5 Questions Part 4: Am I Relevant?

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