828 Church Ron Barnard

Title: The Lavish Love of the Father.
Scripture: Luke 15:20

Parable defined.
A parable is, literally, something “cast alongside” something else. Jesus’ parables were stories that were “cast alongside” a truth in order to illustrate that truth.
Prodigal defined
A person who spends money in a recklessly extravagant way.                                      Having or giving something on a lavish scale.
The word prodigal can describe lavish behavior whether it is directed towards oneself (as in the younger son who wasted his inheritance on lavish living) or on the father, who was lavish in his forgiveness and acceptance of the younger son when he returned home.

Tell the Story of the Prodigal Son.
1st point.
Sin does more than breaking the rules. It is the breaking of Relationship. 
Isaiah 59:2  But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. 
2nd point.
Love releases what it loves. Love gives freedom to be. 
John 8:36  He whom the Son sets free is free indeed.
3rd point.
We run from legitimate authority and become enslaved to illegitimate authority. 
James 4:7  Submit yourself to the authority of God. Resist the devil and he will flee. Amplified Bible



4th Point  
The father runs — and shames himself.
Luke 15:20 So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off. His father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, HE RAN TO HIS SON, EMBRACED HIM, AND KISSED HIM
Kezazah, A Jewish Ceremony
5th point  
You’re Not So Far Gone That God Can’t Restore You.
Luke 15:32 We had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again, he was lost and is found.
1John 3:1 See what great love the Father has Lavished on us, that we should be called children of God.

Matthew 14:22-24 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.


John 16:33, which says -In this godless world, you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.”


Don’t let the wind determine your direction.

John 6:19 says - 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles,


Mark 6:47-48
Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars because the wind was against them.


Romas 7:5 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 

Matthew 14:25

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.


Sometimes, God’s provision doesn’t look like we think it will, and we become afraid of what will ultimately be our deliverance. 

Matthew 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

Mark 6:50 Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

John 6:20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.”


Dr Tom Constable Said it this way. “Where Jesus is present, fear is unwarranted.”

I am is bigger than anything we could ever face in life, and he is for us.



Matthew 14:28-29
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 


Being in the storm with Jesus is safer than being on a boat without.

Verse 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 

Don’t let FAITH fatigue rob you of a TRUST you once knew.

Matthew 14:31 offers us hope. 
31 Immediately, Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

Partial Trust is not trust at all; it’s doubt

We do missions because we are the Kings kids on a mission! 

The Word became flesh and blood, moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes… like Father, like Son, generous inside and out, true from start to finish. John 1:14 MSG 

You show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 2 Corinthians 3:3 ESV 

While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. And he charged him to tell no one, but “go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray. Luke 5:12-16 ESV

One of those cites… 

We are meant to live as Jesus lived, intentionally on mission in our world everyday.

Full of Leprosy!  

There is no broken to broken for Jesus! 

Jesus’s compassionate reputation preceded Him! 

Coming to Jesus is always the right choice! 

And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. Luke 5:13 ESV  

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. James 4:6 ESV

Jesus lived a hands on approach to mission and that’s how we’re meant to live on mission too.

And immediately the leprosy left him.  

No one can heal the broken but Jesus! 

And he charged him to tell no one, but “go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” Luke 5:15 ESV 

When a life is truly transformed by the touch of Jesus the testimony will always point to the finished work of the cross! 

Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 1:4-5 NLT

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. Acts 1:9-9 ESV

Jesus often answers our questions with a commission.

As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!” Acts 1:10-11 NLT

On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. Acts 2:1-2 NLT

Holy Spirit provides the purity, passion, perspective, and power needed to fulfill God’s mission. 

We all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!” Acts 2:11 NLT 

What you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants, men and women alike, and they will prophesy. Acts 2:16-18 NLT

Them Peter preached the Gospel and 3000 people were added! - Acts 2:19-41 NLT  

The Miraculous happens by the power of the Holy Spirit!

The Holy Spirit is our power source for reaching and impacting our world!

The Holy Spirit is our power source for Healthy Relationships and Living in Community! 

The Holy Spirit is our power source for walking through adversity or tragedy.

The Holy Spirit is our power source for Purity and Freedom!

I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Matthew 3:11 NLT

The greatest gift this side of Easter is realized when we recognize and receive the person and work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. 

God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27 NLT - - Husband, Wife, Brothers, Sisters, Aunties and Uncles, etc…

He (Jesus) makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. Ephesians 4:16 NLT

Our most effective effort is found in the everyday ordinary things we do for God and others. 

Faithful effort in the ordinary duties of a son or daughter are the only right path to the will of the Father.

Overlooking the significance of the ordinary or mundane has robbed our world of the miraculous. 

That evening the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said, “That isn’t necessary, you feed them.” Matthew 14:15-16 NLT

Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money to feed them! John 6:7 NLT

What we have and are will always be insufficient without Jesus. 

One of the disciples, Andrew, brother to Simon Peter, said, “There’s a little boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But that’s a drop in the bucket for a crowd like this.” John 6:8-9 MSG

Tell everyone to sit down, Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (men numbered about 5,000.) Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. John 6:10-11 NLT

When the people had eaten their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the leftovers so nothing is wasted.” They went to work and filled twelve large baskets with leftovers from the five barley loaves. John 6:12-13 MSG

Our beleaguered age stands in need, not so much of ten talent men, but God conquered commoners.

Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But at night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. Matthew 13:24-25 NLT

The cultural cost is high when we miss the everyday opportunities to live extraordinary lives for Jesus.

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Romans 12:1-2 MSG