The Prodigal Son - Pt. 2

This is from 11 to 32, but I I'm starting lower down to save time Because we're gonna look at the father's response father I have sinned against heaven and before thee and I'm no more worthy to be called thy son make me as one of I hired servants.

And he arose and came to his father but when he had yet a great way far off his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him and. And the son said of the father I have sinned against heaven and I sight and no more worthy to be called by son but the father said to his servants bring forth the best Rome and put on put it on and put the ring on his hand and Shoes on his feet and bring him hither the fatted calf and kill it and let us eat and be merry.

For this my son was dead and is alive again. He was lost and Astound and they began to be married. Now his elder son was in the field and as he came drew an eye to the house. He heard music and dancing and he called.

And he said to him my brother is come. And my father hath killed the fatted cat because he had received him safe and sound and he was angry And would not go in therefore and came out. Therefore his father came out and treated him and he answering said to his father low these many years I do serve thee neither transgressed.

I at any time my commandment and yet thou never gave us me a kid That I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this my son was come which hath devoured by living with harlots. That was killed for him the fatted calf and he said unto him son Thou art ever with me and all that I have is thine and it was meat that we should make merry and be glad for this my brother was dead and Is alive again and was lost and is found.

Please be seated. The other worthy son recedes home and is freely pardoned accepted and even blessed by the father. These are perhaps the most touching Deeply affecting words ever written. They are intended to teach us about the amazing infinite love of God in Christ toward his people.

In The story there are three notable things that merit our close attention first. The father saw his son while at a good distance away. This little detail indicates that the lost son was on his father's heart the whole time.

He was gone. The senator rejected his father and treated him with contempt. But the father never stopped loving his son even for a moment. The son was in his thoughts. There was a deep longing longing to see a son saved and restored while we must be very careful about when trying to Tying parables to particular doctrines.

We are safe and seeing here the love of God towards elect sinners. Remember the old sticker. Well, if you're really old, you remember the 70s the old I found a campaign. No, you didn't find it. God found you in the dung and pulled you out.

They are loved before the foundation of the world and they are loved by Jesus while they are still enemies of God. The great distance and the father's first sight of his son are intended To underline the fact that it is a loving father who actively initiates the restoration.

When the father saw his son he was moved with compassion. He saw his son walking toward the estate and he was dressed in filthy rags barefoot half starved to death. Smelly filthy. He looked almost as bad as someone walking out of the gate of a concentration camp.

When his father saw this he there was a deep overwhelming sense of pity for his son. God looks upon elect sinners with the eyes of mercy. The self-induced mercy of misery of sin, which the son fully deserved Caused the father to have mercy and This pity moved him to pardon his sins cover them over and forget them forever.

God has mercy on us people by covering their sins with the blood of Christ. The love and compassion of God is the sinners great. Hope. God's love sent Jesus to the earth to die for sinners and his compassion applies hit that perfect word to them in history as Paul says Ephesians 2 1 to 9.

And you we made alive who are dead and trespasses in sins in which you once walked according to the course Of this world according to the prince of power of the air the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.

Among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh Fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature children of wrath just as the others. But God who is rich in mercy because of his great love with which he loved us.

Even when we were dead and trespasses made us alive together with Christ by grace. You have been saved and raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus for by grace you have been saved through faith and not not of yourselves.

It is the gift of God not of works. Lest anyone should boast second. The father's great love is further emphasized by running to his son and embracing him. He ran and fell on his neck and kissed him verse 20.

The father's love is so intense. He completely throws off Jewish Behavioral conventions and runs with joy and excitement to his son. He throws his arms around his filthy Starving smelly son and holds on to him and then kisses him tenderly and fervently.

We see here Not a qualified or half-hearted acceptance of a son, but rather a wholehearted acceptance coupled With an uninhibited exhibition of joy and happiness because of his son's return. This kiss was the seal of forgiveness.

He would not have hugged and kissed him if he were angry with him and Rejected him as a son. No, he clearly forgives him all. Oftentimes actions speak louder than words. At this point the father had not spoken one word.

Yet the unworthy son now knows the amazing unmovable forgiving love of his father. The genius of this parable is seen in how our Lord uses the analogy of parental affection to pull on the audience's heartstrings.

The Pharisees scribes were not simply self-righteous hypocrites who taught a damnable false doctrine of salvation. But they had also perverted the doctrine of God by greatly limiting his attributes of love mercy and grace.

Anybody who says that Christ does not have the power to save her who does not actually save but only make salvation possible. To those who exercise their free will is a heretic. New representation could better instruct us on the source of our forgiveness and and Undeserved favor by God.

Jesus here is not simply obliterating the Pharisee is legalism. But is showing the people why the gospel of faith alone deserves their full trust. God's love of his people is infinite and ready and willing to fully forgive them the moment they believe in Christ.

In fact if we use the analogy of Scripture We see that God reached out to the sinner while he will still in the ping pin. Covered with mud covered with excrement of the pigs and he changed his heart and enabled him to see the truth and repent.

Yeah, the Arminian gospel is a false gospel a damnable gospel an insult to the grace and mercy of God as Sinners saved by grace. It is important for us to meditate on God's love toward the elect. It is a love that truly saves it is a compassion that really forgives.

Because of the remaining sinful nature within us we constantly fall short of what God requires. Even though we have decisively broken away from our unconverted life. Therefore we need to continually place our faith in this infinite love in order to avoid spiritual depression and despair over our continual shortcomings.

The Puritans got obsessed with bellybutton theology. Constantly examining themselves too much to the point where everybody doubted their salvation. They stopped taking the Lord's Supper and a whole generation of Puritans was lost.

The God of the Bible is not an unloving selfish figure. He was uncaring and distant. No He loves us with a love so great. It is beyond our comprehension. The scripture reading we just had he sends Gabriel an archangel from the very throne room of God.

It is a love so amazing that it sent the Lord Jesus to the cross to die for our sins. Jesus pictures the redeeming grace of God in such vivid colors because it is vitally necessary to sustain our faith.

The conscience that is deeply convicted of sin almost to the point of despair. Must take refuge in the love compassion and mercy of God. This is a wonderful living and true God of Scripture that we all serve.

Never let us water down this precious doctrine by adopting our mini in theology. Which teaches that God has this kind of love for all men without exception. Even though he has no intention of saving or forgiving of regenerating.

Anyone it's up to them to save themselves through an autonomous act of the unencumbered will.

Heresy.

It insults the love of God. It insults the power of Christ. It insults the power of the cross. In the empty tomb God brings those he loves to their senses and he causes them to repent and believe and the rest.

Tragically, he hardens Romans 9. Interestingly. The younger son does not conclude that this loving reception makes his prepared confession irrelevant. He understood that a crucial aspect of repentance is to confess one's sin to God and the offended party.

So he sticks to his plan. But it is noteworthy that he leaves out one part of the prepared statement. His confession Follows his plan to the letter, but he omits the words make me like one of your hired servants.

The gracious reception on the part of the father made such words unnecessary. The father had already made it crystal clear that he was a cherished son a loved son not a slave.

This.

Aspect of the parable is in complete harmony with the New Testament teaching that Jesus redemption involves more than pardon. The one who believes in Jesus is clothed with Christ's perfect righteousness and adopted into God's own family.

We're part of God's family. While we are servants of Christ bought by the with his blood First Corinthians, I forgot to write down that text. I think it's six or seven. We are regarded as sons in the beloved.

Third.

The father blesses his son and restores him to full fellowship. But the father said to his servants bring out the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and sandals On a seat and bring the fatted calf here and kill it and let us eat and be married for this My son was dead and is alive again.

He was lost and Is found and they began to be married. Verses 22 to 24. It is interesting that in spite of the son's horrid appearance There is not a foolish word. There's not a single word about his foolish decision to leave home His grossly immoral behavior or the disaster that he had made of his life.

There are no rebukes or I told you so's. The father has come Not to reprove but to bless. The father's forgiveness is so complete that is in his joy so boundless That he intends to treat his son not as a vile sinner as a rebel But rather someone someone as righteous dignified and important.

See in the day of judgment God doesn't see you in your filthy stinking rags for they've been removed and replaced with the robes of Christ's righteousness. He gets royal treatment. Once again, the symbolism here is fitting for the gospel.

Because of what Christ has done the father treats believing sinners as though they had never sinned at all. Their sins are not reckoned to their account because Jesus paid the price in full for them at the cross.

And keeping with this the father tells the servant to bring forth the best robe. The Greek Literally means a robe the first. Perhaps this refers to the best out of the father's own wardrobe the best robe that the father possesses.

This would be a long flowing robe of expensive materials worn on festive or formal occasions. The father is not merely Supplying the immediate needs of his son who returned in worn filthy tattered clothing.

He is showing him a great honor. By way of application the festive robe properly represents the imputation of the righteousness of Christ and the position in God's family that that brings. Yes, we're forgiven by Christ he takes all of our sin our guilt our Liability of punishment on the cross and he burns it all away removes it completely.

But that's the only part of the gospel the rep. He also imputes his perfect positive righteousness to our account on the Day of Judgment. God sees the perfect righteousness of Christ when a person believes in Christ.

There are two key aspects of the salvation. That result in a person's justification. Negatively speaking the person's sin Guilt are imputed to Christ that removes the guilt and liability of punishment by his suffering and death.

You deserve to go to hell. Christ experienced hell in your place. You deserve to pay for your sins. He paid for your sins in full. That is what redemption is. Christ sacrifice of himself released the sinner from condemnation in hell.

The believing sinner sins are washed away cleansed covered with the blood of the Redeemer. They are put away forever by the divine human mediators once sacrificed for sin. If the parable had even been more detailed this could have been pictured by the removal of the young son's filthy smelly rotting clothes as Well as a theory thorough washing of his filthy stinking body.

Now positively speaking. There's the imputation of the believer to the believing sinner of the righteousness of Christ. To understand this teaching we must see what the moral law requires. The law of God the moral law requires two things of every person.

First.

To violate the law involves the penalty of death in the fullest sense of the word. In this involves spiritual death the curse of the law. Separation from God and God's displeasure and wrath and I've listed several passages for the sake of time.

I'll you can look those up later. Physical death the suffering of hell the lake of fire. It is this requirement of the law that sent Jesus to the cross of Calvary to suffer and die in the place of his people.

And this is a doctrine of which most evangelicals are well aware. Yeah, Jesus went to the cross to pay for sin. That's pretty well known. Second the moral law also requires a perfect obedience. If a person has the guilt of sin removed that person has been delivered from hell or the curse of the law.

However, if he is to enter heaven if he is to have the reward that the law promises for perfect obedience. The covenant works in the garden. Which was never fulfilled by Adam and Eve they broke it then he needs the righteousness or perfect obedience of another.

To put the matter another way if one had his sins removed only then he would be innocent like Adam in the garden. But Adam even in his innocency did not yet have a title to glorified life. Because he had not yet perpetually obeyed God's test.

Eternal life that is promised when you believe in Christ is a glorified eternal life. You can never sin you can never fall forever. It is for this reason that the New Testament so often speaks of the necessity of the righteousness of Christ the righteousness of God or the righteousness of faith.

Romans 10 3 and 4 and 6 5 10 and 19 4 11 13 9 30 3 5 21 22 2nd Corinthians 520 in Galatians 5 5 Philippians 3 9, etc. By his perfect obedience. Jesus has earned heaven eternal life or glorification for us.

That's why his resurrection from the tomb is the Paradigm the pattern of our resurrection. He earned eternal life. He earned a glorified body and because of what he did and we were united with him in his death and resurrection.

We will receive those glorified bodies as well. Thus the younger son is not simply restored to a regular standing but to a glorified standing. He is blessed and treated like a king. The righteousness of Christ is the royal robe which clothed us after the Philly filthy stinking rags of our sins have been removed.

It is a spotless sparkling white robe that God beholds when he looks upon us. And Jesus has clothed us with garments or self of salvation and covered us with his robes of righteousness Isaiah 61 10. It is the only garment That gets us into the wedding supper of the Lamb and you remember the parable.

Where are your wedding clothes? How did you get in here? Where are your wedding clothes? And he was cast into the outer darkness where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth because he did not have the imputed righteousness of Christ.

Where Adam failed and we all fell miserably the Savior was victorious. His victorious Lee rendered he victoriously rendered the obedience which Adam as mankind's representative failed to render first Corinthians 130.

But of him you are in Christ Jesus who became for us wisdom from God and righteousness and Sanctification and redemption that as it is written he who glories let him glory in the Lord Romans 10 for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

This is a wonderful comforting doctrine. Yes. The Bible talks about our works being evaluated on the Day of Judgment. But not evaluated in the sense of the federal vision. Heretics who talk about God's gonna see if they're good enough.

And then he's gonna let you in know. It's relating to the rewards of grace that you receive in heaven for the works. You've done on earth there's nothing to do with earning heaven and Nobody if your works are pretty mediocre Paul talks about them being burned up, but you're still saved.

The gospel is not Christ's pardon plus our obedience. If it was no one would go to heaven. For our best works are tainted with sin Luke 17 10 and Philippians 3 8 and 9. That's why Paul says I regard all my works all of my best works my best works are a stinking pile of excrement in God's sight.

Now the gospel begins and ends with Christ. He procures forgiveness and he is our righteousness. We are the righteousness of God in him. 2nd Corinthians 521. When we stand before the judgment seat of God Christ is our righteousness.

He answers for us. He presents our own infinite merit is the all-sufficient reason for our justification before God Romans 3 and of course Philippians 3. After the younger sons filthy garments are replaced by a rich robe to make him Presentable and honorable a ring is placed on a stinger.

The ring is a sign of honor wealth and distinction Genesis 41 Exodus 3 10 James 2 2 etc. And the ancient world rings would be marked and used for seals. They would be pressed into wax to send a letter seal a document or a deed if the son was given a signet ring as most commentators Suppose or agree.

This would be an additional sign of acceptance and the bestowal of authority. The father does not treat the son as a slave or As a common worker or as a disobedient son who cannot be trusted. No, he has play.

He has the place of honor and authority. By way of application a signet ring points us to the incredible blessing of the sealing we received by God's Holy Spirit. Whereby we are assured of our eternal salvation and the full inheritance that one day we will be given on the final day.

God through Christ has anointed us and sealed us and given us the spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. 2nd Corinthians 122. The spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. Romans 8 816.

Because we have the firstfruits of the spirit. We eagerly wait for the adoption the redemption of our bodies. Romans 8 23.

Yeah.

Salvation includes your soul and your body. We are saved. We're justified now. We are being saved in the broader sense of the term. Sanctification is progressive and We will be saved in the future. When we are resurrected body Comes out of the tomb and we're fully glorified.

That's why the full preterist heresy the idea that everything's already happened is a total damnable heresy. Because they believe that the body remains dead and rotted forever they that are sanctified are adorned and dignified are put in power as Joseph was by Pharaoh's giving him a ring put a ring on his hand to be before him a constant Memorial of his father's kindness.

That he may never forget it in his destitution. The son approached home in bare feet. In The ancient world going barefoot was a sign of slavery. Consequently the father orders the servants to put shoes on his feet sandal.

A son and a freeman must have all the marks of prosperity and Liberty. By way of application the justified sinner is to henceforth walk worthily as a son by living a Sanctified life and be walking in the footsteps of Jesus the captain of our salvation the lead climber the captain.

After the younger son is forgiven showered with love and affection and clothed like a prince. His salvation is celebrated with a great feast. The servants are to kill a fatted calf and prepare it for a celebrative meal.

The expression fatted calf would in Jewish context. Refer to a choice one year old animal. The meat of the younger animal was much more tender desirable and very expensive. This is the best of the best.

The killing of an animal to honor special guests was part of the oriental culture. For example, Genesis 18 7 to 8 in modern America Where meat is inexpensive and consumed on almost a daily basis the killing of a fatted calf does not hold its proper significance to a first century Jew Who only occasionally ate meat usually only on special festive occasions?

For example a marriage feast or a special religious holy day. This meal would indicate something very very special. We take meat for granted. It's cheap. But in the ancient world meat was something for special occasion.

The killing of the fatted calf does not symbolize the Savior's atoning death or the sacraments. It rather points to the great celebration of salvation where relatives and guests would be invited in to participate in the joy of the younger son's restoration.

The purpose is made clear in 23 be let us eat and be merry. Joy. This first corresponds to the climax of the previous two parables as a joyful She purter summons his friends and neighbors in verse 6 and the rejoicing women her friends verse 9.

So here the father gathers everyone on the larger state to participate in his great joy. Our Lord's comments at the end of the previous parables indicate that when a sinner repents and is saved heaven itself celebrates with joy.

Yes, the angels the throne room everybody is celebrates with joy. The point is that the Pharisees and scribes should rejoice as the church and the angels Do instead of murmuring and complaining they should rejoice as God brings in the Gentiles, which they will not.

This section ends with the father's reason for this magnificent celebration. For this my son was dead. And is alive again. He was lost and is found and they began to be merry verse 24. If one strictly follows the story of straight history than the word dead would be interpreted as Dead to the family or assumed to be physically dead.

But more likely however that Jesus intends this and other the other three metaphors alive lost found to be interpreted spiritually.

If.

They were not viewed theologically they had little to the story. With this in mind Christ is teaching that prior to conversion men are in a state of spiritual death. All of human existence no matter how outwardly vital prosperous and happy apart from Jesus Christ in the fellowship with God He brings is described as death.

Before faith and repentance we were dead in trespasses and sins. Ephesians 2 5. Paul describes the why of the younger son's riotous life in a foreign land perfectly in Romans 8 5 to 8. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds of the things of the flesh but those who live according to the spirit the Things of the spirit.

For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God nor indeed can be. So then those who were in the flesh cannot please God.

And that was a favorite passage of Luther's in refuting the Arminians of his day. Before salvation all men are dead and Adam the federal head of the human race Romans 5 on account of their covenantal connection to him dead.

Also because we've also all grievously violated God's law and dead morally. Because of the pollution of our minds and conscience our understanding was darkened and our will was enslaved to an evil heart.

But thank God Yahweh did not leave us in such a horrid condition. The believer is alive because of the spirit of life from Jesus has entered into his heart and he is born again John 3 3 and 8 he is born from above.

Regenerated Titus 3 5 made alive or quickened. Ephesians 2 5 the victorious Savior who is at God's right hand has sent his spirit to create spiritual life in us. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

John 3 6 as Paul has said Titus 3 5 not by works of righteousness, which we have done but according to his mercy. He saved us through the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit 2nd Corinthians 4 6 for it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge Of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Because of the implantation of spiritual life we were seemingly We were drawn to Christ. We are given the gifts of faith and repentance they come in regeneration, even though we are the ones who repent and we're the ones who have faith and Now we are new creatures in Christ 2nd Corinthians 5 17 therefore if any was in anyone is in Christ.

He is a new creation. All things have passed away behold all things have become new. When Paul declares that for Christians old things have passed away the sense the verb is in the aorist tense points back to that definite moment or event.

The experience of the new birth it is then that the old things the distinctions prejudices Misconceptions and enslavement to the former unregenerate way of life assume the character of pastness. There in the past The whole day are become new note the tense again this time in the perfect indicating that all things became and continue to become new.

For the newness of God's new creation. It's not a newness that in the course of time Paul's and grows old and is outmoded. It is a newness that is everlastingly new. That's why the Puritans called regeneration initial sanctification.

You have the Holy Spirit now. Yes, you have to deal with the flesh. Yes, they have to reject the world. Yes, they have to Watch and pray against temptation, etc. But now that you have the Holy Spirit your life will be one of victory.

You will persevere you will be victorious. The life that Jesus gives us is spiritual and eternal. Crisis conquer death. Comprehensively the new birth issues forth into conversion sanctification and even glorification.

Note our Lord's amazing words. Most assuredly I say to you He who hears my word and believes in him who set me as everlasting life. And shall not come to judgment, but has passed from death into life.

John 45 24 if you believe in Christ you are pardoned forgiven Justified and possess eternal life this very moment. You will be delivered from the second death and even your physical body will be resurrected and made into a glorified.

Immortal.

Incorruptible body amazing Christ saves the whole man body and soul. The person who repents and embraces Christ is no longer legally or spiritually dead and Even his physical death will be conquered at the final resurrection.

No wonder the angels of God rejoice over such an amazing salvation. Everyone who exists needs to carefully note our Lord's words which describe the vast difference between the position of a believer or true Christian and all those who do not believe.

It is nothing less than the difference between life and death. Heaven and hell eternal joy with God and eternal sufferings in the lake of fire. It is not a topic that once you take lightly If you have not believed in Christ as he is revealed in the scriptures you are dead.

Spiritually judicially you are damned you are lost. You cannot pass from death into life until you hear Jesus voice in the gospel and embrace it. Our Lord said this is from John 10 9 11 27 28. I am the door if Anyone enters by me. He will be saved.

I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives his life for the sheep. My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give them eternal life and they shall never perish. Neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand.

The contrast pair of dead and alive is strengthened by the addition of the words of opposition lost and found. Whereas the first two words are personal and applied to the younger son state. The second pair is clearly relational.

The son was not lost in the geo Graphical sense but was lost in that his relationship to God and his father was broken. This makes perfect sense for the term lost is picked up From the last two parables where lost is interpreted as unsaved or alienated from God.

The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. By casting off the authority of his father and Rejecting what had been taught about God in his youth the younger son left himself without direction without meaning without true spiritual knowledge or true ethics.

Yes, he was lost in the sense that he was not saved. But he was also lost in the sense that his life was a complete waste because of his spiritual state. The unsaved life is a lost life a worthless life.

It is trash. Yes, you might put out some great music. You might be a great guitar player. You might be a great sculptor, but that's not going to do you any give you any comfort burning in hell. A Life without Christ is one of complete vanity.

There is nothing sadder about the heathen than the fact that their whole life is a monument to foolishness and stupidity. What could be more tragic than a life completely wasted? You see we derive our purpose and meaning from the true and living God of Scripture and his son Jesus Christ the word made manifest.

People need to understand that Christianity is not a pie-in-the-sky religion where people leave their rat rationality at the door to embrace any rational leap of faith. Or a leap in the dark Kind of worldview it is exactly quite the opposite.

The believer like the parable says earlier is the one who comes to his senses. Once he has embraced Christ. He is no longer waters aimlessly and spends a lot of time in in a pig pen. Hey going out to the bars and getting drunk and strip clubs and snorting coke and hanging out with whores and sluts.

That's the life of a pig pen. You're covered with pig excrement. That's what God sees. That's what your life is worthless. Now he lives for Christ and that is the abundant life. That is the life of meaning that is the life of happiness and blessedness.

There is a certain irony here and that the younger son wanted his independence to go out and find himself so to speak. But the only thing he found was meaningless and misery. After he comes to his senses and abandons his autonomy to embrace his father he finds himself.

Because he is saved from himself. We need to be saved from ourselves the wicked stupid dead Christ hating God hating law hating Pagan that we were. Instead of living in filthy rags among pigs excrement starving to death.

He is dressed like a prince at a great feast. His life was truly found. That is he was delivered from sin and its consequences and thus began a loving joyful relationship with his father. The rich table in the father's house is the preliminary of the heavenly feast.

That we will all experience in this verse. There are pictured all the spiritual gifts foods joys and blessings that are found on the table of God's abounding grace. The senior the younger son's reception ends with the whole household and perhaps invited guests in a state of rejoicing and They began to be married.

The verb here means to rejoice or make merry or exhibit gladness or cheerfulness. These people were so happy and if such a joyful state of mind over the younger sons Salvation that they had to express themselves in great celebration.

The father throws a feast or a large party with musical instruments and even perhaps dancing. In His unconverted state the younger son began to be in want. He was miserable. He was unhappy. He knew that he was under the curse of God's law.

His friends and loved ones were sad because he had chosen the broad path that leads to destruction. And When he was converted Sadness turns to joy and misery to great happiness. He's returned. People who portray Christianity as a sad depressing Tao religion do not know scripture professing Christians who turn worship into a funeral procession or something exceptionally subdued and boring are being Inconsistent with the joy and happiness that Jesus is brought to his people.

It calls to mind that passage in Ephesians, which is also found in Colossians. Where Paul is giving a section on sanctification and he's saying well don't do this do this and he gets to the part about Drunkenness.

Well, don't get drunk with wine. Get together and have a psalm sin while unbelievers express great joy. An exaltation over meaningless nonsense such as sports team winning a championship. Christians rejoice over real meaningful crucial events with eternal consequences.

If the church and even heaven itself rejoices over the conversion of one sinner. This ought to be an incentive to us to be more evangelistic toward the unsaved around us. Note Paul's attitude regarding those he brought to Christ.

This is from 1st Thessalonians 2 19 to 20. For what is our hope or joy or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ that is coming for you are our glory and joy. A Million years from now a billion years from now.

You can walk up and say hey Bob. Remember me. I'm that goofy guy dressed like a slob that witnessed to you in the park a Sign of being God's true children is that we have the same attitude toward the repentance of sinners and the gathering of his elect as.

He does.

The Pharisees the scribes hated the fact that sinners were.

Repenting and.

Coming to Christ and I guess we have a little bit of time to look at the lesson of the older brother. Do we have time? Now following this section on the younger son's reception. We see the final scene of The parable which deals with the wicked attitude and unbelief of the older brother.

I'm not gonna read it to save time. We read it earlier. This section sets forth a second climax that is not found in the previous two parables. The scene begins at the older brother Out working in the field.

He is placed there in the story so that we are to understand That he is not yet aware of the joyful reception of the younger son. He doesn't know what's going on. The older brother is clearly intended to represent the scribes and Pharisees who openly murmured and complained about our Lord's receiving sinners at the beginning of the chapter.