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The Grace Message with Dr. Andrew Farley

Andrew Farley - Flipped (Part 2)

August 9, 2025 | 28:46

Andrew Farley - Flipped (Part 2)
Pastor Andrew Farley brings Biblical clarity and illuminates God’s grace.
#Grace #Bible #Truth #Pastors #RelationshipwithGod #WalkwithGod #Faithfulness #inActive

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The Grace Message with Dr. Andrew Farley | Andrew Farley - Flipped (Part 2) | August 9, 2025
  • ...
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  • Dr. andrew farley: are only certain people invited to god's
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  • Grace, or is it like a banquet where god goes out into the
  • 00:00:03.799 --> 00:00:07.269
  • Streets and invites everybody?
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  • Let's talk about it today on "the grace message."
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Dr. farley: all right, as i said, we're continuing and
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  • Completing our series today, and it's called "flipped: how the
  • 00:00:27.022 --> 00:00:32.394
  • Parables of jesus wrecked religion."
  • 00:00:32.394 --> 00:00:35.864
  • So the first parable we're gonna look at has to do with
  • 00:00:35.864 --> 00:00:39.301
  • Who's invited.
  • 00:00:39.301 --> 00:00:40.735
  • I mean, some forms of religion say that only certain people are
  • 00:00:40.735 --> 00:00:44.940
  • Invited, you know what i'm talking about?
  • 00:00:44.940 --> 00:00:47.042
  • I mean, there's a movement out there that even says jesus died
  • 00:00:47.042 --> 00:00:51.746
  • For some people.
  • 00:00:51.746 --> 00:00:53.248
  • It's called limited atonement.
  • 00:00:53.248 --> 00:00:55.183
  • Now, any time you put the word limited in there with what god
  • 00:00:55.183 --> 00:00:59.087
  • Is doing, i'm heading for the door, right?
  • 00:00:59.087 --> 00:01:03.024
  • I mean, god doesn't do anything limited.
  • 00:01:03.024 --> 00:01:06.528
  • Whatever he does, he does to the max: maximum forgiveness,
  • 00:01:06.528 --> 00:01:10.265
  • Maximum righteousness, and maximum invitation to the world
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  • So that whoever believes, right, whoever believes in him will not
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  • Perish, but have everlasting life.
  • 00:01:20.542 --> 00:01:23.044
  • The invitation is for anybody and everybody, but jesus--2000
  • 00:01:23.044 --> 00:01:27.015
  • Years ago, jesus wants to convince them of this, and you
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  • Know, what i love about these parables, they're deep and
  • 00:01:31.887 --> 00:01:34.756
  • Profound and insightful, and they're told in such simple
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  • Ways, and yet there was confusion.
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  • I think there was confusion because 2000 years ago they
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  • Weren't ready for this gospel.
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  • Is it really this good?
  • 00:01:47.903 --> 00:01:49.905
  • Is it really this big?
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  • Are you really interested in people outside of israel?
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  • Outsiders and beggars and those who are lame and blind, as we'll
  • 00:01:55.944 --> 00:02:00.549
  • See, and those who--i mean, the jews, they looked upon people
  • 00:02:00.549 --> 00:02:04.319
  • With infirmities as second class, and they looked upon the
  • 00:02:04.319 --> 00:02:08.523
  • Gentiles, certainly, as dirty, rotten humans.
  • 00:02:08.523 --> 00:02:13.762
  • So are you really into those people, lord?
  • 00:02:13.762 --> 00:02:17.199
  • Well, watch this.
  • 00:02:17.199 --> 00:02:18.567
  • As we first start in luke chapter 14, we're gonna begin in
  • 00:02:18.567 --> 00:02:23.305
  • Verse 16 of luke 14, and this is the parable of the
  • 00:02:23.305 --> 00:02:28.076
  • Great banquet.
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  • Now, in verse 16, "but he said to him, 'a man was giving a
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  • Big dinner.'"
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  • So jesus is talking here.
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  • He's describing a feast, and he invited how many?
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  • Well, a whole lot of people.
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  • Doesn't say how many yet, but he invited many.
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  • All right, so big banquet, awesome feast, huge invitation,
  • 00:02:46.728 --> 00:02:51.866
  • What's gonna happen?
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  • Well, we'll see in a minute, but first, just notice grace is a
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  • Feast, not a fast.
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  • I mean, grace is a banquet.
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  • Grace is a big dinner.
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  • Grace is a big deal.
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  • Grace is not, "oh, you must sacrifice."
  • 00:03:04.779 --> 00:03:09.784
  • Grace is a feast, not a fast.
  • 00:03:09.784 --> 00:03:13.655
  • Now, watch what happens because verse 17: "and at that dinner,
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  • At that dinner hour, he sent his slave to say to those who had
  • 00:03:17.626 --> 00:03:22.030
  • Been invited, 'come; for everything is ready now.'"
  • 00:03:22.030 --> 00:03:26.434
  • Now, i love the way this is expressed, because i'll ask you:
  • 00:03:26.434 --> 00:03:29.704
  • Through the gospel, is everything ready?
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  • Oh, it's finished, it's finished and it's ready.
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  • The forgiveness is here and now, you're not waiting for it.
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  • You're not hoping or begging, pleading.
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  • The righteousness is here and now.
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  • You might say the righteousness is ready.
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  • You got ready righteousness.
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  • It's immediate, it's here with the new creature that you are.
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  • And christ in you and you in him, the vine branches, right?
  • 00:03:50.959 --> 00:03:56.331
  • The feast is right now, it's ready.
  • 00:03:56.331 --> 00:03:59.834
  • But religion says what?
  • 00:03:59.834 --> 00:04:02.237
  • Religion says, "get ready," and grace says it's already ready.
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  • We keep trying to get what we've got, and jesus has already
  • 00:04:09.678 --> 00:04:14.416
  • Prepared it.
  • 00:04:14.416 --> 00:04:15.750
  • So there's a huge picture here.
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  • Yes, it's talking about that at the end of the age and the
  • 00:04:17.652 --> 00:04:21.156
  • Feast that we will celebrate one day with jesus, but these
  • 00:04:21.156 --> 00:04:24.459
  • Are unsaved people, and they don't have the gospel, they
  • 00:04:24.459 --> 00:04:28.763
  • Don't have christ in them yet.
  • 00:04:28.763 --> 00:04:30.432
  • And so the allegory, the story, the picture, the shadow, the
  • 00:04:30.432 --> 00:04:34.736
  • Symbol here is that, look what god has already done: it's
  • 00:04:34.736 --> 00:04:39.541
  • Finished, it's prepped, and you're trying to bring your
  • 00:04:39.541 --> 00:04:43.411
  • Little potluck dish to a dinner that is catered.
  • 00:04:43.411 --> 00:04:50.485
  • And so we see, verse 18: "but they all alike began to
  • 00:04:50.485 --> 00:04:55.357
  • Make excuses.
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  • The first one said to him, 'i have bought a piece of land, and
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  • I need to go out and look at it; please consider me excused.'"
  • 00:05:02.297 --> 00:05:06.634
  • So you'll notice religion is too busy for grace.
  • 00:05:06.634 --> 00:05:11.506
  • Now, verse 19: "another one said, 'i have bought five yoke
  • 00:05:11.506 --> 00:05:16.244
  • Of oxen,'" these are their excuses, right, "'and i'm gonna
  • 00:05:16.244 --> 00:05:19.647
  • Go try those oxen out.'"
  • 00:05:19.647 --> 00:05:22.484
  • Huh, gonna go test drive them.
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  • "'please consider me excused.'"
  • 00:05:25.420 --> 00:05:28.623
  • And then another one, well: "another one said, 'i've married
  • 00:05:28.623 --> 00:05:32.994
  • A wife, and for that reason i can't come.'"
  • 00:05:32.994 --> 00:05:36.531
  • Now, how many guys can relate to that, huh?
  • 00:05:36.531 --> 00:05:39.334
  • But seriously, seriously though, look at this.
  • 00:05:39.334 --> 00:05:43.505
  • Lots of excuses: marriage and land and all kinds of issues in
  • 00:05:43.505 --> 00:05:49.444
  • Life that are gonna become our excuses to basically reject the
  • 00:05:49.444 --> 00:05:54.883
  • Gospel, right?
  • 00:05:54.883 --> 00:05:56.418
  • So, imagine--i mean, what we're seeing here, this is a banquet,
  • 00:05:56.418 --> 00:06:00.088
  • And the food's good, right?
  • 00:06:00.088 --> 00:06:01.856
  • I mean, when god makes the food, the food's good.
  • 00:06:01.856 --> 00:06:03.992
  • This is like, imagine an all-expenses-paid vacation.
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  • Pick your favorite spot, costa rica, maui, fiji, whatever
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  • It is.
  • 00:06:13.134 --> 00:06:14.636
  • And then you say, "eh, you know, i really gotta position my cable
  • 00:06:14.636 --> 00:06:19.908
  • Antenna outside, it's a little off," right?
  • 00:06:19.908 --> 00:06:23.812
  • I mean, you see the rejection and the excuses.
  • 00:06:23.812 --> 00:06:28.616
  • And so here we are, verse 21: "the slave came back and
  • 00:06:28.616 --> 00:06:34.556
  • Reported this to his master.
  • 00:06:34.556 --> 00:06:36.791
  • Then the head of the household became angry and said to his
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  • Slave, 'go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city
  • 00:06:40.795 --> 00:06:46.734
  • And bring in here the poor and the crippled and the blind and
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  • The lame.'"
  • 00:06:51.873 --> 00:06:53.208
  • So i want you to imagine a country club, a local country
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  • Club that starts rejecting the haughty and the proud, and
  • 00:06:58.146 --> 00:07:03.985
  • Brings in the beggars off the street.
  • 00:07:03.985 --> 00:07:06.921
  • A country club reversal that shows the upside-down nature of
  • 00:07:06.921 --> 00:07:12.427
  • The kingdom of god where anybody's invited, and
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  • This--look, don't get some sort of false humility
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  • Message out of this.
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  • This is not for you and i to start groveling and begging.
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  • The point is there was a group, and who do they
  • 00:07:24.672 --> 00:07:27.542
  • Symbolize candidly?
  • 00:07:27.542 --> 00:07:28.977
  • Let me say it: it's israel who's first presented with the gospel.
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  • It is the jews who are first presented with the gospel, and
  • 00:07:34.582 --> 00:07:38.653
  • What do they say?
  • 00:07:38.653 --> 00:07:40.021
  • There's a hardening.
  • 00:07:40.021 --> 00:07:41.556
  • There's a hardening of israel.
  • 00:07:41.556 --> 00:07:43.491
  • They reject christ for the most part.
  • 00:07:43.491 --> 00:07:46.661
  • Some people come to the banquet, but not very many.
  • 00:07:46.661 --> 00:07:50.832
  • And so what happens through jesus, through the cross,
  • 00:07:50.832 --> 00:07:53.968
  • Through the resurrection?
  • 00:07:53.968 --> 00:07:56.571
  • Jesus says, "i am dying for the sins of the whole world, not
  • 00:07:56.571 --> 00:08:02.410
  • Just israel but the gentiles."
  • 00:08:02.410 --> 00:08:05.446
  • I call it god's big fat greek wedding, right, where the greeks
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  • And the romans and the americans and the canadians and anybody
  • 00:08:09.784 --> 00:08:13.888
  • Whosoever believes in him will not perish.
  • 00:08:13.888 --> 00:08:17.458
  • Limited atonement, my foot.
  • 00:08:17.458 --> 00:08:21.896
  • There is no limited, and there is no atonement.
  • 00:08:21.896 --> 00:08:25.967
  • The day of atonement is for animals in the old testament.
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  • This is not an atonement or a covering, this is a takeaway.
  • 00:08:30.204 --> 00:08:34.876
  • In verse 22, he says, "and the slave said, 'master, what you
  • 00:08:34.876 --> 00:08:39.714
  • Commanded has been done, and still there is room.'"
  • 00:08:39.714 --> 00:08:45.086
  • There's still room?
  • 00:08:45.086 --> 00:08:46.454
  • Oh yeah, because here's how big the facility is: as big as the
  • 00:08:46.454 --> 00:08:52.527
  • Stars in the sky, as big as many--room for as many as the
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  • Sand at the seashore.
  • 00:08:58.466 --> 00:09:01.502
  • Sound familiar?
  • 00:09:01.502 --> 00:09:02.837
  • God's promise to abraham that this is a wide-open invitation,
  • 00:09:02.837 --> 00:09:08.409
  • And a whole lot of people are gonna accept, and abe--by the
  • 00:09:08.409 --> 00:09:11.980
  • Way, abe, you're gonna be the father of many nations.
  • 00:09:11.980 --> 00:09:19.687
  • And so this is what the beggars from the street
  • 00:09:19.687 --> 00:09:23.224
  • Represent to israel.
  • 00:09:23.224 --> 00:09:25.026
  • Beggars on the street, oh, they're outsiders, they're
  • 00:09:25.026 --> 00:09:27.862
  • Outcasts, they're gentiles.
  • 00:09:27.862 --> 00:09:31.599
  • And for the most part, in this room, watching online, i'm just
  • 00:09:31.599 --> 00:09:34.435
  • Gonna guess, statistically speaking, that's most of us.
  • 00:09:34.435 --> 00:09:37.705
  • Most of us are gentiles, so we better be grateful for what
  • 00:09:37.705 --> 00:09:42.043
  • We're talking about today because the invitation includes
  • 00:09:42.043 --> 00:09:45.613
  • Us, and god didn't play favorites.
  • 00:09:45.613 --> 00:09:49.717
  • And by the way, as i often say when we discuss this, this is
  • 00:09:49.717 --> 00:09:53.254
  • The cure for racism.
  • 00:09:53.254 --> 00:09:56.024
  • This gospel is the cure for racism, because we have an
  • 00:09:56.024 --> 00:09:59.394
  • Identity in christ and we have the love of god which extends to
  • 00:09:59.394 --> 00:10:04.265
  • All people.
  • 00:10:04.265 --> 00:10:05.933
  • But you start playing with limited, and then you start
  • 00:10:05.933 --> 00:10:09.370
  • Playing with arrogance.
  • 00:10:09.370 --> 00:10:12.073
  • You start playing the "i'm part of an elite group that got
  • 00:10:12.073 --> 00:10:14.876
  • Pre-picked, and maybe you didn't."
  • 00:10:14.876 --> 00:10:16.844
  • What does that foster in a person?
  • 00:10:16.844 --> 00:10:19.914
  • Just saying, very likely it can foster an exclusivity and an
  • 00:10:19.914 --> 00:10:25.920
  • Arrogance, a pride.
  • 00:10:25.920 --> 00:10:29.390
  • And so, you see there's still room.
  • 00:10:29.390 --> 00:10:31.826
  • I mean, there's lots of room, as many as the stars in the sky.
  • 00:10:31.826 --> 00:10:35.930
  • Verse 23, he says, "and the master said to the slave," what
  • 00:10:35.930 --> 00:10:40.702
  • Do you do next?
  • 00:10:40.702 --> 00:10:42.036
  • "'well, brother, go out into the highways, would you?
  • 00:10:42.036 --> 00:10:45.540
  • And go along the hedges.'"
  • 00:10:45.540 --> 00:10:47.041
  • You may need a hedge trimmer, but look at those hedges, "'and
  • 00:10:47.041 --> 00:10:51.446
  • Compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled.'"
  • 00:10:51.446 --> 00:10:55.316
  • Now, somebody's gonna wanna play with the word compel, but when
  • 00:10:55.316 --> 00:10:58.319
  • You're digging through the hedges, what does compel mean?
  • 00:10:58.319 --> 00:11:01.489
  • Does it mean wrestle them to the ground, put them on your
  • 00:11:01.489 --> 00:11:03.825
  • Shoulder, and make them come?
  • 00:11:03.825 --> 00:11:05.793
  • No, you're compelling them, "come, i beg you, i plead with
  • 00:11:05.793 --> 00:11:10.164
  • You, be reconciled."
  • 00:11:10.164 --> 00:11:13.501
  • "god was in christ reconciling the world to himself,"
  • 00:11:13.501 --> 00:11:18.539
  • Paul says.
  • 00:11:18.539 --> 00:11:20.074
  • Some people stop there and build a theology that god has wrestled
  • 00:11:20.074 --> 00:11:23.945
  • Everybody in.
  • 00:11:23.945 --> 00:11:25.413
  • "god was in christ reconciling the world," it says.
  • 00:11:25.413 --> 00:11:29.150
  • You know what the next verse says?
  • 00:11:29.150 --> 00:11:31.319
  • "we beg you, we implore you, we compel you: be reconciled
  • 00:11:31.319 --> 00:11:38.025
  • To god."
  • 00:11:38.025 --> 00:11:39.393
  • It takes two to tango.
  • 00:11:39.393 --> 00:11:41.596
  • Reconciliation is two parties.
  • 00:11:41.596 --> 00:11:44.398
  • There are whole doctrines built on one party, god just
  • 00:11:44.398 --> 00:11:48.569
  • Doing everything.
  • 00:11:48.569 --> 00:11:49.904
  • Whether you like it or not, you're saved, you're--i'm
  • 00:11:49.904 --> 00:11:52.507
  • Taking over.
  • 00:11:52.507 --> 00:11:54.041
  • That's not the gospel.
  • 00:11:54.041 --> 00:11:55.443
  • The gospel is, "i stand at the door and knock.
  • 00:11:55.443 --> 00:11:59.847
  • Whoever opens the door, whoever comes to the banquet, whoever
  • 00:11:59.847 --> 00:12:04.852
  • Decides, whoever responds, whoever comes crawling out of
  • 00:12:04.852 --> 00:12:08.356
  • The hedges and says, 'yeah, i'm hungry.'"
  • 00:12:08.356 --> 00:12:13.795
  • And so, god's invitation is aggressive, oh yeah, because his
  • 00:12:13.795 --> 00:12:18.566
  • Grace is for anybody.
  • 00:12:18.566 --> 00:12:21.035
  • God's invitation is aggressive to the point that--you know
  • 00:12:21.035 --> 00:12:24.338
  • Those servants who went out into the streets?
  • 00:12:24.338 --> 00:12:27.141
  • Well, those are disciples, and they become apostles.
  • 00:12:27.141 --> 00:12:31.445
  • And in fact, their invitation is so strong that they're punished
  • 00:12:31.445 --> 00:12:34.482
  • For it, they're muzzled for it.
  • 00:12:34.482 --> 00:12:37.051
  • They're told that, you know, "that's not politically correct
  • 00:12:37.051 --> 00:12:40.988
  • In rome, and we're gonna have to take you and string you up on a
  • 00:12:40.988 --> 00:12:44.559
  • Rope and light your hair on fire, and put you in the
  • 00:12:44.559 --> 00:12:47.495
  • Colosseums and make you our entertainment.
  • 00:12:47.495 --> 00:12:49.630
  • We're gonna torture and kill you if you keep aggressively
  • 00:12:49.630 --> 00:12:53.801
  • Pitching this message about someone else being lord and god,
  • 00:12:53.801 --> 00:12:59.240
  • Because our emperor is lord and god."
  • 00:12:59.240 --> 00:13:02.944
  • This is an aggressive pitch.
  • 00:13:02.944 --> 00:13:05.346
  • Go out into the streets of rome and greece, don't hold back.
  • 00:13:05.346 --> 00:13:10.451
  • This is the passion, the heart of god.
  • 00:13:10.451 --> 00:13:13.921
  • He wanted you, he wanted you.
  • 00:13:13.921 --> 00:13:18.092
  • "'for i tell you--'" this is sad but true, right?
  • 00:13:18.092 --> 00:13:22.029
  • "'i tell you that none of those men who were invited shall taste
  • 00:13:22.029 --> 00:13:28.135
  • Of my dinner.'"
  • 00:13:28.135 --> 00:13:29.503
  • What's he talking about?
  • 00:13:29.503 --> 00:13:31.505
  • The rejectors, the people that got invited and said, "uh-uh,
  • 00:13:31.505 --> 00:13:35.476
  • No thanks."
  • 00:13:35.476 --> 00:13:37.144
  • So i guess at this point it's a sensitive topic, right, because
  • 00:13:37.144 --> 00:13:41.082
  • There's some grace folks out there that have added on what i
  • 00:13:41.082 --> 00:13:45.686
  • Call an all dogs go to heaven theology.
  • 00:13:45.686 --> 00:13:49.156
  • They're looking to walt disney instead of the scriptures.
  • 00:13:49.156 --> 00:13:52.226
  • What happens to all dogs go to heaven here?
  • 00:13:52.226 --> 00:13:55.730
  • Well, i remind you jesus's words: "i tell you, none of
  • 00:13:55.730 --> 00:14:00.134
  • Those men who were invited will taste of my dinner."
  • 00:14:00.134 --> 00:14:05.139
  • It's not my words.
  • 00:14:05.139 --> 00:14:06.507
  • I don't make the plans, it's not my agenda, it's not my
  • 00:14:06.507 --> 00:14:09.577
  • Pet theology.
  • 00:14:09.577 --> 00:14:11.279
  • This is just god saying, "i won't force you into
  • 00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:16.784
  • Relationship 'cause i love you," and love doesn't coerce, love
  • 00:14:16.784 --> 00:14:22.990
  • Doesn't control someone.
  • 00:14:22.990 --> 00:14:25.326
  • Look at adam and eve.
  • 00:14:25.326 --> 00:14:27.261
  • People say, "why does god let--" god lets everything that
  • 00:14:27.261 --> 00:14:32.500
  • Happens happen.
  • 00:14:32.500 --> 00:14:34.669
  • Everything that happens, god let it happen.
  • 00:14:34.669 --> 00:14:40.007
  • Adam and eve fall, god let it happen.
  • 00:14:40.007 --> 00:14:42.343
  • Satan rebels, god let it happen.
  • 00:14:42.343 --> 00:14:46.080
  • God's bigger than the happenings.
  • 00:14:46.080 --> 00:14:49.016
  • And if you start saying, "don't let it all happen, lord," then
  • 00:14:49.016 --> 00:14:52.987
  • You're asking to be controlled, and it's just not him.
  • 00:14:52.987 --> 00:14:57.758
  • It's not his nature, it's not his love, it's not who he is.
  • 00:14:57.758 --> 00:15:00.695
  • He creates us with a choice.
  • 00:15:00.695 --> 00:15:05.499
  • So look, religion starves at the door and grace eats at
  • 00:15:05.499 --> 00:15:10.571
  • The table.
  • 00:15:10.571 --> 00:15:11.906
  • There are rejectors and there are acceptors.
  • 00:15:11.906 --> 00:15:16.177
  • Now, the great news is, don't forget the big picture.
  • 00:15:16.177 --> 00:15:19.313
  • Sure, there's a sour note in here for those who say, "no, i
  • 00:15:19.313 --> 00:15:23.250
  • Don't think jesus is the son of god, i don't want anything to do
  • 00:15:23.250 --> 00:15:26.253
  • With him," but if you've accepted him, if you've received
  • 00:15:26.253 --> 00:15:29.256
  • Him, you're seated at the table and the food has already been
  • 00:15:29.256 --> 00:15:33.127
  • Prepped, and you don't have to worry about your little potluck
  • 00:15:33.127 --> 00:15:36.130
  • Dish that you brought as an offering.
  • 00:15:36.130 --> 00:15:38.966
  • "lord, i brought you some mac and cheese, lord."
  • 00:15:38.966 --> 00:15:43.204
  • Yeah, we've already got the finished work of christ, the
  • 00:15:43.204 --> 00:15:45.706
  • Death, burial, resurrection, the perfect--"i don't need your mac
  • 00:15:45.706 --> 00:15:48.943
  • And cheese."
  • 00:15:48.943 --> 00:15:52.813
  • All right, so now we're going to parable number 2, a short one.
  • 00:15:52.813 --> 00:15:56.283
  • We'll take a quick journey.
  • 00:15:56.283 --> 00:15:57.852
  • The two debtors, you're gonna love this.
  • 00:15:57.852 --> 00:16:00.254
  • This is not about who's invited, but how forgiven,
  • 00:16:00.254 --> 00:16:03.024
  • How forgiven you are in christ.
  • 00:16:03.024 --> 00:16:05.493
  • Here we go, verse 41: "a moneylender had two debtors, and
  • 00:16:05.493 --> 00:16:11.966
  • One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty."
  • 00:16:11.966 --> 00:16:15.036
  • All right, so you say, "what are we talking about?"
  • 00:16:15.036 --> 00:16:16.971
  • Well, jesus gives his reply in this parable.
  • 00:16:16.971 --> 00:16:21.475
  • Okay, so there's a woman washing his feet, and the pharisee
  • 00:16:21.475 --> 00:16:26.313
  • Doesn't get it, but the woman has a great debt, a great debt
  • 00:16:26.313 --> 00:16:30.451
  • Of sins.
  • 00:16:30.451 --> 00:16:32.353
  • And so jesus is about to teach this pharisee something through
  • 00:16:32.353 --> 00:16:36.090
  • This picture, this story.
  • 00:16:36.090 --> 00:16:38.426
  • A moneylender has two debtors, and one, well, one owed 500, and
  • 00:16:38.426 --> 00:16:44.498
  • The other just owed 50.
  • 00:16:44.498 --> 00:16:45.866
  • One owed ten times more.
  • 00:16:45.866 --> 00:16:48.135
  • All right, let's keep reading about these two people in debt.
  • 00:16:48.135 --> 00:16:51.572
  • "when they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave," what?
  • 00:16:51.572 --> 00:16:56.377
  • Both of them, the one who owed 50 and the one who owed 500.
  • 00:16:56.377 --> 00:17:01.115
  • "so, which of them will love him more?"
  • 00:17:01.115 --> 00:17:04.885
  • All right, so what are we seeing here so far?
  • 00:17:04.885 --> 00:17:07.054
  • Whether you owe 50 bucks or 50 grand, 0 means 0 when the debt
  • 00:17:07.054 --> 00:17:13.928
  • Is gone.
  • 00:17:13.928 --> 00:17:15.496
  • So this is why we stress all the time.
  • 00:17:15.496 --> 00:17:17.765
  • You know, people say, "oh my--" you know, we feel,
  • 00:17:17.765 --> 00:17:21.001
  • We at least feel.
  • 00:17:21.001 --> 00:17:22.336
  • We may not say it, but we feel my sins are different.
  • 00:17:22.336 --> 00:17:24.972
  • No, no, i mean, how many people, you know, on radio and through
  • 00:17:24.972 --> 00:17:28.509
  • Email, especially, behind closed doors, they'll tell me about
  • 00:17:28.509 --> 00:17:33.080
  • Their sins and they're convinced that i'm just gonna go, "oh,
  • 00:17:33.080 --> 00:17:38.486
  • Well, if you've done that.
  • 00:17:38.486 --> 00:17:40.488
  • I mean, i didn't know we were talking about
  • 00:17:40.488 --> 00:17:42.089
  • That level," you see?
  • 00:17:42.089 --> 00:17:46.494
  • And so, the enemy does this with us, right?
  • 00:17:46.494 --> 00:17:50.564
  • "so the gospel's great, but your sins are different.
  • 00:17:50.564 --> 00:17:53.067
  • The gospel's great, but your sins are different.
  • 00:17:53.067 --> 00:17:55.536
  • The gospel's fantastic for everybody, but i mean come on,
  • 00:17:55.536 --> 00:17:58.706
  • Your situation?"
  • 00:17:58.706 --> 00:18:00.508
  • And the accuser gets in there and convinces us that our
  • 00:18:00.508 --> 00:18:03.911
  • Narrative, that our biography, that our story, that our résumé
  • 00:18:03.911 --> 00:18:08.349
  • Is the exception to the rule, and that, you know, god didn't
  • 00:18:08.349 --> 00:18:12.186
  • See those kinds of sins coming.
  • 00:18:12.186 --> 00:18:13.721
  • Well, read your bible again.
  • 00:18:13.721 --> 00:18:16.323
  • Read the old testament again.
  • 00:18:16.323 --> 00:18:18.292
  • I've already said it, but lots of bad stuff happens in the old
  • 00:18:18.292 --> 00:18:22.329
  • Testament, and in the--even under the law, god is merciful
  • 00:18:22.329 --> 00:18:25.733
  • And gracious.
  • 00:18:25.733 --> 00:18:27.067
  • And then we got jesus who reveals himself to paul, and
  • 00:18:27.067 --> 00:18:31.305
  • Paul's a murderer of christians.
  • 00:18:31.305 --> 00:18:33.774
  • Think about that: if you took a machine gun and started killing
  • 00:18:33.774 --> 00:18:36.944
  • Believers, god forgave that.
  • 00:18:36.944 --> 00:18:41.048
  • God forgave that.
  • 00:18:41.048 --> 00:18:42.983
  • That's his family, and god forgave that.
  • 00:18:42.983 --> 00:18:46.420
  • How big are your sins again?
  • 00:18:46.420 --> 00:18:49.590
  • Who have you killed lately?
  • 00:18:49.590 --> 00:18:51.458
  • You're convinced your sins are big?
  • 00:18:51.458 --> 00:18:53.694
  • Your god is big.
  • 00:18:53.694 --> 00:18:55.729
  • Your sins are small.
  • 00:18:55.729 --> 00:18:58.666
  • He's qualified you.
  • 00:18:58.666 --> 00:19:02.002
  • So god doesn't negotiate payment plans.
  • 00:19:02.002 --> 00:19:08.509
  • Grace tears up the bill.
  • 00:19:08.509 --> 00:19:11.478
  • It's like--we wanna say, "jesus did it all, and now i've got my
  • 00:19:11.478 --> 00:19:17.017
  • Forgiveness on layaway."
  • 00:19:17.017 --> 00:19:20.588
  • I mean, we had someone call in the other day, a new christian,
  • 00:19:20.588 --> 00:19:24.558
  • A newer believer.
  • 00:19:24.558 --> 00:19:25.893
  • I don't know if they were saved a month ago, a year ago, but
  • 00:19:25.893 --> 00:19:28.028
  • They were a newer believer, and they were really confused
  • 00:19:28.028 --> 00:19:32.366
  • Because they heard a gospel that was awesome to get saved.
  • 00:19:32.366 --> 00:19:36.503
  • "oh, would you like your sins forgiven?"
  • 00:19:36.503 --> 00:19:38.405
  • "yes, i would."
  • 00:19:38.405 --> 00:19:39.740
  • "would you like new life in jesus?"
  • 00:19:39.740 --> 00:19:41.242
  • "yes, i would."
  • 00:19:41.242 --> 00:19:42.576
  • "well, you know, if you mean it in your heart, invite him in,
  • 00:19:42.576 --> 00:19:46.380
  • Declare that he's lord.
  • 00:19:46.380 --> 00:19:48.215
  • Open the door of your life to him.
  • 00:19:48.215 --> 00:19:50.584
  • Believe and receive," and bam, he did that, and he's
  • 00:19:50.584 --> 00:19:53.887
  • Running around.
  • 00:19:53.887 --> 00:19:55.256
  • You can imagine him just like you were, running around the
  • 00:19:55.256 --> 00:19:57.024
  • First week, the first month, "oh wow, why didn't anybody tell me
  • 00:19:57.024 --> 00:20:01.495
  • About this 20-30 years ago?
  • 00:20:01.495 --> 00:20:03.130
  • This is fantastic, my sins are forgiven, wow!"
  • 00:20:03.130 --> 00:20:07.201
  • And you know what he heard?
  • 00:20:07.201 --> 00:20:08.602
  • I don't know if it was a month later or a year later, but it
  • 00:20:08.602 --> 00:20:10.938
  • Was in that first period of time.
  • 00:20:10.938 --> 00:20:13.340
  • He said, "andrew, i heard that--just recently, i heard
  • 00:20:13.340 --> 00:20:20.447
  • That my sins are positionally forgiven."
  • 00:20:20.447 --> 00:20:25.152
  • I'm not making this up, it was last week.
  • 00:20:25.152 --> 00:20:28.155
  • "i heard that my sins are positionally forgiven, but not
  • 00:20:28.155 --> 00:20:33.861
  • Relationally forgiven, and now i'm really confused."
  • 00:20:33.861 --> 00:20:39.533
  • So do you see what that does to somebody?
  • 00:20:39.533 --> 00:20:42.136
  • We talked about it in many terms before, but i mean, do you see
  • 00:20:42.136 --> 00:20:45.339
  • What that does?
  • 00:20:45.339 --> 00:20:46.707
  • "you're forgiven except in terms of relationship."
  • 00:20:46.707 --> 00:20:50.244
  • Oh great, well, thanks, thank you.
  • 00:20:50.244 --> 00:20:54.148
  • By the way, what other sins is there?
  • 00:20:54.148 --> 00:20:55.816
  • "oh, don't worry, you're forgiven positionally."
  • 00:20:55.816 --> 00:20:58.719
  • Oh, good, when will that kick in?
  • 00:20:58.719 --> 00:21:01.789
  • Oh, that'll kick in later when i'm dead and in heaven?
  • 00:21:01.789 --> 00:21:05.693
  • Oh gee, thanks, so now i'm guilt-ridden for 87 years, and
  • 00:21:05.693 --> 00:21:10.397
  • Then the positional will kick in when i'm--when i'm toast.
  • 00:21:10.397 --> 00:21:15.035
  • What about right here and now?
  • 00:21:15.035 --> 00:21:16.937
  • "oh, don't worry, right now you're on a payment plan."
  • 00:21:16.937 --> 00:21:21.408
  • Lunacy, folks, i'm not kidding you.
  • 00:21:21.408 --> 00:21:23.844
  • I mean, this is nuts that we're gonna accept this and i--you
  • 00:21:23.844 --> 00:21:27.981
  • Know, honestly, we got some of the most brilliant people with
  • 00:21:27.981 --> 00:21:31.452
  • High iqs working in the realm of theology publishing this stuff,
  • 00:21:31.452 --> 00:21:36.590
  • And then the pastors take it and they say, "well," and i get
  • 00:21:36.590 --> 00:21:40.327
  • This, i get this part, watch this: "i'm worried about
  • 00:21:40.327 --> 00:21:45.399
  • My congregation.
  • 00:21:45.399 --> 00:21:47.668
  • If i teach them that they are totally forgiven, then they
  • 00:21:47.668 --> 00:21:51.405
  • Might just--so here's what i'm gonna do.
  • 00:21:51.405 --> 00:21:54.475
  • I'll tell them they're forgiven in heaven, but i'll tell them
  • 00:21:54.475 --> 00:21:58.746
  • They're not forgiven in relationship, and that will
  • 00:21:58.746 --> 00:22:01.949
  • Cause them to shape up."
  • 00:22:01.949 --> 00:22:05.319
  • You see, now we got a theology based on fear, but jesus, we're
  • 00:22:05.319 --> 00:22:08.956
  • About to see it.
  • 00:22:08.956 --> 00:22:10.290
  • We're gonna take five minutes to finish this up, watch this.
  • 00:22:10.290 --> 00:22:12.793
  • Jesus is gonna say forgiveness is not scary.
  • 00:22:12.793 --> 00:22:15.996
  • Forgiveness leads to love.
  • 00:22:15.996 --> 00:22:18.532
  • Do we forgive?
  • 00:22:18.532 --> 00:22:20.000
  • Are we forgiven little or are we forgiven much?
  • 00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:23.871
  • So, "simon answered and said, 'i suppose of the two debtors it's
  • 00:22:23.871 --> 00:22:28.075
  • The one that he forgave more.'
  • 00:22:28.075 --> 00:22:30.077
  • And jesus says to simon, 'yes, you've judged correctly, good
  • 00:22:30.077 --> 00:22:34.615
  • Job,'" because, you know, religion says that forgiveness
  • 00:22:34.615 --> 00:22:38.452
  • Makes people lazy, and grace says forgiveness makes people
  • 00:22:38.452 --> 00:22:43.857
  • Love like crazy.
  • 00:22:43.857 --> 00:22:46.493
  • Big difference.
  • 00:22:46.493 --> 00:22:48.695
  • "turning toward the woman, he said to simon"--so he's turned
  • 00:22:48.695 --> 00:22:52.533
  • Toward the woman, but he's talking to simon, and he says,
  • 00:22:52.533 --> 00:22:55.135
  • "'do you see this woman?
  • 00:22:55.135 --> 00:22:56.703
  • I entered your house, and you gave me no water for my feet,
  • 00:22:56.703 --> 00:23:01.975
  • But she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with
  • 00:23:01.975 --> 00:23:06.647
  • Her hair.
  • 00:23:06.647 --> 00:23:08.615
  • You gave me no kiss; but she, since the time i came in, has
  • 00:23:08.615 --> 00:23:13.720
  • Not ceased to kiss my feet.'"
  • 00:23:13.720 --> 00:23:16.790
  • What does that tell you?
  • 00:23:16.790 --> 00:23:18.158
  • What happens with forgiveness?
  • 00:23:18.158 --> 00:23:19.860
  • The forgiven heart beats louder, not softer.
  • 00:23:19.860 --> 00:23:23.397
  • You don't have to worry about so-called
  • 00:23:23.397 --> 00:23:25.699
  • "too much forgiveness."
  • 00:23:25.699 --> 00:23:28.902
  • There's no such thing.
  • 00:23:28.902 --> 00:23:31.338
  • When we forgive much, we love much.
  • 00:23:31.338 --> 00:23:33.974
  • "'you,'" simon, "'you did not anoint my head with oil, but she
  • 00:23:33.974 --> 00:23:39.680
  • Anointed my head--my feet with perfume.'"
  • 00:23:39.680 --> 00:23:44.351
  • Wow, so what does that tell you?
  • 00:23:44.351 --> 00:23:47.988
  • Religion hosts jesus but never hugs him.
  • 00:23:47.988 --> 00:23:52.593
  • "'for this reason i say to you, her sins, which are many,'"
  • 00:23:52.593 --> 00:23:56.430
  • 'cause she had a reputation around town, i'm sure.
  • 00:23:56.430 --> 00:23:59.399
  • "'her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved
  • 00:23:59.399 --> 00:24:03.203
  • Much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.'"
  • 00:24:03.203 --> 00:24:07.674
  • You see the formula?
  • 00:24:07.674 --> 00:24:09.009
  • It's okay to say formula here because i want you to see the
  • 00:24:09.009 --> 00:24:12.079
  • Formula: a whole lot of grace and a whole lot of forgiveness
  • 00:24:12.079 --> 00:24:16.817
  • Leads to a whole lot of love when we're talking about christ.
  • 00:24:16.817 --> 00:24:21.421
  • So you know, are you gonna buy into "i'm kind of forgiven," or
  • 00:24:21.421 --> 00:24:25.626
  • Are you gonna buy into "i'm totally forgiven," 'cause i'll
  • 00:24:25.626 --> 00:24:28.896
  • Tell you, there's two results: "well, i'm kinda enjoying the
  • 00:24:28.896 --> 00:24:35.002
  • Love of god," or, "i'm totally enjoying the love of god."
  • 00:24:35.002 --> 00:24:41.808
  • He says, "then he said to her, 'your sins have been forgiven.'"
  • 00:24:41.808 --> 00:24:47.814
  • Only god can do that, so they're not sure.
  • 00:24:47.814 --> 00:24:49.816
  • "those who were reclining at the table with him began to say to
  • 00:24:49.816 --> 00:24:53.787
  • Themselves, 'who is this man who even forgives sins?'
  • 00:24:53.787 --> 00:24:59.359
  • And he said to the woman, 'your faith has saved you; go
  • 00:24:59.359 --> 00:25:03.030
  • In peace.'"
  • 00:25:03.030 --> 00:25:04.898
  • Now, what do we take away from that?
  • 00:25:04.898 --> 00:25:07.267
  • When grace steps in, all that shame packs up and leaves.
  • 00:25:07.267 --> 00:25:13.040
  • She had a history, and you have a history, but you know what?
  • 00:25:13.040 --> 00:25:18.645
  • I mean, the--religion says, "here, here's your mug shot.
  • 00:25:18.645 --> 00:25:27.254
  • Look at you.
  • 00:25:27.254 --> 00:25:28.956
  • Feature this in your mind.
  • 00:25:28.956 --> 00:25:30.724
  • Look at your mug shot.
  • 00:25:30.724 --> 00:25:32.092
  • You're a dirty rotten sinner."
  • 00:25:32.092 --> 00:25:35.696
  • And god's grace says, "i made you new, and you're looking at a
  • 00:25:35.696 --> 00:25:40.200
  • Before/after picture.
  • 00:25:40.200 --> 00:25:41.535
  • You're looking at the before, here's after.
  • 00:25:41.535 --> 00:25:43.804
  • Let me show you after."
  • 00:25:43.804 --> 00:25:45.706
  • So what do we see today?
  • 00:25:45.706 --> 00:25:47.307
  • Two parables, what do they tell us?
  • 00:25:47.307 --> 00:25:48.875
  • Well, number one, look who's invited, thank god for that,
  • 00:25:48.875 --> 00:25:52.145
  • Look who's invited.
  • 00:25:52.145 --> 00:25:54.448
  • Number two, look how forgiven you really are.
  • 00:25:54.448 --> 00:25:58.418
  • Don't be scared of unlimited grace.
  • 00:25:58.418 --> 00:26:02.422
  • Don't be scared of unlimited love--it's called agape--and
  • 00:26:02.422 --> 00:26:07.027
  • Don't be scared of unlimited forgiveness.
  • 00:26:07.027 --> 00:26:09.563
  • It's called once for all, and it's in the bible, and it's real
  • 00:26:09.563 --> 00:26:15.836
  • And it's powerful and it's now and he has qualified you.
  • 00:26:15.836 --> 00:26:22.743
  • Dr. farley: i hope you enjoyed today's broadcast.
  • 00:26:22.743 --> 00:26:25.278
  • Does christianity ever feel like a prison to you, like you're
  • 00:26:25.278 --> 00:26:28.615
  • Bound up by all the rule-keeping and performance-based religion?
  • 00:26:28.615 --> 00:26:33.320
  • Jesus doesn't want that for you and me.
  • 00:26:33.320 --> 00:26:35.889
  • He died and rose from the dead to give us much more than a
  • 00:26:35.889 --> 00:26:39.359
  • Lifeless religion.
  • 00:26:39.359 --> 00:26:40.861
  • It's not about self-improvement or inching closer to god.
  • 00:26:40.861 --> 00:26:45.065
  • It's actually about celebrating what jesus already did.
  • 00:26:45.065 --> 00:26:49.236
  • Imagine if you were celebrating the finished work of christ
  • 00:26:49.236 --> 00:26:53.573
  • Every day, all day long.
  • 00:26:53.573 --> 00:26:55.575
  • That's god's goal with us.
  • 00:26:55.575 --> 00:26:57.611
  • That's why i'm excited about our new resource, it's called "the
  • 00:26:57.611 --> 00:27:00.647
  • Grace escape."
  • 00:27:00.647 --> 00:27:02.015
  • It's about breaking out of the prison of performance
  • 00:27:02.015 --> 00:27:05.052
  • Christianity and discovering the genuine article, the real thing
  • 00:27:05.052 --> 00:27:09.723
  • Where we're fixing our eyes on jesus and enjoying him.
  • 00:27:09.723 --> 00:27:13.593
  • Make sure to request your copy of "the grace escape" when you
  • 00:27:13.593 --> 00:27:17.297
  • Give your gift to "the grace message" this month, and thank
  • 00:27:17.297 --> 00:27:20.567
  • You so much for your support.
  • 00:27:20.567 --> 00:27:22.569
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:27:22.569 --> 00:27:30.000