Drop The Stone | “Don’t Screen The Guest List” Sermon

Sermon Series: “Drop The Stone”  Sermon:  “Don’t Screen The Guest List”

If you judge people, you have no time to love them.   Mother Terresa

Luke 15:1-3 “Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, ‘This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” So He spoke this parable to them, saying:’”

Luke 15:4-7 Lost Sheep “… and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?  And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.”   Leave the 99 for 1

Luke 15:8-10 Lost Coin “… light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? …she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me,…”

Forensic thorough search for coin.

Luke 15:11-24  Lost Son “And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood.”

Culturally:— you are dead to me

“And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.” 

Prodigal:—Waster

This chapter is the Gospel within the Gospel.

We can trust what these stories represent because they come from the only one who comes from the Father. JESUS!

“But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.”  (Over and over with tender love TPT)

The Father covered him with his love. Bore his shame.

“And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said…” 

Enough of your nonsense!

“‘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 fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;…” Righteousness — Worth — Sonship

“…for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.” Please don’t misunderstand your Heavenly Father. He’s never not loved you.

“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.  So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.

“…And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’

“But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.”   Leaves the party for his son.      The Father goes after his lost son! 

“So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.”

(NIV) “‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders.’”

Despises his brother and insults the compassion of his Father.    I’ve earned so can he.

Pharisees and scribes had the wrong approach to Repentance:

You must clean up your act to come to a Holy God.

Jesus had Good News.  The Father loves and accepts you.

“…But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’”

The father wants children not slaves. The older son spent his life as a slave.

“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”   

Story comes to an abrupt ending.

Two Possible Outcomes:      1. The Son Comes Inside       2. The Son Rejects His Father

Sadly we do know the outcome!

John 8:40, 44 “But now you seek to kill Me … You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.”

Luke 23:34 (TPT) “While they were nailing Jesus to the cross, he prayed over and over, ‘Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.’”

Titus 3:3 TPT “For it wasn’t that long ago that we behaved foolishly in our stubborn disobedience. We were easily led astray as slaves to worldly passions and pleasures. We wasted our lives in doing evil, and with hateful jealousy we hated others.”

Ephesians 2:1-2 (NLT) “Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.”

Ephesians 2:8 “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.”

Acts 5:31 (AMP) “God exalted Him to His right hand as Prince and Savior and Deliverer, in order to grant repentance to Israel, and [to grant] forgiveness of sins.”

Luke 19:10  “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

You can’ t screen or edit the guest list.

Are you:   “Grace A Lot”     OR       “Grace Alone”

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