Sermon Cloud

Amazing Grace: (Part II)

FREELY AND FULLY FORGIVEN

Luke 15:11-24 (NIV)
¹¹ Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons.
¹² The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.
¹³ "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.
¹⁴ After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.
¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
¹⁶ He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
¹⁷ "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!
¹⁸ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.'
²⁰ So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
²¹ "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
²² "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate.
²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

            The heart of Christianity is God's willingness to forgive the sins of man. When man because of pride and arrogance has decided to turn his back from God and began living for himself breaking His laws, he has invited curse and condemnation upon himself.   Yet, despite of everything, God made a way so He can provide forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

            Indeed, it could have been fair and just to leave us in our condemned position. He was under no obligation to provide a way to forgive. But He did it anyways in a most amazing way. He had given up His one and only Son to take our place of condemnation, so we can experience the grace of forgiveness.  Paul understood the connection between forgiveness and grace:

Ephesians 1:7 (NIV)
⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace

            To display the riches of His grace, we have received forgiveness through Jesus Christ alone. For all believers, the understanding of this rich grace can result in a deeper devotion towards our Savior.  Jesus once declared:

Luke 7:47 (NIV)
⁴⁷ Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven--for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."

            Reading this passage, someone might be tempted to say, "Well, I have only been forgiven little, so I only love little." It would probably help to know that when Jesus said this, He was responding to a self-righteous Pharisee who criticized Mary for anointing Jesus with an expensive perfume. The truth that Jesus wanted highlight was - his self-righteousness prevented him to love Jesus in the way Mary has loved Him. How true could this be today? Is it possible that our lack of devotion comes from our failure to understand forgiveness?

            In order to help comprehend God's amazing grace in forgiveness, I would like us to revisit a very familiar story. I believe Jesus deliberately told this story to beautifully illustrate the forgiveness we have received. I would like to divide the passage into three important truths about forgiveness. But before we study these truths, it would help to define first what forgiveness is based on the Bible.

            The word forgiveness literally means to cancel debts. Paul in Colossians 2:13-14 clearly uses this concept:

". . . He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross."

            Notice the underlined words. The written code is like a certificate of debts. During the time of Paul, whenever someone made a loan, the lender demanded a written certificate, which included the amount owed and the terms of payment. Then, the lender, the debtor, and a witness would sign it.

            In the same light, we all have a certificate of debt  against us, which was placed on the cross of Jesus. Because of the sacrifice of Jesus, God was able to forgive all our sins. Now to have a better picture of how great this forgiveness is, let's examine the story of the Prodigal son.

I           THE EXPRESSION OF FAILURE: (vs.11-16)

            As we examine the story, it is my desire to highlight the great grace of the father because it exalts the wonderful character of our heavenly Father. But in order to do this we need to plainly understand the moral failure of the younger son. Here are the steps he took that led to a miserable life:

•A.     His Rejection of the Father:        

            The story begins of the younger son who wanted to separate himself from his fellowship and communion with his father. Because of this, he requested his share of inheritance. This was really wrong because the custom of the day was for the father to give it at the time he chose. It would be unheard of for a son, especially the younger one to ask for  it.

            With such request, what is extra-ordinary is for the father to give in and allow his son to have his inheritance. Any normal father would probably castigate the son and drive him out of the house. But by doing what he did, he was showing his love and grace.

•B.     His Separation from the Father:

After getting his money,  he took everything and set out for a distant country where he could live without accountability. Notice the passage saying, "there squandered his wealth in wild living." He could do whatever he wanted without being conscious of pleasing his father. The custom would have been to stick around and care for his aging parents. Instead, he left and went totally disassociating himself from his father.

•C.     His Consumption of Everything:

He spent everything for a short time for pleasure. What took the father to save for a lifetime; he squandered everything for sinful pleasures. 

            Examining carefully the life of the prodigal son, I hope we won't miss seeing that one bad choice led to the next. And it brought him farther and farther from his loving father. It is very important to take heed on what God said in Deuteronomy 30:19-20:

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

            Watch out for the choices you make! Notice, for the younger son, his decisions led to a very miserable life. Talking about hitting rock bottom, the young man after consuming everything, now had to take the job of feeding pigs just to survive. For a Jewish boy, this would be the lowest of the low. Obviously he could have chosen a blessed life with the father, instead  his choices brought him curses.

            With his condition, what will happen next will truly amaze us. Let's move to the next truth:

II         THE EAGERNESS OF FORGIVENESS: (vs.17-20)

            The turning point for  the son came through these words - "He came to his senses."  A more literal translation would be he came to himself. Looking at this, Jesus in a way was saying that being in a state of sin means being in a condition of madness. Your reasoning and thinking is utterly senseless.

            For this young son, what brought him to right thinking is his memory of his father's love. He reasoned that it was better to be a lowly servant in his father's house than to remain where he was. Though he recognized his unworthiness, he still decided to return to his father and seek his forgiveness.

               Now, what would happen next was truly spectacular. I'm sure even the son did not expect it. In verse 20, we read - But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

            Can you imagine? Instead of frustration and anger, when the father saw his son, most likely with rugged clothes and awful smell from feeding the pigs, he was filled with compassion and ran to meet him.

            From the passage, it would be evident that since the time the son left the house, the father constantly looked out waiting with all his heart for the return of his lost son. And when he finally came, he did not hesitate, he eagerly met him.

            This would be out of character for a Middle Eastern man of his stature in those days. No dignified man would have done it. But to a loving father, the return of a lost son was more important than anything else. It was even more important than the pains his son had caused him.  He was eager to forgive.

            Do you see God as being eager to forgive, that He would ran to meet us when we are willing to make it right with Him?

Romans 8:32 (NIV)
³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

            For us today, God's focus is us no longer on our sins. He already dealt with the sin on the cross. Now, He wants to bestow His forgiveness to everyone who will go to Him. But, I must emphasize, just like the lost son, there was a need to go to the father to receive forgiveness. 

III        THE EMBRACE OF FAVOR AND FELLOWSHIP:

            Finally, we also need to see what the father was willing to do after running and meeting his son. In verses 20-24, we find the father embracing his son and showering him with kisses. Again, regardless of his son's appearance and smell. The reality is - the embrace signaled the restoration to favor and fellowship.

            The son took some courage to say what he had rehearsed on his way  home. But without responding verbally, his action was clearer in that he was completely accepted back to favor and fellowship with the father. Notice what the father was willing to give back to him:

• Best robe - Robe worn by kings showed some sense of importance in the family
• Ring - A symbol of sonship, meaning he can transact business in behalf of the family
• Sandals - Servants were in barefoot. Only family members wore shoes.
• Celebration - An expression of deep joy and happiness for the family.

How could a father forgive a son like him, and then, do everything he had done after? The answer is obvious. Only because of love, much love. And this is the same love and grace we all have received from our heavenly Father. If we truly would understand this, it would not be difficult to love Him with our best. Remember, to those who have been forgiven much, much love is expected.