A Restless Son Bent On Reckless Living

A RESTLESS SON BENT ON RECKLESS LIVING

LUKE 15:11-24 15 Feb 15 Dr. M Pope

INTRO: A Msg on just how far one is willing to go in order to live like they please. No one can live unto themselves.

Eccl 5:10 “He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity”

I. 11-16 THE SON’S REBELLIOUS STREAK

1. MISUNDERSTOOD HIS FATHER’S INTENTIONS

a. v11 A Self-Centered Man The nature of this request actually says, I wish you were already dead so I could get my inheritance.

b. v13 A Self-Controlled Man (Journeyed to a FAR country) Kind of strange but when people travel a rebellious road they tend to go just as far from what held them to righteous living as possible. He had grand illusions about what the world had to offer, you know: fun, fantasy, friends. Well like the old saying: “be careful what you wish for”, he got all that and more.

c. v 13 A Young Man Who Chose a Road to Self-Destruction

He had grand illusions that ended in busted dreams. He wanted to know and experience all that the world had to offer, you know: fun, fantasy, friends. Well like the old saying: “be careful what you wish for”, he got all that and more. Remember, the devil will tempt you with the sweet corn, but then choke you on the cob. AR

2. v13-14 MISSPENT HIS INHERITANCE WITH RIOTOUS LIVING Grk word riotous “root means: that which is not saveable”.

3. v15-16 MISTREATED BY THE MASTERS OF THIS WORLD

a. Lived for the Moment

b. Failed to Plan for Tomorrow

c. Had no Trade/Trng on which to fall back on

d. No Friends, No Money, No Future

Application: people live for today and make no plans on how to prepare spiritually for the trails that will inevitably come: Ignore their faith; Neglect their Family; and Waste the blessings that God has given to them

II. 17-24 THE SON’S REPENTANT SPIRIT:

SIN: WILL ALWAYS TAKE YOU FARTHER THAN YOU WANTED TO GO, COST YOU MORE THAN YOU WANTED TO PAY, AND KEEP YOU LONGER THAN YOU WANTED TO STAY. ADRIAN ROGERS

1. v17 REPENTANT OF HIS WAYS: HE CAME TO HIMSELF

The popular approach of the world is we should love ourselves. After all, we are entitled to have anything we want. I submit that’s what got this young man into trouble. The problem isn’t we don’t love ourselves, it’s we love ourselves so much we don’t want to deny ourselves anything, like this young man. Repentance often comes when we learn the very hard lesson that we actually hate the condition we’ve gotten ourselves into by our own stubborn wills. Fortunately for this man he had a spiritual awakening. Unfortunately many today don’t see that. Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.

a. v17 Realized What He Had and Lost (never to late to turn around)

b. v18 Recognized What Sin had Cost Him

c. v19-20 Arose and Returned; To make a decision without follow-through will never lead to a changed life or bettering your circumstances.

2. v20-22 RECEPTION BY HIS FATHER: Notice the Father never chased after him, but He never stopped looking for him.

a. v20 He Embraced Him

b. v22 He Elevated Him

Robe (the righteousness of Christ)

Ring (Restored to position of authority)

Shoes (slaves wore no shoes, he was elevated above servanthood to a place of honor)

Remember: God is more willing to pardon than to punish

3. v23-24 REJOICING OF THE FAMILY. A great celebration “v10 …there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” WHAT DOES THIS CELEBRATION MEAN:

a. Acceptance by the Father

b. Announcement of the Son’s Rebirth