Pastor Logan Williams- Let the Father Love You! Amazing LF Worship!!

Good morning, men and women. Such an honor to be able to come to you as always. I say it every week, man, from right here at Life Fellowship Church in McKinney, Texas, into your tablet at whatever correctional facility that you're in. My name is Logan Williams. My TDC number is 1490218. I have four numbers after that. I get to lead the prison ministry here at Life Fellowship Church, and what a blessing it is. But I remember being in the same chairs that you guys are in, in the facilities, round and round and round. I did nine and a half years over four trips to the penitentiary behind drug use, crime, all the stuff that comes with selling dope and all that stuff, living in the streets and hotels. I just couldn't get away from that lifestyle, man. It just sucked me back in every time. I know that many of you know what I'm talking about. Many of you, it's not your first rodeo. It's not your first time to be incarcerated. I know that every time, every next time, it just gets even more frustrating. If this is your first time to be incarcerated, hey, man, this can be your last time. Anything is possible with God. Nothing is impossible. He's just looking for your yes. He's looking for your all in. This is a hope I want to give to you guys. Don't forget to tell your friends and family to get the Pando app. They can download it from their app store right on their phone. Watch the same stuff that you watch. The same teachings, the same services, there's so much on there. You can do this walk together. It's so important to have that community. I'm about to talk about that here in just a little bit. Don't forget to hit the subscribe so you don't miss anything that comes out. Wanted to just address the letters that you guys are sending. We absolutely do respond to the letters. We want to walk alongside you. We want to do all of that. But it's got to be a male to a male, female to a female. We're not going to give any females the letters that the men write. I just want to tell you that up front. It's created many, many messes. We've just instituted a policy of same gender. That's what discipleship should be, right? We absolutely want to do that. So this morning we came together as a staff and one of our executive pastors had a word for us. I want to read it to you because I believe this is for you as well. Now these are going to be for the believers, okay? If you're not a believer, if you haven't called upon the name of Jesus, scripture says it's just that simple in Romans 10 that anyone who calls upon his name will be saved from sin, death and hell and he will give you a seat at the table. And so if you've never done that, it's just that easy. You can

do it right now. You can do it right after this video. Like why wait? Call on the name of Jesus in your own words, okay? I know we always do a prayer at the end. Repeat after me. I love that and you can absolutely get saved that way if your heart is in the right place. But like that prayer is not in the Bible. It says to just call upon the name of Jesus and you will be saved. So, but those of you who have, this is a word for you guys. This is coming out of John 17 verse 20. It says, I'm praying not only for these disciples, but also for all those who will ever believe in me through their message. So he's praying for the disciples. This is right before he took his last prayer before he goes to the cross. He says, I pray that they will all be one just as you and I are one, as you are in me, father, and I am in you and may they be in us so that the world will believe that you sent me. He's talking about unity here. He's talking about um, not just liking each other, but you know, in Acts chapter two, they all come together. They all break bread. They, they go from house to house and pray together. They go to the temple every day. They, they were tight. They were unified. You know, they were a one body, even though they were all different. We're all different, but that's what makes it so beautiful. We can all bring different things to the table. And if you think about the body being a human body, man, there's a pinky, there's a nose, there's a boss up there's. all the different parts but all coming together make a beautiful thing a human body and so it would be just crazy for the bicep to get mad at the pinky about something you know every part of the body has a different function different attributes and so we we need to have that in our hearts as we're doing the Bible studies in the places that you're at as we're doing this stuff together in unity it's so important I've given them the glory that you gave me so they may be one as we are one I'm in them and you are in me may they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me he's saying man if we can have this unity wherever you're at like that could actually cause the world or it could cause the other people in the place that you're at that aren't saved to believe that in Jesus because of the unity that they will know that you sent me he's praying to the father he's saying God I want them to have this unity father and because of that the world is gonna know that you sent me that's important so we need to

have that man I want you guys to have that in the place that you're at man pray for that we got to have this community this unity you hear me talking about it every single week it's so important in our walk it's so important because I know it's I know it's easy to to let our ego rise up and let our pride rise up especially as we be as you become leaders in the in the units that you're at the church that you're at maybe you become a worship leader maybe you become them but where you're given some messages or or or you're a clerk or you're you're in a leadership position it's easy when you when you want to be that guy or when you're aspiring to be that leader you know it's prison and I know you it's so easy to hate on people in there but he's begging us not to do that he's his prayer to the father is that we won't do that so that the world will know that that Jesus was sent by by the father that Jesus was sent by God and so when you think of it in that context like isn't that what we want man we just want everyone to to believe right we want everyone to believe that God sent Jesus and then we call upon his name and and the scripture says that anyone who calls upon his name will be saved and we'll be given a seat at the table like that's our goal and this unity he's saying is so important in that so man pray for your brothers and sisters pray for that unity pray for all of us pray that the enemy doesn't get his foot in the door and use pride and ego to to to divide we all need to be unified it's so important I love you guys man I hope you enjoy this message let me pray for you father in the name of Jesus I just thank you for all the men and women that are watching last week there was 57,000 that watched life fellowship in just seven days what a blessing God we we love you so much we just give you praise and glory for that we just exalt your name today for that God how you're moving on these tablets it's amazing we're so grateful for you God I just pray that you would bless every man and woman that watches this every man and woman that maybe doesn't watch this but is watching something else on Pando God that you would just reveal yourself to them that they would come to know you God and that and that they would come to love one another so deeply and have this unity that you pray

for in John chapter 17 God I'd ask that you just move mountains to make this happen ask that you just supernaturally speak to the people speak to the leaders God move on the administrations of all these units God in ways that they can help facilitate this unity facilitate these events and things that were where they can come together as a body one body like they did in Acts chapter 2 God that's so important and man this is our prayer God we just want the world to know that the Father sent Jesus and you're telling us here that it's our unity that does that so God we ask you for that give us wisdom on how to facilitate that give us discernment on what words to say and who to speak to God and just show us how we can make much of your name and enlarge your kingdom and we love you and give you all the praise and glory in Jesus name amen whose house God's house Let's give him some praise Let's give him some praise He's coming on the clouds, kings and kingdoms will bow to him And every chain will break as broken hearts declare his praise For who can stop the Lord Almighty? Our God is the Lion, the Lion of Judah He's roaring with power and fighting our battles Every knee will bow before him Our God is the Lamb, the Lamb that was slain For the sins of the world, his blood brings the change And every knee will bow before the Lion and the Lamb Every knee will bow before him So open up the gates, make way before the King of kings To God who comes to save, his kingdom set, he counters with For who can stop the Lord Almighty? Our God is the Lion, the Lion of Judah He's roaring with power and fighting our battles Every knee will bow before him

Our God is the Lamb, the Lamb that was slain For the sins of the world, his blood brings the change And every knee will bow before the Lion and the Lamb Every knee will bow before him Every knee will bow before him Who can stop the Lord Almighty? Who can stop the Lord Almighty? Who can stop the Lord Almighty? Who can stop the Lord Almighty? Who can stop the Lord Almighty? Who can stop the Lord Almighty? Who can stop the Lord Almighty? Who can stop the Lord? Our God is the Lion, the Lion of Judah He's roaring with power and fighting our battles Every knee will bow before Him Our God is the Lamb, the Lamb that was slain For the sins of the world, His love reigns in shame Every knee will bow before the Lion is the Lamb Every knee will bow before Him We are here to worship you Jesus, you are all that we need, you are everything Lord. We are here to worship you Jesus, you are all that we need, you are everything Lord. We are here to worship you Jesus, you are all that we need, you are everything Lord. Bride of Zion, Prophets spoke, Our Messiah, flesh and bone. You alone are worthy, to open up the scroll, like a lamb fed for suffering, but the lion has a role. Hail, hail, lion of Judah, let the lion roar today. Hail, hail, lion of Judah, let the lion roar. Let the lion roar, roar, roar, roar, roar. Let the lion roar, roar, roar, roar, roar. Prepare the way, prepare the way of the Lord.

O valley, be raised up, O mountain, be made low. O valley, be raised up, O mountain, be made low. Let the lion roar, roar, roar, roar, roar. Hail, lion of Judah, let the lion roar, roar, roar. Let the lion roar! Hail, hail, lion of Judah! O' Valley, O' Valley, be raised up! O' Mountain, be made low! Prepare the way, prepare the way, prepare the way of the Lord! Come on, lift your hands up! Prepare the way, prepare the way, prepare the way, prepare the way of the Lord! Let the King of Kings go! Let the Lion of Raven come! Go! Love of our souls, go! Go! Prepare the way, prepare the way, prepare the way, prepare the way of the Lord! Hear your people sing! Hear your people cry for your return! Come on, let's lift our voices, let's lift our hands! Let's ask for Him, for His return! Come to your Bride, Lord! Come to your Church, Jesus! We're here expecting, expecting for your return, King Jesus! Expecting for your return, Lion of Judah! Hear your people cry, hear them cry, Texas crying for your return! Come, come, come, come! Prepare the way, prepare the way, prepare the way, prepare the way of the Lord! Prepare the way of the Lord, prepare the way, prepare the way of the Lord! Prepare your Bride, prepare your Church! Purify us, purify us, with your holy fire, purify us! For your return, He's preparing His Bride, He's preparing His Church for His return! As we people, as our people, we respond, we respond with holiness, we respond with surrender, we respond! Oh, prepare the way, prepare the way, prepare the way, prepare the way of the Lord! Prepare the way, prepare the way, prepare the way, prepare the way of the Lord! Oh, Lord! Oh, Lord! There was a moment when the lights went out When death reclaimed its victory The king of love began the darkest life

The darkest day in history And we don't want to cross the lake for sin For every curse is worth a toll We're finding the breath of the earth is finished But not the end of good for the earth For the earth began to shake And the vilest one, thank you Jesus Was sacrificed as a slave As the hammer broke All hail King Jesus All hail the Lord of heaven and earth All hail King Jesus All hail the Savior of the world We have the privilege to worship the King of kings There was a moment when the sky went up A flash of light breaking through When all was lost he crossed eternity And the King of life was on the move When a dark cold tomb where our Lord was laid One miraculous breath and we're forever saved All hail King Jesus All hail the Lord of heaven and earth All hail King Jesus All hail the Savior of the world All hail King Jesus All hail the Lord of heaven and earth All hail King Jesus All hail the Savior of the world We have it today We have it today

King of kings for the world We're crowned and we're made now Let it be Let it be Come bow before the King of kings Let it be done So fast that he is won Lift up your shout Let us join with all of heaven Singing oh oh oh oh We're singing oh oh oh oh He'll bring more crowns Oh oh oh oh We're singing oh oh oh oh Let it be Let it be Come bow before the King of kings Let it be done So fast that he is won Lift up your shout Let us join with all our hearts in singing Holy We're singing Holy We cry that you are Holy Holy We're singing you are Holy, Holy, Holy We cry that you are Holy, Holy, Holy All hail King Jesus All hail Lord of heaven and earth All hail King Jesus All hail the Savior

All hail King Jesus All hail the Lord of heaven and earth All hail King Jesus And all hail the Savior of the world We hail you Lord We hail you King of Kings We hail you Lord of Lords You deserve all praises You deserve your praise You deserve the praise of your people today Come on, if you have a voice Why don't you lift your voice Why don't you lift your hands to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords He deserves, He paid it all for you and me So we can come boldly before Him Freely before Him to worship Him Oh Lord, we hear your people today Lifting His hands, lifting their hands Lifting their voices in praise Oh, we crown you Lord We crown you Lord Jesus, we crown you Lord We crown you Lord All hail And all hail King Jesus And all hail the Lord of heaven and earth And all hail King Jesus And all hail the Savior of the world And all hail King Jesus And all hail the Lord of heaven and earth

And all hail King Jesus And all hail the Savior of the world Our Savior And let every knee Come bow before the King of Kings Let every tongue Confess that He is Lord Lift up your shout Let us join with all of heaven Singing Holy And Holy We recognize you today And Holy And Holy Come on just one more time With all your heart Sing to Jesus And let every knee Come bow before the King of Kings Let every tongue Confess that He is Lord After you've shot, let us join in all of heaven, singing holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy. Let's pray. Lord, today we thank you for being holy. We thank you for meeting us here wherever we're at. Holy Spirit, we just pray for your presence and your strength and your direction. Holy Spirit, we pray that we would feel your presence. Lord, no matter what we're going through, no matter the stress, the trials, the tribulations, you are holy.

We trust you. We love you. We worship you. Father, thank you for today. And in Jesus' mighty name, we pray. Amen. Man, that was good. Go ahead and take your seats. I want to go ahead and dismiss the crew for sixth, seventh, and eighth graders. You're going to meet Mr. Ryan right over here. Happy Father's Day to you fathers, you fathers-to-be. Welcome. We have a coffee mug for you dads. We also have free coffee for everybody. Not a free coffee mug. Free coffee mug for dads, free coffee for everybody. But we also have something new this year. So on the right side, as I'm looking out at the stage, we have a grid wall with some cards on it. And that's for our grieving fathers. So just like on Mother's Day, maybe you went through a pain, maybe you're feeling a little down, maybe you lost your father, whatever it is. But this Father's Day, we have a grieving card. Take one of those cards. It's got a couple of different scriptures on them and a little prayer. Maybe you need a little pick-me-up. Maybe this wasn't the year. Maybe you suffered a loss. We want you to know that we love you and we're praying for you. Okay? It's going to be an incredible message brought today by Pastor Logan.

So prepare your hearts for the message. Every great journey begins with someone willing to lead the way. A father's influence is often found in the ordinary moments. Teaching a child how to ride a bike. Showing them how to cast a fishing line. Teaching them how to drive. Preparing a good meal together and sharing stories along the way. Opening God's Word and reading the Bible side by side. Holding their hand through uncertainty. Offering encouragement after a hard day. Thank you for leading the way, dads. Happy Father's Day! Welcome to Life Fellowship Church. We are so glad that you're here. If this is your first time here, text the word NEW to 51010. We'd love to help you get connected and show you everything happening around Life Fellowship and what's coming up next. If you've been coming for a bit but still feel a little on the outside, this is your move. Life groups are where this church starts to feel smaller and more personal. Find a group, show up, and watch what happens. If you've said yes to Jesus but haven't been baptized yet, this is your next step. It's a moment that carries a lot of meaning. We'd love to celebrate that with you. Go ahead and sign up today. Every time you give, you're stepping into something bigger than yourself. You're helping create moments where people encounter God. Where students discover purpose, where families find hope, and when lives begin to change. That's what generosity does. It turns simple obedience into lasting impact. So today as you give, just know that you are part of that story. High-five and let's prepare your hearts for all God wants to do today. Enjoy the service

Sorry, good morning my fellowship church out here at the North Campus I just love coming out here in such an honor and a blessing to be here with you guys Just the atmosphere out here that that you guys have that the volunteers create man the worship team How about the world? Let's just give it up for the worship Man Everything out here is just so awesome and amazing. It's just a blessing to be here. Happy Father's Day To you today, and I also want to say happy Father's Day and welcome to all of our church online family That's watching and all of the men and women and all of our correctional facilities across America There's more than 2 million tablets in correctional facilities across America and soon to be in the Philippines man. You guys are my heart You know that and you're my heart because my TDC number was one four nine zero two one eight and I have four numbers after that and I understand the anxiety and the frustration and the disappointment of just Falling and and you can't get back up and going back and coming back and I just want to encourage everyone here I share that so everyone can have some hope especially you guys the man anything is possible when you say yes to God Anything is possible When you say yes to him and so man, I just want to honor Your pastors Jen and John. I love them. They are I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Pastor John Malander You have such amazing Pastors here. I want to give them much honor. I want to honor all of the fathers today man. Happy Father's Day You have a big calling on your life. We do But today man, I just want to speak to you I really want to speak to everyone to everyone today. This message is for everyone I want to honor my wife who's here with with me for I mean you need honor if you're putting up with me We lead we lead out an overcomers group at 630 on Monday night it at the McKinney campus It's just a really close tight-knit group of people that just we just take the mask off and get real and pray for one another and Get things from the dark to the light where we believe Jesus will sever that from us. So Man, it's good to be here. It's good to see all my friends There was like when this campus opened there was just a mass exodus of all my friends to out here

And so it's so good. I love it. I love you guys. I love it out here so this message today that I lands on Father's Day and I wanted to just speak from What I think is one of the greatest stories ever told on Father's Day It's the it's the it's the prodigal son the the Luke 15 story at least it was one of the most impactful stories to me on my faith journey It begins in Luke 15 verse 11, and I just want to read it and I because I think there's just something When when the Word of God just spoken Oftentimes can do much more than a commentary can so I just want to read the story. It's a little bit long But man, just let God's words Just open your heart. Let the Word of God just marinate on you. So in verse 11, it says Jesus continued There was a man who had two sons the younger one said to his father father. Give me my share of the estate So he divided his property between them not long after that The younger son got together all he had set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in Wild living after he spent everything there was a severe famine in that whole country and he began to be in need So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country who sent him to the fields to feed pigs He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything And when he came to his senses, he said how many of my father's hired servants have food to spare yet here I am starving to death. I will set out and I will go back to my father and I will say to him father I have sinned against heaven and against you. I'm no longer worthy to be called your son Make me like one of your hired servants 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. The son said to him father I've sinned against heaven and against you. I'm no longer worthy to be called your son, but 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 bring the fattened calf and kill it Let's have a feast and celebrate for this son of mine was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found So they began to celebrate Meanwhile, the older brother was in the field when he came near the house. He heard music and dancing so he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.

Your brother has come, he replied, and your father has killed the fattened cow because he has him back safe and sound. The older brother became angry and refused to go in, so his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, look, all these years I've been slaving for you and I've never disobeyed your orders, yet you never even gave me a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when the son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him. My son, the father said, you are always with me and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again, he was lost and is found. Again, for me in my life, this is one of the most impactful stories in my faith journey. When I saw the prodigal son parable come to life in my story, it was on a Andreso retreat, any Andreso brothers in here? Man, I saw that you, the father that just runs to us right where we are, that there's nothing that we can do, that we cannot out send the grace of Jesus. That we cannot out send the grace of Jesus. That I don't care what you bring in here, how big or how small or what you've done

or what you haven't done. People in the correctional facilities, it doesn't matter what you have done to be in there. The state of Texas may have given up on you, your families may have given up on you, you may not even have a name to them, you're just a number, but you need to know that Jesus will never give up on you. You are worthy of dying for. And you may just be a number to the state that you're in, but you're never just a number to God. And when I saw that come to life in my story, it changed me from the inside out. It caused me to be on a mission, man, to just shout this, to just shout this. But when the curtain falls on this story, we don't really know how it resolves, right? And I don't know if you ever wondered or if that creates tension in you, but what we do know that a few things, there's a party going on, right? We know that the lost son is found. We know that the older son is mad, he's mad about it. And we know that the father is pleading, begging, and then the curtain drops. And we don't know, we don't know how it ends. You know, most of the time when people talk about this story, it's about the younger son, right? And we're definitely gonna mention him today. I can't mention this story

without talking about the younger son. Then at the very end of the message, there's only like three sentences or so, three or four about the older brother, the older son. But I believe God wants this message today on Father's Day to yes, be about the younger son, but to also be about the older son. Because yes, the father runs to meet us right where we are. He does, just like he ran to meet the younger son. But I also believe God is still outside right now, pleading today, inviting someone to come inside. Because check this out, y'all, there's a party going on and you're missing it, and you're missing it. And you never chose to go inside and join the party. The context of this story are to the do-gooders, right? The Pharisees, the professional religious folks, the teachers of the law, that's who Jesus was talking to. And so as he's telling it, it's not particularly for you or for me, he's really aiming this at them, at the religious leaders of the time. They didn't like who he was hanging around with, right? They're murmuring about it, they're complaining about it. Like, who is this guy? He claims to be from God, claims this, claims that. But look, he's hanging around all the wrong people. Like, what is this? And Jesus was like, hey man, before you make any assumptions about me, let me tell you a few stories.

And he tells them three stories of lost things. He talks about a lost coin, he talks about a lost sheep, and then he talks about the lost son that we just read. And what he's trying to show them, and what he's trying to show us today, on Father's Day, is the heart of the Father. And the heart of the Father is to seek and save what is lost. The heart of God is rescue. The heart of God is mission. Hear me, men and women in the correctional facilities, movement towards people who need help. This is what Jesus is doing. This is what he was doing on planet Earth. This is the whole reason he came, and this is why he's hanging around the wrong people. And this is why he shares these stories. And so there's this crazy younger son who reminds me a lot of me. I got out of prison the last time and I quickly fell back into drugs and it got extremely dark They got extremely bad and in the midst of the darkest moment in the midst of the the craziest people around me massive amount of drugs and in a Janky hotel room in Irving, Texas man, Jesus Spoke to me. He downloaded me. He began to whisper to my spirit Hey, man, if you want to stop just get up and leave this room and I got you And he just kept saying it and he kept saying it and he kept after me and his the Holy Spirit It was even able to pierce through Six months of drug use where I could hear him and I got up and I walked out of that room man That was August 11th of 2021 and and and and my life has been like a rocket ship ever since now I've had to do some difficult things. He asks us to do some difficult things. I had to give away

A lot of drugs. I had to lay down sexual sin. I had to get all in But man when you say yes to him when you say yes to him When you when you do some research about this culture and the way people interacted in that day It's really kind of shocking that the that the father Would run to him bolt after him He would pull up his robes and actually show his legs and run after his son because in that culture dignified Nobleman would never ever just pull up their robes and show their legs. I don't know what the big deal is We're all wear shorts today but back then that was a thing and So for him to do that was a big deal and he had to do that in order to get up to full speed To get to his son and this is the heart of the father. It's I don't care what he has done I don't care what anyone thinks. That's my son. That's my daughter That's my beloved and that's all I care about right now I don't care what people think and I don't care how it looks Guys when you have a moment when you turn Around when you come to your senses I'm telling you God springs into action in a mighty way and he just doesn't care about anything else This is my experience. This was my experience in that hotel room This is my experience even today As I do this walk when I get convicted where it's easy to get off track. We're sheep that go astray man There's been many moments that I've been convicted about something and I've just man. I just learned today I want to turn quickly. I've been I've been on my knees in Walmart bathrooms Just God man, wring this out of me. God. I I hear you. I repent I turn guys He springs into action when we do that. I just want to encourage everyone man. Don't wait when you feel the conviction of God This is my experience Another reason why it was significant was because in this culture there were some dynamics around this Around this son leaving and coming back According to Kenneth Bailey in his book called the cross and the prodigal in that culture If a Jewish son lost his inheritance among the Gentiles and came back The village could publicly shame him and declare him cut off from the community. It was a ceremony called

Kazzah All right That's a Hebrew word and Bailey suggests that this could be why the father runs to meet his son while he's still a long way Off perhaps he heard that his son was coming in. Maybe somebody saw him. Hey, and I think it looked like your son Coming he looked a little rough, but it looked like he was heading this way look. I think it was him He was on the road and so Maybe the the dad was watching in waiting because he heard his son might be heading this way and when he sees him a long Way off he jumps into action Now Jesus said this he was moved by his heart for his son for his compassion for his son And I'm sure of that, but maybe he was also moved by the possibility of this cultural shame this kazaz Ceremony and he didn't want his kid to get cut off from the community and not be able to come back I was talking to another guy last night about this who's sort of a Bible scholar and he was like Yeah, and in the Pharisees that he was talking to we're actually going to be the ones the religious leaders We're going to be the ones to go and put this community shame on him And so the father actually runs past them to get there first. This was just such an interesting Interpretation of that and so he reaches his son in verse 21 and a son's got his plan speech, right? You guys ever remember when you were like 12 years old and you knew you were in trouble and but you're not home yet But you know, you're about to face the music and yeah, okay Let me get this plans speech and you practice it. He the son had it He had his plan speech and he said to him father. I've sinned against heaven and against you I'm no longer worthy to be called your son, man. He delivers it perfectly. But look at this the father doesn't even acknowledge He doesn't even say, well, yeah, you're right. Or, oh, don't worry about it. He doesn't even acknowledge that. But instead in verse 22, he says, quick, exclamation point, quick. Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Guys, when we turn around and go the other way,

again, God springs into action quick with an exclamation point. In other words, the father said, hey man, we only have a few moments here maybe to change the narrative of my son's life. Any minute now, these villagers could come and they could try to put shame on him. And we gotta change the narrative here. And here's how we're gonna do it. Quick, in a hurry, get shoes, get a ring, get the best robe and do it quick. The best robe and do it quick. There's no time to waste because as soon as news gets out, the community could come and put shame on this kid. And he might not ever be able to come home again. And we cannot let that happen. So we're gonna flip the script right now before they even get here and they put shoes on him. That means he's not a servant. He's a dignified member of the family and the community. He now has a ring on his finger which says this kid has a seal and authority and he's got the best robe. So the people that don't know him know, well, he's somebody, because dang, look at that robe. And so put that robe on him, yeah. And he's got the best robe on. And then all of a sudden, this kid who's covered in pig slop,

who's just trying to get his planned speech out, who's just trying to get his speech completely cut off by his father. And just like that, he has shoes on his feet that gives him position. He has a ring on his hand that gives him status and a seal. And he has a robe on that's telling everybody that he's somebody. And the father's arm is around him and the father is covering him. And that's how they walk home together. That's how they walk home. And the father's saying, yeah, you might've thought that you could shame him, but you can't shame me. And he's with me now. He's with me now. He's with me. Check the shoes, check the ring, check the robe. He's with me now. Oh, and by the way, we're having a party tonight at our house. That's how he walks us home. And I just love that, man. I just love that. And so now this message today wasn't necessarily orchestrated for you if that's you. I really wanted to focus on the older brother, but I just can't not focus on the younger brother as well. But if that's you, if you're the younger son,

maybe you're stuck in a sin struggle. Maybe you're in a cycle that you can't seem to break. Maybe the enemy has planted a seed in your mind or he's gotten you to bind to a narrative that you've blown it, you've tore it all down again. The worst thing you can do is return to God because he's mad at you. He's disappointed in you. He's frustrated with you. He's upset with you. He's irritated with you. Jesus here in this parable is telling you a different story today on Father's Day. And he's saying the best thing that you can do is turn around and go home because your father in heaven is waiting for you. He's looking for you. And this is good news, y'all. This is good news. And community shame is over. Listen to me, y'all. Shame is over. And you might say, well, I wish my community knew that community shame was over or I wish my family knew that community shame was over. Okay, maybe there's people in your life that don't get this idea that shame is over, but don't let them put it on you. Jesus died on the cross so that people that turn towards home

get a ring and a robe and shoes on their feet and they become somebody. And now there's always a caveat when this message is preached. So I'll put it in here again today. Yes, it matters how you live your life. Yes, God doesn't want you to make stupid choices. Yes, there are consequences to the things that we do. There absolutely is. But that's not the point of the story. Yes, God is calling us up. He is calling us to a higher standard. He is calling us to obedience. That is true. But that's not the point that Jesus was trying to make in this story. The point of the story is if you blow it, if you fall short of that standard, if you blow your opportunity, if you burn the whole thing to the ground, I wanna tell you on Father's Day that there's still a father waiting for you and that the shame bearer will meet you on the road and walk you home. And when people wanna put something on you, he'll already have his arm around you and he'll say, no, excuse me, they're with me. Excuse me, they're with me. Excuse me, they're with me. Notice the shoes, notice the ring, notice the robe.

Oh, and notice I'm risen from the dead and they're with me. Thank you very much. Welcome home. Oh, and by the way, we're having a party tonight if you're not doing anything. That's how he's gonna walk us home. And we've gotta get that. Men and women in their institutions, we gotta get that in our hearts because it changes. Things when we understand the heart of the father and how much he loves us So if you're out there if you're in left field, if you're lost man, come home come home on father's day Come home on father's day, but quickly jesus flips the script and now he's kind of aiming his gun pretty much at the religious people And he said but there was another son in verse 25 Meanwhile, the older son was in the field And I want I I noticed this and I know it's a small thing, but I think it's important It starts jesus said with the position of this boy that we're looking at as the older son Okay Now everyone when they preach this message is like and then the older brother and then the older brother and then the older brother Well, god didn't start with the older brother God started with the older son And I think that's important. It's a small thing, but it's like jesus is bringing him into focus here As a son to a father Not a brother to a crazy to a crazy kid And I think that's important because we need to know who we are. We need to know our identity It says meanwhile, the older son was in the field and when he came near the house He heard music and dancing. So he called one of his servants and asked him What was going on? Well, your brother has come he said and your father has killed the fattened calf Because he has him back safe and sound and the older brother became angry and refused to go in So his father went out and pleaded with him He has already gone out to spare one son community shame

And now he's going out to plead with his other son to come in Guys, look at the heart of the father here No matter who you are or where you are or what you've done or what you haven't done He's coming to you He's running to you and he's not being like I would be if it were me I would just be like man look at my younger son and took half my money and went and Went and messed it off and now he's back and well, thank god he's back. But man now my other son He's hating on him and god god my sons. He's not like that He's not like our fathers might have been he's not like we might have been he's all complaining all the time No, he's not like that Even though we oftentimes believe that he is or maybe the enemy's gotten us to believe a lie But the father doesn't complain man. The father's just happy. We're back and he throws a party He throws a party and and there's a good. Um Description of this I want to read you guys a quote I don't have a slide for it because god just gave it to me this morning but um, this is a quote by bill wilson who was the founder of alcoholics anonymous and this was Moments before he surrendered his life to god and and and and got sober and then Started this movement that has helped millions of people. Okay. This is his words He says no words can tell of the loneliness and despair. I found in that bitter morass of self-pity Quick sand stretched around me in all directions. I had met my match. I had been overwhelmed Alcohol was my master He says trembling. I stepped from the hospital a broken man Fear sobered me for a bit then came the insidious insanity of that first drink and on armistice day of 1934. I was off again Everyone became resigned to the certainty that I would have to be shut up somewhere. I would stumble along to a miserable end How dark it is before the dawn guys how dark it is before the dawn how dark it is in the pig pen How dark it was in that hotel room in irving, texas But man the father is not mad at us he wants to he's throwing a party for us and look at this How dark it is before the dawn he said in reality that was the beginning of my last debauch

I was soon to be catapulted into what I like to call the fourth dimension of existence. I was to know happiness peace And usefulness in a way of life that is incredibly more wonderful as time passes. He gave his life to god and god That's that's just a description of the party that's going on like he can suddenly flip our biggest crisis Into something that that that is indescribably wonderful happiness peace and usefulness In a way that he can't even describe Guys, I I want you to know that god loves you And no matter where you're at, we're all sheep that go astray when we turn around he throws a party But he answered his father look all these years i've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders I know that might resonate with someone in here. It's like yeah, that's my story In fact, he probably used that language before his amen all my life. I've been doing good All my life. I've always tried to do the right thing Oh since i've come to church, man. I've really jumped in man. I did free indeed. I did freedom. I did re-engage I did Abiding law I did i'm doing all I serve I come to church i'm doing all these It's that and then we compare ourselves to other people and we think man I did more than that person does That's that older son mentality That comparison that deadly comparison is something that the enemy uses to divide us and destroy us I say this all the time He's not a little devil with his pitchfork trying to poke us and make us bad and drink more and smoke more and cuss more But he is first peter 5 8 9 he is trying to devour us He is trying to take us out And this comparison is a is a tool that he uses He says yet. You never even gave me a young goat So I could celebrate with my friends But when the son of yours who squanders your property with prostitutes comes home You kill the fat and calf for him My son the father said You are always with me And everything I have is yours But we had to celebrate and be glad because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again He was lost and is found

Man, did you see that? We had to celebrate guys when we turn around that God the father has to celebrate he has to that's his heart. He can't not You see but this older brother quickly went from being the older son To getting angry and quickly becoming the older brother and while they're at the party Slicing three-inch ribeyes throwing them on the grill saying how you want that cooked, bro. How you want yours cooked, bro? He's he's on the outside He's counting all the days the weeks the months the years and I think it was because his life had been about performing the whole time We feel like sometimes we have to perform for god And all of a sudden this young son is thrust into the house under this Blessing called extravagant Unconditional love of god. Does anybody ever experience that like I didn't earn it. I don't deserve it I don't know where it's coming from But man, it's flowing down like a waterfall and I got it and it just keeps coming And it's not based on anything i've done or not done It's just god's love pouring down on me and it doesn't show any signs of stopping anytime soon The younger son is has found this the older son is living his whole life in the field man He's on the grind And his blessing is is is man. I'm doing good like His blessing is the blessing of doing good And he's out there living out that blessing the blessing of his own good efforts While this younger son has figured out that there's a very different kind of blessing And it's the unconditional love Of the father and god is wanting all of us today on father's day to get under that blessing So that we can go and live the lives that god is calling us to live The issue here was not hey, please come in so we can celebrate your brother who's back The invitation was come in and let's celebrate you as well because you are my son And you've always been with me and everything I have is yours

He's like i'm pleading with you son. This party ain't gonna be everything it can be unless both of my sons are at the party And that's why this message today is called let the father love you Let him love you You see some of us have been performing for practically our whole lives I mean and let's be real man all these ministries these wonderful ministries that I just mentioned all the the free indeed the the the The the freedom the re-engage the abiding light that it all starts with hey guys, you got to do the work You know, we want to be sure and do the work and the work is important And i'm not saying that it's not good But if you're coming to all the groups if you're doing all the work if you're coming and serving If you never miss a sunday, but you don't have a relationship with the father I would be worried about that I'd be worried about that. It's kind of like a form of of Of white knuckling your spiritual life and yes, you're here And you appear to be doing good But a day's going to come when somebody else that's done way less work Or is engaged in way less things Gets a party or a blessing or something you see we can put all these things these ministries these meetings this serving We can put that on the altar sometimes As an idol and not even realize it with no relationship with the father And so now we we get our identity from all these things that we're doing And then you're comparing yourself and then somebody else that does way less gets a big blessing and then you and then we get bitter And we're just not going to go in and eat the ribeyes man at the party And it's all going on in your head and you're not telling anyone and you're not transparent with anyone You're not you're you're walking alone And this is why I think people that come to church for years and years and years and then all of a sudden man They just disappear. You don't see them anymore This is this is this is something that that I think contributes to that or something might shake down in the church that you don't agree with and

You're getting your identity from all these things Or maybe it started in a relationship with our earthly dad or our relationship with others And we're just been striving and working and trying to get it right so we can be something that we think we need to be But with somebody else wanted us to be It's that life of performance man. It's just potentially gotten woven into your relationship with God and today I just feel like God wants to unravel that performance spirit And he wants to set us free today to be who he created us to be And I mean I get it y'all I get it. I want to achieve Like personally I want to win. I want to be the best. I want to be part of the best I want to be a game changer I want to make the biggest impact and I want to win and I don't mean I can the sense of like winning and losing Per se I'm just saying if there's an option I'd like to win if there's a choice I'd rather come in first if it's up to me I'd like to make the largest impact for the kingdom that I possibly can And be the best ambassador for his great name and I've noticed in my own faith journey that I've had the ability to put an enormous amount of pressure on myself Can anyone relate? And I don't think anyone can put as much pressure on me than I put on me and it's to my detriment man I found that I take on everything. I just I say yes to everything Like I'm seeing a Christian therapist behind it man. And he's he's his his homework for me is hey, man I want you to say no three times this week and I want you to write down what's going on and how you're feeling and what I found that doing that is There's this there's this part of me and it all comes from man I just went so hard from for the enemy for so long All the drugs and selling drugs and doing crime and sexual sin that meant why can't I go hard? for Jesus But but but I've noticed that man when I when I do say no to something or I don't show up at something There's a part of me that kind of feels like maybe I let God down Subconsciously at times I get the feeling God might be disappointed in me if I don't say yes to that thing and then

I'm just being real with you Sometimes I quietly find myself judging the people that say no more than me Telling myself man. I just want to do good. I just want to do good And I'm just being real with you Sometimes I get the feeling God might be disappointed in me if I don't say yes to that thing Telling myself man, I just want to do good. I just want to do good Sounds a lot like the older brother, doesn't it? And this mentality can just slowly creep its way in And I think a lot of us might feel this at times and we know what it is to live under the weight of performing Towards perfection and somehow at times getting that into our minds that that's the way it is with God and his love for us And I feel like what God wants to do today is invite us in And he's inviting us in to let him love us Like a good and perfect father Um Henry no one wrote a book called the return of the prodigal son. I'm going to read an excerpt from it It's it's just so impactful He said this for most of my life. I've struggled to find God to know God to love God I've tried hard to follow the guidelines of the spiritual life Pray always work for others read the scriptures and to avoid the many temptations to dissipate myself I've failed many times, but I always tried again, even when I was close to despair Now I wonder whether if I sufficiently realize that during all this time God has been trying to find me to know me and to love Me the question is not how am I to find God? But how am I to let myself be found by him? The question is not how am I to know God? But how am I to be known by God and finally the question is not how am I to love God But how am I to allow myself to be loved? by God God is looking into the distance for me trying to find me

And longing to bring me home You see guys the party's already started It's already going on. The steaks are on the grill. The music's playing the drinks are flowing. The question is Can you can you can you celebrate? Can you dance? Will you come in? Will you come in from the mindset of performing and can you can you can you dance? Can you celebrate? God's inviting Us all in this room today He's inviting someone who's been living under this sense that my acceptance from God is coming from my performance for God And what he's saying to you is this hey, man, the party's already started, bro The party's already going like we're not going to start the party when you think we're ready to start the party It's already going on you just have to come in And he's inviting you to understand that hey I'm your father and you are my son. You are my daughter. I've always been with you and everything I have is yours And I love you not for your performance, but I love you because I love you And someone in here needs to hear that today There's a blessing that God wants to put on your life today That's not contingent on or in any way connected with your performance And I know that doesn't make sense to a lot of us, but guys we just have to receive it We just have to go in to the party Now does God want you to live a great life? Does he want you to be your best? Does he want you to strive and work and care about rising to the top and do everything that you do in excellence? Of course he does but the blessings That all of us came out of the womb longing for Which is the blessing of a father to say I love you. I believe in you I will show up for you that blessing is coming from our Heavenly Father and is not contingent on your performance And if you want proof of that blow your life up Burn it to the ground now. I'm not recommending that But I'm just it was it's hard to burn it down any worse than I did man

but if you want proof that God's love for you is not tied to your performance fail and Then get ready when you turn away from your failure to see a father blazing a trail called mercy and grace Towards you now consequences, of course, but that's not the point of the story Do the Jenga pieces all fall down when you pull the bottom one out? Yes, of course they do but that's not what this story is about this story is about a father's love that cannot be trumped by our best effort or Cancelled out by our worst effort whether you're the prodigal son or you're the older son It's about God's great love for us and it's an invitation today For you and for me to see and understand that he went first He made the first move we see it in the scriptures. He made the first move with Jesus Look at Matthew 3 verse 16 It says and when Jesus was baptized immediately he went up from the water and behold the heavens were open to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and Coming to rest on him and behold a voice from heaven said this is my beloved son with whom I love Now that makes sense, right? He's his son and I love him. That makes sense he says and I am well-pleased and Well-pleased when you hear about a father saying he's well-pleased with his son man That son must have done some really awesome stuff. Now. Yes Jesus at this point has Left heaven Into our mess taking on human form. He has done that but he hasn't performed any miracles yet He hadn't walked on water yet. I mean not not to our knowledge. He hadn't healed anyone. He hadn't preached a sermon He hadn't cast out a demon. He hadn't fed 5,000 He hasn't done any of that and I feel that the father wants to say to you today on Father's Day the same thing You're my beloved son. You're my beloved daughter, and I love you, and I'm so pleased with you He longs for younger sons and daughters to come home He yearns for the older sons and daughters to stop striving for his love and acceptance He runs out and pleads with them both come inside the party. He's saying to you today I love you because I love you And what better time than Father's Day to hear this and to examine ourselves and come back to the father. Oh Jesus would go on to do some pretty amazing things

Scriptures say that that if the books were written that contain all the amazing things that Jesus did the world couldn't even contain them. Oh He went on to do a lot and ultimately he wanted to do what went on to do what only he could do he paid The price he paid the ultimate price he beat death and hell and sin and the darkness and the grave But he didn't do it so he could get the father's approval. He did it because he already had it And when we finally understand that listen to me men and women in the correctional facilities when we finally understand that and it changes everything God is inviting us all in today. He's inviting us on Father's Day to a waterfall of his love his Unconditional agape love and this love moves us to want to live a life for him. Not so that but because of You know, it's uh It's a good day. It's a good day today. I see that I'm running out of time. But um, I Just want to invite everyone and let you know that Me no matter what's going on in your life God wants to set you free today and We've all been there We've all been the person that that that has pig crap on us and we don't realize it As we do this walk, it's okay. We just turn around and we come home our fathers. We just turn around and we come home We just turn around and we come home waiting for us, and so we're gonna have a prayer team We just turn around and we come home up here, if you're the younger son, or if you're the older son, to sort of guide us through the process of coming home. We're gonna pray, but I want us to fully, I want us to have a conversation. I want us to get things from the light to the dark. Excuse me, from the dark to the light. Um, we can do so many great things when we understand who we are, when we understand our identity. Maybe you're the older son, you've been working and striving and doing, and maybe you're wore out.

Maybe you've just been working. Maybe you've just been doing these programs, and your blessing has been the blessing of doing good, but you're exhausted and you're unfulfilled. Man, we have a prayer team that wants to talk to you as well. Guys, I'm telling you, one prayer can change everything, and there's something about taking your faith, moving your physical body, that God uses in the Spirit to break these chains and strongholds. So, I just implore you to examine yourself, and if you feel the conviction, man, come up to the prayer team, have a conversation, get a prayer. If you're here today and you've never called on the name of Jesus, Romans 10 says that anyone who calls upon his name will be saved. Anyone who calls upon his name will be saved. It's just that simple. It's just that easy. You know, it's funny, everybody knows their birthday, their belly button birthday. Everybody knows that date, but oftentimes, if you ask someone, hey man, when's your spiritual birthday? When was the day that you were saved? Oftentimes, you might get a answer like, well, I was baptized when I was seven, or well, I've always gone to church my whole life. But they don't know the date. Maybe they've called on church attendance.

Maybe they've called on a program. Maybe they called on a good idea. Maybe they called on their parents' faith, but they never called on the name of Jesus. I mean, if that's you, we wanna give you an invitation to do that today. So, I'd just like to invite the prayer team up. Let's pray. God, I love you. We love you. We thank you. For your heart. For your heart for everybody. Whether we're the younger son or the older son, God, we all are like sheep that go astray. We can all, can all stray in one way or another. And Holy Spirit, I'm just asking right now for you to just leave 99 and go after the ones that you're after. God, those are the ones that we're after. God, that your convicting spirit would touch somebody that you're after, somebody that's gone astray, that maybe not even realize that they've gone astray. And if you're here today, and you never called on the name of Jesus, you can just repeat after me. You can just say, Jesus, I'm calling upon your name. I'm calling on you to save me. I'm calling on your name to change me.

I'm calling on your name to make me new. I might not understand it. I might not believe it. I might not can explain it. But all I know is your word says that if I call on your name, I'll be saved. And I'm calling on your name. I'm holding you to your word. And so I'm saying today, Jesus, I'm a sinner and I need you. And I confess with my mouth that you're the son of God. And I believe in my heart that God raised you from the dead. And I will walk with you for the rest of my days. In Jesus name, amen. Thank you guys. Happy Father's Day. Love you all. Amen, amen. If that was you and you just gave your life to Christ for the first time, or maybe you're recommitting, text Jesus to 51010. You hear me say it each week. But if just one person goes, you know what? Today, today I'm changing. Today I'm moving different. Today, I wanna walk in a new direction with Christ like never before. We would love to come along beside you. We're also not gonna be passing the giving box, bucket. We've got offering boxes in the lobby where you can text give to 51010.

And I just wanna say happy Father's Day. Don't get stuck in performance mode. I loved what Pastor Logan was saying that it's not based on our performance. It's the Father's love for you. Our prayer team is gonna be here as long as you need prayer, they would love to pray with you. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift his countenance upon you and give you peace. And may he cover you with his name, the precious name of Jesus. Amen. God bless you. Happy Father's Day. You are dismissed. Thank you for watching!