A Home for the Prodigal - Dan Weaver

Good morning and greetings in the precious name of Jesus. It's a privilege to

be gathered together again here. It's been blessed in the Sunday school of class.

And also than the devotional that picture of God. I hope we can

keep that in our minds and apply it to our lesson as we think of

God. More later in the message this morning. So about a month ago,

well, Denay had been telling us that some Sunday we should come down

there and go to her church in Mexico, And of course that's so we

finally found a weekend where we can make that work. And we went down

and as life would have it, we and maybe habits. We arrived a

little late and got ushered near the front bench and listen to a Spanish service

and never really got to meet that many people. That was some sewing and

reaping there. So that's neither here nor there. But the message that Sunday.

I've titled my message the same as that Spanish message, and I've pulled

up maybe some introductory thoughts from it, but I didn't understand much of it.

So probably if you if you heard that message and the message this morning,

it probably wouldn't be the same. But the little I did here resonated

with my spirit. And I've been meditating on a lot since, maybe some

intentionally and some unintentionally. And actually this morning I was planning on going a

different way with a message, but I was working on studying, and I

pretty soon realized that I've got to get this one out of my system before

i can go on. And those some of you that have shared the word

know how that is so. And I don't plan to give the title.

I'm going to try to give the title about two thirds of the way through,

if I remember, and so we hope, we hope to get there.

But if you could open your bibles to Luke fifteen, and this is

this is a very very familiar I think, three very familiar parables here to

us, and it's the parable of the loss the lost sheep, the lost

coin, and the Lost Son. And there's some similarities. And we'll probably

spend most of our time as this as this Luke fifteen does on the last

of the three. But before we go into it, I would just like

to I think, look, I think it's pretty easy to skip over the

setting. At the beginning of it says then the first few verses here then

drew near unto him, all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.

So this is his audience, this is Jesus Church that day. It was

the publicans and sinners and the pharisees, and the scribes murmured. They were

complaining, saying, this man receives sinners and edith with them. And so

it's important, I think, in the context of looking at this, that

we remember that three three parables were Jesus answer to this question. And it

wasn't. It wasn't the answer to the publicans and the sinners. It was

the answer to the scribes and the pharisees. And as we as we consider

that Jesus giving the parables about the lost to Halsey Menn at church, and

we said, we're not the lost, right, We're not the loss.

That's that's someone else he's talking about. But for some reason Jesus gave these

parables, and maybe that wasn't. His main point is that there's those that

are lost. So I'm going to read I believe this whole chapter, but

I think we're just going to read a few verses at a time, and

then I'll just make a few comments, and we'll go on. So the

first parable is the parable to the sheep. What man of you having a

hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety

and nine in the wilderness and go after that which is lost until he find

it? And when he had found it, he laid it on his shoulders,

rejoicing. And when he comes at home he called together as friends and

his neighbors, saying, unto them, rejoice with me, for I have

found my sheep which was lost. I say, until you likewise, the

joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth more than over ninety and

nine, just persons which need no repentance. And I believe that when Jesus

was giving parables, he was he was using very practical, real life illustrations

to his audience. And he said, which of you having a hundred sheep?

You all? You all? No sheep? It was It was very

much a part of their culture and the community. And if you have a

hundred sheep, you're not going to spare one percent. You're going to go

it's worth it. You're going to go looking for it and then getting to

and when you find it, says, it comes, and he rejoices,

and he calls his neighbors together, and they rejoice, and Heaven rejoices over

the one lost. And I think that is a bit of what Jesus is

trying to teach in these three parables, is that when the lost is found,

Heaven rejoices and the people of God rejoice. That's the natural response when

the lost is found. And I think the lost sheep speaks to one that

has lost, that has never come to the truth, that has never found

the truth, that's never accepted Christ. But we see the heart of the

shepherd, and he never leaves, He never gives up until he's sought.

That sheet reading on the lost coin, either, what woman, having ten

pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, does not light a candle

and sweep the house and seek diligently till she find it. And when she

had found it, she called her friends and her neighbors together, saying,

rejoice with me, for I have found the peace which I had lost.

Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the

angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. Now this lost coin, it

says it was a piece of silver. It says there's a woman that lost

she had ten pieces of silver and she lost one. Now we're going up

from one percent to ten percent lost. But and you know, especially there's

staticians and mathematicians look at that and see that. But to the traditional Jew

in that day, as Jesus was teaching these scribes and pharisees, if a

woman had ten pieces of silver, it wasn't just any ten pieces of silver,

it was um They were called coins of betrothal or coins of virginity.

That when when at a time of betrothal, when the dowry was paid,

the bridegroom would give to the bride these ten silver coins and they were to

keep those and those those coins were the were the security of their virginity,

and it went both ways. There's a lot you can study into the traditions

of him. Some some say that the bride would sew him into her veil

so that people would know that she was she was promised that. It's hard

to verify that, but there's some that would that would say that nevertheless,

she lost These looks like she must have lost him in her house, not

out and about falling out of her veil. But she was searching diligently,

and it was really important because she didn't know when the bridegroom was coming.

And she knew that when the bridegroom comes, she must have her ten coins.

And she lit that candle. She searched day and night till she found

that last coin. Says she seek diligently till she found it. And would

she do she told her neighbors. She took all her friends and her neighbors

together and said, rejoice with me, for I found the peace that was

lost. And again, as as likewise, I say, and here there

is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

Going on to the parable of the lost son and a certain man Verse

eleven, and he said a certain man had two sons, and the younger

of them said to his father, father, give me the portion of the

goods that befalls me, and he divided unto them is living. And not

many days after, the younger son gathered all that he all together and took

his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

The younger son says, divide the portion divide the portion of goods.

And my understanding is that there was a provision for dividing up the goods to

the children before father died. In fact, that would in a patriarchal age,

that was when the eldest son then became responsible for taking care of the

father till the time of his death. But and there was a there was

an aspect where where this was only done after the youngest son was of age.

It seems to me, though, just in the context here, that

maybe this was done a little early, This was done a little premature,

And and it was also not unheard of for a younger son to take his

portion of the inheritance and go to a far country and leave the village and

go out. He was headed to a far country, it says he headed

out to a far country. He was headed away from the Jews. He

was headed to Gentile land where they didn't know um. And he you know,

probably on the way he had his corners of his beard trimmed and let

his mustache grow out in a few things so he could he could fit in

when he got there. But when this happened, it was a disgrace to

the patriarchy. And and I have found this several places, and I'm not

I'm not quite satisfied that it's it's one hundred send authentic. But when a

person went out and disgrace the patriarchy, they were never welcome home. In

fact, if they were caught coming home or sneaking into the village, or

their life was at stake, it was their life was at risk to come

back. And the only way might be getting ahead of myself a little bit,

the only way for them to not to be forgiven, as if their

father would, say, would accept them back, and often as a servant.

So he headed into this far country in disgrace, but went to enjoy

the pleasures of sin for a season and riotous living verse fourteen. And when

he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in the land, and

he began to be unwant and he won. And he went and joined himself

to a citizen of the country, and he sent him into the fields to

feed swine, And he would have fain filled his belly with husks. The

swine did eat, and no man gave unto him the high cost of following

the flesh. He was out there, his money was gone, and his

friends were gone, and he went to these one of these gentiles he was

trying to fit in with and fed his dirty pigs that he would unclean things

he would have nothing to do with. And there was such a famine in

the land as he was feeding him husks. He was feeding him what was

left over, and there was no there was no food for him. He

would have liked to eat that. It's just the picture that when we head

out without God. But for seventeen starto and he came to himself. He

came to himself. He started thinking my father. He started thinking about his

father's house, you know. And I don't know how it was for him

growing up. Maybe maybe the relationship between him and his eldest brother weren't the

best. Maybe there maybe it wasn't so great working with his older brother,

or maybe it was just fine. I don't know, We don't know.

It doesn't say here, but whatever he was resenting and leaving when he got

out there, and he comes to himself and he starts thinking realistically. He

thinks of his father, he said, and he says, how many hired

servants my father's of my father's have bread enough? In despair? And I'm

perishing with hunger. My father's servants have enough. They have enough food.

And he says, I will arise, I will arise. I'm he makes

a resolve. He sees this. He says, I will arise. I

will go to my father, and I will say to him, Father,

I have sinned against heaven and before THEE, and am no more worthy to

be called thy son. Make me one of your hired servants. I've sinned

before in heaven, I've sinned before thee. I'm not worthy. We see

the humility and the brokenness, and I believe that is where we find the

Father. Isaiah fifty seven fifteen says, and thus saith the high and lofty

one one, and inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy. I dwell in

a high and holy place. And we see that picture of God, and

how it's just the same picture of God that brother Jason shared with us this

morning. And it but it goes on to say with him also that is

of a contrite and a humble spirit. There I dwell to revive the spirit

of the humble and to revive the heart of the Contrite. And then he

arose, He arose and came to his father Verse twenty. He arose and

came to his father. There's action. He did it. He didn't just

talk about it. He didn't just think about it. He didn't just think

it was a good idea. He got up and his out of his filth

and started walking barefoot all the way home. He arose and came to his

father. And that's the the heart we see the prodigal son. We're going

to look at another character now, and that's the father. You know.

I believe there's an aspect where we all have the prodigal in us. All

his sinning comes short of the glory of God. And there's something about the

prodigal son. It seemed like he had a faith. He had a faith

in his father. He said, I will arise and go to my father.

It doesn't seem like he's in this fear that father's not going to accept

me back. But it seems like maybe he picked the time of the day

when the working men were in the field so he could get into Dad.

I'm not sure about that, but there there may have been a certain amountain

of uncertainty of whether his father would receive him. I'm not sure, but

we know that our father will receive us. But the father was there,

and I don't know if if he their place was on the edge of the

village where he could see him coming over the hill, or I almost I

like to think that. You know, the father couldn't be out in the

field anymore, but he was out in the edge of the village, and

he knew which way he went, and he was looking every day looking for

his son to return. Because it says here and when he was a great

way off, but it's an interesting word, but says he arose and went

to his father. But when he was a great way off, his father

saw him, and he didn't just sit there and say, oh, here

he comes. Finally it says he ran. He ran to meet his son,

and he had compassion on him, and fell in his neck and kissed

him. And as far as I know, in scripture, there are only

three times that patriarchs ran, and this is one of them. It was

undignified to run, but there was a son coming home, and the father

was watching, and he ran speaks of love and speaks of redemption, and

the son poured out. He confessed as he planned. He says, father,

I have sinned against Heaven, against you. I'm willing. I'm no

more worthy to be called your son than the word again. But but the

father, But the father, The father had a different plan that speaks of

God's mercy in our sin. Were were we deserved to be left to the

destruction of the mob. But there is mercy with the father restoration. Bring

out the robe, the ring, the shoes verse twenty two, and kill

the fatted calf, the prize calf. And when we're getting a little ahead

of ourselves again, but when the older brother comes home and the servant said

they killed the fatted calf, there was no question which calf that was.

This was the special calf, and it was for special occasions. It's m

read verse twenty two to twenty four. The father said to his servants,

bring fourth the best robe and put it on him, put a ring on

his hand, and shoes on his feet, and bring hither the fatted calf,

and kill it, and let us eat and be merry. For this

my son was dead and as alive again. He was lost in his found

and they began to be married. And his elder son was in the field,

and he came ju nine, let's stop there, let's we'll go on

to twenty five. In a bit they began to make Harry Mary. In

all three parables we see this the joy, and I believe that this is

this is depicting in a way the scene, the heavenly scene of the loss

being found. We see that in all three of these parables. It's a

parable of Heaven's response is to receiving sinners. Now we go to the third

character, the elder son. Now, his elder son was in the field,

and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music

and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things

his men? And he said, unto him, my brother has calmed,

and the father hath killed the fatted calf because he has received him safe and

sound. And he was angry and would not go in. Therefore came his

father out and treated him. He was angry. He boycotted it, he

says. He tells his dad later, I've been serving all these years and

you haven't even you haven't even killed a kid for me. But because of

the heart of the father, it didn't just miss the old the younger son

had missed the older son as well. And he went out and treated him

to come in rejoice with us. You're one of us. Let's read on

for twenty nine. I believe, And he answered and said to his father,

Lo, these many years, I do I serve thee neither transgressed I

at any time the commandment. And yet thou never gavest me a kid that

I may marry with my friends. But as soon as son has come,

which I devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatty

calf. And he said, unto him, son, thou art ever with

me, and all that I have is thine. It was meat, or

it is fitting that we should make merry and be glad for this. That

brother was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.

He said it was fitting. And we don't know what the final response was

of this older son. The parable stops here, and as they went on

with church life. I'm not sure if they were ever working again in the

field side by side, but it looks unlikely that it was. The Next

day I mentioned that I believe in in the heart of all of us,

we can, if we're honest, we can recognize the heart of the prodigal

East Dinna, hopefully in our past, but hopefully we recognize that we still

have that tendency. But probably as Jesus was giving this parable to the scribes

and Pharisees, we must end to us today. We must also recognize that

we also have this tendency of the spirit of the elder son. And the

Father, without question has a home for the prodigal. And that's the that's

the title of the message, a home for the prodigal, both the attitude

of the elder son. Was there a home for the prodigal? Was there

a place for him? It's never lacking in the Father, But if it's

lacking in the scribes and Pharisees, in us, there's no home for the

prodigal. And I would just like to go, I try to do about

five points in five minutes here. I probably won't quite get that done,

but and just look at some of the teachings of Jesus and as he was

working with the scribes and the Pharisees, and some of the things he taught,

and the spirits that come out and hinder us that you can call it

the heart of the elder son. First of all, John eight, I

think I'm going to just read these eleven verses and just have a couple of

comments. I don't believe I'll read all these passages, but very familiar.

Again, Jesus went into the Mount of Olives, so he's near Jerusalem.

And early in the morning he came again unto the temple. All the people

came unto him and sat down and taught them. And he taught them,

and the scribes and the Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken an adultery.

And when they had set her into miss they say, unto him Master,

this woman was taken an adultery into very act. Now Moses in the law

commanded us that such an one should be stone? But what sayst thou?

This said? They tempted him, that they might have to accuse him.

But Jesus stooped down with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he

heard them not. And when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself

and said, unto him, he that is what thout sin among you,

Let him cast the first stone. And again he stooped down and wrote on

the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience,

went out one by one beginning at the eldus, even unto the last.

And Jesus left alone, and the woman standing in the midst when Jesus

had lifted himself up, said son, none but the woman. And he

said, unto her, woman, who are thy an accusers? Hath no

man condemned thee She said, no man, Lord, And Jesus said,

unto her, neither do I condemn thee Go and sin no more. And

I call this a false accountability. And I'll try not to get too carried

away here on this a false accountability, breaking the law ourselves, but holding

others accountable. And it's interesting Jesus responds here that they come and they're appealing

to the law of Moses. And Jesus is there writing on the ground.

And my belief, because he wrote with his finger, and it's the type

of the finger of God, I believe that he was writing the ten Commandments

on the ground, not just doodling with his finger. And he said,

he's that is without sin, let him let him cast the first stone.

And we see what Jesus did has brought their accountability back to themselves. And

that is true brotherhood accountability, eldest brother accountability is holding you accountable plan a

gotcha game, but Christ's accountability and what Christ is teaching here is applying it

to myself first. And I believe we can minister to others on truth.

And Jesus wasn't covering up sin, not at all. In fact, he

said, neither do I condemn thee go and sin no more. He was

calling for repentance. Luke. Ten is the next one that's the parable the

good Samaritan. And I'm not going to go spend a lot of time on

this one, but just reading verse thirty one and thirty two and remind us

right cutting right in the middle. And by chance there came down a certain

priest that way, and when he saw him, he passed by on the

other side. And likewise a levite, when he was at the place,

came and looked on him and passed by on the other side. And this

characteristic of the eldest brother. There's a lack of empathy and compassion. The

priests and the levite. They could come, they had a lot of experience,

they could look and they could say what the situation needed, but they

weren't willing to get dirty and help. A spirit of judgment. Luke nine.

Just back, I cut in right again here Luke nine, verse fifty

four. This is when Samaria rejected Christ. And when his disciples James and

John saw this, they said, Lord, what thou that we command fire

to come down from heaven and consume them, even as Elias did. And

He turned them to them and said, you know not what manner of spirit

you are of, For the Son of Man has not come to destroy man's

lives, but to save it. And also we could turn to Matthew seven

and read about the moat and the beam. They're very practical aspect being willing

to to look at our own. And I believe that speaks of the the

account of the of Christ with the with the woman, and John eight speaks

more of the law, and this speaks more of faults that and you know

it is it's it's really easy to her luck and make excuses for ourselves and

not take care of that. That being John twelve. It's another one the

reason I and the first eleven verses talks about Mary anointing Christ. We see

her faith in this and anointing Jesus for his burial, and it says,

um, well, let's see, let's start reading verse three. Then took

Mary a pound of ointment to Spikener, very costly, and anointed defeated Jesus

and wiped his feet with her hair, and the house was filled with the

odor of the ointment. Then Saith, one of his disciples, just as

scary at Simon Sun, which should betray him. Why was not this ointment

sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor? And he said not.

He said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he

was a thief and had the bag and bear what was put therein. Then

said Jesus, let her alone against the day of my burying? Has she

kept this for the poor? Always? You have with you, but me

you have not always the heart of a thief. And that's what it calls

what Judas had here. And of course we know the writer at the time

probably didn't understand this as much as he did when he was going back and

writing and had the whole picture of Judas what happened to him. But it's

a lack of compassion, reverence for the spiritual, and unable to assign value

as God assigns value is the heart of a thief, understanding value as God

does. And then finally, Matthew eighteen and Matthew eighteen. Seems like most

of us know Matthew eighteen. For the middle verses, I believe Jesus is

talking only mainly about offenses and forgiveness here, and unforgiveness is the last one.

I have the characteristics of the elder son, and I don't think I'm

going to read this passage. I'd like to refer to a few verses here.

Peter asked in verse twenty one, how many times should we forgive seven

times? Since Jesus said, I say not unto thee until seven times,

but until seventy times seven. And then he told the story about how the

how the person I was forgiven so much could not forgive a little. And

we know that's a picture of what God has done for us, and there's

just no excuse for us. Is the elder son to have unforgiveness? But

verse thirty five is that Jesus summary of this says, so likewise, shall

my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your heart forgive not

every man, everyone his brother, their trespasses unforgiveness. So this morning,

I guess, is the challenge for myself and us do I have the do

I share the heart of the Father towards both sons in this parable? You

know, the heart of the Father was for both of the sons to be

together working in the field, to provide a home for the prodigal and the

elder son. And it's by the mercy, the love and mercy of the

Father, that we can find that home and be joint terrors with Christ,

as it says in Romans A seventeen, and be able to say abb a

Father, that's a song