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Q: If you had an inheritance of Rs.1 Million, what would you do with it?
1. WORLDLY ATTITIDE
Luke 15:11-16
11 Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons.
12 The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.
13 "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.
14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.
15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
Q: Why did he ask for his share of the estate?
Q: Under normal circumstances, when does a child get "his share" of his father's estate?
A: When the father is dead.
Q: What was wrong with this one?
A: He could not wait for his father to die.
Greed was driving him on.
In his heart he considered his father to be dead!
(In this Story, the father represents God, and the sons represent us)
Q: What makes us to consider God as dead in our lives?
A: Greed which is Idolatry.
Q: Why do you think he went to a distant country?
Q: How do we distance ourselves from God & why do we do that?
Sin separates you from God. Notice, God never walks away from us, we walk away from God.
2. CHANGE OF ATTITUDE
Luke 15:17-20
17 "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!
18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.'
20 So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
Q: What made him to come to his senses?
A: Suffering,...
Q: What are some of the things that God allows to happen to us to make us search him?
Q: How can suffering bring us closer to God?
"I will set out and go back to my father..."
Q: What did it take for him to come to that conviction?
A: courage
Q: What is holding you back from saying the same thing? Pride?
3. GOD'S ATTITUDE
Luke 15:20-24
20 So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
22 "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.
23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate.
24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.
"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him..."
Q: Where do you think his father was "waiting" for him?
Q: How did the father welcome him?
A: Best robe, ring on his finger, sandals on his feet.... food... party...
Q: What qualities do you see in God?
Holding Grudges? /Forgiveness?
Q: What is God's attitude towards the repentend?
God is always on the lookout for any one who is repentend.
4. RELIGIOUS ATTITUDE
Luke 15:25-32
25 "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.
27 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'
28 "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.
29 But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'
31 "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.
32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'"
"The older brother became angry and refused to go in..."
Q: Why was he so angry when he should be happy?
A: Jelousy? He too was greedy. Selfishness. Lack of love?
"His father pleaded with him..."
Q: Why did his father have to plead with him?
A: He was hardened?
Q: What kind of heart did he have?
A: See what comes out of his heart: Anger, sulking,
"All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders..."
Q: How did he see his relationship with his father?
A: Slavery????
"My son, you are always with me...."
He was always with the father but he was not like the father.
Q: How can we be like that? In what ways do we resemble the older son?
A: Always coming to church, but never having godly attitudes.....
Q: Is your attitude like that of the younger son who considered his father dead in his heart?
Notice: v.32 "this brother of yours was dead..."
Q: Who was dead, the father or the son?
When you walk away from God, you are dead!
What will it take for you to change? What is holding you back?
Q: Are you unopen like the older son, dying silently?
Q: How can we be more like the Father?
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