The Sermon Our father, God - What is he like? by David McGee
Jun 17, 2012
Our father, God - What is he like? (37:18)
Referenced Scriptures: Luke 15
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The scriptures below are from the WEB Bible.
Luke 15
1) Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him.
2) The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, "This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them."
3) He told them this parable.
4) "Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep, and lost one of them, wouldn‘t leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one that was lost, until he found it?
5) When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6) When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!‘
7) I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.
8) Or what woman, if she had ten drachma coins, if she lost one drachma, wouldn‘t light a lamp, sweep the house, and seek diligently until she found it?
9) When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost.‘
10) Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting."
11) He said, "A certain man had two sons.
12) The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.‘ He divided his living to them.
13) Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and took his journey into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living.
14) When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need.
15) He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
16) He wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any.
17) But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father‘s have bread enough to spare, and I‘m dying with hunger!
18) I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight.
19) I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants."‘
20) He arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21) The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no more worthy to be called your son.‘
22) But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.
23) Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat, and celebrate;
24) for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.‘ They began to be merry.
25) Now his elder son was in the field. As he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
26) He called one of the servants to him, and asked what was going on.
27) He said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him safe and sound.‘
28) But he was angry, and would not go in. Therefore his father came out, and begged him.
29) But he answered his father, ‘Behold, these many years I served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, and you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.
30) But when this, your son, came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.‘
31) He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
32) But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.‘"
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What is Father's Day and now I have the government submitted for that on Mother's Day. You would think of getting on mother sleepers by the autoimmune installment for a man getting in tools is a good thing though. Regards, and we have some tools here in a couple of tool bags and in some life. I really like these lights go out there soon. I love them primarily for the kids because they like flashlights, but I I I think they're pretty neat though you were minor adeno like the idea to bring the low red things all the ones that don't go. I keep that we have a number of that you are here today, so we'll leave all these out. The next next week. Remember to dial. Remember to give them out and for the fathers, the taken, but today Father's Day last week we spoke about Genesys and how that man's search for God, and I was wondering in the end, falling along that context is what does God look like or what is God like not look like what seemed like twice as character like how you know when he is when you find your what are the characteristics of God that they would speak to us that we have found something found the God and being Father's Day, we say, well, are we like God. In some ways we are to be reflective of its character reflective of what God is, we are reflections of that. So I live, chapter fifteen. There are stories that Jesus tells that depicts the attitude, the character of God our father and sometimes it's easy to say him us. They something and not now what is behind it, and this is a characteristic of what Jesus is presented never blue chapter fifteen, eight, he starts out by the Pharisees and the Pharisees and people that are surrounding Jesus have this question about what money is not lighted doubting Jesus because he's spending time with sinners and with people who are not considered religious and Jesus begins to explain what it is that the character of God is life and the Pharisees are trying. They've already got their concept of God, but it's not correct. And so Jesus now gives us these stories that he is trying to adjust the character of and understand what he's trying to adjust the understanding of the Pharisees, so that they can understand the character got so let's start with a chapter fifteen not read verses one, two and three run to doing OpenWindows is- a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus listening intently. The Pharisees and religious scholars were not pleased, not at all, please make while he takes insiders and eats nails within tracer like old friends there grumbling triggered grumbling triggered the story. So here we have Pharisees and religious scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased with Jesus like he had come to somehow pleased them, and these individuals thought that they had figured out that way. What God wanted and exactly how God was the unexpected people who follow him. They thought that God they knew exactly what God wanted out of people and what he wanted people to do and they knew that gently the right thing was all that God required, and they knew that God love people who are exactly like that. And so they knew they were loved by God and everybody else. It was not like them was not love. That's why they're grumbling and complaining that Jesus is not associating and sitting down with the religious people. He's setting down with these centers while the centers and the people who were considered the outcast had the same understanding about God as the Pharisees did so here are these people of doubtful reputation, thinking that they are never good enough. Never won't be good enough to be associated with God, and here are the religious people who consider themselves very worthy to be associated with God, and that these other people never would be associated with so everybody has the same opinion that these centers and these people of the whole reputation were lost and that God would have nothing to do with them. So Jesus now tell these stories that will help correct their faulty thinking. So, so what has gone wide for us. What are the preconceived or ideas that we have about God that seemingly would hold as the truths and does the Bible challenge those truths does the Holy Spirit challenge those truths in our life enough so that we will change the will change our immunoglobulin chains are opinion on what we should be in the sight of God. The first story that Jesus talks about is velocity. The word Matthew three four five six seven because of order, doesn't it. But Bible verses. Okay, this one a make sure that it happened because sometimes my verses don't measure up with the way the Bible verses: so, verse four five six seven. Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Now, again, who is he relating to these relating to the Pharisees and the religious leaders. He's trying to get them to understand they are not the only people that God is after adding these with the people who are sinners, and I'm a doubtful reputation is trying to get them to understand that God is not like the Pharisees. So here are a shepherd who has a hundred sheep, and he loses one one. You leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness of the laughable lost one until you found presenting the question you as an individual you Pharisees, you people who are lost. The owners of a hundred sheep, and trying to make them under the get the concept here. The owners of a hundred inch a hundred sheep, one is lost would you go out and search for it until you found that's the question when found, you can be sure that you would put it across her shoulders, rejoicing and when he got home, you would call your friends and neighbors, saying celebrate with me. I found the bylaw. She counts on it. There is more joy in heaven over one sinner 's rescue glide hello, good people in no need of rescue. Ms. Liberal challenged in their thinking. This is a real challenge for their understanding of God, because there are ninety nine. She and agent ninety nine are not abandoned these ninety nine arsenate. They are capped in elderly safe place so the shepherd isn't just abandoning recklessly ninety nine annoying out of searching for one. Now the unsaid question is what value is the one shape what value is there in one sheet. That's the question Pharisees and religious scholars are ready to throw out the sinners now ready to tell Jesus that the centers and dolls of lower reputation that there say throw them out, but would they as owners who want to look for one lost sheep. So what is the value of one sheet, a person who was lost. See a shepherd at that time, a shepherd at that time and direction Bible says that a shepherd would lay down his life for his sheep. So if the shepherd is out in the wilderness, watching over a sheet he will say he will he will lose his life protecting his shape because he will not allow anyone to steal or no wild animal to take his seat so the shepherd worthy of the name Shepherd would not allow anything to happen to the shape entrusted to him. That's his reputation. That's the critical and as I say, being you are a shopper who were not allow anything that happened. She felt the understanding is a person who is a shepherd wondered aloud and look for the one loss so when the Pharisees and Sadducees would they consider these individuals whom Jesus is with, as were the individuals to whom God would touch. So when a person is lost. They are away from God. They have gone astray. They lost their luster. God they've lost the flock they have lost in the last of themselves as to what their intent is what their purposes. I was not this person is Linus doesn't know where he is, is wondering and exposed to all the things that are going on in that in the wilderness around him. So would you go after the loss until you found this is a picture of the Jesus is presented. These stories are stories that Jesus is telling us about God the father. What is the characteristic of God the father, so Pharisees have a totally incorrect picture the centers have a completely incorrect picture does they had almost the same pictures. The teachers and Jesus is here saying while God is like this is like a shepherd who has lost the sheep and he takes the ninety nine and they are safe and egos out any searches until he finds it. Then when I the celebration celebrate with me. The celebration for this law. She far exceeds the value of the washy because there is there is an value that the student has the shopper has kept his duty and how about the standard of a shepherd when he went out and found the sheet. God has kept to the standard that the Scripture says that he is willing that God is not willing that any should perish, but all should come to repentance, God is the one who seeks after people who are lost second-story verse eight through ten or imagine a woman who has taken coins and loses one won't seem like a lamp and scour the house looking in every milk and cranny until she finds it, and when she finds it, you can be sure so call our friends and neighbors celebrate with me. I found my lost coin count on it. That's the kind of party God 's angels throughout every time one lot full returns to God. Here we have another story that is very familiar shepherds in that time. They're very familiar with shepherding and what an sheet and in this and also this story is a very familiar one Palestinian women would often receive ten silver coins as a wedding gift and I think sometimes they would wear them around the we often see those individuals in the stories and thought that they have those coins dangling around her head now as part of their headdress and ten silver coins would be part of their wedding gift, so they would have at least guess around them, and the value is more basically sentimental because the value of the centum of the coin is less than a half less than the value of a half a penny so the value in this coin is not that it is a silver coin, worth thousands of dollars. It is a silver coin to represent their wedding. No marriage and is and has very much him only for the individual, not as something that you can spend. I remember whenever one about Jackson being three years old blonde had lost the diamond out of her wedding ring and she was searching all replace Fort Scott, you lost outside and Josh and younger looking everywhere for this fun and do not in the dirt outside of the parsonage over here as Louisville by another one yell amigos just the diamond to buy one in the bottom of the diamond will buy another one some reason she wouldn't go for that she wanted to find the done so if a time there was a jeweler that we knew Jake Royle, and he says while in night in a very bright flashlight and no searching where you think you where you think it might be, and so were going through what happened where she was at issue. Remember carrying Damon Michael back to his bedroom and her hand hitting the wall, so you know the door frame on the wall so on the doorframe as she was going in, so they looked around up in the bedroom. We couldn't find it so that night got the flashlight and got down arrived and started going across the rug that was still haven't notice that Jesus uses the story of a woman with ten points because a man would say get another one. So what is he using or using the story to tell us about an individual who value something, not because it's not worth it because of its value to the person never lose the ring ladies and gentlemen, is a regular something on intrinsic value. The juvenile daily something that something similar something that that type of value to you that you can't looking forward until you found because it wasn't adequately replaced as in buying another one. It had a value because of what it represented. And so the value lost coin is seeing my, the person seeks NDX. The value is half a penny. What's, what's the problem just replace it now. It's one I received whenever I was married, the ten coins and the lady scours the house looking for~ Valley was seen also in the celebration over the coin, the celebration takes place in that I have found the these. This coin was so valuable to me the cause of what happened and what happened you know when I was married these are the toys I received, and narratives will God our father sees great value in what was lost. Pharisees religious scholars are belittling Jesus because he's spending time with sinners and goals of four reputation they flow both sets of individuals have a wrong concept of what God the father is like. Jesus tells these stories to help them understand that as a shepherd would look for one she so God looks for the loss as a one-man would have had value about these coins and would search a house scoured the house like lambs look everywhere to find it so to God would look for those who are lost it completely goes against what the Pharisees believed and taught and what these centers and people of low reputation. Jesus is talking about. Then verse and chapter fifteen, verse eleven, twelve, so we have the question presented to us in our analogy here being Father's Day, so what is God our father life, seeker of one lost sheep seeker one last claim seeker of a rebellious son a son would have nothing but his own way. So that's what we see next verse eleven. Then he said that was once a man who had two sons, the younger said to his father, father, I want right now what's coming to me. I cannot trust them, and that day was the firstborn son, the eldest son received two thirds of the fathers inherit. Yet whatever the father was going to pass on to his children if the son received two thirds. The second son in this case, the younger son would receive one third on his father 's good, and fathers inheritance install the younger son requests that he get the one third any minute now, so the father divided first while, so the father divided the property when there was long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. They're undisciplined and this and dissipated and wasted everything you have. After he had gone through all the money that was a bad famine all to the country and began to hurt. He signed on with the citizen where to where there was signed him to his field to slop the pigs. It was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs and the pig slop, but no one would give him in so this request by this young man showed a total disregard for his father showed a turtle total disregard for the customs obvious time waiting. You don't get your inheritance to your father die. So here he wants his Americans as if his father 's dad like he was nominated with his body was nothing to do with his brother. It was not a little of it. And so he has once it, and he's going after an evening of spend it the way he wants to father gazes all right, you have a free will. It's your choice. Here's your inheritance selling authors far-off country any blows his inheritance and after it's gone now for Joe enjoys individual at that time for them to even touch update or be in the presence of obtaining wise on on permissible with the sin. So here is this individual who has come from a place of well and who has been served by sermons, he finds himself total humiliation is not only in and in the area page is feeding the page and anyone like to eat the in the reading, but no one will lend you money now that things are more value than this sleigh, who was feeding them. So he is allowed to eat with them, so he is follow along way challenge here. What has to happen in our life that causes us to see God in a different light. What happens in our life. Seeing God in a different light than we have in the past that the child challenge for seventeen that brought him to his senses. He lost everything. These starving to death. He can even eat what the pigs eat. She got to the bottom of the barrel scraping the bottom of the barrel and being having to look up and brought him to his senses. He said all those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day and here I am starving to death. I'm going back to my father, who there a lot of people have no time for God now busy talking to Pharisees who consider themselves exactly what God wants in an individual, and there are centers and people of low reputation who are the opposite of what God would want in an individual, and neither one of them are correct, and Jesus is trying to teach them and help them see things see God in a different perspective. So, notice how the logic change as verse seventeen the bottom to a census. What brought them to sentence starvation hunger paying candy, many with the pegs the pigs are healthier than he is. He can't even eat their fruit is not allowed is a slave. These their food. No killer because the pigs have more value than the slave home. I go back to my father. He takes care of his slaves. They get three meals a day, I'm starving so class ourselves this question our eyes open our eyes open, we see God correctly while we really don't know because if we ask this individual whenever he had everything with his father. Can you see clearly is is yeah, I can see clearly I I get one third of my fathers possessions. I have no right to it, and I'm taking it, and I'm leaving home and my brother can have the rest you can have the father, he can have the rest of the farm and the goods. I'm not here. If you asked that individual lifetime of his life are his eyes open. He would say yes you last came at the pig trough. When you starving to death. Are your eyes open. He would say yes, my father 's servants being better than I do in a total change of heart about his father and what he standards of no value, so we know what verse Psalm twenty and twenty one so he chases heart when he was still a long way off the back was that now this is a picture of God. Remember, Jesus is giving us a different pictures, giving the Pharisees and the centers of different picture of God a lot. She the shepherd. Looks lost. Client has the value of the intrinsic value to the individual God thousand lux. So now God is watching for his son to return and when he saw him a long layoff, his heart pounding, you ran out, embraced him and kissed him. The sun started to speech father. I said, but God is. That God is looking here for the sun returning so all the time father is in the house. He's not chasing down his child is not chasing after his son. He allows his son to go. I liken this story sometimes honest as Christians being a lighthouse. We arm White House and the lighthouse sends out the same signal so that no matter how far out to sea people go. They know what direction home is they know what direction land. This is always send out the same signal. The trouble with the Pharisees and the centers and the story they had the wrong concept of God they didn't know which way was home. They didn't know which way really represented God, and as Christians we are responsible to live the Christian life, according to the standard that Christ has given us in his work, and so we send out the same signal. We send out the same signal that people will allow the way home, they will know the way back to God. And so while this father the son constantly censuses. I know what's home. I know my father is. I know what how good it is there is the life we live as a Christian sending the same signal. The father was watching for his son 's home and when he saw his son with down the road and wait for his son to get there. He ran after God sees the value each of our lives. He pursues us, and as soon as we chart a new direction of God. We find God is there to to welcome us and to to touch our lives. And if you embrace us and what does he do, he the son has a stage father, I send them thought I send it for you. I don't deserve to be called your son ever again. That's repentance, but God will apply just as the father knows the heart of the sun in anybody's face these words he knows the harvest on why because his son is on his way back home. There's no conditions here is no conditions like it out. I'll come back home with you. If you have a party and you reinstate me as efficiently as your son now it has been so far away. He recognizes that the lowest slave in his father 's house is better off than he was in the pig pins before enjoying a foreign land. He wasn't coming back with any standards say what he had to have. He was coming back as a slave as a person who lost everything, looking for his father 's forgiveness 's father wasn't listening. He was calling to assignments quick bring a clean set of clothes and dressing never been in a pigpen now they pay farmers are not like big farms. Back then, do they think why they're all made out of concrete and down the pigs are in on the concrete name got these greats in the back where they had when they go to the bathroom. No pigs are very clean animal that they had Grace that old top of water and the pigs will go to the bathroom overtopped a great down in the water and not out on the concrete where they eat and have their other indolent. They laid out. They hardly have when it comes to cleaning pig pens now it's very simple, but in those days, and the times when pigs are exposed to the sign in to mind, and so on. They will wallow in the mud and they stink. Find the farm still stink at the view never been in the person never, ever hug somebody just come out of a barn that sessions are picked in the north, you know, my mom never hugged me when I came out of the barn picture nor should always take a change of club outside the changer close enough to go around back, take a close opera run through the basement and get a shower in the basement. They will close out the dump Windows close and house it clean clothes for him. Poor ring on his finger sandals on his feet did have issues get that fat attack. No rosewood analyses. What a wonderful time. My son is here. He was given up for dead, but now he's alive. Give up for the loss. He was given up for lost, and is now found, and they began to have a wonderful time to see this is an important story for us four. Sorry for the people, Pharisees, they thought God wanted people dress up like them doing certain things. The centers they knew they were no good. They broken all the laws and broken everything. There is no way they were about everybody good enough, but here is Jesus telling them this is what God my father 's life and in the last story here. And I'm not to spend a lot of time on that one, but it's the older brother in the older brother is like, what's going on. There was a big party. I know anything about it in the server inside him. Your brother was lost is now found in or out of the party. Come join us let go. He doesn't deserve it, the elder brother represented the Pharisees name of the individuals who done all the things right, and Jesus is not accepting them for who they are because this older brother has become very bitter. He stayed, but he still was lost. Sometimes life hits us bitter. We've done the right things and were still the victim. The Pharisees had done all the right things that kept all the laws they done all the sacrifices they washed all their hands in the ceremonial clothes lensing, but they hadn't changed in their hearts and the Pharisees and Jesus is that their vendor. Their bitterness had rendered them just as lost as the brother who stayed at home. The brother who stayed at home was just as lost as the one who would take it off for our country was better about everything that is done everything that was going on. That's why bitterness can never be allowed in the heart of the Christian, because we will continue to do the right things, but be lost in our hearts, and so the father says that the other older brother. Hey, everything I have is yours. It's all yours. Come and celebrate with those with your son, your brother, who's just come home. He is my son also and in our life. We want to remember at God loves us, not because of what we've done or what we do. He loves us because of who we are the stories. It's about God. The shepherd who is willing to go after the lost this law shape live who may have wandered off want it off just not paying attention. The shepherd goes after them. The Corning per through no fault of the coin itself with its own. It was lost by the intrinsic value that it had was so great woman would start until she found God search for us. The sunglasses out of selfishness window far country did it intentionally violate intentionally turned his back on the father. The father was watching an long important control the son who stayed home became very bitter. Our father want to touch the heart of that right. Change him from the inside out. See this was a total different picture what the Pharisees ever imagine what the sinners ever imagine, because he was a God who lobbed the God who searches who values who watches, and who rescues and changes the hearts of his children. That's our father. So is there father, we thank you that you are a God. Hopefully, Lord, it continues to that we hopefully change Lord who we are and who we need to be in our concepts of you regards to how a way of speaking to our hearts in a way that changes us from the inside out. Let's never be bitter. Lord let us never be rebellious and Lord through the circumstances that happen in our life. Why may we not get lost or wander away just from not paying attention. God be with us now quick in our hearts, we pray much our lives. We asked the name of our Savior Jesus Christ inWhat is Father's Day and now I have the government submitted for that on Mother's Day. You would think of getting on mother sleepers by the autoimmune installment for a man getting in tools is a good thing though. Regards, and we have some tools here in a couple of tool bags and in some life. I really like these lights go out there soon. I love them primarily for the kids because they like flashlights, but I I I think they're pretty neat though you were minor adeno like the idea to bring the low red things all the ones that don't go. I keep that we have a number of that you are here today, so we'll leave all these out. The next next week. Remember to dial. Remember to give them out and for the fathers, the taken, but today Father's Day last week we spoke about Genesys and how that man's search for God, and I was wondering in the end, falling along that context is what does God look like or what is God like not look like what seemed like twice as character like how you know when he is when you find your what are the characteristics of God that they would speak to us that we have found something found the God and being Father's Day, we say, well, are we like God. In some ways we are to be reflective of its character reflective of what God is, we are reflections of that. So I live, chapter fifteen. There are stories that Jesus tells that depicts the attitude, the character of God our father and sometimes it's easy to say him us. They something and not now what is behind it, and this is a characteristic of what Jesus is presented never blue chapter fifteen, eight, he starts out by the Pharisees and the Pharisees and people that are surrounding Jesus have this question about what money is not lighted doubting Jesus because he's spending time with sinners and with people who are not considered religious and Jesus begins to explain what it is that the character of God is life and the Pharisees are trying. They've already got their concept of God, but it's not correct. And so Jesus now gives us these stories that he is trying to adjust the character of and understand what he's trying to adjust the understanding of the Pharisees, so that they can understand the character got so let's start with a chapter fifteen not read verses one, two and three run to doing OpenWindows is- a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus listening intently. The Pharisees and religious scholars were not pleased, not at all, please make while he takes insiders and eats nails within tracer like old friends there grumbling triggered grumbling triggered the story. So here we have Pharisees and religious scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased with Jesus like he had come to somehow pleased them, and these individuals thought that they had figured out that way. What God wanted and exactly how God was the unexpected people who follow him. They thought that God they knew exactly what God wanted out of people and what he wanted people to do and they knew that gently the right thing was all that God required, and they knew that God love people who are exactly like that. And so they knew they were loved by God and everybody else. It was not like them was not love. That's why they're grumbling and complaining that Jesus is not associating and sitting down with the religious people. He's setting down with these centers while the centers and the people who were considered the outcast had the same understanding about God as the Pharisees did so here are these people of doubtful reputation, thinking that they are never good enough. Never won't be good enough to be associated with God, and here are the religious people who consider themselves very worthy to be associated with God, and that these other people never would be associated with so everybody has the same opinion that these centers and these people of the whole reputation were lost and that God would have nothing to do with them. So Jesus now tell these stories that will help correct their faulty thinking. So, so what has gone wide for us. What are the preconceived or ideas that we have about God that seemingly would hold as the truths and does the Bible challenge those truths does the Holy Spirit challenge those truths in our life enough so that we will change the will change our immunoglobulin chains are opinion on what we should be in the sight of God. The first story that Jesus talks about is velocity. The word Matthew three four five six seven because of order, doesn't it. But Bible verses. Okay, this one a make sure that it happened because sometimes my verses don't measure up with the way the Bible verses: so, verse four five six seven. Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Now, again, who is he relating to these relating to the Pharisees and the religious leaders. He's trying to get them to understand they are not the only people that God is after adding these with the people who are sinners, and I'm a doubtful reputation is trying to get them to understand that God is not like the Pharisees. So here are a shepherd who has a hundred sheep, and he loses one one. You leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness of the laughable lost one until you found presenting the question you as an individual you Pharisees, you people who are lost. The owners of a hundred sheep, and trying to make them under the get the concept here. The owners of a hundred inch a hundred sheep, one is lost would you go out and search for it until you found that's the question when found, you can be sure that you would put it across her shoulders, rejoicing and when he got home, you would call your friends and neighbors, saying celebrate with me. I found the bylaw. She counts on it. There is more joy in heaven over one sinner 's rescue glide hello, good people in no need of rescue. Ms. Liberal challenged in their thinking. This is a real challenge for their understanding of God, because there are ninety nine. She and agent ninety nine are not abandoned these ninety nine arsenate. They are capped in elderly safe place so the shepherd isn't just abandoning recklessly ninety nine annoying out of searching for one. Now the unsaid question is what value is the one shape what value is there in one sheet. That's the question Pharisees and religious scholars are ready to throw out the sinners now ready to tell Jesus that the centers and dolls of lower reputation that there say throw them out, but would they as owners who want to look for one lost sheep. So what is the value of one sheet, a person who was lost. See a shepherd at that time, a shepherd at that time and direction Bible says that a shepherd would lay down his life for his sheep. So if the shepherd is out in the wilderness, watching over a sheet he will say he will he will lose his life protecting his shape because he will not allow anyone to steal or no wild animal to take his seat so the shepherd worthy of the name Shepherd would not allow anything to happen to the shape entrusted to him. That's his reputation. That's the critical and as I say, being you are a shopper who were not allow anything that happened. She felt the understanding is a person who is a shepherd wondered aloud and look for the one loss so when the Pharisees and Sadducees would they consider these individuals whom Jesus is with, as were the individuals to whom God would touch. So when a person is lost. They are away from God. They have gone astray. They lost their luster. God they've lost the flock they have lost in the last of themselves as to what their intent is what their purposes. I was not this person is Linus doesn't know where he is, is wondering and exposed to all the things that are going on in that in the wilderness around him. So would you go after the loss until you found this is a picture of the Jesus is presented. These stories are stories that Jesus is telling us about God the father. What is the characteristic of God the father, so Pharisees have a totally incorrect picture the centers have a completely incorrect picture does they had almost the same pictures. The teachers and Jesus is here saying while God is like this is like a shepherd who has lost the sheep and he takes the ninety nine and they are safe and egos out any searches until he finds it. Then when I the celebration celebrate with me. The celebration for this law. She far exceeds the value of the washy because there is there is an value that the student has the shopper has kept his duty and how about the standard of a shepherd when he went out and found the sheet. God has kept to the standard that the Scripture says that he is willing that God is not willing that any should perish, but all should come to repentance, God is the one who seeks after people who are lost second-story verse eight through ten or imagine a woman who has taken coins and loses one won't seem like a lamp and scour the house looking in every milk and cranny until she finds it, and when she finds it, you can be sure so call our friends and neighbors celebrate with me. I found my lost coin count on it. That's the kind of party God 's angels throughout every time one lot full returns to God. Here we have another story that is very familiar shepherds in that time. They're very familiar with shepherding and what an sheet and in this and also this story is a very familiar one Palestinian women would often receive ten silver coins as a wedding gift and I think sometimes they would wear them around the we often see those individuals in the stories and thought that they have those coins dangling around her head now as part of their headdress and ten silver coins would be part of their wedding gift, so they would have at least guess around them, and the value is more basically sentimental because the value of the centum of the coin is less than a half less than the value of a half a penny so the value in this coin is not that it is a silver coin, worth thousands of dollars. It is a silver coin to represent their wedding. No marriage and is and has very much him only for the individual, not as something that you can spend. I remember whenever one about Jackson being three years old blonde had lost the diamond out of her wedding ring and she was searching all replace Fort Scott, you lost outside and Josh and younger looking everywhere for this fun and do not in the dirt outside of the parsonage over here as Louisville by another one yell amigos just the diamond to buy one in the bottom of the diamond will buy another one some reason she wouldn't go for that she wanted to find the done so if a time there was a jeweler that we knew Jake Royle, and he says while in night in a very bright flashlight and no searching where you think you where you think it might be, and so were going through what happened where she was at issue. Remember carrying Damon Michael back to his bedroom and her hand hitting the wall, so you know the door frame on the wall so on the doorframe as she was going in, so they looked around up in the bedroom. We couldn't find it so that night got the flashlight and got down arrived and started going across the rug that was still haven't notice that Jesus uses the story of a woman with ten points because a man would say get another one. So what is he using or using the story to tell us about an individual who value something, not because it's not worth it because of its value to the person never lose the ring ladies and gentlemen, is a regular something on intrinsic value. The juvenile daily something that something similar something that that type of value to you that you can't looking forward until you found because it wasn't adequately replaced as in buying another one. It had a value because of what it represented. And so the value lost coin is seeing my, the person seeks NDX. The value is half a penny. What's, what's the problem just replace it now. It's one I received whenever I was married, the ten coins and the lady scours the house looking for~ Valley was seen also in the celebration over the coin, the celebration takes place in that I have found the these. This coin was so valuable to me the cause of what happened and what happened you know when I was married these are the toys I received, and narratives will God our father sees great value in what was lost. Pharisees religious scholars are belittling Jesus because he's spending time with sinners and goals of four reputation they flow both sets of individuals have a wrong concept of what God the father is like. Jesus tells these stories to help them understand that as a shepherd would look for one she so God looks for the loss as a one-man would have had value about these coins and would search a house scoured the house like lambs look everywhere to find it so to God would look for those who are lost it completely goes against what the Pharisees believed and taught and what these centers and people of low reputation. Jesus is talking about. Then verse and chapter fifteen, verse eleven, twelve, so we have the question presented to us in our analogy here being Father's Day, so what is God our father life, seeker of one lost sheep seeker one last claim seeker of a rebellious son a son would have nothing but his own way. So that's what we see next verse eleven. Then he said that was once a man who had two sons, the younger said to his father, father, I want right now what's coming to me. I cannot trust them, and that day was the firstborn son, the eldest son received two thirds of the fathers inherit. Yet whatever the father was going to pass on to his children if the son received two thirds. The second son in this case, the younger son would receive one third on his father 's good, and fathers inheritance install the younger son requests that he get the one third any minute now, so the father divided first while, so the father divided the property when there was long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. They're undisciplined and this and dissipated and wasted everything you have. After he had gone through all the money that was a bad famine all to the country and began to hurt. He signed on with the citizen where to where there was signed him to his field to slop the pigs. It was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs and the pig slop, but no one would give him in so this request by this young man showed a total disregard for his father showed a turtle total disregard for the customs obvious time waiting. You don't get your inheritance to your father die. So here he wants his Americans as if his father 's dad like he was nominated with his body was nothing to do with his brother. It was not a little of it. And so he has once it, and he's going after an evening of spend it the way he wants to father gazes all right, you have a free will. It's your choice. Here's your inheritance selling authors far-off country any blows his inheritance and after it's gone now for Joe enjoys individual at that time for them to even touch update or be in the presence of obtaining wise on on permissible with the sin. So here is this individual who has come from a place of well and who has been served by sermons, he finds himself total humiliation is not only in and in the area page is feeding the page and anyone like to eat the in the reading, but no one will lend you money now that things are more value than this sleigh, who was feeding them. So he is allowed to eat with them, so he is follow along way challenge here. What has to happen in our life that causes us to see God in a different light. What happens in our life. Seeing God in a different light than we have in the past that the child challenge for seventeen that brought him to his senses. He lost everything. These starving to death. He can even eat what the pigs eat. She got to the bottom of the barrel scraping the bottom of the barrel and being having to look up and brought him to his senses. He said all those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day and here I am starving to death. I'm going back to my father, who there a lot of people have no time for God now busy talking to Pharisees who consider themselves exactly what God wants in an individual, and there are centers and people of low reputation who are the opposite of what God would want in an individual, and neither one of them are correct, and Jesus is trying to teach them and help them see things see God in a different perspective. So, notice how the logic change as verse seventeen the bottom to a census. What brought them to sentence starvation hunger paying candy, many with the pegs the pigs are healthier than he is. He can't even eat their fruit is not allowed is a slave. These their food. No killer because the pigs have more value than the slave home. I go back to my father. He takes care of his slaves. They get three meals a day, I'm starving so class ourselves this question our eyes open our eyes open, we see God correctly while we really don't know because if we ask this individual whenever he had everything with his father. Can you see clearly is is yeah, I can see clearly I I get one third of my fathers possessions. I have no right to it, and I'm taking it, and I'm leaving home and my brother can have the rest you can have the father, he can have the rest of the farm and the goods. I'm not here. If you asked that individual lifetime of his life are his eyes open. He would say yes you last came at the pig trough. When you starving to death. Are your eyes open. He would say yes, my father 's servants being better than I do in a total change of heart about his father and what he standards of no value, so we know what verse Psalm twenty and twenty one so he chases heart when he was still a long way off the back was that now this is a picture of God. Remember, Jesus is giving us a different pictures, giving the Pharisees and the centers of different picture of God a lot. She the shepherd. Looks lost. Client has the value of the intrinsic value to the individual God thousand lux. So now God is watching for his son to return and when he saw him a long layoff, his heart pounding, you ran out, embraced him and kissed him. The sun started to speech father. I said, but God is. That God is looking here for the sun returning so all the time father is in the house. He's not chasing down his child is not chasing after his son. He allows his son to go. I liken this story sometimes honest as Christians being a lighthouse. We arm White House and the lighthouse sends out the same signal so that no matter how far out to sea people go. They know what direction home is they know what direction land. This is always send out the same signal. The trouble with the Pharisees and the centers and the story they had the wrong concept of God they didn't know which way was home. They didn't know which way really represented God, and as Christians we are responsible to live the Christian life, according to the standard that Christ has given us in his work, and so we send out the same signal. We send out the same signal that people will allow the way home, they will know the way back to God. And so while this father the son constantly censuses. I know what's home. I know my father is. I know what how good it is there is the life we live as a Christian sending the same signal. The father was watching for his son 's home and when he saw his son with down the road and wait for his son to get there. He ran after God sees the value each of our lives. He pursues us, and as soon as we chart a new direction of God. We find God is there to to welcome us and to to touch our lives. And if you embrace us and what does he do, he the son has a stage father, I send them thought I send it for you. I don't deserve to be called your son ever again. That's repentance, but God will apply just as the father knows the heart of the sun in anybody's face these words he knows the harvest on why because his son is on his way back home. There's no conditions here is no conditions like it out. I'll come back home with you. If you have a party and you reinstate me as efficiently as your son now it has been so far away. He recognizes that the lowest slave in his father 's house is better off than he was in the pig pins before enjoying a foreign land. He wasn't coming back with any standards say what he had to have. He was coming back as a slave as a person who lost everything, looking for his father 's forgiveness 's father wasn't listening. He was calling to assignments quick bring a clean set of clothes and dressing never been in a pigpen now they pay farmers are not like big farms. Back then, do they think why they're all made out of concrete and down the pigs are in on the concrete name got these greats in the back where they had when they go to the bathroom. No pigs are very clean animal that they had Grace that old top of water and the pigs will go to the bathroom overtopped a great down in the water and not out on the concrete where they eat and have their other indolent. They laid out. They hardly have when it comes to cleaning pig pens now it's very simple, but in those days, and the times when pigs are exposed to the sign in to mind, and so on. They will wallow in the mud and they stink. Find the farm still stink at the view never been in the person never, ever hug somebody just come out of a barn that sessions are picked in the north, you know, my mom never hugged me when I came out of the barn picture nor should always take a change of club outside the changer close enough to go around back, take a close opera run through the basement and get a shower in the basement. They will close out the dump Windows close and house it clean clothes for him. Poor ring on his finger sandals on his feet did have issues get that fat attack. No rosewood analyses. What a wonderful time. My son is here. He was given up for dead, but now he's alive. Give up for the loss. He was given up for lost, and is now found, and they began to have a wonderful time to see this is an important story for us four. Sorry for the people, Pharisees, they thought God wanted people dress up like them doing certain things. The centers they knew they were no good. They broken all the laws and broken everything. There is no way they were about everybody good enough, but here is Jesus telling them this is what God my father 's life and in the last story here. And I'm not to spend a lot of time on that one, but it's the older brother in the older brother is like, what's going on. There was a big party. I know anything about it in the server inside him. Your brother was lost is now found in or out of the party. Come join us let go. He doesn't deserve it, the elder brother represented the Pharisees name of the individuals who done all the things right, and Jesus is not accepting them for who they are because this older brother has become very bitter. He stayed, but he still was lost. Sometimes life hits us bitter. We've done the right things and were still the victim. The Pharisees had done all the right things that kept all the laws they done all the sacrifices they washed all their hands in the ceremonial clothes lensing, but they hadn't changed in their hearts and the Pharisees and Jesus is that their vendor. Their bitterness had rendered them just as lost as the brother who stayed at home. The brother who stayed at home was just as lost as the one who would take it off for our country was better about everything that is done everything that was going on. That's why bitterness can never be allowed in the heart of the Christian, because we will continue to do the right things, but be lost in our hearts, and so the father says that the other older brother. Hey, everything I have is yours. It's all yours. Come and celebrate with those with your son, your brother, who's just come home. He is my son also and in our life. We want to remember at God loves us, not because of what we've done or what we do. He loves us because of who we are the stories. It's about God. The shepherd who is willing to go after the lost this law shape live who may have wandered off want it off just not paying attention. The shepherd goes after them. The Corning per through no fault of the coin itself with its own. It was lost by the intrinsic value that it had was so great woman would start until she found God search for us. The sunglasses out of selfishness window far country did it intentionally violate intentionally turned his back on the father. The father was watching an long important control the son who stayed home became very bitter. Our father want to touch the heart of that right. Change him from the inside out. See this was a total different picture what the Pharisees ever imagine what the sinners ever imagine, because he was a God who lobbed the God who searches who values who watches, and who rescues and changes the hearts of his children. That's our father. So is there father, we thank you that you are a God. Hopefully, Lord, it continues to that we hopefully change Lord who we are and who we need to be in our concepts of you regards to how a way of speaking to our hearts in a way that changes us from the inside out. Let's never be bitter. Lord let us never be rebellious and Lord through the circumstances that happen in our life. Why may we not get lost or wander away just from not paying attention. God be with us now quick in our hearts, we pray much our lives. We asked the name of our Savior Jesus Christ in