Turn to Me

Turn to Me

 

My text today comes from the 45^th chapter of the prophet Isaiah. Please listen as I read, or follow along in your handout: (Isaiah 45:20-24)

 

“Gather yourselves and come; Draw near together, you fugitives of the nations; They have no knowledge, who carry about their wooden idol and pray to a god who cannot save. “Declare and set forth your case; Indeed, let them consult together. Who has announced this from of old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, the Lord? And there is no other God besides Me, a righteous God and a Savior; There is none except Me. “Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other. “I have sworn by Myself, the word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness and will not turn back, that to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance. “They will say of Me, ‘Only in the Lord are righteousness and strength.’ Men will come to Him, and all who were angry at Him will be put to shame.”

 

God spoke these words to His chosen people in the eighth century BC. But it’s necessary that we understand that by that time, Israel had for generations remained steeped in idolatry, practicing as part of their blasphemous religion the worship of wooden and stone gods, as well as temple prostitution and child sacrifice. And although God warned the nation again and again to turn from their sin, they repeatedly ignored Him.

 

If you know your Old Testament history, it was not long until God sent the Assyrians to ravage the northern Kingdom and bring His chosen people into a desolate exile. Now then, you’d think that the southern kingdom of Judah would have learned the lesson from its northern sister of Israel. But they did not learn the lesson. Listen as the Scripture recounts WHY God brought the Chaldean army across Judah and Jerusalem:

 

(2 Chronicles 36:15-17) “The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place; but they continually mocked the messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, until there was no remedy. Therefore He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or infirm; He gave them all into his hand. 

 

Jeremiah records the aftermath of the Babylonian invasion this way: (Lamentations 1:1-2a) “How lonely sits the city that was full of people! She has become like a widow who was once great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces has become a forced laborer! She weeps bitterly in the night and her tears are on her cheeks; She has none to comfort her.”

 

God's chosen people could have avoided this outcome – if only they had put away their idols and false gods. And, Christian, don’t miss this point –Yes, God is love. But He is also holy. And He is Just. And He will never share His throne, His authority, His majesty with another. That’s why God demands that we worship only Him. Hear the eternal words of Jesus, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” (Matthew 4:10).

 

And do not forget the ominous warning of Hebrews: “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31)

 

21st-century Man makes a tragic error to think idolatry and its inevitable judgment from God is a thing of the past. It is not. One does not have to bow before wood or marble statues to be an idolater. The dictionary defines idolatry not only as the worship of man-made idols, but includes “excessive devotion to, or reverence for some person or thing.”  

 

In other words, anything that diverts our full devotion to the one true God is an idol. Anything that dilutes from true worship and obedience to Almighty God is also, by definition, an idol. Listen to St John’s exhortation: (1 John 2:15-17) “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”

 

And while we in the West might not bow down to sculpted wood and marble, we often DO bow before non-tangible things such as power, greed and possessions. And how many bow before Science, or Government, or Philosophy – and even religion?

 

Let’s define some of those terms. According to the dictionary, ‘science’ is defined as ‘A systematic discipline that builds and organizes knowledge about the physical world and its phenomena through observation, experimentation, and the formulation of testable hypotheses.”

 

But by its very definition, ‘Science’ cannot explain miracles, for miracles defy testable hypotheses. Miracles are only ‘one time’ events and cannot ever be subject to a laboratory. That is why Science cannot explain God. It cannot, for example, explain the Virgin Birth. Or the feeding of the 5,000 with two fish and five loaves of bread. Or the instantaneous healing of blind, the deaf, the mute, or the crippled. Science has no means to measure the resurrection of Lazarus, or the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. But yet, massive numbers of men and women choose Science over the unambiguous testimonies of Scripture – therefore making Science an idol that inserts itself between God and Mankind.

 

Philosophy is yet another construct that often gives people reason to disobey the clear teaching of God. Philosophy – which originally meant to have a ‘love of wisdom” – is the systematic study of questions related to our existence. Yet God tells us, for example, in Proverbs: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7)

 

St Paul warned the Christians at Corinth: “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe . . . .But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.” (1 Corinthians 1:18-21, 30)

 

Science and Philosophy become idols when their focus on human (and often very flawed) ideas replaces our focus on God and His word. They become intangible idols when they replace full faith in the God of the Bible with man-made traditions. Once again, the Holy Spirit warns us through the apostle: (Colossians 2:8-10a) “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the  elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made  complete.”

 

Lusts of the flesh, lusts of the eyes, the pride of life – along with an eye on power and possessions, science and philosophies – all can easily interject themselves between us and the Almighty. 

 

There is yet one more potential idol I want to address before moving on: Religion can also come between ourselves and the God of Scripture. The Pharisees and Sadducees of New Testament days were preeminent in their obedience to the Law – but Jesus repeatedly warned them they were missing the whole point of the Law. We don’t have time to review the 23^rd chapter of Matthew’s gospel, but the Lord’s series of ‘Woes’ against the religious leaders jump off the page as we read it with open and humble hearts. Those ‘woes’ are just as applicable to the 21^st century as they were to the first.

 

Somewhat similar to that point in Matthew 23, St Paul addressed idols that masqueraded as personality factions that had developed in the Corinthian church. Listen to what he writes in 1 Corinthians 1:12-13a: “[E]ach one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” Has Christ been divided?" 

 

And the question remains in 2025: Is Christ STILL divided? When Christians go around saying, “I’m a Baptist,” I’m a Catholic,” “I’m a Methodist,” “I’m a Presbyterian” – are we not boasting of our differences and not of our unity in the Body of Christ comprised of ALL baptized believers who live in obedience to Christ? 

 

Christ calls us to win souls to His kingdom, not to win them to our church, whatever the label.

 

Well, enough talk about various idols. God demands of us a more obedient and devoted life and lifestyle than bowing before the idols of science, or philosophy, or money, or power, and so forth. And that better way circles back to our text for this afternoon. Look with me at verse 22 of our text in that 45^th chapter of Isaiah wherein God tells Israel, and God tells us today: “Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other.

 

“Turn to ME” says our God. Not to philosophy, not to traditions of men, or the confident pontifications of those who have turned from the God of Scripture. Listen to what He says through Isaiah: “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” (Isaiah 8:20)

 

It is God alone who has the right to demand of humanity obedience to His unchanging rules of life – all of which are found in full within His inerrant, infallible, and totally inspired Scriptures. And you can write this down, so you won’t forget it: “When anyone – author, teacher, psychologist, sociologist, pastor, or priest – when anyone offers advice that contradicts any of God's rules for life – they do so because they have no light.

 

“Turn to ME,” says our Creator. Turn like the prodigal son who finally came to his senses. “Call to Me,” God appeals even to us through Jeremiah, “Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ (Jeremiah 33:3)

 

“Turn,” God pleads. Turn, you who are traveling the broad way of various idolatries of which I’ve already spoken because that broad way “leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

 

How do you know if you’re going the wrong way? That’s easy. Does your life and lifestyle mirroring to the best of your human frailty the holiness of God as described in Scripture? Is your life framed by obedience to God? Listen now to Jesus (Luke 16:10): “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.”

 

And again a few verses later: “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” (Or, for that matter, any other idol, whether tangible or intangible as we have seen already in this message).

 

You know as well as I that there are congregations today – even in this town – who hear from their clergy that all religions lead to heaven. Others hear from their pastors that we can have a reasonable hope that hell is empty. Still others hear them deny Biblical morality and sexuality applies to today.

 

How do you know you’re going the wrong way? Does your philosophy of life match the philosophy of Scripture? Remember again God's warning through St Paul: “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

 

“Turn to ME,” God says to us because if we bow before today’s idols, we cannot be safe from an eternity in hell and the Lake of Fire.

 

I need to bring this message to a close, so let’s move on in that 22^nd verse of Isaiah 45. “Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth.” That last clause comprehensively declares that there is no person on this planet, no people-group, no language, no nationality, no creed, to whom this message of salvation is not offered.

 

Please listen: God does not vindictively say “Turn to me or I’ll throw you into hell.” Rather, our merciful God and Creator says, “You’re already on the broad way to hell. But My mercy and grace plead with you, ‘Turn to Me’ and I will save you from that future.”

 

And now this final word – which is a critically important word in this age of intangible idols such as possessions and power and science and philosophies and religion: We turn to God because – as He proclaims throughout earth and throughout the heavens – “For I am God, and there is no other.

 

I recently learned a Latin phrase, “memento mori.” It means, “Remember that you will die.”  I suspect the person who coined that Latin phrase knew the passage in Hebrews 9:27 – “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the Judgment.”

 

Time is short for everyone in this sanctuary. You know how many of your family and friends passed into eternity during the 12 months of 2024. And only the omniscient God knows how many in this very sanctuary and this very building will enter eternity in the next 12 months of 2025.

 

Please, I appeal to you: Don’t let anything or anyone seduce you from your devotion and obedience to Almighty God. Do not let today’s idols turn you from your only hope for eternal life. As Scripture again warns us:

 

“For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (Hebrews 2:1-3a)

 

Do you hear God imploring us? “Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other.”

A Future and a Hope

Today is the first Sunday of 2025. I know I am not the first to say it, but may you have a blessed 2025 – you AND your families.

 

So, I want to start the new year with a message of hope and promise and assurance from God's word. The Lord of Creation, the Lord who is FATHER to all those – and only to those – who belong to Jesus through faith in His atonement for our sins – this same God said to Israel words that apply to you all of His children in 2025: “I know the plans that I have for you, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

 

As many of you know from our earlier Bible studies and sermons, the word translated from both the Hebrew and Greek as ‘hope’ means to have a ‘confident expectation’ for what God has promised.

 

I’ll repeat for emphasis what I just said: The Almighty God, the One who created you, who has the hairs of your head all numbered – He is the one who promises you and me a future in 2025 – and a hope.

 

Now, of course, what that future and that hope will look like for each of us individually, only this new year will tell. And we all should know by now a future and a hope DOES NOT necessarily mean health, wealth, and every answer to every one of our prayers.

 

But we have our FATHER’S assurance – His promise – that it will be a good year FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE. And doesn’t that need to be OUR perspective? Wouldn’t the trials of life be so much easier to cope with if we could see things as they really are and not how they seem to be from our limited point of view? Wouldn’t it be so much easier to cope with life’s trials if we trusted God when He tells us that He always causes ALL THINGS to work together for good to those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose? (see Romans 8:28)

 

So, here we are on the first Sunday of 2025. We’re all a year older than we were this time last year. Some of us are a bit sicker. Some are a bit lonelier. But as we face this year, I have some good news for all of us who seek to know and love the Lord better and better: God is in absolute control of nations, their leaders, and their citizens. For example, here is Proverbs 16:4, “The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.” And Psalm 115:3, “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.”

 

And there is yet more, God has full and comprehensive knowledge of all their ways and all their thoughts and all their plans even before they themselves are aware of their thoughts and plans. We find that truth revealed in Psalm 139 and elsewhere.

 

And there is yet more beside: Our Father always exercises utter control over what He will permit any of them to do. Listen a moment to Him speak to humanity – including you and me – through Solomon: (Proverbs 21:1) “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hands of the Lord. He turns it wherever He wishes.” And 2 Chronicles 20:6b “You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you.”

And, oh, by the way, let us not ever forget this: Our Father God is also in complete control of your life, your circumstances, your situations – as He is in control of mine.

I love the example of God's limitless power and authority over the lives of even the evilest of national leaders as He speaks to the bloodthirsty Assyrian king, Sennacherib. He and his army were at Jerusalem’s gates, threatening to destroy the city and all who lived within it, and God tells him through the prophet:

(Isaiah 37:26-29) “Have you not heard? Long ago I did it, from ancient times I planned it. Now I have brought it to pass, that you should turn [foreign] fortified cities into ruinous heaps. “Therefore, their inhabitants were short of strength, they were dismayed and put to shame; They were as the vegetation of the field and as the green herb, as grass on the housetops is scorched before it is grown up. “But I know your sitting down and your going out and your coming in and your raging against Me. “Because of your raging against Me and because your arrogance has come up to My ears, therefore I will put My hook in your nose and My bridle in your lips, and I will turn you back by the way which you came.”

If you know your Bible history, that is precisely what happened. God intervened, killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers overnight, and Sennacherib crept home and was shortly thereafter murdered by his own sons.

Listen, my brothers and sisters in Christ – when God tells us He is bringing to us a future and a hope in 2025 – He’s not kidding. And NOTHING is able to stay His hand. Not politicians. Not criminals. Not Satan himself and all his demons.

Now again, I say – that future and hope might not look like a future and hope from OUR very limited perspective. But that’s not how faith works. Remember that text in Hebrews 11? “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”  As many of you know, the chapter goes on to list the heroes of faith who simply believed what God had told them – even when they could not SEE those promises or understand how God could fulfill them – men and women like Abraham and Sarah; Like Moses and Rahab; Like Gideon and Barack and David and Samuel and the prophets.

Now, all that I have just said is really the preamble to what is the overarching point of this message on this January 5. So, let’s now move to 2 Corinthians chapters 4 and 5. Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthian Christians 2000 years ago, but because God's word transcends time and culture and race and people-groups – this word to the Corinthians is also a word to the Christians at Ashwood Meadows:

 

(2 Corinthians 4:7-10, 16-18) “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body . . . .Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Paul continues this thought into the next chapter – which, in the original letter Paul penned, was simply the next line:

(2 Corinthians 5:1-9) “For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.

Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord,  for we walk by faith, not by sight, we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Therefore, we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. (2 Corinthians 5:1-9)

Let me now quickly parse this somewhat lengthy text: Though afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down – Paul and his companions did not lose heart. Why? He tells us throughout his several letters, such as this one to Timothy: “I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.” (2 Timothy 1:12b)

Did 2024 find you afflicted in body or spirit? Perplexed? Persecuted? But did not the Comforter, the Holy Spirit of God, also comfort you? Did He not bring you through it all? Of course, He did. You would not be here in this church service if He did not. And I would not be preaching this message to you if God had not brought me through what Nancy and I have been through.

And so, by faith, and with His boundless help, we do NOT lose heart – because we know whom we have believed, and we are persuaded, we are convinced that He bring to us a stronger faith who WANT to grow in our faith. We can expect Him to strengthen our trust who WANT to trust Him better. We can expect Him to strengthen our love for Him who WANT to love Him better. We can EXPECT 2025 will bring us a growing maturity through our experiences – ESPECIALLY what we might call bad experiences – as we continue to learn to trust our Father who loves us beyond all we could ever comprehend.

Let me pause a moment here and remind us: No one can ever say He doesn’t love us when we look at Calvary.

But now to move on through this passage in 2 Corinthians. Here is verse 16 of chapter 4: “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Please hear this: It doesn’t take much looking in the mirror to recognize we no longer look as we did when we were 21. And surely many of you know how much longer it takes to get dressed and ready to leave your apartments in the morning. But EVEN THOUGH our outer bodies are decaying, we have great reason for hope and confidence in the future that God has prepared for us in 2025.

OH! Think for a while later today when you have the time to be quiet with your God – think how while we can clearly see our body’s slow decay, think how your inner person, the REAL you is being renewed and strengthened day after day, week after week, and month after month as we seek a closer walk with our Savior.

No one looks forward to tests and hardships that come in life. But God tells us through this text that those tests and hardships are not even worth comparing to the glory that God is building and creating and molding in our spirits through them all.

For many here, 2024 was difficult. It was marked by loss, sadness, loneliness, worsening and chronic pain and so much more. But God would like us to look at 2025 through the lens of His promises, AND to trust Him that 2024 WAS fruitful for our SPIRITUAL growth – even if we cannot see it today.

PLEASE, we MUST remember that we do not walk by sight. We walk by faith. We do not look at things which can be seen, but at things which are unseen. As we saw earlier in Hebrews 11, “Faith is the substance of things not seen and the evidence of things hoped for.” One translation renders it: Faith is being sure about what we hope for, being convinced about things we do not see.” (EHV)

Remember what the Lord Jesus said to His Twelve – and of course, to you and me: “Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that you may also be where I am. (John 14:1-3, EHV)

THAT is our inevitable future. THAT is our ultimate hope – our ‘confident expectation. Jesus is preparing a place for us who trust His sacrificial atonement for our sins. That means when my home is completed, He will bring me to it. That might happen in 2025. And when He is done with YOUR home, He will bring you to it as well. And that might happen in 2025.

(But frankly, I am listening for the Trumpet that announces the Rapture – but that’s a different subject and not for today’s message.)

So, back to the text in 2 Corinthians: “Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Therefore, we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. (2 Corinthians 5:6-9)

Please, don’t gloss over that last verse: Therefore, we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.

If you were here last week, you heard me talk about the terrible and tragic loss we will inevitably experience if we do not repent of the time, talent, and treasure we’ve squandered in the past – and of what we continue to squander today. And only the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus promised would guide us into all truth – only the Holy Spirit can soften our hardened and selfish hearts so that we do, as Paul urged, that we have as our AMBITION to be pleasing to God.

Oh, on this first Sunday of 2025 may the Lord of our life change our lives so that we, in 2025, will daily have as our ambition to please Him with the fruitful use of His gifts to us of time, talent, and treasure.

We are on the cusp of a new year; One which will bring us closer to eternity and the home He is preparing for us. And whether 2025 is glorious from our perspective – or fraught with trials – this one thing is SURE: From God's perspective – and you can write this down in your Bibles – God knows the plans that He has for you, plans for your good and not for evil, to give a hope and a future.

 

He Came to His Senses

Sermon

December 29, 2024

He Came to His Senses

 

Over the last couple of months our Friday Bible study has been studying the three parables in the 15^th chapter of Luke’s gospel: The Parable of the Lost Sheep, the Parable of the Lost Coin, and in the last few weeks, the parable of the Lost Son – better known as the Parable of the Prodigal Son.

 

Some of what I am about to say on this last Sunday of 2024 might seem redundant to those of you who have attended the study for the last three weeks, but redundancy is often useful, and I hope it WILL be useful for you who have been with us during the last few weeks.

 

And let me say this at the outset of my message: Although the first part of this sermon might seem an uncomfortable challenge, I want to assure you that this is a message of encouragement and hope.

 

Here is the entire parable for context, but my message focuses us today on the son’s journey away from his father, and his return: (Luke 15:11-32) “A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them. And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. 

 

So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.”’ 

 

So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly 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 fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.

 

“Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 

 

But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him. But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; ³⁰ but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ 

 

And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’”

 

This parable has become one of my favorites. It’s rich with God's unchangeable PROMISE of hope and grace and mercy. When I think of who I’ve been and what God has done for me – this story embraces me. And it is my deep hope that today’s message will be a source of great and confident hope in God – and great challenge – for you.

 

The lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son each represent us. You and me. We know this is true from the first verse of this chapter: “Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him.”

 

Let’s stop only a moment for some important self-examination, because the answer to my next question is key to any personal application of this parable to ourselves.

 

Are you a sinner? Do you recognize how tragically lost you truly were before Jesus found you? For unless we each – including myself – unless we each are humble and self-effacing before our impartial and holy Creator, we will gloss over these verses, foolishly thinking the category of ‘unworthy sinners’ refers to others and not ourselves.

To gloss over that question is to rob ourselves of the same rich HOPE the prodigal son found at the end of this story.

 

The story of the prodigal son – the careless son, the wasteful son – is pretty much self-explanatory. The young man told his father he was tired of living under his roof and by his rules. He wanted to leave home and live life his own way. The father reluctantly gave him his share of the estate. He knew he could – he WOULD NOT – force him to stay.

 

But within a short time, the Prodigal had squandered his wealth until he was penniless. Then a famine swept across the country and with his wealth gone, he was forced to hire himself to a local farmer who sent him out to feed pigs – a horribly degrading job for a Jew.

 

The good news to all this is ‘he came to his senses,” and although he felt utterly unworthy to still be called his father’s son, he hoped his father would at least make him one of his servants.

 

Well, I read to you the text, so you know how the story ends. We won’t take time today to explore the attitude of the older brother because we need to focus today both on what the younger son did, and then what his father did.

 

The Prodigal “squandered his estate.” Jesus tells us that in verse 13. He wasted the precious gift his father had given him. So, let’s pause again to make some important applications.

 

Have you ever thought about how YOU have squandered the gifts your Father in heaven has given you during your many years on earth?

 

Like the first question I asked a few minutes ago about our recognition of our utter ‘lostness’ without Christ, this is another important question you and I must answer to ourselves. Have you ever thought about how you have squandered the gifts the Father in heaven has given you?

 

Please hear this: It borders on self-idolatry to think that every good thing we have, and all we’ve accomplished, originate from ourselves. And may we NEVER even let the thought remain in our minds for more than a nanosecond – may we never attribute what good things we have and have done to ‘luck.’ THAT would nothing short of blasphemous.

 

It is no wonder St James warns us: “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” (James 1:16-17a)

 

And for good reason God spoke through Jeremiah: “The heart is more deceitful than all else, and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?”

 

Oh, yes! We deceive ourselves to think to ourselves that our skills, education, experiences, employment opportunities, our promotions over the years and our social and financial acumen – all have their roots in something we alone have done.

 

The Scriptures repeatedly make is clear, as St Paul asked the Corinthians Christians: (1 Corinthians 4:7b) “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”

 

So, what gifts of God have you squandered in life? Let’s think about this question for a moment. What abilities – whether innate abilities or those honed through education and experience – what gifts including the financial rewards that you’ve garnered over the years – what did you use for your own pleasures and comforts? And what of His gifts did you use to advance HIS kingdom and for the benefit of others?

 

You might remember what the Lord said about the Judgment of the Righteous and the Unrighteous in the last part of Matthew chapter 25. To the righteous, the Judge said: ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

 

But to the unrighteous, the Judge said:  ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

 

Doesn’t that text cause you to sit up and take stock of what you’ve done with God's gifts throughout your life – up to and including this very day? I will tell you – it makes ME sit up and take notice.

 

And as we continue to consider God's many gifts, what about His gift of

TIME? Everyone is born with an hourglass attached to our soul, and no one knows when the last grain of sand will fall to the bottom. But as J.R.R. Tolkien reminds us in his epic trilogy, “The Lord of the Rings”: “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

 

What have you done with your time during your life, and what are you doing NOW with the time you have left?

 

When I preach a eulogy, I often speak from the seventh chapter of Ecclesiastes: “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart.”

 

And I paraphrase the last clause – “those who are WISE take it all to heart.”

 

No wonder the psalmist prayed: (Psalm 90:12) “So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” And St Paul urged his readers – and us – “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:15-17)

 

Time. Talents. Resources. Yes, how easy it is to squander away God's gifts.

 

But now, before I bring this message to an encouraging and hope-filled close, let’s look at one more gift of God that many men and women waste.

 

I speak of the gift of God's superabundant, merciful, gracious and undeserved gift of forgiveness to those who do, as the Prodigal did – who come to their senses, return home, and repent.

 

What more could God do to be utterly true to His character of Justice and Holiness, yet at the same time show mercy and grace to the penitent? What more could He do than to deliver His own Son to a malicious, bloody, cruel death in order to become our substitution, purchasing our forgiveness and salvation with His blood?

 

And yet, despite such an incomprehensible gift of forgiveness to the penitent sinner, there remain today – right now – multitudes of multitudes who puff out their chests and refuse to recognize, as St Paul wrote: “That the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But because of [their] stubbornness and unrepentant heart [they] are storing up wrath for [themselves] in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each person according to his deeds.” (Romans 2:4-6)

 

Yes, the young man squandered his father’s gifts. But then we learn, “He came to his senses . . ..”

 

I wonder if God is calling anyone here to their senses. And while it is true we cannot undo what we’ve done. We cannot go back in time and correct the squandering. We can’t change the past – but we CAN change our future.

 

The Prodigal son came to his senses, but he did MORE than that. He made a change. He returned to his father. And did you notice what his father did when he returned? He ran out to meet him, to embrace him. And he called for a great celebration for his return home.

 

THAT is the point in this tender parable. The Lord Jesus is telling us that our Father who art in heaven – that YOUR Father who art in heaven— He is doing the same for you and for me. He is waiting . . . and waiting . . . . and waiting for His prodigal sons and prodigal daughters to come home.

 

This parable is the Lord’s assurance to you and me and to EVERYONE who has squandered God's gifts – and even continues to waste the precious time and resources and forgiveness He has given us.

 

Listen, please! IF we return, He will not reject us. He will not chastise us. He will not find fault with what we’ve done. He will not even REMIND the penitent of what he or she has done.

 

Instead, He – and heaven itself – will celebrate.

 

Please don’t miss that point. He and heaven itself will celebrate. Please, don’t miss that point. If you’ve wasted God's gifts – come to your senses. Come home. Our Father in heaven will put proverbial sandals on our feet and rings on our fingers and robes across our shoulders. He will say to the hosts of heaven: “This son of mine, and this daughter of mine was dead, but has been found. They were lost, but now they have been found.”

 

And what about those who correctly believe they have not squandered God's gifts in the years since they came to Christ? Then please listen to this word – Do not be like the older brother who found great fault with the younger brother and hold to yourself a ‘holier than thou’ attitude.

 

All of us have sinned. All of us have fallen short of God's glory, of His perfect standard. And so rejoice when your younger brother or sister comes to their senses and repents.

 

God tells us through the prophet Joel: “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “Return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping and mourning; And rend your heart and not your garments.” Now return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness.” (Joel 2:12-13b)

 

No, we cannot fix the past, but we can make sure our future is different from our past. With God's help we can make sure that the resources and gifts we have will be useful for God in the time we have left. We can start afresh. Today. We can start anew. Now.

 

I am not one to make New Year’s resolutions. Instead, when I realize I need to make a change, I determine to make the change starting right then and there.

 

And so, if God is telling you that you need to make changes, if you’re suddenly coming to your senses – then in a moment I will give you an opportunity to apologize to God for squandering His gifts. In other words, I am going to give you a chance to repent, and ask God to direct you back to the narrow path that pleases Him.

 

Please, don’t wait until New Year’s Eve to make those resolutions. Please, make them right now as we pray: