INTRO &

WRAP-UP Un-Religious

Week 2: You Just Are

The PointWe aren’t worthy to be children of God—we just are. That is grace.

IntroTell about a time you got something you didn’t deserve.

During this week of Un-Religious, we’re going to be undoing the religious idea that we have to do certain things for God to accept us. But when we really become un-religious, we discover that we just are. We just are loved by God.

Well let’s see how this all plays out in this week of Un-Religious …

Play this week’s video message.

CloseThe story we learned about today was the story of the Prodigal Son. It’s a story about a son who decides to take his inheritance and go live life on his own. And he sure does. He blows right through the money chasing after things he thinks will make him happy. But the reality is, he’s left worse off then he’s ever been in his entire life.

Have you ever done that before? Gone after things that promise something but then later don’t deliver on that promise?

Maybe it’s cheating on a test because it’s just easier than studying, but you get found out and get an F anyway.

Maybe it’s always being in a relationship because it’s fun and you don’t feel alone, but it doesn’t ever actually satisfy you and you just keep getting your heart broken.

Maybe it’s the party life because you feel like you fit in somewhere, but when it’s all over, life is just the same as it’s always been.

Whatever it is, I think we all have a tendency to chase after things that can’t really deliver on their promises.

That’s what the son does, and it leaves him high and dry: living and eating with the pigs. He then decides enough is enough. He is going to go home and BEG his dad to take him back even if it means being one of the servants.

Luke 15:18-24 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’

20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’

22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.

He goes back home. His father runs to him and welcomes him back. He doesn’t have to do anything to get back in, he just is.

INTRO &

WRAP-UP The son didn’t deserve any of that, but it was freely given to him.

Hear this: that is GRACE!

When you’re not worthy to be called God’s child, but you just are—that’s grace!

When you get something good that you don’t deserve—that’s grace!

Today is all about grace! Grace is un-religious. Religion says you need to earn God’s acceptance. But a relationship with God says you just are accepted. You just are God’s child.

You can’t be good enough to earn it. You can’t be too bad to not get it. It’s grace. It’s free. It’s unearned and undeserved.

That’s what Easter is all about: God sending His own Son, Jesus, to die on the cross so that you could live. That you could have a second chance. You don’t deserve it, but God already did it. That’s His grace. Don’t let it go to waste. Accept it; believe it. Know that it is for you. … Let’s pray.

(Eyes closed/heads bowed. Elaborate on these points below. These are just the general flow.)

Some of you can really relate to the story of the Prodigal Son because you’re just like him. You’d call yourself a Christian, but you’ve been out doing your own thing: chasing after your own wants and desires, not really being a Christian. You haven’t really had a strong relationship with God in a while. But today, this Easter season, you want to get back to your relationship with God. You really want to start living like the Christian you know you are and can be. If that’s you, then raise your hand right now and let me pray for you … (Have them raise their hand and pray for them.)

There are others of you in the room that this whole idea of grace is really hitting you. You’ve heard this word, but you didn’t really know what it meant. But now you understand it and you know you need it. You maybe thought you weren’t good enough to follow God or be loved by Him. Or you thought you had to do things to earn God’s acceptance. But the reality is, He already loves you no matter what. So for some of you, it’s time to accept that grace and get that good thing you don’t deserve. If you want to accept that for the first time in your life, and you now know why we celebrate Easter, and you want to accept that this Easter is for you—that God sent His Son to die for YOU—then raise your hand right now and repeat this prayer after me. Everyone together … (Have them raise their hand and repeat prayer after you.)