Sunday 4th October 2009As usually, wake up at 6 AM, and getting ready for church. I knew that today will be Ps. Mark Conner that bring up the sermon. I really never expected that it’s going to be beyond great, I mean, no offense I love all the pastor that brings sermon in JPCC, I love them all ^^
I’ll just get to the point, what Ps. Mark Conner talking about is really a revelation for me, the thought that I never imagine it before. I’ll start with Luke 15: 1-31, it says:
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
1Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. 2But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
3Then Jesus told them this parable: 4"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' 7I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
The Parable of the Lost Coin
8"Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins[a] and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' 10In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
The Parable of the Lost Son
11Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12The 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. 14After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16He 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! 18I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20So 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.[b]'
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. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.
25"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'
28"The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'
31" 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' "
You’ll probably know this story, it might be the favorite one which tell about the lost, and be welcome by the father (in Heaven). I’m really excited and there’s many things to write down but don’t know where to start ^^ I’ll try my best to deliver it well to you.
In all three parables, there are similarities, “Lost – Found – Rejoice” but if you take your time and read it carefully there are actually one different, from the first and second parable, the master (the one that fell lost) is the one looking out, searching the lost one, but in the parable of the lost son, the lost himself that return to the master (father). This is one thing, you’ll find another thing… buckle up.. ^^
There is one interesting about the parable of the lost son (I’ll be focused in this one).
• The first scene is the ‘younger’ son asking his share from his father (this is considered so rude, when you asking your share while your father is still alive), then he left his father.
• The second scene is the ‘younger’ son spent up all of his money, in party committed sin, he have a lot of friends (FYI: it’s a common practice that if u have a lot of money, friends tend to come)
• The third scene he’s on the edge of desperation, even he need to work in a pig farm, feeding the pig, out of starvation he even not allowed to share the pig food. Guess what, he broke and have no friends, then he realize that he want to come home, being the servant of his father even have a better life.
• The fourth scene, on the way home, from far away, the father can see the ‘younger’ brother. The father run into him, hug him and kiss him full of compassionate , even he ask all the servant to bring some robe, ring and sandals for the ‘younger’ brother and even so the father held a party, a celebration for his ‘younger’ son. The ‘younger’ brother enters the house again.
This is the story of the ‘older’ brother:
• The first scene, he aware that the father gives his share to the ‘younger’ brother.
• The second scene will represent his life while the ‘younger’ brother flees away, and enjoying his life, with his way to the max. The ‘older’ brother in the other hand, work so hard, never complaint, obey his entire father asking for.
• The third scene, while he is working hard on the field, he heard some music, and be told that the ‘younger’ brother has return, and the Master throw a party, and kill the fattened calf for his ‘younger’ brother, remember this, that this ‘older’ brother is outside of house, and he so furious with his father and refuse to come in and join the party, but once again, the father came outside to talk to the ‘older’ brother, trying to persuade him to join the party, the story end here.
I’m 100% believe, if we watching movie, end it end like this, we would be so mad, and curious about the real end of this story, whether the ’older’ brother came in to he house again or not. We all will have the same question, and neither one of us can answer it; it left only Jesus that can answer or finish the story. There is something that God wanting us to know; here is the shocking part (for me).
In this parable, it should be represent something, ‘older’ brother represent Pharisee, and the teacher of the law; ‘younger’ brother represent sinners and tax collectors; Home represent heaven; and finally, father represent our beloved Father in heaven.
If we try to look in New Testament the entire ‘older’ brother is trying to judge people, even Jesus Himself. They think really hard how to interpret the law from the Old Testament, for example “what you can do and u can’t do on the Sabbath” they find to a conclusion that if you tied a knot wit only one hand, you’re not violating the Sabbath law, but if you’re using both hand, than you violating the law. (I’m not sure about this, I think this is just example, I’m totally trying to deliver what Ps. Mark Conner said ^^ )
There’re a lot of even where the ‘older’ brother complaining to Jesus, while He trying to tie a knot with 2 hands with the ‘younger’ brother. It’s really hurtful for me to say this, maybe that I’m one of the ‘older’ brother, maybe you, or someone you know. What is Jesus trying to say is, approach you ‘younger’ brother, than they will automatically follow you, in short Jesus show some love to them, en they turn themselves in, not in the other way (you Follow Jesus and then He’ll love you – NOT AT ALL!!!) Many times Jesus show to us, the He first loves us, never en ever he asked us to follow Him first, He love you anyway. One of the stories that suit this is story about Jesus meat Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10). Jesus did not ask him to directly change, Jesus having lunch first with him, and you know how the story goes.
Let’s back to the story, (this is just my opinion) its ok for us to live like the ’younger’ brother, exploiting something new, explore yourself even more (of course within direction and wisdom), we tend to live like the ‘older’ brother, saying, “hey I’m the one will enter the heaven, I do obey my God, I did everything according to His will” but guess what, the ‘older’ brother is the one outside the house!!! Isn’t shocking, what does it suppose to mean? When I heard that, it fell like thousands of knives flying into my heart!!
I’m certainly thing that we can’t take this literally. Jesus just wants to show us something, He might say this to the ‘older’ brother:
“My Son, you know that I love you all so much, I appreciate a lot that you knew Me, you did whatever I asked you to be, you are the one that know me more than anybody, and since that I’m already leaving the earth, and all I can depend on just the Holy Spirit that stay within you, so what I’m asking you to do is, just simply reach out for your younger brother, they need you to be by their side, to feel Me within your presence there. I would love to see both of you in my house, could you do that to Me”
Love,
Jesus Christ
This parable just want to teach us, that God really want us to reach out, find our own beloved brother (I say it never been easy) God gave all of the resources needed, compassion, strength, Holy Spirit, creativity, etc. But if we not carefully, it will lead us up the other way… So the choice is yours, I would like to say that Ps. Mark Conner words, is the best revelation that I got this year, I’m still waiting good things to happen this year, it’s already October now, but still having faith out of it. Have a nice day guys… Hope it bless you as well.
