The Parables of Jesus: Coming Home

And he said, "There was a man who had two sons.  And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.' And he divided his property between them.  Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.  And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.  So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.  And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.  "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."'  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 15:11‭-‬24 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

My hope is that we would not just treasure this story, but the one who it points to. Keep in mind that the subheadings were written by translators, not the original authors. With that idea, consider that this story isn't just about the prodigal son. There are two sons. This story was about both sons. Jesus was telling this parable to both the Pharisees and the sinners. Today we will cover the younger brother.

Sick of home

The younger brother demanded his inheritance. To say this means that the younger son wanted what his father had, but wanted nothing to do with his father. It is to say that he wishes his father was dead. This would strike as appalling behavior to any listener.

But even more than that, the father gives this son his share. This portrays the heart of our generous God. And the son takes this and lives a reckless life. This is what prodigal means... reckless and prolific spending. Finally, this Jewish kid ends up being a hired hand caring for pigs. Jews considered pigs to be unclean and filthy. The son was treated badly enough that he was jealous of what the pigs ate. This is a picture of rock bottom.

The son wanted all the gifts of the father, but not the father. He wanted to live his own life. And so, instead of serving his father, he ended up serving someone else who treated him poorly. So it is with us, if we will not serve God, we will become a slave to sin. Not only that, but the younger son becomes animalistic... Dehumanised. Not only do we become dehumanised, but we will often dehumanize others.

Homesick

The younger son comes to his senses through pain and suffering. It is this trial and crises that makes this son turn towards his father. So it is with us, God uses pain to shake us into reality. It brings us to our senses and turn to God.

The younger son realizes that the hired hands in his father's house are treated better than this. He rehearses what to say. He acknowledges his sin against his father. Not just that he is in a bad situation. There are no excuses, blame shifting... He requests that his father treat him as a hired hand. Maybe he thought he could make restitution.

Coming home

The father saw his younger son from far off. The father was looking for his younger son. The father runs. This is a shameful and shocking thing. Older men did not run. They wore long flowing robes. So the father would have had to pick up his robe and run in an undignified fashion. The father was undignified and shameless for the son who shamed him.

The father throws his arms around his disgraceful son. Not a word said. The son starts to apologize, but the father interrupts. He asks for the best robe, the ring, and for a party. The slaughter of the fattened calf is shocking. This was reserved for the only most important of guests.

This is unexpected. What kind of father is so prodigal on this worthless son? How can the father be so reckless with his wealth? But this is the reckless love that God has for his children. It didn't matter that the son stunk of pigs and unwise  lifestyle. In this modern day, the father took a dirty, stinky son and threw an expensive suit on him. This is the lavish, generous, and reckless love of God the Father. The son came back empty-handed and found radical acceptance and love in the arms of the father. This is the prodigal love of God.

The parables of Jesus: The love of God for the Lost

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." So he told them this parable: "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.  "Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?  And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.'  Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents." - Luke 15:1‭-‬10 ESV

Parables are told in response to a question or situation. They didn't come out of nowhere. Tax collectors were viewed similarly to how some see the IRS. They were morally repulsive and despised by the people of that age. They not only collected taxes, but added whatever amount on top that they wished. The Pharisees followed the law in that they avoided the corrupt. They would not even overrule this to share the law. So they grumbled against Jesus, who not only spent time with them, but ate with them. Eating with sometime is an embrace. Jesus drew the lost to him and embraced them.

The Search

There are people who do not trust, follow, and know God. In the Bible, they are called lost. They are not stupid or unintelligent. This is a spiritual lost-ness. They are spiritually blind.

So the lost sheep and the lost coin are important. We don't just leave it as is. They are valuable. It is obvious why one would search for them. The Pharisees were being called out in their interpretation of the law. God seeks out the lost. They are more valuable than any animal or possession. The God of the cosmos arranges things so that they could see God's love.

The Joy

The found sheep is thrown over the shoulder and the finder rejoices. We have lost things. But have we ever lost someone important to us? The lost son or daughter is found. All of heaven rejoices. God is not saying he is not loving the 99 righteous... He is just particularly focused on those who didn't know God and have now been found. Even with the countless thousands, millions, or trillions of the faithful... God is focused on those who are still lost. He is focused on each of the lost that are now found.

The Party

God tells people to share in his joy that people were being found. In order to share in this joy, you need to have God's burden for the lost. In order to rejoice with God over the found, we must be fully invested and fully concerned with the lost. God seeks and finds the lost through the church.

Church: Does your social circle look more like the Pharisees or Jesus? Do we only have Christians and people like us in our social circles? (Christians who are less than two years in are the most effective at reaching the lost. Christians tend to stay within church circles.)

Jesus is radically inviting, but he is also radically honest about sin. He pulled no punches. He was at the party, but he was not getting wasted. He called people out lovingly, graciously, tactfully, and wisely. We need to remember that God is working in hearts. We cannot save, but God can. We were once lost, but now are found. This is what makes us identify with the lost, but distinct in that we are saved by God.

The Parables of Jesus: What Jesus says about Hell

"There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.  And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,  who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.  The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried,  and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.  And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.'  But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.  And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.'  And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house—  for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.'  But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.'  And he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'  He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'" - Luke 16:19‭-‬31 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Existence of Hell

Jesus is confronting the Pharisees in this parable. We need to be careful of the metaphors in use. They are trying to convey real spiritual truths. Hell is real. We don't consider Hell as metaphorical.

We see in Scripture a God of love and find it hard to reconcile this with a place of everlasting suffering. God is both loving and also one of judgement and wrath. He loves justice and righteousness. He cares deeply about injustice. All the New Testament authors wrote about hell. Jesus spoke more about Hell than about Heaven. We don't know what it is exactly like, but the symbolism is horrific. Unending suffering and anguish awaits those who arrive there. It is not just a theological subject. We should be

Essence of the Hellbound

The rich man ate richly. He was so rich that he had expensive underwear. Contrasted against the poor man. He was sick, hungry, and likely crippled. The rich man ignored the poor man. He was indifferent to the poor man's suffering. The indifference was so deep that it is contrasted against the guard dogs... Who at least comforted the poor man by licking his sores.

What do we take away from this?

Riches does not mean you are blessed & favored by God. The rich man lived a comfortable life, but ended up in a place of horrible anguish. The poor man suffered so much in life, but ended up in a place of glory and comfort.

How you use your material wealth is important. It is not evil to be wealthy. The rich man is not condemned for wealth. The poor are not saved by poverty. The rich man was owned by his wealth. We are to love God over money. This is what condemned the rich man. The hell bound treasure material things more than God. Your checkbook doesn't lie. So how we treat our earthly treasure speaks of who God is to us...

The rich man knew Abraham. He was a Jew and knew the law. But he ignored it. He chose to live his life the way he wanted rather than what God says though the prophets and the old testament. He was and even in Hell, still self centered.

Unbelief is not just the lack of evidence. It is an unwillingness to submit to God. It is not a lack of proof. We have a fundamental bias against God. This is the heart of man. We don't want to live under the Lordship of God.

The greater motivator of grace

Motivation to submit to Jesus cannot come purely from the fear of judgement and damnation. So what motivates us to bow our knee? Jesus came, died a horrible death, and tasted the horror of Hell so that we, undeserving sinners, could be at the side of Abraham. This grace is what makes us forget about our own lives and makes us joyfully obedient. This sacrificial love is what drives us to live a life of following God.

The pursuit of racial justice as worship

"Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God. 'Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?' Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord ? "Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.' If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in. - Isaiah 58:1‭-‬12 ESV

We cannot worship without justice. They dealt well with God, but ignore the people around them. We care deeply about good theology and good Christian music. We want to fast well and pray regularly. The church in the US is complicit in racial injustice. The Christianity of America is not the Christianity of the Bible. The American church has played a role in racial slavery and segregation. The segregation of schools has gotten worse since Plessy v. Ferguson. The federal law has been rendered mute. Pursuing justice was seen as something the liberals did. Christians are focused on conserving their theology. And so, all this prayer for revival falls on deaf ears.

Good theology and seeking justice is God-honoring. A church that fasts is difficult. But God is not pleased. This is not the fast He desires. God wants justice; He wants this to be something we desire. This is an everyday thing. Not just on the day of service and we go on our daily lives. God promises to answer those who seek justice. We are not to seek our own good. We are to seek out the good of our neighbors. God equates himself to water. This is water in a desert culture. Water was treated very differently. It was conserved and protected.

The Parables of Jesus: Pray with Shameless Persistence

And he said to them, "Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves,  for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him';  and he will answer from within, 'Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything'?  I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.  And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.  What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent;  or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?  If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" - Luke 11:5‭-‬13 ESV

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man.  And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.'  For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God nor respect man,  yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.'"  And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge says.  And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?  I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" - Luke 18:1‭-‬8 ESV

Rev Charles Han

Prayerlessness is condemned. But Jesus exhorts us to pray. Prayer takes focus and hard work. It humbles us.

What's the point of praying? Your circumstances don't change. Your family is not healed. Your sin struggles stay the same. Does God really hear? Does he really care?

So the guy who is knocking... He is out of bread. In this culture of hospitality, it was embarrassing. So houses back then was usually a single room. So knocking meant that he was waking up his friend's entire family. It was not an easy choice. But by  his impudent asking, he got what he needed.

The widow and the evil judge speaks of a tough situation. A widow with no defender, no siblings, no family or man to protect her. She could not in that day and age go to the courts. Courts only allowed men. So she used the only thing available to her, persistence. She gave the judge no rest. The judge realized that she would not leave him alone, so the unrighteous judge gave her justice.

This is such a pair of unlikely outcomes. Justice to the powerless widow and a neighbor who will give you bread. This is the backdrop for God's relationship with his children. Even evil parents will love the children, so much so will God who placed that instinct in parents... Love his people.

What then of those "unanswered" prayers? Diseases unhealed, people unsaved, tough times unrelenting? We ask wrongly. The Lord's prayer does not ask greedily. It does not ask for filet mignon. It asks for today's bread. The neighbor did not ask for something stupid. The widow didn't ask for a shady favor from the judge, she asked for true justice.

God will sometimes answer with no. But it's not just no, God will answer the desire behind our request. He will answer in value, if not in kind. Paul prayed three times for that thorn to be taken away... And God said yes, I will give you strength for ministry. The thorn remained, but God answered.

God sometimes makes us wait. It is hard to see. The timing is not right. He is working in us. He is doing what is best for you as you ask him in faith. Take heart and persist in prayer.

A hymn: Unanswered Yet

Unanswered yet? The prayer your lips have pleaded
In agony of heart these many years?
Does faith begin to fail, is hope departing,
And think you all in vain those falling tears?
Say not the Father hath not heard your prayer;
You shall have your desire, sometime, somewhere.

2. Unanswered yet? Though when you first presented
This one petition at the Father’s throne,
It seemed you could not wait the time of asking,
So urgent was your heart to make it known.
Though years have passed since then, do not despair;
The Lord will answer you, sometime, somewhere.

3. Unanswered yet? But you are not unheeded;
The promises of God forever stand;
To Him our days and years alike are equal;
“Have faith in God”; it is your Lord’s command.
Hold on to Jacob’s angel and your prayer
Shall bring a blessing down sometime, somewhere.

4. Unanswered yet? Nay, do not say ungranted;
Perhaps your part is not yet wholly done;
The work began when first your prayer was uttered,
And God will finish what He has begun.
If you will keep the incense burning there,
His glory you shall see, sometime, somewhere.

5. Unanswered yet? Faith cannot be unanswered;
Her feet were firmly planted on the Rock;
Amid the wildest storm prayer stands undaunted,
Nor quails before the loudest thunder shock.
She knows Omnipotence has heard her prayer,
And cries, “It shall be done,” sometime, somewhere.

The parables of Jesus: The sower and the foundation

"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?  Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like:  he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.  But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great." - Luke 6:46‭-‬49 ESV

And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable, "A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it.  And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it.  And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold." As he said these things, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."  And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'  Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.  The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.  And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away.  And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. - Luke 8:4‭-‬14 ESV

Rev. Dan Whang

The sower parable is explaining that in order to get the most from the word, we need to have the right heart. We need to check our heart before diving into God's word.

The path is the hard soil. The seed does not penetrate the soil. This soil characterizes a heart that is hardened by unbelief. We may hear the word and it has no impact on our lives. Can this be your struggle? What could make for hard hearts? Here's three possibilities.

Are you proud? Do you think that you don't need help from God or others? Do you feel like you know enough?

Are you hurt? Do you feel betrayed by someone important to you?

Have you been hardened by sin? Are your feelings and desires deadened to spiritual things? Has sin ensnared you into dead living?

Rocky ground has no moisture. There is not enough soil to hold water. The seed, the word of God, takes but has no root. So times of trial and tribulation kills them off.

The faith is only fair weather. It cannot handle persecution and self denial. It is a shallow faith and shallow convictions. We may love hearing the word, but when we get tested, we fall. We forget God's word and his promises. This testing is supposed to give us inner fortitude and perseverance.

The divided heart is illustrated by thorns. The seeds grow, but it gets choked by weeds. The word convicts us. But we are distracted by things of the world. God is not firmly enthroned as first in our lives. We fill our lives with so many other things, entertainment, vacations, hobbies, food, etc.

Farmers don't just throw their seeds all over. They carefully make sure the soil is in good condition. They check for right moisture levels, nutrients, etc. This is hard work. This is the heart we all want and need.

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. - John 12:24 ESV

We are reminded of something else Jesus said. The seed has to fall and die in order for there to be a harvest. He was speaking of himself, coming to earth to die. He kicked off the coming of the kingdom of God.

We need to not only hear the word of God, but to apply it. That is the main point of the foundations parable. We need to take the word and place it into action in our lives. We must not only enjoy the word, but we need to obey. We need to take God's word seriously. God's word must be foundational. Both builders work hard. But the second misses a crucial step. The results are disastrous. Don't just listen and feel convicted. Dig deep and lay a foundation.

Practical applications

Make intentional daily appointments to be in the word of God

Pick a book in the Bible and complete it

Start your week on what was preached last week. Review what the preacher covered and see if there are fresh inspiration from God on how to apply it in our lives.

Journaling can calm and slow us down. It can be good for our reflection and meditation. It can also help us retain more of what we've learned.

Unto you is born a savior in a manger

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. -  Luke 2:1‭-‬7 ESV

Rev. Charles Han

This historically of Christmas

This event is embedded in history. During Roman rule, a census is called. Most likely for the purpose of taxation. The story is written by the author of Luke with the decided aim of writing down all the details. It is anchored in history. Unlike other religions, it is not based upon ideas of men. The source is verifiable. Christianity is based upon the life and words of Jesus. Paul stated that if Christ was a fairy tale of myth, Christians are to be pitied. Our faith is meaningless.

The fulfillment of prophecy

Luke speaks of the lineage of Joseph. This is to prove that Jesus was the long awaited savior. He is the fulfillment of all the prophesies. Not just a couple, but dozens. The probability of this is incomprehensible. Joseph and Mary had to make a journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. There is no mention of a donkey. They most likely walked. What are they thinking or feeling about this? They are probably thinking of how this was such an arduous journey with a woman late in pregnancy.

God in a manger

This is no flowery or ornate language. Just a matter of fact. This is a culture that prized hospitality. There is a guest room but there is no mean innkeeper. It was likely a shared room. So why the manger? It was likely the only private quiet spot. This is how the most important person ever came into this world. More like a refugee than the son of God. He was born into humble poverty. His first throne would be a manger. He came to be God of the poor & the outcast. He did not come for the righteous. He was not born in a palace. He is approachable to the lowest of the lowly. He came in a dirty feeding trough. It is fitting, not for a king, but for a sacrificial lamb. He does not avoid messes. He enters into the mess of our unruly, unclean, disgusting lives. That is the son of God. He comes for those who are unfit to receive him. This is the one who came in a manger.