THE SOLUTION FOR SPIRITUAL BANKRUPTCY
Reading: Lk 15: 11-24
I. THE PROBLEMS OF THE WORLD
1. Economic Crisis (poverty)
2. Political Problem (war, corruption, injustice)
3. Social problem (Drugs, Prostitution, Gambling, Lawlessness)
4. Domestic Problem (Broken family, Rebellious Children)
5. Psychological Problem ( no peace of mind, suicide cases, insanity)
II. THE SOLUTION OF JESUS
Mar 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching
the gospel of the kingdom of God,
Mar 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Considering the economic, political, social, domestic, psychological problems of the people of Israel during that time, Jesus explained the root of their problem and offers His solution formula which can be extracted from His first message:
1. The problems that people suffered are just symptoms of its root.
2. The root of the problem is sin and because of this sin, people is under the kingdom of darkness
3. The kingdom of God is the Solution to the problem of humanity.
4. For their problem to be solved, everyone should be transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God.
5. There are two steps in order to belong to the kingdom of God: Repent and Believe the Gospel
III. THE WARNING LIGHTS OF BANKRUPTCY (Luke 15:11-16)
Luk 15:11 Then He said: "A certain man had two sons.
Luk 15:12 "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.
Luk 15:13 "And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.
Luk 15:14 "But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.
Luk 15:15 "Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
Luk 15:16 "And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
1. Self will – “Give me my inheritance” v12
2. Separation – “Journeyed to a far country” v13
3. Wasting – “wasted his possessions” v13
4. Wanting – “he began to be in want” v14
5. Bankruptcy –“So hungry that he could have eaten pig’s food” v15-16
IV. THE STEPS TO RESTORATION (Luke 15:17-21)
Luk 15:17 "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!
Luk 15:18 'I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,
Luk 15:19 "and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants."'
Luk 15:20 "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.
Luk 15:21 "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.'
1. Realization – “he came to himself” v17
2. Decision – “I will arise” v18
3. Carrying out decision – “And he arose” v20
4. Returning – “came to his father” v20
5. Confession – “ Father, I have sinned” v21
Luk 15:22 "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.
Luk 15:23 'And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;
Luk 15:24 'for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
V. THE POWER TO OVERCOME
1. Why our sins be forgiven?
1Jn 1:7 …..the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Heb 9:12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
Rom 3:25 God offered him, so that by his blood he should become the means by which people's sins are forgiven through their faith in him. God did this in order to demonstrate that he is righteous. In the past he was patient and overlooked people's sins; but in the present time he deals with their sins, in order to demonstrate his righteousness. In this way God shows that he himself is righteous and that he puts right everyone who believes in Jesus.
2. Is it possible to overcome sin?
1Jn 3:9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.
1Pe 1:23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
