Epaggelia

Luke 15:11-32

This must be one of the most famous parables. What a parable is to you, may be different from what a parable is to God. God calls the actual old Tabernacle of Moses a type of “parable”, see Hebrews 9:8-9. The parable Luke gives us here in 15:11-32 is really a picture of God as a Father. The Father of spirits, Hebrews 12:9.

The Younger Child…
Asks, Travels, Enjoys, Wastes, Suffers, Despairs, Believes, Repents, and Confesses!

The Father…
Gives, Watches, Runs, Listens, Sacrifices, Kisses, Forgives and Celebrates!

The Older Child…
Works, Investigates, Rejects & Condemns!

The big difference between the two children, is that we see the reaction of the younger child to the Father, but not the reaction of the older child. The reason Jesus told it that way is because He knows every disciple must decide to react in faith, when he or she feels they are cheated of God’s blessings. Hebrews 11:6. God is a good giver even to the older child! See James 1:5-6.

What does this parable teach us about the consequence of sin, if we do nothing about it?  See verse 16.

I believe in the love Mary gave her Son,  that caused her to follow him in his ministry and stay by his cross as he died. I believe in the love of all mothers, and its importance in the lives of the children they bear. It is stronger than steel, softer than down, and more resilient than a green sapling on the hillside in a storm. It closes wounds, melts disappointments, and enables the weakest child to stand tall and straight in the adversity of adulthood. I believe that this love, even at its best, is the shadow of God’s love, or rather a reflection of all that we expect of God in this life and the next. And I believe that one of the most beautiful sights in the world is a mother who lets God’s greater love flow through her to her child, blessing the world with the tenderness of her touch and the tears of her joy. We must Thank God for our mothers, and thank our mothers for helping us understand God’s love!

Twice Luke tells us that Mary treasured memories in her heart, 2:19 & 2:51. Those memories were centered on the work of God in Jesus. Firstly bringing him into the world against all odds. At His birth, Mary was shown that she was at the center of God’s plan for saving the world. Secondly, Mary treasured the day she found Jesus astonishing the teachers of the Law of God. That was the day Mary was shown she was not at the center of God’s work to save the world, Jesus was and is to this day. Mary followed Jesus and stayed with him through the cross, resurrection and ascension. Mary never stopped being a mother, she cared for the cause of Christ beyond the birth of the church. The last picture we have of her is praying with His disciples in Jerusalem, Ac.1:14.  Prayer is a spiritual experience which Mary herself needs just as much as we do. We, like Mary are to remain devoted to prayer, Colossians 4:2.

Today, 7 crewmembers of the space shuttle Challenger exploded just after takeoff 23 years ago. Why? Because they had a job which demanded a risk filled adventure. A job which was glorious and beneficial for so many people in the future.  But at what price? The ultimate price was paid, they left their families and this earth forever, to help our education and field of science and to promote industry and our governments expectations. What kind of job do you have? If you are a Christian, you have a job with eternal consequences, a job full of adventure in the will and wisdom of God. From day to day, there are ways you can glorify Him and do His will. Those Christian tasks, attitudes and acts of service may seem menial to you, and no one may ever give you credit for them, but they are all known by Jesus and our Heavenly Father. Jesus said that if you give as much as a cup of cold water to one of His children in need, it is as if you gave it to The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, (Read Matthew 25:34-40). He knows the price you are paying for being a Christian. Is it a high price? Is the price you pay for being a Christian of great value? What price would you put on your discipleship? Jesus put the price of his own blood on your life, don’t waste it. Use everyday of your life as a way of serving Jesus Himself, even if the people closest to you couldn’t care less. Why? Because Jesus cares infintely. Christian’s are  going to be remembered in more glorious ways than NASA’s 7 crewmembers ever dreamed of being remembered. Then again, who knows? Were any of the crewmembers lost 23 years ago, actually Christians? How sure would your friends be of your discipleship to Christ, if you died tomorrow?

The answer is G (Grace), O (Omnipresence) and D (Discipline), God makes a Dad great. There is no such thing as a perfect Dad, except for our Father in Heaven which is Eternal. Omnipresence is a big word which just means, always everywhere.  Wouldn’t it be great to have a Dad who was always there when you needed him?  This is where human fathers fail.  We cannot always be there! Every good Dad wishes he could be there, but it’s physically impossible.  Most kids are thankful, thinking it would be just fine, if we didn’t have Dad around all the time, that way, we are free to do as we please. But good kids can usually look far enough ahead to understand that spells trouble.  Fact is, if Dad’s with you, he is there to help pick up the pieces, helping to correct our foolishness.  A good Dad will be there when you need him most to help you recover, not to give you recovery on a silver platter, but to assist you and build your confidence.  Confidence in God. Remember where the prodigal son’s Dad was, for his recovery.  Read Luke 15:11-32 and rejoice with Him.

The adoption of our flag in the USA, happened on the 14th of June  in 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress. Later in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established  today as Flag Day and in August 1949, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress.  Our pledge of allegiance to the Flag maintains a faith in God. No citizen can pledge honestly without a faith in God. Never quit praying for our Nation to honor God and do not forget it’s words, “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”. God reminds us that “righteousness exalts a Nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” – Proverbs 14:34.  Have you ever asked yourself, “in what way is our Nation right?”  If you can’t answer that question then you need to pray for God to show you the answer. Our Nation does many things right and wrong, there is no such thing as a perfect Nation. But we CAN honor God and Country by praying for our Nation’s Politicians to be given God’s wisdom and strength to do what is right and less of what is wrong!

Paul wrote this letter for many different reasons, but here are three.

• Romans 1:11-15, to make a personal gift.

• Romans 4:1, 6:1, 7:7, 8:31, 9:14-30, 16:17, to help them understand the difference between truth and error in The Faith.

• Romans 1:17 & 12-16, to help empower them to live by faith and imitate Christ. See Habakkuk 2:4.

Paul begins and ends his message with the phrase, “for obedience to the faith”, 1:5 & 16:26. Everything in between is like fuel for our faith. Now we need to fill our tanks, then we can go and do what is right in God’s eyes.

Paul addresses Christians with the following descriptions:

“The Called”, 1:6, this is fulfilling the prophetic desire of God from Isaiah 48:12. The Spirit of Christ calls us, “the called”, Rom. 8:28. See 1^st Cor. 1:9 & 1^st Pet. 2:9.

“Beloved of God”, 1:7. Duet. 33:12, has a clear inference to this affection of God. See Colossians 3:12.

“Saints”, 1:7, in the New Testament, this word is always in the plural. Showing us that God views us as holy when we are together in fellowship. We can not stay separated long and stay holy and pure. See Acts 9:32, there are many more verses that call Christians “saints”. The Catholic idea of only a select or exhalted Christian being called a saint is not God’s view of SAINTS.

Paul knew that Christians must have a correct and focused view of the environment they live in. Rome was morally polluted and God had given up on many people around them, 1:24-28, this is one of the saddest verses of the entire Bible. But with Christ in the middle of Rome, hope was present and alive. What put their neighbors at such a disadvantage with God? Vile passions and debased minds, 1:25, 28. Our friends in the world have a shining light amongst them, in you! Keep yourself away from anything that is immoral, 1^st Cor. 6:9. We must fill ourselves up with God’s righteousness, Mt. 12:4-45.

There are three feelings in the human heart.  Thanksgiving, Forgiving and Giving Compassion.  When we feel resentment towards anything or anyone, it is a clear signal that our heart is lacking forgiveness. We try to ignore it by quoting phrases like “to err is human and forgive divine”, while we justify our resentment. But forgiveness is a desire, it’s not always a goal that is met, but it is a desire. Jesus wanted to forgive people that put him on a cross. Why can’t we want to forgive each other? Here are 4 Common Problems:

1. I can NOT forgive.  We should rephrase that feeling with I WILL not forgive. See James 2:10. The example of Joseph and Stephen are both goals for us to create in our heart a desire to forgive and prevent resentment.

2. I’m going to forgive, but in future I’m not having anything to do with you.  The goal we must set for our self is love God shows in his kind of forgiveness, Ephesians 4:32.

3. It’s a favor from me to you.   In fact, the reverse is true. We should freely forgive one another, see Colossians 3:13.  The repentant offender can be forgiven by God without me extending forgiveness, but with a self-righteous attitude, I cannot be forgiven unless I  try to forgive the person I offended. So when I freely forgive, I put myself in good standing with God and my own conscience.

4. I’m going to forgive, but I’m not forgetting”  God does not keep a filing system and neither should we. There is a way to work on our memory and there is a way to work on our “forgetter”.  We forget all kinds of shopping lists. Why can’t we forget past sins?  Hebrews 8:12, 10:17.