God Who Sees You (Pastor Lisa Yu)

Our God has compassion on those who reject God but also on those
who try to earn their own way home.

Luke 15: 11-32
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons.
12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my
share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.


13 “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. 14 After he had spent everything,
there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to
be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a
citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the
pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.


17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my
father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am
starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my
father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and
against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your
son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 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.


21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against
heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your
son.’


22 “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. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s
have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was
dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began
to celebrate.


25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he
came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he
called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.
27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father
has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and
sound.’


28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in.
So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he
answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for
you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a
young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But
when this son of yours who has squandered your property with
prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’


31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me,
and everything I have is yours. 32 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.’”