Is Today Your Day?

One Sunday morning, a man named Bob walks into church for the first time in, oh, about 20 years. He’s feeling inspired, ready to turn over a new leaf, and is practically glowing as he takes a seat. But as soon as he sits down, he notices that he’s seated in the quietest section of the church. Everyone around him looks straight-faced, not a whisper, not a smile.

The service starts, and Bob is so moved by the sermon that he shouts, “AMEN!” Half the congregation whips their heads around to stare at him, like he just swore in front of their grandmas. A few people glare, a few shuffle uncomfortably.

But Bob doesn’t care—he’s on fire! A little while later, the preacher makes a point, and Bob shouts, “Hallelujah!” Another round of shocked looks, and someone in the row behind him mutters, “Does this guy think he’s at a football game?”

When the sermon wraps up, the preacher asks the congregation to pray, and Bob shouts, “Praise the Lord!” That’s it—the church deacon finally walks over, leans down, and says, “Sir, you can’t just yell out like that.”

Bob says, “But I’ve got the Holy Spirit!”

The deacon nods politely and whispers, “Well, you didn’t get it here. So keep it down!”

Historical/Cultural Context -

This book was written around A.D. 64. More than likely it was written in Rome while Paul was awaiting his trial and subsequent execution. Luke the physician is the author of this book and it was written, like the books of Acts, to Theophilus who was a gentile believer and more broadly to the entire church. This is the third Gospel in what we refer to as the synoptic gospels which include Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

Biblical Text -

Luke 15:11–32 NKJV

Then 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 falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’ “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still 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 to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here 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 older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’ “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”

-[Prayer]-

Life Principle - Today May Be Your Divine Appointment To Come Back To God, Coming To Your Senses With A Time Of Rejoicing.

Life Point- Is Today Your Divine Appointment?

Exegetical -

Luke 15:11–16 BSB

Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. The younger son said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent all he had, a severe famine swept through that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him a thing.

Homiletical -

There are a lot of ways to preach this parable. I would like to take into account the social aspect of the culture and do exposition, meaning to let the Word speak for itself.

This is a really well known passage of scripture and it will be familiar to some of you like an old pair of sweat pants. However, I would like for you to get beyond what you know and look to what Christ is trying to get across to you today.

First we are told that there are 2 sons and younger wants his estate now rather than waiting for the father to give it to him as an inheritance. This right here shows the selfishness and self-centeredness of the younger son. This was considered extremely rude at the time, it not only went against conventional norms but it was against honor. This starts out with a less than honorable situation.

Rather than honoring his father with his new gotten wealth he went to a far off country and spent it all. This would have added insult to injury to the father and the family. He already brought shame to the household but now he compacts that shame by leaving and living in sin.

He spends all he had and he starts to live what I would call a middle class lifestyle. Then an economic tragedy happens, which we can relate to thanks to hyper inflation, and he finds himself not only poor but willing to go one step further into his dishonor and starts a job feeding pigs.

Now you must understand the culture. It was anathema, meaning extremely dishonorable to mess with pigs. They were seen as dirty and unclean animals to the Judaistic religious law at the time.

Now he is so hungry he is willing to eat the pig slop. Pig slop is not something a human should be consuming. It is whatever is left over in a water base and is frankly gross. Yet he is that hungry.

You have probably heard of people that were so hungry that they would eat cat food, well this goes well beyond that.

Let’s sum this up shall we?

Here we have a guy who was living the Jewish cultural lifestyle, who one day was found to be selfish and self-centered. He breaks the commandment to honor his father and mother, goes on a sin spree where he indulges his selfish flesh fit, finds himself at rock bottom messing with pigs which were unclean and frankly to do what he was doing was sin in the Old Testament when it comes to those pigs.

It’s almost like someone who is raised in church, kept going to church and for whatever reason leaves the church and starts getting further and further away from God and selfish living.

I used to know a guy who when I would visit it was all about who he lead to the Lord that week and who he witnessed to, then he got mad over something. It may have been a sprinkler head or something and stopped going to church. Then whenever I would visit him I noticed he stopped talking about Jesus and what God had done with him and started talking about all his new toys he has bought. A camper, a pool conversion, swords, and a whole plethora of stuff.

His life had become stuff focused.

Maybe you are here and church has just become something you do and you are no longer Jesus centered but something else centered these days. Maybe it’s your stuff, maybe your obsessed with you spouse or children, whatever it is that has taken Jesus out of the center of your life. You need to be honest and do an honest examination.

Whether you are here or you are listening online it doesn’t matter, today is the day of your divine appointment with God. Will you listen?

Life Point - Have You Started To Come To Your Senses?

Exegetical -

Luke 15:17–24 BSB

Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food? But here I am, starving to death! I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.

Homiletical -

The scripture says that he came to himself. There was a point where he finally realized what he was doing wasn’t right. It wasn’t good and he was now suffering the consequences of his own actions.

Probably in a moment of longing he realized that his father treated his servants, which is better translated as slave, better than he was being treated and wanted to go home to just be a slave. To be completely controlled by another. To willingly become a slave. To no longer being seen as son, with all the privileges that entails. But to be a slave only.

Folks we are all slaves of Christ or slaves of sin. You choose.

Romans 6:16 BSB

Do you not know that when you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey, whether you are slaves to sin leading to death, or to obedience leading to righteousness?

Notice that when he came to himself he says he sinned against heaven first and then to his father. Ultimately all sin is against God first and then to the person or persons you have harmed.

He gets up and not only mentally comes to a decision, he actually humbled himself and put action with it. A decision is not a decision unless it if followed by action. I can make a mental decision all day long that I am going to put money in the stock market, but until I put my money where my mouth is, there is no real decision.

Folks if you have been afar off in another country, as it were, and you have decided that you are going to repent before God and start to serve Him again you actually have to pray that prayer and make it public and start serving Him again. Whether that’s by going back to church or if you’re in a church and just going through the motions, then it may be finding a ministry that needs to be done and actually do it.

Someone could be saying, but pastor I am older now and I have put in my time and I can’t do like I used to do. Then find something you can do, even it is simply intercessory prayer. We need prayer.

So what is the father’s response? He says to go and bring the fatted calf and let’s make merry for my son whom was dead is alive again. He was lost and now is found. That is what you can expect from God’s church. Not a condemnation, but a rejoicing that you are back serving God. Frankly, any church who doesn’t rejoice at the returning of people to the Lord needs to repent before God and get their heads out of their self-righteous rear ends.

So what should you do if you find yourself in this kind of situation? If you know your old church won’t accept you back, find a church that will.

Illustration -

Here we see a father who, despite his son’s waywardness, is overjoyed to receive him back. Imagine having a family gathering where everyone, even the relatives who were initially awkward with each other, comes together to laugh and enjoy each other’s company. That’s the essence of church—accepting everyone back with joy and love, regardless of their past!

I would dare say that most of my family get-togethers are like this. Especially Thanksgiving. It is initially awkward but we all end up laughing about something.

Life Point - Coming Back To God Brings Rejoicing

Exegetical -

Luke 15:25–32 BSB

Meanwhile the older son was in the field, and as he approached the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what was going on. ‘Your brother has returned,’ he said, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.’ The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look, all these years I have served you and never disobeyed a commandment of yours. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ ‘Son, you are always with me,’ the father said, ‘and all that is mine is yours. But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Homiletical -

Now notice this, the brother was left out in the field to handle the work while a party is going on. He is coming home, he is tired from the work and now this is happening. His rotten brother has come home and gets everything while he gets nothing. That’s his attitude.

So he was mad and wouldn’t go in. He was mad at his brother, his father and the entire situation. He is upset that he had stayed and there was no rejoicing for him. Notice he was so mad that he didn’t even call him his brother, he looked at his dad and called him “your son.” That’s pretty mad alright.

The father corrects his eldest son and reminds him that all that is his belongs to the eldest already. He also reminds him that he is his brother and that he was dead and is alive again. he was lost and is found again. So rejoicing is the best possible thing to be done in this situation.

You think that cut to the heart of the eldest? I do. I think it cut him pretty good.

What do you do church when a sinner comes to God for the first time? You rejoice. How about when someone comes back to God? Are you resentful, mad, upset. Do you maybe indulge in the sin of gossip?

Let it never be said of this church that anyone coming back to God is gossiped about. Let it to be continually said that we welcome all-comers with open arms, love, and joy.

Life Principle– Today May Be Your Divine Appointment To Come Back To God, Coming To Your Senses With A Time Of Rejoicing.

Call to Action – altar call….