INTRODUCTION
Romans 2:1-5
“Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;”
I want to steal one phrase out of our text for today (in verse 4).
“not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”
If the goodness of God is meant “to lead us to repentance” (Rom. 2:4)
Then I pray that we may experience “the love and goodness of God”
that “leadeth us to repentance.”
So we can not only repent,
but learn to love every chance to repent!
Repent, “metanoeo” (Greek) “meta-noel”
It means “change your mind or purpose”—
to see differently, to think differently, to act differently –
It is a transformative change of heart –
that will embrace the Truth that Transforms us.
It means to change one’s mind;
or to expand it in such a way
as to have a new perspective based on Truth (God’s Truth).
Repentance is like a child learning to ride a bicycle,
who decides to lets her daddy steady her bike,
Repentance is like a lost person (man) who decides to use the GPS,
Repentance is like a double-faulting tennis player
who decides to take some lessons,
To repent is to learn a different & better way from a higher wisdom.
It is God’s goodness,
It is His kind/good intentions for our best,
that allows for our repentance.
May we decide to repent (to change our way of thinking/acting)
Not under threat of the judgment of God
but compelled by the kindness/goodness/love of God.
God’s kindness/goodness/love is meant “to lead us to repentance)
Luke 15:11-24 (The Prodigal Son)
The younger brother was arrogant, self-centered, demanding,
abusive to his family (in particular – his Father).
He didn’t want to work for his father, learn from his father,
submit to his father, or have anything to do with his father.
He demanded “his” inheritance from his father (who was not yet dead).
(I’d have given him a knuckle sandwich & a swift kick,
but the father gave the inheritance)
Then he proceeded to live a life “he” wanted/demanded.
He scandalized his family
He ruined his families’ name
He soaked himself in sin of every and all descriptions
He squandered all of his inheritance
Until, he finally hit rock bottom.
How low can you go when you are fighting pigs for food?
You’ve gotten pretty low when you go from the special son
to a common, unpaid worker of a foreigner.
He had gone about as far as someone can go from decency.
So, what to do now?
1 Continue fighting pigs for food?
2 Give up and end it all?
3 Or ----- go home?
In defeat, in shame, in scandal, in sin, in humility…..
But, let’s look this morning at what drew this young man to go home.
Verse 17, “And when he came to himself……”
He finally owned his sin.
He took stock, analyzed, knew, and admitted his sin (to himself).
But that didn’t move him from fighting pigs for food
that didn’t move him to give up and end it all.
that didn’t move him to seek path back to sonship,
he blew that some time ago. Big time!
Was he in fear of his father’s judgment if he went home?
Actually, believe it or not, NO – it was just the opposite.
He knew his father…
He had lived with his father almost all his life,
He had been taught by his father since he could remember,
He had been corrected by his father deliberately and lovingly,
He had watched his father in all kinds of situations,
Seen how he handled his workers
Seen how he handled his household.
Seen how he managed his affairs of life
Seen how he related to his neighbors and community.
Did you ever do something wrong in your house growing up?
Were you surprised at how your parents reacted?
Or did you know – because you knew them…..
Let’s finish verse 17, “How many hired servants of my father’s have
bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!”
My father’s servants, the workers, the household staff, were not starving.
They have plenty of food and much to spare.
Maybe, just maybe …..
Maybe Dad will let me be a hired hand.
Maybe Dad will show me a bit of kindness/love/goodness.
No one else cares if I starve - or die - or just disappear.
But Dad will – I know my Dad.
And that’s the thought that moved this Prodigal Son to go home.
He quit living in the stench of the pig sty
He quit fighting those pigs for a little food – left over husks.
Maybe he remembered the smell of Lamb Chops on his father’s grill.
Lamb Chops, a little mint, maybe a side of squash,
Some greens, mashed potatoes with gravy,
homemade biscuits (at least homemade bread)
Some ice cold sweet tea.
No doubt Blackberry Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream for desert.
AMEN!
So he began rehearsing…..
Verse 18-19, “I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him,
Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee.
I am no longer worthy to be called thy son:
make me as one of thy hired servants.”
Imagine the courage it took to go home – in sin, shame, defeat.
the courage it took to face his father,
the courage it took to look his father in the eye,
the courage it took to tell his father,
I have sinned, I blew it.
I have sinned against all of Heaven (God)
and I have sinned against you, Dad.
Verse 20, “And he arose, and came to his father…..”
It wasn’t just enough to REALIZE he had sinned.
It wasn’t just enough to REHERSE what he would say to Dad,
He had to DO it.
He had to get up from where he was (in sin - in the pig sty)
Move FROM the sin/pig sty, TO where the father was.
Doesn’t that look like REPENTANCE?
Change your mind – change your purpose
Think differently - Act differently
Embrace TRUTH that transforms us.
The change (repentance) causes action (go to the Father)
And He Did……
Verse 20 again, “And he arose, and came to his father….”
He left his sin (pig sty), changed direction, and came to Dad.
He knows he’s blown it – but Dad can make it ok.
He may not be a treasured son anymore,
But Dad will make it right.
You see, this Prodigal Son didn’t fully realize all of his father’s love.
Again Verse 20, “….. But when he was a great way off,
his father saw him, and had compassion,
and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.”
His father loved him more (much more) than he realized (or hoped)
I imagine all this made the next part, a little easier on the son.
Verse 21, “And the son said unto him, Father,
I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight,
and no more worthy to be called thy son.”
The father heard His wayward son’s confession.
The father didn’t disagree with his son’s confession.
The son did wrong – against God, his father, his family.
And the son was no longer worthy to be called a son.
But on that last part, the son was wrong – and the father showed him.
Verse 22-24, “But the father said to his servants, bring forth the best robe,
and put on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat and be merry. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost and is found. And they began to be merry.”
Robes are for the family – the best robe is for the children.
Rings are for showing authority that only the family has.
Shoes are for family – servants went barefoot.
The Father says, “It’s party time!! He’s back. My son is back.
Let’s have a meal and rejoice!!”
Conclusion
May I ask, point-blank today?
Are you “out in a far country, playing the in mud & muck of a pig-sty?
Are you still wallowing in your favorite sin?
Have you even “come to yourself” and realized your sin?
Your sin, your favorite sin.
Whatever is between you and God.
It doesn’t matter how big or how small your favorite sin is.
All sin is sin before God.
Have we owned up to it – admitted it – even just to ourselves?
Maybe we have.
Maybe we should.
So what’s next.
May I encourage you – Go to the Father!
Confess to Him!
He will even agree with you.
But, understand that He loves you more than you can know.
I John 1:9 – IF we confess - God will forgive, God will restore
All of Heaven will rejoice.
Do you want a way out of the pig sty?
Do you want to be forgiven, restored, favored.
Think of the Father. He loves you – Seek Him out – quickly!!!!
He will meet you – much more than half way.
May you know the love/kindness/goodness of God.
For it is His love/kindness/goodness that leads us to repentance.
