Restoration
Scripture: Luke 15:17-24 - When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants 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 servants.’ 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.
We as Christians can identify with the parable of the prodigal son, because we were like the lost son who made bad choices. He had a prideful heart and was a very selfish person who did things his way. His bad choices cause his life to be a disaster. In the father/son relationship, the son asked his father for his inheritance. In most cases he would have received his inheritance after his father died (according to Deuteronomy 21:17), but the father was gracious and gave his son the inheritance. We can identify with the son, because we have asked God for things we thought we needed. Sometimes God will give us what we think we need, but later we have found out that what we thought we needed brought leanness to our soul in the form of pain, heartache, and disappointment. Have you ever found yourself in a wilderness/desert, place? The prodigal son was literally in a pig pen. He had hit rock bottom. The Bible says that he then came to himself. Later he realized that he was not supposed to be living like a filthy pig. Finally, he made a right choice. He said he would arise and go to his father and say that he had sinned against Heaven and God. Before we invited Jesus Christ into our lives, our works were as filthy rags in the sight of God. (Isaiah 64:6 - All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.) As we say “but God” gave us more than a second chance to get it right with Him. Just as the prodigal son asked for forgiveness, we should fall on our face/knee with a repentant heart concerning our sins. The son was forgiven, accepted and restored. He once again walked in fellowship with his father. This is a picture of God’s forgiveness to those who are lost/sinners. (verse 20) The father of the prodigal son had compassion for him, and he embraced/kissed him. The son said with a humble heart, I have sinned against Heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. This is a picture of a person with a broken and a contrite heart. (Psalms 51:17 - My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.) Thank You Jesus! So the father (verse 22) restored his son, and his son was given the best robe (which was for a guest of honor), a ring (which was a symbol of authority), and sandals (which was not usually worn by slaves). This showed the father’s full restoration to sonship.
(Luke 15:28 - The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.) The older brother was angry (representing the Pharisees wo were angry and resentful that sinners were being welcomed into God’s kingdom.) The father said to the older son (verses 31-32) you were always with me. It was right that we should make merry and be glad for his brother was dead and was now alive again – and he was lost and now was found. Jesus said that He came to seek and to save the lost (in Luke 19:10) That is the assignment to all born again believers – to take the good news of restoration to a dying world. (II Corinthians 5:17-21 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.)
Are you fulfilling your God given assignment in this life? Remember, this is your opportunity to fulfill your assignment.
Prayer: Dear God, we love You because You have extended Your heart of love, mercy/grace, and forgiveness of our sins. When we repented of our sins, we realized that Your love was there all the time -- even when we were in the pig pen of life/sins. For that we say thank You Jesus!!! Glory to Your name!!! Amen.
(by Pastor Robert Williams)
We as Christians can identify with the parable of the prodigal son, because we were like the lost son who made bad choices. He had a prideful heart and was a very selfish person who did things his way. His bad choices cause his life to be a disaster. In the father/son relationship, the son asked his father for his inheritance. In most cases he would have received his inheritance after his father died (according to Deuteronomy 21:17), but the father was gracious and gave his son the inheritance. We can identify with the son, because we have asked God for things we thought we needed. Sometimes God will give us what we think we need, but later we have found out that what we thought we needed brought leanness to our soul in the form of pain, heartache, and disappointment. Have you ever found yourself in a wilderness/desert, place? The prodigal son was literally in a pig pen. He had hit rock bottom. The Bible says that he then came to himself. Later he realized that he was not supposed to be living like a filthy pig. Finally, he made a right choice. He said he would arise and go to his father and say that he had sinned against Heaven and God. Before we invited Jesus Christ into our lives, our works were as filthy rags in the sight of God. (Isaiah 64:6 - All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.) As we say “but God” gave us more than a second chance to get it right with Him. Just as the prodigal son asked for forgiveness, we should fall on our face/knee with a repentant heart concerning our sins. The son was forgiven, accepted and restored. He once again walked in fellowship with his father. This is a picture of God’s forgiveness to those who are lost/sinners. (verse 20) The father of the prodigal son had compassion for him, and he embraced/kissed him. The son said with a humble heart, I have sinned against Heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. This is a picture of a person with a broken and a contrite heart. (Psalms 51:17 - My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.) Thank You Jesus! So the father (verse 22) restored his son, and his son was given the best robe (which was for a guest of honor), a ring (which was a symbol of authority), and sandals (which was not usually worn by slaves). This showed the father’s full restoration to sonship.
(Luke 15:28 - The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.) The older brother was angry (representing the Pharisees wo were angry and resentful that sinners were being welcomed into God’s kingdom.) The father said to the older son (verses 31-32) you were always with me. It was right that we should make merry and be glad for his brother was dead and was now alive again – and he was lost and now was found. Jesus said that He came to seek and to save the lost (in Luke 19:10) That is the assignment to all born again believers – to take the good news of restoration to a dying world. (II Corinthians 5:17-21 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.)
Are you fulfilling your God given assignment in this life? Remember, this is your opportunity to fulfill your assignment.
Prayer: Dear God, we love You because You have extended Your heart of love, mercy/grace, and forgiveness of our sins. When we repented of our sins, we realized that Your love was there all the time -- even when we were in the pig pen of life/sins. For that we say thank You Jesus!!! Glory to Your name!!! Amen.
(by Pastor Robert Williams)
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