Receiving God's Forgiveness

Friends, the great equalizer in all of our lives is our desperate need for God's grace, mercy and

forgiveness.

If someone forgives you a $100 debt, that means they have to cover that debt with $100 of their own money. I want you to keep that in mind as we go along. We are going to look at three examples in the Bible of people who received God's forgiveness.

We don't appreciate the depth of God's desire for reconciliation with those who have wondered away from Him. Jesus had, set up this parable with other stories about leaving the 99 sheep to find the one who had strayed away and also about a woman who loses a coin and diligently searches all over her house until she finds it. But then comes the finale. Family relationships and how they reflect the

heart of God. We are going to look at the parade of the Prodigal Son

Luke 15:11-32 ESV

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.

This young man basically tells his father "I wish you were dead! I can't wait for you to die! Give

me my inheritance NOW"

It wasn't just a matter of going into his office and cutting a check. He had to go sell a, sizeable portion of his land. It would have cost the father much of what he used to make his living. It

would have cost him status in the community. But he didn't care. His devotion to his son was so

strong.

“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.”

Talk about a humiliating job for a young Jewish man to have to take! But it goes even deeper. If he was simply an employee, he would have been given food. The fact that he wanted to eat the

pig slop indicates that he wasn't as much of an employee as he was a slave. But notice the next

part:

“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.”’

This is where it all starts. The son recognizes the depth of the evil deed he has done. He realizes that he is totally unworthy to ask anything of his father. Friends, when we get to that

point, where are exactly where we need to be for God to reach us!

“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.”

We see the only time in the Bible that God is seen as running. He runs to greet His wayward son as he makes his way home. Isn't that beautiful? And Friends, He will do the same for you!

Next, we're going to look at God's grace in the eleventh hour in the account of the theif on the Cross

Luke 23:39-43

“One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under

the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward

of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.’”