Grace World Outreach Church
Miracle In The Mess
Pastor Daniel K Norris
Locations & Times
Grace World Outreach Church
20366 Cortez Blvd, Brooksville, FL 34601, USA
Sunday 11:30 AM
Greetings from Grace World
Thank you for joining us today at Grace World. Whether you are joining us in person or watching online, we are so glad you are here! It's our prayer that you discover life in all its fullness.
If you have a prayer request, you can send that to us here at https://www.graceworldag.org/prayer-requests
Every week we place these request on the altar of the church and our entire team lifts up each request by name.
We'd love to hear from you and be a friend. Connect with us online at
http://www.graceworldag.org
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If you have a prayer request, you can send that to us here at https://www.graceworldag.org/prayer-requests
Every week we place these request on the altar of the church and our entire team lifts up each request by name.
We'd love to hear from you and be a friend. Connect with us online at
http://www.graceworldag.org
https://www.facebook.com/graceworldag
https://www.instagram.com/graceworldag
Miracle In The Mess
John 15:11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”
(Lk 15:11–32)
The Story of the Prodigal son is a story about a son who makes a massive mess of his life, yet in the midst of his mess he experiences a great miracle… he does’t get what he deserves (that’s mercy)…he gets what he doesn’t deserve. (That’s grace)
Take a moment to explore their unique perspectives
1) The view From the pasture (perspective of the older son)
“Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!”
Three Mentalities of the Older Brother
Mentality of Entitlement,
“Look, these many years I have served you”
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Eph 2:8–9)
Mentality of Ingratitude
“you never gave me a young goat”
Mentality of Offense
“when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes”
2) The view from the pen (perspective of the prodigal son)
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”
Prodigal Mentality - persistent feeling of worthlessness and indebtedness
He felt - Ashamed, Alone, and like a slave
Ashamed, “I have sinned against you”
Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Ro 5:6–8)
Alone, “no longer worth to be your son”
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Like A slave, “treat me as one of your hired servants”
13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
(Jn 15:13–15)
Question: How Long did it take for the son to experience the grace of the father?
Hard to grasp, but on the immediate heels of our greatest mess, we can experience our greatest miracle
3) The view from the porch (perspective of the father)
“It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.”
Three things the father did
1) Never stopped looking for his son to return
2) Came running the moment he saw him
3) Never heard the voice of the prodigal, he only saw a son
John 15:11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”
(Lk 15:11–32)
The Story of the Prodigal son is a story about a son who makes a massive mess of his life, yet in the midst of his mess he experiences a great miracle… he does’t get what he deserves (that’s mercy)…he gets what he doesn’t deserve. (That’s grace)
Take a moment to explore their unique perspectives
1) The view From the pasture (perspective of the older son)
“Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!”
Three Mentalities of the Older Brother
Mentality of Entitlement,
“Look, these many years I have served you”
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Eph 2:8–9)
Mentality of Ingratitude
“you never gave me a young goat”
Mentality of Offense
“when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes”
2) The view from the pen (perspective of the prodigal son)
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”
Prodigal Mentality - persistent feeling of worthlessness and indebtedness
He felt - Ashamed, Alone, and like a slave
Ashamed, “I have sinned against you”
Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Ro 5:6–8)
Alone, “no longer worth to be your son”
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Like A slave, “treat me as one of your hired servants”
13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
(Jn 15:13–15)
Question: How Long did it take for the son to experience the grace of the father?
Hard to grasp, but on the immediate heels of our greatest mess, we can experience our greatest miracle
3) The view from the porch (perspective of the father)
“It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.”
Three things the father did
1) Never stopped looking for his son to return
2) Came running the moment he saw him
3) Never heard the voice of the prodigal, he only saw a son
UNITE714
Weekly Prayer
15 through 21 November
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 (ESV)
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:4 (ESV)
And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples...Isaiah 25:7 (ESV)
“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.”Luke 10:19 (ESV)
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we have been assailed by external enemies on every side: a brutal pandemic, terrifying disasters, economic breakdown, and polarizing division. Yet despite the realities of these clear and present dangers, the places described by the apostle Paul have even more deadly foes. These powers and principalities (angels that fell with Satan) blind, deceive, and torment the precious humans we have been called to reach with the Gospel. We cannot defeat these powers on our own. You have chosen to exercise Your authority through us.
Lord, open our eyes to the reality of the spiritual conflict we have been called to fight. Give us the faith we need to engage this battle through prayer. We also cry to You, with one voice, for a sweeping move of Your Spirit that will drive back the darkness over our communities, cities, and nations.
Almighty God, You promise, through the prophet Isaiah, to destroy the deception and darkness covering the nations of the world. We claim this promise today, knowing when we come before You in prayer in the name of Your Son, Jesus, we have authority over the works of darkness. In a world seemingly dominated by moral degeneration, political divisiveness, ideological deception, and bitter hatred, we stand in faith on the promises and power of Scripture.
In the name of Jesus, we boldly come before You, crying out with one voice, with millions upon millions of believers from 180 nations. Lord, pierce the shroud of deception that veils our world, embolden us to proclaim the Gospel, drive back COVID-19, and shake our world with revival power!
Weekly Prayer
15 through 21 November
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 (ESV)
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:4 (ESV)
And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples...Isaiah 25:7 (ESV)
“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.”Luke 10:19 (ESV)
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we have been assailed by external enemies on every side: a brutal pandemic, terrifying disasters, economic breakdown, and polarizing division. Yet despite the realities of these clear and present dangers, the places described by the apostle Paul have even more deadly foes. These powers and principalities (angels that fell with Satan) blind, deceive, and torment the precious humans we have been called to reach with the Gospel. We cannot defeat these powers on our own. You have chosen to exercise Your authority through us.
Lord, open our eyes to the reality of the spiritual conflict we have been called to fight. Give us the faith we need to engage this battle through prayer. We also cry to You, with one voice, for a sweeping move of Your Spirit that will drive back the darkness over our communities, cities, and nations.
Almighty God, You promise, through the prophet Isaiah, to destroy the deception and darkness covering the nations of the world. We claim this promise today, knowing when we come before You in prayer in the name of Your Son, Jesus, we have authority over the works of darkness. In a world seemingly dominated by moral degeneration, political divisiveness, ideological deception, and bitter hatred, we stand in faith on the promises and power of Scripture.
In the name of Jesus, we boldly come before You, crying out with one voice, with millions upon millions of believers from 180 nations. Lord, pierce the shroud of deception that veils our world, embolden us to proclaim the Gospel, drive back COVID-19, and shake our world with revival power!
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https://graceworld.churchcenter.com/giving