WEBVTT

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 Well, it's great to be with you again this evening.

00:00:02.620 --> 00:00:05.339
 I just want to reiterate what Sam has said already.

00:00:05.780 --> 00:00:09.019
 If anything I say tonight resonates with you,

00:00:09.240 --> 00:00:10.599
 we want to give you the opportunity

00:00:10.599 --> 00:00:13.740
 and we want to encourage you to respond in some way.

00:00:14.259 --> 00:00:16.240
 And Sam's going to talk about that more afterwards.

00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:19.019
 But I want to begin by making a confession.

00:00:20.440 --> 00:00:22.600
 I hate reading instructions.

00:00:23.960 --> 00:00:26.699
 I know that shouldn't come as a shock, given that I'm a man,

00:00:27.080 --> 00:00:28.519
 but I hate reading instructions

00:00:28.519 --> 00:00:30.660
 and I especially hate reading maps.

00:00:31.620 --> 00:00:33.079
 And I want to tell you a story.

00:00:33.719 --> 00:00:34.780
 It's a little embarrassing.

00:00:35.299 --> 00:00:38.060
 One day I applied for a job as an accountant.

00:00:38.859 --> 00:00:40.519
 That's not the embarrassing bit, by the way.

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 And I organised an interview with a recruitment consultant.

00:00:46.560 --> 00:00:47.899
 And I thought...

00:00:47.899 --> 00:00:50.239
 I was on the phone, I was trying to take the address down,

00:00:50.600 --> 00:00:52.439
 and I thought, yeah, I've got the address in my head,

00:00:52.480 --> 00:00:55.260
 and lo and behold, the time comes around to go to the interview

00:00:55.260 --> 00:00:56.679
 and I've forgotten the address.

00:00:56.679 --> 00:01:01.100
 Now, I think I know roughly where this guy's office is,

00:01:01.579 --> 00:01:05.039
 so at the right time I head out to try and find this office

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 and I don't seem to be making much progress.

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 And about ten minutes after the interview was supposed to have started,

00:01:11.819 --> 00:01:14.359
 I get a phone call from this recruitment consultant.

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 And he says to me,

00:01:16.480 --> 00:01:17.700
 Matt, are you lost?

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 And I say, I'm not lost.

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 I'm just directionally challenged.

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 And I realise that I'm often reluctant to admit

00:01:29.019 --> 00:01:34.140
 I often don't recognise that I'm lost until it's too late.

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 And this is about a story about a guy just like me

00:01:38.219 --> 00:01:40.959
 who's reluctant to admit that he's lost.

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 In fact, he doesn't realise that he's lost until it's too late.

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 Now, to appreciate this young man's situation,

00:01:47.459 --> 00:01:48.759
 we've got to go back in time

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 and understand just how fragile life can be

00:01:52.879 --> 00:01:56.219
 in Middle Eastern culture 2,000 years ago.

00:01:57.899 --> 00:02:00.000
 If you were in a wealthy family

00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:01.799
 who maybe owned a farm,

00:02:03.479 --> 00:02:07.239
 you might have hundreds of silos full of grain.

00:02:08.240 --> 00:02:10.439
 And if you have a bad couple of years,

00:02:10.680 --> 00:02:12.719
 if the harvest fails a couple of times,

00:02:13.099 --> 00:02:15.299
 you could go broke very, very quickly.

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 There's a very real danger of starving to death.

00:02:20.740 --> 00:02:24.600
 So, when this young man sets out from home,

00:02:25.600 --> 00:02:27.660
 blows his cash on fast living

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 and finds himself working as a slave

00:02:30.640 --> 00:02:33.040
 in a land that's struck by famine,

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 he's in very, very dire straits.

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 He's quite literally at death's door.

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 Just as an aside,

00:02:43.879 --> 00:02:46.299
 Jews aren't allowed to eat pork.

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 So, you know things have gotten pretty bad

00:02:48.900 --> 00:02:51.299
 when you're a Jew and you long to eat pig food.

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 But this guy's problem isn't just physical hunger.

00:02:56.280 --> 00:02:57.419
 He's got deeper problems.

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 And his problems don't actually start

00:02:59.979 --> 00:03:01.479
 when he gets to the foreign country.

00:03:01.620 --> 00:03:03.539
 His problems actually start at home.

00:03:04.439 --> 00:03:05.900
 At the very beginning of our passage,

00:03:06.019 --> 00:03:06.800
 in verse 12,

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 the younger son asks

00:03:09.300 --> 00:03:11.639
 for his share of the family's inheritance.

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 And there's no apparent reason.

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 He doesn't need the money.

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 He doesn't want the money for any particular purpose.

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 It's only later in verse 13

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 that he actually heads to a foreign country.

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 There's a much deeper problem involved.

00:03:30.280 --> 00:03:34.360
 In Middle Eastern culture,

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 it's very, very shameful

00:03:37.219 --> 00:03:39.780
 to ask for your inheritance early.

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 Because when you ask for your inheritance early,

00:03:42.780 --> 00:03:43.639
 it's like saying this.

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 It's like saying this to your mum and to your dad.

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 I wish you were dead.

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 I wish you were dead.

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 That's what it's like.

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 You see, the father and the son

00:03:57.320 --> 00:03:59.580
 have a broken relationship.

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 They're estranged.

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 They're alienated from each other.

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 And later, the physical distance between them

00:04:06.900 --> 00:04:09.780
 merely underlines the emotional distance between them.

00:04:09.780 --> 00:04:13.900
 So when you find yourself in a mess like this,

00:04:13.939 --> 00:04:15.099
 how do you find your way out?

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 When you've got very deep physical needs

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 and emotional needs,

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 what can you do?

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 Well, there's basically,

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 there's two solutions.

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 The first is to try and fix the problem yourself.

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 It's interesting that the young man in our story,

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 he's not as useless as you might first think.

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 He tries to fix his problems for very early on.

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 If you have a look at verse 13,

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 he tries to fix the hole inside him

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 by going travelling and by living up a party lifestyle.

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 Now, there's nothing wrong with travelling

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 and there's nothing wrong with going to parties.

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 But they can't fill all of our physical

00:04:55.599 --> 00:04:57.120
 and our emotional needs.

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 Then things get worse.

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 He finds himself short of cash

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 and so he gets a job

00:05:04.060 --> 00:05:06.280
 to try and work his way out of his problems.

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 It's a pretty menial job.

00:05:09.600 --> 00:05:10.740
 Now, maybe he's hoping that

00:05:10.740 --> 00:05:12.100
 he'll rise through the ranks

00:05:12.100 --> 00:05:15.399
 and maybe make something of a career for himself one day.

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 And I want to say,

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 that's okay, work's terrific.

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 But again,

00:05:24.180 --> 00:05:25.480
 work can't fulfil

00:05:25.480 --> 00:05:28.199
 all of our physical and our emotional needs.

00:05:30.079 --> 00:05:30.480
 Travelling,

00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:31.920
 partying,

00:05:32.959 --> 00:05:33.360
 working,

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 none of these things worked.

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 They couldn't fix the hole

00:05:38.100 --> 00:05:40.240
 inside this young man's stomach

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 and they couldn't fix the hole

00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:44.540
 inside his heart.

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 But then,

00:05:48.120 --> 00:05:48.899
 in verse 17,

00:05:49.519 --> 00:05:50.160
 it says,

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 he came to his senses.

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 And what he does next

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 is really critical.

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 In verse 18, he says,

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 I will set out

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 and go back to my father.

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 So I want to take a step back

00:06:04.780 --> 00:06:05.200
 and ask,

00:06:05.360 --> 00:06:06.860
 what's Jesus trying to tell us

00:06:06.860 --> 00:06:09.480
 by telling us this story?

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 It's this.

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 If you're at death's door,

00:06:16.400 --> 00:06:17.080
 if you have

00:06:17.080 --> 00:06:18.660
 very deep physical

00:06:18.660 --> 00:06:20.120
 and emotional needs,

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 come to your senses

00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:26.199
 and return to God

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 who's your heavenly father.

00:06:30.500 --> 00:06:31.620
 Sam mentioned that

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 I told some of my story last week.

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 If you weren't here last week,

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 I shared that my dad's a prison chaplain.

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 He works out at Long Bay Jail

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 and it's been a great privilege

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 for me to go out with him sometimes

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 and visit some of the inmates.

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 And one day,

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 I went with him

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 to the psychiatric ward

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 and I met a guy named

00:06:51.560 --> 00:06:52.460
 Anthony Waterlow.

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 Now, Anthony suffers

00:06:54.819 --> 00:06:55.699
 from schizophrenia

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 and four years ago,

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 he went to visit his father

00:07:00.180 --> 00:07:02.620
 and his sister in Clovelly

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 and in a schizophrenic rage,

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 he stabbed them both to death.

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 And he's been in the psychiatric ward

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 ever since.

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 But when he got to prison,

00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:19.180
 two really important things happened.

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 Someone started to treat

00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:22.660
 his schizophrenia

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 and someone gave him a Bible.

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 And he started to read the Bible

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 and he started to pray.

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 And he quite literally

00:07:33.879 --> 00:07:35.280
 came to his senses.

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 After a short while,

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 he approached my dad

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 and said,

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 can you start running

00:07:40.879 --> 00:07:42.000
 church services for me

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 and my friend?

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 It's incredible.

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 He's a guy

00:07:47.739 --> 00:07:49.719
 who has killed

00:07:49.719 --> 00:07:51.439
 his earthly father

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 and sister.

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 But now he knows God

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 as his heavenly father.

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 If it's possible

00:08:00.459 --> 00:08:01.879
 for a man like Anthony

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 to know God

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 as father,

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 it's possible for anyone.

00:08:06.639 --> 00:08:12.639
 So what sort of thing

00:08:12.639 --> 00:08:13.419
 can you expect

00:08:13.419 --> 00:08:14.699
 when you come back

00:08:14.699 --> 00:08:15.539
 to God as father?

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 How might an earthly father

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 respond?

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 Perhaps you would expect him

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 to stand there,

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 arms folded,

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 waiting for a pretty good

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 explanation.

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 Maybe he might be thinking,

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 you know what,

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 I'll put him to work

00:08:34.500 --> 00:08:35.279
 for a few years

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 until he learns his place

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 and then I'll slowly

00:08:38.500 --> 00:08:39.000
 let him back

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 into the family.

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 Maybe he's thinking,

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 you know what,

00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:47.720
 what this son has done

00:08:47.720 --> 00:08:49.700
 is just too much.

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 I can't handle it.

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 I don't want to even

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 acknowledge that he exists

00:08:54.600 --> 00:08:54.960
 anymore.

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 The father in this story

00:09:00.580 --> 00:09:02.780
 shatters all of our

00:09:02.780 --> 00:09:03.540
 expectations.

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 Take a look with me

00:09:05.320 --> 00:09:05.820
 at what happens.

00:09:06.019 --> 00:09:08.040
 It's actually pretty funny.

00:09:08.120 --> 00:09:09.100
 I kind of think it's

00:09:09.100 --> 00:09:10.460
 almost like slapstick comedy.

00:09:12.060 --> 00:09:12.560
 You see,

00:09:12.600 --> 00:09:13.780
 the father sees his son

00:09:13.780 --> 00:09:14.720
 a long way off

00:09:14.720 --> 00:09:16.000
 and that tells you

00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:16.660
 that he must have been

00:09:16.660 --> 00:09:17.720
 out looking for him.

00:09:19.000 --> 00:09:19.840
 And when the father

00:09:19.840 --> 00:09:20.720
 sees his son,

00:09:20.940 --> 00:09:21.639
 his heart literally

00:09:21.639 --> 00:09:22.379
 skips a beat

00:09:22.379 --> 00:09:25.460
 and he starts to run

00:09:25.460 --> 00:09:27.700
 through the town.

00:09:27.899 --> 00:09:29.539
 He lifts up his ropes

00:09:29.539 --> 00:09:30.720
 and he starts running

00:09:30.720 --> 00:09:31.299
 through the town.

00:09:31.419 --> 00:09:32.320
 And again,

00:09:32.419 --> 00:09:33.439
 in Middle Eastern culture,

00:09:33.720 --> 00:09:34.439
 that's just something

00:09:34.439 --> 00:09:35.220
 you don't do.

00:09:35.320 --> 00:09:35.720
 It's very,

00:09:35.860 --> 00:09:36.600
 very embarrassing

00:09:36.600 --> 00:09:38.500
 for a patriarch

00:09:38.500 --> 00:09:39.100
 in a family

00:09:39.100 --> 00:09:40.100
 to do that sort of thing.

00:09:41.919 --> 00:09:42.679
 And then the father

00:09:42.679 --> 00:09:45.220
 literally throws his arms

00:09:45.220 --> 00:09:46.399
 around his son's neck

00:09:46.399 --> 00:09:47.379
 and he gives him

00:09:47.379 --> 00:09:49.059
 a great big sloppy wet kiss.

00:09:49.059 --> 00:09:52.479
 And the son hasn't

00:09:52.479 --> 00:09:53.779
 even said a word.

00:09:57.219 --> 00:09:58.439
 He tries to.

00:09:58.559 --> 00:09:59.559
 He tries to begin

00:09:59.559 --> 00:10:00.139
 his apology

00:10:00.139 --> 00:10:01.159
 but the father

00:10:01.159 --> 00:10:02.059
 cuts him off.

00:10:04.199 --> 00:10:05.159
 And he's about

00:10:05.159 --> 00:10:06.259
 to say to your father,

00:10:06.519 --> 00:10:07.039
 Father,

00:10:07.179 --> 00:10:08.159
 I'm not worthy

00:10:08.159 --> 00:10:08.979
 to be your son anymore.

00:10:09.619 --> 00:10:10.459
 But the father

00:10:10.459 --> 00:10:11.939
 actually reinstates him.

00:10:13.579 --> 00:10:14.500
 And he gives him

00:10:14.500 --> 00:10:15.539
 an expensive robe.

00:10:15.639 --> 00:10:16.599
 He puts a ring

00:10:16.599 --> 00:10:17.159
 on his finger

00:10:17.159 --> 00:10:18.980
 and he puts a robe

00:10:18.980 --> 00:10:19.839
 on and sandals

00:10:19.839 --> 00:10:20.379
 on his feet.

00:10:21.539 --> 00:10:22.419
 And he throws

00:10:22.419 --> 00:10:23.480
 the homecoming party

00:10:23.480 --> 00:10:24.299
 of the century.

00:10:25.819 --> 00:10:26.779
 The father welcomes

00:10:26.779 --> 00:10:27.459
 the son

00:10:27.459 --> 00:10:28.980
 with complete joy

00:10:28.980 --> 00:10:30.059
 and acceptance.

00:10:31.179 --> 00:10:31.679
 Why?

00:10:33.259 --> 00:10:34.219
 He gives a reason

00:10:34.219 --> 00:10:35.120
 in verse 24.

00:10:35.919 --> 00:10:36.379
 He says,

00:10:36.480 --> 00:10:37.299
 this son of mine

00:10:37.299 --> 00:10:37.980
 was dead

00:10:37.980 --> 00:10:39.539
 and is alive again.

00:10:40.539 --> 00:10:41.860
 He was lost

00:10:41.860 --> 00:10:43.579
 and is found.

00:10:45.500 --> 00:10:46.500
 For all intents

00:10:46.500 --> 00:10:47.000
 and purposes,

00:10:47.159 --> 00:10:48.299
 this guy was dead

00:10:48.299 --> 00:10:49.379
 to his father

00:10:49.379 --> 00:10:51.379
 and now he's alive again.

00:10:54.039 --> 00:10:55.039
 Every time

00:10:55.039 --> 00:10:56.639
 someone returns

00:10:56.639 --> 00:10:57.299
 to God

00:10:57.299 --> 00:10:59.159
 as their heavenly father,

00:11:00.159 --> 00:11:01.839
 this is how God

00:11:01.839 --> 00:11:02.839
 celebrates.

00:11:03.100 --> 00:11:04.120
 Just like this.

00:11:05.179 --> 00:11:06.579
 He jumps for joy.

00:11:06.699 --> 00:11:08.139
 He throws a huge party.

00:11:08.139 --> 00:11:13.179
 If you come to your senses

00:11:13.179 --> 00:11:14.580
 and return to God,

00:11:16.019 --> 00:11:17.179
 he's going to accept

00:11:17.179 --> 00:11:17.600
 you back.

00:11:20.139 --> 00:11:21.319
 You don't have to try

00:11:21.319 --> 00:11:22.080
 and gain

00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:23.159
 the father's acceptance

00:11:23.159 --> 00:11:24.480
 by trying to fix

00:11:24.480 --> 00:11:25.460
 your past mistakes

00:11:25.460 --> 00:11:27.080
 or by trying to live up

00:11:27.080 --> 00:11:28.199
 to any expectations.

00:11:29.879 --> 00:11:30.840
 Just come back.

00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:33.080
 I want to tell you

00:11:33.080 --> 00:11:33.819
 a story about

00:11:33.819 --> 00:11:34.399
 a young girl

00:11:34.399 --> 00:11:34.899
 from Brazil

00:11:34.899 --> 00:11:35.740
 named Christina.

00:11:35.740 --> 00:11:35.820
 Christina.

00:11:36.700 --> 00:11:37.360
 She was living

00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:38.100
 in a small town.

00:11:38.220 --> 00:11:38.840
 She thought life

00:11:38.840 --> 00:11:39.680
 was pretty boring.

00:11:40.659 --> 00:11:41.799
 She wanted to enjoy

00:11:41.799 --> 00:11:42.440
 the big city

00:11:42.440 --> 00:11:43.620
 so one day,

00:11:44.240 --> 00:11:44.899
 without a word,

00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:45.659
 she leaves home

00:11:45.659 --> 00:11:46.519
 and heads to Rio.

00:11:49.379 --> 00:11:49.779
 Now,

00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:50.480
 she had no way

00:11:50.480 --> 00:11:51.060
 of earning money

00:11:51.060 --> 00:11:53.120
 and after a couple

00:11:53.120 --> 00:11:53.680
 of weeks,

00:11:53.879 --> 00:11:54.560
 she resorts

00:11:54.560 --> 00:11:55.399
 to prostitution.

00:11:55.399 --> 00:11:59.179
 When Christina

00:11:59.179 --> 00:11:59.740
 left home,

00:11:59.819 --> 00:12:00.459
 her mum was sick

00:12:00.459 --> 00:12:00.939
 with worry

00:12:00.939 --> 00:12:02.340
 and she was

00:12:02.340 --> 00:12:03.220
 a pretty clever woman.

00:12:04.179 --> 00:12:05.279
 She takes a photo

00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:05.860
 of herself

00:12:05.860 --> 00:12:06.759
 and she prints off

00:12:06.759 --> 00:12:07.860
 a lot of copies

00:12:07.860 --> 00:12:10.459
 and she takes

00:12:10.459 --> 00:12:11.120
 each photo

00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:12.840
 and on the back

00:12:12.840 --> 00:12:13.419
 of each photo,

00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:14.039
 she scribbles

00:12:14.039 --> 00:12:14.579
 a little note.

00:12:16.860 --> 00:12:17.939
 Then she goes

00:12:17.939 --> 00:12:18.659
 up to the city

00:12:18.659 --> 00:12:21.220
 and for days,

00:12:21.360 --> 00:12:22.319
 she walks around,

00:12:22.879 --> 00:12:23.819
 walking around

00:12:23.820 --> 00:12:24.640
 all of the clubs,

00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:27.720
 walking around

00:12:27.720 --> 00:12:29.220
 all of the dirty streets,

00:12:31.220 --> 00:12:32.280
 walking around

00:12:32.280 --> 00:12:33.340
 the brothels,

00:12:34.140 --> 00:12:34.740
 the hotels

00:12:34.740 --> 00:12:36.420
 and she leaves

00:12:36.420 --> 00:12:37.440
 all of these photos

00:12:37.440 --> 00:12:37.900
 around.

00:12:38.740 --> 00:12:40.000
 She attaches them

00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:40.680
 to letter boxes

00:12:40.680 --> 00:12:42.180
 and phone booths,

00:12:42.560 --> 00:12:43.240
 hundreds and hundreds

00:12:43.240 --> 00:12:44.200
 of photos of herself

00:12:44.200 --> 00:12:45.000
 with these little notes

00:12:45.000 --> 00:12:45.500
 on the back.

00:12:45.500 --> 00:12:49.580
 But after a while,

00:12:50.000 --> 00:12:50.659
 she doesn't find

00:12:50.659 --> 00:12:50.960
 a daughter

00:12:50.960 --> 00:12:51.440
 and she has

00:12:51.440 --> 00:12:51.960
 to go home.

00:12:53.759 --> 00:12:54.039
 Well,

00:12:54.080 --> 00:12:54.659
 a couple of months

00:12:54.659 --> 00:12:55.080
 later,

00:12:55.960 --> 00:12:56.399
 Christina

00:12:56.399 --> 00:12:58.899
 is a broken woman.

00:13:01.899 --> 00:13:02.519
 She's just

00:13:02.519 --> 00:13:03.139
 devastated

00:13:03.139 --> 00:13:03.940
 that she's thrown

00:13:03.940 --> 00:13:04.500
 away everything

00:13:04.500 --> 00:13:05.000
 that she had

00:13:05.000 --> 00:13:05.399
 at home

00:13:05.399 --> 00:13:07.279
 and one evening

00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:08.860
 in a little hotel,

00:13:08.980 --> 00:13:09.460
 she's climbing

00:13:09.460 --> 00:13:09.980
 the stairs

00:13:09.980 --> 00:13:10.600
 and she looks

00:13:10.600 --> 00:13:11.340
 across at a mirror

00:13:11.340 --> 00:13:12.320
 and she sees

00:13:12.320 --> 00:13:13.759
 one of these

00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:14.960
 photos attached

00:13:14.960 --> 00:13:17.139
 and she recognizes

00:13:17.139 --> 00:13:17.620
 the picture

00:13:17.620 --> 00:13:18.300
 and she thinks,

00:13:18.360 --> 00:13:18.860
 that's my mum.

00:13:20.379 --> 00:13:21.240
 And she goes

00:13:21.240 --> 00:13:21.860
 and she picks up

00:13:21.860 --> 00:13:22.220
 the photo

00:13:22.220 --> 00:13:23.019
 and turns it over

00:13:23.019 --> 00:13:23.820
 and looks at the note

00:13:23.820 --> 00:13:26.820
 and this is what it says.

00:13:28.920 --> 00:13:30.220
 Whatever you have done,

00:13:31.560 --> 00:13:33.060
 whatever you have become,

00:13:34.660 --> 00:13:35.920
 please come home.

00:13:35.919 --> 00:13:40.479
 if you return

00:13:40.479 --> 00:13:41.059
 to God

00:13:41.059 --> 00:13:42.360
 as your heavenly father,

00:13:44.259 --> 00:13:45.479
 whatever you have done,

00:13:46.199 --> 00:13:47.559
 whatever you have become,

00:13:49.259 --> 00:13:50.139
 he'll accept you.

00:13:52.939 --> 00:13:53.379
 Now,

00:13:53.459 --> 00:13:53.959
 you would expect

00:13:53.959 --> 00:13:54.360
 the story

00:13:54.360 --> 00:13:55.059
 to finish there

00:13:55.059 --> 00:13:56.919
 but it doesn't.

00:13:58.159 --> 00:13:58.539
 You see,

00:13:58.620 --> 00:13:59.399
 there's an older brother

00:13:59.399 --> 00:14:00.240
 in the story

00:14:00.240 --> 00:14:03.039
 and he's really upset

00:14:03.039 --> 00:14:04.559
 and to be honest,

00:14:04.620 --> 00:14:05.439
 you can understand why.

00:14:05.519 --> 00:14:06.199
 Try and put yourself

00:14:06.199 --> 00:14:06.919
 in his shoes.

00:14:08.500 --> 00:14:09.639
 Your younger brother

00:14:09.639 --> 00:14:11.480
 has just blown

00:14:11.480 --> 00:14:13.439
 some of the family inheritance

00:14:13.439 --> 00:14:15.000
 in the space

00:14:15.000 --> 00:14:16.039
 of a single generation.

00:14:18.039 --> 00:14:19.059
 He's embarrassed

00:14:19.059 --> 00:14:19.839
 the family

00:14:19.839 --> 00:14:22.399
 and to add insult

00:14:22.399 --> 00:14:23.199
 to injury,

00:14:24.219 --> 00:14:24.740
 the father

00:14:24.740 --> 00:14:26.279
 has put on

00:14:26.279 --> 00:14:27.259
 an extravagant meal

00:14:27.259 --> 00:14:27.799
 to celebrate.

00:14:29.959 --> 00:14:30.819
 Why did he have

00:14:30.819 --> 00:14:31.219
 to do that?

00:14:31.220 --> 00:14:32.060
 Why did the father

00:14:32.060 --> 00:14:32.660
 have to kill

00:14:32.660 --> 00:14:33.560
 the fattened calf

00:14:33.560 --> 00:14:34.379
 for crying out loud?

00:14:34.460 --> 00:14:34.620
 I mean,

00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:35.379
 that was the kind of thing

00:14:35.379 --> 00:14:35.980
 you did when someone

00:14:35.980 --> 00:14:36.639
 got married.

00:14:38.160 --> 00:14:38.980
 Couldn't he just have

00:14:38.980 --> 00:14:39.960
 celebrated with some

00:14:39.960 --> 00:14:40.800
 pizza and Coke?

00:14:43.240 --> 00:14:44.340
 Surely the older son,

00:14:44.420 --> 00:14:45.160
 he's got a right

00:14:45.160 --> 00:14:46.560
 to be upset.

00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:50.180
 But here's the problem.

00:14:52.560 --> 00:14:53.460
 The older son

00:14:53.460 --> 00:14:54.560
 doesn't want the father.

00:14:56.680 --> 00:14:57.360
 He wants

00:14:57.360 --> 00:14:58.580
 the father's stuff.

00:15:01.220 --> 00:15:01.800
 And he thinks

00:15:01.800 --> 00:15:02.300
 he can get

00:15:02.300 --> 00:15:03.320
 the father's stuff

00:15:03.320 --> 00:15:05.700
 based on his performance,

00:15:06.500 --> 00:15:07.960
 not based on

00:15:07.960 --> 00:15:08.980
 the father's love.

00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:11.779
 You see,

00:15:11.840 --> 00:15:12.540
 the older son

00:15:12.540 --> 00:15:14.879
 lives in his father's house,

00:15:15.560 --> 00:15:17.360
 but his heart

00:15:17.360 --> 00:15:17.980
 might as well be

00:15:17.980 --> 00:15:19.040
 a million miles away.

00:15:21.860 --> 00:15:22.940
 And this is the great

00:15:22.940 --> 00:15:24.040
 tragedy of the story.

00:15:24.039 --> 00:15:26.059
 Neither

00:15:26.059 --> 00:15:27.459
 the younger son

00:15:27.459 --> 00:15:29.199
 or the older son

00:15:29.199 --> 00:15:31.000
 understand what it means

00:15:31.000 --> 00:15:32.159
 to be a true son.

00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:37.099
 But I want to ask,

00:15:37.240 --> 00:15:38.039
 who is the more

00:15:38.039 --> 00:15:38.819
 tragic figure

00:15:38.819 --> 00:15:39.939
 in the story?

00:15:42.240 --> 00:15:42.740
 Well,

00:15:42.779 --> 00:15:43.759
 it's the older son.

00:15:45.159 --> 00:15:45.659
 Why?

00:15:48.039 --> 00:15:48.500
 Because

00:15:48.500 --> 00:15:49.419
 older sons

00:15:49.419 --> 00:15:50.539
 don't realise

00:15:50.539 --> 00:15:51.339
 that they're lost.

00:15:51.340 --> 00:15:54.800
 Now,

00:15:54.840 --> 00:15:55.240
 it's important

00:15:55.240 --> 00:15:55.680
 to know

00:15:55.680 --> 00:15:56.240
 why Jesus

00:15:56.240 --> 00:15:56.700
 is telling

00:15:56.700 --> 00:15:57.300
 this parable.

00:15:58.500 --> 00:15:58.780
 Jesus

00:15:58.780 --> 00:15:59.860
 is in a crowd

00:15:59.860 --> 00:16:01.120
 sitting and talking

00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:01.800
 with sinners

00:16:01.800 --> 00:16:02.780
 and tax collectors.

00:16:04.259 --> 00:16:05.060
 Tax collectors

00:16:05.060 --> 00:16:05.780
 were very bad,

00:16:05.860 --> 00:16:06.519
 I can say that

00:16:06.519 --> 00:16:07.300
 because I was one

00:16:07.300 --> 00:16:07.840
 for a while.

00:16:09.440 --> 00:16:10.180
 And the reason

00:16:10.180 --> 00:16:10.700
 they were bad

00:16:10.700 --> 00:16:10.960
 is

00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:12.920
 they were Jewish

00:16:12.920 --> 00:16:13.660
 tax collectors

00:16:13.660 --> 00:16:14.620
 but they cooperated

00:16:14.620 --> 00:16:15.360
 with the Romans

00:16:15.360 --> 00:16:16.680
 in order to get taxes.

00:16:16.840 --> 00:16:17.320
 So basically

00:16:17.320 --> 00:16:17.900
 they were considered

00:16:17.900 --> 00:16:18.300
 traders.

00:16:19.340 --> 00:16:19.759
 They were

00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:21.620
 socially undesirable.

00:16:22.019 --> 00:16:22.600
 They were considered

00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:23.179
 lost.

00:16:25.220 --> 00:16:26.080
 But there's a few

00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:26.500
 other people

00:16:26.500 --> 00:16:27.480
 in the story as well.

00:16:28.100 --> 00:16:28.519
 At the start

00:16:28.519 --> 00:16:29.059
 of the chapter

00:16:29.059 --> 00:16:30.960
 there are some

00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:31.960
 Pharisees

00:16:31.960 --> 00:16:32.740
 and some teachers

00:16:32.740 --> 00:16:33.179
 of the law

00:16:33.179 --> 00:16:33.759
 looking on.

00:16:35.439 --> 00:16:35.860
 Now,

00:16:35.899 --> 00:16:36.399
 they're basically

00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:36.960
 the religious

00:16:36.960 --> 00:16:38.539
 and social elite.

00:16:38.700 --> 00:16:39.799
 They're the movers

00:16:39.799 --> 00:16:40.600
 and the shakers.

00:16:41.299 --> 00:16:42.399
 They're powerful people.

00:16:42.519 --> 00:16:43.179
 They're the kind of people

00:16:43.179 --> 00:16:43.659
 that you see

00:16:43.659 --> 00:16:44.580
 on red carpets

00:16:44.580 --> 00:16:46.019
 and at celebrity parties.

00:16:46.779 --> 00:16:47.759
 They're successful

00:16:47.759 --> 00:16:49.439
 and they're admired.

00:16:50.700 --> 00:16:51.600
 But they're also

00:16:51.600 --> 00:16:52.480
 confused.

00:16:53.659 --> 00:16:54.200
 They're thinking

00:16:54.200 --> 00:16:56.159
 why would Jesus

00:16:56.159 --> 00:16:57.100
 want to eat

00:16:57.100 --> 00:16:57.899
 with these kind

00:16:57.899 --> 00:16:58.259
 of people

00:16:58.259 --> 00:16:59.100
 and talk with them?

00:16:59.259 --> 00:16:59.720
 Why would he want

00:16:59.720 --> 00:17:00.419
 to talk with

00:17:00.419 --> 00:17:02.179
 sinners and tax collectors?

00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:03.000
 People who are

00:17:03.000 --> 00:17:03.559
 spiritually

00:17:03.559 --> 00:17:04.960
 and socially

00:17:04.960 --> 00:17:05.599
 lost.

00:17:07.799 --> 00:17:08.559
 So Jesus

00:17:08.559 --> 00:17:09.099
 tells them

00:17:09.099 --> 00:17:09.900
 this parable.

00:17:12.140 --> 00:17:12.779
 And here's

00:17:12.779 --> 00:17:13.299
 what he's saying.

00:17:14.099 --> 00:17:14.879
 He's saying

00:17:14.880 --> 00:17:16.740
 the religious

00:17:16.740 --> 00:17:17.880
 and the social

00:17:17.880 --> 00:17:18.360
 elites

00:17:18.360 --> 00:17:19.340
 of this world

00:17:19.340 --> 00:17:20.400
 are often

00:17:20.400 --> 00:17:21.460
 like the older son.

00:17:23.500 --> 00:17:24.060
 Society

00:17:24.060 --> 00:17:24.680
 might look up

00:17:24.680 --> 00:17:24.980
 to them.

00:17:25.180 --> 00:17:25.960
 They might do

00:17:25.960 --> 00:17:26.940
 all the right things.

00:17:27.480 --> 00:17:28.040
 They might be

00:17:28.040 --> 00:17:28.340
 generous.

00:17:29.620 --> 00:17:30.160
 They might

00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:31.360
 even go to church.

00:17:31.720 --> 00:17:32.360
 They might be

00:17:32.360 --> 00:17:33.260
 heavily involved

00:17:33.260 --> 00:17:33.980
 in church.

00:17:37.180 --> 00:17:38.340
 But they're still

00:17:38.340 --> 00:17:39.280
 estranged

00:17:39.280 --> 00:17:40.180
 from their father

00:17:40.180 --> 00:17:42.200
 because they

00:17:42.200 --> 00:17:42.720
 don't want

00:17:42.720 --> 00:17:43.980
 their father.

00:17:44.900 --> 00:17:45.380
 They want

00:17:45.380 --> 00:17:45.940
 the father's

00:17:45.940 --> 00:17:46.299
 stuff.

00:17:48.860 --> 00:17:49.299
 Now,

00:17:49.579 --> 00:17:49.960
 if you're

00:17:49.960 --> 00:17:50.600
 offended by

00:17:50.600 --> 00:17:51.180
 the idea

00:17:51.180 --> 00:17:51.720
 that God

00:17:51.720 --> 00:17:52.160
 could love

00:17:52.160 --> 00:17:52.720
 people like

00:17:52.720 --> 00:17:53.120
 the younger

00:17:53.120 --> 00:17:53.500
 son,

00:17:55.319 --> 00:17:55.720
 if you're

00:17:55.720 --> 00:17:56.220
 offended by

00:17:56.220 --> 00:17:56.680
 the idea

00:17:56.680 --> 00:17:57.220
 that God

00:17:57.220 --> 00:17:57.620
 could love

00:17:57.620 --> 00:17:58.259
 people like

00:17:58.259 --> 00:17:58.700
 Anthony

00:17:58.700 --> 00:17:59.220
 Waterlow,

00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:02.519
 then you're

00:18:02.519 --> 00:18:02.819
 an older

00:18:02.819 --> 00:18:03.180
 son.

00:18:06.660 --> 00:18:07.360
 When you're

00:18:07.360 --> 00:18:07.920
 offended by

00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:08.279
 God's

00:18:08.279 --> 00:18:08.759
 generosity,

00:18:09.480 --> 00:18:10.960
 when you

00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:11.680
 feel personally

00:18:11.680 --> 00:18:12.279
 wronged,

00:18:12.360 --> 00:18:12.660
 that he

00:18:12.660 --> 00:18:13.140
 looks after

00:18:13.140 --> 00:18:13.580
 the people

00:18:13.580 --> 00:18:13.940
 that the

00:18:13.940 --> 00:18:14.400
 world looks

00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:14.940
 down on,

00:18:16.180 --> 00:18:17.240
 you're an

00:18:17.240 --> 00:18:17.779
 older son.

00:18:20.860 --> 00:18:21.480
 And you

00:18:21.480 --> 00:18:22.120
 need to know

00:18:22.120 --> 00:18:23.340
 that God's

00:18:23.340 --> 00:18:23.740
 love,

00:18:23.940 --> 00:18:24.580
 the father's

00:18:24.580 --> 00:18:24.860
 love,

00:18:24.940 --> 00:18:25.320
 is big

00:18:25.320 --> 00:18:26.320
 enough for

00:18:26.320 --> 00:18:27.019
 everybody.

00:18:30.080 --> 00:18:30.880
 Not just

00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:31.799
 the spiritual

00:18:31.799 --> 00:18:33.220
 and social

00:18:33.220 --> 00:18:33.600
 elite.

00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:37.080
 And you

00:18:37.080 --> 00:18:37.380
 need to

00:18:37.380 --> 00:18:38.519
 return to

00:18:38.519 --> 00:18:38.900
 your heavenly

00:18:38.900 --> 00:18:39.320
 father.

00:18:39.319 --> 00:18:39.359
 father.

00:18:40.859 --> 00:18:41.299
 So I

00:18:41.299 --> 00:18:41.500
 want to

00:18:41.500 --> 00:18:41.960
 say this,

00:18:42.059 --> 00:18:42.579
 if you're

00:18:42.579 --> 00:18:44.039
 just outside

00:18:44.039 --> 00:18:44.419
 the door,

00:18:45.240 --> 00:18:45.939
 if you're

00:18:45.939 --> 00:18:46.559
 a long way

00:18:46.559 --> 00:18:46.919
 off,

00:18:47.279 --> 00:18:47.819
 whoever you

00:18:47.819 --> 00:18:48.159
 are,

00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:49.960
 come home,

00:18:50.200 --> 00:18:50.679
 come back

00:18:50.679 --> 00:18:51.019
 to the

00:18:51.019 --> 00:18:51.339
 father.

00:18:52.119 --> 00:18:52.679
 It doesn't

00:18:52.679 --> 00:18:53.079
 matter what

00:18:53.079 --> 00:18:53.519
 you've done.

00:18:55.679 --> 00:18:56.159
 Well,

00:18:56.299 --> 00:18:56.720
 it does

00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:56.980
 matter,

00:18:57.079 --> 00:18:57.399
 actually.

00:18:58.960 --> 00:18:59.740
 It matters

00:18:59.740 --> 00:19:00.439
 so much

00:19:00.439 --> 00:19:01.939
 that Jesus

00:19:01.939 --> 00:19:02.599
 was punished

00:19:02.599 --> 00:19:03.000
 for our

00:19:03.000 --> 00:19:03.460
 wrongdoing.

00:19:03.460 --> 00:19:03.539
 sin.

00:19:05.240 --> 00:19:05.640
 You see,

00:19:05.740 --> 00:19:06.940
 God has

00:19:06.940 --> 00:19:07.400
 run out

00:19:07.400 --> 00:19:08.019
 to us

00:19:08.019 --> 00:19:08.480
 in the

00:19:08.480 --> 00:19:09.160
 person of

00:19:09.160 --> 00:19:09.700
 his son.

00:19:11.019 --> 00:19:11.960
 And his

00:19:11.960 --> 00:19:12.799
 son endured

00:19:12.799 --> 00:19:13.680
 great shame

00:19:13.680 --> 00:19:14.240
 by dying

00:19:14.240 --> 00:19:14.740
 for us

00:19:14.740 --> 00:19:15.100
 on the

00:19:15.100 --> 00:19:16.240
 cross for

00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:16.940
 our sins.

00:19:18.440 --> 00:19:18.980
 God

00:19:18.980 --> 00:19:19.640
 desperately

00:19:19.640 --> 00:19:20.400
 wants us

00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:20.980
 to return

00:19:20.980 --> 00:19:21.400
 to him.

00:19:22.680 --> 00:19:23.200
 And he

00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:23.620
 showed that

00:19:23.620 --> 00:19:24.279
 desperation

00:19:24.279 --> 00:19:24.980
 through the

00:19:24.980 --> 00:19:25.299
 death of

00:19:25.299 --> 00:19:25.720
 his son.

00:19:27.340 --> 00:19:28.000
 So if

00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:28.259
 you're a

00:19:28.259 --> 00:19:28.840
 younger son,

00:19:29.559 --> 00:19:30.640
 if you're an

00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:31.240
 older son,

00:19:31.240 --> 00:19:33.220
 if you

00:19:33.220 --> 00:19:33.579
 would like

00:19:33.579 --> 00:19:33.880
 to know

00:19:33.880 --> 00:19:34.299
 God as

00:19:34.299 --> 00:19:34.640
 father,

00:19:35.480 --> 00:19:36.940
 we can

00:19:36.940 --> 00:19:37.200
 give you

00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:37.599
 a map.

00:19:39.039 --> 00:19:39.700
 We can

00:19:39.700 --> 00:19:40.140
 show you

00:19:40.140 --> 00:19:41.000
 the way.

00:19:43.839 --> 00:19:44.359
 Whatever

00:19:44.359 --> 00:19:44.680
 you have

00:19:44.680 --> 00:19:44.980
 done,

00:19:46.440 --> 00:19:46.980
 whatever

00:19:46.980 --> 00:19:47.539
 you have

00:19:47.539 --> 00:19:48.000
 become,

00:19:49.480 --> 00:19:49.920
 please

00:19:49.920 --> 00:19:50.660
 come home.

00:19:53.099 --> 00:19:53.599
 Come

00:19:53.599 --> 00:19:53.960
 back to

00:19:53.960 --> 00:19:54.120
 the

00:19:54.120 --> 00:19:54.440
 father.

00:19:55.960 --> 00:19:56.480
 Amen.