When a Man Comes to Himself

Luke 15:11–32

Introduction

Men, I want to say on the part of the Mt Zion Baptist Men’s family we appreciate you coming this morning and allowing our participation over these last few months. We have received the blessing.

I want to thank our men for preparing the breakfast this morning.

I always find it interesting how when we come together as men we find quickly how much we have in common, how many of the same people we know, friends we share and the bonds grow pretty quickly.

I heard a story about a farmer here in Alabama who had a mule that fell into an old well. The mule was alive, but he was stuck and they could not figure out any apparent way to get the mule out of the well.

The farmer looked down into the well, he scratched his head in frustration, puzzled, and then he begin to recruit his rural friends like many of you today that are here.

Well, with all his friends gathered, they were all fidgeting or hands in pockets and they were all good supervisors but just biding their time because they could not find an apparent answer.

One man piped up and said what everyone else knew to be said, “the mule is old and the well needs filling anyway.”

So, they all grabbed shovels and started throwing dirt in the well.

At first, the mule panicked, but then something very interesting happened. Every time the dirt hit his back...he shook it off. And guess what, he stepped up on the new mound of dirt. Dirt...shake...step up, Dirt...shake...step up.

Until eventually the mule stepped right out of the well.

What is the moral to the story?

The mule was not delivered in one big moment...he was delivered one step at a time.

And men, that’s how most of us come home to our Heavenly Father. Not in one big leap, but in one important decision.

And that is exactly what Jesus is talking about with us this morning as I share the story of the Prodigal Son found in Luke 15.

For any of you that brought your bible or have your bible on your phone look up Luke 15:11-32.

Or, listen as I share from God’s Word

Luke 15:11–32 NKJV

11 Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. 12 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. 13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. 17 “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! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’ 20 “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. 21 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.’ 22 “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. 23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry. 25 “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 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.’ 28 “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 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. 30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ 31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32 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.’ ”

This morning rather than calling it the story of the Prodigal Son, let’s call it the story of the Perfect Father. It’s a story of every man who has ever had to find his way home.

Let’s pray.

1. Every Man Has a Far Country

Luke 15:13 “13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.”

In biblical times you did not receive the inheritance until your father was dead. This request was highly disrespectful.

Inheritance-2/3 older son, 1/3 younger son

“The son was basically wanting his dad dead.”

Notice the Father allowed him to leave. We know the Father in this story represents God and we can find ourselves at times in both places in the Younger son and the older son. God does not force His hand upon us. He wants us to love Him freely.

No one forced the young man to leave, he simply left on his own. He left because he wanted to. And...that’s the heart of sin.

He did not leave out of weakness, He was willful in his decision.

He basically said to his dad, “dad, I want your stuff, but I don’t want you.”

And men, if we were all to peel back and open up this morning we would all agree we have traveled to a far country.

Now let’s understand something clearly, your far country and my far country may not look the same, but we all have made the journey.

For some men:

Wild living. The scripture states he participated in prodigal living. His lifestyle was reckless, uncontrolled indulgence, wine, women and song, wasteful spending, drunkenness, and immoral behavior.

Quiet Drifting.

Some men walk away from the church...it doesn’t happen intentionally, but you allow other things to take priority and then it becomes willful. Men walk away from their families. Men can walk away from their convictions. And ultimately it means....walking away from God.

And you know what’s so interesting, the far country always looks better on the brochure. Isn’t it interesting that when we wander there we think it represents freedom, but in reality its bondage.

V. 14 “He began to be in want...”

He had friends as long as he had money, he had women as long as he had money, he had supposed fun as long as he had money, “but he said he began to be in want.

Where were the friends? Where were the women? What happened to the song?

Isn’t that always the way it happens?

Sin will take you further than you want to go...keep you longer than you want to stay...and cost you more than you want to pay.

And men listen, you do not have to live in Las Vegas to be in a far country.

You can be sitting in church...and still be a million miles from the Lord.

Us men are interesting creatures to say the least. Us men....we are just stubborn. Women will stop and ask for directions, but our pride will not allow us to do so, we’ll drive 45 minutes in the wrong direction before we will admit we are lost.

There something deep within us that doesn’t want to admit we have messed up.

And that brings us to the turning point in this wonderful story.

2. Every Man Has a Moment of Awakening

V. 17 “But when He came to himself”

This is the most pivotal phrase in this story and we have to ask ourselves, what made him come to himself? Dearly beloved, this morning when you experience that moment of sobriety to your estate and God has arrested you and convicted you of your pitiful estate, God is at work. The Holy Spirit is speaking to you.

Last month, when Jimmy shared with us about his journey of addiction, he shared of one of those arresting times that the Holy Spirit made it clear He needed to make a change.

He came to himself. Something allowed him to stop and really take an inventory of his surroundings, his conditions. This was a fine Jewish young man that was reared with a godly father and he had left everything and his end result is that he is working for a pig farmer, working with pigs and would be thankful to even eat the pods the pigs were eating.

Oh listen, the scripture doesn’t say that he came to church or to religion first, he came to himself. He had a moment of honesty.

And men, most of us know that moment, that moment can hit in a deer stand or on the golf course or out fishing, it can happen on a dirt road, or plowing on a dirt field or bush hogging, it can happen sitting in your truck or lying awake at night.

When suddenly you realize “this is not who I’m supposed to be.”

He said, “I will arise and go to my father.”

Now, let’s not miss this important detail. He didn’t fix himself up first. He didn’t clean himself up first. He simply turned around.

And men, that is what repentance is: That change of direction, that 180 degree change.

Oh listen, repentance is not perfection, its direction, its deciding that what I’m doing is not working and I’m going home, home to be with the Lord.

Let’s be real this morning. There are many of you very successful. You’ve built a business, provided for your family, and you honestly have worked very hard.

But if you were totally honest with yourself this morning, something in side you knows you are not where you need to be with God.

Oh yes, you may be a good man and many men in here were attest that “oh yes, he’s a good man.” But listen, no one knows you like you except the Lord and you know in that while you may be a good man, you are not a saved man.

You may be a respected man this morning, but you know you are not a surrendered man to God’s will for you life.

May I share some good news, some gospel news. You are one decision away from home.

3. Every Man Needs a Father’s Grace

Luke 15:20 “20 “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.”

Now how did his father see him...because he was looking for him.

And the Bible says “He ran.”

Men in biblical times did not run. It wasn’t dignified. But love made him run for his son. And notice on that trip home the son had this long speech he recited so that his father would take him back:

“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 hands.”

Notice that the father didn’t lecture his son, he loved on him. He didn’t shame him, but embraced him.

The son started the speech he had recited his whole way back home, but the Father interrupted him.

Get the best robe (his robe) his honor and dignity was restored, get him a ring, his sonship was restored, the sandals means restored freedom, he was no longer a slave.

Oh the Father interrupted him and offered him his place back home.

Oh listen, God’s grace always interrupts shame.

That father in the story is a picture of God. God is not looking this morning for a reason to reject you, He wants to receive you this morning.

How many can relate to this story this morning? Show of hands. How many are dads here this morning? If your son or daughter had left you and was coming back to you and you saw them coming down the driveway.

I do not believe any of us would be waiting inside or crossing our arms. I do not believe we would say, “let’s see how serious he or she is.”

Let’s be honest. We would run to our children and men...that is exactly how God feels about you.

So, in closing. Are you home? or, are you still in a far country? You may be even in the eyes of these men here this morning-successful, respected, hard working, but you know you are not right with God..

And the good news this morning is that you do not have to stay there. You do not have to fix yourself or clean up, you simply have to come home to the Lord and He will do that for you in the days ahead. NO man is so far gone that He can not come home.

Let’s pray.

Lord, thank You that You receive men like us. Not because we deserve it—but because You love us. Help us come home. In Jesus’ name, Amen.