Prodigal

Why the lost sheep helpless. One of the lost coins are invaluable the law soon because you unworthy.

He does not deserve anything and by the way before you, and I came to Christ as your rework unworthy and I hope and pray that none of us, including me, ever start thinking were all this and so and so is all that pride comes before the fall in the matter of moments and days you will be the one getting out of control. Be very careful when you reach your private payment on that. Be very careful when you start parading spiritually on how you got altogether. So-and-so is not in a matter of moments, Satan bring you down. God hates the proud but gives grace to the external portion of the upcoming message titled product pastor Bernard Shaw, Clearview church in Henderson, North Carolina Clearview focuses on making Christ worship and serve love one another. Come check us out at 3485 Oxford Rd. visit us online at BC join us for the rest of this week's message heavy Bibles with you, turn to Luke chapter 15 we are in our series on the parables of Jesus and this morning we come to the parable of the prodigal son. Very famous parable. Luke chapter 15 starting in verse 11. Let's all stand together for the reading of God's word. Then he meeting Jesus said if certain man had two sons in the younger of them said to his father. Father give me the portion of goods that falls to me, so he divided them to them, his livelihood and not many days after the younger son gathered all together journey to a far country, and there wasted his possession possessions with prodigal living father with that word prodigal, does not mean way word does not mean somebody who loses their way.

Prodigal means wasting prodigal means spending without any regard to how hard someone had to work to earn that that's prodigal. Verse 14, when he has spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.

That he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country and he said to him that owner of that that feel sent him into his fields to feed swine and he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine eight and no one gave him anything. No one gave him anything 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. I will arise and go to my father and will say to him. Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.

That is repentance.

I will arise and go in and confess that I have sinned against you, God, and against my father and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants. And he arose and came to his father. This is one that always gets me when he was still a great way off, his father saw him, which means he was waiting for his son and had compassion on him, and he ran and fell on his neck and kissed him as he begins his rehearsed speech and the son said to him.

Father have sinned against heaven in your side and I'm no longer worthy to be called your son.

The father does not even answer his son 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. Would you read this bring the fatted calf here and kill and let us eat and be merry. Verse 24. Let's read together for this my son was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found in the began to be merry but if you know you heard me say it again again parables are like mirrors you find yourself in the story as we read this long story of the prodigal son. Can you see yourself. Are you that Lawson argued that younger son who is right now, right this moment, you're wasting your life away what needs to happen is repentance what needs to happen is a change of mind that what you're eating out of is a pigs trough it sin you have to come to the father.

Are you the onlookers are just watching you seeing what's happening but there's no rejoicing in your heart.

Do you rejoice when you see the lost come to know Christ, you rejoice when you see someone turn back to God and are you lost this morning. If you are what needs to happen is for you to hear the voice of the Savior calling you if you don't hear that.

I pity you sympathize with you my heart broken for you because unless you hear the voice of Jesus saying you are your lost you take his hand and you come home you will be lost for ever. So this morning before we even get into the message I want to pray in a moment. Why don't you pray you've never done this is your first time here great welcome. If you've never done this, pray and receive Jesus Christ as your Savior. Ask him to come into your life forgive you of your sins and take over never done that.

Right now all throughout this room there people were lost, never given the heart of Jesus Christ.

There is real need an invitation really a song just need to pray right now is in Jesus on lost because that's where I am. I'm in the trough. I'm eating what the pigs eat.

Sin looks so attractive at the moment so so beautiful. But God I am in mess right now I need you to save me the parable of the prodigal son is one of the most popular parables of Jesus is right up there with the parable of the good Samaritan.

Those two are pretty much a tie and how much people love these stories.

In fact, the painters of yesteryear, especially the old Dutch Masters or the Baroque painters love the parable of the prodigal son. I just did a quick search, I found such beautiful paintings depicting the sun coming home to his father in the love and the compassion that you can see in the father's eyes and how he reaches and how he lifts up his son, who has done nothing but hurt and pain and and and destroyed all that his father had given to him. Unfortunately, this parable is often misunderstood.

To properly understand the true intent of this parable, we have to look at the whole context. In fact anything in the Bible don't just rip it out of context. Look at in the whole context and you will understand the real meaning why Jesus gave the prodigal of this, the parable of the prodigal son. In fact, to get the context back up to verse one of Luke chapter 15 listen to what is says that all the tax collectors and sinners drew near to him to hear him is a picture of this this crowd of tax collectors and sinners sinners includes prostitutes. It includes business owners. It includes Gentiles that includes Roman soldiers.

They began to draw near to Jesus, to hear him. In verse two and the Pharisees and scribes complained what is the reason for the complaining this man, meaning Jesus receives sinners and eats with them and then it says in verse three so he spoke this parable to them, saying, what is the point.

The Pharisees and the scribes had a problem with who Jesus was eating with no what happens when Jesus listen to Luke chapter 11 in verse 37 and as he spoke, as Jesus spoke a certain Pharisee asked him to dine with him, invited over and over for supper. So Jesus went in, sat down to eat, and when the Pharisees saw it. Listen to this. When the Pharisees saw it, he marveled that Jesus did not wash his hands before dinner. These Pharisees were watching Jesus as he walks and sits right down and said all right pics of the role starts eating the I can't believe it. I cannot believe what Jesus just did and what is Jesus's response listen to verse 39 the Lord said to them, to him by the way he is sitting in the Pharisees home. Listen to what he says now you Pharisees and Jesus has a lot of courage, doesn't he. He is in their home and he says now you Pharisees made the outside of the cup and dish clean but you inward part is full of greed and wickedness outside your so beautiful inside you are like dead men's bones. Foolish once did not he who made the outside make the inside also but woe to you Pharisees. I can imagine the tax collectors and prostitutes going all my goodness he's roasting them were loving this goes there always honest about this, and dad and how were not good enough and how were destroying society and how were corrupting their children man he is roasting them on loving this foolish once did not he who made the outside make the inside also but woe to you Pharisees for you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs and passed by justice and the love of God, these you ought to have done without leaving the others and that which means this Jesus was not saying don't be holy unto God. He was saying, but make sure you still have compassion makes you still have the justice of God. So what happens when Jesus does this, the Pharisees and the scribes began to back away from him don't like them much. And guess who begins to draw near to Jesus all the bad people there like we like him and that's when Jesus gives the parable, not parables is not plural.

He gives three stories, but he calls them parable singular, so we cannot just come to the prodigal son and say okay let's look at the prodigal son we have to look at the three stories that Jesus gives leading to the prodigal son as the third one.

Why did Jesus give the story listen very carefully.

He did not give it for the Pharisees and the scribes their hearts were already hard-hit. Listen this morning.

If your heart is already hardened towards God. Nothing can help you if you already made up your mind that you can listen but you're not going to abate. No one can help you God himself cannot help you. But if you hard to soften and you're willing to do whatever God is telling you.

God will radically change your life and give you new beginning, a man the Pharisees and scribes are stood back further and further away didn't like him anymore. The wondering what's wrong with you, but the tax collector. The sinners are drawn in the Jesus gives the parable for his disciples for those who are responding to him.

He is getting the parables to teach them how he sees the lost three stories. The first one is the lost sheep, the lost sheep listen to Luke chapter 15 starting in verse four.

The first story, what man a few having 100 sheep if he loses one of them does not believe the 99 in the wilderness in the desert end goal after the one which is lost, until he finds it is a question it's a rhetorical question, what person is there who does not believe the 99 the desert. I don't read too much into it. Get the intent of the parable.

So what Jesus is saying to the listeners is when you think about the loss we think about the tax collectors across to the sinners. Don't think of them as how corrupt and horrible. These people are think about them as helpless, lost sheep and what does a shepherd do when he has found in verse five he lays it on his shoulders.

I'm sure you've seen paintings of the good Shepherd with the sheep on his shoulders, rejoicing, and when he comes home. He calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost. What is Jesus saying that when you see the lost coming to me. Rejoice. Don't resent them. Don't be bitter towards them. Don't look down on them but rejoice with me while I listen to verse seven. I say to you. Likewise, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 just persons who need no repentance was a second one, the lost coin. This town is not a man it's a woman listen to verse eight or what woman having 10 silver coins. The word is draw, draw, by the way, is like a denarius. It is one day's wage for a common labor to keep in mind is not a man's a woman which means back in those days, a woman could be rich.

She could be like Lydia business owner have a lot of money, draw, which mean nothing for her but if she is just a common woman it draw, is a lot of money.

A denarius is a lot of money, is very valuable to this person.

What is Jesus saying over here when you think about lost people don't think about them as worthless. Think of them as invaluable.

Invaluable. Just like that one, draw, listen to this. What woman having 10 silver coins. If she loses one point does not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it, and when she has founded what she do she calls her friends and neighbors together saying what, rejoice with me, for I have found the piece, which I lost once again. What is the response that we should have when one is found rejoicing. Listen to this what Jesus says in verse 10.

Likewise, I say to there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents there is joy in heaven. Angels jump up and give high-fives to each other when they see one little child or one adult or one older person doesn't matter who they are.

Get say here's 1/3 story, what is this one about the lost son and Jesus obviously spends more time on this story.

Of course we know this, we already read it. Father had two sons, one was responsible. The older one. The other one was not to start with this son was ungrateful and rude.

I mean think about his statement in verse 12 he says to his father. Father give me the portion of goods that falls to me how grateful for, so that the mother that I would be on the would be doing a plank father give me what's mine was a father do. It doesn't be divided to them his livelihood.

What else do we know about this son. Not only is he rude and ungrateful. He is also immoral and self inbuilt indulgent, which means listen to verse 13. He gathers everything journeys to a far country, and wasted his possessions with prodigal living.

He is self-indulgent, folks. This is a problem in our society where people think only of themselves only of their own pleasures only of their own happiness.

If this makes me happy.

I'm gonna do it. Something is terribly wrong even in Christian lives. The devil will tell you, do whatever makes you happy is not a problem in our culture today.

Do whatever makes you happy. How now and that's what he does. He's indulging he is reckless he is irresponsible. What is he doing verse 14 when he had spent all, I'm human. Plan ahead. There arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want but is not over yet is about to get worse because he doesn't have any standards he doesn't have any convictions. Verse 15 that he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country and that citizens send him into his fields to feed swine. By the way many of you already know, in the Jewish culture. In those days, especially if they were not allowed to report being the swine was one of the lowest degrading things you can ever do in the Mishnah and the Talmud. It was forbidden her to to work with pigs or to have a pig farm. It was happening with Jesus is doing here honey. Phil got it already, rigid hand, what was Jesus doing here with his telling them that you are looking at these tax collectors and prostitutes accurately because what have they done they have sold their's sole to the Romans and the Romans are using them to fleece their own people. Oh yeah, the tax collectors are stealing from the Jewish people.

The prostitutes are doing good RRR sowing seeds of immorality and debauchery and and destroying lives. Yes there right and what happens in verse 16 it says it here and when he would've gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine aid and no one gave him anything for that's what happens.

That's what happens with sin.

Sin at the moment looks great right serving the devil. At the moment looks wonderful to so exciting and so inviting was so flashy and so satisfying in many of y'all are right now getting caught up in sin and it feels great. But remember it's end is the way of destruction is nothing good that happens on the other spot on the other side is only death death of marriage, death of children, death of culture, death of dreams yell with me all that begins to die.

This life at the moment looks soft on so exciting was Satan tell you can try and advise doing is not a big deal go along with it and he walked on the path only to realize you lost it all. Silver and then listen to verse 18. He finally realizes what is happening and he repents. He says I will arise and go to my father and will say to him.

Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and please open your ears and listen unless that word sin comes into repentance. You haven't truly repented and should be a big game. And at that point I pretty much tells is where we are hungry by who, unless you call sin sin. Whatever you did is sin in a sin is sin is what put Jesus on the cross, I have sinned, not just against you father against heaven, and then he's use of the word was the word he uses. I am not worthy is here that listen to verse 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Here we have the third unworthy why the lost sheep helpless why the lost coin their invaluable why the lost son because he is unworthy, he does not deserve anything and by the way before you, and I came to Christ. That's who we are. We were unworthy and I hope and pray that none of us, including me, ever start thinking were all this and so and so is all that pride comes before the fall in the matter of moments and days you will be the one meeting of the trough. Be very careful when you parade your product out Annie Damon on that. Be very careful when you start parading spiritually on how you got it all together and so and so is not be very careful in a matter of moments, Satan will bring you down.

God hates the proud but gives grace to the humble. Don't call somebody unworthy.

You are unworthy to our unworthy. This is you. This is unlike before we came to know Christ. Because now we know this imagery, he says make me like one of your heart serve as it was a father's response in verse 20 when he was still far off, his father saw him. What a beautiful picture of the grace of God that God is waiting on sinners are what your theology takes you, but my theology shows me God, waiting for every sinner to come home everyone.

It doesn't matter who you are.

It doesn't matter what you've done. You may have to face consequences. In this life, but if you are a sinner. The father is waiting for you to come home and he doesn't his weight. He runs a great the shepherd when looking for the sheep, the lost coin, the woman would look looking forward the son. The father was waiting, looking for his son as a son comes home. The father runs which is very uncharacteristic of of elders and that in that. And he doesn't even listen to his sons confession, speech, and that amazing people get hung up over what if you use this word and what we should be using that word in the sinners prayer and will arise like God and listen to any of that he is. He runs over there and he hugs him and he orders the best role of the family rating the sandals and a big feast with a fatted calf. I mean, how awesome is that when Jesus loads is down with his riches. That's the grace of God, but the story is not over, but in fact it just begins. What is the story now where is the older son. He is still in the field and he is actually working and he hears the noise and finds out what is happening in his responses what he is angry and would not go into the party gasket this morning is his anger justified. Yes, it is it is justified arming his brother do. He wasted his father's hard earned money and her wealth. He is justified because he he damaged the family name. He's smearing the family name. He has destroyed the family legacy. He has every reason to be angry hey folks do you have reason to be angry with the people who have hurt you and done things wrong and taken the yeah we do, and he refuses to go in. The father comes out and pleads with his son, listen to what the son says this is powerful.

Verse 29 so he answered and said to his father. Low these many years I have been serving. You are never transgressed your commandment at any time.

Yet you never gave me a young goat that were there doing for the younger son the fatted calf. What was he saying you didn't even go is like saying you gave him a filet mignon. He didn't even give me a gas station hotdog.

That's pretty much what it comes down to that's been rolling there for 10 years, right, that I might make merry with my friend as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you kill the fatted calf for him.

All of a sudden we get a different perspective on this elder son why because the younger son was unworthy of the older son thought he was worthy to good a blessing to you father look what all I have done for you and in his anger. The real the real prodigal comes out he is disrespectful to his father, look at the way he's talking to him, your livelihood, your son, and was a father's response. The father said them son, you're always with me and all that I have is yours and I don't read too much into it.

Make sure you keep the intent of the parable in mind, this does not mean that the Pharisees and the scribes have salvation. He does not mean that they have all the riches in Christ because it rejected God.

The purpose of this parable is different.

What is the purpose verse 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.

What is the point again son you should be rejoicing that your brother is home parables are mirrors which one are you are you the younger son whose who has caused a lot of heartache and pain to your family. I'm talking to men and women are you the one who has done things made decisions that has caused so much pain they listen very careful not hope today would be a make or break event for somebody unless you truly repent and you call sin. Sin, you will find yourself in a much worse place. You will not only eat in the trough but you will need through it. Unless there is true repentance you say. I have sent.

I have done something wrong and I believe every person can change the belief that they got close and said God I need your grace, and wording as long as he justifies sin and you think you're good enough in their body is bad and we all make mistakes and who are you to judge and Bob told you not to judge if he do that stuff you're not repenting your latter end would be worse than this is just the beginning of the self. Repentance is that which you need to do those whom are you on rush just like the helpless sheep.

You do not know what the enemy will do next do not know the wolves there waiting to devour you, like me, and they come now. Thank you so much for joining us for this message. Would you see yourself identify with the wayward son lost his way came back with repentant heart would you identify more the older brother that a spirit of bitterness and jealousy wherever you see yourself. Remember father is waiting for us to return with open arms turn back to God today for more information visit us online@clearviewb.org for this sermon notes check out Pastor Shah's blog of it on Shah.com