The Father's Goodness Luke 15 28-32

Read the passage: Luke 15

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+15&version=ASV

v.28 1. Nurtures the angry heart.

(And he was angry,)

v.28 2. Entreats the misunderstanding heart.

(therefore came his father out, and entreated him.)

v.29 3. Listens to the arguing heart.

(And he answering said to his father, …)

v.31 4. Reaffirms sonship.

(And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, )

v.31 5. Reaffirms inheritance.

(with me, and all that I have is thine.)

v.32 6. Reaffirms the basis of acceptance with God.

(It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother

  was dead, and is alive again; and was lost and is found.)

v.32 7. Insists upon the privilege of grace to be acknowledged and followed.

(for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost and is 

found.)

The Elder Brother Luke 15 25-31

Read the passage: Luke 15

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+15&version=ASV

v.25,1. Unprepared by loyal expectation.

   26 (…he heard music and dancing.)

v.27 2. Unable to rejoice due to an embittered heart.

(…Thy brother is come;…)

v.28 3. Giving in to the persuasion of the flesh.

(and he was angry, …)

v.29 4. Believing the father to be unwise and unjust.

(and he, answering, said to his father, …)

v.29 5. Worn by works without faith.

(lo, these many years do I serve thee,)

v.29 6. Focusing on the temporal side of life.

(yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with friends.)

v.29 7. Needlessly troubled by a selfish heart.

(yet thou never gavest me a kid, …)

v.30 8. Removed from personal affiliation with the problem.

(But as soon as this, thy son,)

v.30 9. Misinterpreting the father’s heart.

(who hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the

fatted calf.)

v.31 10. Unable to see the blessing in hand.

(…Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.)

The Elder Son Luke 15 25-30

Read the passage: Luke 15

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+15&version=ASV

v.25,1. Dutiful but not rewarded spiritually.

  26 (Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to

  the house, he heard music and dancing.)

v.28 2. Action based on wrong reasons.

(And he was angry, and would not go in:)

v.28 3. Having a false sense of values and expectations.

v.28 4. Angry at God’s generosity of grace.

v.28 5. Considers God’s grace and restoration unfair.

v.28 6. Denies himself needed fellowship within God’s family.

(therefore came his father out, and entreated him.)

v.29 7. Has been keeping score of his own worth.

(And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee,

neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never

  gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:)

v.29 8. Miss measures grace.

v.30 9. Denies common heritage.  (thy son)

(But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living, with

  harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.)

v.30 10. Doesn’t understand God’s forgiveness; holds on to a hard heart.

True Brotherly Commitment 2 Timothy 1 3-9

Read the passage: 2 Timothy 1

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+timothy+1&version=ASV

v.3 1. Support in prayer for a brother.

(I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;)

v.4 2. Desiring the fellowship of a brother who is following after Christ.

(Greatly desiring to see thee,) 

v.4 3. Having a relationship that goes beyond external interest.

(being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;)

v.5 4. Acknowledging Godly quality.

(When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee)

v.6 5. Giving Godly counsel.

(Wherefore I put thee in remembrance, that thou stir up the gift of God, )

v 8 6. Strengthening understanding and commitment.

(Be not thou therefore ashamed …)

v.9 7. Pointing a brother to loyal service to the Lord.

(who hath saved us, and called us …according to His own purpose and grace; …)

The Heart of Forgiveness Luke 15 12-32

Read the passage: Luke 15

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+15&version=ASV

22But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. 32It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

1)  Love is really understood through Christ’s forgiveness.

2)  Forgiveness does not lose respect for the consequences of sin.

3)  Forgiveness relies on God to do the judging. 

                                                                                 

God balances grace and justice.                                                                                                     

In justice, the focus is on authority.    Typically man abuses his delegated authority.    

In forgiveness, the focus is on surrender.                                                                                    

The heart of Christ is humility.  Typically man’s focus on authority is not humble, but his focus on surrender is.                                                                                                      

If the believer overfocuses on justice he loses compassion for the lost. 

If the believer overfocuses on grace and mercy he misrepresents God’s nature and belittles the cross.

                                                                                                                        

The believer needs God’s balance.

Thus, forgiveness aligns the heart with that of Christ.

4)  Forgiveness understands the greatest loss is to remain unforgiven.

5)  Forgiveness looks to eternity for equity.

6)  Forgiveness is a welcome message to the unprotected (lost man) as well as to the protected (believer in Christ) heart..

7)  Forgiveness always wins..

Continued Unrepentant Sin Luke 15 17

Read the passage: Luke 15

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+15&version=ASV

(And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!)

1. Loses the benefits and blessedness of the Father.
   
   
2. Removes one from the Father’s presence.
   
   
3. Denies one the Father’s benefit and blessing.
   
   
4. Denies one serving the Father.
   
   
5. Denies basic needs met as well.
   
   
6. Denies the security of tomorrow’s home and provision.
   
   
7. Denies growth and renewal of the heart before God. 
   

How Good God Is Numbers 13 27

Read the passage: Numbers 13

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=numbers+13&version=ASV

(And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou
sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.)

1. God’s people have such great difficulty seeing how good God is to His people.
   
   
2. Even when He puts right before their eyes His goodness, they debate it or they think it has some inherent problems or God doesn’t really mean it. God’s people hold on to their concept of freedom, rightness, and what is best for them.
   
   
3. God’s people hold a faulted view of God.
   In other words, God has fault or imperfection.
   
   
4. God’s people cannot really distinguish true goodness and true riches. 
   They are as apt to conclude that what the world offers is true riches.
   
   
5. God’s people routinely turn down God’s goodness.
   
   
6. The presence of God is the greatest treasure; it is often seen by God’s people as negotiable or not needed.
   
   
7. The wisdom of God truly is needed to overcome the foolishness of heart shown by God’s followers. 
   

The Loss of Deception Luke 15 12-17

Read the passage: Luke 15

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+15&version=ASV

v.12 1. Valuable relations broke off.

(And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of

goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.)

2. Support base removed.

v.13 3. Division of heart loyalty.

(And not many  days after the younger son gathered all together, and took

  his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous 

living.)

v.13 4. Heart opened to lust and pleasure.

v.14 5. Expired resources.

(And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and 

he began to be in want.)

v.15 6. Spent life and wasted day (time).

(And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him 

into his fields to feed swine.)

v.17 7. No fulfilment.

(And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my 

father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!)