"Building a Church Through Outreach"
He is Alive
ELCOG 9/9/07
Text: Luke 15:22-24
This morning I want to look at a familiar story, but I don’t want to focus too much on the life of the prodigal son as much as I want to focus on the statement that the father made, "My son was dead, but is alive again." The father new that the son was not dead physically, but he had already said his good byes. He had already given him his inheritance, so in the father’s eyes the child was gone. The son followed the lust of the flesh and ended up in a place that was not fit to live in. He wanted his future life now. He wanted what was coming to him, but was not willing to wait. That usually causes trouble for people. Many people today will not be willing to wait on tomorrow’s blessings so they try to get tomorrow’s inheritance today. They take what they are not able to control and begin a life that leads them to death. It’s a life style that seems good at first. When the money is first handed over, you feel like a king, but because you have not been trained to handle it you are not sure what to do with it and you end up in a place that you do not want to be. Sin will take you father than you want to go. If you get too greedy you will get more than you bargained for.
The devil wants to trick you into believe that you have to have it all right now. He will make you believe that you deserve the whole inheritance today. He will promise your future today, but the devil is trying to lure you away form the father’s house.
Prov. 15:27
27He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house;
Isa. 56:9
9All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest.
Isa. 56:10
10His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
Isa. 56:11
11Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.
The devil has filled people with such greed that they are blinded to what is reality. They want what they can not handle. I am not just talking about money. I am talking about position, power, and even relationships. People will do anything to get ahead but you can not handle all of your future yet. God will lead you day by day and he will give you all you need as you need it. The devil is trying to lead you away from the father’s house.
Let me be clear: the devil wants to lead you away from the father’s house. He will lure you with whatever it takes. The enemy wants you out on your own. The enemy wants you alone so that he can manipulate you into his plan.
The devil’s plan is to take you to the pigs. He wants to take you to place of death spiritually and emotionally. He wants to take all your joy and all of your peace. He wants to bring death into your life. He wants you to feel isolated and depressed. He wants you to feel miserable as you eat the food of the pigs.
At first you are living life to the fullest. You have all you want and all you need, but the money will run out. The inheritance will run out. You will have people that will hang around as long as you have the goods, but as soon as the money is gone…the friends are gone and you are empty and alone.
Sin, is trying to get you away from God. The devil wants you dead. He doesn’t care if you breathe, but he wants you emotionally and spiritually dead.
But when you are at this place in your life you need remember what the prodigal son remembered:
Luke 15:17
17And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
Luke 15:18
18I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
Luke 15:19
19And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
Luke 15:20
20And 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.
When he came to himself he said I will arise and go to my father’s house. That is what I’m calling for today. Wake up and realize that you are away from god. Wake up and see that you are in the pig’s pen and that you are at the point of death. Wake up and return to father’s house. You need to hear that you are not dead, you are alive. Remember this verse from last Sunday night’s message?
Psa. 118:17
17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.
You may be in the pig’s pen today, but return to the father’s house and hear the words from the father…He’s alive. My son has returned, he’s not dead he’s alive. The devil has made some of you believe that you were dead, but you are alive!
Rom. 6:11
11Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom. 6:12
12Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Rom. 6:13
13Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
1 Cor. 15:22
22For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
Maybe you came to church dead this morning, but Christ has come to give you life. Christ makes you alive. Return to the father’s house and live. You don’t have to live miserable and lonely.
John 10:10
10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
John 10:11
11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Jesus has come to give you life. Wake up and look at your life and see that you are in the pig’s pen eating slop. Return and live. The father wants to declare, "My son is alive!"