Raised to Life

Matthew 20:17-19 [NLT], ...he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him. 18 "Listen," he said, "we're going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law.  They will sentence him to die. 19 Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified.  But on the third day he will be raised from the dead." 

Luke 15:1 [TPT], Many dishonest tax collectors and other notorious sinners often gathered around to listen as Jesus taught the people.      

Luke 15:2 [TPT], This raised concerns with the Jewish religious leaders and experts of the law.  Indignant, they grumbled and complained, saying, “Look at how this man associates with all these notorious sinners and welcomes them all to come to him!”

 Luke 15:3 [TPT], In response, Jesus gave them this illustration:

 Three part story consists of...

• the lost sheep.

• the lost coin.

• the lost son.

1.  Lost - "not where it is suppose to be."

2.  He loves each ONE of us.

3.  It is impossible to lose something of no value.

Luke 15:11-31 [TPT], Then Jesus said, “Once there was a father with two sons. 12 The younger son came to his father and said, ‘Father, don’t you think it’s time to give me the share of your estate that belongs to me?’ 

He desired independence to the point he was willing to surrender his relationship with the Father to obtain it.

Isaiah 53:6 [NLT], "All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.  We have left God's paths to follow our own.  Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all."

 12 So the father went ahead and distributed among the two sons their inheritance. 13 Shortly afterward, the younger son packed up all his belongings and traveled off to see the world. He journeyed to a far-off land where he soon wasted all he was given in a binge of extravagant and reckless living.

 “Spoke to the distance in their relationship.”

 14 “With everything spent and nothing left, he grew hungry, for there was a severe famine in that land.

 “Sin will take you to places you never wanted to go and it will keep you longer than you wanted to stay.”

 15 So he begged a farmer in that country to hire him. The farmer hired him and sent him out to feed the pigs. 16 The son was so famished, he was willing to even eat the slop given to the pigs, because no one would feed him a thing.

17 “Humiliated, the son finally realized what he was doing and he thought, ‘There are many workers at my father’s house who have all the food they want with plenty to spare. They lack nothing.  Why am I here dying of hunger, feeding these pigs and eating their slop? 18 I want to go back home to my father’s house, and I’ll say to him, “Father, I was wrong. I have sinned against you. 19 I’ll never be worthy to be called your son. Please, Father, just treat me like one of your employees.”’

 20 “So the young son set off for home. From a long distance away, his father saw him coming, dressed as a beggar, and great compassion swelled up in his heart for his son who was returning home. So the father raced out to meet him.

 “The father mercy outran his son's accusers.”

 “He swept him up in his arms, hugged him dearly, and kissed him over and over with tender love.”

21 “Then the son said, ‘Father, I was wrong. I have sinned against you. I could never deserve to be called your son. Just let me be—’ “The father interrupted and said, ‘Son, you’re home now!’

 “He wants to restore us back to our rightful place.”

 22 “Turning to his servants, the father said, ‘Quick, bring me the best robe, my very own robe, and I will place it on his shoulders.  Bring the ring, the seal of sonship, and I will put it on his finger.  And bring out the best shoes you can find for my son. 23 Let’s prepare a great feast and celebrate. 24 For this beloved son of mine was once dead, but now he’s alive again. Once he was lost, but now he is found!’ And everyone celebrated with overflowing joy.

 “He went from nothing to something in an instant. “

 25 “Now, the older son was out working in the field when his brother returned, and as he approached the house he heard the music of celebration and dancing. 26 So he called over one of the servants and asked, ‘What’s going on?’ 27 “The servant replied, ‘It’s your younger brother. He’s returned home and your father is throwing a party to celebrate his homecoming.’ 28 “The older son became angry and refused to go in and celebrate.  So his father came out and pleaded with him, ‘Come and enjoy the feast with us!’

 29 “The son said, ‘Father, listen! How many years have I been working like a slave for you, performing every duty you’ve asked as a faithful son?  And I’ve never once disobeyed you.  But you’ve never thrown a party for me because of my faithfulness. Never once have you even given me a goat that I could feast on and celebrate with my friends like he’s doing now. 30 But look at this son of yours! He comes back after wasting your wealth on prostitutes and reckless living, and here you are throwing a great feast to celebrate—for him!’ 31 “The father said, ‘My son, you are always with me by my side. Everything I have is yours to enjoy. 32 It’s only right to celebrate like this and be overjoyed, because this brother of yours was once dead and gone, but now he is alive and back with us again. He was lost but now he is found!’” 

 “There's more to this whole "God-thing" than just being a good person.”

 2 Corinthians 5:21 [TPT], For God made the only one who did not know sin to become sin for us, so that we who did not know righteousness might become the righteousness of God through our union with him.

 Are you where you're suppose to be today?