Unquenchable Love, Part 2

Today on Summit life with Jeannie Greer not only the father withhold punishment. The father bestow gifts is the greatest word in the English language in the world celebrate the Christian message from every other religious message is grace.

God not only withholding from us the anger that we do deserve but also shall not multiply goodness that we do not deserve the Bible pastor Dr. Lujan, Jeannie Greer I Molly bit of edge. We return for the conclusion today of our teaching on the prodigal, and you know I think the story resonates with all of us because on some level he's hit we are all prodigal, we've all chosen to go our own way. At some point against the wisdom we know to be true well today.

Pastor JD shows us how every single one of us can also experience love and grace of our heavenly father always welcomes us back home with open arms. So we're going to jump back in where we left off yesterday in Luke chapter 15 message title unquenchable life. God loves Russia what is our God loves you as you rupture in his arms and says while he was still a long way off. Father Solomon felt compassion ran couple things here. First of all that work, compassion might be my favorite recordable if you been around somebody for me to know you what it the record's blog essay like that on purpose because it's degrees on amount. A peer to peer where word sounds like what is splash trash's blog about means and emotion from the bowels. Like your got down here that arises spontaneously say I'll see you Saturday squad evidence of what direction you're not saving right it's a compassion that is just come from the deepest part of who you are. It's almost like you can't control it. This emotion this father feels comes from somewhere deep inside of it enough to think about it. It's almost like a reflex. It's instinctive. This is not a calculated all right what's the right thing to do here got a decision this is what is naturally the father's heart all throughout the Gospels we find that phrase in Jesus. What movie was overcome with compassion's blog. He was moved by compassion and he sealed the people that he taught that it was the most natural gut reaction. The Jesus had in the presence of sin.

It suffered destroy the woman who touched Jesus. Luke says that Jesus felt the power go out of them. Almost like he wasn't even cognizant of it when it happened almost like you wouldn't control it like it was a reflex of holiday or explains this is is a love that cannot be held back when he sees his people in pain results a few weeks ago. The story of Jesus healing the man and his friends lowered through the roof before they could even open their mouths words of reassurance and healing just came tumbling out of Jesus's mouth.

It's his natural instinct he is love and kindness all the way through some of the most natural thing to him when he sees someone that he loves him pain.

His heart is just overcome with compassion you say wait a minute, but got from Ralph about sin.

Yes, but the point is that is not his first instinct and emotion is first instinctive emotion is compassion. I need you to understand is what he feels for you this weekend were notices that were ran, grown men in those days do not run in our day men don't usually just run in public easier. Grown men running to the mall because he's just committed a crime or some I try to commit a crime against him was especially true in those days. Running was considered undignified. Furthermore, men of stature were roads. Roads are not good for running nobody. It was a marathon. The full ankle-length robe to run this man would've had to lift up the front of the robe and expose his knees with something like a big deal to us. But in those days I was considered in making this is considered shameful if the father seems oblivious to all of this is so overcome with compassion for his son, but he's forgotten everything else. Example always like to use here is Jimmy Valvano 1983 when Nancy stated the incredible won the national championship after Lorenzo Charles: airball shot by dear Wittenberg to this day maintained it was a pass on the start you watch taking the side and then Lorenzo Duncan at the buzzer. The buzzer goes off and cut tomatoes and run around like a crazy person that he looked insane things he didn't care. He didn't care what if you Saul. And that just equips the excitement, the God feels you came home.

Father embraced him and he kissed begin to whisper in his ear. Assurances of his love my wife Veronica tells a story, but she wandered away from God. During high school years grown up in a Christian home or love really cold inches begin to wander in cannot go to college. She decided that was to be her break.

She was gonna leave Christian faith behind the she went to UVA that first semester and she said I just was.

This is me walking away from Jesus. He said then there's couple months and got invited by a friend to go on a Christian ministry retreat you said. I'm not even sure why wet but I'm positive that I was tricked into going like I did something about your the beach and some friends and the next thing you know little about whether the speaker and singer. There also said at the end of one of the talks. The subjects of which she cannot even remember said the speaker asked the attendees to pair up and pray for one another bronchus I never met the girl sitting next to me. We never had even a single conversation but she began to pray out over me exactly what was going on in my life. This girl verbalized in prayer thing she would've had no way to know my fears, my questions my sins and then she began to pray the love of God into my life bronchus that I felt completely exposed. I knew in that moment that God was confronting me, revealing my brokenness speaking is love whispering his love into my ear. I was completely undone.

God had demonstrated to her that he knew her every secret and loved her anyway. I'm telling you is that if you stop right now you listen, Tony, that is what God is whispering to you this should do right now. You think that this is me tell you right as you speaking to you.

The son said to him, verse 21, but I've sinned against heaven and before you no longer worthy to be called your son. But the father said it was service. By way you notice that the sun never got there was a prepared speech. He planned to tell his dad about this plan to become a servant to work out the debt is that success shot up and says the service was 22. Bring quickly the best robe and put it on and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet and bring the fattened calf and kill it and let us even celebrate for this my son was dead and is alive again.

He was lost now is found that they began to celebrate number five God loves you as he baptizes you with grace and makes all things new, gives her son three gifts. The first is a robe and not just any row. By the way, the best robe, which by the way, the best robe to belong to the father. That means the dad was giving a son his own garment ring. This is a symbol of the family authority is immediately the sun is being restored to his status as a son with all the rights and privileges thereof. Sandals sandals were a sign of wealth servants in those days, did not wear shoes in the house, only son. In other words, not only did the father withhold punishment. The father bestow gifts is the greatest word in the English language and the word that separates the Christian message from every other religious message in history.

Grace God not only withholding from us the anger that we do deserve but also showering us with multiplied goodness that we do not deserve the punishment, there's not even a word of mention of who pays for the sun's reckless living. There's no talk about either.

By the way, the father had already given the sun his full share of the inheritance which means that all these new gifts are coming out of his own stores, the father absorbs the debt. Where's the shame seems been removed. The only scene in the story is experienced when the father lifts up his robe and runs after the board.

You see, the story gives us the smallest glimpse into how Jesus would save us on the cross.

The cross was Jesus running after us covering us in grace. They are at the cross, Jesus would take upon himself our shame. There he was gonna be beaten and spat upon them and mock the Romans always crucified criminals in public places to humiliate them. People walk by Jesus and taunted save yourself miracle. Boy was I God and think of you as my beloved son, now does it there at the cross Jesus absorbed the cost of your sin sin Encarta penalty.

But just like the father in the story Jesus did not require that payment from you as the nails were driven into his hands and his feet. He was absorbing in your place, that penalty into himself.

He was wanted for our transgressions, and Bruce from my iniquities paying the price so that I could be at peace with God. All we like sheep have gone astray, returned everyone of us to our own way of the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all. Interestingly, the part of Deuteronomy 21 that I quoted earlier where it says the rebellious son should be stoned. Right after that I really right after you run the 21 says everyone who hangs on a tree will be considered cursed by God.

It almost seemed like a random insertion we could talk about one thing and it's on the throw in this other thing seems random now in the side of the cross. We know that is not random. Moses was prophesying some 1200 years before Jesus that all of us like the prodigal son begin to reject our father and all of us were to bring that curse of death on ourselves and Jesus was going to come and be hung up on a tree to suffer the curse and shame that we had incurred he was going to have sore our person pay or penalty at the crosses were Jesus took off the garments of our sin and closed us in the robe of his righteousness out of his own closet. The cross is were Jesus placed on our finger. The ring of a new life to as many as received him, then he gave the right to be authority to be called the children of God, and that includes the authority by the way for you to overcome sin and evil by his power means the power to put your family back together for me the power to escape the curse of the addictions of stamp all that belongs to Jesus now belongs to you.

The cross is where he put on our feet, the sandals of a privileged position with the father to the wing come boldly into his presence like sons not like service you see at the cross, God made him who knew no sin to become sin for us. He made the one who had not departed to be as one who had departed so that we might be made the righteousness of God in him marvelous grace of our loving Lord grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured there with the blood of the lamb was spilt golf. The cross had never happened. This whole parable would be just a quaint little story about a dad's love for his kid.

When you read the story in the light of the cross you see that God is the true prodigal God is the one who spent himself recklessly and extravagantly ran to you who embraced you and kiss include human power and grace.

But MOC this is just like but in Jewish culture. It was the responsibility the older son to go out after wandering younger son so parable Jesus is asking the Pharisees want you doing that, Jesus, and coming to earth. What's this plays a part of the older brother also going out after the lost son. Even the taking, even taking the death penalty, the younger son deserves, but the main point that I want you see all of this lesson is that this whole story from start to finish is paid in the love of God, God loved us when we rejected him.

He loved us when we wandered we love this. When he brings us back.

He loves us as he baptizes with grace.

A lot of times people talk about salvation as if it's this calculated theological transaction debated that he did know that he didn't pay is not a calculated theological transaction is God's heartbroken pursuit of you that is what is saturated the whole thing from start to finish. The new you and loved you before even the foundation of the world's love. Dane Ortman says not like a lightning strike in your life, it just occurs at one point, your conversion is like an avalanche is like an avalanche of starch and just builds throughout your life and the deeper you going to sin the quieter it is for you. That's what God feels for you this morning.

Which leads me to two final quick things before we close. Number six, God loves you and you're too proud to receive his grace for 25 what's this now.

His older son was in the field and as he came and drew near to the house. He heard music and dancing.

Call one of the servants and asked for these things men and the servant said to him your brothers come home and your fathers kill the fattened calf because he's received him back safe and sound for 28 but he was angry and he refused to go with. So his father came out and entreated him but he answered his father looked these many years I have served you and I never disobeyed your command. If you never gave me a young goat that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours comes home who is devoured your property with prostitutes you kill the fattened calf for him over this for the way my family okay so one person was not happy that the sun had come back. Who was it and had my son raises hand and said the fatted calf as a guess that is also true is not exactly. I was thinking about the fatted calf certainly had a bad day, but Sycamore the older son because he was angry.

31. He said him son, you're always with me smile ensures is fitting to celebrate and be glad for this. Your brother was dead and is alive. He was lost and is the eldest brother on the surface looks like gaps of the younger son right.

He's a good boy. There's a subtle detail that you don't want to overlook this older brother is also outside of the house Joseph father has to go out to him also touching a lot in common with the younger brother both want the father's things, but neither really wants the father both want the father's inheritance, but neither wants to be like the father. This older brother doesn't want to be with his dad.

Either he resents his father's grace and he has no desire to be like him who is Jesus directing the story what we know.

The occasion for him telling the story is that action tells us in chapter 15 verse two. It said that the Pharisees and scribes are complaining this man welcomes sinners and eats with them. This story is Jesus's response to that the Pharisees don't understand God's love for broken people because they don't see themselves as broken, but they are what Jesus is teaching here is that there are two ways that you can stay separated from God to waste one you can run off to the far country like the younger brother and just give yourself to reckless sin. The other way to stay separated from God is to stay near the house of religion and use rule keeping the cover of the fact that you're not like God and you don't really love him in some ways the religious brother is worse off is your least younger brother knows that he needs redemption, the pride of the older brother keeps them from seeing how truly broken. He is, he's a stranger living in the house. See, the Bible says all of us religious are not rich are not culture are not educated or not, are hopelessly broken on the inside, and none of our religious deeds can change that by Jesus that religion just makes like a whitewashed clean and polished on the outside but full of rotten flashing dead men's bones on the inside. The more you try to clean yourselves up the religion instead of throwing yourself on the grace of God worship make things my second daughter.

I probably should not tell the story that and I get permission, I will tell you her initials were names Allie when she was four. She just disappeared in bathroom for a long time now you have a grown man despairs about them for long time. It's not a big deal that motor trend magazine is in every couple hours, no bra, but when you're four years old.

That's an issue. So our friend Stacy who was babysitting at the time the little bit worried so she went over the bathroom door and she put her ear next to it and she heard crying.

She said she opened the door and she almost gagged because there was Allie standing there beside the toilet with and I'm sorry if this is a little gross, but who everywhere on her arms on the sink base.

They said I don't understand. Mom got on remaining values are standing there crying saying I tried to clean myself up but try to clean myself just what religion is. Everything you do has mentioned that you don't apologize. Allie layers are illustrated in my self-deprecating, the point is that religion never works. What you need is a change of heart and good news for you religious people.

God loves you loss wants to give you the stories and invitation just the story never resolves this cuts off abruptly in verse 32. Whatever started to chapter 16.

You love asking what exactly does the older brother decided that he receive his father's invitation to come in, or does he stay outside of the house. You don't know because the stories and invitation older brothers telling older brothers of the grace of God is for you.

Also loves you even when you're too proud to receive his grace stands ready to receive you the moment you are humble enough to admit that you need them cast off your idolatrous and ridiculous pride and just confess that you are as broken and needy is the prodigal in the bar country and receive his grace for you and we get a moment will cure you of that arrogant smog condescension that makes you feel better than other people will make you a fundamentally different person that leads me to last seven. You can choose to stay outside of God's love. You can choose to stay outside of God's love. Like I said, the story never really resolves because you can stay outside of God's house. Yes, God's love is overflowing and it's never ending, but he won't force it on you and you stay outside of the house and use Morgan's love.

What choice does God have been to bring his judgment on you.

In this verse from last week or so. Just like a vessel is 17 the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, not as a prodigal father, not as a father going after laws son or daughter this time in flaming fire, he will inflict vengeance on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord. They will suffer the punishment of eternal disruption away forever present the Lord, you will receive God's grace to suffer the worst kind of eternal judgment. And here you and tell you that is not Lamentations 333. He does not flee from his does not from his heart, freeing the children of men rather than affliction don't come out of his heart what he wants from his heart is to save you. It is hardest to bring you home and wrap you in his arms and brought mercy on you think you got shoes that is not to force it on you is the most important question about your life that you will ever answer is simply are you gonna come back to the father and receive them. What you see today that has never happened can happen to you right now you ever receive is when life needs to hear this message.

Is there something you can run after changing message of God plan like Jesus explained those who understand the grace that they've received anxious to see it extended to others to take that step today and share the gospel message with someone in need your listening to Senate life with pastor and author Jeannie Greer if you missed any of this message, you can always catch up free of charge@jeanniegreer.com Pastor Jeannie were always looking for new ways to help others integrate the truth of the Bible into their everyday lives. After all, it's what gives us the power to share our faith with those around us. Can you tell us about our latest resource.

Whatever goes here. Some of life is that is to equip people who listen to some of life to become a disciple making disciples rank and God's word is power the Holy Spirit. They're the only ones I can actually produce the kind of change in your heart, but he uses tools as gateways for his power were the most effective tools Scripture memory is what we been offering this pack of 50 Scripture memory cards that the make it easy to memorize Scripture goes about the rate of one per week. A promise a warning of Scripture and something about the character of God that the Holy Spirit can use once you memorize it to activate his power to change your thinking and releases power in your heart if you let a JD grid.com you'll see how you can get a copy of these I think will be extremely helpful in your spiritual life, Scripture memory is one of the most life-changing things I've done. One of the things I'm most thankful for that.

My parents and my teachers early on in life made an essential part of my Christian discipleship. We'd like to send you this exclusive new set of cards today Scripture cards remind you of that steadfastness and unchanging premises and then can help you commit them to your mind and your heart power and insurance. We can have no known God's word and can remember in our time ask for the rejoice always, Scripture memory cards.

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Give online Jeannie Greer that JD GFR are.com hi Molly, that events that led to having with us today is here to listen tomorrow when pastor Jeannie different. Each of Wednesday on