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Truths For The Prodigal

Lesson #3

THE ROAD TAKEN

Intro

1. 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.

2. I think it is accurate to say that there are two kinds of Christians:

#1. Those who PERSONALIZE God’s Word.

#2. Those who RATIONALIZE God’s Word.

• The appropriate attitude toward the Bible is to make it ours.

3. Read Luke 15:4, 8...

What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness,

and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house,

and seek diligently till she find it?

a) When Jesus introduced the two parables preceding the parable of the prodigal

son, did you notice HOW He told the stories?

b) Jesus did not say, “A man had a hundred sheep and lost one” or “A woman had ten pieces of silver and lost one.”

c) Jesus said, “What man of you...” and “Either what woman...”.

d) What is Jesus doing here???

His goal is that they apply it.

4. Many people show up at church and take fantastic sermon notes, Sunday School lesson

notes, and Wednesday Bible Hour notes---but it can become all theoretical or

academic in nature.

This is seeking understanding, but not allowing it to really touch our lives and

effect any kind of lasting change in our thinking, attitudes, or actions.

5. Illustrations:

a) “Tom” was in the ministry and preached great sermons and had many decisions at invitation times. However, his attitude towards the ministry was one of selfishness. He sought to let the ministry make him comfortable in his living, so much so that as his children reached their teenage years, he changed his messages to match his lifestyle. Seeking fleshly ways to satisfy his own desires and goals, his worldview was readily adopted by his children. Today his ministry is in shambles and his influence for Christ is lost. Somewhere along the road he failed to let the Bible continue to conform him to the image of Christ.

b) Then there was “Stan,” a gifted communicator and a popular student in Bible

college with both the faculty and the students. He had a keen mind, came

from a good home, and was blessed with good looks. He knew a great

deal about spiritual things, but he took a wrong turn on the road of life

and his sexual appetites were not submitted to the principles of Scripture.

Today he is on his own, with two failed marriages, with children in both

marriages. He knew the truth, but he didn’t apply the truth to his own life.

c) “Betty” starts her own business and has some measure of success at it. But then

the seeds of discontent are sown and the reaping begins. Trained in a

Christian home, she begins to change her view of material things and go-

through-the-motions of being a good Christian wife. Materialism changes

her attitude towards godly living and standards. Her view of the world goes

from a Biblical one, to a carnal one and her flirtations wreck her home and

her life.

6. Jesus hoped His listeners would personalize the story.

Let’s be sure we understand what should be obvious:

Apply Bible Truth To Your Own Life.

*******

I. THE YOUNGER SON

A. Can You Identify With Him?

1. This is the wanting to be out on your own---going wherever your desires

lead you. It is wanting to enjoy whatever you have determined you

are entitle to deserve.

We used to call this “doing your own thing.”

2. Illustration: The 1960’s...

Almost overnight we went from short hair to long hair...from weejans to earth shoes...--- it was an overnight cultural revolution led by teenagers. The message was to be hip, be natural-- not synthetic, not plastic. Hypocrisy was out and “hipness” was in.

A part of being hip was to get at least two posters for your room, and it was important that the posters make the right statement about who you are. One of the most popular was a picture of a beautiful green pasture with rolling hills; it was a bit out-of-focus to give it that ethereal, dream-like look. On one hill was a beautiful blonde with long, flowing hair; she wore a long, flowing dress and some beads.

In the distance was a guy who (come to think of it) also had long, flowing hair and some beads. The whole scene was sixtyish. Here’s the caption:

“You do your thing, and I’ll do mine,

And if by chance we find each other,

It’s beautiful.”

Oh, that was so “together!” And we all thought that was great.

But the TRUTH is, the more honest poem would have been:

“You be selfish, and I’ll be selfish,

And if by chance we find each other,

It’s nuclear war.”

3. In the first-century society, sons were considered a special blessing in

a family and were more highly prized than daughters. One reason

was obvious: a son would carry on the family name.

But sons also were the ones to care for their aging parents...to

support them, to bury them when they died.

Because this responsibility fell upon the oldest son, he could also

expect a significant reward. The first born son received a double-

portion of the inheritance (Deut. 21:17).

Surely the younger son knew this...it was to be denied the position

and authority due the oldest son.

4. Could it be....

a) That the father didn’t push this younger son to work hard and to

be responsible? Maybe the younger son had thought that one

day his older brother would be harder on him than his father

had been.

b) That the son dreamed of gaining his own fame and fortune, but not in farming, not in something where the labor seemed so demanding, so demeaning?

5. This much seems certain...

a) The younger son didn’t want his father’s protective over-sight.

b) The younger son didn’t want his father’s counsel, didn’t see it

as being important.

c) That traditions, family-instilled traditions, were not highly regarded by the younger son.

6. It really isn’t that much different from most of us today. The American

culture is known for it’s self-centeredness. Americans have to

experience it all. Barna Research Group has found that 60% of

Americans are characteristically self-centered, selfish.

Barna research indicates that the denial of sin is rampant in America.

The 80’s and 90’s are The Me Decade.

B. Lessons For Fathers

1. Read Deuteronomy 6:4-9.

2. It seems that this father had followed scripture, had communicated

important values to his son...even exercised loving discipline

when it was appropriate.

3. But somewhere along the line the relationship had gone wrong.

Two Lessons:

#1. Fathers must invest time in their children.

a) We have too many workaholic dads. These are fathers

who are willing prisoners of their jobs...regardless

of the damage it does to the relationships at home.

b) Not long ago a wife told her husband of 34 years to

choose between her and his career... and he

chose his job over her, knowing she would leave

him forever.

c) A successful family does not just happen. You don’t

luck up on good kids.

Hard-working dads do invest time with their

children....even on a daily-basis...all of this with

the desire to teach them God’s principles for living.

#2. Every person has the freedom to respond and not respond to God’s truth.

a) Teaching biblical principles to our children is commanded by God. The goal is to produce mature, godly adults.

b) But it’s not an ironclad guarantee.

Train up a child in the way he should go,

and when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

This is not saying that every so-trained child will

never deviate from the-straight-and-narrow path.

This is a proverb---a general statement of truth.

c) Every child has an individual personality, has their own

“bent.”

d) Parents are to guide their children; they are to motivate them to develop an appetite for spiritual truth.

e) This younger son has a bent to follow the desires of his

own heart and he had the free will to decide not to listen to his father.

And so this father chose “tough love” and allowed his son to learn life’s lessons the hard way.

f) You and I are better off when we listen to wise counsel of good Christians, rather than insisting that we learn our own lessons our own ways.

None of this is very new, is it?

C. The Rehoboam Factor

1. Read I Kings 12:1-4...

a) Rehoboam was the son of the wisest father who ever lived, the

son of Solomon.

b) As he is about to be crowned king, a delegation from the tribes

of Israel request a lower tax rate...

...if Rehoboam agrees, they promise loyalty and service.

2. Read verses 5-7...

a) The older men give him wise counsel, advise that followed

many of the thousands of proverbs his father wrote.

b) Be a servant to the people and they will follow their leader in

a long-term relationship.

3. Read verses 8-11...

a) The younger men gave him the kind of counsel that he wanted

to hear as a new king: Be tough.

b) His response lacked kindness and graciousness, and it was full

of arrogance.

4. Result? The division of Israel into a northern and southern kingdom.

And the lineage of David and Solomon declined in influence.

5. Every person has the right to respond or not respond to truth... just

because you know better, does not mean you will act on it.

The Rehoboam Factor leads

to learning things the hard way.

*******

II. THE ROAD TO MISERY

A. Life On His Own

1. With bankroll in hand he sets out to fulfill his wildest dreams... to put

as much distance between himself and the farm as he could.

2. Material possessions provide one of the ultimate tests of personal

maturity and spiritual vitality.

a) Those who are wealthy are not to be high-minded.

1) They are to be good stewards by giving generously.

2) They are to be doing good deeds for those less able.

3) They are to be making wise investments.

b) How do you handle material things?

1) Where are you today in credit card debt?

2) Illustration: A number of years ago we had a couple apply

for scholarship assistance (which they did not

receive) where their combined income was

over $70,000 per year. But their charge cards

were maxed out and they owed over $80,000

(not counting cars or homes).

3. Too many young people want the easy life and they want it right now.

Many have the attitude that they are entitled to it...that they deserve it, and so they go out and spend like there is no tomorrow. Many single adults fall into this trap.

While the commercial may say, “Don’t leave home without it,”

they’d be better off if they did.

4. It’s sad to see many people live like this and many in full-time Christian

work go without. There are worthy Christians that should be supported by those who have the means; many missionaries are like this, as are many of those planting new churches.

5. Many of us could live on less and do more for the Lord’s work in

furthering the Gospel message.

6. Which character trait is tested when one has money and is tempted to

throw it away selfishly?

I think one of the main ones has to be self-control.

7. Read Luke 15:13-14.

B. Two Concluding Truths:

#1. All that glitters is not gold.

The glittering lifestyle has drawn many away from godly parents

and a good home.

#2. Money can be quickly lost through irresponsibility.

Youth and inexperience just add to the formula for failure.

*******

Conclusion:

1. It can be tough to be out on your own, away from home.

But it doesn’t have to be. God brings His children to the place where they will

eventually look to Him for help.

2. God is going to do that through circumstances in the life of this prodigal son.

Is God doing that to you today? Do you see His hand at work in your life right now?

3. Coming home is often just a prayer away.

4. Don’t let the lifestyle of seeking fame and fortune deceive you. It’s a dead-end road.

While it is the road taken by many, it was not the road taken by our Lord and

Savior. In fact, He left all the glories and riches in Heaven to come and be our

Servant and Savior.

5. If you’ve wandered away from home, why not come back right now?