The Prodigal and the Perfectionist - Receiving Grace, Part 2

I bet you've heard that expression God helps those who help themselves. Can I tell you absolutely nothing in the world could be farther from the truth.

You want to know why stay with us today. Thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge Chip Ingram chips or Bible teacher on this international discipleship program.

I think it's safe to say we all know the sinking feeling of losing something and are rejoicing over the loss thing is directly proportional to its value or happiness over finding a lost shoe. The joy of rescuing a lost child ever struggled with feeling lost or unworthy. Jim continues a series. The prodigal and the perfectionist describing God's joy over rescuing everyone who seeks his help. So let's join Chip for part two of his message receiving grace. Luke chapter 15 in the Jewish culture at the time there was a bondservant you read to the Old Testament.

This is someone who served a master in there.

Such a love relationship. At some point in time. He says I never wanted not be your servant, and I literally would never go against a post and it would take all and they would drive a hole in a pretty ear ring and that would mean is a bondservant of part of this family and he disses on on the part of the family to be well taken care of and I never want to be sold.

I never want to leave. Then there were other servants or slaves. And then there were hired workers, the bond servants would often live in the house.

The hired workers often live on the estate.

The other servants and then they were the casual workers and this is the work he's referring to. These were people like you to go to a Walmart parking lot.

If you go to a target parking lot and and people that are looking for work in the just kind of hanging out hoping that you know I need some help today.

That's what these people did. They got up every day. They lived in town didn't have any regular work. They were called hired help in what goes to this guy's mind is his father is good and kind and generous because he wouldn't have to do this but he takes care of the bond servants.

He takes care of the slaves on the estate but these hired workers. All they really deserve is hate looking at your paycheck but no no no no that they're treated like family. They eat plenty he takes care of and he's now remembering what kind of man. His father is and he realizes at this point, and by the way, this is how a lot of us come to the father, skull, desperation may not love it if it wins some great holy moment we said you know what my life is so wonderful.

I don't know if there really is a God, but I think out of the goodness and wonderfulness of my heart. I think I will pursue the God that is that the matter is, we are high control people that tend to be very selfish by nature. We get it very naturally, you don't have to teach your kids to be selfish.

You have to teach your kids to fight, you have to teach your kids to be greedy and when they grow up to become like us where we do very sophisticated ways we can actually look nice and sweet and still be selfish and greedy right you guys are like that too much of it is true in its it's when were desperate was when realizing that what I can't make this marriage work, or I you know what I've been to a lot of doctors in this and going to go away or you not tried this job this job this job and by now I thought I would be here and I'm here or I'm struggling and I'm discouraged and I'm depressed and I'm trying hard, have a positive attitude and listen to self-help tapes, but it's just not working here this at some point where you find yourself next to a bed with when your children and I see you and you don't have to get to make and all the sudden the reality of what matters in life versus all the stuff all the junk and all the pressure and you cry out to God like never before and what's amazing is instead of being sort of consistent going well. I notice when things are going well.

You are talking to me much. You don't you meet a God whose arms are open and that's what Jesus is trying to teach them and so he decides that he's infidel speech together.

He says I'll go back home so I'll return and you might put in parentheses repent. There's a partial repentance, but is not fool. He still doesn't get it. There's a partial repentance. What is repenting up is the consequences and realizing doing life his way doesn't work so he's going to return. This is a logical movement. Second, he goes I will confess so he's going to at least come clean and there's a new self-awareness like I fell short. I've sinned against God's sins against you, dad okay but notice he's going. I will make restitution to his point is he's going to go back in that village and is to say, I don't expect to live in the house as a son. I don't expect to be a bondservant. I expect to be one of those you know, slaves on the estate on what I want to do is I want to come back and I don't live in town, I'm gonna come out and start paying off my debt on your pay him to pay it and pay it until you after while you nongroup unit get the balance sheet. Right. And maybe, just maybe, if I do real well in you. Maybe I can get into good graces again. That's his game plan. In fact, it was absolutely teaching with the consistent with the romantic teaching of the time and then finally says I'll do it now, so he got up anyway. He got up and he went now the expectations and fears and perspective of what's going to happen from a Middle Eastern peasant village really gets pretty exciting at this point and this is when we learn some really really amazing things about God. So we pick up the text he's come to his senses. He's got his speech already so we went to his father first 20 and while he was still a long way off and you might circle these keywords, his father saw him and was filled with compassion and he ran to his son and he threw his arms around him and he kissed now. Again, you need understand if this would've happened in this day from this village from this mindset. Here's how it's supposed to work. Here's how it always works.

This picture is crazy.

This picture has never ever happened before.

It's a never to happen.

This is a crazy crazy crazy picture. The sun is gone. Father never goes looking for and he has already declared before the village back they had a special ceremony when the kid would go through this with Gaza set up half and it was a ceremony they would take us out.

My son is dead, and the village would come together and say he is unworthy, he doesn't represent our village anymore. There's a much bigger communal mindset of these kind of people and so he's done he can't come back here there's no room for him. He's dead. That would be the typical response of a father now if he did come back with his tail between his legs as he is. Here's what he would expect. First of all the young boys in the village kind of preteens and teenagers would heckle and mock and they would throw dirt and throw stones at him if his father didn't get there before the elders of the village. The elders could rightfully because of the disgrace on his father and the disgrace of the village they could astound. That's what he deserved and so the reason he didn't like get up and just go immediately was he was afraid so he had to get really really really hungry like you know what I don't have a good option. I have a bad option, but this is my only option song to go and I'm gonna hope maybe my daddy gracious and I can be hard and do you understand what Jesus in the picture he's making of God the father to because this younger son is the prostitutes in the tax collectors that this younger son is all of us. All of us apart from the work of Christ, all of us selfish. Whether were sophisticated or not. All of our immorality. All of our greed. All of our stuff all of our my way. I want mine. I want it now mindset. And here's the picture of God.

First of all, he saw him from a long way off. That met every single day.

He must've gone looking. The second thing he says he's motivated it since he's filled with compassion toward us blocking literally it's it's your gut or your intestines in Jewish culture laden the seat they thought was down in your gut because you and something emotional happens to you how something happens down the union stomach it comes they thought the real heart of emotions was down in here means to be deeply moved to be deeply moved to be emotionally touched and so he's looking and he cares and he has his heart instead of rejecting or he's dead to me.

He sees him and then he does the unthinkable. He runs literally the word as he sprinted or he raced and he would've had a robe, so he would've lifted up his robe and Ron a man 25 and older never ran a Jewish village children run a man would never show his ankles or his knees. It would be absolutely shameful, culturally unacceptable.

The father doesn't care what anybody thinks so.

He runs and then when he runs he throws his arms around and he embraces him.

The kid can't get through the speech and then the word for kissing. He kisses him repeatedly.

There's a sense of that which was precious. It's a picture of a little girl lost in the woods and all of us have fanned out for 2 1/2 days, and we don't think you can live and the Rangers and those helicopters, everyone's been looking and someone finds her and they pick her up and the cameras are there and they take this little girl and her mom and dad see the little girl and she's alive.

That's what's happening here. Pharisees are going what to he's just redefined the fatherhood of God for them and just redefined the fatherhood of God's that's how God feels about you when you're far away how God feels about me.

That's how God feels the people that are living together till God feels about people with sexual and porn addiction sets how God feels about alcoholic prescription addictions. That's how God feels about people that are skimming and doing things work that are illegal. That's how God feels about moms and dads that are involved in affairs on the side that's how God feels about people that have left their kids and then some really stupid and painful things. That's how God feels all of us disgrace. It's something in him that compels him to love you.

It's not something in you or me the compels him to love us to his goodness and his grace to his generosity is is mind-boggling is when you see it culturally.

You can understand why in the world.

These Pharisees are will notice the story goes on. So the sun goes from a partial repentance like he's come back. He said the right words but see the sun always thought of sin. Like the Pharisees and like most of us. Sin is breaking a rule. The word sin means missing the mark that literally it's to fall short of the glory of God hates using ancient literature of someone shooting a bow and falling short of the target. The word transgression also translated sin is there's a line do not cross the line I transgress across the line. I knew it was wrong, but I did it anyway.

But what people tend to think of sin is don't break the rules so the Pharisees were really good at keeping the rules sin always is primarily not an issue about rules.

It's about relationship, the younger son when he repented I broke the rules.

Here's the consequences I get to go back okay on your say my speech got right verbalize what's right I'm going to work my way back seat, his. His idea was all he still in control. On the will of God my wife on my terms how I think and he got through half of the speech and he got overwhelmed. I think with the motion. He knew he should be getting dirt and stones from the kids.

He knew the elders could come and stone them. Although it was legal but rarely practiced and instead he's being received.

It's the kindness of God leads to repentance, and now his heart changes. You know he could have all she really don't know dad know that you know what I blew it, I'm a real man you know I blew it I took of the earliest date. I'll just be a hard man I'll just go with all you will be in the city all work my way back and is so often when people get desperate they cry out to God, and that's the attitude miss God's grace, there is nothing you can do to earn your way to God.

There's nothing you can do to earn your way back to God and so notice.

Let's look at what grace looks like. What does the father actually do notice he says quick and he says into the service, because the sermons are. I got news for you the service or he's dead to us.

You messed over our master and so the first person he does it he said to serve as quick get the best robe in their thinking.

The best one that shares go get so now instead of being an outcast. The servants no hey were taken into the house and were put in the father's robe on him. He's going to be treated well because we can't change enough of the fathers taken the shape it's not just a robe robe was one of honor. Second, put a ring on his finger. This is a signet ring what you did finances you didn't have a black American Express card. You can have a capital one back then. Okay the way you did business. There would be a signet ring that would be your family. Signet ring. The kid has blown off 1/3 of their wealth and their estate and mortgage their future and the father goes your skin with authority to even do finances. He should be whipped into his life put sandals on his feet slaves go barefooted. A son has sandals.

He's a son. I trust him.

The fatted calf, literally. It's a grain fed, this is Kobe beef time little feast, you might get a little goat bigger feast like a little lamb made even a sheep big feast beef and don't miss this. The feast is not for the kid.

The feast is the father's it's his joy. It's his joy. My son was lost and my son has been found the marriage supper of the Lamb is with those of you who know Christ personally will experience it's the father's party and as a celebration in the whole town shows up.

I mean word spreads a man in a village like it been meaning everybody knows what's going on word spreads like crazy. The father's response is shocking, scandalous, and completely unexpected. As he takes the shame son deserves its scandalous. The Pharisees have never heard a story like this in their lives. The disciples have never as long as I did with Jesus they've never ever pictured God in this way, this is long before it was written for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever would believe in him shouldn't perish but have eternal everlasting life. This is before Tyson right, not by works of righteousness which you have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. And so what is done is he's redefined for the Pharisees and he's modeled. These tax collectors and sinners are younger sons and Jesus has modeled the father's love.

I'm going after him and I eat with them, accept them and I love them is their behavior in the breaking of the rules acceptable. No, but they matter, and they're not gonna know by me sticking my nose and thinking I'm better and being separate from them. Pharisees.

So that's why I'm doing what I'm doing because God loves lost people and lost people come in all, shapes and sizes and some are religious and some are not. In summer, desperate and summer that you know that the prostitutes are the people glittered working in the clubs and some are the squeaky clean business upstanding totally in control.

I got my stuff together. I don't need God selfish, greedy, hi control far from God. Sinners and Jesus says I'm looking for you.

My arms are open.

I want to put the robe of righteousness of my son I want you to trade your sand for the robe of righteousness of my son. I want to make you a son or daughter. You'll never work your way toward me, and there's going to be a party in heaven, but I want you. Are you ready to come in my home Colossians to talk about my heart being Christ home allow Christ to take up residence and feel at home. It's never too late. That's what Jesus is teaching. There's always hope. I don't care where you're at.

I don't care when you think about the person is farthest from God and you don't think there's any hope in you stop praying for about five years ago because they are so out of it and there's always hope, because God longs to forgive. He longs to restore not because that person deserves it, or you deserve it or I deserve it.

It's because he's good. I don't get member I when I started this series I said grace is the most important word in the Bible. Grace is what separates what Scripture teaches about the God of the Bible from every religion, every system, every believer on the face of the earth. This is crazy radical stuff. It's an invitation for relationship for lost sons and daughters to come and be at home with God. And then you know what he serves his father in his home, not because he Otte daughter should he realizes he's loved and he can trust his father anybody here need a father like that.

Forgive your sins come take up residence by his Spirit in your life, put his arm around you walk with you all the rest of the days of your life and make a promise absolutely based on what Jesus did on the cross that he wants to be with you forever and ever and ever called eternal life. I'm gonna pray in just a second.

If you've never it's it's it's receiving a gift. It's empty hands of faith. I believe Jesus died for me, and rose from the dead come in my life. I'm gonna receive this free gift and begin to walk for a great many of you that that's already true. What's one person who comes to mind that you just don't think, and I like to pray that same opportunity that I gave the people in the room when I taught this message it was to personally receive Christ to come to a father that loves you and as I said, you need to recognize that you fall short that you send against a holy God. You need to be like that younger son whose come to his senses and realize there's no way I can work my way into my father's goodwill, but he loves me and he's for me and I need to accept the gift.

It's called Grace if you've never received the gift of eternal life of your sins forgiven and of the Holy Spirit coming into your life to give you a brand-new life in Christ. I encourage you to do that right now.

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, stop, at least in your mind as Christ right now, Lord Jesus.

I confess to you that I have sinned that I've done things wrong that I'm not perfect that I deserve to be punished, but I believe and trust right now that Jesus death on the cross paid for all my sin and that he rose from the dead to prove it's true, and I place my faith in him and him alone and ask you come into my life right now. Forgive me. Make me your son make me your daughter and Lord, thank you. Right now for what you've done to receive it by faith.

I want you to know that God heard your cry is not the words that you say you know the intent of your heart and the most important thing you can do is tell the greatest Christian you know today text him column and then find a Bible teaching church that you can be a part of the soonest possible open a Bible and then go to the website. We have some information for those of you that prayed to receive Christ. It's easy to find. We want to help you grow and I just have to tell you I was in my living room just a few weeks ago with a man who told me I heard your voice on the radio. I prayed with you. I almost had to pull off the road because I was crying so hard.

And then he told me about the last two years of his life. It is nothing short of miraculous. And here's what I know God wants that for you. God does want that for you if you just prayed with Chip. I hope you'll take a minute and call us a 8883336003. We'd love to talk with you get a free resource in your hands specifically designed to help you get started out right on your new journey of faith that same resources available on our website LivingontheEdge.org just click the new believers tab at the bottom of our homepage. Best of all, it's absolutely free. We just want to say welcome to the family before we wrap up this program. I know there's lots of men's group starting to meet together again as we had in the summertime you have a great resource for dad's little grab their attention and be helpful.

It's a new book called portrait of a father how to be the dad your child needs.

I would you take just a second, tells about absolutely. In fact, one of the things I've done with fellow pastors but with men and men's groups, as I've taken this material and I've walked with them through it and together we said hey how do we be this kind of dad to our kids well.

Just recently we took all this material and we made it a small I mean bite-size book that can be read in I don't know a little over an hour. This is the kind of book the get two or three guys are a men's group and you say hey let's take the next two or three weeks will read this little book and let's share how were doing. In fact, the research is absolutely clear. Contrary to everything.

Our culture is saying the role of the father in the family is absolutely the greatest determiner and how your kids turn out morally the kind of trouble they get in or don't get in how they do educationally, how they relate to other men and women.

Your role as a dad is a shaper it's so critical it's so important, and here's what I know many of us never had that dad who modeled for us what it meant to be a Christian father.

It was so hard to learn how to be a dad but as I learned, and as I got some other guys around me to help me learn my kids are different today, they came out completely different because God showed me what he expected of me and how he would give me the power in the grace to be that, dad. Perfect.

No way. But I made progress. That's what I want for you and in fact we so want you to do it with others. We discounted it so that you can buy 25 1020 copies and get into a lot of people help them to order your copy of Chip's new book, portrait of a father how to be the dad your child needs go to LivingontheEdge.org or call AAA 333-6003 and is Chip just said, we've discounted this resource so you can get as many as you need. Whether it's a couple or four-year-old church. We hope this book will encourage every dad to be the leader. God is called them to be good to get your hands on ships new book portrait of a father before Father's Day go to LivingontheEdge.org or call AAA 333-6003 as we close, I want to thank each of you is making this program possible through your generous giving 100% of your gifts are going directly to the ministry to help Christians really live like Christians. A few phone chips teaching helpful which are not yet on the team you consider doing that today to donate. Just go to LivingontheEdge.org Donate on the app or give us a call at triple late. 333-6003 and let me thank you in advance for whatever the Lord leads you to do one selects time for everyone here. This is the very saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge