They're Still Worth It | Hope for Everyone | Menlo Church Live Stream

Devotional

Day 1: Hope Prepares for the Return of the Lost

Hope means preparing now for those who are not yet home, just as the father in Jesus’ parable prepared for his son’s return even while he was still far away. The father’s actions—looking down the road, keeping the light on, and feeding the calf—were not just passive waiting but active, hope-filled preparation. In the same way, we are called to invest in our church, our homes, and our hearts so that when the lost or weary return, they find a place ready to welcome them. This is not about having nicer things, but about being ready for the miracle God will bring, turning waiting into preparation and hope into action. [42:21]

Luke 15:20-24 (ESV)
“And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.”

Reflection: Who in your life feels far from God or from home, and what is one tangible way you can prepare a place—physically, emotionally, or spiritually—for their return today?

Day 2: Hope Welcomes Both the Rebellious and the Resentful

God’s love is big enough for both the rebellious and the resentful, for those who have wandered far and those who have stayed close but grown cold. The father in the parable goes out to both sons, offering grace to the one who ran away and to the one who stayed but resented his brother’s return. In our lives and in our church, we are called to be a home for both—the wanderer and the weary, the hurting and the searching—never forgetting that we all need the same grace, whether we are coming home for the first time or need to come alive again. [44:46]

Luke 15:28-32 (ESV)
“But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

Reflection: Is there someone you find it hard to welcome or celebrate? How can you extend God’s grace to them in a practical way this week?

Day 3: Hope Acts in Faith, Not Just for Ourselves

Hope for everyone means investing in a future that is not just about us, but about those who are not here yet—children, students, neighbors, and generations to come. Just as others prepared spaces for us long before we arrived, we are called to act in faith, giving, serving, and building for those who will one day find hope and home in Christ. This is a call to generosity and participation, trusting that God will use our steps of faith to reach the next 3% and beyond, and that our investments today will become someone else’s miracle tomorrow. [43:22]

2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (ESV)
“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”

Reflection: What is one step of faith—big or small—you can take today to invest in someone else’s future with God?

Day 4: Hope Waits with Expectation and Prayer

Waiting is not wasted time; it is a season of formation, preparation, and love stretched out over time. Like the father who looked down the road every day, hope keeps us expectant and prayerful for those who have not yet come home. Every prayer for a lost friend, every act of hospitality, every moment of keeping the light on is a declaration that God is not done yet. In the waiting, God shapes our hearts, guards us from resentment, and teaches us to trust Him for the miracle to come. [37:39]

Romans 12:12 (ESV)
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

Reflection: Who are you waiting and praying for? How can you turn your waiting into an act of hope and preparation today?

Day 5: Hope Is for Everyone—The Lost Come Home and the Found Come Alive

The good news of Jesus is not just for those who are far from God, but also for those who have known Him for years. We never graduate from our need for grace; we grow deeper into it. When hope is truly for everyone, the lost come home and the found come alive. Our church is called to be a hospital for both sinners and saints, a place where everyone can encounter the love and mission of Jesus, and where we all are invited to take our next step—whether it’s coming home or coming alive. [47:16]

Ephesians 2:4-7 (ESV)
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to come home or come alive to God’s grace today, and what is one way you can respond to His invitation?

Sermon Summary

Hope is for everyone. That’s not just a slogan, but a conviction that shapes every decision, every prayer, and every investment we make as a church. God is moving in the Bay Area, and we are invited to be part of a story that is bigger than ourselves—a story that stretches back generations and will reach forward to people we haven’t even met yet. Our calling is to prepare, to invest, and to create spaces where the lost can come home and the found can come alive. This is not about buildings for their own sake, but about tools that God uses to reach people He loves—children, students, families, neighbors, and friends who are searching for hope.

We are in a season of waiting and preparing, much like the father in Jesus’ story of the prodigal son. The father didn’t waste the waiting; he turned it into preparation. He kept looking down the road, kept the light on, kept the calf ready, and kept loving both sons—those who had wandered far and those who had stayed close but grown cold. This is the posture we are called to take: to be ready, to be welcoming, to be generous, and to be hopeful. We are not just maintaining what we have; we are preparing for those who are not here yet, for the next generation, for the next 3% of the Bay Area who will encounter Jesus through a healthy, vibrant, and welcoming church.

The story of the prodigal son reminds us that both the rebellious and the resentful need grace. The lost need a home to return to, and the found need to come alive again. We are all in need of the same grace, the same gospel, the same hope. Our mission is not just to reach out, but to be transformed ourselves—to let hope shape us, to let generosity stretch us, and to let God’s love move us beyond comfort and into courageous faith.

As we step into this next season, we are invited to participate—through prayer, through generosity, through service, and through a willingness to prepare the house for those who will one day call this place home. We do this not out of pressure or guilt, but out of gratitude for what God has done and expectation for what He will do. We are a hospital for both sinners and saints, a home for the wanderer and the weary, the rebellious and the resentful. In the waiting, we prepare for the miracle, trusting that hope really is for everyone.

Key Takeaways

1. Hope Prepares in the Waiting Hope is not passive; it actively prepares for what God will do, even when the outcome is uncertain. Like the father in the parable, we are called to turn waiting into preparation—praying, investing, and creating space for those who are not yet home. This kind of hope stretches our faith and keeps our hearts open to God’s timing and purposes. [36:32]
2. The Lost Come Home, the Found Come Alive God’s heart is for both the rebellious and the resentful, the wanderer and the weary. The story of the prodigal son shows that everyone needs grace—those who have run far and those who have stayed close but grown cold. True community celebrates both the return of the lost and the renewal of the found, reminding us that we never outgrow our need for the gospel. [33:58]
3. Generosity is a Spiritual Pulse Check Where our treasure is, there our heart will be also. Generosity is not about equal gifts, but about equal sacrifice and participation. It is a tangible way to align our hearts with God’s mission, to stretch our faith, and to invest in a legacy that will outlast us. God invites us to trust Him with our resources, knowing that our giving prepares the way for others to encounter hope. [51:48]
4. The Church is a Home for All We are called to be a hospital for both sinners and saints—a place where the hurting, the searching, the rebellious, and the resentful can find healing and belonging. This means creating environments that are welcoming, safe, and intentionally designed for those who are not yet here. Our mission is to be ready to welcome everyone, just as the father was ready for both his sons. [47:53]
5. Legacy is Built on Faithful Preparation The spaces we create, the prayers we pray, and the investments we make today are for people we may never meet. Just as those before us prepared a place for us, we are called to prepare for future generations. Our faithfulness now will be the foundation for stories of transformation and hope for years to come. [43:22]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[23:01] - Celebrating God’s Work in the Bay Area
[23:43] - Invitation to Newcomers and No Pressure
[24:12] - Vision for the Future and Prayer
[25:20] - Expanding Church Networks and Partnerships
[26:48] - Approach to Securing Permanent Campuses
[28:35] - Why We Invest in Spaces
[29:11] - Prioritizing the Next Generation
[30:40] - Reimagining Campus Spaces and Hospitality
[32:03] - Preparing for Those Not Yet Here
[32:51] - The Heart Behind Hope for Everyone
[33:24] - The Prodigal Son: Two Lost Sons
[36:32] - The Father’s Waiting and Preparation
[37:39] - Hope Trains Us to Keep Looking
[39:06] - Creating Welcoming Environments
[41:53] - Preparing for the Celebration
[43:22] - Building a Legacy for Future Generations
[47:53] - A Hospital for Sinners and Saints
[49:33] - Preparing Now for God’s Next Move
[51:48] - Invitation to Participate and Respond
[54:20] - Prayer and Reflection
[55:43] - Living Into Our Legacy

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Luke 15:11–32 (ESV) – The Parable of the Prodigal Son —
> 11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
>
> 17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
>
> 25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

Observation Questions

In the parable, what are some specific things the father does while waiting for his younger son to return? How does the sermon describe these actions? [[36:32]]
According to the sermon, how are both the younger and older sons described as “lost”? What are the differences in how they are lost? [[33:24]]
What preparations did the father make for his son’s possible return, and what does this reveal about his attitude? [[41:53]]
How does the sermon connect the father’s actions in the parable to the way the church should prepare for people who are not yet here? [[43:22]]

Interpretation Questions

What does it mean that “hope is not passive; it actively prepares for what God will do, even when the outcome is uncertain”? How does this challenge the way people usually think about waiting? [[36:32]]
Why do both the rebellious (younger son) and the resentful (older son) need grace? What does this say about the human condition and our need for the gospel? [[33:58]]
The sermon says, “Generosity is a spiritual pulse check.” What does this mean, and how does generosity reveal the state of someone’s heart? [[51:48]]
How does the idea of “preparing the house” for those not yet here shape the church’s mission and priorities? [[49:33]]

Application Questions

The father in the parable kept looking down the road, kept the light on, and kept the calf ready. In your own life, who are you “waiting” and preparing for? What would it look like for you to turn waiting into preparation for someone’s return or for God’s next move? [[36:32]]
The sermon challenges us to create spaces—physically and relationally—where the lost can come home and the found can come alive. What is one practical way you can help make your church or your home more welcoming to people who are searching for hope? [[39:06]]
Think about the “older brother” attitude described in the sermon. Are there ways you have grown cold or resentful, even while staying “close” to God or the church? How can you open your heart to God’s grace in a fresh way? [[43:52]]
The sermon says, “Generosity is not about equal gifts, but about equal sacrifice and participation.” What does sacrificial generosity look like for you in this season? Is there a step of faith God might be inviting you to take? [[51:48]]
The church is described as a “hospital for both sinners and saints.” How does this change the way you view your role in the church community? Is there someone you need to reach out to, welcome, or forgive? [[47:53]]
The sermon talks about building a legacy for future generations. What is one thing you can do this month to invest in the faith of someone younger or new to faith? [[43:22]]
The father’s preparation was done “while his son was still a long way off.” Is there an area of your life where you need to start preparing in faith, even though you don’t see results yet? What is one small step you can take this week? [[41:53]]

Sermon Clips

Jesus, he gives us a picture of that actually, a picture of a father who refuses to waste the waiting, a father who keeps the house ready, a father who refuses to give up, a father who watches the road every day with hope in his eyes because someone that he loves is worth it, still worth it. This is the heart behind hope for everyone. [00:32:29] (24 seconds) #HopeInTheWaiting

But Jesus' point is not just that the lost can come home, it's that the found can come alive, that all of us need the good news and the work of Jesus in our life. The younger son discovers that he can come home. He's starving, he's humiliated, he's rehearsing his apology but the father still runs to him in love. The older son discovers that he can live in the father's house and still be far from the father's heart but the father still comes out to him and offers him grace also. [00:33:37] (31 seconds) #FoundAndLostAlive

Both sons needed restoration. Both sons needed their father. Both needed a home to return to. Both needed a community that would celebrate when they return and that is the heart of what we are doing. See, when hope is for everyone, the lost come home and the found come alive. So whether you would call yourself a Christian or not, we all need the hope of heaven found in the person of Jesus. [00:34:09] (26 seconds) #HumbleReturn

One of the most overlooked parts of this story is what the father does in the waiting. See waiting for him is not wasted time and it shouldn't be for you and me. Waiting is formation, waiting is preparation, waiting is love stretched out over time. Sometimes the waiting that we are extending to others that we love, sometimes it feels like the amount of time that God is asking us to wait requires us to lean on God in even bigger ways because of it, right? That we have to trust him. [00:36:32] (28 seconds) #HopeKeepsWatching

That's what hope does. Hope trains us to keep our eyes on the road and continue to hold out hope that God isn't done yet. Every time you pray for people who haven't come home yet, you are looking down the road just like the father did. You are holding out hope and with it, that's changing you. It's guarding your heart from the syndrome of the older brother of resentment and resistance and frustration. You are remembering and reminding yourself that when hope is for everyone, the lost come home and the found come alive, including you. [00:37:39] (38 seconds) #LightOnForHome

Which means, listen to this, the father didn't start preparing when his son returned. He started preparing while his son was still gone. The father was preparing for his son's return while his son was still a long way off. While the son was wasting his inheritance, the father was feeding the calf. While the son was losing everything, the father was investing in the upcoming celebration of his return. In other words, the father turned waiting into preparing. [00:42:02] (28 seconds) #TableForAll

In his book Prodigal God written by Tim Keller he points out that the younger son was lost in his badness and the older brother was lost in his goodness. You can be lost in both. One had run to rebellion the other had retreated to resentment and self-righteousness. Jesus portrays a father who loved both of them and wanted both of them at the table. I've been doing this for decades and I'm just telling you that my heart breaks for what can happen when my vision of what it means to follow Jesus slowly goes from outward exclusively to inward. [00:45:27] (35 seconds) #FaithThatComesAlive

They had drifted into a world where they didn't want hope for others and they didn't think they needed it for themselves. God forbid that happened to us. They had forgotten that when hope is for everyone the lost come home and the found come alive. That we don't graduate from our need for grace. We don't graduate from our need for the gospel. We graduate into it. We learn our need for it on a greater level. [00:46:55] (24 seconds) #GenerosityJourney

There's a line that's shaped a lot of Menlo's history that's set around here from time to time. Maybe you've heard it before and the line is this. We're a hospital for sinners not a museum for saints. Which is true. But I wonder if I could just maybe give us an updated version of this line. We're a hospital for sinners and saints. [00:47:42] (22 seconds)

We are preparing now for the son or the daughter who feels too far gone. We're preparing now for the neighbor who has never known the love of God who's desperately trying to find hope in a hopeless world. We are preparing now for the student who will one day walk into a room that we haven't even built yet. We're preparing now for the family who will be changed long after we are gone. We are doing today what the father did while he waited. We are preparing the house. [00:49:36] (29 seconds)

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