00:36:22.500 --> 00:36:23.340
 that we've done

00:36:23.340 --> 00:36:23.920
 every Christmas

00:36:23.920 --> 00:36:25.059
 it's been an amazing

00:36:25.059 --> 00:36:26.940
 and encouraging time

00:36:26.940 --> 00:36:27.480
 as a church

00:36:27.480 --> 00:36:28.400
 and so if you would

00:36:28.400 --> 00:36:29.280
 like to sign up

00:36:29.280 --> 00:36:29.740
 for that

00:36:29.740 --> 00:36:30.920
 please sign your name

00:36:30.920 --> 00:36:31.539
 down there

00:36:31.539 --> 00:36:33.099
 I see Ed and Edward

00:36:33.099 --> 00:36:33.660
 in the back

00:36:33.660 --> 00:36:34.099
 talking

00:36:34.099 --> 00:36:34.920
 and so Ed and Edward

00:36:34.920 --> 00:36:35.519
 are going to be there

00:36:35.519 --> 00:36:36.280
 I know they're going

00:36:36.280 --> 00:36:37.220
 to sing right away

00:36:37.220 --> 00:36:38.119
 I'm giving you guys

00:36:38.119 --> 00:36:38.660
 a hard time

00:36:38.660 --> 00:36:40.280
 but anybody

00:36:40.280 --> 00:36:40.960
 anybody

00:36:40.960 --> 00:36:42.960
 my wife will join too

00:36:42.960 --> 00:36:43.300
 right?

00:36:43.500 --> 00:36:43.660
 No

00:36:43.660 --> 00:36:43.980
 yeah

00:36:43.980 --> 00:36:46.460
 you don't want me

00:36:46.460 --> 00:36:47.180
 I'm just testing you

00:36:47.180 --> 00:36:47.460
 right out

00:36:47.460 --> 00:36:48.820
 but if you're interested

00:36:48.820 --> 00:36:49.599
 please sign up

00:36:49.599 --> 00:36:50.739
 it is a huge blessing

00:36:50.739 --> 00:36:51.940
 we're going to start

00:36:51.940 --> 00:36:53.420
 practice next Sunday

00:36:53.420 --> 00:36:54.759
 so you'll get your name

00:36:54.759 --> 00:36:55.339
 and you'll send out

00:36:55.339 --> 00:36:56.319
 emails for all that

00:36:56.319 --> 00:36:57.659
 also in your bulletin

00:36:57.659 --> 00:36:58.579
 there's like four things

00:36:58.579 --> 00:36:59.559
 just look at your bulletin

00:36:59.559 --> 00:37:01.039
 there's a couple things

00:37:01.039 --> 00:37:01.279
 in there

00:37:01.279 --> 00:37:01.860
 one of the things

00:37:01.860 --> 00:37:02.500
 is just basically

00:37:02.500 --> 00:37:03.599
 we're going to

00:37:03.599 --> 00:37:04.319
 I put in there

00:37:04.319 --> 00:37:05.259
 a gorilla series

00:37:05.259 --> 00:37:06.159
 we want to do

00:37:06.159 --> 00:37:07.519
 some sermon series

00:37:07.519 --> 00:37:08.480
 on things that are

00:37:08.480 --> 00:37:10.000
 the gorillas in your life

00:37:10.000 --> 00:37:11.219
 and what I mean by gorillas

00:37:11.219 --> 00:37:11.920
 are you know

00:37:11.920 --> 00:37:12.619
 you're eating table

00:37:12.619 --> 00:37:13.679
 and there's this gorilla there

00:37:13.679 --> 00:37:14.639
 and they're eating food

00:37:14.639 --> 00:37:15.360
 and you know there's something

00:37:15.360 --> 00:37:16.179
 you want to talk about

00:37:16.179 --> 00:37:16.880
 to your friends

00:37:16.880 --> 00:37:18.199
 but you have this fear

00:37:18.199 --> 00:37:19.579
 that if you mention the gorilla

00:37:19.579 --> 00:37:21.460
 something bad is going to happen

00:37:21.460 --> 00:37:21.819
 right

00:37:21.819 --> 00:37:23.819
 and so often when I mention the gorilla

00:37:23.819 --> 00:37:25.920
 I feel like I get my arms ripped off

00:37:25.920 --> 00:37:27.360
 and people beat me to death

00:37:27.360 --> 00:37:28.559
 with whatever we're talking about

00:37:28.559 --> 00:37:30.619
 so we want to talk about those things

00:37:30.619 --> 00:37:31.119
 as a church

00:37:31.119 --> 00:37:31.840
 and if there's any things

00:37:31.840 --> 00:37:32.980
 or issues that you want to

00:37:32.980 --> 00:37:34.619
 talk about in sermons

00:37:34.619 --> 00:37:36.039
 there's a number there

00:37:36.039 --> 00:37:36.980
 it's a brand new number

00:37:36.980 --> 00:37:38.500
 text any question

00:37:38.500 --> 00:37:39.420
 that you have there

00:37:39.420 --> 00:37:40.739
 and we want to work those

00:37:40.739 --> 00:37:42.139
 into a sermon series

00:37:42.139 --> 00:37:43.219
 and try to figure out

00:37:43.219 --> 00:37:44.380
 how ways we can

00:37:44.380 --> 00:37:46.099
 approach people

00:37:46.099 --> 00:37:47.019
 that we're talking to

00:37:47.019 --> 00:37:48.659
 also next Sunday

00:37:48.659 --> 00:37:50.500
 we are not going to be here

00:37:50.500 --> 00:37:52.199
 we're going to be in Cyberport

00:37:52.199 --> 00:37:53.099
 okay

00:37:53.099 --> 00:37:53.460
 so

00:37:53.460 --> 00:37:53.900
 but

00:37:53.900 --> 00:37:56.079
 we're not sure

00:37:56.079 --> 00:37:56.880
 where we're going to be

00:37:56.880 --> 00:37:57.599
 in Cyberport

00:37:57.599 --> 00:37:57.900
 okay

00:37:57.900 --> 00:38:00.079
 we have one place

00:38:00.079 --> 00:38:00.780
 we're praying about

00:38:00.780 --> 00:38:01.500
 a second place

00:38:01.500 --> 00:38:02.019
 and it's been

00:38:02.019 --> 00:38:03.320
 as a staff team

00:38:03.320 --> 00:38:03.619
 it's been

00:38:03.619 --> 00:38:04.320
 we've been praying

00:38:04.320 --> 00:38:05.000
 more than

00:38:05.000 --> 00:38:06.179
 just about anything

00:38:06.179 --> 00:38:06.940
 I think most of us

00:38:06.940 --> 00:38:07.519
 always pray about

00:38:07.519 --> 00:38:08.179
 our next house

00:38:08.179 --> 00:38:08.900
 and where we're going to

00:38:08.900 --> 00:38:09.460
 get kicked out

00:38:09.460 --> 00:38:10.199
 and those type of things

00:38:10.199 --> 00:38:10.980
 and so

00:38:10.980 --> 00:38:12.139
 we need you

00:38:12.139 --> 00:38:13.579
 we need you

00:38:13.579 --> 00:38:14.899
 to go on the website

00:38:14.899 --> 00:38:17.679
 and check that front page

00:38:17.679 --> 00:38:18.579
 because we'll place

00:38:18.579 --> 00:38:19.619
 on there immediately

00:38:19.619 --> 00:38:20.799
 where we're going to be

00:38:20.799 --> 00:38:21.399
 but we're going to be

00:38:21.399 --> 00:38:22.099
 at Cyberport

00:38:22.099 --> 00:38:24.059
 possibility is the theater

00:38:24.059 --> 00:38:25.059
 but we're looking at

00:38:25.059 --> 00:38:27.079
 even a neater location

00:38:27.079 --> 00:38:27.539
 for that

00:38:27.539 --> 00:38:28.059
 so

00:38:28.059 --> 00:38:29.379
 you promise me

00:38:29.379 --> 00:38:31.559
 this is your thing

00:38:31.559 --> 00:38:32.399
 you have to do

00:38:32.399 --> 00:38:33.099
 this week

00:38:33.099 --> 00:38:34.119
 you will look on the website

00:38:34.119 --> 00:38:35.579
 and you will find out

00:38:35.579 --> 00:38:36.439
 where we are next week

00:38:36.439 --> 00:38:36.879
 okay

00:38:36.879 --> 00:38:38.259
 okay

00:38:38.260 --> 00:38:42.200
 also in the bulletin

00:38:42.200 --> 00:38:43.560
 about three down

00:38:43.560 --> 00:38:44.360
 we have a really neat

00:38:44.360 --> 00:38:44.860
 opportunity

00:38:44.860 --> 00:38:46.340
 we're working with some guys

00:38:46.340 --> 00:38:47.240
 and they're basically

00:38:47.240 --> 00:38:48.040
 reaching out to about

00:38:48.040 --> 00:38:48.960
 500 refugees

00:38:48.960 --> 00:38:50.580
 that live in our area

00:38:50.580 --> 00:38:51.600
 and so again

00:38:51.600 --> 00:38:52.100
 we feel like God

00:38:52.100 --> 00:38:53.080
 has placed us as a church

00:38:53.080 --> 00:38:53.660
 in this area

00:38:53.660 --> 00:38:54.780
 to impact this area

00:38:54.780 --> 00:38:55.800
 we've been doing outreaches

00:38:55.800 --> 00:38:56.960
 nursing homes

00:38:56.960 --> 00:38:57.740
 cleaning the beaches

00:38:57.740 --> 00:38:58.380
 all these other things

00:38:58.380 --> 00:38:59.640
 but it's a really neat

00:38:59.640 --> 00:39:00.720
 opportunity for this

00:39:00.720 --> 00:39:01.560
 holiday season

00:39:01.560 --> 00:39:03.000
 they've listed some things

00:39:03.000 --> 00:39:03.600
 in there that they need

00:39:03.600 --> 00:39:04.660
 they need clothing

00:39:04.660 --> 00:39:06.620
 there's all ages

00:39:06.620 --> 00:39:07.300
 there's families

00:39:07.300 --> 00:39:08.200
 there's little kids

00:39:08.199 --> 00:39:09.539
 they need diapers

00:39:09.539 --> 00:39:11.059
 and so next week

00:39:11.059 --> 00:39:11.519
 we want to start

00:39:11.519 --> 00:39:12.739
 collecting those things

00:39:12.739 --> 00:39:14.299
 so if you pick up

00:39:14.299 --> 00:39:15.019
 some old clothes

00:39:15.019 --> 00:39:15.839
 or jackets

00:39:15.839 --> 00:39:16.799
 cold weather things

00:39:16.799 --> 00:39:18.199
 please bring them

00:39:18.199 --> 00:39:18.639
 to church

00:39:18.639 --> 00:39:19.179
 and we will

00:39:19.179 --> 00:39:20.339
 take those from you

00:39:20.339 --> 00:39:21.059
 and we promise

00:39:21.059 --> 00:39:21.579
 that those will get

00:39:21.579 --> 00:39:23.019
 into people's hands

00:39:23.019 --> 00:39:23.960
 who need them

00:39:23.960 --> 00:39:24.739
 okay

00:39:24.739 --> 00:39:25.759
 so we want to be about

00:39:25.759 --> 00:39:27.359
 meeting needs

00:39:27.359 --> 00:39:28.619
 so that's what we want to do

00:39:28.619 --> 00:39:29.839
 so next week

00:39:29.839 --> 00:39:30.460
 we're going to start

00:39:30.460 --> 00:39:31.279
 collecting all those things

00:39:31.279 --> 00:39:31.879
 they're in the bulletin

00:39:31.879 --> 00:39:32.899
 and they'll be on the website

00:39:32.899 --> 00:39:33.859
 and on the city too

00:39:33.859 --> 00:39:35.099
 if you're not on the city

00:39:35.099 --> 00:39:37.279
 you need to get on that

00:39:37.280 --> 00:39:37.820
 because that's how we

00:39:37.820 --> 00:39:38.940
 communicate as a church

00:39:38.940 --> 00:39:40.120
 again if you don't

00:39:40.120 --> 00:39:41.000
 what is the city

00:39:41.000 --> 00:39:41.880
 come talk to me

00:39:41.880 --> 00:39:42.800
 and we'll sign you up

00:39:42.800 --> 00:39:43.660
 it's kind of like

00:39:43.660 --> 00:39:44.700
 our church Facebook

00:39:44.700 --> 00:39:45.800
 okay

00:39:45.800 --> 00:39:48.560
 let me pray for us

00:39:48.560 --> 00:39:49.740
 as we think about

00:39:49.740 --> 00:39:50.700
 what we just heard

00:39:50.700 --> 00:39:52.540
 we're talking about

00:39:52.540 --> 00:39:53.160
 on a journey

00:39:53.160 --> 00:39:54.820
 we're talking about

00:39:54.820 --> 00:39:55.820
 lost things

00:39:55.820 --> 00:39:57.000
 we've talked about

00:39:57.000 --> 00:39:57.660
 lost sheep

00:39:57.660 --> 00:39:58.640
 and lost coins

00:39:58.640 --> 00:39:59.920
 and now we're talking

00:39:59.920 --> 00:40:02.240
 about lost sons

00:40:02.240 --> 00:40:03.340
 and daughters

00:40:03.340 --> 00:40:05.980
 in all these stories

00:40:05.980 --> 00:40:06.579
 there's someone

00:40:06.579 --> 00:40:07.140
 who goes out

00:40:07.140 --> 00:40:07.700
 to search

00:40:07.700 --> 00:40:10.240
 we've talked a lot

00:40:10.240 --> 00:40:11.220
 the last three times

00:40:11.220 --> 00:40:12.000
 about redemption

00:40:12.000 --> 00:40:13.019
 redemption is about

00:40:13.019 --> 00:40:13.900
 being found

00:40:13.900 --> 00:40:15.140
 by God

00:40:15.140 --> 00:40:15.940
 but it's not about

00:40:15.940 --> 00:40:17.320
 just being found

00:40:17.320 --> 00:40:18.079
 by God

00:40:18.079 --> 00:40:18.720
 because we're dead

00:40:18.720 --> 00:40:19.900
 we can't find ourselves

00:40:19.900 --> 00:40:21.340
 but it's being about

00:40:21.340 --> 00:40:22.700
 found by God

00:40:22.700 --> 00:40:25.019
 and wanting to be found

00:40:25.019 --> 00:40:28.079
 in this story today

00:40:28.079 --> 00:40:28.980
 you had two brothers

00:40:28.980 --> 00:40:29.680
 who were lost

00:40:29.679 --> 00:40:33.819
 one wanted to be found

00:40:33.819 --> 00:40:36.539
 one did not

00:40:36.539 --> 00:40:40.699
 Father we just thank you

00:40:40.699 --> 00:40:41.159
 for this day

00:40:41.159 --> 00:40:42.179
 we thank you for your son

00:40:42.179 --> 00:40:43.399
 who is the hero

00:40:43.399 --> 00:40:44.699
 of the story

00:40:44.699 --> 00:40:49.199
 we thank you

00:40:49.199 --> 00:40:50.619
 that he always shows up

00:40:50.619 --> 00:40:51.679
 he's always there

00:40:51.679 --> 00:40:52.519
 sometimes we don't feel

00:40:52.519 --> 00:40:53.199
 like he's there

00:40:53.199 --> 00:40:54.599
 but he's the hero

00:40:54.599 --> 00:40:55.519
 he's always there

00:40:55.519 --> 00:40:57.359
 and we can trust him

00:40:57.359 --> 00:40:59.179
 we thank you

00:40:59.179 --> 00:40:59.719
 that on a journey

00:40:59.719 --> 00:41:00.440
 you're trying to take

00:41:00.440 --> 00:41:01.940
 our focus off of ourselves

00:41:01.940 --> 00:41:03.259
 and take us out

00:41:03.259 --> 00:41:03.679
 of the center

00:41:03.679 --> 00:41:04.440
 of our story

00:41:04.440 --> 00:41:05.379
 and you're trying

00:41:05.379 --> 00:41:06.159
 to put yourself

00:41:06.159 --> 00:41:06.839
 in the center

00:41:06.839 --> 00:41:08.480
 where you should be

00:41:08.480 --> 00:41:10.659
 because you're God

00:41:10.659 --> 00:41:12.779
 and we're not

00:41:12.779 --> 00:41:15.099
 so we thank you

00:41:15.099 --> 00:41:16.099
 for your son

00:41:16.099 --> 00:41:17.319
 who is a true

00:41:17.319 --> 00:41:17.960
 older brother

00:41:17.960 --> 00:41:19.579
 who left

00:41:19.579 --> 00:41:21.039
 incredible comfort

00:41:21.039 --> 00:41:22.319
 in heaven

00:41:22.319 --> 00:41:24.059
 to come down

00:41:24.059 --> 00:41:24.980
 and sacrifice

00:41:24.980 --> 00:41:26.859
 many many things

00:41:26.859 --> 00:41:27.299
 and ultimately

00:41:27.299 --> 00:41:28.159
 his life

00:41:28.159 --> 00:41:30.179
 to show us

00:41:30.179 --> 00:41:30.980
 what a true

00:41:30.980 --> 00:41:31.859
 older brother

00:41:31.859 --> 00:41:33.219
 should look like

00:41:33.219 --> 00:41:35.839
 Father as we look

00:41:35.839 --> 00:41:36.759
 at him today

00:41:36.759 --> 00:41:37.579
 and as we just

00:41:37.579 --> 00:41:38.599
 marvel at how

00:41:38.599 --> 00:41:39.199
 gracious

00:41:39.199 --> 00:41:39.980
 and merciful

00:41:39.980 --> 00:41:41.539
 you are

00:41:41.539 --> 00:41:43.399
 help us just

00:41:43.399 --> 00:41:44.119
 to be overwhelmed

00:41:44.119 --> 00:41:44.980
 with your goodness

00:41:44.980 --> 00:41:45.639
 and your mercy

00:41:45.639 --> 00:41:47.579
 help us to come

00:41:47.579 --> 00:41:48.519
 to you as brothers

00:41:48.519 --> 00:41:49.460
 and sisters

00:41:49.460 --> 00:41:50.799
 and sons

00:41:50.799 --> 00:41:51.480
 and daughters

00:41:51.480 --> 00:41:52.940
 and not as slaves

00:41:52.940 --> 00:41:54.920
 and to realize

00:41:54.920 --> 00:41:56.059
 that you are amazing

00:41:56.059 --> 00:41:58.139
 and as we

00:41:58.139 --> 00:41:58.940
 contemplate that

00:41:58.940 --> 00:41:59.780
 and as we live that

00:41:59.780 --> 00:42:00.920
 and as we confess

00:42:00.920 --> 00:42:01.940
 when we fall short

00:42:01.940 --> 00:42:02.599
 and we repent

00:42:02.599 --> 00:42:03.300
 of our sin

00:42:03.300 --> 00:42:04.340
 and our selfishness

00:42:04.340 --> 00:42:06.260
 we pray that you

00:42:06.260 --> 00:42:06.800
 would show us

00:42:06.800 --> 00:42:07.700
 people in our world

00:42:07.700 --> 00:42:08.420
 that we need to

00:42:08.420 --> 00:42:09.300
 also share this

00:42:09.300 --> 00:42:09.940
 message to

00:42:09.940 --> 00:42:12.179
 because you left

00:42:12.179 --> 00:42:12.579
 us here

00:42:12.579 --> 00:42:13.559
 not just so we

00:42:13.559 --> 00:42:15.720
 can be slaves

00:42:15.720 --> 00:42:16.400
 but you left us

00:42:16.400 --> 00:42:17.000
 here to be

00:42:17.000 --> 00:42:18.320
 sons and daughters

00:42:18.320 --> 00:42:19.340
 to point other

00:42:19.340 --> 00:42:19.700
 people

00:42:19.700 --> 00:42:21.240
 to the hero

00:42:21.240 --> 00:42:22.180
 of our story

00:42:22.180 --> 00:42:23.760
 the hero

00:42:23.760 --> 00:42:24.840
 who always shows up

00:42:24.840 --> 00:42:26.640
 your son Jesus

00:42:26.640 --> 00:42:28.519
 so Lord

00:42:28.519 --> 00:42:29.019
 as a church

00:42:29.019 --> 00:42:30.120
 we just worship you

00:42:30.120 --> 00:42:31.860
 we thank you

00:42:31.860 --> 00:42:32.519
 for all these

00:42:32.519 --> 00:42:32.960
 provisions

00:42:32.960 --> 00:42:33.740
 and all these

00:42:33.740 --> 00:42:34.180
 friends

00:42:34.180 --> 00:42:36.079
 we pray all these

00:42:36.079 --> 00:42:36.600
 things in your

00:42:36.600 --> 00:42:37.460
 amazing name

00:42:37.460 --> 00:42:39.660
 because we love you

00:42:39.660 --> 00:42:41.079
 amen

00:42:41.079 --> 00:42:42.740
 thank you guys

00:42:42.740 --> 00:42:43.579
 next week

00:42:43.579 --> 00:42:44.840
 cyberport

00:42:44.840 --> 00:42:45.920
 check the website

00:42:45.920 --> 00:42:47.220
 have a great week