The Prodigal

As traumatic as it might be to lose an important paper or a priceless piece of jewelry, nothing compares to the trauma and heartache of losing a child. According to the National Runaway Switchboard,on any given night approximately 1.3 million young people under the age of 18 live unsupervised on the streets, in abandoned buildings, or with friends. For various reasons they have run away from home. Some because of abuse; others rebellion. Nothing brings greater joy to the heart of a loving parent than when their wandering young person decides to come back home. Of all the stories Jesus told, the parable of the Prodigal Son in the most familiar. But it is really a story about the gracious, forgiving heart of God. It's a story of how God graciously deals with both the Prodigal repentance and his proud brother's anger. In this sermon, we will see how this young lad developed into the prodigal. At the end, we will see the prodigal experiencing want for the first time in his life! Having a want or being in need is not a bad place to be for it forces us to look at our lives and make changes, which the prodigal will do. After turning from the prodigal in need, the sermon focuses on the 'prodigal in me' for indeed we've all sinned against God. God, like the father in the story, allows us to walk away from him, to sin, and to reap the consequences for our actions. Sin produces no lasting satisfaction but only fleeting pleasure. God bring us to the end of ourselves so that in our 'want' we turn to Him for forgiveness and restoration. In reality, the prodigal is YOU and the prodigal is Me!