The Gospel Within the Gospel

For those of you that are note-takers, we'll just call it the Gospel within the Gospel. How's about that? Okay? The Gospel within the Gospel. And if you join me, please, let's turn over to Luke 15, because that's where we want to find this little nugget that's within the pages of the Bible, and like to just go through it. You're not going to have to turn your Bible around too much or through it, because we're just going to stay in Luke 15 all the way. We're going to read through it, and not only read through the Bible, but we're going to allow the Bible to read us and see where we are at the end of the chapter. The Gospel within the Gospel. Let's notice in Luke 15 and verse 1, it mentions that all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him, to hear Him. And then notice what it says in verse 2, and the Pharisees and the scribes, they complained, saying, This man receives sinners and eats with them. It's an amazing declaration as we begin the story to recognize the magnetism of our Savior, Jesus the Christ, to recognize that He drew all sorts of people around Him. There was none that was just like the other. There was a power, and there was a draw as we look at this. There were these religious folk, you might say, the good church folk of that day, these Pharisees and these scribes with their rules and their laws, and all that was before them. And then here were all these people, like basically what was being said here is, How did they get in here? Have you ever had that thought before? When somebody comes through the door of the church and you know how visual we are, and we tend to judge a book by a cover, even though we're told from Euthon not to do so, you'll say, Boy, are the deacons doing their job today? Who let them in? Isn't it amazing what occurs over the years with folk that look around rather than looking up and seeing what our father above is doing? And it says here that they complain. The root of the word going deeper in the original language really bears out that they were murmuring, even to the point of that there were implied threats of what was going on. To go any further in the story, though, we have to understand the relationship between the scribes and the Pharisees and these people. I'd like to just move into Barkley's commentary for a moment, because I think he puts a good read into it. It's out of Barkley's commentary on Luke, chapter 15, page 199, on commentary of St. Luke. Christ is about to go into a series of stories, but before that, let's talk about these people that the good religious folk of that day thought were sinners, and that they had no place there to be by the rabbi. It says these parables that follow arose out of a definite situation. It was an offense to the scribes and the Pharisees that Jesus associated with men and women who by the Orthodox were labeled as sinners. The Pharisees gave to people who did not keep the law a general classification. They called them the people of the land. And there was a complete barrier between the Pharisees and, yes, the people of the land. To marry a daughter to one of them was like exposing her bound and helpless to a lion.

The Pharisaic regulations laid it down. When a man is one of the people of the land, entrust no money to him. Take no testimony from him. Trust him with no secret. Do not appoint him guardian of an orphan. Do not make him the custodian of charitable funds, and do not accompany him on a journey. In other words, you begin to understand, keep him, keep them in place. Check them at all turns and in all ways. A Pharisee was forbidden to be guest of any such man or to have him as his guest. He was even forbidden so far as it was possible to have any business dealings with him. It was the deliberate Pharisaical aim to avoid every contact with the people who did not observe the petty details of the law. Obviously, they would be shocked to the core at the way in which Jesus complained with...excuse me...the way in which Jesus accompanied with people who were not only rank outsiders, but sinners. Contact them would be necessarily a defilement. Now, if you haven't listened so far, listen to this in place because this will spell out the rest of the story. We will understand these parables that you and I are about to venture into more fully if we remember that the strict Jews said not, there will be joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, but there will be joy in heaven over one sinner who is obliterated before God. They looked sadistically forward not to having the saving but the destruction of the sinner. Now, with all of that thought, let's go back, read verse 1, we'll read verse 2, and then we'll proceed. And I do hope that this will be transformative for each and every one of us because we don't want to simply go through what we're about to go through just simply as storytelling or points of information or maybe inspire you but for a moment. But we come to church to be transformed, to understand what our Father above and His Christ would want us to be for them and with them as that spirit resides inside of us. The stories that we're about to go through we have often heard either from Mr. McNeely or another elder or another Christian communicator and we normally hear this story or we'll hear this story or we'll hear this parable and unfortunately that's sometimes the way that we preach. We kind of grab a story, grab a scripture, and run with it like a football and we take it in a sense out of the greater context of which God inspired for us to understand. That's why sometimes it's so good just to read through the story, to read through the book, to gain the overall significance of what's going on. So are you ready to start? Okay, let's go back just for a moment and understand then how Jesus, through the wisdom of God in Him, approaches these people. Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him and the Pharisees and the scribes complained saying, this man receives sinners, that's bad enough, but notice, and eats with them.

So is Jesus going to take that just lying down? Does He just clam up and say nothing about those that have come? And then comes the great word that comes out of Luke 15. Let's just notice it. If you're daring enough, you might just want to circle it. It's just two letters. It won't create too big of a circle. So, which is the lead-in to the rest of the chapter. So it is the bridge to all that which is about to come. So He spoke these stories, this parable to them, saying, and then we move into one of the great stories of the Bible.

What man of you, by the way, you that are out there, what man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? So Jesus begins with a story that all the folk can't relate to because they were in an agrarian society.

They all knew the life of the shepherd. They knew the struggles of being with the flock and the pasture. That pasture was scarce. It was a very rugged, a very arid land, just like where I'm from, Southern California.

The pasture was sparse, and sometimes the sheep would stray off looking for more. But once that sheep did wander away, did stray away from the main flock, the shepherd had a duty. The shepherd had the duty to go out and find the one that had, indeed, strayed off. And notice, he mentions this thought that each and every member of the crowd that was listening to him understood. The shepherd's job was never done until he found the stray.

It wasn't like one for the gipper. It wasn't like trying. It was a matter of bringing the situation to completion. That, in a sense, that goat, that sheep, that stray away, just like back out in the West, was he was going to be found either dead or alive. That little one that had wandered off, straight off on its own, unknowingly, or perhaps out of foolishness, a young lamb or whatever, was going to have to be brought.

Lambs, sheep, they were valuable. Every one of them counted. And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. You notice the story that Jesus is unfolding is that there is a contact and a sensitivity and a relationship that even a razor blade can't get in between.

The sheep, the lost one, the stray, is put onto the shoulders of the shepherd and is indeed brought home. And when he has found it, and he will find that, there's this contact, and there is a rejoicing. And notice then, when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep, which was lost.

Now, he didn't even necessarily have to find his friends, because what happened is, those that were in the village, and most of them were shepherds, knew what was going on. When Amos or Jeremiah or Obadiah or Jesus or whatever the name of the individual was, that had not come home with the rest of the shepherds.

They knew, in a sense, we'll bring it up to an Indiana name, they knew why Johnny had not come home. He was out there. There had been a stray. There had been a lost one. And they knew that he was not going to come back until he found it. And so you wives, you can relate to this if your man's away, and maybe he's a truck driver, and he's on the interstates or byways, and you keep that light on. You know he's out there. You know that he's working for the family.

You know he's dedicated to his job, but he's not home. And you wait, and you wait. And sometimes the entire village would wait for the shepherd that was out looking for the lost one, the stray. And then they might see him come with the lamb over his shoulder.

And he comes, and you notice the point that is made so relevant here. The rejoicing is not only simply that the lamb or the stray sheep has been found. The rejoicing is not just simply with the shepherd because he found his valuable property, but there is the communal relationship, the joy of all. Everyone is brought into the story to rejoice with me. Now, what is interesting in this, and what Christ is trying to bring out to those that will listen, whether two thousand years ago or today, is simply this, that the rejoicing and the joy at the end is even bigger than the seeking. Is more than everything that was impaled in the search. It is the joy that is at the end. It is the completion of the job that brings the joy. And it is not a singular joy. It is to be a communal joy. It is to be something that everybody is to rejoice in. Then he says in verse 7, I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 just persons who need no repentance. Interesting. And you look at this and you come up with a couple of thoughts. You understand that what is being said here is that when you think of the most dedicated person that completes a job or the kindest person that you have ever met, the most loving individual that humanly that we have ever experienced, the neatest act of discovery and retrieval that we have ever heard of, and there are amazing stories that are out there. He says, think on those things and think of the joy of the shepherd or think of what we know in the 21st century and just recognize something. This is where humanity leaves off and man's extremities is just where God begins. The joy that is in heaven when one person comes to understanding and repentance and comes back home with the shepherd. Now, when we hear this and we relate to ourselves, here's the point that I want to get to you today. I don't know all of you in Fort Wayne. I wish I did, and I'll spend an hour or two with you on this day. But maybe some of us have strayed.

Maybe some of us have been foolish, just like the little lamb that says, oh, I wonder where this path is going. There's mama, but I will go up the ravine.

So the little lamb strays off, maybe out of foolishness or whatever.

And maybe you and I, as God's flock, one of us has strayed. The story that I share with you today brings us to point that wherever you are, I want you to understand something. And maybe you have strayed either in spirit and or in truth or in relationship. And maybe you feel very, very lost on this day and apart from the great shepherd. My encouragement is for you to understand that if you feel lost and you don't know how to come back home, I want you to understand something very specifically. What Jesus Christ is telling you, He is on the search. He is on the way. He is in action, and He will not complete or be done until the job is finished, and that He brings you back into full relationship with them. He does not like it when we stray. He does not like it when we are foolish. He does not like it when we wander off on our own. But know this. Understand this. The shepherd is on the way. It is a shepherd that searches with a seeking heart. And he's searching, and he's seeking after you. But just in case the religious folk of that day didn't understand that, notice what happens. You notice here in verse 3, a very interesting word. Remember the word that we circled? So. Now we're going to get to another tiny word. Verse 8. Stay with me, please. Just in case you don't get the point, He says, or, by the way, or, what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp. Sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it. And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the peace which I lost. Now, very interesting story. Stay with me, please. It is different commentaries handle this section of Scripture a little bit differently. You know, have you ever noticed everybody has an idea what was really going on two thousand years ago? But the thought I think I can put out here for each and every one of us today is that basically the women of the area had a tradition of receiving a dowry, and oftentimes it was ten coins. They were very precious. They were a dowry. They were a memento. They were an heirloom that might be passed down to another generation. And at times, yes, that dowry that was given, in case times got tough, were the difference in a marginal economy between survival or failure. And so each and every one of those coins was very, very precious. But what had happened here is that she had lost a coin. Maybe it was out of, shall we say, carelessness or an accident.

I remember one, you know, let's ask, let me ask you a question. We'll get a little group involvement. Is that okay? Have any of you ever lost your wedding ring? Or am I? Oh boy, okay. Red light. I'm leaving. Okay. Anyway, I remember one time when I lost my wedding ring out of carelessness or just a life situation. I was on the old campus back in Pasadena. I was in one restroom and had washed my hands. And, you know, soaked up like every good person should. And I'd washed my hands, threw away the towel, and went back to the other side of the campus. My office at that time was in the Hall of Administration. And finally, I do sometimes what I do. I just kind of crack it. Oh, that hurt. I cracked my knuckles and all of a sudden, you know, I got, oh, that was too easy. Oh no. And it's this ring, by the way. Same ring. I thought, you know, immediately. It's like when you've lost your credit card or you left it or, oh boy. So I got, got to thinking, oh no. And have you ever done that where you've lost? Am I the only person I'm watching your face? I really feel kind of inadequate up here. It's like you've never done this. But then, any of you have lost your children, wife, or I don't know. Can we talk? Okay. Anyway, so I'm thinking. And you begin to retrace your steps back, back. I was there and I talked to this person. I went down this path and I did this and I did that. And see, I'm really good at this because I lose a lot of things. No, I didn't put it back and forth. And then what had happened was I finally went back and I went back to the scene of the crime of carelessness to the restroom in the office facilities building. I'm looking and he thinks to myself. And then I happened to look into the trash bin. And what had happened was when I washed my hands, I'd soaked them up and I'd taken that towel, thrown the ring in the towel, and it was in the trash dispenser. Long story short, I found it. But boy, did I go through the motions and the energy. Because I certainly didn't want to face my wife that night. And it was very precious and meaningful to me. This is the energy of the story that is laid before. Sometimes there is carelessness for one reason or another. And she lost the coin. But notice, she lights a lamp. She sweeps the house. And she goes over it again and again and again. You know, houses back in those days had floors of dirt or gravel. There were reeds and there were bull rushes laid on top of it. And there might have been just a small slit at the top of the ceiling or in the wall that just brought in a little light. Basically like, you know, the old expression out of the Midwest. Like losing a needle in a haystack. And yet, even so, the one that is lost by carelessness, you notice the woman, and if this is a human being and a woman, the energy that has gone into finding the lost coin. And boy, then that moment of contact comes. Maybe you've done this before. Obviously not like me with a ring or this or that. But you know, you remember where you left something. And all of a sudden, green light comes on. Oh, do we feel good. We are right there and everything comes back. But you just don't want to keep it to yourself unless you've done something really dumb like I did. But now I've shared it with all of you. You want others to, what, rejoice the coin. The precious thing has been found.

Now, I want you to understand something as the story flows forward because we have one more story to cover. You see how they all begin to come into line, even though you and I have heard the stories over the years. It's very interesting that what first started was, did you notice the ratio? One hundred to one. And it was an animal. It was an animal. And then the story progresses, and Jesus, with all the wisdom that is His by God, titans, shall we say, the noose. It goes from one hundred to one, and now it goes, what? Ten to one. Interesting. But why? We go from an animal, which is valuable, but now to a coin, which is a treasure, but a hundred to one and ten to one. Have you ever noticed that sometimes that you and I, as Christians, we can deal with the big numbers, but we can't deal with the one-on-ones?

We can be all things to all people, and we can. Recently, there's been a movie that's been going through different circles. It's called Fireproof, the story of a marriage, the story of a man who's a fireman, and he's out there rescuing people from buildings. He is like Mr. Johnny on the spot. He burst into the buildings, saves children out. He's Mr. Joe Community. They probably want to elect him as a mayor. He's all good guy. You ever felt that way about yourself, guys? I'm doing this for society and for the world, but then you come home, and it's the one-on-one. Sometimes we can get along with everybody that's here in church except for... and you fill in the blank. Well, I get along with everybody in the family when we come to a family reunion, but Uncle Harry or Aunt Matilda.

Let's understand something, and this is the power of the story of learning to rejoice with that which is lost. Christianity is not simply dealing with the big numbers and dealing with the masses. I'm sorry anybody can do that. It is important. It's part of our Christian responsibility, but the ultimate challenge and opportunity that God gives us is to go one-on-one with those that have hurt us. It's very interesting as we move through the story that we first dealt with that which is lost through what? Through straying off. Then we dealt with that which is lost by what? By carelessness. But now we're going to go deep, and that's where the Christ does his best work.

His best homework is heart work, and he's going to do one-on-one. Famous story. Let's take a look at it. The next big word that you want to circle in Luke 15 is then.

Then.

Then he said a certain man had two sons. All of us have had those then moments in our life. Let's let us be honest, friends. We've all had those then moments. Everything was planned out. We'd raised our children A, B, C, you know, right by the book.

So thus if we do this, oh, we get that. When we put this into action, this motion comes forward. And then the best laid plans of mice, men, and Christians takes a turn. And perhaps we don't know what to do with it. And then, then he said, there's the then moment a certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me. So he divided to them his livelihood. And that was well, and that was good, and that was under the law. That was under the principles of the book. The in Deuteronomy that the firstborn son would get two-thirds and the son that came along later would get one-third. And it was all right to move forward. Probably wasn't wise, but the son was not asking for anything that was not necessarily his. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there he wasted his possessions with prodigal living. The word prodigal means a wasteful expenditure of time or money or energy. He basically ran up everything on his credit card, and there was nothing to show for it. And by the way, friends, there was no bailout on the way.

He was down and out in L.A., but when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in the land that he began to be in want. And then he went and he joined himself to a citizen of the country and sent him into the fields to feed swine. Now, you have to understand this is being spoken to a Jewish audience. So Jesus is basically saying, this guy was so desperate, he did the job that no good Jew would want to do, and that is to sweep up and take care of the piggies. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate. Yuck! Just let that run through your mind for a moment while you think of what ran through the pig. And no one gave him anything.

And then one of the great lines of Scripture, books have been written with this title, but when he came to himself.

I've often noticed in Scripture, if I can make a comment, please, and maybe not only tell a story today, but to show you a way of understanding Scripture in your own private study. But, that is B-U-T, is one of the great words of the Bible. Whenever you see the word, but, look for something to happen in the words ahead. You say, well, what do you mean by that, Robin? Go back to Genesis 6. The world is going to hell in a handbasket, and is about to receive the judgment of God. And then there's that beautiful line in the Bible, but Noah found grace. And or when you go to the book of Acts, remember when Saul became Paul, his life was transformed. And like the ugly little duckling, he wanted to come and be with all the other ducklings called the Twelve, but they would have him not. Remember that? He went to Jerusalem, and the Twelve were used to scattering. They had that habit when things were tough. And this was like the last guy that they wanted to deal with. Remember that? There's Peter, and they're full of the Holy Spirit, and they still don't got it. Famous phrase, but Barnabas. Isn't that neat? Have you ever thought about that when you're studying the Bible, and you look at just those little words? They're transformer words. Next time when you see the word but in the Bible, look for something good to happen in your study. And then you say, God above, allow me to be like that. Allow me to be like Noah. Allow me to be like who? Barnabas. Allow me to have this transformation like this son who comes to himself. And he says, how many of my father's hired servants have bread enough to spare? And here I am, perishing with hunger. I'll tell you what I'm going to do. I gots it. I will arise and go to my father and say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. And I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. I'm not coming back expecting anything but make me like one of your hired servants. Now there's something that is really profound in verse 18 that I'd like to draw your attention to. The reason why Jesus said that he came to himself is twofold, even though it looks like just one verse. He said that I, Father, I'm going to go to my dad and I'm going to tell him I have not only sinned against you, but I have sinned against heaven.

How often has it been in our life when we want to solve everything down here below without reaching up above and thinking we're going to really make a transformation in our life or the person around us? How often do we look at everything being earthbound rather than heaven-sent for us to take the next step like the prodigal son? How is it that sometimes when we have relationship situations, either at work or in the church or in our marriage or with our children, we're basically kind of caught in a goldfish bowl and we're just kind of looking at one another and we say, well, if this fishy gets along with this fishy, then there will be peace in the goldfish bowl rather than recognizing that we have got to first make our peace above. Just as David said, these are the words that are reiterated here in Psalm 51, God, before you alone, I have sinned. I have found, frankly, friends in my own life and in the life of those that I try to help as a fellow saint to those that are on this journey with you and with me, that when I only deal with the homework down here below and I'm not dealing with the assignment above with the master teacher, you know what? That lesson's going to return. Have you ever done things that happened in your life that you haven't gotten right? The lesson? God's going to come back in a different way, at a different time, with a different person, with a different stoplight, until we understand that we're not just walking down here below, but we're walking before Him. And when we understand that, I want to share something with you, please. Our life begins to change. We will get off that hamster. Anybody ever been in the hamster wheel of life? A lot of time and a lot of energy, but you're not going anyplace. Have you noticed? Just like the hamster. I'm already tired. The hamster would keep on going. If we want to get off the hamster wheel, that leads us to the dead end of relationships. Understand whether it's with your wife, your husband, your teenager, you know, the one that's kind of taken out of taking time out from humanity and what you ought think he or she should be doing? Take it up before you deal with that below. Now, once you take it up, doesn't mean that you're not going to have to deal with it below. God's not going to solve all our problems up there. He's going to solve our issues through him in us outward to deal with the challenge at hand. And he arose, verse 20, came to his father. Did you notice the next word? Let's look down on our Bibles for a moment. What's the word? Bot. Whenever you see bot in the Bible, it is normally, nine times out of ten, good news coming. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. You know, it's hard being an adult parent, or have any of you noticed that? Sometimes you have to allow your adult children to go their way. Sometimes you say, you know, it was easier when they were younger. I could do this, I could do that, I could tell them what to do, I could diaper them, I could send them to this school, that school, and do the A and the B and the C. And I wanted them to follow me into this way of life, but somehow they've gone that way.

And you have to let go, and you have to let God, and you have to commit them to God, because you know what? It's really out of your hand, isn't it? But oh, the joy, oh, the supreme happiness that this verse talks about. Because it's very interesting that in the former two stories, the one with the sheep and the one with the coin, the sheep and the coin had to be sought after, and they had to be found, and they had to be retrieved. But the story takes a little bit of a difference here, doesn't it? Because the Father has to back off, the relationship has to be complete in the middle. But I don't think there's a one of us as a parent or a grandparent that cannot feel this moment when our adult children come to themselves.

I know that my wife Susie, some of you know Susie, and I, we have a lot to look forward to. We have, I don't know if you know it or not, but I'm into women. So what's that mean? We have three daughters and we have five granddaughters, and I have a wife. And we're getting together for Mother's Day next Sunday. We're going to have our own retreat after I'm with the guys this weekend.

And I'm looking forward to our three adult daughters surrendering their life to Jesus Christ.

And they are the greatest All-American girls that you could ever want. They are just fantastic people, but they haven't taken that next step. Now my wife, like some of you, did the A, we did the B, we did the C. They had a fantastic experience growing up in the church. They, in a sense, hold no ill towards the church. Sometimes people have, as we say in California, issues. Our daughters have no issue. The biggest issue before them is they need to surrender all of their life, even their good All-American life, which is very good but not holy. Right? There's a difference between very good and holy. Oh, do I look forward to that day, and so does my Susie, when we will, like that Father, be able to embrace at that moment. I know some of you are like that out there and have the same situation I do.

But when he is a great way off, his father saw him, had compassion, ran into his neck, and kissed him. And the son said to his father, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son. What is of interest, as we move into the Scripture, is to recognize that his story has not changed. Remember just a few verses before, that he said, I will go to my father, and I will tell him that, Father, I have not only sinned against you, but I have sinned against heaven. The story does not change. The inspiration that is there now becomes transformation with his father. Some of you that are older, remember being in World War II? I didn't say World War I. Don't worry about it out there. I say old yard. World War II, or the Korean War, or Vietnam, maybe you were pinned down on a tin can, or maybe you were pinned down at NAMM, and you know, the bullets were flying. You just said, Lord, if you get me out of here, we all know that story. I'll be at church on every, and I'll let you fill in the day. But you know how the story goes. And you know, for the moment, the earnestness and the sincerity that was there, you know, the most effective prayer is, God, help! You know, you don't have to even break it down. But what happens after you move out of the moment? What happens when everything is okay? We tend to forget, right, what we said in the moment of greatest need. What you see here is a story and a heart that is consistent, that didn't just want out of the problem, but recognize that the problem lay within them. Verse 22, But the Father said to His servants, Bring out the best robe and put it on, and put on a ring. Get it, put it on him, and on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry. For this my son was dead, and he's alive. He was lost, but now he's found. And he found it in himself to recognize where the issues were, and they began to be merry. What you see is Christ is laying this all out, friends, and this is why it's the gospel within the gospel. The gospel is not just simply about repentance of an individual. It's not just simply reconciliation from a distance between two individuals. It is about restoration.

How often in our life, friends, you think about it. Stay with me if you would, but for a moment, how often do we want to walk over that bridge, but we don't know how to get over to the other side with some of the relationship issues that are in our life? We even know where the bridge is. We even know how to walk onto the bridge, but we don't know what will happen once we get to the middle. You know, rather than this simply be called the parable of the prodigal son, it is, I think, frankly misnamed for it is really the story of the loving father, which represents our father above, of which we are to, in that sense, emulate that light, that example, that way. Some of you at times will read a column that I write that Mr. McNeely is generous enough to allow me to write every month. It's called simply, This is the Way. Here I am but for a moment with you on this Sabbath day in the heartland of Indiana. And if I could give you any encouragement if but for a moment, if God's Spirit brings us together, but for a moment, if God's Spirit brings us together, but for a moment, is that this is the way. Not only to see the bridge, not only to walk on the bridge, but to embrace on the bridge and go just a little bit on the other side. It's all right, just like the shepherd with the sheep, just like the woman with the coin, just like this loving father. And to recognize that we need more than, okay, you know, I'm okay, you're okay, but that we become okay. That we become not all right just with one another, but before God. And to recognize that'll take courage, it'll take sacrifice, it will take faith. You know, it's interesting that the father says, put a robe on him. The robe was a symbol of honor. He says, put the ring on him. That's a symbol of authority. And he says, and give him shoes. You know, you and I should give him shoes. That kind of be like the first thing.

The symbolism is powerful, and Jesus knew exactly what he was doing because he is, after all, the best teacher. Back in antiquity, slaves did not wear shoes. Those that were on the outside did not wear shoes. There's an old Negro spiritual that goes like this, when all God's children have shoes. The shoes were important. They were a symbol that the father is saying now, walk with me. You are my son. You are restored. Isn't that neat? Isn't that exciting?

Do you just stare at people when they come back to church? Do we just stare at people when they re-enter our family? Do we just gawk at people as they're trying to do the best that they can possibly do as they are co-workers of ours at our place of work? Or do we, in our way, in our sense, offer them a cloak? Offer them a ring? Offer them shoes? Well, the story's not over. They began this party. Then comes verse 25. Here comes another one of these words, segue words, now.

Now the older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And so he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant, and he said to them, Your brother has come, and because he has received them safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf. Oh, great! Johnny's home!

No, I think you know the story. And I think you know our story at times, right?

Basically, what the brother's going to do is blow it off and say, You've got to be kidding. Oh, no, not again. But the issue is not about what the prodigal son has done. Now the issue moves to what?

The individual and or the audience back in verse 1 and 2 that must receive the sinner.

You know, I've often found that in life that the issue begins with one person. Have you noticed that? But then it goes to the other person, what they will do with it. It's called the then moment.

We've all had then moments. I didn't say zen. I said, then moments. Where everything was going on, right? Because we knew, well, they're just getting what they deserve. They did it. They done it. They're away. Good riddance. And I'm tired of going back again and again, trying to walk onto that bridge and make this thing work. But now they're back.

This oftentimes happens in a relationship. What about happens when there's an affair in a marriage? And one person steps out of the marriage.

I knew that was going to happen all along. So she did it or he did it, but look at me. I'm loyal to my wedding vows. Look at that. It's right there.

Maybe I can now move on with my life.

Then the spouse re-enters, but you've been hurt. You knew what they were like all along. But now it's no longer their issue. What will you do? What would Christ do?

What did the prodigal father do? What was Jesus trying to elevate the good religious folk of his day to do? The son was angry and would not go, and therefore his father came and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, "'Lo, these many years I have been serving you. Oh, I have been so good. I have been so…' I've gone right by the letter. I never transgressed your commandment. I was so good with the rules.

I never broke a man any time. Yet you never gave me a young goat. I think that was the issue. This guy wanted goat. He felt denied. There was child abuse going on here. He never got the goat. I want the goat. Give me that goat." No, we know it was more than the goat.

You never gave me a young goat. I mean, do some of your kids have issues with your parents because they never took you to Kentucky Fried Chicken? I don't know. You read this story, this kid had issues.

But as soon as this son of yours came, you who has devoured your livelihood with harlot, you killed a fattucaf for him. Did you notice that he didn't say, my brother? He showed no sense of relationship. He says, your son. Well, what does that make the older brother? Hatched or what? I mean, he will have no connection with this worthless human being, at least in his mind. Your son. And by the way, he's gone out and squandered it with harlots, which is an interesting point. Stay with me. This is never mentioned in the story. This is ascribed to the prodigal son. Makes you begin to wonder what the older son, if unleashed from the rules and had to deal with life, would have done with the money. Sometimes we ascribe to others what we would, yes, do to ourselves. You know, the what's that little expression? The whatever calling the other, etc. And he said to him, son, you are always with me. All that I have is yours. I think the father was so sincere and so true when he was saying this. He was trying to elevate his son to a new level of existence. And it was right that we should make merry and be glad. For your brother, he was dead, and he's alive again, and was lost and is found. You know, this story picks up later on by Peter in the book of Acts, that Pentecost sermon. You might think about it as we move towards Pentecost. Why was Peter's sermon so effective on the day of Pentecost? That's a question for you to ponder for a moment. He thinks I have a thought. The power of the sermon of Pentecost is that the apostle Peter spoke as a dying man to dying men. Peter threw off the robes of the older son. Peter knew that he had strayed. He had been careless. He had been disobedient to his rabbi, to his master, to his savior. You know, you can never be found in Christianity until you know that you have been lost. You cannot be found. You cannot be found. You cannot be discovered. You cannot have the Father or Christ enter into your existence until we recognize that we have either wandered off by foolishness, carelessness, or disobedience.

Let's conclude. Let's think this thought through. For this story is called The Gospel Within the Gospels, three chapters, one story that brings us the understanding of the good news. That is the term for the gospel. It is simply this, that one of the uniqueness teachings of Christianity, and that's why Christianity cannot be compared to other religions in this age of relativism. I'm okay. You're okay. Oh, you want to do your thing? Many highways to heaven? No, not at all. The unique teaching that Jesus Christ brought is of the seeking God with the searching heart, the seeking God with the searching heart. Totally different than all the other gods of antiquity.

And what I want to share with you this is in your life that whether we have strayed by foolishness, been lost by our own carelessness and or the carelessness of others as the woman with the coin, and or if we have been disobedient before our Father above.

I just recognize this. I've got great encouragement for you. God is moving your direction. He is searching. He is seeking. He is moving. He has a plan and He wants to restore you and restore you fully. Back 140 years ago or so, whenever it was at the end of the Civil War, as it was winding down, it was becoming very obvious that the South was being crushed by the weight and the mass of the Union forces. Lincoln was still alive and some of his cabinet came to him and simply said this. He says, they said, Mr. President, we are about to defeat the South. They are crushed. What will you do with the South after the war? He looked at them. He looked down. He looked at them. And then he simply said this, we will act as if they never left.

Something to think about. Some homework for you to consider. Some hard work to render before our Father as we go out on this Sabbath day and into another week. It's been my great pleasure to be with all of you. What a wonderful time that we've been able to share the Gospel within the Gospel. And there is no better news that I can give you that we worship and follow the God that searches out after us with the Seeking Heart.