To view the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/gXMTnGkg39Y
SHOW NOTES
On today's episode of the Hope Rescue Podcast, Tim and Kimberly continue their series on God’s heart for the messy, the wounded, and the broken. They start by explaining again that the three parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son are Jesus’s response to the accusation by the Pharisees that He “...receives sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:1-2). Tim goes on to explain The Parable of the Prodigal Son which can be found in Luke 15:11-32. Something that Tim loves about this story is that when the son spoils his inheritance and comes back home ashamed, the father is already out looking for his son. That tells us why Jesus eats with sinners because He is already on the search looking for them to come back home. Ask yourself, “What is your heart for messy people?” Kimberly explains that sometimes it is easier to attack someone else and deflect than to actually look at your own heart and your own issues which is how the older brother reacted when his younger brother came home. The older brother represents the Pharisees, and the younger brother represents the rest of us who know we are sinners.
Tim references Proverbs 6:16-19 which says “There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.” The word haughty also means proud, arrogant, or superior, and “haughty eyes” represents a person who looks down on others as if they are superior. This attitude is destructive to individuals who are messy and broken, and it is important that when someone messes up, we do not look down on them because we have all messed up before. Kimberly states, “Our heart as the Church needs to be to run to the hurting and not judge them or deflate them with our words.”
Tim goes on to distinguish the difference between grace and mercy. In "Christian vocabulary" the words grace and mercy are often used interchangeably. People will say, "I sinned, and God gave me grace" when they really mean "I sinned and God gave me mercy." Tim clarifies, “Mercy is God withholding punishment that we deserve, and grace is when God gives a gift that we do not deserve.” In the story of the prodigal son, the father gave mercy in that he forgave the son, but when he threw the celebration, that was grace. Tim goes on to reference James 4:6-7 “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” If you are in spiritual warfare, you don't need mercy from God; you need grace from God. Tim says, “Grace is the power that looks forward to change, and when God gives you grace he gives you the ability to overcome temptation.” God's mercy and grace work together to resolve our past and improve our future.
Join us next week to discover how God releases the past! We love you guys!
QUOTES
"When you walk the roads other people have and experience similar failure and pain and you're leaning into Christ, it changes your perspective and your level of compassion.” -Kimberly
“Our heart as the Church needs to be to run to the hurting and not judge them or deflate them with our words.” -Kimberly
“Mercy is God withholding punishment that we deserve, and grace is when God gives a gift that we do not deserve.” -Tim
“Mercy looks back and forgives, grace looks forward to change.” -Tim
“Grace is the power that looks forward to change, and when God gives you grace, He gives you the ability to overcome temptation.” -Tim
“God's mercy and grace work together to resolve our past and improve our future.” -Tim
REFERENCED SCRIPTURE
Luke 15:1-2: “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
Luke 15:11-32: “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. 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. “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.”’ 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. “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, 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.’ 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, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, 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.’”
Proverbs 6:16-19: “There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.”
James 4:6-7: “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
