Lost & Found

Luke 15:1-2 (ESV)
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. ² And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

Testimony – Mary Phillips

Luke 15:11-24 (ESV)
And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. ¹³ Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. ¹⁴ And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs 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 more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! ¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ ²⁰ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. ²¹ And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²² But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. ²³ And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. ²⁴ For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

Luke 15:11-12 (ESV)
And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them.

We are always heading for trouble when we value things more than people, pleasure more than responsibility and the foreign more than the blessings of home.

Is live and learn a good approach to life?

What does the Bible teach?

• A dissatisfied heart leads to a disappointed life!
• Are you satisfied in Jesus?
• The scriptures declare and my experience confirms that He is more than enough!

1 Timothy 6:6-10 (ESV)
But godliness with contentment is great gain, ⁷ for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. ⁸ But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. ⁹ But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

• Are you content? How much is enough?
• Our appetite is ideally for Him!
• Is it possible to feed on the wrong thing when we are hungry?

Psalm 34:8-10 (ESV)
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! ⁹ Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! ¹⁰ The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

• He says “give me my share”
• What is he communicating to his father?
• Do we sometimes have a similar attitude?
  • What does God owe us?
  • What do we owe Him?
• We are co-heirs with Christ!
• Be careful what you want! He knows the outcome.
• Resourced for the journey!

You cannot enjoy the things money can buy if you ignore the things money cannot buy!

• Why does the younger son want his inheritance?

Luke 15:13 (ESV)

Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.

• Why do we say “No” to the world?
  • Because it can’t satisfy?
  • Because it is a destructive path?
  • Because we love Him! And He loves us!

James 4:4-5 (ESV)
You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. ⁵ Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?

• Are you quick to spend earthly treasure on personal pleasure? Consider the cost!
• Why do you gather ALL you have?
• A far off country exists in our hearts first!
• Why did he go so far?
• Are you squandering the Father’s gifts/resources?
• Are you living recklessly or purposefully?
• In which ways are you prodigal/extravagant?
• Reckless living leads to famines!

Luke 15:14 (ESV)

And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.

• Abraham faced famines when he wandered off.
• Are you inviting famines into your life?
• Why would our good God author famines?
  • To call us home!
• Have you realized yet that this world can’t satisfy?

Proverbs 30:7-9 ESV
Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: ⁸ Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, ⁹ lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.

Luke 15:15-16 (ESV)

So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

• Rock bottom and still trying to stay.
• He thought he would find himself. Instead he’s lost. Sin always makes promises it doesn’t keep!
• How hungry do you have to be to eat pig slop?
• Pride hates to be wrong and repent.
• What are you hungry for?
• It was his lack that gave him an appetite!

Luke 15:17 (ESV)

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!

• Move in your moments of clarity!
• He was reminded of his father’s generosity.
• Our Father is lavish in the things that matter.
• Often need and lack brings us to our senses.
• Have you come to your senses? 
• Do you know the abundance we have in our Father’s house and presence?

Luke 15:18-19 (ESV)

I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’

• He didn’t just say he was going to do something.
• His humiliation had resulted in some humility.
  • Our hearts can get hard or health!
• What did he know about his father’s character?
• His painful circumstance changed his mind and his heart. 
• He confesses!!! 
• He is going to ask for forgiveness.
• He suggests the conditions of his punishment. 
• The Father had a different plan!
• Have you ever felt unworthy because of sin?
• A saint can’t lose their sonship.
• Make me a servant!
• Let’s never forget the father’s response!

Luke 15:20 (ESV)

And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

• This is our Father’s response to repentance!
• Ran, embraced and kissed him!
  • Jesus ran from heaven and embraced us.

Luke 15:1 (ESV)
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.

• He truly repented.
• Repentance takes courage and confidence in our Father’s response and resume.
• Do you know that our heavenly Father sees you?
• Are you grateful for our Father’s compassion?

Psalm 145:8-9 (NIV)
The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. ⁹ The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.

Colossians 3:12-13 (ESV)
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, ¹³ bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

• The father was looking for the son to come home.
• What a warm welcome!

Luke 15:21-22 (ESV)

And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²² But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.

• We were never worthy in the first place.
• He never even got to finish his speech.
• He thought he might earn his way back.
• He had learned the meaning of misery in the far off country, but back home he experienced the meaning of mercy!
• The father’s heart was on display!
• He reminded and restored him as son.
• He gave him back his inheritance!

Luke 15:23-24 (ESV)

And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. ²⁴ For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

• He finally found the party.
• According to the law this should have been a funeral and not a feast!
• This is our spiritual condition before we come home to the Father!
• In Christ we are ALIVE and FOUND!!!
• How do we come home to the Father?
• Next Jesus focuses in on the Pharisee and scribes.

Luke 15:25-32 (ESV)

“Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. ²⁷ And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ ²⁸ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, ²⁹ but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ ³¹ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. ³² It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

Luke 15:2 (ESV)
And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

• How is the older son like the Jewish leaders?
• Are you and the Father on the same page when it comes to partying?
• What the father celebrated angered the older son.
• Does God’s lavish grace anger you?
• Why didn’t the older brother refuse to celebrate?
• Even with his bad attitude and perspective the father entreats him to join the celebration!
• It is his call to repentance!
• Our father did more than kill that fattened calf, He sacrificed the Lamb of God.
• The Father even reminded the older son of all that he had in him.
• This is the attitude and perspective the Jewish leaders lacked.