Quote from Forum Archives on January 26, 2017, 3:23 pm

Posted by: pastorbob <pastorbob@...>

I have a ways to go on this….and need to narrow the focus…...any illustrations, ideas or wisdom?    Thanks

 

Brokenness is the beginning of New Life.  Killing Death

How Death Dies.

 

Luke 15:11-24  "And he said, "There was a man who had two sons.  And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.' And he divided his property between them.  Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.  And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.  So he went and hired himself out to* one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.  And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.  "But when her came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!  I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants."'  And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.  And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.  And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.  For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to celebrate."   ESV

 

We are a hard people.

 

We are hardened inside our own shell and it is HARD for anyone to work their way into our shell.

 

We are prideful and arrogant.

We want our way on our time.

We are going to do what we want to do reguardless of who it hurts, even if it is us that is hurt the most.

 

We will often "stick to our guns" or ride our habits all the way down the proverbial drain, all the way to rock bottom.

 

1. We will leave God, leave His church and leave our relationships with God and His church behind because of some personal reason.
1. The pastor didn't shake my hand
2. My SS teacher was late
3. This person said something I thought was mean
4. I didn't like this sermon or that song
2. We allow our sin to separate us from God as we seek to fulfill the desires of our flesh
1. We don't see the need to serve God or follow His Word
2. We want to go "enjoy life"
3. We think our life is all about us
3. We need to remember that, much like the Prodigal Brother, we do not have to physically leave to have separation from the Father
1. Staying put/attending church IS NOT ENOUGH
2. Serving the father/Serving God IS NOT ENOUGH
3. Knowing our inheritance is secure IS NOT ENOUGH

                                                  i.      NOTHING IS ENOUGH without LOVE

                                                ii.      1 Corinthians 13

4. We so desperately need to come to the end of ourselves
1. Subdue the flesh
2. Break the hardness of our hearts
3. Yield it all to God
5. We call this brokenness
1. It begins by God revealing to us that we are spiritually broken

                                                  i.      Wisdom and understanding where we really stand in GODS VIEW not ours or the worlds view.

2. In our text the Prodigal Son comes to this understanding at his lowest point of life

                                                  i.      From the son of the Wealthy Landowner

                                                ii.      To the filth of the pig lot

1. Lonely
2. Hungry
3. Broken
2. Luke 15:17-19 "But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!  I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants." ESV

                                                  i.      "But When he came to himself"

1. He woke up
2. He figured out that HIS PLAN WAS NOT WORKING
3. God showed him the status of his soul
1. It was filthy
2. It was hurting
3. It was hungering for God
5. Maybe he expected people to take care of him like his dad did
1. But he had put mush separation between him and his father
2. He was finding out that no one loved him like his family
6. Maybe he figured that all the friends he made when his money was so freely flowing would take care of him
1. But parasites leave when the host is drained
7. Whatever he thought he finally figured out that he had messed up and CHANGE WAS REQUIRED
1. We come to the end of ourselves
2. We see who we really are and what is happening to us because of our choices
3. I will go back to my daddy's farm
4. I will sign on as a hired hand
5. At least I will eat well and have shelter
6. At least life will be better

                                                  i.      He RETURNED to his father

                                                ii.      Biblically we call this REPENTANCE

1. We are given the wisdom to see our way is not working
2. The Holy Spirit shows us that we are heading in the wrong direction
3. God's Word shows us how God sees us
4. We CHANGE OUR DIRECTION
1. 180 degrees
2. We stop going our way and RETURN TO OUR FATHER

                                                                                                                          i.      Trusting He will make it better

9. What we find amazes us
1. He has been waiting for our return
2. He embraces us deep in His arms
3. He restores our position as His Child
4. There is celebration

                                                  i.      Luke 15:10 "Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents."   ESV

5. We find that our Father loves us

                                                  i.      If we repent He forgives us

                                                ii.      If we repent He restores us

                                              iii.      If we repent He saves us

10. Yes, we find out that we were dead
1. Dead in our sins
2. Lost from the Father
11. But, we find out that there is a death that is not permanent
1. There is a death that we can recover from
2. There is a death that can die

                                                  i.      Killed by ETERNAL LIFE

                                                ii.      Resurrection

3. Failure does not need to be fatal
4. You can be BORN AGAIN
5. John 3:4-7 "Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."   ESV
11. Where do you stand with God?
1. Are you running away?
2. Are you in His house but so far away?
3. Have you "Come to yourself?"

                                                  i.      Figured out your need for God?

                                                ii.      Matthew 5:3 "God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs."   NLT

13. Break out of yourself
1. Repent of your sins
2. Return to God
3. Receive the blessing of repentance

 

--
To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: pastormail-unsubscribe@welovegod.org