Lesson 18: A Humanitarian by Giving Us a Wonderful Life Here and Now
Art & Music That Matters
How Deep the Father's Love for Us
Performed by Worship Mob
Song Lyrics
How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss –
The Father turns His face away,
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.
Behold the man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders;
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished;
His dying breath has brought me life –
I know that it is finished.
I will not boast in anything,
No gifts, no power, no wisdom;
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer;
But this I know with all my heart –
His wounds have paid my ransom.
The Prodigal
As humans, we, by our nature, run from and hate God and anything that would bind us to him – yet in his great love, he sent Jesus Christ to bear all our punishment and to bring us into the love-filled, all-satisfying arms of our Father God.
Song Lyrics
You held out Your arms, I walked away
Insolent, I spurned Your face
Squandering the gifts You gave to me
Holding close forbidden things
Destitute, a rebel still, a fool in all my pride
The world I once enjoyed is death to me
No joy, no hope, no life
Where now are the friends that I had bought
Gone with every penny lost
What hope could there be for such as I
Sold out to a world of lies
Oh to see Your face again, it seems so distant now
Could it be that You would take me back
A servant in Your house
You held out Your arms, I see them still
You never left, You never will
Running to embrace me, now I know
Your cords of love will always hold
Mercy’s robe, a ring of grace
Such favor undeserved
You sing over me and celebrate
The rebel now Your child
How Deep the Father’s Love For Us: Stuart Townend Copyright © 1995 Thankyou Music (Adm. by CapitolCMGPublishing.com excl. UK & Europe, adm. by Integrity Music, part of the David C Cook family, songs@integritymusic.com)
The Prodigal: Copyright 2009 Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP)
Questions to Consider
Click to reveal answers.
How Deep the Father’s Love For Us
The Father loves us so much that he sent the Son to pay the penalty for our lawbreaking. The depth, height, and width of it are immeasurable. This selfless act of Jesus brings about the forgiveness of sins; favor with God that is undeserved. We are unworthy, all partially responsible for placing Jesus up there. In response, we do not boast in anything except Christ and His Gospel.
We were created by a Holy God, but we have each turned to our own way, breaking his holy law. Sin has broken our relationships with God, with people, and with the world itself. Ultimately, the curse of sin is death.
But there is a solution! This same Holy God – who has every right to condemn and punish us – loves us so much that he came to earth in the form of a man, and took our sin upon his own shoulders. He died on the cross as the substitutionary atonement for our sins, so that we might be saved from death’s curse.
The Prodigal
As humans, we, by our nature, run from and hate God and anything that would bind us to him – yet in his great love, he sent Jesus Christ to bear all our punishment and to bring us into the love-filled, all-satisfying arms of our Father God.
Illustrating Our Sin & Our Savior
Father and the Prodigal by Chris Powers
Read Luke 15:11-32
Questions to Consider
Click to reveal answers.
This image doesn’t necessarily show the events of the parable, rather it is an attempt to represent what was actually happening while Jesus told the story. The Pharisees were angry that Jesus was welcoming sinners… and the story of the prodigals is Jesus’ way of showing the lavish kindness of God to draw all people – licentious (I can find life by sinning) and legalistic (I can find life by keeping the rules) – into fellowship with himself through Christ.