The Prodigal and the Perfectionist - Refusing Grace, Part 1

Isn't it true that it's easy to gloss over our own faults when the Fulton others seem so glaring is never easier to see this comparison and family dynamics will today have got a story for you about two brothers, you don't want to miss. Welcome to this Edition of Living on the Edge with your finger Living on the Edge features the Bible teaching of Chip Ingram on the Staley discipleship program. This program Chip continues a series article and a perfectionist with a look family dynamics that may feel a little too close to home. The truth is we all have strong question is how we put things on a better path, find the whole. If you have a Bible open it now to Luke chapter 15 let's join Chip as he answers that question. I was teasing someone over in the coffee shop. I said I need to do another really long series on pricing consists once helping me so much and that you not about how you get your arms around this what grace really is. I mean, I can define it is God's generosity and action to meet my deepest needs totally apart from my performance but I jotted a few thoughts here that maybe will help you by way of what is grace, getting your arms mind around it you desire great things for me God and from me but your expectations are reasonable. You're mindful that I am but dust magnificent dust made in your image, but as a result, your patient, your understanding with me. You know about my struggles when I purposely rebel and some of you think, pastors live in different world.

Believe me, we purposely rebel and reject your love, your plans and your will for my life. You graciously and lovingly provide pain, no peace in my heart, and ever-increasing consequences to prompt me to come to my senses to return to you and then when I do, you don't keep your anger, hide your face from me when I come with an honest in a humble heart the broken and contrite spirit when I find myself far from you are the enemy bombarding me and the evil of this fallen world, and I feel in absolutely impossible situation. Your ears strained to hear my cry for help and your feet run to meet me in my desperate situation even when it's one of my own making. This is what grace is. It's not a concept it's not energy it's not theory. It's the generosity of God in action that seeks my highest good meets my greatest needs and delights in me it's he's for me totally apart from anything I could do or anything I've ever done. Grace is free, undeserved, counterintuitive, it's the disposition of the infinite creator of the universe toward me expressed most clearly and personally in the person of God the son, Jesus Christ.

That's grace I want to ask and answer the question why the good news isn't good anymore.

What I mean on Gilly on that's the that's the Bible word for gospel or it just means good news literally means happiness. The early church simply went around proclaiming.

Do you understand that the God who made all that there is in the second person, the Trinity came to earth was born of the virgin live in absolutely perfect life, healed the sick, raise the dead, open the eyes of the blind, healed the lame died in your place. Pearson rose from the dead, you're forgiven and they went and announced this happiness. God loves you. That's why he came. But somewhere along the line.

This happiness became religion and oxen should send hypocrisy for those under 29 years and under in America when they hear all your Christian evangelical one was born again types. That's the perception how how did the good news become that. So are you ready ready to return to her story. The occasion we begin in Luke chapter 15 ready. Here's the story. Now the tax collectors and the sinners were all gathered around to hear him, but the Pharisees and the teachers of all muttered this man welcomes sinners and even eats with them. Then Jesus told them this parable one parable three stories.

Suppose one of you has 100 sheep and loses them loses one of them does he not leave the 99 the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it when he calls us friends and neighbors together and says rejoice with me. I found my lost sheep spiritual application I tell you in the same way. There's more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who do not need to repent story number two to make the same point.

Or suppose a woman has 10 silver coins and loses one the Sheena light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it when she finds it she calls her friends and neighbors together and says rejoice with me. I found my lost coin and that coin would be probably a part of her dowry via a day's wage story number one, something is lost out in the wilderness of value. Story number two something is lost inside the house of much greater value story number three. Something is lost inside the home of infinite value. Jesus continued there was tomato had two sons, the younger one said to his father.

Father give me my share of the estate, so he divided his property between them. Not long after that the young son got together all that he had literally he cashed out and went to a distant country and squandered his wealth and while living after you spent everything there. There was a severe famine in the whole country and began to be in need.

So he hired himself out to a citizen of that country to send them to the fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything breaking point when he came to his senses, he said, how many of my father's hired men have food to spare and I'm here starving to death. I will go back to my father inside him. Father, I've sinned against heaven and against you. I'm no longer worthy to be your son make me like one of your hired men so he got up and went to his father intervention. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him was filled with compassion. He ran to his son. He threw his arms around him and he kissed him literally repeatedly the sudden said to the father I've sinned against heaven and against you.

I'm no longer worthy to be called your son.

But the father said to his servants quick bring the robe the best one and put it on. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet bring the fatted calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebration for the son of mine was dead and is alive again. He was lost in these down so they begin to celebrate. Meanwhile, the older son was in the field.

He came near the house and he heard the music and the dancing we get our word for Symphony for music and is literally a picture of around a little village house and entire villages showed up and there's dancing and there's music and there's food in. There's excitement.

So we called to one of the servants literally one of the teenage boys and ask them what's going on, your brothers, he replied in your father has killed the better calf because he has them back safe and sound. The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him, but he answered his father look all these years I've been slaving for you. I've never disobeyed your orders yet you never gave me a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home.

You kill Fatah the calf for him.

My son interesting work is the most gentle word he could use for his tenderness. My son, you're always with me and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found. As we look at this passage written discover how people miss the grace of God the occasion.

Remember, by way of review is that Jesus has been criticized by the religious leaders.

The Pharisees, they have large portions of the Old Testament completely memorized. They fast on Tuesdays and Fridays regularly. They tithe 10% of all they have down to the herbs and spices of everything that they own. They are squeaky clean, morally, they have long pair of prayer shawls and they stand on corners and recite prayers out loud date. They are the people that are there intellectual. They have the power and they have wealth and Jesus comes now claiming to be God, multitudes, or thronging around him, the common people hear him gladly, and he's hanging out with notorious sinners, tax collectors and prostitutes, ear, religious and moral far from God unholy contaminated people in the religious leaders are thinking he shaming God and so this story is to correct their thinking about God and how God feels about people so what did the story teach about God's heart for lost people. The younger son receives ready grace, grace, just an amazing picture God loves us. He just loves us the father once relationship with the sun. The robe is his robe.

The ring is the financial family signet ring.

The sandals are your son the fatted calf was a celebration is not a celebration for the sun hits the father celebration. It's what he has back. The son receives grace, but the father receives the sons chain.

He's viewed as someone this would never happen ever and it in Middle Eastern village today or then the fathers embarrassed himself. He's run with his robe showing his legs. He's forgiven the young kid who ought to be beaten. The elders who would've come at the father would have got there, have the ability to stone him. He's received all the shame on him.

He stole the servants put my robe on, and so the servants who would be ticked off.

All he could say was if our masters received improperly and so that that was the first part of the story of the younger brother and by the way, here's the deal. That's how God feels about everybody I just want you to think of the people that in your mind.

Maybe I don't know what the category is I don't know what they look like and what your experience what you think of people you think so distasteful to you you so would not want to be around these kind of people who ever these kind of people are and I just want to remind you, God says I'm passionate. I made them I created them I died for them. Now we move to Jesus message to the elder brothers the Pharisees of that day and and as we do that, let me just give you little bit of historical background we read the passage. It's interesting the narrative.

Here he makes it very clear that this transition is there's this party going on as the parties going on and you can imagine the people you know their locked arms and their dancing and there's little musical band and the symbols and and I mean it's it's the fire is blazing the yeah be interesting to little servant boy to teenagers and preteens would not be allowed to go when they're not old enough yet listed been to their bar mitzvah and stuff is of the adults are there in their student. There would be a big head table at the head table is where the father would sit and that all the dignitaries and the elders and people would be out here, the oldest son's job at a celebration was to be the maître d' and he would stand representing the family so the father could be free to get up and interact with people and that was the older son's role and that will be very important later because this older son will disrespect and this his father equally like the younger son did just do it in a different way and so we pick up the story and it says meantime, the older son comes in and in a village like this if you heard dancing, you would be excited. It's a celebration. Some things happen instead of moving right into because this this older son is revealing his attitude. He has a master servant relationship with his dad. I've slaved for you all these years. So here's about a big party and instead of excitement he has suspicion to be having a party. Secondly, you need to remember one third of the estate was given to the young son and he's blown it two thirds of the estate is the older sons but the father owns that and can spend it however but every dollar that is spent before the father dies is decreasing the estate's all all he knows is there's a big party.

And parties cost a lot of money in the fatted calf on the we are we are were blowing out the doors and all this means I'm to get less and less and less. After dad dies. If that tells you little bit of his mindset so he calls one of the little teenage boys in and says hey what's going on in their and then tells in the story, but uses an interesting word he says your brothers come back safe and sound. That's actually one Greek word and that Greek word when is translated in the Old Testament is translated shalom or piece. It's not that your son, your younger brother came back and now he's doing restitution and it's got a payment plan and what he's been at least beaten or reproved to meet. That's what the older son would expect. He screwed up.

He did this he did this he did this guy's gotta pay it back. The young one just comes and says what he's shalom with your father, but means reconciliations happen. How could that happen and now there's a party in my estate shrinking as dad uses my money to honor you see this is how the Pharisees see life is how they see what's happening and so these little villages.

Everyone's involved in what's going on and now the father does something completely unheard of and is the Pharisees are hearing this, they would know this would never happen when the father comes out. He doesn't get even the title of father he doesn't even say that it's it's not his brother is your son.

The older brother had responsibility for reconciliation. He didn't. He didn't care about the younger son I didn't care about the father and so he stays outside in word is the older brothers outside. Everyone knows he's so disrespected his father.

The father does the unthinkable.

He goes outside and in the Middle Eastern culture as he's telling the story he's going to go outside is in the safe in and do your job enough or having beaten, having tied up will deal with him later.

That's exactly what they would expect, and instead just as the father took on the shame of the younger son in order that relationship happen. Notice his words Technion. I my son and he literally he's pleading with him. Come inside, take your role be a part of the family. The younger son was lost in a distant land and he, came home, you've been in the home, but there's no relationship come close. Be a part of the family except my love. It's not about your performance.

I listen to his words.

I've never disobeyed you you've never given me, and in the father is never given you all that I have is yours. It's been available. You see elder sons are legalistic elder sons are performance driven elder sons have a transactional relationship with their father or God. It's not personal. Older sons are demanding an older sons don't understand grace and so they see that's not fair. This older son is as lost as the younger son, the younger son wanted, not his father, but what the father could give him the older son didn't want the father either. But just what father could give him. The Pharisees are listening to the story and they're acutely aware that the younger son of the prostitutes in the tax collectors and the older sons are them. Couple things we learn from this older son scenario is that very good moral religious people who believe the Bible can be as lost as the most immoral center. Let me say that again very good sincere religious people who believe intellectually. The Bible can be as lost as the most immoral center and elder brother. Life can be just as miserable as the pigpen of the younger brother to see elder brothers feel like they're in a slave relationship.

Elder brothers have I have to do all these things I'm responsible all the time. I don't measure up. Unless I do all these things for God elder brothers that are often angry at God, life is working out.

I did this. You're supposed to do that. They're often very angry with themselves privately to live a lot of condemnation I found in the years that I've been a pastor. When I meet people with elder brother symptoms and boy do I get it may not had a elder brother part of my journey that is so ugly when you see it, but I find often depressed because they're angry and they never measure up, and then I discovered to that many older brothers. If you live in this transaction relationship with God and it's all these things you have to do.

Since no one can do it, there's often a break that occurs probably would be a good time to stop and say I wonder how we could recognize older brother tendencies because I will tell you here's my concern. I think this is one of the most serious passages. Serious truths will ever talk about when you're a younger brother and your lost. You know what the good news is you know your lost when you know your lost me. The only reason that he came back when he hit rock bottom, and if you talk to people than any kind of twelve-step program will just tell you until you get to where you really get I can't do this, you never get better, but when you're an older brother you living under the delusion that everything's okay that God owes you. The Pharisees were the most religious people and they were farther from God because they were unaware of their need to listen part one of the trips message refusing race from a series. The prodigal and the perfectionist chips exploring the elusive concept of grace. Helping us discover the depth of God's love so crucial to understanding that our failures are never final when we bring them to him. Chip brings Jesus teaching to life. Looking first at the heart of a merciful father and then his two sons one or prodigal, the other a perfectionist as you listen, you'll likely see a little of yourself in each of these guys. The question is are you positioned to receive the grace your heavenly father is willing and able to leverage on you.

We hope you'll engage the question and continue the journey by digging into the messages of the series, the prodigal and the perfectionist to listen again or to check out the resource options go to LivingontheEdge.org call AAA 333-6003 or Special offers on the chipping roadmap shipping orders thinking as I listen to this program that there are countless people out there listening to have real needs as Living on the Edge continues to buy your time and create new programming and develop resources that speak to those needs.

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God leads you to do was you prayerfully consider your role with this ministry I will remind you that when you partner with Living on the Edge. Every gift is significant when you stand with us financially or ministry efforts and resources are multiplied in ways that only God can do is send the gift call us a triple late. 333-6003, or if you prefer to give online just go to LivingontheEdge.org app listeners Donate your partnership is a great encouragement will now here's Chip as we close today's program. I've tried to share pretty honestly about my older brother experience and I can't help but believe that many many many of you realize you know something you got a lot of older brother and you and this is the kind of message and the kind of series that gets really clear and you go. Oh God, oh yes, I need to live by grace and I'm not only saved by grace, but I have to live by grace and it's so refreshing it brings freedom. And here's the deal 30 days from now you will be right back to living the same old way because you have to renew your mind so can I encourage you get the information and renew your mind. Listen to the series 3 or four or five times listen to it until it gets down into your bones down into the marrow of who you are where you really get. I love you not because you've done something not if you do something I love you because I have done something I sent my son in your place, I've paid for your sin. I've deposited my Holy Spirit in you. I've adopted you as my child, you have an inheritance. I've given you spiritual gifts you have a purpose for your life. Now let's do it together. That's the Christian life. Now go live it as we wrap up I would remind you that the chipping roadmap is a great way to immerse yourself in more biblical truths like what you've just heard. You can listen to any of Chip's teaching series or dive deeper into God's word with Chip through daily discipleship. We desire to help Christians really live like Christians. So let me encourage you to download the chipping roadmap today and allow us to support you in your walk with God. Until next time, this is Dave Drewry saying thanks for listening.

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