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["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] ["Pomp and Circumstance"] You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You Amen we want to welcome you to this service at verity baptist church. We're glad you're with us We of course have a wonderful service lined up for you today And we'd like to begin the service with a word of prayer. So let's go ahead and bow our heads together Heavenly father lord, we do. Thank you for allowing us to gather together today. Lord. We pray that you'd bless Today lord the service we pray that you bless the singing the preaching the fellowship lord We ask that you'd meet with us today lord that we might learn from your word in jesus name. We pray. Amen Turn to song number 49 Song four nine Meet me there song number 49 on the first More Where the night To you Second Time By the river When the storms of life Here on the last Is War Amen all right. Well, let's take our bulletins this morning We'll look at some announcements if you did not receive a bulletin on your way in just raise your hand And one of our ushers can get one for you If you need a bulletin just put your hand up and we will get one for you the verse this week romans 12 2 And be not Conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove What is that good and acceptable and perfect will of god and that's a good verse there We like that if you open up your bulletin, you'll see our service time sunday morning service 10 30 a.m We're glad you're with us. Of course on sunday morning on the lord's day for church We do invite you to be back tonight at 6 p.m For the evening service the evening service is different than the morning service different songs that are sung different sermon that's preached Just one more opportunity to be in god's house Of course with god's people under the preaching of the word of god And then of course, we have our wednesday evening bible study at 7 p.m. And we'd love for you to join us For our midweek service as well If you look at our soul winning times our main soul winning times on saturday morning to 10 a.m Soul winning of course is when we go out in the community We knock doors. We invite people to church and we preach the gospel to anyone who's interested We have additional sewing times on thursdays fridays and sundays at 2 p.m So if you'd like to go soul winning this afternoon There'll be a time for you to be able to do that at 2 p.m And if you are a first time guest if it's your first time here at verity baptist church We're glad you're with us We have a gift we'd like to give you as you walk out of the church building this morning as you go through The main foyer if you go out our secondary foyer, you'll see a little table set up and on that table You'll see these little gift bags Please grab one on your way out as a gift from us to you for being our guest This morning and there are several resources in this bag that we'd like you to have But the one I like to highlight is this documentary that our church made it's called being baptist It's very well made very interesting. We think you'll like it. I want to give this to you as a gift So, please make sure you don't leave here this morning without grabbing one of these gift bags on your way out And if you are a guest we'd ask that you please take a moment and fill out the communication card Which is inserted in your bulletin If you need a pen just raise your hand and one of our ushers can bring you by a verity baptist church pen We're not going to do anything odd with your info. We're not going to sell it to anybody or anything like that We just we would just like a record of your attendance We actually would like to send you a little gift, but we need your information to do that So, please take a moment to fill the card out when we're done with the announcements We're going to sing a song when we're done singing We're going to receive the offering and as the offering plate goes by you can drop this card in the offering plate Or you can hand it to me after the service. I'll be standing at the main door greeting people on the way out I hope you'll come by and say hello. If you look at our bulletin there. We of course are a family integrated church What that means is that we keep the entire family together for the church service We do not separate children from their parents for any reason We do have mother baby rooms and daddy rooms available for your convenience all of the rooms have comfortable seating They have monitors set up so you can watch the service and listen to it So if you have a child that's been distracting during the service So if you need some privacy We would encourage you to use the mother baby rooms and the daddy rooms If you're not sure where those are at You can look at the back of the bulletin and you'll see a layout of our church building It'll show you where the mother baby rooms are where the daddy room is It'll show you where the restrooms are. Of course, if you need to be baptized, please let us know We'd love to baptize you the baptistry is filled the water is warm. We have everything you need to be baptized We have a baptism scheduled this morning. So praise the lord for that and if you Need to be baptized, if you'd like to speak to somebody Maybe you're not sure what baptism is or what it means to be baptized on your communication card on the back There's a place for you to check off that you'd like information about baptism and we'll follow up with you In regards to that if you all have already spoken to somebody, you know, you need to be baptized All you need to do is at the end of the service After the preaching while we're singing the last song if you step out that door one of our staff guys We'll meet you there and we'll get you situated for baptism this morning or tonight or whenever it's convenient for you If you look at the announcements and upcoming events, of course, we're going through a series called journey with jesus We're on a journey with the lord Jesus christ going verse by verse chapter by chapter through the gospel of luke. We'll continue that today And then of course want to let you know about our harvest party coming up on monday october 31st at 6 pm You may be looking for something to do on october 31st that doesn't involve worshiping the devil and worshiping death and darkness So we want to invite you to our harvest party and it's going to be an evening of food fun and fellowship And we'd love for you to make plans to attend. We're going to have of course our annual chili cook-off And you can bring chili. That'll be the meal for the evening We'll have a 50 gift card for the first place winner and a 25 gift card for the second place winner We'll also have a bag of treats for all the children in attendance And we'll have games like we normally do on at our harvest party So we'd love for you to join us and if you'd like to volunteer to bring corn bread or desserts There is there are two sign-up sheets in the foyer In the main foyer, so please make sure you go by there and sign up for that And then of course, we also have our striving together new members class coming up on sunday. November 6 At 12 30 p.m. We have these new members class every Several months or so and the next one is coming up on november 6. So if you are New to verde baptist church either you're a new member or maybe you'd like to know what it means to be a member of our Church, this is the class for you and lunch will be provided My wife and I like to do this because it allows us to Be able to have lunch with the newer people in our church get to know you a little bit We also have a class that we go through And we talk about our church and what we believe it's a place for you to get to know us be able to ask questions So we want to encourage you to be part of the striving together new members class if you if you're a member of our church But you've never been to the new members class Then we'd love for you to sign up for it And if you say i'm not sure if I want to be a member But I'd like to find out more about the church then you're welcome to be a part of this class as well Please sign up on your communication card. Like I said lunch will be provided. We'll have it catered So we just want to know that you're coming so we can make sure we have enough food for everybody And we'd love for you to sign up and then of course our homeschool group I just want to remind you they've got a field trip on thursday october 27th at 10 a.m And you can see my wife. She has a flyer for a field trip flyer for the Homeschool group for the moms if you want to see her you can get that if you haven't got that already Pe class is on thursday november 10th at 10 a.m The next p class is scheduled for november 10th And just a reminder to file your private school affidavit If you've not yet done that you need to do that between october 1st and the 15th upcoming cleaning crew You can check for your name there. We appreciate your faithfulness There's other things there for you to look at Please don't forget to turn your cell phones off or place them on silent during the service So that they're not a distraction to anybody if you look at the back of the bulletin birthdays and anniversaries for the month of october For this week. We have madison johnson's birthday on october 12th Also maricio hernandez birthday on october 12th. Joe maples the third has a birthday on october 13th Our evangelist to the philippines brother. Matthew stuckey has a birthday on october 14th and brother Matt and miss casey taylor have an anniversary on October 15th praise report money matters all those things are there for you to look at and I think that's it For all of the announcements, so we're going to go ahead and sing the chorus of the week, which is the insert in your bulletin And we'll sing this as we prepare to receive the offering this morning for me to live is christ sing it out on the first Day And walk his narrow way There is no peace no joy no thrill like walking in israel for me to live To die is game Once my heart was full of sin and shame Till someone told me jesus came to save When he said come unto me he said my heart Is christ There are things that I still do not know For Amen good singing. We'll have the guys come up and help us with the offering at this time And let's go ahead and bow our heads and have a word of prayer Heavenly father lord, we do. Thank you for allowing us to gather together today lord We pray that you bless the offering the gift and the giver lord We pray that you meet with us as we take time to open up your words study the bible together in jesus name. We pray. Amen So So So So So So Turn bibles to luke chapter 15 luke chapter 15 If you do not have a bible raise your hand or not i'll bring you one Luke chapter 15 this morning. We'll read verses 11 through 32 Just keep your hands up and i'll bring you a bible Luke chapter 15 verse 11 the bible reads And he said a certain man had two sons and the younger of them said to his father father Give me the portion of goods that follow to me And he divided unto them his living And not many days after the young son the younger son gathered all together and took his journey into a far country And there wasted his substance with riotous living And when he had spent all there arose a mighty famine in that land and he began to be in one And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country and he sent him into his fields to feed swine And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat and no man gave unto him And when he came to himself he said How many hired servants of my father's have bred enough into despair and I perish with hunger I will arise and go to my father and will say unto him father I have sinned against heaven and before thee And am no more worthy to be called thy son Make me as one of thy hired servants and he arose and came to his father But when he was yet a great way off his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him And the son said unto him father. I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy son But the father said to his servants Bring forth the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet And bring hither the fatted calf and kill it and let us eat and be merry For this my son was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found and they began to be merry Now his elder son was in the field and as he came and drew nigh to the house He heard music and dancing and he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant And he said unto him thy brother has come and thy father hath killed the fatted calf Because he hath received him safe and sound And he was angry and would not go in Therefore came his father out and entreated him and he answering said to his father lo these many years do I serve thee Neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment and yet thou never gave us me a kid that I might make merry with my friends But as soon as this thy son was come which hath devoured thy living with harlots thou has killed for him the fatted calf And he said unto him son Thou art ever with me and all that I have is thine It was me that we should make merry and be glad for this thy brother was dead and is alive again and was lost and is found Let's pray Father god almighty. Thank you for this day. Thank you for this opportunity to Hear your word, please. Bless the message. Please bless pastor Let it bring glory and honor to you in the name of jesus christ. I pray amen Amen All right, we're there in luke chapter number 15 And of course, we've been going through a series called journey with jesus And it really is a verse by verse study through the gospel of luke. The gospel of luke is one of the most chronological one of the most Detailed accounts of the life of the lord. Jesus christ and where of course I've been learning about the lord jesus christ. We've been on a journey with the lord. Jesus christ Through this book of the bible and this morning we find ourselves in this portion of scripture known as the parable of the prodigal son And the parable of the prodigal son is arguably the most famous parable That jesus ever told if you ask people about the parables of jesus You ask them to name one of the parables of jesus More than likely this is the parable that will be named The parable of the prodigal son, I thought this was interesting charles dickens who's obviously a famous writer Said about this parable. He said it is the finest short story ever written And that's an interesting idea there that it is the finest short story i've ever written and many of course have agreed With that so we're going to look at the story of the of the of the prodigal son And let me just say quickly by introduction I don't want to spend too much time on this because I I spent a lot of time on this on this on wednesday night But let me just remind you or let you know if you weren't here on wednesday night That the parable of the prodigal son is not about salvation And oftentimes people get a lot of false doctrine from the parable First of all, you should be very careful about getting any doctrine from a parable We should get our doctrine from clear statements in scripture and parables, of course are stories. They're not literal They're stories that the lord jesus christ told and they are stories that have An earthly they're an earthly story with a spiritual Application and I want you to understand that this is not about salvation People will often try to make this parable about salvation and as a result get a lot of false doctrine regarding salvation The the the parable the prodigal son is not about salvation if it's not about salvation you may ask what is it about? And it is about a backslidden christian getting right with god And of course, uh, I spent time talking about that on wednesday night, so I won't spend too much time on that Let me just remind you this that the son in the story was already a son when he left And the bible says that when you and I get saved we get born again into the family of god And we are the sons of god and this was a story of a man who was already a son He left in rebellion And we see the story of him coming back if you notice there in luke 15 and verse 11 The bible says and he said a certain man had two sons. I want you to notice the characters in the parable again Just by way of introduction. We have the certain man who is the father. He's a certain man Who had two sons later in the parable referred to as the father And the father in this story of course represents god the father if you remember from wednesday night We saw the fact that in luke 15 the chapter is made up of three different parables All three parables are connected by the theme of something being lost. Of course We saw the parable of the lost sheep and we saw the parable of the lost coin on wednesday night And this morning we are seeing the parable of the lost son each one of the parables Though they all have the theme of something being lost Each one highlights a different member of the godhead Of course the parable of the lost sheep has the shepherd going out to seek and to save that which was lost and it highlights the Second person of the godhead the son of god the lord jesus christ We saw that the second parable of the lost coin Would highlight the holy spirit and the work that the holy spirit does along with a local new testament church in search of the loss and then This morning we see this parable of the prodigal son that highlights that Uh, the the position of the first member of the godhead god the father Of course the father in the story represents god the father the younger son in the story because the bible tells us he had two sons There's an elder son and a younger son the younger son, which is really who the parable is about Represents a backslidden christian. We're going to see that this morning. And then of course the elder son Represents a christian when we get to the end of the parable We'll focus in on the elder son and it represents a christian who did not get backslidden who stayed faithful But has a bad attitude about it or bad spirit about it And I want to just jump into this parable and I want to give you seven steps that outline this parable Uh for us this morning and if you're taking notes And I always encourage you to take notes on the back of your course of the week There's a place for you to write down some notes If you've not brought a notebook or something like that to be able to take notes with And I want to give you seven steps as quickly as possible this morning That outline this parable for us and it's an important parable to be aware of because of the fact that in the christian life You've heard me say this When when you stick around a church long enough, you will begin to realize that unfortunately people come and go People will come and get saved and get right with god and they'll get backslidden and they'll go but I want you to know this Also that sometimes people come and go and come back in fact at any given At any given time here at verity baptist church We've got several prodigals that we are praying for and that we are waiting for the day that they may Come back and you need to understand this parable and understand the implications of this parable because you may deal with a prodigal In your life, you may be a prodigal at some point in your life Hopefully not and some of you Sitting in this room right now were prodigals that I had left and had came back Somebody had told me when we started our church. I want to say it was my dad He had said, you know You want to stay in ministry long enough to not only see people go but to see people come back and by god's grace We've seen many go and come back and we've seen the lord do a work. So we have before us this morning this Story this parable of the prodigal son and i'll give you seven steps if you want to write these down number one The first thing i'd like you to notice is the rebellion of the prodigal The rebellion of the prodigal notice there in verse 12 the bible says this luke 15 in verse 12 And the younger of them of course referring to the younger son said to his father He said father now. I want you to notice that When the younger son is speaking to his father here in the story. He is speaking to his god-given authority He is speaking to the individual that god has placed over his life as the authority of his life If you are a a child or a kid or a young person that's living at home Right now then your god-given authority is your father and your mother Of course if you are a wife and the bible teaches that your god-given authority is your husband as a member of a church The bible teaches that your god-given authority is your pastor and of course pastors are not to lord over god's heritage But when it comes to the ministry and the work of the church God has given you an authority over your life. He's called Your pastor if you have a job then your god-given authority at that job regarding that work is your Boss and of course in all different areas of life. We have authorities that have been ordained by god They are our god-given authority and here we have this young man who is speaking to his father and he rebels Against his god-given authority. The bible says that the younger of them said to the father father Give me the portion of goods that falleth to me Now you say what is it that this young man is asking for and what he's asking for is his inheritance His father was a rich man His father was a wealthy man and this young man understood that when his father died that he would Receive an inheritance that he would receive riches and wealth that would be coming to him at the uh day Of his father's death. But what this young man is doing is he doesn't want to wait till his dad dies He's coming to his father while his father is yet alive and asking for his father to his father for the inheritance That he would get when his father, uh would die and what the young man is saying to his father He's saying he's saying dad. I'm tired of the rules I'm tired of you telling me what to do. I'm tired of being under your authority I'm tired of being under your roof. I i'm tired of you dragging me to church. I'm tired of you. Uh, uh, Rebuking me and reprimanding me. I'm tired of you counseling me and admonishing me. He says I I want to end our relationship Why don't you give me the inheritance that i'm going to get when you die anyway? And we can part ways and really in some ways what he's saying is I wish that that you were dead I wish that I no longer uh had to answer to you. I wish that I no longer was under your authority We see the rebellion of this prodigal son. He rebels against his uh, god-given authority this young Uh his younger son no longer wants to be under the authority of his father It's not only that he rebels against the authority of his father But I want you to notice that he also rebels against the accountability of his father Not only in your life if you've been given god-given authority But along with that authority you've been given god-given accountability In verse 13 the bible says and not many days after notice as jesus gives the story He says and not many days after the younger son after he asked the father for the inheritance that he might leave He the bible says that the younger son gathered all together notice what it says and took his journey into a far country Not only did he want to get out from under the authority of his father But he wanted to get out from under the accountability of his father He did not want to be accountable to anybody He did not want anybody to know when he left or when he came what he was doing He didn't want to answer anybody or or give any reports. The bible says that he took his journey into a far country And let me tell you something. Maybe you're here this morning. You say well, i'm not a prodigal i'm here But you're already a prodigal in your heart And all sin begins in the heart and in the mind of man and if you are here this morning And you are in your heart rebelling against your god-given authority rebelling against your mother and father rebelling against the people that god has placed in your life and you are uh rebelling and you are Resentful for the accountability in your life. Let me tell you something You need to check your heart and you need to get right with god because what's coming in your life is not good Good This young man wanted to rebel against the authority and the accountability He wanted to be not answer to his dad and not even see his dad He wanted to leave and he took his journey into a far country and let me tell you something If what you are doing or what you want to do cannot be done in the house of your father You're in for a world to hurt See I don't want to answer anybody you will answer to somebody I I just want to go out and do my own thing that that world doesn't exist The world where you go out and get to do whatever you want, let me tell you something young people does not exist It is foolishness. You say well i'm gonna leave, you know, it's funny to me how young people say i'm gonna rebel against my dad I'm tired of my dad telling me what to do. I want to be my own man and go do my own thing I know what i'll do. I'll join the military Yeah, because no one's going to tell you what to do there No, no one's going to expect something out of you there Because no one's going to make you show up at a certain time and leave at a certain time and people get this idea Well, i'm just going to go do whatever I want They go get themselves in trouble get themselves thrown into prison and but you're living the free life in prison While they tell you when to get up and when to go to bed and when to eat and what to do Let me tell you something. There is no such thing as a life without accountability There is authority whether you like it or not But this young man this the rebellion of the prodigal was this foolish rebellion that said I don't want authority. I don't want accountability So we see first of all and jesus highlights for us the fact That there is rebellion in the life of the prodigal I want you to notice secondly that not only do we see the rebellion of the prodigal, but we see the riotous living of the prodigal Notice there in verse 13 the bible says and not many days after the younger son Gathered all together and took his journey into a far country notice the last part of verse 13 and there wasted his substance with riotous living The bible tells us that he wasted his substance with riotous living The word prodigal is not actually found in this parable It's known as the story of the prodigal son. However, the word prodigal Actually means the definition of the word prodigal is to be wasteful to be wastefully reckless to waste substance on expensive things the reason that this story is called the parable of the prodigal son or known as the parable of prodigal son is because of the fact that he took his father's inheritance and he wasted his substance on riotous living I want you to understand something that when you decide to go live for the world and go live for yourself and go live for Sin, all you will do is waste Solomon put it this way. He said that it's vain He said everything that's under the sun is vain. He said vanity of vanities all is vanity under the sun It's empty. It's wasteful. It does not fulfill. It does not satisfy The bible tells us he wasted his substance with riotous living. I want you to notice that little word riot riotous What riotous means characterized by wild disorderly and uncontrolled behavior? The bible teaches us An experience should teach you that the sin life is a riotous life The sin life is a chaotic life the sin life is is a life that could be characterized as something that is riotous that is chaotic that is disorderly and it's not fun My wife and I were just recently having a conversation about certain individuals And we were talking about just you know, how really what we were trying to do is figure out the the the family lines And and there were so many divorces and remarriages there were so many, you know This person paying alimony and this person paying child support this person went to prison and then this person Got divorced and then they went here and then they got accused of this and they went there And the whole thing was so confusing and I remember my wife and I just look at each other, you know It's it's so much easier when it's just mom dad children Mom dad children children get married grandchildren. Isn't that just simple? Doesn't that just seem nice? But you you start getting into these chaotic Sin lives of people and there's fighting and there's divorce and there's remarriage and there's child support And there's alimony and there's well This kid is comes from this person and that kid Was from that person and from this relation from that relationship and look and if that's your lifestyle if that's your backdrop Uh, i'm not mad at you I'm not trying to pick on you, but I think we should all agree on this that the sin life is a chaotic life It's a life that is riotous and wasteful Not a life that should be desired So we see the rebellion Of the prodigal and we see the riotous living Of the prodigal But I want you to notice thirdly and I to me this is the most interesting part of the story one of the most interesting parts of the story is Like you notice the resources of the prodigal the resources of the prodigal in verse 12 the bible says and the younger of them said to his father father give me the portion of goods that falleth to me Notice the last part of verse 12 the bible says and he who's he the father? divided unto them Notice plural them his sons. He has two sons If one son wants to be bought out of the inheritance, then he really has to Make the transaction and decide well what goes to this one and what goes to that one? He divided unto them his Who's the his there the father's living? What is it that? The prodigal received as an inheritance The bible says that he the father divided unto them the sons his living What he had worked for what he had earned the life that he had made The business that he had started what is it that the prodigal was getting he was getting what the father? had provided What is it that the prodigal was wasting what was the substance that he was wasting and riotous living the prodigal was using the resources given to him by his father for riotous living notice verse 13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together The bible tells us he gathered all together, what did he gather together? What was the all that he gathered together? You know, I I envision this story and of course this is a parable did not literally happen But I often tell you when you study the bible You ought to try to put yourself into the story and I envision this young man walking into his bedroom And we use the term his bedroom loosely because it was really his father's bedroom That he was staying in but he walks into his bedroom and opens the door to his closet Which was really his father's closet And begins to take his clothes which were really his father's clothes that his father had provided for his son He begins to take his clothes and his shoes and begins to pack them up and he begins to grab his quote unquote stuff Which was all the things that the father had provided He divided unto them his living Verse 13 and not many days after the younger son gathered all together all Gathered all that was provided by the father and took his journey into a far country and there wasted his substance Wasted what substance the substance that the father had provided with riotous living Now keep your finger right there in luke 15. That's obviously our text for this morning Go with me if you would to the old testament book of daniel daniel chapter 5 if you Open your bible towards the end of the old testament you have the major prophets isaiah jeremiah lamentations ezekiel the big books Right after that you have the book of daniel isaiah jeremiah lamentations ezekiel daniel actually preached out of daniel chapter 5 Just recently a different sermon But while studying for that sermon I noticed this verse and I thought that's exactly what Is being emphasized in the story of the prodigal son See the prodigal son had a problem with rebellious and he had a problem with riotous living But he also had a problem with his resources See the prodigal was using the resources given to him by his father for riotous living in daniel 5 in verse 23 We have the story of belchazzar if you remember I preached not too long ago on belchazzar And and and and when I was preaching to uh, the young people growing up in church here and in verse 23 The bible says but but has lifted this is daniel speaking to belchazzar. He says but has lifted up thyself against the lord of heaven And they have brought the vessels of his house. Remember he brought belchazzar ordered that the the vessels of the temple of god Would be brought out the vessels of his house of god's temple Daniel says they have brought the vessels of his house before thee and thou and thy lords thy wives and thy concubines Have drunk wine in them What is it that belchazzar was doing he was using the resources of the temple? bringing the resources of the house of god And using them to drink alcohol out of using the resources of the god of the house of god for what riotous living Notice And thou has praised the gods of silver and gold and brass Iron wood and stone which see not and hear not nor know Now it's interesting to me because daniel is making this point He's saying look belchazzar you took the cups the bowls you took the instruments You took the vessels that belong to the temple to belong to the house of god and you've decided to take god's resources Pour alcohol in them which is riotous living and drink alcohol out of them And then at the same time you have blasphemed god by worshiping and praising the idols gods of silver and gold of brass iron wood and stone and then uh Daniel reminds belchazzar by the way Those idols that you're worshiping while you're drinking out of the vessels of the house of the true and living god Those idols that you're worshiping he says which see not nor hear nor know But I want you to notice this little phrase here at the end of daniel 5 23 He says look those gods that you're worshiping. They don't hear They don't see They don't know they're false gods and then daniel says this and the god the true god the jehovah god knows what he says in whose hand thy breath is And Whose are all thy ways? Has thou not glorified? See daniel said daniel says to belchazzar it's not just that you're using the cups and the bowls And the knobs and and the instruments that were set aside for the service of god's house Literally the resources of god's house. It's not just that you're using those resources to live riotous living He says everything you have came from god, he said the very breath in your body came from god And what we can learn from the story of the prodigal son is the story Of the resources is that the prodigal was using the resources given to him by his father for righteous living And let me tell you something when we as christians get backslidden And we use the resources afforded to us You use your money you use your strength you use your breath you use your energy You use the resources, uh that that you have disposed for righteous living Let me tell you something you are using the resources that god has given you When you decide i'm going to go commit adultery you decide i'm going to go do drugs you decide i'm going to go Uh, uh gamble at a casino you decide i'm going to go Uh, uh get high and and i'm going to go live a righteous life Let me tell you something you are doing it with the very breath that god has given you the god in whose hand my breath is See the truth is prodigal That when you sin and when I sin and whenever we sin we do at the expense of the father's resources Because everything we have came from him Every good gift is from above So we saw number one The rebellion of the prodigal make your way back to luke 15 if you would we saw number two the ruin of the prodigal Excuse me. The riotous living the product. We saw number three the resource of the prodigal like you notice fourthly this morning the ruin of the prodigal Notice that His life is eventually ruined There's a couple of things that i'd like to highlight from this parable the first is this Especially you young people. I want you to get this. I want you to notice the fleeting pleasures of sin in verse 14 the bible says luke 15 14 and when he the prodigal son With all the resources given afforded him of his father when he had spent all There arose a mighty famine It's interesting to me how god orchestrates these things in the lives of christians See the mighty famine doesn't come when he first got into town If if the mighty famine would have came when he first got into town the prodigal may have been fine He might have realized well Maybe I shouldn't party like I want to party and do what I want to do But i've got the money that I can write out this famine, but that's not how it works See what the bible tells us is that god Wait until all the resources are spent up And then there arose a mighty family, you know that god is never as late he's always on time Oftentimes we pray to god and we ask god for prodigals or for our enemies or for whatever situation and we ask god Why don't you just do this? Why don't you just do that? Why don't you just work right now? Why don't you just get this done? But let me tell you something god always knows best God knows when to bring the famine. God knows when to bring the storm God knows let me tell you something you can run from god, but you cannot outrun god God is there and god knows and when god's ready the famine will come And when he had spent all There arose a mighty family See young people especially young people really I used to say young people Old people are just as bad as young people Maybe I should say especially you old people There's only pleasure and sin for a season Let me read to you from hebrews if you would hebrews chapter 11 you have to turn there i'll just read this for you If you'd like to turn there you're welcome to hebrews 11 24 The bible says by faith moses When he has come to years refused to be called the son of pharaoh's daughter Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of god Than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season See moses had a choice to me He said I could suffer Affliction with the people of god or I could enjoy the pleasures of sin because listen to me I'm, not going to lie to you. There really is pleasure in sin But what sin does not tell you is that there's only pleasure in sin for a season Eventually the party runs out Eventually the high wears off Eventually the money runs out The truth is that the pleasure of sin is fleeting There will come a point when you have spent all when you are done and at that point god will be ready To begin his work on you The god that works on the other side And when he has spent all there arose a mighty famine I want you to notice not only the fleeting pleasure of sin, but I want you to notice the expensive price of sin notice verse 14 And when he has spent all there arose mighty famine in the land notice the last part of verse 14 And he began to be in want He he left with all the riches of his father's house the resources of his father's house But here the bible tells us that now that the party's over the monies ran out the famine has came upon him He began to be in want You know that sin is expensive It'll leave you broke I mean it'll leave you broke spiritually. It'll leave you broke physically, but it'll leave you broke monetarily He began to be in want In verse 30 of this parable the elder son will get there in a little bit The elder son told us that his brother the prodigal had devoured his father's living with harlots You don't have to turn here Let me just read this for you proverbs 29 3 says this who so loveth wisdom rejoices his father But he that keepeth company with harlots you say what the harlot is a prostitute But he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance And by the way, you could you could uh, fill in that word harlot with whatever addictive sin He that keepeth company with drug, uh with with drugs spendeth his substance He that keepeth company at the casino gambling spendeth his substance. He that could it doesn't matter fill it in with whatever sin you want This young man had spent all there arose a famine and then he began to be in want He was broke Why don't you notice not only was he broke he was also humiliated Look verse 15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country and he sent him into his field to feed swine Now jesus is speaking this parable in the first century in judea Assumably to a jewish primarily jewish audience Who Are people who avoid swine who don't eat pig and for them to hear of this young man Who they would assume in the story of this jewish young man Has now come to the place in his life where he is, uh feeding in the field. He is working in the fields to feed swine This would be humiliating Proverbs 29 23 A man's pride shall bring him low This was a prideful young man Prideful young man. I mean think could you imagine the pride the arrogance that it would you would require To go to your father and say I wish you were dead You won't die fast enough Just go ahead and give me my inheritance so that I can leave i'm tired of your rules I'm tired of your counsel. I'm tired of you telling me what to do. I don't want to be under your authority I don't want to be accountable to you. I want to just go and do it my way A man's pride shall bring him low Pride goeth before destruction The expensive price of sin is that he was broke and the expensive price of sin is that he was Humiliated but I want you to notice also in verse 16 the expensive price of sin is that he was alone Look at it luke 15 16 And he would have fain have filled his belly with the husk that the swine did eat He's so hungry he's so starving that he If he could have he would have filled himself with the swine that the husk of the the husk of the swine did eat Notice the last part of verse 16 and no man gave unto him And you got to ask the question, where are your friends I mean you you had you had an entourage What you the parties were big The people that were around you were big Listen to me Proverbs 14 20 after 20. I'll just read this for you. The poor is hated even of his own neighbor Doesn't that apply to our prodigal son here? Notice the last part of the verse but the rich have many friends The rich have many friends the poor is hated even of his own neighbor This man was alone This man was lonely you say why was he alone I believe he was alone for a couple reasons reason people find themselves alone We obviously have a huge homeless problem in this city, oh many cities do And you know, there are the rare instances where people find themselves homeless at really no fault of their own Those instances are real but they are rare Let me tell you something the vast majority of the people that you see out here You know, you got to ask yourself this question. Like where's your mom? Where's your dad? Don't you have siblings? Don't you have friends? Don't you have people you grew up with? You say well, what is it? Those people are just unloving No, it's not that those people are unloving is that those people have burned so many bridges They've already taken advantage and stolen and lied and and and destroyed the relationship They have that they find themselves out there and no man gave unto him I've often said this when you live for self You'll find yourself alone The end of the self-life is a life of self The reason and and and I would encourage you to come back tonight because tonight we're going to look at the the parable Of the unjust steward and we're going to learn what jesus teaches right after teaching this parable the prodigal A young man had lived his life for self. He teaches us of why we should invest in others And why we should live a life in which we invest in others and love others and help others Why because when you love others others will be there to help you and love you, but when you live for self No, man will give unto you He was lonely No one would help him Not only do we see the fleeting pleasure of sin, but we see the expensive price of sin It cost him everything. He was broke. He was humiliated. He was alone And this is why the bible says in proverbs 13 15 the way of the transgressor is hard The the prodigal says prodigal says I don't want to live I don't want to go to verity baptist church I don't want to hear all that preaching. I don't want to be told to live a separated life I don't want to be told to read my bible every day And to pray and to go soul winning and to give and to be kind and to be generous and to not be selfish I want to be selfish I don't want to live that life. It's too hard. Let me tell you something you gotta live the sin life. It's just as hard It's harder Life is hard All life is hard, but you can live a life that is difficult and fulfilling Or a life that is difficult in vain Right We see the expensive price of sin Someone said this sin will take you further than you want it to go Cost you more than you want it to pay and keep you longer than you want it to stay We see the ruin of the prodigal Notice there in verse 17 I said number one. We saw the rebellion of the prodigal number two The rightest living of the prodigal number three the resources of the prodigal number four the ruin of the prodigal I've got seven steps for you this morning. I don't normally have that many but We'll move through them as quickly as possible I'd like you to notice fifthly The repentance of the prodigal I want you to understand something about the prodigals They don't all come back Sometimes you preach a sermon like this and people get this idea like every prodigal will come back they don't always come back In fact, the bible tells us that there is a sin unto death Some prodigals don't come back because god gets so fed up with waiting on them that he just kills them He just takes them home early Their life is such a waste their life is such a an embarrassment to the cause of christ that he just takes them home They don't always come back. But sometimes they come back and this prodigal came back Why don't you notice the repentance of the prodigal? In his repentance. We see a few things notice the conclusion he came to He he came to a realization I I love the story because it's like he comes to this point in his life where everything lines up His perspective is cleared up and he realizes something he he concludes something He came to a conclusion just like solomon when he gets to the end of the book of ecclesiastes And he says I realize now what life is about To fear the lord and to keep his commandments And here in luke 15 and verse 17 the bible says and when he the prodigal came to himself I love that phrase He came to himself You know, what's funny is that people often will say to me as a pastor whenever they're getting ready to go off and just say I just want to find myself And this is what the world teaches find yourself follow your heart do what you're let me tell you something your heart It's desperately wicked above all things Who can know it you don't know it People will say oh, I just want to find myself. I hope you never find yourself because when you find yourself you'll be disappointed He came to himself. I just want to find myself, you know, you should be looking for is jesus A fool have no delight in understanding but that his heart may discover itself and when your heart discovers itself You'll be sorely disappointed And when he came to himself we might put it this way he came to the end of his rope No more resources. Nothing else. No one else to call. No one else to borrow from nothing. No one else to help When he came to the end of himself, he had an epiphany. He had a realization He had uh, he he came to this, uh conclusion Let me tell you something not every prodigal comes back But I do believe that every prodigal if you're actually saved and you decide to get backslidden and go live a worldly life Every single prodigal comes to this point in their life When they come to the end of themselves you say what does that mean they come to a realization? What is the realization notice notice what the prodigal says he said? Here's his conclusion. Here's his realization. Here's the conclusion He came to he said how many hired servants of my father have bred enough and to spare and I perished with hunger He said i'm starving to death and the guys that work for my dad. They've got so much food They've got food to spare they throw away more food than i've got to eat now. He came to a conclusion What was the conclusion? It's the conclusion that every young person comes to that leaves a church like this that decides to go out and say What is it here's the conclusion it was better at my father's house Life is hard and sin is hard the way of the transgressor is hard It was better at my father's house That's the conclusion that every prodigal comes to whether pride will allow them to Act upon that conclusion is a different story But this prodigal realized something I had it better at my father's house It was better at my father's house When he came to himself, he said how many hired servants of my father have bred enough and to spare and I perished with this hunger I want you to notice In his repentance and by the way, did I mention this parable is not about salvation? The kid the kid's not getting saved he's already he's not becoming a son of the father He's already a father a son to the father He's not getting saved Salvation is believed on the lord jesus christ and thou shalt be saved What he's doing is he's getting right with god He's repenting. He says are you teaching he's repenting of his sins? Yes, but not for salvation He's already saved but you think god wants you to repent of your sins Not to be saved But he wants you to repent of your sins because your sins will hurt you and because he wants to have a relationship with you And he wants you to be right with him He comes to this conclusion That he needs to repent and I want you to notice With repentance not only comes this epiphany this conclusion that it was better before it was better at my father's house But with repentance comes a confession I want you to notice that the young man confesses Notice the direction of his confession. I often use this verse in counseling To teach people when i'm teaching people look you've been insane and you got to make things right you got to confess Notice the direction of a proper confession for some of you you should write this down. This will help your marriage It'll help you in life Luke 15 18 I will arise and go to my father and say unto him notice There are two parts to this confession. He says I have sinned against heaven You Say what is that referring to he's directing his confession to his heavenly father Because remember though the father represents the heavenly father in the parable in the parable. This is an earthly son with an earthly father And jesus is teaching us. Look when you confess you must first confess to god I have sinned against heaven, but that's not it number two and before the See his confession was to his heavenly father and his confession was to his earthly father When you and I get right we must not only confess to god, but we must confess to those that we have sinned against Against heaven and before thee We see this confession The the direction of his confession I want you to notice the contrite-ness of his spirit. Look at luke 15 and verse 19 He he he says I I gotta get right I gotta go home I I will arise and go to my father and I will say unto him father I have sinned against heaven and before thee Then he says in verse 19 and am no more worthy to be called thy son Notice the the the humiliation The humiliation that god allowed in his life was good because it led to a humility in his life He humbled himself He was contrite the word contrite means to a to be caused by or showing sincere remorse Filled with a sense of guilt and the desire for atonement to be penitent to want to make things right He says i'm no more worthy to be called thy son He said I i've humbled myself I'm humbling myself before god He says I am no more worthy to be called thy son and then I want you to notice these two little words He says make me As one of thy hired servants I want you to notice something about this prodigal Before his repentance While still in rebellion his request to his father was give me Give me the portion of the inheritance that falleth to me Give me what i'm asking for give me what I want. Don't restrict me. Don't restrain me Give me his attitude was give me now that he's been ruined by sin now that he's been Uh ready to get right with god now that he's repentant his attitude changes from give me to make me Make me as one of thy hired servants I was talking to my wife about this recently One of the things that's so frustrating about ministry Is you Is me It's it's dealing with people In some ways honestly in some ways and please don't take this the wrong way In some ways I understand why? False religion thrives because to be very honest with you My life would be a lot easier if I simply lived by christianity Like the catholics or the muslims or the false religions do because you can be a muslim and you tell people hey Look, we got these seven rules these seven pillars of islam We just need you to pray at a certain time in a certain direction We just need you to do this do this do that just do these seven things and once those are done Hey do whatever you want live however you want go be wherever you want We don't care as long as you do these seven things Then the imam can call himself a good imam and i've done my job the catholic priest says hey You know, just go to the confessional booth. Just make sure you get catechized just do these one little thing Then go do whatever you want Just show up for easter show up for christmas Do whatever else you want live however you want and as long as you do these certain things we've uh succeeded False religions can tell you the mormons or johovans do whatever you want as long as you do these few things We've just got these few rules just follow these few rules and you're good to go That's easier than what we do when we tell people get your heart, right? Amen We don't tell you follow this one rule and do this one rule then do whatever you want. No. No, we're concerned with the heart And that's so difficult because what i've learned is this What i've learned the hard way is this that as a pastor I cannot make you do anything What i've learned is that the problem in the lives of the average christian is not what they do Is not what they want It's not that they're asking they're asking god Give me this and give me this give me that but the problem is not that they what what they're doing The problem is who they are The reason that your marriage is in shambles the reason that your relationship with your wife or with your husband Is in shambles the reason you won't stop fighting is not because you're fighting about this or fighting about that It's because fighting is who you are You're the problem And what i've learned in ministry is that I can't make you I can't change you I can't I wish I could just download the word of god straight into your soul And into your mind and just make you be something different. But here's what i've learned. I can't make you you say who who can only god can And even god only can through the process of the prodigal Through the process of the prodigal God has to allow your pride to flare up so high And allow the famines and the storms in life and pull the rug out from under you and let you fall so far and so low That you will change your attitude From coming to god and say give me because isn't that how the average christian is that the average prayer life of the christian give me Give me a job. Give me card. Give me health. Give me this give me that Where's the christian that comes to god and says make me Make me as one of thy hired servants But I don't care what you give me. I I just want to I just want to be with you I just want to be restored. I just want a relationship with you. I don't care what you give me. I just want you to make me And that unfortunately Is not something that I can do And what i've learned Is that it's often only something that god can do through the process of the prodigal So before he would come to his father and he would say give me But now he comes to his father and he says make me I I wish some of you Would just decide Before you go out into the world To just come to god and say god, would you make me The husband I need to be You make me the wife that I need to be You make me the christian the servant the soul winner. Would you I don't want to just have this outward rules Well, I go to church on sunday morning and I show up on sunday night wednesday nights The pastor won't preach against me and I make sure I give one dollar for every ten dollars Look god doesn't care about your sacrifice and about your checklist. He wants your heart It says make me That's different than give me He comes to his father with a contrite spirit Why don't you notice the return of the prodigal? Look at verse 20 And he arose And came to his father You know, you can always come back There was a message for the prodigal out there here's a message for the prodigal you can always come back He arose and came to his father Notice what the bible says, but when he was yet a great way off Now the bible does not tell us how long the story does not tell us how long this prodigal was gone for I believe you could make the argument that he was gone for years Because of the fact that the elder son which we'll look at here in a minute When he got all upset that the prodigal returns he says i've served you all these years And I believe that he's referring to all the years that the prodigal had been gone So this kid's not like he's been gone for a couple of days or a couple of weeks He's probably been gone for several years And the bible tells us that when he was yet a great way off his father saw him Now it may be a coincidence that his father happened to be out there and saw his son returning after several years But I think that it's probably true and what jesus was trying to tell us is that the father is constantly looking The father was out there probably every day every day He's looking out there and I can imagine as people would travel into town. He might see dust Starting to uh go up in the air and it looks like someone's walking down the road and he can't really Make them out and he's just looking and looking and every day he's looking and looking and somebody gets calling. Oh, no, that's not my son And the next day some traveler will be coming down the road then maybe today maybe that's him and he no And every day and every day the father was out there waiting father was out there looking but on this day His son arose and kings was father But when he was yet a great way off his father saw him I believe the father was out there every day looking And had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him notice when the prodigal Please understand something the difference between the parable the prodigal and the parable the lost sheep and the lost coin Those have to do with salvation and in those stories the woman that lost the coin And the shepherd that lost the sheep They went out to search and to find the thing that was lost in this story because we're dealing with a backslidden christian The father did not did not go out and search So, what do you call that it's called tough love Some of you don't like that but let me tell you something many of you the reason that you've got a prodigal Is because you're an enabler Is because you're constantly there to bail them out you're constantly there to excuse their actions You're constantly there to go along with whatever stupid idea they've got The father said I love you and I will be here when you get back But i'm not going after you You make those decisions you'll live with them You can always come back But i'm not going for you I'm not going to go look for you But let me tell you something when the son arose and came to his father his father Ran to him and fell on his neck and kissed him You know what the bible says the bible says draw night of god and he'll draw night of you And he'll draw night of you He began to go in the direction of his father and his father began to go in the direction of his son The return of the prodigal Not every prodigal like I said comes home I do believe every particle comes to the end of themselves I am thankful that we've stayed my wife and I have stayed in the ministry and we've stayed here long enough To see prodigals go and prodigals come back Some of you here right now are prodigals who left and god brought you back I've seen prodigals go and die literally I won't give you the names or the details But my wife and I in this ministry have watched people who were right with god who were once sunday morning sunday night wednesday night Once soul winners and tithers and decide to get backslidden and run off with some guy and whatever and literally went to their funerals Because look god is not playing games I was just called this week this week this very week somebody called me Somebody used to come to church called me and asked the question. Can I come back to church? And the answer to that question is always yes Of course, you're always welcome back. You can always return. We'll always accept you We'll always love you if god has dealt in your heart and you're ready to come back The answer is always yes You can always come back And when you come back And you begin to take steps towards god When you begin to nigh draw nigh to god, I promise you that he will begin to draw nigh to you The father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him I want you to notice Not only did we see the rebellion of the prodigal and the riotous living of the prodigal the resource of the prodigal the ruin Of the prodigal the repentance of a prodigal the return of the product. I want you to notice Lastly this morning the restoration of the prodigal Luke 15 21 and the son said unto him father I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and are no more worthy to be called thy son He had practiced his confession He he had said i'm going to say these things to my father I'm going to tell him to make me as one of the hired servants But he doesn't even get to finish his confession his father Seemingly cuts him off in the middle of his confession in verse 22 The bible says but the father said unto his servant bring forth the best robe and put it on him And put a ring on his hands and shoes on his feet and bring hither the fatted cop and kill it and let us Eat and be married for this my son was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found and they began to be married The father forgives and rejoices Aren't you thankful that you can always come back Amen First john 1 9 says if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness That's not a salvation verse That's a prodigal son verse That's a get right with god verse If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins And to cleanse us from all unrighteousness by the way the father forgives so we should forgive Amen The father rejoices so we should rejoice When somebody comes back to church after they've been gone for a while, you should not treat them bad or mean you should rejoice Where you been Look what the cat dragged in, you know Hey the father rejoices and we should rejoice We should welcome them back with open arms Look at verse 25 I've got to finish this quickly the scene changes from the story of the prodigal We've been dealing with the story of the prodigal son For the next few verses we deal with the story of the prodigal son's brother look at verse 25 Now his elder son Remember the product comes home. The dad says hey put but put put put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet Give him the best robe and and slay the fatted calf and they began to sing and to make merry They began to have a party because the son had returned his prodigal son had returned In verse 25 now his elder son was in the field and as he came and drew nigh to the house He heard music and dancing and he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant And he said unto him thy brother is come and thy father has killed the fatted calf because he has received him safe and sound That is verse 28 And he was angry The elder son was angry And would not go in Therefore came his father out and entreated him You know what the prodigal son's brother teaches us It teaches us that it can be difficult for the ones who stayed faithful to rejoice when the prodigal returns You don't think it's difficult for the wife that stayed faithful While her husband Ran around and made a mess of life When he comes back you don't think it's difficult You don't think there's bitterness You don't think there's resentment For the parents who stayed faithful while their children went out Ruined their names ruined their testimony spent their Substance and rights as living you don't think Sometimes i'm just telling you look you say it's right if it's right or wrong or whatever, you know on wednesday night We'll look at some principles of stewardship and we'll talk about Uh, or maybe it's the next wednesday night after that We'll talk about forgiveness and how often we should forgive look I believe in forgiveness But jesus is highlighting something for us here that oftentimes when the prodigal returns it can be difficult for the ones who stayed faithful to rejoice He was angry and would not go in therefore came his father out and entreated him look at verse 29 And he answering said to his father lo These many years do I serve thee The prodigal son's brother is looking at the father saying i've been faithful all these years all these years that he's been out All these years that he's been breaking your heart all these years that he's been spending your substance with rights as living These many years do I serve thee neither transgressed I at any time thy commandments and yet thou never gavest me a kid That I might make merry with my friends But as soon as this thy son was come it's interesting You know out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and you can see the the the emotion in this young, uh, man's Heart, he doesn't even refer to him as his brother. He just says as soon as thy son was come Which has devoured thy living with harlots thou has killed for him the fatted calf See the prodigal son's brother teaches us that it can be difficult for the ones who stayed faithful to rejoice when the prodigal returns But the prodigal son's brother teaches us that those who have stayed faithful should rejoice when the prodigal returns You say why? Well, here's one reason And here's the reason that jesus highlights verse 31 And he the father Said unto him the eldest son The son who stayed faithful The son who's resentful Thou are ever with me Me He said you've been with me He said I I know you've been faithful I I know you stayed these many years Now we're ever with me. Hey, do you know that god knows? about your faithfulness You say no one else acknowledges it. Nobody else sees it. Nobody else parties They don't nobody part they party when the prodigal returns. They don't they don't party because i've been faithful But god knows you're faithful The father says to the son thou art ever with me And here here's the main point and all that I have is thine See remember the story begins with a father and his two sons And this younger son says to the father give me the portion of the inheritance that falleth to me Which forces the father to divide his living into two different inheritances gives one to the younger and And keeps the other with the understanding that everything that's left is yours son the younger goes off and waste his inheritance and riotous living his substance with harlots But the father reminds the elder son that thou are ever with me and all that I have is done Thine see the the father reminds his elder son that you have not lost your reward You have not lost your inheritance. You say why should those of us that have stayed faithful? Why should we welcome back the prodigal? Here's why because you've not lost your rewards And by the way, let me just say this to you prodigals Or to your future prodigals or for those of you devising plans to make your exit even as we speak You can always come back But let me make something clear Just because you come back does not mean you get back what you have lost You can come back You can always come back I'm gonna leave my wife and i'm gonna go out and live right just live it I'm gonna leave my children behind i'm just gonna go do whatever I want. Hey, go for it Let god humble you let god humiliate you when you're ready to get back. We will be here You can always come back but listen to me just because you come back does not mean you get back the years you squandered You don't get your children's childhood back You don't get that first marriage back You don't get your health back You don't get the years back You can always come back But what we learn from the story of the prodigal son's brother is that just because you come back does not mean you get back the inheritance See the son could come back and they put a robe on him and they give him his room back They gave him shoes. They gave him clothes, but his inheritance was gone And What the father says to the son that saint faithful was this thou are ever with me and all that I have is thine Everything that your brother was having is gone. It's wasted and he's not getting it back You've kept your inheritance you've kept your reward so because of that son we should rejoice Verse 32 it was meat The word meat means suitable. It means it was right It was me that we should make merry and be glad for thy brother was dead and is alive again and was was and is See the story of the prodigal son is this you can always come back but you know, what's better Than coming back Is never leaving Because though you can come back that does not mean you can get back the years you've lost The relationships you've ruined The health you've wasted the resource you've wasted your children's childhood your marriage You can always come back But it'd be better If you just never left Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer Heavenly father Lord we thank you For the story of the prodigal Lord I pray that you would Help us to learn it Or make these teachings clear to us Lord I pray that you would Help us to Learn and understand this Lord if there's if there's a young person here That is thinking of leaving thinking of rebelling Lord if there's an old person here That's thinking of leaving thinking of rebelling Lord I pray you'd move in their hearts I pray you'd help them to know that if they go they can always come back But if they go They won't necessarily get back What they have lost So just be better if they stayed It'd be better if they just submitted under the authority of the father under the accountability of the father's house And just served god with their lives The matchless name of christ we pray amen I'm gonna ask brother matt if it's okay if I if I lead a song if that's all right I'm gonna change your guys's song. I don't have my my my song book doesn't have the the songs But could you find the the song for me lord? I'm coming home. I'd like for us to sing that song this morning I think it's fitting with the sermon. I don't I don't have the the numbers. I don't know if somebody could 71 Thank you very much 271. Thank you very much This stinking hymn book doesn't have the the numbers 271. Could we sing that together? Let's let's let's let's sing it let's think it's a little slow if that's okay just just with some purpose I've wandered far away from god Now i'm coming home The path of sin too long. I've trod Lord i'm coming home. Let's go ahead and sing this while we prepare for baptism this morning 271 on the first i've wandered far Away from god Far away from god Now i'm coming home The path of sin too long Lord i'm coming home Sing it out Oh Oh Notice notice the second stanza does this remind you of the prodigal i've wasted many a precious years Now i'm coming home I now repent with bitter tears Lord i'm coming home. Let's sing it out 271 on the second Sing it out together. I've wasted many precious Better Coming Oh Love Oh brother matt brother matt would you mind come up leave the third and the fourth stanza 271 The third of the fourth stanza as we prepare for baptism sing it out on the third while brother matt comes. I've Oh Oh All right, well this morning we have liliana coming for baptism liliana perez and liliana Have you accepted the lord jesus christ as your personal savior? All right, liliana by your profession of faith. I baptized you my sister in the name of the father and of the son And of the holy ghost buried in the likeness of his death raised to walk in newness of life All right, well, thank you very much for being here this morning I do want to encourage you to be back tonight 6 p.m And this morning we looked at we studied the story of the prodigal son, which is probably the most famous Parable in the bible tonight we're going to look at the parable of the unjust steward, which is probably the most Controversial parable in the bible. So I want to encourage you to be back as we take another opportunity to study God's word together if there's anything we do for you, please let us know Don't forget that in the foyer in the main foyer We've got sign-up sheets for cornbread and dessert for the harvest party And of course, we'd love for you to come back tonight 6 p.m And then I want to encourage you next week to bring somebody with you Invite somebody to church with you bring a friend a co-worker a neighbor As we continue our journey with the lord jesus christ, if there's anything to do for you Please let us know brother matt. Would you mind dismissing us for the word of prayer? Let's pray heavily father we thank you for the word that was preached to us this morning lord I pray that you would work in our hearts and our minds throughout this day Uh, please bring us back to church safely tonight and be with the soul winners that go out as well in just name we pray Amen So So