• Take a Cross and Follow with Greater Love than Love for Parents
• Take a Cross and Follow with Greater Love than Love for Children
• Take a Cross and Follow with Greater Love than Love for Personal Convenience

Receiving Can Have Its Eternal Rewards, Too

• Receiving a Disciple is Taken as Receiving the Messiah and His Message
• Receiving the Messiah and His Message is Taken as Receiving Father God and His Gift of Jesus
• Receive a Prophet for a Prophet’s Reward
• Receive a Righteous Man for a Righteous Man’s Reward
• Give a Cup of Cool, Liquid Kindness to Preserve God’s Reward.

“For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ (cf. Micah 7:6) Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me.  Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”

Some of Save Receipts, and Some of Us Understand that Our Receipts Can Save Us.

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• He Rebuked the Spirit
• He Healed the Boy
• He Gave the Boy Back to His Father

Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father.

Absolute Power can be used with Absolute Purity

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• Ran to His Son
• Embraced His Son
• Kissed Him

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.

If Only the Son Could Have Seen Himself Through His Father’s Eyes.

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• Set Out for Home
• Go Back to His Father
• Speak to His Father

The Prodigal Had a Carefully Planned Speech

• I Have Sinned
• I Am No Longer Worthy
• Make Me (Like) a Servant

The Father Had Other Plans for His Son

• Saw Him (with Compassion)
• Ran to Him
• Hugged Him
• Kissed Him

The Father Had Other Things to Say about Three Fashion Statements (and One Part of a Feast Menu)

• A Robe
• A Ring
• Sandals
• A Fattened Calf

I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’  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. [...] “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.

The Son’s Supplication Turned into a Celebration

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• Never Hear the Father’s Voice
• Never See the Father’s Form
• Absence of Indwelling of God’s Word

And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. NIV

Unbelief Makes for a Lot of Nothing

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