- Well, good morning, good to see all of you. We are in the midst of this series called "Unshakeable Truth." We started with who God is, and then we started looking at who we are, and we did talk about sin and how it's impacted our life. We talked about how God has give us his Word which communicates the truth of how we can have a relationship with him. And last week Pastor Seth did a great job launching into this whole idea, and it's a big, huge doctrine and essential of our faith, so to speak, called the incarnation. And I don't want you to be scared about that, it simply means that Jesus Christ, fully God, added full humanity to his deity and wrapped himself in flesh and came and lived here. So today we're gonna unpack that. Before I pray, I would like for you to take your Bibles out and I want you to go to Luke chapter 15 and locate verse 11. It might be a familiar story to many of you. For those of you that's not, we'll get through it and it will be familiar to you after we read it through today. You're welcome to use the shared Bible in front of you, it's page 874, or use your electronic version or the Bible that you have brought in here. The next thing I'd like for you to do is take the notes out and a pen. You may wanna write down some things as we work our way through this passage and talk about really today what some of the practical implications are to this wonderful concept that God became human and really take a look at what true acceptance is all about. So let me pray for us and then we'll dive right in together. Lord, we thank you for our time together today. I ask, Lord, that we would see the relevance of this truth as it appears in your Word. I ask that your Holy Spirit would take it and carve into our hearts and in our lives what you would have for us today. That we would grasp the power of unconditional love and acceptance. Lord, it is in your precious name that we pray. Amen. Now, I do have a true confession that I have to make here today, and that true confession is, yes, in spite of the fact that many of you have met Bentley, a few weeks ago might be the first time. He's a beautiful dog, he's a lot of fun, incredibly intelligent as you can see with the glasses. We have theological conversations all the time. He's one of the best listeners in my life. Never talks back at me, wonderful dog. But at one point in time I did have the thought of returning this dog, I'll tell you how it came about. I did a lot of research and tried to find the right dog and managed everybody's expectations in our family and decided on a Golden Retriever British cream. And as pups, this is why everybody loves Golden Retrievers, right? They're on commercials because you see these fluffy pups and they're just unbelievably gorgeous and everybody wants to hug them and kiss them and all that kind of stuff. Well, as this dog began to grow, the breeder had told me that he would be around 65 pounds. So I started measuring the distance of the table in our kitchen, I really went to this level, because I wanted to see what kind of monster was gonna invade my house. She's now 65 pounds. And I thought, well, there's just absolutely no way that this dog is gonna shed as much as my previous dog. Oh boy, was I wrong. And then what I found out was Bentley started drooling, and it wasn't just connected to food. So, "Turner & Hooch," I don't know if you're familiar with that movie, St. Bernards, all that kind of stuff. Bentley's right in that category. I mean, I was actually talking with the dog trainer and we're not gonna do cosmetic surgery or any of that kind of stuff. Man, is he a drooler, like a faucet sometimes. It's become kinda hilarious. So there was a point where I was like, I don't know what to do with this dog. And then it occurred to me, as I was contemplating this, that I wasn't gonna return my kids, okay? So that thought kinda popped in my head, must have been from the Lord, that, look, you don't give your kids back. Parents, grandparents, agree with me, you're not gonna turn your kids back in. And then I thought, well, you know what? God doesn't return us either. He accepts us and some of you, as I'm looking at you right now, you're still drooling and you have issues when you shake your head, but God still loves you and accepts you as is. And it's because true acceptance is based on what Jesus did for us. God unconditionally loves you and fully accepts you as is, and it's based upon what Christ has done for us. Now, I know you're already in Luke chapter 15, we'll get to that story in just a minute, but I wanna read for you just a couple of verses from a book that you may or may not be familiar with in the New Testament, it's the Book of Hebrews. We don't know who the author is, but it is a powerful book that talks about this very subject. Listen to these words. I don't want you to turn there, just listen to them. "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, "God spoke to our fathers by the prophets." He's talking about the Old Testament prophets. "But in these last days," which would include now, "he has spoken to us by his Son, "whom he appointed the heir of all things, "through whom also he created the world." Now, did you notice what he combines here? Because the Book of Hebrews unpacks the supremacy of Jesus Christ and who he really is, but it also unpacks that he was fully God who became fully man, and that God revealed his love for us, why? Because we have a sin problem, that's what we've been learning about. We've understood this truth within his Word. He loved us so much that in the last days he specifically revealed his unconditional love and acceptance through the person of Jesus Christ, fully God, fully man, who created the world. He picks up on it again, listen to these words. In verse six he says, "And again, "when he brings the first born into the world." That means the incarnation where Jesus Christ was sent to deal with our problem. And then it says, "Let all God's angels worship you." He's the Creator of the universe. And God was saying to us, "Regardless of your sin, "and regardless of how good or bad you are, "I will come, I will give my life to you, "because I love you unconditionally "and I will redeem you "and I will unconditionally accept you, "if you would turn to me." You know, people today are experiencing the pain and the wounds of sin, regardless of the age, in a number of different areas of life. It's why I have referred to this individual several weeks ago. His name is Rob Reimer, it doesn't matter, but the quote is what I want you to remember, so I put it up on the screen. "I think people," he says, "are going to come to faith in Christ," and that means trusting that Christ alone as Savior and Lord, "they're gonna come to faith in Christ today "more because they know they are broken "and in need of a healer "than because they know they are sinners "and in need of a savior." I don't want you to miss what he says here. He's not suggesting that you don't come to a point in your life where you realize what you're doing is sinful and it separates you from a Holy God and it separates you from him and the only solution is Jesus Christ who needs to be your Savior, but that's not always the place you start. The place you start is acknowledging the fact that, yes, people are broken and wounded. And what we're gonna learn today is that they're engaging in a loving relationship with them so that they are beginning to understand that, yes, there is someone who unconditionally loves them, and it may start with you, but then it'll eventually move to a God who loves them and then that will build a bridge to open the doors so that they can begin to understand the sin behind the wound and meet the Savior who will deal with their sin and their wound and bring about transformation in their life. And that's why I love the story of the prodigal son, which actually is a misnomer. Because it reveals to us that true acceptance produces a new life and new relationships. Now, Rembrandt, one of his most famous paintings was of The Prodigal. This was over in Saint Petersburg, Russia. I've seen the original over there. You could stare at if for hours because it communicates so much that happens in this story. Really the story, yes, it does have an older son and a younger son. And if you've gone to Sunday school in your life you've probably heard the prodigal son's story. But in many ways it's not about the sons. It is but it isn't. The emphasis of this story, and I don't want you to miss this as we unpack it, the emphasis is on the father and his extravagant love for his boys. That's the focus. As a matter of fact, the father is mentioned 12 times in this story. That's why Tim Keller comes along and he says it's not about a prodigal son, it's about a prodigal father. Because the word prodigal actually means lavish and extravagant. And the point you're gonna see now as we take a look at this story, if you'll look down at verse 11 and let me begin to read, we'll talk about a few things and then I'll unpack some practical principles. And Jesus is speaking here and so he says, 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. "And not many days later, "the younger son gathered all he had "and took a journey into a far country." Remember that, we'll come back to it. "And there he squandered his property in reckless living." Let me set the context here so you can understand what's going on. When the younger son came to his father and said, "I want you to give me my inheritance now," it was an incredible sign of disrespect to the father, and the reason was this. The father hadn't died yet, so in order for this to happen it was as if the son was treating the father as if he had died, and the relationship would be severed at that point. It would be completely, you're dead to me. You're broken off. So that was the idea of what was happening. The other thing that I want you to see here, because it was such a huge deal and a sign of disrespect, it would have brought condemnation from the elders in the community. But if you divide up the father's estate, 1/3 would have gone to this younger son, 2/3 would have gone to the older son. And this means that the father would then assume the responsibility to make sure that the 2/3 stayed 2/3. You see the point? Because if the son went out and squandered the 1/3, then the father's like, he's gotta watch the stock market, he's gotta make sure that when he sells his cow, he sells high and buys low. He's gotta make sure that the 2/3 stay 2/3 so that the older son gets the 2/3. He now has the pressure and responsibility. It was another form of disrespect of what was happening here. Well, verse 14. "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 the fields to feed pigs. "And he was looking to be fed "with the pods that the pigs ate, "and no one gave him anything." Pigs were unclean to Jews so this would've been remarkable as they listened to this story, but let's keep going, verse 17. "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.'" He takes full responsibility. "I am no longer worthy to be called your son. "Treat me as one of your hired servants." So he decides he's gonna go back, but when he sets foot on the property again he's not gonna step foot on it as an owner anymore. He's gonna set foot as a servant. Relationship has totally changed. And then we get to verse 20 where Jesus takes a turn. "And he arose and he came to his father. "But," that's key, "while he was still a long way off, "his father saw him and felt compassion, "and ran and embraced him and kissed him." This was totally opposite to custom. The son was to take the initiative. Now, when it says that he was still a long way off, your eyes can only see so far. The clear implication here, 'cause I've been to Israel, I know exactly the lay of the land, there's places where you can't see very far because it's such a hilly country. In order for this to happen, the father would have had to put forth some effort, either going a long distance away from the house or going way up high on a mountain so that he could actually see a long way off. What does that indicate for you, that the father was searching, longing for the son to return? That's the idea. And then it says that the father felt compassion and he ran and embraced the son. He took the initiative. And he kissed him, he embraced him. "And the son said to him, "'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.'" I've sinned against God and I've sinned against you. In other words, he took full responsibility for what happened. "'I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' "But the father said to the servants, "'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him.'" Now, a robe would be a symbol of royalty. "And put a ring on his hand." That would have been a symbol of authority because it was a signet ring, and instead of oftentimes signing like a contract they would take it and stamp it in clay, which meant that whatever he was putting that stamp on, it was his family name, it was their emblem. And so he was securing a covenant or a contract with his father's name, which was now his name. He had the full rights and authority of a son to form contracts and form covenants again. This is totally opposite of a servant. No servant would ever be given this. Unless the owner had given him the authority to do it. "And then shoes on his feet." Now, that completes the picture, but back then, if you were very, very poor, you didn't even have shoes. So what does that tell you? He's giving him, again, rights and privileges, and almost as if he's trying to say, "What I have is yours again." And then look at verse 23. "And bring the fattened calf and kill it, "and let us eat and celebrate. "For this my," notice this. Not my servant, "my son was dead," 'cause the relationship was severed. "'And is alive again; "'he was lost, and is found.' "And they began to celebrate." You see, the father didn't want the son to be defined by his sin anymore. Was there full repentance? Absolutely. His identity was restored. But he's not defined by that anymore. Well, now I wanna read verses 25 through the end of the story because I want you to see the reaction of the older brother. "Now his older son was in the field, "and he came and drew near to the house, "and he heard music and dancing. "And he called one of the servants "and asked what these things meant. "And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, "'and your father has killed the fattened calf, "'because he has received him back safe and sound.'" And notice this. "But he was angry and refused to go in. "His father came out and entreated him, "but he answered his father, "'Look, these many years I have served you, "'and I never disobeyed your command.'" Make note to that. "Yet you never gave me a young goat, "that I might celebrate with my friends. "But when this son of yours came." Notice he didn't say, my brother. "'Who has devoured your property with prostitutes, "'you killed the fattened calf for him!' "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.'" What I want you to see is that the older brother actually didn't even view his relationship with the father in a father-son relationship. And it's so ironic, isn't it? The younger son who's on the outside is now on the in, and the older son who is on the inside is now on the outside. And the younger son who's sinned is now experiencing grace and the relationship, but the older son has rejected all of that for a system of works. Isn't it interesting that he says, "Look, dad, I've done everything for you." This is what a servant would say. As a matter of fact, he was so detailed on everything. "I've done this, I've done this, "I've done this, I've done this. "And you owe me." His perspective was that he was in a work servant relationship, not a son relationship. If he was really thinking that he was a son of his father, he would have had an intimate relationship, he would have understood the father's values in this relationship, and he would have forgiven and accepted his brother because he had tasted grace. The grace that his father would give. But he didn't see it that way. Why is that? You see, both the sons had something in common. It's called sin. And it showed up in different ways. The younger son, we get that one, right? He just went out and blew everything. But the older son had it as well, why? Because he had cataloged in his mind all of these things that he had done. In other words, that's why I wanted to get in verse 25 and on, the older son came into this deal in a work servant relationship, not a father-son relationship, with a system whereby he thought there was justice that needed to happen. The problem was it was his version of justice. You know what happens when I step into a relationship with my version of what fair and just is? It's flawed every single time because I'm not perfect. And if I've never tasted grace, then you're never gonna understand it from me because I'm gonna have conditions for you. Trust me, every single time. 'Cause that's the way I operate, I just know myself. And so he had this long list of all the things that he had done, and as the list grew, guess what happened. His pride and his arrogance grew and there was a sense of moral superiority over his brother, and yet at the same time he was guilty of greed, he was guilty of gaining possessions, he was guilty of moral superiority. And you know what? Even though he didn't really see it, he was guilty of idolatry, because it was all about him. It was all about him calling the shots. It was all about his view of justice. It was all about what he wanted you to do. And that is completely opposite of the grace-based unconditional love and acceptance the Father has come to provide us. And so, whether you are religious or rebellious, God's love and acceptance for us is without any conditions. Without any. The relational implications of the incarnation, Jesus Christ being born in a manger, which we're celebrating here at Christmas, fully God and fully man, coming to us. The relational implications is what we're focusing on. Of the incarnation are that you and I are unconditionally accepted and loved if you're willing to receive it. And unlike our love, God's motivation was based on perfect love, embracing us, accepting us as is, if we're willing to walk in that direction. The custom of the day was for the son to pursue the father, but it was completely reversed in the storyline. It was the father who ran to the son. That's why I love these verses in Romans chapter five. Oftentimes we go directly to verse eight, for those of you who've been involved in church. I'm gonna go back to verse six. "For while we were still weak," sinful, stuck, because of sin in our life, no hope, "at the right time Christ died for the ungodly." And by the way, that's you and me, so we can all raise our hands. "For one will scarcely die for a righteous person, "though perhaps for a good person "one would dare even die, "but God shows his love for us "in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." God's coming is not based on you earning it. It's based on his unconditional love and desire to accept you. If you evaluate every single other major world religion, it amounts to a system of works. If you look at any cult, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormonism, if you look at Islam, if you look at Hinduism, if you look at Buddhism, and I dare say, I'll probably step on a few toes and get some hate mail, I don't know, but there's some parts of Christian churches that are based on works too. I'll just say that and leave it alone. Whereby there's nothing about grace, it's all about participating and earning my salvation, and that's not grace. Grace is unmerited favor. And true Christianity teaches there's only one way, and that comes through Christ and Christ alone. Now, we see this in the incarnation because he comes to us to demonstrate that he's doing what we could never do for ourselves to pay for our sin, to do something. And next week we'll start on this massive concept of Christ atonement for our sin, that he paid the price. But it's also demonstrated in how Jesus dealt with relationships. When he met the woman at the well, and we call it that, it's in John chapter four, he addressed a woman who was, I'll just say it in a very loving way, but she was living in sin. She had five husbands. And Jesus doesn't shy away from it, he engages in the relationship and he actually brings up this point. He says, "And the person you're with, "that you're living with right now, it's not your husband." The clear implication is it's not according to God's design. But he does it in a loving way. He maintains the relationship. That's why we're not gonna run from sin but we oughta come to it in a loving way. And what does he do? Even though she does this, right? Have you ever had that when you talk to somebody about issues? Like, oh man, I wish I would've just stuck to the weather in that conversation. But he keeps pursuing her, he doesn't give up. And she does end around and it's just this amazing picture of stepping into a cultural issue and communicating, "I'm here. "But there's a way and there's truth, and I'm the one." And without any conditions at all, this picture came to my mind. It was as if you were stuck in a filthy, smelly, stinky prison cell. You were chained, you were living in filth. There was no way you could get out. And you stunk to high heaven. And at the lowest point in your life, I mean, you couldn't even take your life, the door opens and there's Jesus with light behind him, looking at you, and saying to you, "Regardless of your filth, "regardless of the bondage you are in, "I am here to unconditionally love you and accept you, "and if you're willing right now to turn "and walk with me out of this prison cell, "you can find hope and healing and forgiveness." And that's the image. That's what's going on here. It has nothing to do with me and there's this God who is infinite, who knows me more than anyone else, and yet he accepts me without conditions and he loves me, a place where I can know and be fully known and yet find freedom and hope. And what does that kind of relationship produce? God's unconditional love and acceptance creates a secure relationship, why? Because I didn't have to do anything to get it so I can't do anything to lose it. It's not about performance. If I don't make the hockey team, it shouldn't surprise anybody, by the way, it's gonna be based on performance. But that's not how the spiritual life works. Now, of all the times that I blew it as a parent, still doing various ways in my life, there are few exceptions where I did it right, and you're gonna agree with me because you've faced the same issues. But I wanted to make sure in some of those instances where I even messed up big time with our kids, I wanted to make sure that they knew out of my response either after I blew it coming back or prior to, and I did actually do a couple things right, okay? That they knew I still loved them and that I accepted them as is. And once the son returned in repentance, no conditions were placed upon him, and that creates security, why? Because there's nothing I can do to gain a relationship with God. We can't do anything to earn it. We can't live good enough. That's the idea, that's the point. My relationship with God is built upon the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. You didn't have to do anything to get it so you can't do anything to lose it. He doesn't condemn you. He doesn't overlook your sin either. That's an important subject here. Why? Because he wants to deal with it the only way it can be dealt with. And then finally we begin to experience and embrace his love and acceptance and we can rest in peace and joy. I mean, again, we look back at the story. When the son came back, the father didn't say, "Well, I'll give you the robe for now, "but the ring and the shoes, not yet." And once he got it all, the father didn't come along and say, "Well, I need you to sign here on this contract, "and if you mess up again, "you're sleeping in the bunk house." There was no conditions here. And the doctrine of the incarnation of being fully God and fully man and then the death of Christ, which we're gonna begin to look at next week, means that the work was finished. My sin was fully paid for, past, present, and then future, and that relationship is secured. Now, for some of you, you can relate to this because I came to Christ when I was 10. So when you're 10, it's not like I can really shoot up the town and cause a lot of problems and I've got this catalog list of all these regrets in my life. I was 10, for crying out loud. There's not much I could do there. And what has been so amazing to me, and maybe this is something for you today, you came to Christ as a child but you need to understand that for the next 43 years of my life I started figuring out what a sinner was. Have you felt that way? Do you realize that when you came to Christ at five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, whatever that was, genuine decision, it was full on, it was real, no doubt about it, children can give their lives to Jesus Christ, do you realize that God forgave you knowing what you would do 10, 15, 20, 30 years down the road? I'll tell you, that'll give you a taste of grace, because he says, "I loved you anyway. "And I'm pulling you back in." This is why I love this. Romans 8:38 and 39 says, "For I am sure "that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, "nor things present nor things to come, "nor powers, nor height nor depth, "nor anything else in all creation, "will be able to separate us "from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." And it is that security that brings about this next issue. God's unconditional love and acceptance creates an intimate relationship. Why, because there's security and there's trust. I'm fully known and fully accepted. God knows me. And the same pattern is true in a relationship, whether it's a friendship or a marriage relationship. You can't get to the intimate part of a relationship unless security is there. Now this is why, and I'll touch on a sensitive subject here, this is why God has selected marriage between one man and one woman to come together and reflect, notice this, reflect his relationship with the church. That's a big deal. In other words, when he brings this up, it's in the Book of Ephesians chapter five, you can pull it up and look at it, he's saying that the marriage relationship, so if you're married you can poke your wife or husband right there, listen up, because the two of you in a committed, secure, loving relationship, displaying unconditional love and acceptance in that relationship, does what? It communicates the gospel of Jesus Christ to your world. It communicates that Jesus loved you in a prison cell, filthy, dirty, stinky. And as you love your wife, and if you're female, as you love your husband, you are to love them in a way that displays that you have tasted grace and you're offering them the same thing. And this is why security and, again, it's God's design, there needs to be a covenant, secured relationship, that lasts a lifetime, because when that happens, my wonderful wife Lynette knows I'm committed and I know she's committed so that I can finally have trust and get to the level of intimacy. Intimacy is not sex, so let's get that off the table. No, it's talking one another's heart language. And that only happens when fear is gone. You see, if fear is part of the picture, you can't get there. How is fear taken away? I love you and you love me and we're in this thing come or high water, we're sticking in this. And what happens? All of a sudden, based on what God has displayed with me through Christ, we love one another in the marriage relationship, we reflect God's relationship with you and me in this thing called the family in the church. Grace in the gospel is at the heart of it. And that's why security's necessary. And it also happens in another way. Intimacy in that relationship based on security happens because we know that Jesus has walked this same life with us. Hebrews chapter two, verse 18, says, "For because he himself has suffered when tempted, "he is able to help those who are being tempted." We're walking the same road together. He's committed to me and I'm committed to him and that's why I firmly believe that the deciding factor in a marriage that makes it 30, 40, 50, 60 years is the issue of commitment, because you're constantly getting to know each other. But in that 40, 50, 60 years, we're walking the same road, through the ups and the downs, the seasons we sang about in life. He's already told us he's with us, now we display it in the marriage relationship and we know he's walked the road with us because he's experienced life like we did. Hebrews 4:15 and 16 says, "For we do not have a high priest "who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, "but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, "yet without sin. "Let us then with confidence "draw near to the throne of grace, "that we may receive mercy and find grace "to help in time of need." He's gone through it, he's given me grace, and because I've embraced this relationship, I now can go. You know, what is so amazing to me is that Jesus Christ, fully God, came into my world as a baby. And he had to learn obedience, to honor his mom and dad. And he had to understand what rejection was. And so when your son or daughter, and this is just another point of practical application, just didn't get selected for the hockey team or the football team or whatever that is, this is a perfect example for you to sit down and begin to talk about the reality of this truth. Now, I would suggest you, as a grandparent or parent, don't sit down with your child and say, well, today we're gonna talk about the incarnation. That's not gonna work. But you can talk about how Jesus has experienced rejection and how Jesus has experienced all that we go through in life. When you need to have forgiveness for someone, he's been there. When you face a temptation, he's been there. Now let me give you something for free. When Jesus Christ was tempted, fully God and fully man, he could not sin because he was fully God and because we needed a perfect sacrifice for our sin. So you say, well, then how does, 'cause I can sin and how does that relate to me? Here it is, right here, here's the gem I want you to think about. Because Jesus Christ could not sin, do you realize that he experienced the pressure and the weight of sin in a way that you and I will never experience? Because he didn't give in. And what happens to you? You give in. And so when you are facing the pressure, are you gonna go talk to your friend who gave in? Well, yeah, probably. But I'll tell you what, the one I'm really gonna go talk to is the Lord Jesus Christ because I know only he can provide me what I need to make it through that temptation. That's why he says, "Apart from me, you can do nothing. "You can't save yourself, it's all by grace. "And you can't live this new life, it's all by grace. "And you've gotta connect with me "and taste it and understand it." And when you do, that begins to change you and transform you and then you can begin to offer that to others because God's unconditional love and acceptance allows us to fully accept others. Why? Because I've tasted it. In and of myself, I can't. There's conditions. This is why I love this statement. Grace is the game changer, for everything. Why? Because I love you with conditions. I love you a lot, okay? But there's always conditions. It's hard for me to even grasp what it's like to not have conditions, and that's why I need the picture and example of the Lord Jesus Christ, because he accepts me unconditionally, he forgives me of everything, he loves me, and when I return to him it's communicated to me. And then, because I've tasted it, I now, with his grace and strength, can in turn love others. So what are some practical points to walk with on this one? Take time to be with people. Again, where do we get this from? The incarnation. When you take time to be with people, as Jesus Christ did, and I'm sure he had a busy schedule in heaven, he's the Creator of the universe, saw our need, came to us. And when you communicate you care to someone that they are valuable, oftentimes it's done through time, because it's the most precious commodity. And one of the easiest conclusions a person can make from someone is that they don't like them because they don't have enough time. Now I realize there's balance in all of our lives and in all of our schedules, but when I look at many of you as parents, as grandparents, this is a struggle I think for a lot of us. For young adults, are you developing healthy relationships with others? Are you ready to jump into and be engaged in a relationship with someone, or you just don't have time to do it? This has enormous implications, the doctrine of the incarnation in this area. Why is that? Because I think in many ways, I've done enough family ministry, I've worked with enough men and couples, is that we are so busy in life. So busy. Some of you, as I look at your faces, you're working 60, 70, 80, 90 hours a week. Don't take values from your culture as the way to go. Yes, there's gotta be balance, we all work heavy. I mean, I work a lot, okay? tell you that. And there's just balance here, I get that. But you have to, at some point, with your loving spouse and friends, evaluate, is it worth it? Is the job promotion worth it? Is the 10 to 15 to $20,000 worth it? Because, quite frankly, you're gonna get to where some of us are at, and I know because I've been here long enough to see it, we all get to this point in life when we blink and our kids are gone. And we say, oh what I'd give to have just another second with that again. And kids interpret love in a number of different ways, and one of the main ways is whether or not you're giving them time. Here's another one. Intentionally enter another's world. Jesus stepped into our filthy world and we need to do the same thing. When someone's struggling, I enter into their world. I mean, was Jesus Christ to, Ecclesiastes 1 says that he holds all things together as the Creator of the world, and yet he came and became one of us. I mean, I can't get my heard around one. So how's the baby in the manger still holding the world together? Well, I'll figure that out when I get to heaven. But he became one of us. And when someone is struggling, I enter their world. When was the last time you sat down and you found out your little daughter or your granddaughter's dreams and aspirations? Do you know the name of her favorite doll? Do you know your son's favorite friend? Have you been watching what they do when no one's around? A child's values and what they like and dislike, my wonderful life has been great at this. She has constantly said, "You've gotta enter their world, "you've gotta enter their world," and that doesn't change when they're older. So my youngest daughter's a young adult and she's studying nursing, and so her world is nursing. So you know what I did, even though I asked some really dumb questions? This is right out of my life. Just the other day, actually. I started reading her textbook. Medical textbook. It's like another language. I mean, I felt like I was in Greek and Hebrew again. I didn't understand a thing. And she loves it when I ask her questions. But here's the catch, when I ask the question, I have to listen! That's a little delayed reaction but some of you know 'cause that one stings. And I engage, and fortunately I'm not real squeamish, so she explains all these things and I've entered her world of medical science, and so we make a batch of popcorn and we have surgery movie night and we just watch surgeries. No, I'm just kidding, I don't do that. I'd probably get sick. You get the idea, all right. Accept people for who they are. Here's another enormous application. Why? Because the father did the son. And the older son thought he had moral superiority because he never tasted grace, he was all about works, and he was all about performance. And when you finally come to that point where you say, well, am I like that older son where I've got this superiority over others, or am I willing to accept them where they are? It doesn't mean you ignore their sin. But I accept them for the wounds and the stuff that is there, and when I consider my own faults I'm willing to reach out and communicate grace. And I'll tell you what, there's still days where I don't communicate the kind of love I need to when I'm trying to balance between truth and love. You're gonna make mistakes here, okay? But go into it anyway. Because when you do, there can be some forgiveness and restoration and change that happens. And then, by the way that we treat others, it opens up the door for them to realize they can find healing and that healing will come from a savior, and that's the Lord Jesus Christ. So, have you trusted Christ as Savior and Lord? Do you know his unconditional love and acceptance? That happens in a moment, everybody needs a moment. When they come face to face with the truth that, yes, they are a sinner in need of a savior, that's when, bam, it hits you. It's somebody, God, it's all his work. But all of a sudden you're realizing, wait a minute, I'm seeing something I didn't see before. And when you finally come to that point where you understand you're a sinner in need of a savior, that the truth that Jesus died on the cross for those sins and rose from the grave. And then there's a turning, there's a trust in the person of Jesus, who paid the price for your sin, and you're gonna trust in him to forgive you and take you to heaven. That's turning in that prison cell and coming to him, and he embraces you. And then you begin this wonderful dynamic journey of growing together and then offering that to others. Let's pray. Father, thank you for our time together today, regardless of where we are. I pray that the truth of your unconditional love and acceptance would permeate, penetrate our hearts, that you would do the kind of soul surgery that needs to happen on the inside so that we leave this place trusting you as Savior and Lord, but also willing to offer that same grace and love to others, regardless of faults, regardless of what has happened. Lord, teach us to have a humble heart, a willingness to follow you. It's in Christ's name we pray. Amen.