Luke 15:11-32
11 Then He said: "A certain man had two sons.
12 "And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the
portion of goods that falls to me.' So he divided to them his livelihood.
13 "And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together,
journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal
living.
14 "But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land,
and he began to be in want.
15 "Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he
sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 "And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the
swine 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 bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 'I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have
sinned against heaven and before you,
19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of
your hired servants."' 20 "And he arose and came to his father. But when
he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and
ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 "And the son said to him,
'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer
worthy to be called your son.'
22 "But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put
it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
23 'And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be
merry;
24 'for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is
found.' And they began to be merry.
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 "So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
27 "And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has
received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.'
28 "But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out
and pleaded with him.
29 "So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have
been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and
yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my
friends.
30 'But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your
livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.'
31 "And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have
is yours.
32 'It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother
was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.'" (NKJ)
Tonigh I will be continuing in the series "Five Qusetions That Must Be
Asked Before the End of the Year 2000."
1. Do I have the right attitude towards money?
2. Do I have the utterance to boldly make known the mystery of the Gospel?
3. Am I networking?
The first three questions that wetre asked are easily answered because
they have within the perameters of the response a tell-tale sign: Fruit
>People who have the right attitude towards money will deal with their
finances in a Biblical manner.
>People who have the utterance will see the fruit of their lips change.
>People who are networking will see the building up of righteous
relationships.
These questions are questions that can often be immediately assessed in
one's life, but the question that I believe needs to be asked today is one
that has been disguised to such a degree within the Churchˆthat it's
answer demands a deeper reflection within the motivation of a person's
heart.
In the story of the prodigal we are confronted with a scenario regarding
that is most often seen as a rebellious son who:
? Asks his father for his inheritance before he is dead.
? Leave home in rebellion against his upbringing.
? Squanders all that he has on riotous living.
? Realizes his sin.
? Returns home.
? Is restored.
This is certainly a fair and even accurate portrayal of the discourse of
Luke 15, but I believe, that maybe something else can be ascertained if
one would only look beyond the superfical and into the more sublime.
I believe that there is something that should not be lost in the
understanding of the parable of the "Prodigal Son," and that it is really
the parable of the prodigal son and the son that stayed behind.
If the "other brothers" plight were not of significance to the telling of
this story by Jesus, then He merely would have ended with the 24th verse
of Luke 15, BUT another (7) verses of scripture were dedicated to the
"other brother."
I believe that the church has found itself in this day and age much like
the man's two sons.
ONE----who thought that he didn't need the father and "went it alone",
only to realize later that all the successes and blessings that they had
were BECAUSE of the father and not APART from that relationship.
ONE˜who thought as long as they didn't take risks and just went with what
had always worked, that they were the model child, only to realize later
that their heart and motivation were in desperate need of an overhaul.
I believe that we have often been like the songs says, "Sometimes I am the
prodigal and sometimes I am the other brother."
I believe that the FOURTH QUESTION that must be asked before the end of
the year 2000 is this:
"Am I doing something significant?"
The most dangerous element in the church today is a misguided ministry.
Misguided ministries:
? Portray Christianity, but fail in portraying Christ.
? Command resources, yet disobey His commands.
? Indoctrinate persons with tradition, yet innoculate against the truth.
? Attract a following of people, yet distract us from following Jesus.
? Claim to have answers, yet only cause more questions.
The two sons, reflect the two extremes in realtionship to "Am I doing
something significant?"
The Prodigal- was most concerned with making a name "for himself."
This attitude is demonstrated in the Body of Christ, when we go to our
Father and obtain our inheritance: salvation, the gifts of the Spirit and
then we depart from His house and from His will and go about to build our
own empire.
Prayer is substituted with Programs- why seek God, we have a 6 month
schedule!
Power is substituted with persuasion- why get delivered, it's all mind
over matter!
Evangelism is substituted with Events- we don't "go out and win the lost",
we just invite a nationally known speaker to win them for us!
The Prodigal Mentality- separates from the source and seeks after
substitutes.
Wherine the the PRODIGAL carries an "Empire Building" mentality the THE
OTHER BROTHER instead decides to just "Hold the fort."
He would rather be "right" than "rigteous." He says, "We are small because
we do not compromise"
THE OTHER BROTHER: will not substitute like the PRODIGAL.
He would rather die alone in his tradition than risk his position for the
will of God.
One is ruled by foolishness and the other by fear. Neither are
significant.
But how do we know if we are doing something significant?
It transcends our own abilities...(takes the fearful and makes them
faithful- Alina)
It transcends are need for praise.....(does the dirty work)
It transcends others opinions.....(seeks God's will- Robert)
Significance produces relevance: (that is, it deals with what is happening
now)
As pastor we need to pray that our preaching is RELEVANT.
We cannot believe that everyone is as impressed with what we say as we
are. That just because we open our moths to speak, that people should be
falling all over themselves to hear.
The message itself should be so relevant and so significant that IT will
demand attention and produces results in the life of the hearer.
1 Cor 2:1-5 says, "And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with
excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God.
For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and
Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.
And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human
wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith
should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."
We can't expect our weirdness to witness (or) our solemness to save.
We must preach an answer to the need rather than preaching needs without
answers.
Significance:
Roy & Sefra-
Mary Adams-
Mary, Emily, (need help on their yards) Mrs. Mills (help with housework)
and Mrs. Ham-(prayer concerning biopsy) (4) widows on Cleveland
John Archer- prayer regarding his job
The Solanos- prayer for son in prison
STORY OF TEDDY.........
