The Father said come on home

Luke 15:11-32

Do you recall the story Jesus told about the prodigal son?  It goes something like this, a very wealthy man had two sons, the younger of the two wanted more excitement and opportunities than his father was offering, so he said dad give me my half as if you were already deceased, and though I have no doubt it broke his father’s heart, he did as the younger son asked.  Not many days had passed till the younger son took his part of the estate and went on a journey into a far country, and Jesus tells us the youngster squandered his property in reckless living. 

I bet the youngster had a groupie, his face book page full of adoring fans till the money ran out.  Then something he did not anticipate happened, at about the same time his fame and the money ran out, the country began a severe famine.  You would be correct to say the party was over, and the youngster found his best buddies were no longer to be found, and Jesus tells us he was in need of shelter and clothing, so he hired out to one of the citizens of this foreign country to do something a Jewish boy would not think about doing.  He was to care for and feed the pigs, can you grasp his desperation?  At one time back in his father’s house he had servants, and it seems he might have been pampered as the younger of the brothers.

As one who wears the title Christian, what is your take on the story?  Is it not the story of many who go by the title Christian, but they have told the Father, maybe not out loud, but in their hearts and minds, the world has more to offer, or I do not want your authority over me, I want to do it my way, and many have.  In the USA the number of people who claim to attend church and the number that do seem very different, but it looks as if only around 17% of the population ever darken the doors of any Christian church building.

Now there is good news, the younger son woke up dirty, hungry, and very lonely and this thought came into his mind; “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’

(Luke 15:17-19 ESV)  If you have reached the point of understanding, and your way has put you with the swine, maybe it is time to do what this foolish young man did, and confess to your Father that He is a great provider and you will trust Him and be willing to return on His terms.

If you do so you are in for a shock, for the Father has been watching each day for your return, and He is not going to treat you as your actions deserve, but as His son.  This is the rest of the story;           “And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.” (Luke 15:20-24 ESV)

Now the older brother is a Pharisees in his actions, much like some who forget the grace and mercy the Father has shown to them.  He is not wanting forgiveness, in fact he has no love for his brother, and these are the words of the Father to the older son; “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’” (Luke 15:31-32 ESV)

A word to the younger brother, come on home, yes, the older brother is not going to be happy, but that is his problem, leave him to the Father, for the Father has been waiting for your return.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

What are you searching for?

Luke 15: 6-10

How does a person establish value, Jesus is telling the story of a woman who had ten silver coins and if she lost one, Jesus did not say she did, but if she did she would begin the search for the lost coin.  I’m sure at some point you have lost or misplaced something of value and if you are like me you begin the process first in your mind, where was the last place I put the thing of value.

And like the woman in the story you might turn on all the lights in the house so as to see clearly, and then you might sweep the house and the search begins with diligently looking under beds, moving tables, chairs, couches, and going through shelves and drawers in search of whatever the item is that has value.

But in 2015 I wonder how many of you identify with the lost coin, for coins are something many of us put into a dish on a counter and refuse to carry with us, and that is why I ask the question, what is of value to you, something that you would diligently search for?  For some it might be glasses, especially if your sight is dependent on those glasses, for others it might be a wedding ring, a watch that was your grandfather’s, and the list goes on, it’s your list so you add the items that would cause you to not rest until you found them.

In Jesus’ story the woman called in all of her friends and neighbors to rejoice with her over finding the one silver coin that was lost.  It seems that the lost coin had become very public; and maybe she used the social media of her day to get the word out to her friends and neighbors of the value she placed on this silver coin.

No where in the story is Jesus shaming the woman for her diligently seeking the silver coin, but the question must be asked, what do you value?  For all the items listed have some value, but none have eternal value, yet we much like the woman in the story told by Jesus often give them value that is not in keeping with what the angels in heaven rejoice over.  Did you read verse 10, “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Jesus understood the value we place on many things, but do we grasp the value God has placed on the lowliest of sinners?  Most of us have in our memory John 3:16, but Church, have you forgotten the teaching of John 3:17, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”  What we value is where we put our energy, is your energy directed at just one sinner, or are you consumed with seeking more stuff that has no eternal value?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Often a Pharisee

Luke 15:1-7

Have you ever ask the question: Why does it bother me when folk show-up at church dressed in what I would consider not appropriate?  Could it be we are more like the Pharisees and scribes than we are willing to admit?  As we look into Luke 15:1-7 keep that at the forefront of your mind. 

“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”  (Luke 15:1-2 ESV)  I’ve been in that group of Pharisees and scribes more often than I would like to admit.  It brings to my mind a young man named Kevin Carroll who came to Spring Baptist one Sunday morning, he had long unkempt hair, white painter overalls with different shades of paint on them, and the boy was barefooted, and God showed up before any of us Pharisees could approach him.  Now God took on the form of our pastor Harlan Caton, and this is what happened, Harlan welcomed this long hair unkempt young man as if he was of great importance, very special, and he was to the kingdom of God. 

Harlan said loud enough for all of us Pharisees to hear, young man I want you to sit on the front roll each time you are here, I also want you to keep your eyes on me and listen to what God has to say to you, and if anyone has a problem with how you are dressed you pay no attention to them and tell them you are my personal guest.  The rest of the story is Kevin became a dear friend to Jan and I, Kevin came to Christ, his hair got groomed, his dress changed, but that is not the best, his life changed and Kevin became a youth minister, married a beautiful lady and the last time we saw them they had children of their own and were busy in the kingdom of God.

As we look at Jesus’ reply, Kevin was that lost sheep, how many Kevin’s are we passing by each day?       “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” (Luke 15:4-7 ESV)  When our self-righteousness exceeds Christ mercy and love, we are close to judgment!

It has been my observation that the self-righteous are very often religious, I did not say they were Christ followers, for when self is on the throne of my life or your life there is little room for Christ.  So this word is for each of us who have flesh that wants chapel bells and proper dress, and it matters not if they are filled with demons from hell if they look and act good in the chapel.  “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”  (2 Corinthians 13:5)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

How does a Church lose its Salt?

Luke 14:34-35

            “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Jesus refers to the church as salt, and what is the church, not a building, not a denomination, but people who by faith have entered into Christ Jesus.  So the question must be asked, how does a church lose its salt?  And the follow-up question must be asked, can it be restored, or is it to be thrown away?

 On Thursday at 6:30 in the morning, Paul Wendell and I have been looking at a book written by my friend T.W. Hunt, “The Mind of Christ” and in doing so the Holy Spirit convicted me of my lack of Scripture memory, and it seemed I was directed to begin in John 14:18-21, I want to share those verses and what I believe they are telling us about our salt being good, or without taste. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”  (John 14:18-21 ESV)

No matter where you find yourself today, God desires to have an intimate relationship with you, and first and foremost you need to come clean, you are not in charge, you’ve not redeemed anyone, you need forgiveness, and Jesus is more than willing to meet you at the level of your need and understanding by His grace and He will give you the faith you need to ask Him to come to you.  By that faith you can know that Jesus is in the Father, and you are in Jesus and Jesus is in you, welcome to the Church!

But now comes the messy part, it’s found in John 16:33, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."  And here is another untidy part we often have not learned or chosen to ignore, “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” (Galatians 5:17)

The answer to how the Church loses its salty taste is found in, “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”  (John 14:121 ESV)  The church has allowed the culture to mold it, and it often teaches a worldly message that is in contrast to God’s commandments.   When one follows Jesus they are not guaranteed health, wealth, friends, or success, in fact Jesus tells us the world will do this; "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.” (John 15:18-19)  But the Church will stand, for there will always be a few who love Jesus and are willing to die to the world and the flesh and live life as if Jesus tells the truth.  And let me be quick to answer the follow-up question; can a believer or a group of believers called the local church be restored, or is it to be thrown away?  Do what John the Baptist came proclaiming; repent and return to being a follower of Christ and not men, not the worldly wisdom of men who act like they are wiser than our Creator, for His Word is like Him, it changes not, it is the same today as it was yesterday, it is the Truth.

In closing, ponder this verse from Revelations 2:4-5, “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Abandon self and renounce your rights

Luke 14:25-33

Before joining the army of the United States of America my older brother Fred, gave me this advice; “Bobby, never volunteer for anything and be quiet and do what you are told.”  Now Fred was not only my older brother, he was the person I looked up to and being a good little brother, I took his counsel.

Now that counsel seemed to work in the army and as I entered the business world it was still great counsel, especially the “be quiet and do what you are told.”  I’ve shared with you that Jan and I was in our twenties when we asked Jesus to forgive us for taking His place of being God, and confessed that we needed His grace and the faith to trust Him for life now and the eternal.

When we joined a Baptist church full of excitement and zeal, Fred’s advice was the furthest thing from my mind, we volunteered for any and everything, and it all felt good.  But it backfired on us, we spent more time at church than in our home, it was work and church, and our beautiful little girl knew the nursery workers very well.  Our marriage suffered, and yet how could that happen, weren’t we following Jesus?

Let me be quick to answer, “NO” we were following the flesh, I especially enjoyed the praise of men, I was not being taught because before sitting and learning how to be a follower of Jesus, I had entered into the role of teaching what I had no spiritual understanding of.  My desire in sharing this in conjunction with Luke 14:25-33 and my prayer is that you will not waste time following men, but will seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

It may be of help if before reading Luke 14:26 you first read Matthew 10:37, for it is the same as Luke 14:26.  Shall we begin with Matthew 10:37, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”  And doctor Luke uses the very strong word “hate” to make his point; in Luke 14:26, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”  If you come away with anything other than Jesus’ requirement for being His disciples requires putting Him before all else.

Not many of us who are followers of Christ are willing to abandon self and renounce our rights, to give up control of our desires and hope to meet Jesus’ requirement for being His disciples, so we live life as good followers with little power from the Holy Spirit working in us.
I’ve often wondered why I would have such a battle putting Jesus before all else? It is clear that the world and the desires of my flesh are warring with my spirit, but could it be that you and I have not grasped this truth in John 10:10-11, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice

You are invited to the Banquet

Luke 14:15-24

You may not identify with the first person to speak in this account, but I do.  Often, I’ve wanted the head guy or gal to know I had some knowledge of what they were saying, in my case it was my flesh needing to act as if I know more than both God and I knew to be true, now I’m not sure about the guy referred to as “one of those who reclined at the table” but after Jesus’ reply he is not reported to have had any more comments.

This is the man’s statement at the table and Jesus’ reply: “When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” But he (Jesus) said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’”  (Luke 14:15-24 ESV)

And that’s how you and I got invited into the banquet hall, not by some work of righteousness on our part, not by any goodness on our part; maybe we need the rest of the story.  The apostle John tells us about how we got invited to the banquet in John 1:9-13, “The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

The church is full of cultural Christians, many who by a false message have wrongly believed that all they needed to do was pray a prayer of forgiveness and they would be signed up for the banquet, but that is not what God’s word tells us. It is not a prayer, but faith in the One who gives light to all who come to Him by faith in the finished work of the Cross, and the resurrected Christ who sits at the right hand of the Father.  You have been invited to the banquet, but it’s your choice, will you be like the ones in the story above where you begin to make excuses for why you cannot come?  If so, please listen to these words from Jesus; “For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.”  My dad always said, “A word to the wise is sufficient.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice      

Eternal God and Mortal Man

Eternal God and Mortal Man

1.    Psalm 90

a.    God is our refuge in every generation.

b.    From eternity to eternity, You are God.

c.    For in Your sight a thousand years are like yesterday that passes by, like a few hours of the night.

d.    Mankind is like grass that grows in the morning, and by evening it withers and dries up.

e.    We are consumed by God’s anger; terrified by Your wrath.

f.      Our unjust ways are not hidden from You, our secret sins in the light of your presence.

g.    Verses 10-12, “Our lives last seventy years or, if we are strong, eighty years.  Even the best of them are struggle and sorrow;
indeed, they pass quickly and we fly away.  Who understands the power of Your anger?  Your wrath matches the fear that is due You.”
Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.”  

h.    We have earned God’s wrath, but our hearts cry out for Your mercy.

i.      Verse 14, “Satisfy us in the morning with Your faithful love
so that we may shout with joy and be glad all our days.” 

j.      LORD, that we may rejoice as you humble us and verse 16, should be the cry of our hearts: “Let Your work be seen by Your servants, and Your splendor by their children.”

k.    My prayer for you today: “Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us; establish for us the work of our hands—establish the work of our hands!”

As one Mortal Man who was changed by the blood of Jesus Christ, a redeemed man, a man set free from the power of sin, and changed from sinner to saint, not by any act of righteousness on my part, but by the grace of God and the faith He gave me to believe.  These things we confess, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and the person who says they have not sinned is a liar and the truth is not in them.

If the blood of Jesus Christ has redeemed you, what is your name, it’s not sinner it is saint.  Yes, you chose to sin, but it should break your heart, and when it is confessed with the right heart attitude to the Father, He remembers it no longer.

The Father calls you many things, His child, His beloved, in fact if you have allowed the enemy to confuse you on your identity, checkout 1 Peter 2:9-10, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”  Now the choice is yours, a dirty rotten sinner who can’t keep from sinning or a child of the Almighty Father, a member of His family, a saint, because Christ lives in you and you live in Christ.  And remember Jesus tells the truth, and when we act on His word, it is an act of faith.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice