An exploration of the themes in John Freeman's book, "Hide or Seek."

1. “Mug Shot”
Theology
How does God see us
when we sin and fail?

2. John Freeman
President, Harvest USA

3. “Running to the cross – now
that’s a novel idea. I don’t
know much about that. I only
know how to slink back to the
cross . . . Slink back to God
after I’ve put enough space
between me and my last
acting-out thing and gathered
the courage to deal with God
again. I’ve been slinking back
for as long as I can remember.”
-Hide or Seek, Page 86

4. It’s so theologically off
target . . . It’s similar to
another kind of
warped thinking that
unresolved issues with our sin can
produce – namely mug-shot
theology! . . . our tendency to think
of God taking pictures of us at our
worst. Mug-shot theology is about
seeing yourself, even as a believer,
in the mug shot you’ve taken of
yourself when you’re at your worst.
-Hide or Seek, Page 86

5. We have mug-shot theology
because we know deep down
we deserve it. We know we
deserve to be treated as our
personal record demands. We
know someone has to pay, and
that often keeps us from the
throne of grace and the cross
because we want to pay for it
ourselves. We think we ought
to atone for ourselves.
-Hide or Seek, Page 87

6. We wait until we’ve
appropriately punished
ourselves in a variety of ways.
But, the truth is that there’s
usually no repentance in any
of that. It’s primarily a form of
penance and reparation. And,
that means there’s little of the
gospel in it. . . I had to learn
that Jesus wants me at my
worst . . .
-Hide or Seek, Page 91

7. We’ve got to believe that what
was true of the prodigal son’s
father is true for God as He waits
for us! The father in that story is
a picture of a God who is waiting
for you , watching for you,
actually running toward you as
you run toward him. . . treating
you in a manner beyond your
wildest imaginations. Why?
Because you dared to believe
what is true about God: that He
receives sinners, all sinners,
even the worst of sinners!
-Hide or Seek, Page 91

8. Luke 15:11-24 To illustrate the point further,
– Tax collectors & other notorious sinners often came
to listen to Jesus (15:1) – the Pharisees complained.
– Parable of Lost Sheep (15:4-7) “Lost & doesn’t know
it.”
– Parable of Lost Coin (15:8-10) “Lost because of
someone else’s carelessness.”
– Parable of the Lost Son (15:11-32) “Lost because he
chose to be lost.”
Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons.
12 The younger son told his father, ‘I want my
share of your estate now before you die.’ So his
father agreed to divide his wealth between his
sons.13 “A few days later this younger son
packed all his belongings and moved to a distant
land, and there he wasted all his money in wild
living
The Parable of the Lost Son:

9. The Parable of the Lost Son:
Luke 15:14-19 About the time his money ran
out, a great famine swept over the land, and he
began to starve. 15 He persuaded a local
farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into
his fields to feed the pigs. 16 The young man
became so hungry that even the pods he was
feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no
one gave him anything.17 “When he finally
came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At
home even the hired servants have food
enough to spare, and here I am dying of
hunger! 18 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.”’

10. The Parable of the Lost Son:
Luke 15:20-24 “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.

11. Three Life-
Changing
Activities
1. Accountability:
Accountability happens when
I speak honestly about my
temptation, my sin, and the
condition of my heart with
other Christian brothers.

12. 2. Discipleship: Growing in faith
and in God’s truth . . . Step-by-
step movement (even if they are
only small steps) and growth . . .
– John Ortberg – The Life You’ve
Always Wanted:
• Training vs. trying.
Three Life-
Changing
Activities

13. 3. Transparency: Transparency is
when I commit daily – with
everyone, and not just with the
members of my group – to living
openly and without deceit, offering
my life and the motives of my heart
to the examination of others!
Three Life-
Changing
Activities

14. “Mug Shot”
Theology
How does God see us
when we sin and fail?