When Heaven Has a Party | Max Lucado | The Porchlight Is On | Oak Hills Church

48:31 A picture of reunion. Relaxation. Welcome. Welcome. Restoration. To come to a porch is to come home. Did you know that your heavenly Father has a porch? And it's framed with planks of mercy and kindness and grace. And over the doorway, welcome home. This is the big message of the Bible. and is certainly the big message in a chapter of the Bible in the book of Luke. At the heart of the gospel of Luke is the heart of the gospel of God.

49:38 And over the next nine weeks, under the title, The Porch Light is On, we're going to work our way through this wondrous chapter and I gotta tell you I'm so excited I've been thrilled about this looking forward to this day for months months because you get Luke 15 God gets you and I'm so excited about it, I'm going to go ahead and give you your homework assignment. Two assignments, two tasks. Number one, over the next nine weeks, would you please read Luke 15 every week? You could read it every day, but at least once a week.

50:32 Open your Bible. Open your app. Open your heart. and say, God, talk to me through these stories. And then assignment number two, don't miss a single message. Just don't. Cancel your surgeries. reschedule your travel if you're pregnant and think you're going to deliver a baby on Sunday morning tell them to wait you don't want to miss anything that Jesus has to say through these three passionate parables and if for some unjustifiable reason, you are gone, watch online.

51:34 You'll be so happy that you did. I don't think a chapter in the Bible reveals more about the heart of God than Luke chapter 15. And so let's get started. lesson number one under this title when heaven has a party let's pray and then we'll get to work I'm supremely qualified, Father, to teach on the topic of a Savior who loves sinners, because I'm a sinner who has found a Savior. we thank you Lord for such good news so much bad news finds its way to us but today the good news that you came to find us to rescue us and to bring us home please forgive my sins there are many and help us to see Jesus, just Jesus.

53:01 Through Christ we pray. And all who agreed with the prayer said, On the morning of August the 26th, a catastrophic flood swept through the mountainous region of Nepal and Tibet.

53:23 A glacier collapsed, releasing an enormous amount of lake water, ice, rock, and mud, and it rushed downstream. The numbers stagger a watching world. As of 6.30 this morning, 1,341 bodies have been recovered. And over 5,000 are still missing.

53:56 When the flood struck a hydropower project, a 30-year-old foreman by the name of Sanjay Saw was on duty working in the control room. He told others to run, and by the time that he attempted to leave, no escape route remained.

54:20 He spent the next nine days in darkness. Last Friday at about 2 a.m. Nepal time, rescuers reached the tunnel where Sanjay was trapped, and they shouted to see if anyone was alive. From within the darkness came the response, Help! Help! The rescuers answered, don't panic, we're coming. And from inside came a weak, okay. teams dug through some 60 yards of packed debris and that's where they found Sanjay a few feet away from him they discovered a 45 year old mechanical supervisor named Kabir Maharajan he was trapped between slabs and logs the rescue took seven hours around 9 a.m. Saw was pulled out and about 20 minutes later Maharajan followed and that's when the celebration began the tunnel erupted in happiness people began applauding rescuers who had worked for days without seeing a survivor wept and embraced each other A newspaper described the tunnel as a place that echoed with joy.

56:04 When word reached their family, Saul's father said, Now there is no limit to our happiness. Maharajan's wife had been waiting for 10 days. She had circulated a missing person poster that read, We are still waiting. We still have hope. We are still praying. And then she saw her husband being carried alive from the tunnel. She said, we cried tears of joy. those who had been lost were found. And that was enough reason to celebrate.

56:46 Everyone celebrated. Isn't that what we would do? Isn't that what we would do when someone lost would be found? That's what God does. the Bible the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation documents the resolve of our creator to rescue his creation redemption, ransom, salvation, celebration. Do you want to know why these themes thread their way through all the pages of Scripture? It is because Scripture is all about redemption and ransom and salvation and celebration. the storyline of the Bible is simple. The world has been flooded with lies.

57:45 cluttered with sin. Satan has unleashed a tidal wave of trials and troubles and temptations and deceit, and we get sucked under. And when we get sucked under, God gets busy. he refuses to leave us alone. He wants us back. He wants us home. This is the idea of Scripture, and it's certainly the big idea of one of the greatest chapters in the Bible, Luke chapter 15. It deserves its own title. I would use this one, God's Rescue Operation.

58:39 you want a synopsis of God's passion for his people a description of the way God feels about the wayward do you wonder do you do you truly wonder if heaven knows about you or if heaven has a place for you or if heaven responds when you feel overwhelmed then acquaint yourself with God's rescue operation. The 15th chapter of Luke. J.C. Ryle stated, there is no chapter in the Bible which more completely sets forth the kindness, patience, compassion, and love of Christ toward sinners than the 15th chapter of Luke. the 32 verses of this chapter have a message, a message for the prisoner in the darkest cell, for the lonely in the darkest hour, for the pilgrim in the darkest valley.

59:51 Let the guilt-ridden read them, the dejected soul meditate upon them. Let the abject failure find in them the face of a God who has moved heaven and hell in hopes of rescuing one more soul. three stories three parables but one message jesus came to seek and save the lost as you read this chapter, can I urge you to resist the temptation to jump over the opening paragraph as simple introductory material. It's important because it defines the context of Luke chapter 15. Indeed, it reveals the reason for Luke chapter 15.

1:00:47 It helps us understand the makeup of the original listeners the first audience, the first people who heard these stories could be subdivided into two groups. At least that's how Luke did it. The two groups are these, fumblers and grumblers.

1:01:09 Here's the paragraph. Then all the tax collectors and sinners drew near to him to hear him speaking of Jesus. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, this man, speaking of Jesus, receives sinners and eats with them. So he, again speaking of Jesus, spoke this parable to them. There was something about the makeup of that audience that triggered these parables. So we need to understand this audience. Two groups, tax collectors and sinners, Pharisees and scribes. The tax collectors and sinners were the fumblers. They were men and women of questionable reputation. And they could be found anywhere that drinks were served.

1:02:05 Women were available, money was gambled, profits were to be made. The one place they were never found was a house of worship. houses of worship, synagogues in their case, weren't hospitable to the rowdy, rock and roll, honky, tonking, partying members of society. And when it came to morality and spirituality, these people were fumblers. They just kept dropping the ball. they knew what God's word said, they knew what they did, they knew better than to enter a synagogue, so they just stayed away, which was fine with the grumblers, the Pharisees and the scribes.

1:03:11 They were the law keepers. they were the Vatican council of their day the heads of the largest denomination they saw themselves as the enforcers the architects the custodians of Judaism they interpreted scripture they enforced traditions they had diplomas on their walls they had tassels on their robes they had ambition in their hearts and they had it out for Jesus. Why? Well, this man receives sinners, they said. the Bible, as you know, at least the New Testament written in Greek, every so often we learn something by looking at the Greek language.

1:04:07 There are two words in the Greek language for receives. One of them rarely used, one commonly used. Luke used the rarely used word. The commonly word decomai simply means receive, but prosdecomai means receive with familial affection, hug, conversation, meal. we see it in other parts of the new testament when paul urged the christians in rome he said i commend to you our sister phoebe a servant of the church at synchria that you may receive her not just say hello but receive her welcome her in seat her at your table share a meal with her Receive her in the Lord.

1:05:03 Issue an affectionate, familial reception. Jesus received sinners. He ate with them. He pulled them in like they were family. He hung out with them. And the religious heat hated this. he can't be holy if he's hanging out with sinners they grumbled the holier than thou's grumbled at jesus for associating with the dirtier than we so or consequently in response as a result he told them speaking to fumblers and grumblers those parenthetical remarks are mine not luke's this parable.

1:05:58 And so the parable begins with that setup. speaking both to grumblers and fumblers, three stories. No one would have imagined the punchline of these three parables. Remember, a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly truth. Jesus is about to teach three. In the common theme, there's a party going on.

1:06:28 Each story in Luke 15 speaks of something lost and something found. there's a lost sheep, there's a lost coin, there's a lost son. And at the end of each one, Jesus describes a party, a hoop-de-doo, a celebration. The shepherd throws a party for the lost but now found sheep. The housewife throws a party because of her lost but now found coin. The father throws a party because of the lost now found son. Three parables, each with a party, and each with the appearance of the word happy.

1:07:10 Regarding the shepherd who found the lost sheep, Jesus says, and when he finds it, he happily puts it on his shoulders and goes home. When the housewife finds her lost coin, she announces be happy with me because I have found the coin that I lost and the father of the prodigal son explains to the reluctant and embittered elder brother we had to celebrate and be happy because your brother was dead but now he is alive he was lost but now he is found are you seeing the main point jesus is happiest when the lost are found when they're pulled from the debris when those who are trapped are rescued for him no moment compares to the moment of salvation you know we're prone to envision a stoic god a distant god unacquainted with feelings or emotion, uncaring, but nothing could be further from the truth. According to God himself, Jesus on earth, God in the flesh, according to God himself, heaven erupts in regular rounds of applause and cheers. Streamers soar.

1:08:35 the bands play angels kick up their heels do they have champagne in heaven? I don't know but if they do, bubbly gets poured why? because the population of heaven has increased and the population of hell has diminished Thank you. A century ago, Luke chapter 15, these stories prompted Charles Spurgeon, who was called the Prince of Preachers, to write this paragraph. There are Christmas days in heaven where Christ's high mass is kept. and Christ is glorified, not because he was born in a manger, but because he is born in a broken heart.

1:09:33 These are the days when the shepherd brings home the lost sheep on his shoulders, when the church has swept her house and found the lost piece of money. Then friends and neighbors are called together, and they rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory over one sinner who repents. Parents, you can appreciate this celebration. You're acquainted with the sadness, with the sorrow that a lost child stirs in your heart. I'm in communication with a father who is alienated from his four children. They haven't spoken to him in nine years. he supported them through high school, he paid their college tuition, yet they refused to talk with him.

1:10:30 The reasons are complicated, but the consequence is obvious. He's documenting this journey, and he wrote, parental alienation is a unique kind of grief. it's the grief of losing someone who is still alive the sorrow of being erased from a life you helped create this is the loss of a child who still walks the earth breathes the same air yet lives a life that no longer includes you there's no funeral no final goodbye no moment where the pain peaks and begins to fade his heart breaks for his kids so does God's.

1:11:17 And for that reason, heaven celebrates when just one sinner comes. God is not about keeping people out. He's all about bringing people in. He parts company with the grumblers, and he opens the door for the fumblers. He keeps the porch light on. Just like my parents did for me. In one of his epistles, the Apostle Paul urges us, think of what you were when God chose you. When I obey that admonition, words come to my mind like drunk, rebel, troublemaker, and hypocrite. Many of you have heard my story, so don't wince that I'm about to tell the whole thing again.

1:12:28 But I do need to share an abridged and abbreviated version, so you'll know why I chose this porch light theme as our metaphor. my small hometown had two stoplights technically one of them was always flashing only one of them worked it was known for rattlesnakes and tumbleweeds and pump jacks and Friday night football and Coors beer and it was the latter of those that nearly did me in I come from a family that has struggled with alcoholism. Some of my earliest memories were accompanying my father to visit his siblings in addiction centers.

1:13:33 I was just a kid. But I remember my aunt Juanita, who spent her final days in one. I think Uncle Buck would have lived longer had he done the same. I never met my dad's father. He died in an accident. He worked for the Santa Fe Railroad.

1:13:59 Long before I was born, he died. My sisters have connected some dots and details that have led them to the conclusion that that day he probably just had one too many. my older brother led a life that was marred and scarred by alcohol. And he was the one who helped his underage brother and his underage brother's friend by their first beers.

1:14:34 Now, I have no way of knowing if alcoholism is baked into my DNA. What I do recall though is the sensation I felt that night I had my first beer. I had a new best friend. It just warmed me. and as a teenager, I decided that I would build my calendar around six-packs, not the kind that come from crunches, but the kind that come from Coors.

1:15:13 Dad was not happy with this. No, sir. No, sir. He was a great man. Such a decent guy. Everybody's friend. Had a terrific sense of humor. A wonderful smile. But he was hostile against alcohol. He put the tea in teetotaler.

1:15:38 And he was not about to let his sons get drunk. so why did we why did my buddy and I get so wasted that I came home that first time head spinning stomach churning and did I honestly think he wouldn't hear me throw up And did I think that he would believe what I said about Mexican food?

1:16:10 He did not. When I awoke that next morning, I had an aching head, a nauseated stomach, and a very angry Father. And I came to a conclusion that I, in disobeying him, had outlived his love and out sinned God's grace. you would think that would be a come to Jesus moment for me you would think I would come to my senses that I would learn from the lesson but here's an interesting thing about guilt we tend to treat it with what caused it we tend to treat our guilt with what caused it.

1:17:14 For that reason, people get on this downward spiral of bad behavior, terrible guilt. Bad behavior, terrible guilt. And many never as good. So I just kept drinking on through high school on into college Our house was a small house, like this one. Well, maybe a little larger, but it had a front porch. and the front porch had a porch light, which was a necessity because to enter the house, the person needed to stick a key in the lock and unlock the door, and that's difficult to do in the dark.

1:18:15 It's all but impossible to do when it's dark and you're drunk. Now, had I been my dad, I never would have turned on that porch light. It was operated from the inside, so he could have left it off. I would have never turned it on. If Max is going to behave like this, let him stagger and stumble his way into the house. But you know what? He left the porch light on every night, every time. at the age of 20 I heard a sermon from a preacher who was trying to do for us what I'm praying God does for you a convincing message of grace, that God's grace is always greater than our sin.

1:19:26 And that's when I realized my Father on earth is not the only one who keeps the porch light on. Our Father in heaven does the same. as we explore this chapter of grace and redemption. I wonder where you'll find yourself.

1:19:54 You might relate to the grumblers. we tend to grumble how can God be so kind to that person you may relate to the older brother of the younger brother. We'll get to that story.

1:20:14 If so, I pray that God softens your heart and shifts your attitude because I don't want you to miss the party. or perhaps you relate more to the fumblers. You just keep dropping the ball, and you wonder, you really wonder, if heaven has a place for someone like you, if you have outlived your Father's love, out sinned your Father's grace, this chapter will tell you, no, it's not too late. Yeah, you've wandered, but not so far your Father can receive you. yeah you've disobeyed but Christ came for people like you and me so if you're a grumbler come on if you're a fumbler come home the porch light is on gracious Father Grant that this can be a life-changing exploration of your grace.

1:21:29 you know what we need to hear. Defeat the devil who doesn't want us to hear it. And help us to sense your hand calling us home. To Christ we pray. And all God's people said. Amen.

1:21:52 I'm a little late in life to go out and plant a church, but if I were to do so, I have a name for it. Porch Light Fellowship. Wouldn't that be a great name for a church? There's probably one somewhere. You scarred a church, go ahead. Use it. I do know that Oak Hills has a porch lot philosophy, porch lot personality. We want you to know that the light is on. For that reason, we take a few moments in every service to offer a prayer to see if anybody wants to cross the threshold and come home. we do so with a prayer and we all say the prayer out loud together and then at the end of the prayer we invite you to stand up if today is your day that you're stepping onto the porch and walking through the door follow me as I lead us in this prayer and then at the end of the prayer we'll see who's saying yes to Christ Jesus I'm not perfect for I have sinned but I believe in you save me change me forgive me I give you my life in Jesus name amen amen is anyone saying yes to Christ today if so would you stand up we just want to give you a round of applause we want to join the angels who are celebrating don't be hesitant or nervous who do I see right over here a young man God bless you proud mom and dad back there who else who's saying yes anyone else ushers did you see this young fella he's kind of short you might miss him he's right over here in the back anybody else alright see you next week