Who’ing Before Do’ing

The Way Home
Who’ing Before Do’ing

I. Introduction

A. More being, less doing!

B. God loves you what you’ve , but He doesn’t love you of what you’ve done!

C. If you want to know what Jesus thinks, look at what Jesus did.

1. People who were like Jesus, liked being around Jesus.

2. Jesus being around people who were nothing like Jesus.

3. The only people Jesus didn’t seem to like were people who other people that God only liked .

4. Good news – If you were you, would like being around you!

5. I John 4:8 (NIV) …God is love.

D. What you think about when you think about what God thinks about when God thinks about you, shapes what you think about when you think about God.

II. Prodigal Son

A. Luke 15:1-2 (NIV) ¹Now the tax collectors and “sinners” (misbehavers) were all gathering around to hear Jesus. ²But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law (behavers) muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

1. Law – Pharisees and the religious leaders

2. Law – Everyone else, Gentiles (non-Jews)

B. Both groups believed God’s love was on behavior.

C. Luke 15:11 (NIV) Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons.”

D. Luke 15:11-12 (NIV) ¹¹Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. ¹²The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’”

E. Luke 15:12 (NIV) “The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.”

F. Luke 15:17 (NIV) “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!’”

G. Luke 15:20 (NIV) “So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him.”

H. Luke 15:20 (NIV) “So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”

I. Luke 15:21-22 (NIV) ²¹”The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²²But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.’”

J. Luke 15:23-24 (NIV) ²³”’Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.”

K. Luke 15:28-30 (NIV) ²⁸”The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰But when this son of yours (won’t even call him a brother) who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’”

1. Answer this, which son did the father love more?

L. Luke 15:31-32 (NIV) ³¹“’My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³²But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

III. Conclusion