Skip to main content

The Story of The Prodigal Son (Deliverance from Sin) - Homily

Text: Luke 15:12-32

I. What Sin Is

A. Sin is Selfish Desire (Luke 15:12)
- "My" "mine" - "I" elongated
- A desire for independence from the authority and rule of God
- A desire to enjoy life in one's own way

B. Sin is Going Far Away From God (Luke 15:13)
- You become separated from Him
- You are away from His protection, love, counsel, provision
- You are away from His discipline and control

C. Sin is Wastage and Wrong Use of God's Gifts (Luke 15:13)
- It is using God's gifts to displease Him /or in a way that displeases Him
- It is using God's gifts in a way that doesn't glorify Him
- It is using God's gifts in a way that would defame Him
- It is using God's gifts for impermanent goals/pleasures

II. What Sin Does

Famine Reveals Your Condition; Hope, Severity

A. Sin Sucks Out the Sap of Your Life (Like Madagascar Tree, Octopus)
- It robs you of your physical health
- It confuses your intellect and debases your reasoning ability
- It disturbs you emotionally: guilt, loneliness, frustration...
- It drains you spiritually - Godless life is a lifeless life

B. Sin Makes/Turns You Into A Destitute
A poor man has at least something; a destitute has nothing
"What shall a man profit if he gains the whole world but loses his own soul?"
- A moral destitute
- A spiritual destitute
- An eternal destitute
- Truthlessness, Hopelessness, Affectionless, Powerlessness, Godlessness, Joylessness
- No Home, No Money, Torn Rags, No Food, No Friend

C. Sin Makes You Serve The Thing You Hate - "Uncleanness" - And Gives You Nothing In Return - Only Husks
- A labor that costs you everything but profits nothing
- You can get no sympathy from the swine you serve
- It will kill you - and you are already dead (Rom.6:21)
- Why such labor: Eccl. 2:1-11; 12:1-7; 11:9
-Evil ensnares: Prov.5:22; Gen.4:7; Jn.8:34; Ro.6:13-16; 2Pet. 2:19,24

III. What You Must Do

A. Realize - Come to Your Senses (Luke 15:17) 
- That you still have everything in your Father
- That you do not need to remain here

B. Resolve (Luke 15:18)
- To get out of all this
- To go back to your Father

C. Repent (Luke 15:19)
- Repentance is an action - action of turning your back to sin and your face to God
- Repentance out of a broken heart must express itself in confession of what you are
- Repentance means you do not demand but commit yourself to God's mercy and grace - you are not worthy (Luke 15:21)

IV. What God Does For You

A. He Accepts You As You Are (Luke 15:20)
B. He Restores You and Makes You a King (Luke 15:22)
C. He Celebrates And Is Merry At Your Coming (Luke 15:23-24)

CONCLUSION

- You do not need to keep wandering as a destitute because your Father is waiting for you.
- Come home, O sinner come home! His arms and His house are open for you.
Ill: A boy left his home --After may years wanted to come back-- "I'll come by train. If you want me back, tie a red cloth to a tree..." When he passed thru, he saw red cloths in every tree.."Come back!"

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Rocketing Prices Make Vegetables and Fruits a Luxury in India

Prices of agro-products soar higher in India, making fruits and vegetables almost a luxury. The Times of India reports: "The price of almost every vegetables except onion and potato has gone up to 25 to 30 per cent in the wholesale market and retail price staggering up to 45 to 50 per cent. A random market survey revealed an increase in the price of spinach to Rs 40-45 from Rs 10-15 kg a few days back. "The price of tomato has gone up to Rs 55-60 from Rs 40 a kg and capsicum to Rs 60-80 from Rs 40 per kg at the start of this month. The price of onion has gone up to Rs 20 from Rs 15-18 per kg but still remained steady in the market. "Variation between the wholesale prices and retail prices is staggering between 25%-30%." (Lucknow: July 17, 2009). Lauki (bottle gourd) went from being Rs. 7-10 per kg to Rs. 40 per kg. The price of lentils has shot up to Rs. 85 per kg from Rs. 40-45 per kg. The saying "dal bhat ab ameeron ka khana hei" (lentils and rice are n...
1 comment
Read more

Poll Results: Are all Mission Fields Harvest Fields?

On Monday, April 30, I started a poll on the following question: Jesus said: "The fields are ripe for harvest... I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor." (Jn 4:35,38) DOES IT APPLY 2 NON-JUDEO LANDS AS WELL? They don't need preparation and sowing? Rather, they are as equally ripe for harvest as Judea-Samaria was because of previous labor by somebody (local indigenous religions and prophets!)? A total of 18 votes were cast with the following main results: YES = 9 I believe it wherever the gospel is preached and people respond. = 5 NO = 1 I'M NOT SURE = 0 One Scholar responded saying: "I think God's Spirit is at work with all people all the time through various way, and sundry ways as Hebrews says. hence they are ready for harvest... but the church is too slow to go." A Pastor responded saying: "I do believe that even in the remotest areas, the fields are alread...
1 comment
Read more

Omniscience

Omniscience is an article of faith among people across various faiths that hold faith in the Supreme God. Omniscience baffles reason. How can God know all things beyond time: things that were, things that are, and things that will be? I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and [I know] the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but [are] a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw [some] of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Rev 2:9-10) The biggest challenge comes in the form of the objection: 1. Knowledge is cognizance of something that exists. 2. The future doesn’t exist yet. 3. Therefore, one cannot know the future. There have been various reactions to this and attempts to try to explain omniscience of future events. Some subscribing to the eternalist theory...
Post a Comment
Read more