Luke 15:17-24 (NLT) 17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’ 20 “So he returned home to his father And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.
“If the feelings and thoughts you have ABOUT God don’t draw you TO Him then they are not FROM him.”
21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’ 22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.
From Death to Life
1.Come to our senses & head home
2. Confess our condition
Romans 3:10 (NIV) There is no one righteous, not even one.
Colossians 2:13 (NLT) You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.
1 John 1:8-9 (NIV) 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Isaiah 64:6 (NIV) All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.
“Bring me the finest Rob…In the house.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV) God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Regeneration: “He was dead now he is alive”
3. Be Reborn
John 3:3-6(NIV) "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”
“To enter a supernatural relationship in a supernatural kingdom we have to have a supernatural birth.”
We must simply Accept our Acceptance.
John 1:12 (NIV) Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
The Spirit of Adoption
Ephesians 1:3-5 (NLT) 3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
1. You are Worth it
Jesus didn’t come to measure your worth but to reveal it.
2. You are Approved
Jesus didn’t just change the score he changed the game.
Galatians 4:4-7(NLT) When the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.
3. You are Wanted
Chosen: Eklektos- Elected, selected/chose by implication of favorite.
4. You are Embraced
James 1:18 (NLT2) He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.
5. You are never alone
Luke 15:11-20 (NLT) 11 Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. 12 The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. 13 “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. 14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. 15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16 The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything. 17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’ 20 “So he returned home to his father…..
What was his perception of his dad????
“We receive how we perceive.”
Our perception of God will always dictate our distance!
Luke 15:20-21 (NLT) And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’
This son went seeking mercy, he found grace.
John 1:16-18 (NIV) 16 From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.
The Fathers Nature
1. The Father Sees
Proverbs 15:3 (NIV) The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.
Job 36:5 (NIV) "God is mighty, but does not despise men; he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.
2. The Father Cares
1 Peter 5:7 (NLT) Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
Psalm 145:8-9 (NLT) 8 The LORD is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. 9 The LORD is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation.
3. The Father Runs
The Son was reluctant in his return, the father was relentless as he ran out to meet him
Song of Solomon 8:6-7(NIV) For love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away.
Jesus is the fathers pursuit.
4. The Father Embraces
Romans 5:6-8 (TPT) 6 For when the time was right, the Anointed One came and died to demonstrate his love for sinners who were entirely helpless, weak, and powerless to save themselves. 7 Now, who of us would dare to die for the sake of a wicked person? We can all understand if someone was willing to die for a truly noble person. 8 But Christ proved God’s passionate love for us by dying in our place while we were still lost and ungodly!
5. The Father Lavishes love
Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV) The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.
1 John 3:1 (NIV) How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
Close:
Galatians 4:4-7(NLT) When the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.
All kinds of prayers: Adoration, Appreciation, Supplication, Intercession. Declaration.
Answered prayers…..
“We don’t need to develop a theology for unanswered prayers but to deepen our faith to see answered ones.”
Philippians 4:19 (NIV) And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
John 15:7 (NIV) If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
Power Paradigms
1. The Word of God
2 greek words….
Logos- Written word. The constant objective word, this is how we understand God’s nature and ways.
Hebrews 4:12 (NLT) For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
Rhema- Spoken Word: Relational and revelatory.
John 1:14 (NIV) The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 6:63 (NIV) The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
2. The Name of Jesus
Acts 4:12 (NIV) Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV) 9 God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
“Because we are under his authority we carry his authority.”
John 14:14 (NIV) You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
The Name only works if you know the man.
Acts 19:13-18 (NIV) 13 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out." 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 [One day] the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. 17 When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. 18 Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds.
3- The Blood
Ephesians 2:13 (NLT) You have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.
Pleading the blood?
Plead plēd/ verb: 1. make an emotional appeal. 2. Present and argue for (a position), especially in court or in another public context.
Luke 22:20 (NLT) After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.