Sunday
Morning Bible Study
September
11, 2016
Introduction
Do people see Jesus? Is the gospel
preached? Does it address the person who is: Empty, lonely, guilty, or afraid
to die? Does it speak to the broken
hearted? Does it build up the church? Milk – Meat – Manna Preach for a decision
Is the church loved? Regular: 2900
words Communion: 2500 words Video=75wpm
Baptism next week. Should you get
baptized? Some folks are quite excited about getting baptized…
Servant School – open to all. Lots of opportunities to grow.
Chris Tomlin video concert Tuesday, Oct. 25, aimed at getting America to
pray for our upcoming election. Tickets
are $7 + $1 processing fee ($5 cheaper than the theaters), and you have to buy
them online – links on FaceBook and our Webpage. Hurry before the rest of the world finds out
about our hosting it.
Luke was a doctor and a traveling
companion of the apostle Paul.
He wrote this book while Paul was
in prison.
In writing this book about Jesus,
Luke made use of other older documents like the Gospel of Mark, as well as
extensive eyewitness accounts.
Jesus’ ministry is well under way,
and the people have been amazed not just at the things He’s been teaching, but
the things He’s been doing.
The crowds around Jesus were growing.
The religious leaders were quite upset that Jesus was spending so much time
with “sinners”.
Jesus responded by telling a series of parables, intended to show the heart
of God towards lost people…
He told of a shepherd leaving the
ninety-nine to find the one lost sheep.
He told of a woman frantically
searching her house for a lost coin.
Then He gets to the best story of
all…
15:11-24 The First Prodigal
:11 Then He said: “A certain man had two sons.
had – echo
– to have, i.e. to hold
Imperfect tense
:12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the
portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his
livelihood.
:12 the younger of them
younger – neos
– recently born, young, youthful
Comparative – not “young” but
“younger”
The story is going to be about
these two brothers, though the first part of the story focuses on the younger
of the brothers.
He's the one we often call the
“prodigal son”.
:12 give me the portion …
The son doesn’t want to stay around for his father to die, he wants his
inheritance now.
It’s as if the son is saying to his father’s face: “I wish you were dead!”
Does that sound to you cruel for the son to say this? It did in ancient times.
give – didomi
– to give; the verb is an imperative, a command the son has given to the
father.
Aorist imperative
that falls – epiballo
– to cast upon, to lay upon; it belongs to me, falls to my share
portion – meros
– a part; a part due or assigned to one
:12 he divided to them his
livelihood
he divided – diaireo
– to divide into parts, to part, to tear, cleave or cut asunder; to
distribute
livelihood – bios
– life; that by which life is sustained, resources, wealth, goods
According to Jewish Law (Deut.
21:17), the firstborn (or elder) son would receive a double portion. Since there are only two sons in the story,
the younger son would have received 1/3 of the father’s wealth. The older brother would be receiving 2/3 of
the father’s wealth.
(Deuteronomy 21:17 NKJV) But he
shall acknowledge the son of the unloved wife as the firstborn by giving
him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of his
strength; the right of the firstborn is his.
:13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together,
journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal
living.
:13 the younger son gathered all
together
gathered – sunago
– to gather together, to gather; to draw together, collect; to bring
together, assemble, collect
journeyed – apodemeo
(“from” + “the people”) – to go away into foreign parts, go abroad
country – chora
– the space lying between two places or limits; a region or country i.e. a
tract of land
far – makros
– long; of place: remote, distant, far off
The younger son takes all of his
inheritance, bundles it up and heads off to travel the world.
It might be that he planned on
getting out of town all along, but it might also be that the folks back at home
were disgusted with his desire to see his father dead.
:13 journeyed to a far country
Illustration
A man scolded his son for being so unruly and the child rebelled against
his father. He got some of his clothes, his teddy bear and his piggy bank and
proudly announced, “I’m running away from home!” The father calmly decided to
look at the matter logically. “What if you get hungry?” he asked. “Then I’ll
come home and eat!” bravely declared the child. “And what if you run out of
money?” “I will come home and get some!” readily replied the child. The man
then made a final attempt, “What if your clothes get dirty?” “Then I’ll come
home and let mommy wash them,” was the reply. The man shook his head and
exclaimed, “This kid is not running away from home; he’s going off to college.”
Jesus isn’t talking about a little boy running away from home … or going
off to college. He’s talking about
something far more serious.
I wonder if Jesus was thinking of the son running to a place like Beit
She’an when He told the story.
In Jesus’ day, it was a center for Greek and Roman culture, offering the
best of what the world had to offer.
A place for loose living.
Lesson
Letting go
It’s very hard when someone you love starts down a path away from God.
It’s particularly hard when the path they are on is self-destructive.
It’s a good thing to try and reach out and help the other person.
(Galatians 6:1 NKJV)
Brethren,
if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore
such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be
tempted.
But sometimes the other person simply doesn’t want help, and you may need
to let them go.
Some people won’t learn what they need to learn until their life is in
ruins.
The truth is some may never learn.
Some people have a mistaken notion about God.
They think that if God doesn’t want them doing their little sin, that God
would do something to stop them.
When you continually fight against Him, God may choose to simply let you go
in order for you to learn the hard way.
He won’t stop loving you, but He may let you go.
:13 wasted his possessions with prodigal living
wasted – diaskorpizo – to
scatter abroad, disperse, to winnow; to throw the grain a considerable
distance, or up into the air, that it may be separated from the chaff
It’s a picture of the guy taking
wads of money and throwing it all up in the air to be carried off by the wind.
possessions – ousia – what one has,
i.e. property, possessions, estate
living – zao –
to live, breathe, be among the living (not lifeless, not dead); to enjoy real
life; to live i.e. pass life, in the manner of the living and acting
prodigal – asotos – reckless and
extravagant expenditure, chiefly for the gratification of one’s sensual
desires.
We find out later in the story (Luke 15:30), that he probably spent his
money on prostitutes.
(Luke 15:30 NKJV) —30 But as
soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots,
you killed the fatted calf for him.’
:14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land,
and he began to be in want.
he had spent – dapanao
– to incur expense, expend, spend; in a bad sense: to waste, squander,
consume
famine – limos
– scarcity of harvest, famine
severe – ischuros
– strong, mighty; strong, violent, forcibly uttered, firm, sure
to be in want – hustereo
– behind; to come late or too tardily; to fail, be wanting; to be in want
of, lack; to suffer want, to be devoid of, to lack (be inferior) in excellence,
worth
:15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he
sent him into his fields to feed swine.
:15 joined himself to a citizen
He got a job feeding pigs.
This doesn’t sound like the best job for a Jewish boy.
joined himself – kollao
– to glue, to glue together, cement, fasten together; to join or fasten
firmly together; to join one’s self to, cleave to
citizen – polites
– a citizen
country – chora
– the space lying between two places or limits; a region or country i.e. a
tract of land
fields – agros
– land; the field, the country; a piece of land, bit of tillage
to feed – bosko
– to feed
swine – choiros
– a swine
:16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the
swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
:16 the pods that the swine ate
the pods – keration
This is most likely the wild carob (Ceratonia
oreothauma), which only had black, bitter berries, barely nourishing
enough to feed pigs, let alone people.
:16 he would gladly have filled …
would gladly – epithumeo –
to have a desire for, long for; to lust after
Imperfect tense – he was continually “lusting” after pig food.
have filled – gemizo
– to fill, fill full
belly – koilia
– the whole belly, the entire cavity; the innermost part of a man, the
soul, heart as the seat of thought, feeling, choice
He would have eagerly eaten pig food.
For us, it would be as if you were hungry enough to eat…
I was kind to you. Before they ate
the tarantula, they had already eaten grasshoppers, ants, and cockroaches.
Lesson
Endless Lust
It seems that there is no limit to what mankind will lust after.
Anything that might seem “forbidden” is something that someone has lusted
over.
In today’s society, we have come to the conclusion that if a person “lusts”
for something enough, we ought to let them have it.
A man “lusts” for naked women – just click on that internet picture.
A person “lusts” for a “high” – we legalize marijuana.
A person “lusts” for someone they’re not married to – divorce is easy and
accepted.
A person “lusts” for someone of the same sex – we’ve even legalized same
sex marriage.
A person “lusts” to become a sex they were not born as – we think they
ought to be allowed to change.
We might think that if we
just do that one little thing we want to do, then our “lust” will stop
bothering us and life will be okay.
The truth is, lust will continue to want more and more and more.
(Proverbs
27:20 NLT) Just as Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so human desire
is never satisfied.
What starts off as a seemingly innocent little lust can grow into something
monstrous.
Uncontrolled lust only takes you one direction, downhill.
Illustration
Ted Bundy was a serial killer who killed at least 30 young women between
1974 and 1978.
Before he died in a Florida electric chair in 1989, he was interviewed by
James Dobson. When asked what made him
turn violent…
Bundy put the blame on graphic pornography. “Like an addiction, you keep craving
something that is harder,” intoned Bundy, “until you reach a point where... you
begin to wonder if maybe actually doing it would give you that which is beyond
just reading.”
From U.S. News &
World Report, February 6, 1989 –
Little lusts can lead to eating pig food in a distant land.
:17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired
servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
himself – heautou
– himself, herself, itself, themselves
he came – erchomai
– to come
hired servants – misthios
– employed for hire, hired; from misthos
– dues paid for work; wages, hire
enough and to spare – perisseuo
– to exceed a fixed number of measure, to be left over and above a certain
number or measure; a thing which comes in abundance, or overflows unto one,
something falls to the lot of one in large measure; to abound, overflow
hunger – limos
– scarcity of harvest, famine
I perish – apollumi
– to destroy; to put out of the way entirely, abolish, put an end to ruin;
to perish, to be lost, ruined, destroyed
:17 when he came to himself
Lesson
Hitting bottom
Sometimes it takes difficulty or tragedy for a person to “come to himself”.
Where were you fifteen years ago?
Fifteen years ago, our nation was
shook up when the Islamic terrorists hijacked four airliners and 2,996 people
were killed.
The following Sunday we had a lot of people showing up to church.
The problem was that for many, it wasn’t really hitting bottom. Within three weeks most visitors were gone.
A person can’t just be “scared” into changing. They need to hit bottom. “Bottom” doesn’t have to mean anything more
than realizing that you’re on the absolute wrong path in life.
:18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have
sinned against heaven and before you,
I will
arise – anistemi
– to cause to rise up, raise up; raise up from laying down; to raise up
from the dead; to rise, stand up; of those who leave a place to go elsewhere;
of those who prepare themselves for a journey
I think it’s interesting that this
is the same word that is used to describe the Resurrection of Jesus from the
dead.
I have sinned – hamartano
– to be without a share in; to miss the mark; to err, be mistaken; to miss
or wander from the path of uprightness and honour, to do or go wrong; to wander
from the law of God, violate God’s law, sin
against – eis – into, unto, to,
towards, for, among
before – enopion – in the
presence of, before; of occupied place: in that place which is before, or over
against, opposite, any one and towards which another turns his eyes
Sin is “against” God and “before”
others.
:19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of
your hired servants.” ’
worthy – axios
– weighing, having weight, having the weight of another thing of like
value, worth as much; befitting, congruous, corresponding to a thing; of one
who has merited anything worthy
hired servants – misthios
– employed for hire, hired
:18 I have sinned
Lesson
It starts with confession
That’s the first step to getting back home.
Admit that your sin has offended God.
Sin is “against” God. It’s against
His ways, His character, His laws.
David wrote,
(Psalm
51:4a NKJV) Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your
sight—
Confession brings forgiveness from God.
(1
John 1:9 NKJV) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Admit that your sin has affected others.
The son realized that it was “before” the father that he had sinned.
(James
5:16a NKJV) Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one
another, that you may be healed.
If you’re not ready to humble yourself and ask the people
you’ve hurt for forgiveness, you’re not ready to come home.
:20 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way
off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and
kissed him.
he arose – anistemi
– to cause to rise up, raise up; raise up from laying down; to raise up
from the dead; to rise, stand up; of those who leave a place to go elsewhere;
of those who prepare themselves for a journey
a great way – makran
– far, a great way; far hence
was … off – apecho
– have; to hold back, keep off, prevent; to be away, absent, distant
saw – eido
– to see
The Father was watching for the son
had compassion – splagchnizomai
– to be moved as to one’s bowels, hence to be moved with compassion, have
compassion (for the bowels were thought to be the seat of love and pity)
ran – trecho
– to run; of persons in haste; of those who run in a race course
neck – trachelos
– neck
kissed – kataphileo
– to kiss much, kiss again and again, kiss tenderly
:20 he arose and came to his father
Lesson
What God is like
Remember that Jesus is telling us this story because the scribes and
Pharisees were upset that Jesus was spending too much time with “sinners”.
They had this twisted notion that God hated sinners.
Jesus is going to blow up that picture.
1) He is patient
his father saw him
The father didn’t chase the son into the big city, but he waited at home
and watched.
Even when the son was still a long way off, the father could see he was on
his way because he watched.
He’s waiting for you to come home.
He’s watching for you.
(2
Peter 3:9b NLT) …No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to
be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.
2) He understands
had compassion – splagchnizomai
– to be moved in one's bowels, where the ancients thought the emotions of love
and pity came from.
God understands. He
cares. He’s moved with compassion
towards you.
(Psalm
103:13 NASB95) Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the Lord has compassion on those who fear
Him.
He cares what happens to you.
3) He loves you
This isn’t some kind of cold, passionless love.
kissed – kataphileo – to
kiss much, kiss tenderly, kiss again and again.
This isn’t a kiss on the hand, but a kiss on the cheek or the forehead.
The son might have kissed the father’s hand, or even his
feet, but the father preempted this by kissing his son on the cheek.
God has such tender affection toward you. He loves you so much.
This is unconditional affection. This isn’t only when you’re good. Note that the son has yet to say that he’s
sorry. The Father starts loving on the
son before he even gets a word out.
4) He runs
Even though God is patient, He is also a little anxious. Did you notice what this father did when he
saw his son at a distance?
ran – trecho – to run; of
persons in haste
It was very undignified for an older nobleman to run
anywhere. Yet this father is not ashamed
of gathering up his robes and running to meet his son.
You may think that you’re still a “great way off” from being home, but
you’re only as far as it takes to turn around and start back.
You’ll find Him running to you. He wants you home.
Years ago a musician named Benny Hester wrote a song about the only time he
saw God “run” …
Video: He Ran To Me – Phillips,
Craig and Dean
Almighty God,
The Great I Am
Immoveable Rock,
Omnipotent powerful
Awesome Lord,
Victorious Warrior
Commanding King of
Kings
Mighty Conqueror,
And the only time,
The only time I
ever saw Him run
Was when
He ran to me,
Took me in His
arms, held my head to His chest
Said “My son’s
come home again”.
Looked in my face,
wiped the tears from my eyes
With forgiveness
in His voice
He said “Son, do
you know I still love you?”
Lesson
Don’t give up
Some of us know Prodigals, some are even in our own family. Follow the example of the Father’s heart and
don’t give up on them.
Letting a person “go” does not mean “giving up”.
While you are waiting – pray.
Billy Graham had a prodigal
son. His wife wrote,
This is from Sitting By My Laughing Fire, by Ruth Bell Graham, and I wonder if
it was written for her once wayward son, Franklin –
She waited for the call that never
came; searched every mail for a letter, or a note, or card, that bore his name;
and on her knees at night, and on her feet all day, she stormed Heaven's Gate
in his behalf; she pled for him in Heaven's high court. "Be still, and
wait," the word He gave; and so she knew He would do in, and for, and with
him, that which she never could. Doubts ignored, she went about her chores with
joy; knowing, though spurned, His word was true. The prodigal had not returned
but God was God, and there was work to do.
By the way, that prodigal son,
Franklin Graham, is being used by God in a powerful way.
By the way, today, Franklin Graham
is a powerful evangelist doing a great many good things for God’s kingdom
today.
He holds his own crusades.
He has been calling our nation to
prayer this year in light of the coming elections.
He heads up Samaritan’s Purse, a
ministry that reaches across the globe helping those in need, including the
shoebox ministry we participate in called Operation Christmas Child.
:21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in
your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
He says exactly what he had planned (vs. 18-19), except he does not get a
chance to say, “make me as one of thy hired servants” because he is
interrupted by his father…
:22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it
on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
:23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and
be merry;
servants – doulos
– a slave, bondman, man of servile condition
bring out – ekphero
– to carry out, to bear forth
robe – stole
– an equipment; an equipment in clothes, clothing; spec. a loose outer
garment for men extending to the feet, worn by kings, priests, and persons of
rank
best – protos
– first in time or place; first in rank
put it on – enduo – to sink into (clothing), put on,
clothe one’s self
put (a ring) – didomi – to give; to
give something to someone
ring – daktulios
– a ring (on the finger)
sandals – hupodema
– what is bound under, a sandal, a sole fastened to the foot with thongs
:22 best robe
The best robe would most certainly be the father’s own robe.
:22 ring on his hand
The ring was a signet ring, a sign of authority.
:22 sandals on his feet
Sandals meant this young man would not be a slave, but a free man.
bring – phero
– to carry; to bring, bring to, bring forward
calf – moschos
– a tender juicy shoot; offspring; a calf, a bullock, a heifer
fatted – siteutos
(“grain”, perhaps as in “grain-fed”) – fattened, fatted
kill – thuo – to sacrifice,
immolate; to slay, kill; slaughter
Could it be that there’s more than
just a feast going on here? Could there
be a sense of sacrifice as well?
It would seem that this would be a
“Peace Offering”, since the whole family is going to have a feast.
One of the reasons for having a “peace
offering” was when you had made a vow to the Lord, perhaps something like, “Oh
God, if you will bring my son back, then I will offering up a calf to
You.” This is a Father who really,
really wants His son back.
let us eat – phago
– to eat
be merry – euphraino
– make joyful; to be glad, to rejoice
:23 the fatted calf
Slaughtering a calf instead of a goat or sheep meant that most if not all
of the local village would have been invited for a barbecue that big.
This welcome back would include the whole community.
:23 be merry – euphraino
– make joyful; to be glad, to rejoice
In the other two parables, Jesus
mentioned,
(Luke 15:10 NKJV) Likewise,
I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner
who repents.”
:24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’
And they began to be merry.
dead – nekros
– properly; one that has breathed his last, lifeless; deceased, departed,
one whose soul is in heaven or hell; spiritually dead
alive again – anazao
– live again, recover life; to be restored to a correct life
:24 was dead and is alive
Paul wrote that we too were once
“dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1), but God “made us alive together with
Christ” (Eph. 2:4).
(Ephesians 2:1–5 NKJV) —1 And you He
made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in
the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom
also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the
desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath,
just as the others. 4 But God,
who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with
Christ (by grace you have been saved),
:24 he was lost and is found
was
lost – apollumi
– to destroy; to lose
This has been an important word for
Luke 15:
When the shepherd found his lost
sheep:
(Luke 15:6 NKJV) And when
he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to
them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’
When the woman found her lost coin:
(Luke 15:9 NKJV) And when
she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together,
saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’
It’s the same word used to describe
those who don’t believe in Jesus, those who are “lost”, translated “perish” in…
(John 3:16 NKJV) For God so loved the
world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should
not perish but have everlasting life.
Lesson
Come home
It doesn’t matter what you’ve done.
It doesn’t matter how far you’ve strayed.
The Father has been yearning for you to come to your senses.
He has been yearning for you to turn around.
He has been yearning for you to come home.
It’s not just sons that stray.
Sometimes daughters also run away from home…
On Wednesday, our beloved Kim Beller in Hungary posted this on Facebook:
Today, 18 years ago, I stopped running away from God and started running
towards Him. I used to party every day, any chance I could get. I would wake up
every morning, heavy-hearted and found no true purpose, no matter how hard I
chased it all! I ended up with a big heart break. I always knew there was a
God, but did not know Him personally until that night I cried out to Him,
"Help me!"
And He did.
I have never ever regretted that decision! And as time goes on, I do come
face to face with pain/ hurt & struggles, but Now I take comfort in the one
who carries me through. ☺️
Jesus is the only one who can fill that void...and He has...
Here is the verse that spoke to my heart that day, September 8, 1998:
Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take
my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and
you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Are you still running from Him?
It’s time to come home.
(Pray for parents of prodigals. Pray
for prodigals)