I don't think I can ever get enough of that song, simply because the heartbeat of that song

was written in response to Luke chapter 15, the parable of the prodigal son, the son who leaves home, squ away his father's wealth, lives a life completely

contrary to the life he should have been living as a son, and comes back home simply to be a

servant in his father's house because of what he has done. And when he comes home, his father

doesn't even have time for his speech because his arms are open to receive him.

God is a relational heavenly father. And I want to begin this sermon tonight by making

a pretty bold statement, but it's where I feel like God has called us to begin in this moment.

I believe in the church right now, not Auburn Community Church, but like Big Sea Church, worldwide church.

I believe that we are knee-deep in a reformation of the fatherhood of God.

Say that again, just so we can sense what I mean. We are knee-deep in a reformation of the

fatherhood of God. 500 years ago, there was a reformation in the church where a group of men and women were

bold enough to walk away from tradition that wasn't rooted in Scripture and begin a new

journey.

They called them Protestants, but really, they were just biblical.

And they returned to the truth of the Scripture by living according to things like grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone, God's glory alone, rooted in Scripture alone.

I believe what God is doing in our day is restoring his rightful place as a relational heavenly Father.

And we get to witness it every single

Sunday that we gather in a space like this because there are men and women guys and girls who walk

in here viewing God as a transactional master who barks out commands and what happens is as they meet

God for who he is they find out he's a loving

heavenly father who wants to give me the life I really want, the abundant life that he created

me for. And I think what's happening, not just that Auburn Community Church, but all over the

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