In the episode, Nicole emphasizes the importance of celebrating as a spiritual practice and its impact on experiencing life with freedom – celebration is God’s design for human flourishing. She explains that celebrating is not just a mindset, but also a practice. We work through a Bible study on Luke 15 to see God’s heart for celebration and why it’s a practice we ought to regularly engage in.

WHAT DOES IT SAY?  Luke 15 – The Parable of the Prodigal Son

The Younger Son - the son “came to his senses” – he the younger son was just released to himself. He was like released from his obligations and he found himself in this place where he's like, what am I doing? He finally names reality.

The Father - runs to his son and restores his identity and honor before the son can even explain himself. We get this concept of like this guy, this kid, this young man doing everything wrong and being met with compassion and celebration. He also leaves the party to meet his older son – he gives the same care and compassion to both.

The Older Son – Jesus is talking to the “older sons” – the Pharisees and Scribes. The punchline of the whole parable is the conversation with the older brother saying, look, didn't you don't can't you see we had to throw a party. This is worth celebrating and you can come to.

WHAT IS THE BACKSTORY?

The Old Testament deeply valued parties. If you read through the books of the law, through Leviticus, a lot of the directions are about all the parties that God wants to throw. If you look at how tithe was spent, right, you know, the 10 percent - when you give money, that was supposed to pay for three things specifically. It was supposed to support clergy and worship maintenance. You know, the workings of the temple. It was supposed to care for the poor and it was supposed to pay for all the awesome parties that they were supposed to throw in God's honor with God multiple times a year.

What This Parable Teaches Us about the Spiritual Practice of Celebration

What Jesus is saying is here's the Good News of God. The Father is throwing a party that will last forever. The God of the universe is throwing a divinely awesome party and he wants all his kids to be there. And that includes the selfish younger brothers and resentful older brothers.

Won't you come to the party that the Father's throwing? That is how Jesus is painting the picture of what the gospel is, which means that celebration is actually fundamental to the heart of what the gospel is about, of what God has done in Jesus and what he's what he's completing through the work of Jesus on the cross and will complete in the new heaven and the new earth. You cannot take celebration out!

“The more I considered Christianity, the more I found that while it had established a rule and order, the chief aim of that order was to give room for good things to run wild.” – G.K. Chesterton

Celebration As a Spiritual Discipline –

First, consider: Why do we struggle to believe that our God is a God of celebration?

It is a form of trust to choose joy and celebrate what is good and pure in your life.

It is a form of surrender to choose joy.

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