Investing our time in a community group is essential because community groups provoke us to live like Jesus as we provoke others to live like Jesus...

This week we have been talking about why we believe it is essential for us as followers of Jesus to be consistently investing our time in a community group. And to do that, we have been looking at a section of a letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible called the book of Hebrews.

So far, in Hebrews 10:19-22, we have seen the writer of Hebrews remind the readers of his letter that Jesus Christ, who was a superior priest than the Levitical priests who led the Jewish religious system, had ushered in a New Covenant, or agreement, between God and man by providing one sacrificial offering, once and for all, to pay the penalty of the selfishness and rebellion of humanity through His death on the cross. And as a result of Jesus sacrificial death on the cross, in our place, for our selfishness and rebellion, followers of Jesus now have confidence that we can enter into the very presence of God as a result of placing their confident trust in what Jesus did for us through His life, death, and resurrection.

The writer of Hebrews is reminding the readers of his letter, and followers of Jesus throughout history, that Jesus replaced the Jewish sacrificial system and the Levitical priesthood as the way by which humanity could experience a relationship with God and enter into the presence of God.

And because of that reality, the writer of Hebrews urged followers of Jesus throughout history to approach God with a state of complete certainty in their devotion to Jesus that was based on their confident trust in Jesus. Followers of Jesus were urged to approach God with a state of complete certainty because their hearts and consciences had been purified as a result of what God had done through Jesus life, death, and resurrection that had led them to believe, trust, and follow Jesus as Lord and Leader.

Followers of Jesus were urged to approach God with a state of complete certainty because they had publicly identified with Jesus through being baptized as a public proclamation of placing their confident trust in Jesus. But not only were these followers of Jesus strongly urged to draw near and approach the presence of God with a state of confident certainty. The writer of Hebrews also strongly urged the readers of his letter and followers of Jesus throughout history, the do something else. So let’s discover what that something else is in Hebrews 10:23-25:

 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; ²⁴ and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, ²⁵ not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Here we see the writer of Hebrews strongly urge the readers of his letter throughout history to hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering. Now if the writer of Hebrews was communicating this in the language we use in our culture today, this phrase would have sounded something like this: I strongly urge you to firmly adhere to the profession of allegiance that you have made to Jesus and the confident expectation in the future that we have in God’s promises through Jesus without wavering. The writer of Hebrews then explained that the reason why followers of Jesus were to firmly adhere to their profession of allegiance to Jesus was due to the fact that He who promised is faithful.

The writer of Hebrews point is that followers of Jesus can have confidence to remain firm in their profession of allegiance to Jesus because God is a promise maker and a promise keeper who is worthy of our trust. As followers of Jesus, we can place our confident trust in Jesus and place our allegiance in Jesus because Jesus is worthy of trust. Then, in verse 24, we see the writer of Hebrews urge followers of Jesus throughout history to consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.

What is so interesting is that the phrase “stimulate one another”, in the language that this letter was originally written in, literally means to rouse to activity or to provoke someone. What followers of Jesus are to provoke one another to is love and good deeds.  The word love here refers to a warm regard and interest in another that places others before self. When the writer of Hebrews refers to good deeds, he is referring to deeds or actions that exhibit a consistent moral character that is of a high moral quality.

So the writer of Hebrews is strongly urging followers of Jesus throughout history to provoke one another to live lives that are marked by a selfless and sacrificial love that places others before self and that engages in actions that consistently reflect the character of Jesus and make a difference for Jesus. The writer of Hebrews is strongly urging followers of Jesus throughout history to provoke one another towards lives that love like Jesus and live like Jesus. The writer of Hebrews then provides two instances where followers of Jesus are to provoke one another towards lives that love like Jesus and live like Jesus in verse 25.

The first instance is revealed with the phrase “not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some”. Now when the writer of Hebrews uses the word forsaking here, this word literally means to separate connection with someone or something. This word conveys the sense of abandoning, deserting, or ceasing to engage in something. In addition, the phrase “our own assembling together” referred to gathering together at some location by a group. This word was not exclusively used for a Sunday worship service.

As we have talked about in the past, early followers of Jesus would gather and scatter. Early followers of Jesus would gather for times of large corporate worship and early followers of Jesus would also scatter into smaller groups that met in homes in the community. Apparently, there were some followers of Jesus who were failing to remain connected in community with other followers of Jesus. There were some followers of Jesus who had abandoned the idea of being a part of a corporate time of worship or a smaller community group that met in homes. There were some followers of Jesus who had ceased being a part of community.

And because of that reality the writer of Hebrews recognized that these early followers of Jesus were in danger of failing to draw near to God. So the writer of Hebrews strongly urged followers of Jesus to reject the temptation to separate the connection of community with other followers of Jesus. Instead, the writer of Hebrews urged followers of Jesus throughout history to be encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

In other words, the writer of Hebrews here is urging followers of Jesus to provoke one another to engage in community with other followers of Jesus. As the day draws closer to when Jesus will return to usher in the kingdom of Heaven and judge all humanity, as followers of Jesus we are to provoke one another to live in community with one another, whether it is gathering together for times of corporate worship on Sunday, or whether it is scattering into community groups that meet throughout the week.

And it is here, in this section of this letter, that we discover a timeless truth as to why it is essential for us as followers of Jesus to be consistently investing our time in a community group in that investing our time in a community group is essential because community groups provoke us to live like Jesus as we provoke others to live like Jesus.

Investing our time in a community group is essential because we are called as followers of Jesus to provoke one another to a life that approaches God with a state of complete certainty in our devotion to Jesus that is based on our confident trust in Jesus. Investing our time in a community group is essential because we are called as followers of Jesus to provoke one another to a life that places our confident trust in Jesus and places our allegiance in Jesus because Jesus is worthy of trust.

Investing our time in a community group is essential because we are called as followers of Jesus to provoke one another to a life that is marked by a selfless and sacrificial love that places others before self.  Investing our time in a community group is essential because we are called as followers of Jesus to provoke one another to a life that engages in actions that consistently reflect the character of Jesus and make a difference for Jesus. And investing our time in a community group is essential because we are called as followers of Jesus to provoke one another to a life that loves like Jesus and lives like Jesus.

That is what we are such big believers in community groups at the church where I serve. That is why we have as a goal that everyone who attends the church where I serve would be investing their time in a community group. Community is not optional. Community is critical, because what you do is not optional, it is critical.

We believe that the circles that are community groups are betters than the rows of corporate worship gatherings because transformational spiritual growth occurs in community with others where those supportive and encouraging relationships can be developed where people can take that next step in their relationship with Jesus wherever you are at in that relationship with Jesus. And, as a church, we believe that the earlier the better when it comes to community groups. That is why we have community groups for every age and stage of life as a church.

And here is the thing: If you wait to get in a community group until you need it, you will not have community when you need it. And when you are in close community as part of a community group, community is already there for you when you need them to be there for you. Community groups have the potential to keep you from getting off track when it comes to your relationship with Jesus and the relationships around you because somebody can see what you can’t see.

Community groups have the potential to resist the temptation to fail to remain connected with other followers of Jesus. Community groups have the potential to resist the temptation to abandon the idea of being in community that can provoke us to strive to live in a way that loves like Jesus and lives like Jesus so that we can be used by Jesus to bring others to Jesus.

So with all that in mind, here is a question to consider: When will you take the step to get into the community that you need the most by being a part of a community group? When will you take the step to get into the community as part of a community group that can provoke you to love like Jesus and live like Jesus?

Because, investing our time in a community group is essential because community groups provoke us to live like Jesus as we provoke others to live like Jesus…

A new agreement between God and man that provides the opportunity to approach God with complete certainty...

This week we are looking at why it is essential for us as followers of Jesus to be consistently investing our time in a community group. And to do that, I would like for us to look at a section of a letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible called the book of Hebrews. Yesterday we spent a few minutes talking about the book of Hebrews.

As the title of the book of Hebrews reveals for us, the book of Hebrews was written around 65 A.D. to the Hebrews, which were Jewish Christians who had never heard or seen Jesus in person, but had learned of Him as the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel had been proclaimed throughout the known world. However, as the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel was proclaimed throughout the known world; and as people from throughout the known world responded to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel by believing, trusting and following Jesus, persecution against followers of Jesus began to increase throughout the known world.

And as a result of what the author of the book of Hebrews saw occurring among these Jewish people who claimed to want to follow Jesus but who had become either stalled and stuck, or were considering bailing on Jesus, the writer of the book of Hebrews wrote this letter to communicate a simple but profound message. And that simple and profound message involved the absolute supremacy and superiority of Jesus Christ and Christianity over Judaism.

The writer of Hebrews began his letter by proclaiming the absolute supremacy and superiority of Jesus as the messenger to proclaim God’s message to humanity. And because of the reality that Jesus had a position of absolute supremacy and superiority over the prophets and angels when it came to proclaiming God’s message to humanity, in the second chapter of the book of Hebrews, the writer of Hebrews encouraged the Jewish readers of his letter to pay attention to the superior message of Jesus.

And the Jewish readers of this letter were encouraged to pay attention because of the greatness of Jesus Christ, who was a superior priest than the Levitical priests who led the Jewish religious system as Jesus ushered in a New Covenant, or agreement, between God and man by providing one sacrifice to pay the penalty of the selfishness and rebellion of humanity through His death on the cross. And it is in this context that we jump into this section of this letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible, called the book of Hebrews, beginning in Hebrews 10:19-22. Let’s look at it together:

Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Now to fully understand what the writer of Hebrews is communicating here, we first need to understand a few things about the Jewish sacrificial system. According to the Jewish sacrificial system, there were two times every day that sacrifices were made to God for the sins of the people, one early in the morning and one in the in the late afternoon. These sacrificial offerings involved animals who were offered as a substitute to pay the penalty for acts of selfishness and rebellion that had been committed against God. These sacrifices were to be made on the altar at the Temple in Jerusalem.

In the letters that make up the Old Testament, God provided the Jewish people very clear and detailed instructions when it came to when sacrifices were to be offered and what was to be offered in those sacrifices. A specific group of priests, known as the Levitical priests, were given the position, privilege, and responsibility to help lead the Jewish people in following the Jewish sacrificial system.  In the Jewish sacrificial system, the leader of the Levitical Priests, who was referred to as the High Priest, was responsible to represent the Jewish people before God.

On the Day of Atonement, the High Priest alone would enter into the holy place, also known as the Holy of Holies in the Temple in Jerusalem, in order to offer a sacrifice for his sins and for the sins of the people.  This sacrifice atoned, or covered, the sins that had been committed by the Jewish people. God would see the atoning sacrifice rather than the sin so that the penalty would not be extracted from the person who had sinned. However, the Jewish sacrificial system never removed the sins from the people. Instead it only covered the sins.

In addition, the sacrifice for the people that was made on the Day of Atonement only dealt with the sins that had been committed during the previous year. Thus, every year, the High Priest would have to offer a sacrifice, because the Jewish Sacrificial system never provided an offering that dealt with sin once and for all. In addition, the Jewish sacrificial system never addressed the conscience or the heart of people that had been corrupted by sin.

So in these verses we see the writer of Hebrews remind the readers of his letter that Jesus Christ, who was a superior priest than the Levitical priests who led the Jewish religious system, had ushered in a New Covenant, or agreement, between God and man by providing one sacrificial offering, once and for all, to pay the penalty of the selfishness and rebellion of humanity through His death on the cross. And as a result of Jesus sacrificial death on the cross, in our place, for our selfishness and rebellion, followers of Jesus now have confidence to enter into the very presence of God.

Followers of Jesus have the confidence that we can enter into the very presence of God as a result of placing their confident trust in what Jesus did for us through His life, death, and resurrection. The writer of Hebrews is reminding the readers of his letter, and followers of Jesus throughout history, that Jesus replaced the Jewish sacrificial system and the Levitical priesthood as the way by which humanity could experience a relationship with God and enter into the presence of God.

And because of that reality, in verse 22, the writer of Hebrews urged the readers of his letter to draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith. In other words, the writer of Hebrews was urging followers of Jesus throughout history to approach God with a state of complete certainty in their devotion to Jesus that was based on their confident trust in Jesus. The writer of Hebrews urged followers of Jesus to approach God with a state of complete certainty as a result of having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

In other words, followers of Jesus were urged to approach God with a state of complete certainty because their hearts and consciences had been purified as a result of what God had done through Jesus life, death, and resurrection that had led them to believe, trust, and follow Jesus as Lord and Leader. Followers of Jesus were urged to approach God with a state of complete certainty because they had publicly identified with Jesus through being baptized as a public proclamation of placing their confident trust in Jesus.

But not only were these followers of Jesus strongly urged to draw near and approach the presence of God with a state of confident certainty. The writer of Hebrews also strongly urged the readers of his letter and followers of Jesus throughout history, the do something else.

Friday, we will discover what the writer of Hebrews was urging the readers of his letter to do...

Why should I be a part of a community group?

Every week at the church where I serve, we share the kingdom mission that we have been given as a church, in that City Bible Church is a “city within a city” that is striving the reveal and reflect Christ as we love and serve the city. Every week as we gather together, we share the vision we have in order to accomplish the Kingdom Mission that we have been given by Jesus in that we desire to create environments where you can move on a spiritual journey from the place of being a consumer who is either searching and shopping for answers when it comes to Jesus and the Bible or who view that church as a place that provides spiritual goods and services, to the place where you are an owner who owns and genuine and authentic relationship with Jesus and where you can move from the place of being an owner to being an investor who is investing their time, talents and treasure in the kingdom mission that we have been given.

Every week we share the strategy that we have as a church to accomplish the kingdom mission and vision of the church through the goals that everyone who attends here at City Bible Church would be investing their time in a community group, their talents serving God by serving others on a ministry team, and investing their treasure in a way that reveals and reflects the generosity of Jesus through regular and proportional giving. Now a natural question that could arise at this point is "Well Dave, where did you come up with these desires and goals? And why should I embrace these desires and goals? Why should I be a part of a community group? Why should I be a part of a ministry team? Why should I give to the church?"

If you are asking those questions, I just want you to know that they are great questions to be asking. And my answer to those questions would be this; when we read the letters that make up the Bible, we consistently see that followers of Jesus who are involved in a growing and maturing relationship with Jesus consistently invested their time with other Christians as they gathered corporately for regular weekly worship gatherings and as they scattered to experience community in homes throughout the week. When we read the letters that make up the Bible, we consistently see that followers of Jesus who are involved in a growing and maturing relationship with Jesus consistently invested their talents serving God by serving others through the exercise of their spiritual gifts. And when we read the letters that make up the Bible, we consistently see that followers of Jesus who are involved in a growing and maturing relationship with Jesus consistently invested their treasure to support God’s kingdom mission through regular and proportional giving.

As a church we repeatedly express these desires and these goals not because we want something from you; instead we repeatedly express these desires and goals because we want something for you, which is that you would experience a growing and maturing relationship with Jesus. As a church, we simply want you to experience the relationship with God that you were created for. And part of experiencing the relationship with God that you were created for is to be doing life together in close community with other followers of Jesus.

So this week I would like for us to spend our time together talking about why we believe it is essential for us as followers of Jesus to be consistently investing our time in a community group. And to do that, I would like for us to look at a section of a letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible called the book of Hebrews. However, before we jump into this section of this letter, we first need to spend a few minutes talking about the book of Hebrews.

As the title of the book of Hebrews reveals for us, the book of Hebrews was written around 65 A.D. to the Hebrews, which were Jewish Christians who had never heard or seen Jesus in person, but had learned of Him as the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel had been proclaimed throughout the known world. However, as the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel was proclaimed throughout the known world; and as people from throughout the known world responded to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel by believing, trusting and following Jesus, persecution against followers of Jesus began to increase throughout the known world.

However, while persecution of Christianity increased throughout the world, those who were involved in Judaism were not experiencing persecution. And as a result of what was going on at this time in history, these Jewish people were impacted in two specific ways. First, there were Jewish followers of Jesus who became stalled and stuck when it came to their spiritual growth. Some Jewish followers of Jesus became paralyzed by the persecution that they were experiencing in such a way that they had stopped growing in their relationship with Jesus.

Second, there were some Jewish people who were exploring faith and claimed to be following Jesus who were considering bailing on following Jesus to return to Judaism. After all, Judaism was safe, while following Jesus was proving to be dangerous. Judaism was accepted by the culture of the day, while Christianity was opposed by the culture of the day.

And as a result of what the author of the book of Hebrews saw occurring among these Jewish people who claimed to want to follow Jesus but who had become either stalled and stuck, or were considering bailing on Jesus, the writer of the book of Hebrews wrote this letter to communicate a simple but profound message. And that simple and profound message involved the absolute supremacy and superiority of Jesus Christ and Christianity over Judaism.

The writer of Hebrews began his letter by proclaiming the absolute supremacy and superiority of Jesus as the messenger to proclaim God’s message to humanity. Jesus was a superior messenger as opposed to the prophets because unlike the prophets, Jesus was the hands of the Creation who was the exact representation of the nature of God. Jesus was the visible representation of the invisible God who most fully proclaimed God’s message as a prophet of God who was also the Creator and King of the universe. In addition, the writer of Hebrews proclaimed that Jesus was a superior messenger as opposed to the angels because while angels were servants who ministered and worshipped Jesus as the King and Creator, Jesus was the object of their worship.

And because of the reality that Jesus had a position of absolute supremacy and superiority over the prophets and angels when it came to proclaiming God’s message to humanity, in the second chapter of the book of Hebrews, the writer of Hebrews encouraged the Jewish readers of his letter to pay attention to the superior message of Jesus. The Jewish readers of this letter were encouraged to pay attention to the superior message of the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel, because failing to pay attention would result in greater consequences to those who rejected that message. The Jewish readers of this letter were encouraged to pay attention because of the greatness of the messenger, Jesus Christ, who proclaimed the message of the gospel.

The Jewish readers of this letter were encouraged to pay attention because of the greatness of the messenger, Jesus Christ, who freed us from the power of death through His death on the cross, in our place, for our selfishness and rebellion. The Jewish readers of this letter were encouraged to pay attention because of the greatness of the messenger, Jesus Christ, who frees us from the power of temptation through the example of how He responded to temptation.

The Jewish readers of this letter were encouraged to pay attention because of the greatness of the messenger, Jesus Christ, who was a superior messenger than Moses as a result of being the Son of God who is God, and not just a servant of God. And the Jewish readers of this letter were encouraged to pay attention because of the greatness of Jesus Christ, who was a superior priest than the Levitical priests who led the Jewish religious system as Jesus ushered in a New Covenant, or agreement, between God and man by providing one sacrifice to pay the penalty of the selfishness and rebellion of humanity through His death on the cross.

And it is in this context that we will jump into this section of this letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible, called the book of Hebrews to discover why we believe it is so essential for followers of Jesus to invest their time in a community group.

Tomorrow we will jump into this letter together…

A party happens when those who reject God to do life on their own return to God to live in relationship with Him...

This week, we have been looking at an event from history that is recorded for us in a section of an account of Jesus life in the Bible called the gospel of Luke. So far this week, we looked on as Jesus responded to the grumbling and complaining of a group of self-righteous religious people surrounding Jesus willingness to warmly welcome and engage those who were far from God by telling a parable.

In this parable, Jesus explained that there was a father who had two sons. The younger son did not want a relationship with his father, he just wanted what he could get from his father. After receiving his share of the inheritance, the youngest son gathered his inheritance and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.

After the younger son spent all the money that he had received from his father's inheritance, there was a severe economic downturn. And as a result of the severe economic downturn, the younger son ended up broke and without a job. Jesus explained that, at rock bottom, the younger son had an “a-ha” moment and came to his senses. And as he came to his senses, the younger son came to a conclusion and a decision to own his selfishness and rebellion against his father in hopes that his father would take him in as a servant instead of a son. The son came to the conclusion that he did not deserve to be in a relationship with his father as a result of how he had treated his father.

So the son made the decision to confess his selfishness and rebellion to his father in hopes that that his father would hire him and provide for him as a slave. And with that the son prepared and practiced the speech that he would give to his father and headed off to meet his father.

However, while the younger brother was a long off, his father saw him and had compassion for him. Now the reason the father saw him was because the father was looking for him. Every day, the father spent a good part of the day looking and scanning the horizon in hopes that the younger son would return home. And in his compassion, the father ran to the son. Once he got to his son the father embraced him and kissed him. The father was so glad to have his son in his arms that he did not care about appearances.

And at that point, the son began to give the speech that he had been preparing and practicing throughout the journey from Vegas to his home. 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' However, the father would have none of it, as the father welcomed his son home as a son. And a part of that welcome home the father ordered his servants to make all the preparations necessary so that the father could throw a huge party to celebrate that the younger son had returned home.

The father ordered the servants to prepare to throw a huge party for his son because his son who was separated from him had returned back home to live in relationship with him. The father ordered the servants to prepare to throw a huge party for his son because his son who was an outsider that was lost and far from him had been found by the father who had been searching for him. Jesus then revealed how the father’s oldest son responded to what was happening in verse 25-27:

             "Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. "And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be. "And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.'

Now I want us to take a minute and imagine ourselves in this parable as the older brother. I want us to take a minute and place ourselves in his shoes. You are out working for your dad in the field. And after a hard day's work, as you are returning home from work, you hear the sounds of a party going on. And when you ask why your dad decided to throw a party, you discover that the reason for the party was due to the fact that your younger, rebellious brother who had wished that your dad was dead had returned home.

Your younger brother, who did not want a relationship with his father, but just wanted what he could get from his father had returned home. And your dad is throwing a party for him. You are the older brother. What would you be thinking? How would you be feeling? How would you respond? We see how the older brother responded in verse 28-30:

                "But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him. "But he answered and said to his father, 'Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.'

Did you notice what the older brother did here? Did you notice how the older brother referred to his younger brother? "But when this son of yours came". You see, in his judgmental anger, the older brother had disowned the son. While the father had been searching for the younger brother, the older brother was done with his younger brother. After all, he was an insider with his father, while the younger brother was an outsider. After all, he was better than the younger brother. He was faithful to his father, his younger brother was faithless. He kept all the rules for his father, while his younger brother broke all the rules.

Yet dad was throwing a party for this outsider, younger brother, instead of for the insider, older brother? And in his anger, Jesus tells us that the older brother wanted nothing to do with the younger brother. In his anger, the older brother would not go into the home where the party was. Jesus then concludes His parable by explaining how the father responded to the older brother in verse 31-32:

            "And he said to him, 'Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. 'But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.'"

Did you notice what the father did here? Did you notice how the father referred to the younger brother: "for this brother of yours". You see, the father desperately wanted the older brother to welcome the younger brother back into the family. The father basically said to the son "You have always been with me, you never left me. And remember, I already gave you the half of the inheritance that was coming to you as a result of being my son. But son, we had to throw a party because your brother was separated from us and has now been reunited in relationship with us. We had to throw a party because your younger brother was an outsider that was lost, but now he is an insider that has been found".

Now if you grew up in or spent any time in church, you know that this famous parable has a famous name that is attached to it. This famous parable is referred to as the parable of the prodigal son. But Jesus point in telling this parable was not to focus on the behavior of the younger son who was the prodigal. Jesus point in telling this parable was to focus on the behavior of the older son.

You see, just like the older son, the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled and complained about those who were outsiders that were lost and were far from God hanging out with the Son of God. Just like the older son, the Pharisees and scribes, in their judgmental anger, had disowned those who were outsiders that were lost and were far from God. Just like the older son, while God the Father had been searching for the those who were outsiders that were lost and far from God, the Pharisees and scribes were done with those who were outsiders who were lost and far from God.

After all, the Pharisees and scribes thought that they were insiders with God the Father, while viewing those who were lost and were far from God were outsiders. And in their anger with Jesus, the Pharisees and scribes were threatening to not go into the home of Heaven where the party was going to be held for those who were outsiders that were lost and were far from God but had been found by God through Jesus.

And it is here, in this event from history from the life of Jesus involving a parable addressed to self-righteous people, that we see revealed for us a timeless truth about what would cause Jesus to party and celebrate something that He viewed as being significant and worthy of celebration. And that timeless answer is this: A party happens when those who reject God to do life on their own return to God to live in relationship with Him.

You see, while self-righteous religious people often view those who reject God to do life on their own as being insignificant, God views those who reject God to do life on their own as being very significant. While self-righteous religious people often are not concerned about those who reject God to do life on their own, there is great concern in Heaven for those who reject God to do life on their own. While self-righteous religious people often disown those around them who reject God to do life on their own, Jesus passionately pursues those who reject God to do life on their own.

And just like the father with his prodigal son, Jesus views those who reject God to do life on their own as being significant. And when a person who rejects God to do life on their own returns to God, Jesus views that as being worthy of celebration. And for Jesus a party happens when someone who rejects God to do life on their own returns to God and experiences the forgiveness and relationship with God that they were created for.

So here is a question to consider: if you were to find yourself as a character in this parable, which character would you be? Or better yet, if those who knew you best were to put you into this parable as a character in this parable, which character would they say you would be?

Would you be the younger brother? Would you be the younger brother who has come to the conclusion that you did not deserve to be in a relationship with his father as a result of how you have treated God your Heavenly Father? Would you be the younger brother who has come the decision to confess your selfishness and rebellion to your Heavenly Father in hopes that He would forgive you and welcome you back home?

Or would you be the older brother? Would you be one of the Pharisees, a self-righteous religious person who thinks they are insiders when it comes to God? Would you be one of the self-righteous religious people who grumble and complain about those who reject God to do life on their own hanging out with followers of Jesus? Would you be one of the self-righteous religious people who, in their judgmental anger, had disowned those who reject God to do life on their own? Would you be one of the self-righteous religious people who is threatening to not go into the party of Heaven where there will be great joy over those who reject God to do life on their own returning to God?  If you were to find yourself in the event from history, who would you be?

And, how are you responding to Jesus coming to earth to invite those who rejected God to do life on their own to return to God to live in relationship with Him? And how have you responded when a person who rejected God to do life on their own returned to God to live in relationship with Him?

When a person who rejected God to do life on their own returned to God to live in relationship with Him., do you view that as being worthy of celebration? Do you have a party when someone who rejected God to do life on their own returns to God to experience the forgiveness and relationship with God that they were created for?  And are you doing what you can do to let those around you who have rejected God to do life on their own know that they are significant to God? Are you doing what you can do to help those around you who reject God to do life on their own come to the place where a party can happen because they have returned to God to live in relationship with Him?

Because, as we have discovered, a party happens when those who reject God to do life on their own return to God to live in relationship with Him.

A Father's Response to the Return of His Prodigal Son...

This week we are looking at an event from history that is recorded for us in a section of an account of Jesus life in the Bible called the gospel of Luke. In this section of the gospel of Luke, as Jesus was traveling toward the city of Jerusalem, large crowds were accompanying Him. And part of these large crowds consisted of tax collectors and sinners. These tax collectors and sinners were people who did not measure up to moral standards of the day in a way that resulted in them being viewed as outsiders who were far from God and who were viewed as outsiders by others.            

And as these tax collectors and sinners who were far from God and who were viewed as outsiders were listening to the message and teachings of Jesus, both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them". Another section of the crowd, composed of the self righteous religious people of the day, responded to Jesus welcoming and engaging with those who were outsiders that were far from God by grumbling and complaining out loud. Jesus responded to the grumbling and complaining of these self righteous religious people by telling a parable.

In this parable, Jesus explained that there was a father who had two sons. The younger son did not want a relationship with his father, he just wanted what he could get from his father. The father responded to his sons request for his half of the inheritance by dividing up his estate between his older and the younger sons.

After receiving his share of the inheritance, the youngest son gathered his inheritance and "went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.” The younger son went as far away from his father as he could and lived a life that was as far from his father's lifestyle as he could.

Jesus then explained that, if this parable was being told today, that "after the younger son spent all the money that he had received from his father's inheritance, there was a severe economic downturn. And as a result of the severe economic downturn, the younger son ended up broke and without a job. As a matter of fact, things became so bad that the only job that the younger son could get was to work for a local casino cleaning out their garbage dumpsters with a toothbrush. And while he was so hungry that he wanted to eat all of the food that had been thrown into the dumpster, his bosses would not allow him to eat the food that had been thrown into the dumpster. So every day the younger son spent his day cleaning out nasty casino dumpsters with a toothbrush, while desperately wanting to eat the food that others had thrown away as being no good to eat."

Now, here is a question to consider: Could it get any worse for the younger son? You have burned your relational bridges with your family. You are broke and without a job. You have no friends. You are lost and alone. You have hit rock bottom. If you were the younger brother, what would you do? What could you do? Maybe you can relate to the younger brother. Maybe you feel like you have hit rock bottom. We see what the younger brother did in verse 17-20a:

             "But when he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! 'I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men. ²⁰ So he got up and came to his father."'

Jesus explained that, at rock bottom, the younger son had an “a-ha” moment and came to his senses. And as he came to his senses, the younger son came to a conclusion and a decision. The younger son came to the conclusion that his father's servants had it much better off than he had it off. The younger son came to the conclusion that his father treated his servants in a way that was way better off than he was being treated.

And as a result of coming to that conclusion, the younger son made the decision to return to his father and ask to be hired on as one of his servants. The younger son made the decision to own his selfishness and rebellion against his father in hopes that his father would take him in as a servant instead of a son.

You see, the son came to the conclusion that he did not deserve to be in a relationship with his father as a result of how he had treated his father. So the son made the decision to confess his selfishness and rebellion to his father in hopes that that his father would hire him and provide for him as a slave. And with that the son prepared and practiced the speech that he would give to his father and headed off to meet his father. Jesus then tells us what happens next in the second half of verse 20b-21:

                “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. "And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

Jesus explained that while the younger brother was a long off, his father saw him and had compassion for him. Now the reason the father saw him was because the father was looking for him. Every day, the father spent a good part of the day looking and scanning the horizon in hopes that the younger son would return home. Can you imagine looking on as the father spent day after day looking and hoping that his son would return home?

Then one day, as the father looked over the horizon for his son, in the distance he saw the faint outline of a figure. And as the faint outline of that figure came closer and closer, soon the father recognized that the figure in the distance was his son. The father recognized the familiar way that his son carried himself as he walked. The father recognized the familiar frame of his son.

And as the father came to the realization that it was his son that was coming toward him, Jesus explained that the father felt compassion for him and ran and embraced him and kissed him. You see, as the father saw his son approaching in the distance, he had pity for what his son had been through. The wear and tear of a life lived in rebellion against him was evident. The life of a lack of sleep and a lack of food caused his figure to be gaunt and tired. The lifestyle of whiskey, wine, and women had resulted in his son looking worn and weak.

And in his compassion, the father ran to the son. In other words, the father would have had to pick up the robe that he was wearing up to his waist and hold it there as he ran to his son. Now in the Jewish culture of the first century, no self-respecting man would have done such a thing. After all, to act in such a way would be embarrassing. But the father did not care what others thought; the father just wanted to get to his son. And once he got to his son the father embraced him and kissed him. The father was so glad to have his son in his arms that he did not care about appearances.

And at that point, the son began to give the speech that he had been preparing and practicing throughout the journey from Vegas to his home. 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' However, the father would have none of it, as we see in verse 22-24:

             "But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate.

Jesus explained to the crowds listening that instead of hiring his son as a servant, the father welcomed his son home as a son. And a part of that welcome home the father ordered his servants to make all the preparations necessary so that the father could throw a huge party to celebrate that the younger son had returned home.

The father ordered the servants to prepare to throw a huge party for his son because his son who was separated from him had returned back home to live in relationship with him. The father ordered the servants to prepare to throw a huge party for his son because his son who was an outsider that was lost and far from him had been found by the father who had been searching for him.

Friday, we will see Jesus reveal how the fathers oldest son responded to the return of his younger brother...

A parable involving a father and his two sons...

At the church where I serve, we just came to the conclusion of a sermon series entitled Party. During this series, we are discovering that when we read the letters that make up the Bible, we discover that God loves a good party. And when we read the accounts of Jesus life that are recorded for us in the Bible, we see that Jesus loved a good party. Jesus loved to celebrate that things that He viewed a significant with the people He viewed as being significant.

But if that is the case; when did Jesus throw a party? When did Jesus celebrate? What did Jesus believe was significant enough to be worthy of celebration? And when did early followers of Jesus throw a party to celebrate something that they viewed as being significant and worthy of celebration?

During this series, we are going to look at three different events from history that are found in the letters that make up the New Testament of the Bible that provide the answer to these questions. And as we go through this series, my hope and my prayer is that God would move by the power of the Holy Spirit in our heads, hearts, and hands to empower us to be able to celebrate that things that Jesus viewed a significant with the people He viewed as being significant, so that we can reveal and reflect the celebratory heart of Jesus to those around us.

This week, as we come to the conclusion of this series, I would like for us to look at a third event from history that is recorded for us in a section of an account of Jesus life in the Bible called the gospel of Luke. And it is in this event from history that we will discover a timeless truth about what would cause Jesus to party and celebrate something that He viewed as being significant and worthy of celebration.

Before we jump into this event from history, I would like to spend a few minutes providing the context in which this encounter with Jesus would take place. In this section of the gospel of Luke, as Jesus was traveling toward the city of Jerusalem, large crowds were accompanying Him. And part of these large crowds consisted of tax collectors and sinners. These tax collectors and sinners were people who did not measure up to moral standards of the day in a way that resulted in them being viewed as outsiders who were far from God and who were viewed as outsiders by others.  

And as these tax collectors and sinners who were far from God and who were viewed as outsiders were listening to the message and teachings of Jesus, both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them". Another section of the crowd, composed of the self-righteous religious people of the day, responded to Jesus welcoming and engaging with those who were outsiders that were far from God by grumbling and complaining out loud.

Jesus responded to the grumbling and complaining of these self-righteous religious people by telling a parable. Now a parable is an earthly story that reveals a deeper spiritual truth. And it is in this context that we are going to jump into this section of the gospel of Luke as Jesus tells a third parable to the crowds listening. So let’s look at this parable together, beginning in Luke 15:11-13:

         And He said, "A man had two sons. "The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.' So he divided his wealth between them. "And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.

In this parable, Jesus explained that there was a father who had two sons. Now when Jesus states that the younger son said to his father "Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me", here is what the younger son was really saying to his father: Father, I wish you were dead so that I would not have to deal with you. But since you are not dead, give me what I should get from you once you are dead.”

You see, the younger son did not want a relationship with his father, he just wanted what he could get from his father. Jesus then explained that the father responded to his sons request by granting his request. The father divided up his estate between his older and the younger sons. Now here is a question to consider: If your child talked that way to you, would you have given him what he asked for?

Now, you might have given him something else, but you wouldn't have given him an inheritance from you, would you? After all, your child does not want a relationship with you, he just wants something from you. To give your child an inheritance after saying such a thing would seem foolish, wouldn't it? You would have to be incredibly gracious and forgiving to do such a thing, wouldn't you?

Jesus then explained that after receiving his share of the inheritance, the youngest son gathered his inheritance and "went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.” Now, if Jesus was telling this parable today, this parable might have sounded something like this: the younger son took all that he received from his father and moved to Vegas. And once in Vegas, the younger son hit all the strip clubs and crap tables. The younger son called all the numbers that he got from the flyers that they hand out on the strip and had some fun. The younger son got his groove on at all the local clubs."

In other words, the younger son did everything that his father had taught him not to do. The younger son went as far away from his father as he could and lived a life that was as far from his father's lifestyle as he could. We see what happens next in verse 14-16:

        "Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. "So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. "And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him.

Now, if Jesus was telling this parable today, these verses might have sounded something like this: After the younger son spent all the money that he had received from his father's inheritance, there was a severe economic downturn. And as a result of the severe economic downturn, the younger son ended up broke and without a job. As a matter of fact, things became so bad that the only job that the younger son could get was to work for a local casino cleaning out their garbage dumpsters with a toothbrush. And while he was so hungry that he wanted to eat all of the food that had been thrown into the dumpster, his bosses would not allow him to eat the food that had been thrown into the dumpster. So every day the younger son spent his day cleaning out nasty casino dumpsters with a toothbrush, while desperately wanting to eat the food that others had thrown away as being no good to eat."

Now, here is a question to consider: Could it get any worse for the younger son? You have burned your relational bridges with your family. You are broke and without a job. You have no friends. You are lost and alone. You have hit rock bottom. If you were the younger brother, what would you do? What could you do?

Maybe I have just described you. Maybe you can relate to the younger son. Maybe you feel like you have hit rock bottom. Tomorrow, we will see what the younger son did at rock bottom…