Notes from a sermon heard on Sunday 8 February 2015
Luke 15 verses 11 – 24
In Luke’s gospel chapter 15 we
have a lost and found collection. Here
we find in the first parable a lost sheep, in the second a lost coin then in
the third a lost son. We can see the 3
aspects of God’s work in these 3 parables.
Jesus as the Good Shepherd going out to seek the sheep. In the lost coin parable the woman has lost
the coin so she lights a lamp and searches diligently until she finds it. That represents the work of the Holy
Spirit. In the third parable we see the
young man making his way back to his father’s house. That represents the love of God in receiving
the lost sinner. What a picture of the
work of the Lord dying on the cross, as he shed his blood for you and me. If the Holy Spirit wasn’t in our midst, if
the Holy Spirit didn’t apply it to our hearts we are on our way to a lost and
Christless eternity. Only the Holy
Spirit can open our minds, reveal his love for us. Only God’s own son Jesus down into this sin
cursed world to die for you and I. I
want to look at this portion of scripture tonight and centre our thoughts
around this young man with such ambitions.
There is no harm in ambitions, in setting goals, in setting aims in life
but we need to be careful that those goals are harnessed correctly.
Notice the discontentment this young man was in. He has such high ambitions, goals. His feet are beginning to make tracks out
into the world, he no longer wants to be restrained by his father’s house. He wants to get out into the world. A great desire, a great longing in his heart
to be free of the restraints o the home.
How many of us haven’t said that in our younger days only to find no
satisfaction in the things we sought after?
Every day he went through the same routine. He was so bored, discontented, longing for
something else to fulfil his life. He
couldn’t find it in that home. As he
looked at others they were leaving their homes, all going away. Maybe some said he was a fool for staying
there. Something began to dig at his
heart, he began to have dreams, grew more discontented every day. That is nothing new. Maybe you are discontented at this moment in
time. Life has nothing to offer
you. There is no end to it. You will never be happy or fulfilled until
you find life in Christ. Not talking
about something new. Remember Adam and
Eve in the Garden of Eden. Eve was
contented with all she had until the devil came in and questioned her. The seed of discontentment was sown in her
heart. Remember David. He was King of Israel yet his heart’s desire
was for power, prominence and wealth. How
he grew so discontented. He wasn’t on
the battle field where he should have been but instead lying on his bed. He went out onto his verandah and saw
Bathsheba. She was the most beautiful
women he had ever seen. It didn’t matter
she was another man’s wife. He had to
have her. Remember Demas in the New
Testament scriptures. He was a fellow
labourer, stood shoulder to shoulder with the apostle Paul, preached the gospel
from town to town, ate together, had fellowship together but then one day
something happened. Maybe it happened
over a course of weeks. The love of the
world got into his heart. “Demas hath
forsaken me.” There came a day when he
walked away. Maybe there is a Christian
tonight and that is how you feel.
Discontented. Demas forsook and
went into the world.
Notice here a young man deceived. “Give me the portion of goods that falleth to
me” verse 12. Here’s where he thought he
would be happy. David thought the same
of Bathsheba. In the days and weeks to
come he was a wretched man. This young
man had a nest egg, an inheritance and he was right in asking for it but not at
this age. It was for later in his
life. He got his eyes on it and realised
it was the thing that would make him happy.
Eve in the Garden of Eden grew discontented and wanted to reach for that
which she should not have. Israel grew
discontented and wanted a king like the other nations. They didn’t want God on their own. Maybe that is like someone here. You want to have what others have. You are discontented. The people of Israel asked Samuel for a king
and were deceived into thinking it was what they needed. What is the devil showing to you
tonight? Some great pleasure, something
you desire after. Do you realise that if
you go down that way you will have to leave God behind. We need to be careful. Jesus said in the parable of the sower that
he went out to sow his seed like the man going out to preach the word of
God. The ground represented the heart
and nature of people hearing the word of God.
The stony ground was where thorns grew within it and they choked the
good seed of the word of God. Mark 4
verse 19 “And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the
lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.” God’s word is choked today. Maybe there is a Christian tonight, there was
a time when God’s word lived for you, when you sat in at night and opened up
the word of God and every word struck a note in your heart. Maybe you have fed upon it daily, become
excited at gospel teaching and preaching but sadly today you have got your eyes
on other things. You have been drawn
away, you are discontented because of it.
You have been deceived. What you
need tonight is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Remember the church at Laodicea “rich and increased in goods” but didn’t
realise that Jesus was standing at the door unwelcome, unwanted, unnoticed. The presence of Jesus stands at your hearts
door. He wants to come into your heart,
wants you to let him in, to be forgiven of your sin. Allow him to come in and he will fulfil your
hearts desire.
Notice this young man’s drifting. “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” verse 13.
He said farewell to his father and went into the far country. The restraints were gone. He could live as he liked and he went in
search of real joy and happiness, setting out on a course that would only have
him drifting. Life has no purpose and
meaning without Christ. We are only
drifting along. This young man couldn’t
find rest. He drifted. Maybe you are only drifting tonight. Maybe think you are happy and content. You think you have to reach out and take
things for yourself. If you come to the
Lord you will find real peace and rest.
This young man thought the pleasures of life would satisfy him. “By faith Moses when he was come to years,
refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer
affliction with the people o God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a
season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in
Egypt for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.” Hebrews 11 verses
24 – 26
Notice this young man’s dilemma. “And when he had spent all there arose a
mighty famine in that land and he began to be in want” verse 14. He went away with his pockets full but things
are never simple. He had many friends
but when the money ran out he reached the very bottom. He built on something that he thought would
be there fore ever. He fell upon hard
times. What a cruel lesson to
learn. “The way of transgressors is
hard.” Proverbs 13 verse 15 says. There
was none to assist him in anything he sought to do. David said “no man cared for my soul.”(Psalm
142 verse 2) In Psalm 40 we read he cried
and the Lord heard him and lifted him out of the miry clay and set his feet on
the rock. That is what the Lord will do
for you. He will take you back and love
you freely.
This young man made a decision. “And he arose and came to his father. But
when he was yet a great way off,, his father saw him and had compassion and
ran, and fell on his neck and kissed him” verse 20. He contemplated in his heart that this was
not right. I have a father at home and
he decided to go back to him. He confessed
his sin. He made the greatest decision
he could make that day. He arose from
the life he was living and went back to his father. He told his father “I have sinned against
heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy son.” When we come to Christ we need to trust him
as Saviour and Lord.
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