WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.000 Amen. 00:00:06.379 --> 00:00:12.880 The gospel story in Luke 15 that Hillary just read is one of the most famous stories in 00:00:12.880 --> 00:00:19.359 ! the whole Bible. And it's one of the most famous stories in all of literature. It inspired multiple 00:00:19.359 --> 00:00:23.280 ! It inspired multiple famous paintings, including the one on your bulletin. It inspired another 00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:29.519 famous painting made by Rembrandt in the 1600s that you may have also seen. And over the centuries, 00:00:29.519 --> 00:00:37.579 many people have called this story or called the painting the story of the prodigal son or the 00:00:37.579 --> 00:00:45.640 story of the lost son. And that's only half right. We should really call this story that Jesus tells 00:00:45.640 --> 00:00:53.399 the story of the two sons. When Jesus tells this story, He wants us really to compare and contrast 00:00:53.399 --> 00:01:02.119 the journeys of both sons. For context, in verses 1 and 2 of chapter 15, Jesus is speaking to a mixed 00:01:02.119 --> 00:01:09.239 audience of tax collectors and sinners and Pharisees and scribes. The scribes and the Pharisees in verses 00:01:09.239 --> 00:01:15.780 1 and 2, the pastors and theologians of the day, are criticizing Jesus. And what is their critique? 00:01:15.780 --> 00:01:25.299 Their critique is, verse 2, this man receives sinners and hangs out with them. The good people of that day 00:01:25.299 --> 00:01:32.180 are criticizing Jesus for hanging out with the bad people. And in response to this critique, 00:01:32.180 --> 00:01:40.439 this challenge, Jesus then proceeds to tell three stories in Luke 15 about lostness, about lostness. 00:01:40.439 --> 00:01:46.500 In verses 3 through 7, He tells the story of a man, the lost sheep. Verses 8 through 10, 00:01:46.700 --> 00:01:52.019 tells the story of a woman with a lost coin. And then in our section, verses 11 through 32, 00:01:52.019 --> 00:02:01.539 He tells the story about a father who has two sons who were both lost. And so we're going to look at 00:02:01.539 --> 00:02:06.939 the story of the two sons. We're going to look at the story of the journey of the younger brother, 00:02:06.939 --> 00:02:13.800 the journey of the older brother, and how the father responds to both. Before we begin, I want to say 00:02:13.800 --> 00:02:20.900 that I've benefited so much on this particular story from the preaching and teaching of the late 00:02:20.900 --> 00:02:25.939 Dr. Tim Keller, who's a pastor in New York City. And although I may not quote him directly, I just 00:02:25.939 --> 00:02:29.699 want to give credit where credit is due, because so much of how I think about the story is because of 00:02:29.699 --> 00:02:35.460 him. And so I just wanted to acknowledge that before we begin. So first of all, let's look at 00:02:35.460 --> 00:02:40.840 where the story starts, the journey of the younger brother, the journey of the younger brother. 00:02:41.719 --> 00:02:47.819 The story begins with the younger son demanding that his father give him his share of the property. 00:02:48.780 --> 00:02:52.040 And what you need to understand is that this would have been incredibly shocking and offensive 00:02:52.040 --> 00:02:58.480 to Jesus' audience, because what is the younger son doing? He's asking for his share of the 00:02:58.480 --> 00:03:03.200 inheritance. And this is something that's shocking both in both ancient and modern cultures, 00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:09.780 because an inheritance is something that's passed on when one or more parents die. And so he's 00:03:09.780 --> 00:03:17.000 basically telling his father, you're as good as dead to me. I care more about your stuff. I care more 00:03:17.000 --> 00:03:24.879 about your money than the fact that you exist. Give me my inheritance. But perhaps what may have been 00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:30.479 even more surprising or even shocking is how the father responds. Jesus' audience probably would have 00:03:30.479 --> 00:03:37.659 expected in this situation that the father would have responded with stern discipline, perhaps even 00:03:37.659 --> 00:03:45.899 physical discipline. How dare you speak to your father like this? How dare you? This would have brought 00:03:45.899 --> 00:03:52.979 great shame on the father. It would have been brought great shame on the family in the eyes of the whole 00:03:52.979 --> 00:03:59.759 community if a son would have done this. But the father doesn't respond with stern discipline. 00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:10.259 How does he respond? He says, okay, here you go. And so the son cashes in his inheritance and he leaves 00:04:10.259 --> 00:04:15.919 home. And the son journeys far away, younger son journeys far away and spends his money on reckless 00:04:15.919 --> 00:04:22.259 living. He heads to New York City and spends time at the best nightclubs, stays in the best hotels, 00:04:22.819 --> 00:04:29.000 eats at the best restaurants. And then he goes to Vegas and he spends his money on gambling and casinos and 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:37.860 all the things you can spend your money on. Then he goes to Coachella and he goes to the best concerts. 00:04:39.000 --> 00:04:47.259 He's buying everyone drinks. He's having a great time. And then he goes to Tijuana. He's partying on 00:04:47.259 --> 00:04:53.199 the beaches in Tijuana and buying everybody drinks. For a while, he has a great time. He has an amazing 00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:57.199 time. He's the life of the party. Everybody wants to hang out with him. He's having a lot of fun. 00:04:59.439 --> 00:05:03.699 But then one day he wakes up in a hotel room and he can't remember how he got there. 00:05:05.099 --> 00:05:12.459 He's hung over. He checks the bank account app on his phone and he realizes there's nothing left. 00:05:12.459 --> 00:05:20.560 But not only that, a famine has come to the land. The partying is over. He's run out of money. 00:05:21.579 --> 00:05:29.319 His friends are gone and he's hungry. And so he goes what any hungry person does and he goes and 00:05:29.319 --> 00:05:34.039 tries to find someone who can at least at bare minimum let him work for food. He finds a pig farmer 00:05:34.040 --> 00:05:41.520 who sends him into his fields to feed the pigs. And as he's feeding the pig slop to the pigs, 00:05:42.720 --> 00:05:50.420 his stomach begins to growl. And he's so hungry that even the pig slop starts to look appetizing to 00:05:50.420 --> 00:05:55.920 him. And for a first century Jew, what you need to understand is that this would have been 00:05:55.920 --> 00:06:02.080 the lowest of the low. This would have been rock bottom. Not only has this son brought shame on his 00:06:02.079 --> 00:06:08.039 family and his community, not only has he rejected God and his commandments, but he's with pigs. 00:06:09.919 --> 00:06:14.539 Pigs were unclean animals, according to the Old Testament. Touching a pig's carcass or eating its 00:06:14.539 --> 00:06:21.000 meat made you ceremonially unclean, unable to worship with the gathered people of God. 00:06:21.339 --> 00:06:27.199 He is at the bottom of the social and moral and religious ladder. He is at rock bottom. 00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:33.659 But in the place of rock bottom, the youngest son has the clearest thought he's had in a long time. 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:39.519 Verse 17. But when he came to himself, he said, how many of my father's hired servants 00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:49.159 have more than enough bread? But here I perish with hunger. If I go back, it probably won't be like it was 00:06:49.160 --> 00:06:57.560 before I left home, but it'll be better than this. And so he comes up with a plan to return home. And he 00:06:57.560 --> 00:07:06.020 also prepares an honest confession. His honest confession is, father, I have sinned against heaven 00:07:06.020 --> 00:07:12.120 and before you, I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your servants. 00:07:12.120 --> 00:07:24.000 But notice how in this confession, there is truth, but there is also shame. The voice of shame. I am 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:29.000 no longer worthy. I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. 00:07:30.860 --> 00:07:36.720 So he starts to head home. Doesn't have any monies. He can't get by a plane ticket. He can't drive. 00:07:36.720 --> 00:07:42.660 So he walks. He hitchhikes. And finally, he gets to the road where his father's house is. 00:07:42.880 --> 00:07:48.300 And he sees his father's house in the distance. And you can just imagine him rehearsing his speech 00:07:48.300 --> 00:07:52.460 to the father. You can just imagine him walking down the road, rehearsing his speech. 00:07:53.440 --> 00:07:57.640 His head is low towards the ground. He can barely look up. He's full of shame. 00:07:58.640 --> 00:08:04.440 And he is ready to receive the father's stern discipline the moment that he walks through the door. 00:08:04.439 --> 00:08:06.600 And he knows he deserves it. 00:08:09.100 --> 00:08:13.259 But then out of the corner of his eye, he looks up and he sees something in the distance. 00:08:14.839 --> 00:08:16.120 And what does he see? 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:22.720 He sees his father running towards him. 00:08:23.779 --> 00:08:24.959 Running towards him. 00:08:25.920 --> 00:08:29.399 What you need to understand is that in ancient Middle Eastern cultures, 00:08:31.079 --> 00:08:32.519 fathers didn't run. 00:08:32.519 --> 00:08:35.000 Children ran. 00:08:36.299 --> 00:08:37.919 Mothers ran after children. 00:08:38.240 --> 00:08:39.779 But fathers, it was beneath them. 00:08:40.559 --> 00:08:42.919 It went against their dignity as a man. 00:08:43.039 --> 00:08:49.120 It would have made this father look foolish to run out in public after his son. 00:08:50.600 --> 00:08:53.100 But in verse 20, what we see is, 00:08:53.740 --> 00:08:56.759 we see one of the most beautiful, powerful lines in the whole Bible. 00:08:56.759 --> 00:09:01.740 And it says that while he was still a long way off, 00:09:02.480 --> 00:09:08.259 his father saw him and felt compassion. 00:09:09.399 --> 00:09:13.799 In breaking all social convention, risking his dignity, looking foolish, 00:09:14.539 --> 00:09:17.659 the father runs. 00:09:18.039 --> 00:09:19.700 He runs towards his son. 00:09:19.700 --> 00:09:26.000 And he embraces him and hugs him and kisses him and wraps his arms around him. 00:09:26.420 --> 00:09:33.500 The son isn't even able to get his whole speech out before the father asks his servants to bring a robe and put it around him 00:09:33.500 --> 00:09:38.080 and put a ring on his finger and sandals under his feet. 00:09:38.080 --> 00:09:44.440 The son is overwhelmed by the father's joy and love. 00:09:45.620 --> 00:09:46.840 And a party breaks out. 00:09:47.360 --> 00:09:48.879 Verse 23, he tells his servants, 00:09:49.300 --> 00:09:50.580 bring the fattened calf and kill it. 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:51.800 Let us eat and celebrate. 00:09:52.560 --> 00:09:56.020 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again. 00:09:56.980 --> 00:09:59.080 He was lost and is found. 00:09:59.080 --> 00:10:03.080 It's a powerful story. 00:10:03.840 --> 00:10:09.820 And the journey of the younger brother in many ways shows us what the heart of the Christian faith is really all about. 00:10:11.340 --> 00:10:12.540 It's about a father. 00:10:13.340 --> 00:10:21.139 It's about a loving father who pursues us and who runs after us before we could ever reach him. 00:10:21.139 --> 00:10:27.039 A father who pursues us and meets us in our sin and shame. 00:10:30.100 --> 00:10:35.819 And in that place envelops us with love and compassion and joy. 00:10:38.120 --> 00:10:46.740 Friend, maybe you're here this morning and you find yourself resonating with the journey of the younger brother. 00:10:46.860 --> 00:10:50.159 Maybe it's because you haven't been to church in a long time. 00:10:50.159 --> 00:10:52.559 Maybe you've never been to church in your life. 00:10:53.219 --> 00:10:54.079 Maybe you're not a Christian. 00:10:54.240 --> 00:10:57.019 Maybe you don't even know if you believe in God or not. 00:10:58.019 --> 00:11:03.100 Maybe you're not even 100% sure why you're here or how you got here, 00:11:03.179 --> 00:11:06.259 but somehow you made it here this morning. 00:11:09.199 --> 00:11:12.319 Might I suggest, if that's you, 00:11:12.320 --> 00:11:23.800 that the reason why you're here this morning is because you have a heavenly father who is running after you. 00:11:25.940 --> 00:11:28.680 Maybe you've been running from him for a long time, 00:11:28.940 --> 00:11:32.340 but he is pursuing your heart. 00:11:32.340 --> 00:11:37.940 Maybe you're here because deep down you may not have been able to articulate it, 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:40.360 but deep down you share the ache of the younger brother. 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:44.639 This life that you've pursued, maybe it looked attractive, 00:11:44.860 --> 00:11:46.320 maybe it was fun for a while, 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:51.960 but it's left you in a place where you feel unsatisfied, 00:11:52.300 --> 00:11:53.200 you feel hungry. 00:11:54.720 --> 00:11:57.780 And may I suggest that that hunger that you feel 00:11:57.780 --> 00:12:02.440 is a hunger and a longing for divine love. 00:12:02.440 --> 00:12:07.820 This story shows us the heart of the Christian faith 00:12:07.820 --> 00:12:12.540 that what stands in the way of our experience of God's love 00:12:12.540 --> 00:12:14.980 is not his willingness to forgive, 00:12:15.480 --> 00:12:20.060 but our willingness to repent. 00:12:21.180 --> 00:12:22.780 Our willingness to repent. 00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:28.080 Repentance means doing exactly what the younger son does in this story. 00:12:28.080 --> 00:12:31.580 It's turning away from the life that we've tried to live 00:12:31.580 --> 00:12:32.740 apart from the father 00:12:32.740 --> 00:12:37.120 and turning away towards the father's love. 00:12:37.240 --> 00:12:37.980 That's repentance. 00:12:38.800 --> 00:12:39.860 The younger brother is, 00:12:41.160 --> 00:12:44.720 though he starts out probably not being a model example, 00:12:44.879 --> 00:12:47.639 he is a beautiful model of repentance. 00:12:48.400 --> 00:12:51.139 We don't have to even have it all figured out 00:12:51.139 --> 00:12:52.480 or say the right words, 00:12:53.320 --> 00:12:55.920 but we just make a choice 00:12:57.520 --> 00:12:59.220 to turn away from the pig slop 00:12:59.220 --> 00:13:03.040 and to turn back towards the father's love. 00:13:03.639 --> 00:13:05.440 And the moment that we do, 00:13:06.300 --> 00:13:08.840 we look out into the distance 00:13:08.840 --> 00:13:12.200 and we see that our father 00:13:12.200 --> 00:13:13.920 has already been running after us. 00:13:16.700 --> 00:13:18.340 Maybe you've, perhaps, 00:13:19.040 --> 00:13:20.700 whether you're a Christian or not, 00:13:20.759 --> 00:13:21.860 maybe you've always struggled 00:13:21.860 --> 00:13:23.460 with the idea of God as a father. 00:13:23.460 --> 00:13:25.920 Because if you're honest, 00:13:26.060 --> 00:13:29.180 your earthly father was less than great. 00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:33.259 The story shows us that our heavenly father 00:13:33.259 --> 00:13:35.900 is different from our earthly fathers. 00:13:36.060 --> 00:13:38.040 He breaks all of the social conventions. 00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:41.600 He doesn't just forgive our sins, 00:13:41.720 --> 00:13:46.660 but he heals us in our places of shame and woundedness. 00:13:46.659 --> 00:13:49.500 The younger son says, 00:13:49.819 --> 00:13:53.219 Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 00:13:53.459 --> 00:13:54.480 That's true. 00:13:55.620 --> 00:13:57.459 And that's true for all of us. 00:13:59.399 --> 00:14:00.620 You know what's not true? 00:14:02.860 --> 00:14:05.579 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. 00:14:07.240 --> 00:14:08.659 That's the voice of shame. 00:14:09.659 --> 00:14:10.720 And it's a lie. 00:14:10.720 --> 00:14:15.800 And maybe this voice sounds familiar to you. 00:14:16.800 --> 00:14:17.980 Maybe you're here this morning 00:14:17.980 --> 00:14:19.460 and you know that you don't just need 00:14:19.460 --> 00:14:21.580 the forgiveness of your father. 00:14:21.740 --> 00:14:24.779 You need healing from your father. 00:14:25.779 --> 00:14:28.000 In the places of your heart where there is shame, 00:14:28.120 --> 00:14:30.980 in the places in your heart where there's wounding. 00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:34.820 The good news is that in our deep places of shame 00:14:34.820 --> 00:14:35.720 and woundedness, 00:14:36.279 --> 00:14:38.980 your heavenly father sees you. 00:14:38.980 --> 00:14:44.899 And he is filled with compassion. 00:14:46.060 --> 00:14:48.000 He runs towards you. 00:14:48.100 --> 00:14:49.360 He envelops you. 00:14:49.440 --> 00:14:51.139 He puts a robe around you. 00:14:51.180 --> 00:14:52.519 He puts a ring on your finger 00:14:52.519 --> 00:14:53.600 and sandals on your feet. 00:14:53.659 --> 00:14:55.500 And he says, you are not just a servant. 00:14:57.379 --> 00:15:00.980 You are my beloved son. 00:15:01.100 --> 00:15:03.159 You are my beloved daughter. 00:15:03.820 --> 00:15:07.240 The voice of shame has no presence here. 00:15:07.240 --> 00:15:10.259 He embraces you and celebrates you 00:15:10.259 --> 00:15:14.360 and throws a big party because he loves you. 00:15:14.580 --> 00:15:18.539 This is the God we worship. 00:15:18.700 --> 00:15:20.080 This is your heavenly father. 00:15:20.220 --> 00:15:21.299 This is who he is. 00:15:23.139 --> 00:15:24.960 And the invitation of the journey 00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:26.899 of the younger brother this morning is this. 00:15:26.899 --> 00:15:36.399 The invitation is to turn away from the pig slop. 00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:40.139 Turn away from a life of self-indulgence. 00:15:41.159 --> 00:15:45.360 Turn away from ways you've tried to heal yourself. 00:15:46.439 --> 00:15:49.679 Turn away from ways you've tried to self-medicate 00:15:49.679 --> 00:15:52.379 with things that can't actually heal you 00:15:52.379 --> 00:15:56.859 and turn towards the father's love 00:15:56.859 --> 00:16:01.259 because he is already running after you. 00:16:03.479 --> 00:16:05.639 That's the invitation of the journey 00:16:05.639 --> 00:16:07.219 of the younger brother. 00:16:08.659 --> 00:16:11.479 Now let's look at the journey of the older brother. 00:16:12.019 --> 00:16:13.419 The journey of the older brother. 00:16:13.419 --> 00:16:17.719 In verse 25, we learn that as this party's happening, 00:16:17.799 --> 00:16:18.899 the older brother's in the field. 00:16:19.000 --> 00:16:19.599 He's hard at work. 00:16:19.699 --> 00:16:21.819 He's sweating out in the fields. 00:16:23.519 --> 00:16:25.259 Suddenly he hears music and dancing. 00:16:26.319 --> 00:16:27.579 And so he calls one of the servants, 00:16:27.819 --> 00:16:29.259 asks what all the noise is about. 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:32.740 Servant says, your father's throwing a party 00:16:32.740 --> 00:16:34.219 for your younger brother 00:16:34.219 --> 00:16:36.579 because he's returned home safe and sound 00:16:36.579 --> 00:16:38.419 and we're all happy and celebrating. 00:16:38.419 --> 00:16:41.699 And the older brother completely stops what he's doing, 00:16:42.500 --> 00:16:43.519 stops him in his tracks. 00:16:44.599 --> 00:16:45.599 At first he's shocked. 00:16:45.699 --> 00:16:47.799 He can't believe what he's hearing. 00:16:50.059 --> 00:16:52.719 But then a rage starts to build within him 00:16:52.719 --> 00:16:55.459 and he refuses to go into the house. 00:16:56.199 --> 00:16:59.559 He stays outside working more furiously 00:16:59.559 --> 00:17:02.059 than he was before, sweat dripping from his face. 00:17:02.699 --> 00:17:03.480 He can't believe it. 00:17:03.500 --> 00:17:04.119 He's so angry. 00:17:04.119 --> 00:17:07.319 And eventually the father comes out 00:17:07.319 --> 00:17:09.679 and begs him to come inside and says, 00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:11.699 come celebrate with us. 00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:12.699 Your brother is home. 00:17:12.819 --> 00:17:14.000 Come in and join the party. 00:17:14.099 --> 00:17:14.859 Come join the feast. 00:17:15.979 --> 00:17:17.259 But he says to his father, 00:17:17.819 --> 00:17:20.219 I can't believe you. 00:17:21.339 --> 00:17:23.000 I've worked for you my whole life. 00:17:23.419 --> 00:17:25.659 I've only ever done what you've asked me to do. 00:17:26.539 --> 00:17:27.859 You've never even given me a goat 00:17:27.859 --> 00:17:29.199 to celebrate with my friends. 00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:33.420 But this son who disobeyed God, 00:17:33.500 --> 00:17:34.420 who disobeyed you, 00:17:34.620 --> 00:17:36.539 who brought great shame to our family 00:17:36.539 --> 00:17:37.500 in the eyes of the community, 00:17:37.840 --> 00:17:39.200 who squandered your wealth, 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:41.920 this son comes home. 00:17:43.380 --> 00:17:44.440 You throw a party for him? 00:17:47.080 --> 00:17:49.400 Why is the elder brother so angry? 00:17:50.980 --> 00:17:53.880 Why isn't he glad that his brother has returned? 00:17:53.880 --> 00:17:54.880 Why is the elder brother so angry? 00:17:54.880 --> 00:17:55.880 Why is the elder brother so angry? 00:17:56.200 --> 00:17:57.320 Well, you need to understand 00:17:57.320 --> 00:17:59.420 part of how an inheritance works. 00:18:00.220 --> 00:18:01.260 Throwing a big party, 00:18:01.460 --> 00:18:02.540 killing the fattened calf, 00:18:03.140 --> 00:18:05.720 where did all of the cost of this party come from? 00:18:05.760 --> 00:18:06.600 Where is it coming from? 00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:09.320 Well, now that the younger son 00:18:09.320 --> 00:18:11.180 has completely squandered his share 00:18:11.180 --> 00:18:11.820 of the inheritance, 00:18:12.340 --> 00:18:14.160 everything the father now owns 00:18:14.160 --> 00:18:15.680 is the older brother's inheritance. 00:18:16.880 --> 00:18:18.460 And so he's telling his father, 00:18:18.920 --> 00:18:20.860 you're wasting my stuff. 00:18:20.859 --> 00:18:24.619 You're wasting my inheritance on him. 00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:28.639 And now we see. 00:18:29.699 --> 00:18:32.479 Now we see why the older brother is so angry. 00:18:33.419 --> 00:18:34.659 Because deep down, 00:18:35.479 --> 00:18:38.419 he doesn't truly want the father. 00:18:39.779 --> 00:18:41.199 He wants the father's stuff. 00:18:42.379 --> 00:18:44.559 He sees his obedience to the father 00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:47.579 as leverage for what he really wants. 00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:50.759 How does the father respond? 00:18:50.859 --> 00:18:51.839 To the older brother, 00:18:51.979 --> 00:18:53.659 well, like with the younger son, 00:18:53.740 --> 00:18:54.819 he could have responded 00:18:54.819 --> 00:18:56.240 with stern discipline in this moment. 00:18:57.379 --> 00:18:59.819 But just like with the younger son, 00:19:00.679 --> 00:19:03.879 the father responds with deep compassion. 00:19:04.699 --> 00:19:05.319 Verse 31, 00:19:06.459 --> 00:19:07.899 my son, the father says, 00:19:08.019 --> 00:19:09.379 you are always with me. 00:19:10.719 --> 00:19:12.539 And everything I have is yours. 00:19:13.219 --> 00:19:14.219 And I love you. 00:19:14.879 --> 00:19:16.539 But we had to celebrate and glad 00:19:16.539 --> 00:19:18.419 because this brother of yours was dead 00:19:18.419 --> 00:19:19.679 and is alive again. 00:19:19.680 --> 00:19:22.180 And he was lost and is found. 00:19:25.779 --> 00:19:27.000 What does the older son do? 00:19:28.600 --> 00:19:29.720 Does he stay out in the field? 00:19:31.019 --> 00:19:32.240 Does he come in and celebrate? 00:19:33.600 --> 00:19:35.600 Is he reconciled to his brother and his father? 00:19:38.560 --> 00:19:39.220 We don't know. 00:19:40.200 --> 00:19:40.900 We don't know. 00:19:40.900 --> 00:19:43.860 Jesus ends the story there. 00:19:44.720 --> 00:19:47.480 He ends the story without resolution. 00:19:49.420 --> 00:19:50.500 Why would he do that? 00:19:51.600 --> 00:19:53.820 Why would Jesus end the story without an ending? 00:19:56.600 --> 00:19:58.440 Because Jesus is a master storyteller. 00:19:59.400 --> 00:20:00.880 And because he wants his audience 00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:02.480 to see themselves in the story. 00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:04.980 Jesus wants the religious leaders, 00:20:05.140 --> 00:20:06.300 the pastors and theologians 00:20:06.300 --> 00:20:07.340 who were criticizing him 00:20:07.339 --> 00:20:09.319 and saying this man eats with sinners 00:20:09.319 --> 00:20:10.220 and hangs out with them. 00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:11.959 He wants them to see 00:20:11.959 --> 00:20:14.259 that they are the older brother in this story. 00:20:16.159 --> 00:20:17.519 And they have to make a choice. 00:20:19.720 --> 00:20:21.720 Will they stay out in the fields in their anger? 00:20:23.439 --> 00:20:25.179 Or will they come in and celebrate? 00:20:25.180 --> 00:20:28.779 The main point, 00:20:29.120 --> 00:20:31.900 one of the main points of Jesus' whole story is this, 00:20:32.779 --> 00:20:34.400 is that both sons are lost. 00:20:35.940 --> 00:20:37.880 And that we can be lost too. 00:20:38.140 --> 00:20:39.360 We can be lost as well 00:20:39.360 --> 00:20:40.660 as both a younger brother 00:20:40.660 --> 00:20:42.299 and as an older brother. 00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:45.200 A life of self-indulgence 00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:47.900 and a life of self-righteousness 00:20:47.900 --> 00:20:50.960 both alienate us from the father's love. 00:20:50.960 --> 00:20:54.039 If we're honest, 00:20:54.220 --> 00:20:55.420 some of us in this room 00:20:55.420 --> 00:20:57.640 are more younger brother-ish. 00:20:59.539 --> 00:21:02.059 Some are more older brother-ish. 00:21:02.759 --> 00:21:04.900 Many of us are probably a combination of the two. 00:21:05.900 --> 00:21:07.420 Younger brothers tend to break the rules. 00:21:08.840 --> 00:21:10.120 Older brothers tend to keep the rules. 00:21:11.400 --> 00:21:12.400 Younger brothers tend to be 00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:14.380 anti-authority and social norms. 00:21:14.519 --> 00:21:16.019 Older brothers tend to follow authority 00:21:16.019 --> 00:21:17.319 and social norms. 00:21:18.220 --> 00:21:19.980 Younger brothers tend to run away from religion. 00:21:21.340 --> 00:21:23.400 Older brothers tend to run towards religion. 00:21:24.360 --> 00:21:25.700 But both sons, 00:21:25.779 --> 00:21:28.200 both sons are using the father 00:21:28.200 --> 00:21:29.980 to get what they are really after, 00:21:30.200 --> 00:21:31.200 to get what they truly want. 00:21:31.900 --> 00:21:33.539 The younger brother disobeys 00:21:33.539 --> 00:21:34.799 to get what he truly wants. 00:21:35.100 --> 00:21:37.660 But the older brother tries to leverage his obedience 00:21:37.660 --> 00:21:39.640 to get what he truly wants. 00:21:40.860 --> 00:21:41.779 Both are lost. 00:21:42.000 --> 00:21:43.680 Both are alienated from the father's love. 00:21:44.500 --> 00:21:46.579 The younger brother rejects the father's love 00:21:46.579 --> 00:21:47.220 and his badness, 00:21:47.220 --> 00:21:48.579 but the older brother rejects 00:21:48.579 --> 00:21:49.700 the father's love and his goodness. 00:21:50.960 --> 00:21:53.880 And yet, what does the father do? 00:21:56.200 --> 00:21:57.759 He goes out to them both. 00:21:58.600 --> 00:22:00.160 He pursues them both. 00:22:00.299 --> 00:22:02.519 He goes out to the younger son on the road 00:22:02.519 --> 00:22:05.319 and he goes out to the older son in the field. 00:22:06.420 --> 00:22:08.740 And what's true for younger brothers 00:22:08.740 --> 00:22:10.620 is true for older brothers as well. 00:22:10.680 --> 00:22:14.640 That what stands in the way of us experiencing God's love 00:22:14.640 --> 00:22:16.520 is not his willingness to forgive. 00:22:19.720 --> 00:22:21.240 It's our willingness to repent. 00:22:22.759 --> 00:22:24.320 To grow in our life with God, 00:22:24.400 --> 00:22:28.120 we need not only to repent of our sin and self-indulgence, 00:22:28.200 --> 00:22:31.460 we also need to repent of our self-righteousness. 00:22:32.100 --> 00:22:34.300 We need to repent not only of what we've done wrong, 00:22:34.299 --> 00:22:39.059 but of doing right for the wrong reasons. 00:22:39.159 --> 00:22:40.299 We need to repent of our motivations. 00:22:42.659 --> 00:22:44.960 It's fairly straightforward to figure out 00:22:44.960 --> 00:22:46.440 if you're acting like a younger brother. 00:22:48.200 --> 00:22:50.119 How do you know if you're acting like an older brother? 00:22:51.099 --> 00:22:52.200 It's far more subtle. 00:22:52.200 --> 00:22:54.100 Because the older brother appears 00:22:54.100 --> 00:22:56.340 as if he's doing everything right. 00:22:57.420 --> 00:22:59.299 How do you know you're acting like an older brother? 00:22:59.420 --> 00:23:00.120 Here's how you know. 00:23:02.700 --> 00:23:04.279 When things don't go your way, 00:23:05.279 --> 00:23:07.600 when you don't get what you want, 00:23:09.740 --> 00:23:11.940 when life doesn't work out as you hope, 00:23:13.319 --> 00:23:17.220 you grow judgmental towards others 00:23:17.220 --> 00:23:20.240 and you grow angry towards God. 00:23:22.539 --> 00:23:25.779 The older brother believes that because he's obeyed, 00:23:25.819 --> 00:23:26.900 the father owes him. 00:23:27.779 --> 00:23:29.700 And deep down, he sees his obedience 00:23:29.700 --> 00:23:31.740 as leverage to get what he truly wants. 00:23:32.340 --> 00:23:33.940 And when that doesn't happen, 00:23:34.759 --> 00:23:37.039 when life doesn't work out for him, 00:23:37.100 --> 00:23:39.860 when things don't go according to his plan, 00:23:40.740 --> 00:23:44.100 he's incredibly judgmental towards his younger brother 00:23:44.100 --> 00:23:46.180 and he's incredibly angry at his father. 00:23:48.240 --> 00:23:49.539 How do you respond? 00:23:52.200 --> 00:23:53.500 When life doesn't work out. 00:23:55.059 --> 00:23:57.080 How do you respond when things don't go 00:23:57.080 --> 00:23:58.000 according to your plan? 00:23:58.059 --> 00:24:01.840 How do you respond when life doesn't work out for you? 00:24:04.080 --> 00:24:05.019 When I was in college, 00:24:05.100 --> 00:24:06.420 I was in a dating relationship 00:24:06.420 --> 00:24:08.860 with someone who I thought I was gonna marry. 00:24:09.360 --> 00:24:11.620 And when she broke up with me, 00:24:11.660 --> 00:24:12.900 I was completely devastated. 00:24:13.299 --> 00:24:14.319 I was completely devastated. 00:24:14.660 --> 00:24:15.940 But I wasn't just heartbroken, 00:24:16.539 --> 00:24:17.220 I was angry. 00:24:17.220 --> 00:24:19.220 I was angry with God. 00:24:20.019 --> 00:24:20.420 Why? 00:24:20.539 --> 00:24:23.700 Because I functionally thought, 00:24:23.839 --> 00:24:24.680 on a functional level, 00:24:24.740 --> 00:24:26.640 I thought that if I obeyed God 00:24:26.640 --> 00:24:27.980 and did all the right things, 00:24:28.720 --> 00:24:30.620 that he was gonna make life work out for me. 00:24:32.299 --> 00:24:34.519 But life hadn't worked out the way I thought 00:24:34.519 --> 00:24:35.279 and so I was angry. 00:24:35.799 --> 00:24:37.059 I was angry towards God. 00:24:37.900 --> 00:24:39.279 There was part of me deep down, 00:24:39.339 --> 00:24:40.440 there was part of my heart 00:24:40.440 --> 00:24:43.000 that saw my obedience 00:24:43.000 --> 00:24:44.980 as leverage to get God's stuff. 00:24:46.360 --> 00:24:49.340 Not as a way to experience his love, 00:24:49.440 --> 00:24:51.460 not as a way to experience communion with the Father, 00:24:52.120 --> 00:24:53.340 but as a way to get his stuff. 00:24:53.420 --> 00:24:55.940 And so I needed to repent of that. 00:24:57.180 --> 00:24:58.640 If you wanna grow as a Christian, 00:24:58.820 --> 00:25:01.660 if you wanna have a deep experience of God's love, 00:25:01.700 --> 00:25:02.299 you need to repent, 00:25:02.440 --> 00:25:04.019 not just of the sins of the younger brother, 00:25:04.080 --> 00:25:05.440 but also the sins of the older brother. 00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:08.000 not just from self-indulgence, 00:25:08.400 --> 00:25:10.720 but from self-righteousness. 00:25:10.779 --> 00:25:12.019 Not only of what you've done wrong, 00:25:12.799 --> 00:25:15.759 but of your motivations for doing right. 00:25:17.640 --> 00:25:19.799 Why should we obey God? 00:25:19.860 --> 00:25:22.820 Why does the Bible say about why should we obey God? 00:25:24.420 --> 00:25:26.259 The Bible only has one answer. 00:25:27.799 --> 00:25:28.759 It's love. 00:25:29.600 --> 00:25:30.320 It's love. 00:25:31.019 --> 00:25:35.039 To experience loving communion with the Father, 00:25:35.039 --> 00:25:36.859 not to get his stuff, 00:25:37.659 --> 00:25:40.440 but to get him. 00:25:41.539 --> 00:25:42.440 To get him. 00:25:43.680 --> 00:25:45.740 To experience loving communion with him. 00:25:45.799 --> 00:25:49.940 That is the right motivation to obey our Father. 00:25:51.180 --> 00:25:53.759 And if we wanna obey our Father out of love, 00:25:54.960 --> 00:25:57.659 not only do we need to repent, 00:25:57.799 --> 00:25:58.960 but we also need to see 00:25:58.960 --> 00:26:01.139 that the Father's love isn't free. 00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:04.000 It's not free. 00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:08.259 The Father's love wasn't free for the younger brother. 00:26:09.400 --> 00:26:12.960 Father's love isn't free for the older brother. 00:26:13.059 --> 00:26:14.200 It's not free for us. 00:26:15.220 --> 00:26:16.519 It came at a great cost. 00:26:17.160 --> 00:26:18.680 It comes at a great cost. 00:26:20.259 --> 00:26:21.259 Jesus' audience, 00:26:22.000 --> 00:26:24.400 first century Middle Eastern audience, 00:26:24.519 --> 00:26:26.019 would have known that in that culture, 00:26:26.980 --> 00:26:28.819 older brothers had certain obligations. 00:26:28.819 --> 00:26:34.279 One of those obligations was to help 00:26:34.279 --> 00:26:36.419 and even rescue younger brothers in need. 00:26:37.480 --> 00:26:40.359 To go out and search for them if they were lost, 00:26:40.579 --> 00:26:41.980 no matter the cost. 00:26:42.139 --> 00:26:44.659 To even pay their debt if they were in debt or in jail. 00:26:47.000 --> 00:26:48.700 But the older brother doesn't do this. 00:26:49.079 --> 00:26:51.819 He doesn't live up to those social and cultural obligations. 00:26:51.819 --> 00:26:57.019 Why does Jesus give us such a poor picture of an elder brother? 00:26:58.960 --> 00:27:01.319 To show us, or to show his audience, 00:27:01.519 --> 00:27:03.240 to show the Pharisees and scribes, 00:27:03.700 --> 00:27:04.839 this is how they were acting. 00:27:04.939 --> 00:27:05.500 This was them. 00:27:06.460 --> 00:27:07.819 They were the elder brother. 00:27:08.159 --> 00:27:10.399 And to show us that this is how we can act sometimes. 00:27:10.400 --> 00:27:17.900 But what would a true older brother have done? 00:27:19.280 --> 00:27:20.680 A true older brother 00:27:20.680 --> 00:27:24.560 would have seen the agony 00:27:24.560 --> 00:27:28.920 and the heartbreak of his father. 00:27:29.800 --> 00:27:31.680 The agony and heartbreak of his father 00:27:31.680 --> 00:27:33.000 who had a son who was lost. 00:27:34.880 --> 00:27:38.120 And he would have left home to go looking for him. 00:27:38.119 --> 00:27:40.479 And he would have gone to whatever lengths. 00:27:40.559 --> 00:27:42.459 He would have gone to whatever cost to find him. 00:27:43.799 --> 00:27:45.939 And when he found him, he would have rescued him. 00:27:46.699 --> 00:27:47.919 He would have paid his debts. 00:27:48.679 --> 00:27:51.459 And he would have brought him home to the father 00:27:51.459 --> 00:27:54.599 at great cost, at whatever cost to himself. 00:27:54.719 --> 00:27:57.319 That's what a true elder brother would have done. 00:28:01.059 --> 00:28:02.679 The younger brother in this story 00:28:02.679 --> 00:28:05.979 doesn't have an older brother like that. 00:28:08.119 --> 00:28:09.339 But we do. 00:28:10.579 --> 00:28:11.299 We do. 00:28:12.079 --> 00:28:14.899 Jesus Christ is our true older brother 00:28:14.899 --> 00:28:17.459 who left his father to rescue us 00:28:17.459 --> 00:28:19.679 at great cost to himself. 00:28:20.199 --> 00:28:21.579 Who didn't just leave home, 00:28:21.659 --> 00:28:23.500 but who left heaven to find us. 00:28:24.199 --> 00:28:25.839 Who didn't just open his wallet, 00:28:26.879 --> 00:28:29.439 but on the cross to open his body 00:28:29.439 --> 00:28:31.139 to pay our debt. 00:28:31.839 --> 00:28:34.359 Who spent his inheritance on us 00:28:34.359 --> 00:28:36.879 and who covered us with his robe 00:28:36.879 --> 00:28:38.599 and his ring and his sandals. 00:28:39.719 --> 00:28:42.759 Who covered us with his righteousness 00:28:42.759 --> 00:28:46.199 so that we could be called sons of God, 00:28:46.459 --> 00:28:47.219 daughters of God, 00:28:47.379 --> 00:28:48.419 and co-heirs, 00:28:48.819 --> 00:28:50.919 co-heirs with Christ. 00:28:52.819 --> 00:28:53.759 Don't you see 00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:56.719 that we have access 00:28:56.719 --> 00:28:59.119 to the extravagant love of the father, 00:28:59.119 --> 00:29:01.519 but it's not free. 00:29:02.459 --> 00:29:03.899 It came at a great cost. 00:29:04.279 --> 00:29:05.219 It came at the cost 00:29:05.219 --> 00:29:06.599 of our older brother, Jesus Christ, 00:29:06.699 --> 00:29:08.299 who suffered and died 00:29:08.299 --> 00:29:09.539 to bring us home. 00:29:11.239 --> 00:29:12.619 And because of him, 00:29:13.159 --> 00:29:15.399 because of him, 00:29:15.579 --> 00:29:16.799 what the father says 00:29:16.799 --> 00:29:17.579 to the older brother, 00:29:17.679 --> 00:29:18.519 he says to us, 00:29:18.879 --> 00:29:20.859 everything I have is yours 00:29:20.859 --> 00:29:23.419 and you are always with me. 00:29:23.420 --> 00:29:27.759 And so whether we are more, 00:29:28.300 --> 00:29:29.860 whether we find ourselves this morning, 00:29:30.640 --> 00:29:33.519 we tend more younger brother-ish 00:29:33.519 --> 00:29:35.519 or whether we tend more older brother-ish 00:29:35.519 --> 00:29:38.279 or maybe we're a combination of the two, 00:29:39.039 --> 00:29:40.480 we need to see that we know 00:29:40.480 --> 00:29:41.900 that we can always repent 00:29:41.900 --> 00:29:43.980 and turn back to the love of the father. 00:29:45.259 --> 00:29:47.000 We can always repent 00:29:47.000 --> 00:29:49.560 and turn back to the love of the father 00:29:49.560 --> 00:29:50.900 because we are clothed 00:29:50.900 --> 00:29:52.279 in the righteousness of the son. 00:29:53.720 --> 00:29:56.100 He puts his robe on our shoulders. 00:29:56.560 --> 00:29:58.160 He puts his ring on our finger. 00:29:58.480 --> 00:30:00.500 He puts his sandals on our feet 00:30:00.500 --> 00:30:04.580 and he will share his inheritance with us 00:30:04.580 --> 00:30:06.360 for all of eternity. 00:30:07.259 --> 00:30:08.000 Let's pray. 00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:12.940 Our father in heaven, 00:30:13.279 --> 00:30:15.980 we thank you for this beautiful, powerful story. 00:30:17.340 --> 00:30:19.060 We thank you for how it shows us 00:30:19.060 --> 00:30:22.779 how vast and wide and extravagant 00:30:22.779 --> 00:30:25.819 your love and your compassion is for us. 00:30:27.379 --> 00:30:28.000 Thank you that, 00:30:28.920 --> 00:30:29.700 thank you for Jesus, 00:30:29.859 --> 00:30:30.759 our true elder brother 00:30:30.759 --> 00:30:32.079 who came to rescue us 00:30:32.079 --> 00:30:35.539 and find us at great cost to himself. 00:30:36.740 --> 00:30:40.139 Lord, help us to turn back to you, 00:30:41.000 --> 00:30:42.119 to turn back to your love. 00:30:43.740 --> 00:30:46.420 We pray this in the name of the father 00:30:46.420 --> 00:30:47.800 and the son and the holy spirit. 00:30:47.800 --> 00:30:48.800 Amen.