Weekly Sermon
 
Introduction:
 
     A.  Departing from the Father
 
           1.  To pursue the way of self
 
          Luke 15:11-12 – “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 falleth to me.  And he divided unto them his living.”
 
           2.  To pursue the way of the world
 
          Luke 15:13 – “And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.”
 
           3.  To pursue the way of sin
 
          Luke 15:13 – “And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.”
 
     B.  Reaping What Is Sown
 
     Hebrews 11:25 – “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.”
 
     Galatians 6:7-8 – “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
 
     James 1:15 – “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”
                                                                                      
           1.  No pleasure
 
          Luke 15:14 – “And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.”
 
           2.  No provision
 
          Luke 15:15-16 – “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.”

           3.  No help
 
          Luke 15:15-16 – “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.”
 

I.     He Came to Himself – Realizing that it was better to be WITH the father.
 
Luke 15:17 – “And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!”
 

II.    He Recognized His Sin.
 
       A.  I have sinned.
 
       Luke 15:18 – “I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee.”
 
       B.  I am not worthy.
 
       Luke 15:19 – “And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.”
 
       C.  I will serve.
 
       Luke 15:19 – “And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.”
 

III.  He Returned to the Father. – Draw night to God with a broken heart, and He will draw night to you.
 
Luke 15;20 – “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.”
 
James 4:8-9 – “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.  Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.”
 

IV.  He Confessed His Sin.
 
       A.  No excusing himself
 
       Luke 15:21 – “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.”
 
       B.  No trivializing his sin
 
       Luke 15:21 – “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.”
 
       C.  No shifting of blame
 

​V.   He Was Restored by the Father.
 
       A.  Restored to peace
 
       Luke 15:22 – “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.”
 
       B.  Restored to blessing
 
       Luke 15:23 – “And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry.”
 
       C.  Restored to fellowship
 
       Luke 15:24 – “For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.”

​Posted in Weekly Sermon, Luke, Repentance of Sin, Forgiveness of Sin, Spiritual Revival

Please share this post with others:

Weekly Sermon

James 2:5 reads, “Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?”

James 2:5 indicate that those from the poor class in relation to this world who place their trust in Christ as Savior are chosen by God to be rich in relation to His kingdom.  Regardless of their poor status in the realm of this world, they possess an abundantly rich status in the realm of faith.  Indeed, every one of us who are the children of God through faith in Christ are spiritually rich in the realm of faith.  These spiritual riches may be considered from two perspectives.  First, we may consider our spiritual riches in the realm of faith in relation to our eternal salvation.  Second, we may consider our spiritual riches in the realm of faith in relation to our daily walk.  So then, in this first part of the message, let us consider the first of these truths.

Thought from Meditation
(This thought is a companion to a previous thought:  When We commit Sin)

When we confess our sins unto the Lord our God
with a broken and contrite heart of repentance,
He forgives us of our sin's wicked offense against Him;
He removes the fire of His anger and the heaviness of His chastening from us;
He cleanses our soul thoroughly of our sin's disgusting filthiness,
so that our soul is made perfectly pure and white;
He works to renew the spirit of our mind and to transform the character of our heart
from spiritual corruption unto His righteousness;
He frees our heart from the influence of our flesh and the devil,
so that we might follow after the influence of His Spirit and His Word;
and He sows the seeds of His abundant grace in our lives,
to choke out the seeds of destruction that we have sown by our sinfulness.

Outlines in Psalms

This outline is a companion to three previous outlines:  And Forget Not All His Benefits - Psalm 103:1-5     
                                                                                       Bless the Lord, O My Soul - Psalm 103:1-2, 20-22     
                                                                                       Bless His Holy Name - Psalm 103    

The two themes that tie this central portion of Psalm 103 together are as follows:  (1) the mercy of the Lord that He displays toward us, and (2) the fear of the Lord that we are to maintain toward Him.

Psalm 103:8 – “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.”

Psalm 103:11 – “For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.”

Psalm 103:13 – “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.”

Psalm 103:17 – “But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children.”

Meditations in Jeremiah

In Jeremiah 30:10-11 the Lord our God proclaimed unto His people Israel, “Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid.  For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.”

Although the Lord our God made promise to His people that He would never completely disown them and forsake them, but that He would eventually deliver them and restore them, yet He indicated that He certainly would correct them “in measure” and would not leave them “altogether unpunished.”  Even so, in Hebrews 12:5-8 God’s Word declares unto us New Testament believers, “And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.”

Outlines in Psalms

Psalm 103:1-2 reads, “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits [the benefits of spiritual revival]:”

  I.  He Remits (Forgives) All the Guilt of Our Iniquities. (Psalm 103:3a)
 II.  He Removes the Affliction of His Chastening Hand. (Psalm 103:3b)
III.  He Redeems Our Lives from Our Sin’s Destructiveness. (Psalm 103:4a)
IV.  He Restores Our Walk to His Blessed Fellowship. (Psalm 103:4b)
 V.  He Renews Our Souls in Abundant Spiritual Life. (Psalm 103:5)

Outlines in Psalms

Psalm 30:5 reads, “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”  Only as we walk in the favor of our Lord's fellowship can we experience and enjoy the abundant Christian life.  Therefore, it is important that we not walk in self-confidence; for the Lord our God "resisteth the proud, but giveth grace [favor] unto the humble." (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5; Proverbs 3:34; Psalm 138:6)

Outlines in Psalms

The Holy Spirit inspired introduction to Psalm 30 reads, “A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David.”  Then the opening portion of Psalm 30:1 begins, “I will extol thee, O LORD.”  For what then did David extol the Lord through this psalm?

Meditations in Jeremiah

Due to Jeremiah’s proclamation of God’s fierce wrath and fiery judgment against His people for their sinfulness, Jeremiah was greatly persecuted through both verbal and physical attacks by God’s own, rebellious people.  Such persecution motivated Jeremiah to express his burden of prayer in Jeremiah 15:15 for deliverance, saying, “O LORD, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.”  Furthermore, in Jeremiah 15:16 Jeremiah expressed his commitment to and delight in the truth of God’s Word, saying, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.” 

Yet in Jeremiah 15:17-18 Jeremiah expressed his attitude of discouragement at the tribulation and doubt in the Lord, saying, “I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.  Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed?  Wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?”  Indeed, Jeremiah began to accuse the Lord of unrighteousness and unfaithfulness.  Yea, he directly accused the Lord of being “altogether” unto him “as a liar.”  Although Jeremiah had a commitment of heart toward the Lord, his growing doubt in the Lord was corrupting that commitment. So then, how did the Lord our God respond unto Jeremiah’s prayer for deliverance and accusation of doubt?

Meditations in Jeremiah

This meditation is a companion to one that was presented previously from this passage:
        We Acknowledge Our Wickedness - Jeremiah 14:7-9, 20-22

The message of Jeremiah the prophet primarily proclaims our Lord’s rebuke against the sin of His people and pronounces our Lord’s judgment against His people for their sin.  Yet in Jeremiah 14:7-9, 20-22 we find an expression of humble repentance.  Even so, this passage reveals the ingredients of true, Biblical repentance before the Lord our God. 

In the previous meditation on this passage (found here), we considered that such repentance begins when we acknowledge five things: (1) Our sinful behavior; (2) Our self-willed departure; (3) Our stubborn rebellion; (4) Our spiritual guiltiness; and (5) Our singular hope.  In this meditation, we shall consider four further ingredients of true, Biblical repentance, each concerning our relationship to the Lord our God as our singular Hope: