1 00:00:10,289 --> 00:00:14,450 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture, a calming 2 00:00:14,550 --> 00:00:18,900 Speaker 1: scripture-centered devotional podcast designed to help you end each day 3 00:00:18,980 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: with God's Word in your mind and on your heart. 4 00:00:24,660 --> 00:00:28,220 Speaker 1: Right after this short word from our sponsors, we'll reflect 5 00:00:28,300 --> 00:00:41,830 Speaker 1: on tonight's scripture and Luke chapter 15 Our evening reflection 6 00:00:41,890 --> 00:00:46,690 Speaker 1: is written and read by Kyle Norman. Luke chapter 15 7 00:00:46,690 --> 00:00:53,090 Speaker 1: Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around 8 00:00:53,130 --> 00:00:56,470 Speaker 1: to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of 9 00:00:56,510 --> 00:00:59,770 Speaker 1: the law muttered, This man welcomes sinners and eats with them. 10 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 1: Then Jesus told them this parable. Suppose one of you 11 00:01:04,900 --> 00:01:08,580 Speaker 1: has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't 12 00:01:08,620 --> 00:01:12,140 Speaker 1: he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go 13 00:01:12,260 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when 14 00:01:15,740 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 1: he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 15 00:01:18,630 --> 00:01:21,550 Speaker 1: and goes home. And then he calls his friends and 16 00:01:21,610 --> 00:01:25,890 Speaker 1: neighbors together and says, Rejoice with me. I found my 17 00:01:25,950 --> 00:01:29,070 Speaker 1: lost sheep. I tell you that in the same way, 18 00:01:29,610 --> 00:01:32,750 Speaker 1: there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner 19 00:01:32,790 --> 00:01:36,950 Speaker 1: who repents than over 99 righteous persons who do not 20 00:01:37,030 --> 00:01:41,190 Speaker 1: need to repent. Or suppose a woman has 10 silver 21 00:01:41,230 --> 00:01:45,770 Speaker 1: coins and loses one. Doesn't she light a lamp, sweep 22 00:01:45,790 --> 00:01:49,490 Speaker 1: the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And 23 00:01:49,630 --> 00:01:52,330 Speaker 1: when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors 24 00:01:52,370 --> 00:01:57,150 Speaker 1: together and says, Rejoice with me. I found my lost coin. 25 00:01:57,170 --> 00:02:01,060 Speaker 1: In the same way, I tell you, There is rejoicing 26 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 1: in the presence of the angels of God over one 27 00:02:04,020 --> 00:02:09,590 Speaker 1: sinner who repents. Jesus continued, There was a man who 28 00:02:09,630 --> 00:02:13,609 Speaker 1: had two sons. The younger son said to his father, Father, 29 00:02:14,150 --> 00:02:17,110 Speaker 1: give me my share of the estate. And so he 30 00:02:17,150 --> 00:02:21,460 Speaker 1: divided his property between them. Not long after that, the 31 00:02:21,470 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 1: younger son got together all that he had and set 32 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:27,540 Speaker 1: off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth 33 00:02:27,620 --> 00:02:31,630 Speaker 1: and wild living. After he had spent everything, there was 34 00:02:31,669 --> 00:02:34,710 Speaker 1: a severe famine in that whole country, and he began 35 00:02:34,750 --> 00:02:37,550 Speaker 1: to be in need. So he went and he hired 36 00:02:37,590 --> 00:02:40,869 Speaker 1: himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent 37 00:02:40,910 --> 00:02:44,410 Speaker 1: him to the fields to feed the pigs. He longed 38 00:02:44,500 --> 00:02:46,900 Speaker 1: to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs 39 00:02:46,940 --> 00:02:51,300 Speaker 1: were eating, but no one gave him anything. When he 40 00:02:51,340 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 1: came to his senses, he said, How many of my 41 00:02:54,220 --> 00:02:58,690 Speaker 1: father's hired servants have food to spare? And here I am, 42 00:02:59,139 --> 00:03:02,580 Speaker 1: starving to death. I will set out and I'll go 43 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: back to my father and I'll say to him, Father, 44 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:08,640 Speaker 1: I sinned against heaven and against you. I'm no longer 45 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:11,540 Speaker 1: worthy to be called your son. Make me like one 46 00:03:11,590 --> 00:03:15,350 Speaker 1: of your hired servants. So he got up and he 47 00:03:15,389 --> 00:03:18,609 Speaker 1: went to his father. But while he was still a 48 00:03:18,730 --> 00:03:21,770 Speaker 1: long way off, his father saw him and was filled 49 00:03:21,810 --> 00:03:24,870 Speaker 1: with compassion for him. He ran to his son. He 50 00:03:24,889 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 1: threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son 51 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:58,760 Speaker 1: said to him, The older son was in the field. 52 00:03:59,700 --> 00:04:02,000 Speaker 1: When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 53 00:04:02,820 --> 00:04:04,740 Speaker 1: So he called one of the servants and asked him 54 00:04:04,780 --> 00:04:08,059 Speaker 1: what was going on. Your brother has come, he replied, 55 00:04:08,660 --> 00:04:11,390 Speaker 1: and your father has killed a fatted calf because he 56 00:04:11,450 --> 00:04:15,390 Speaker 1: has him back safe and sound. The older brother became 57 00:04:15,550 --> 00:04:18,830 Speaker 1: angry and he refused to go in. So his father 58 00:04:18,870 --> 00:04:23,210 Speaker 1: went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, Look, 59 00:04:23,970 --> 00:04:27,050 Speaker 1: all these years I've been slaving for you. and I 60 00:04:27,050 --> 00:04:30,250 Speaker 1: have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me 61 00:04:30,390 --> 00:04:32,500 Speaker 1: even a young goat so that I could celebrate with 62 00:04:32,540 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 1: my friends. But when this son of yours, who has 63 00:04:36,380 --> 00:04:40,700 Speaker 1: squandered your property with prostitutes, comes home, you kill a 64 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:46,610 Speaker 1: fatted calf for him. My son, the father said, you 65 00:04:46,670 --> 00:04:49,970 Speaker 1: are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 66 00:04:50,870 --> 00:04:53,850 Speaker 1: But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this 67 00:04:53,930 --> 00:04:57,110 Speaker 1: brother of yours was dead and is alive again. He 68 00:04:57,150 --> 00:05:05,380 Speaker 1: was lost and is found. The parable of the prodigal son, 69 00:05:05,700 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 1: as it is commonly called, is one of the most 70 00:05:08,300 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 1: profound teachings in all of scripture. Yet his truth is 71 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:15,839 Speaker 1: one we often miss. We tend to focus too much 72 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:20,260 Speaker 1: on the prodigal, the wayward child. We describe his insult 73 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 1: to the father, the lure of dissolute living, and his 74 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:28,630 Speaker 1: decision to run away from home. But this wonderful parable 75 00:05:29,130 --> 00:05:32,230 Speaker 1: is not about the child at all. It's about the 76 00:05:32,270 --> 00:05:36,859 Speaker 1: loving father. Jesus tells a story of a father who, 77 00:05:37,100 --> 00:05:41,820 Speaker 1: despite the insult and rejection received from both of his children, 78 00:05:42,620 --> 00:05:47,460 Speaker 1: longs to receive them into his home. See, both children 79 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:52,710 Speaker 1: reject the father. The younger child squanders his inheritance, parties hard, 80 00:05:52,810 --> 00:05:57,600 Speaker 1: and loses everything. He comes home in disgrace. believing himself 81 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:01,820 Speaker 1: to be no more worthy than a common slave. The 82 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:06,910 Speaker 1: older child, the dutiful one, is no better. He clearly 83 00:06:06,950 --> 00:06:10,170 Speaker 1: disdains his father, stating that he sees him as an 84 00:06:10,250 --> 00:06:15,190 Speaker 1: enslaving tyrant. Both children live in a state of distance 85 00:06:15,690 --> 00:06:20,720 Speaker 1: from their graced, failed father. But to these children, the 86 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:26,320 Speaker 1: father acts in astounding love. Instead of rejecting them, something 87 00:06:26,370 --> 00:06:30,670 Speaker 1: that would have been seen as culturally appropriate, he receives them. 88 00:06:31,750 --> 00:06:36,610 Speaker 1: Instead of lambasting them, he loves upon them. And even 89 00:06:36,710 --> 00:06:40,969 Speaker 1: though they are far off, standing in darkness, the father 90 00:06:41,010 --> 00:06:44,270 Speaker 1: goes out to meet them. To the younger child while 91 00:06:44,310 --> 00:06:46,610 Speaker 1: he was still on the road, and to the elder 92 00:06:46,910 --> 00:06:49,370 Speaker 1: while he stands in the darkness away from the party. 93 00:06:51,130 --> 00:06:54,479 Speaker 1: What this scripture teaches us is that no matter what 94 00:06:54,540 --> 00:06:58,790 Speaker 1: has transpired in our lives or how many times we 95 00:06:58,820 --> 00:07:02,750 Speaker 1: have rejected God's presence, our Lord comes to meet us. 96 00:07:03,950 --> 00:07:07,710 Speaker 1: God forgives our sin. God wraps us in robes of 97 00:07:07,790 --> 00:07:12,679 Speaker 1: grace and welcomes us into his eternal home. Our Heavenly 98 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 1: Father is rich in love and abounding in mercy. All 99 00:07:17,180 --> 00:07:20,540 Speaker 1: you need to do is be willing to come home. 100 00:07:24,990 --> 00:07:29,630 Speaker 1: Gracious Father, there are simply no words to describe your lovingkindness. 101 00:07:30,700 --> 00:07:34,240 Speaker 1: I cannot fathom how deep your mercy is as you 102 00:07:34,300 --> 00:07:37,720 Speaker 1: willingly come to me despite all the twists and turns 103 00:07:37,780 --> 00:07:41,820 Speaker 1: of my life. When I am faithless, you, O God, 104 00:07:41,860 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 1: remain faithful. When I reject you, you refuse to reject me. 105 00:07:47,620 --> 00:07:50,740 Speaker 1: Always you make the invitation for me to come and 106 00:07:50,780 --> 00:07:54,420 Speaker 1: dwell in the house of your eternal love. So, Lord, 107 00:07:54,500 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 1: in this moment, I turn to you. I place before 108 00:07:57,820 --> 00:08:01,660 Speaker 1: you any wandering that I've done, any sin that I've committed, 109 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:06,630 Speaker 1: trusting that your grace covers all. As you receive the prodigal, 110 00:08:06,690 --> 00:08:11,230 Speaker 1: Lord Jesus, please receive me and help me to live 111 00:08:11,710 --> 00:08:15,250 Speaker 1: as your precious and beloved child. This I pray in 112 00:08:15,290 --> 00:08:16,190 Speaker 1: the name of Jesus. 113 00:08:17,810 --> 00:08:18,190 Speaker 2: Amen. 114 00:08:20,670 --> 00:08:23,870 Speaker 1: How did tonight's scripture speak to you? Share your thoughts 115 00:08:24,290 --> 00:08:26,570 Speaker 1: in the Your Nightly Scripture Forum discussion. 116 00:08:35,100 --> 00:08:40,579 Speaker 2: Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture. Tonight's scripture 117 00:08:41,020 --> 00:08:45,300 Speaker 2: was read from the New International Version by Biblica All 118 00:08:45,380 --> 00:08:52,030 Speaker 2: Rights Reserved. If tonight's episode blessed you, Be sure to 119 00:08:52,110 --> 00:08:56,970 Speaker 2: follow the show on Apple Podcasts so your next nightly 120 00:08:57,010 --> 00:09:02,780 Speaker 2: scripture is ready when you are. Your nightly scripture is 121 00:09:02,820 --> 00:09:08,420 Speaker 2: a production of Life Audio and Salem Media. Thank you, 122 00:09:09,330 --> 00:09:11,410 Speaker 2: and we'll see you tomorrow night. 123 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:24,210 Speaker 1: Thank you.