John K. Jenkins Sr - Recovery From Bad Decisions - Part 5

Turn to Luke chapter 15. This is part five of the series we're doing on recovering from bad decisions. The fifth and final part of this series is this message , and we've been dealing with verses 11-24. Today, we're going to look at a new section of this parable, beginning at verse 25. Luke 15:25: "Now his older brother was in the field, and as he came near to the house , he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.' But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore, his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you. I never transgressed your commandment at any time, and yet you never gave me a young goat that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.' Amen. This is recovering from bad decisions, part five, subtitled 'Turn Down for What?' Look at your neighbor and say, 'Turn down for what!' Look at the other side and say, 'Turn down for what?' You can be seated. I don't know what that phrase means, but young people told me that was a saying - is that right ? It's a song-is it a good song or a bad song? In between? Okay. I don't know anything about the song, but I thought it would fit in because we've been doing this series here on... well, matter of fact, our church 's theme this year is the year of restoration. We 're believing God to restore whatever the locusts have eaten, whatever the devil has taken. We believe this is the time God's going to give back everything to you that the devil took away . Can I get an amen right there? As a matter of fact, God has been starting to do that for some people. God has been starting to give us testimonies already- incredible stories and things that God is doing for people . I mention this to give you hope and confidence that this is , in fact, God's word to our house for this season and this time. As part of speaking to that, I've been going through this 15th chapter of Luke, because it speaks to the restoration of being restored from bad decisions . We looked at the story from Luke 15, where the Pharisees and scribes are complaining because Jesus is hanging out with sinners. Jesus responds to them very quickly- a brief recaps of what we've been covering for those who haven't been to church for the past several weeks . Jesus responds by telling three parables. The first parable is a story about a shepherd with a hundred sheep. He loses one, leaves the 99, goes , finds the one lost sheep, and brings that sheep back and celebrates that he's found this lost sheep . He tells a second parable about a woman who has ten silver coins in her house . She loses one and searches the house diligently until she finds the coin . When she does, she's happy and celebrates; she's got all ten coins now. Thirdly, he tells his final parable about a father who has two sons. The younger son begins to think he ought to be given his inheritance . His father gives the younger son his inheritance. He divides it up, even though it 's not really due to the son until the father dies. He gives it to him, and this younger son , not many days after receiving the inheritance , goes off to a far country and there wastes the money on loose living. He makes a series of bad decisions. How many people here have ever made some bad decisions? Okay, let me see, that's everybody . Some bad decisions in your life can have far-reaching ramifications. This guy has wasted all of his inheritance living loosely. Not only has he wasted it all , but now he's in a place where famine hits the land, and he has no more resources. So he finds a job feeding pigs. Life got so bad for him that the scripture, the parable , says that the young man began to consider eating the food that the swine were eating. Life can get so bad for you that when you're outside the will of God, you will consider doing things you would not ordinarily consider . I say that every week because every week there's somebody here who's contemplating doing something they wouldn't normally do . But he comes to himself . Verse 17 is a turning point in this passage because it says, 'But.' God sticks his 'but' in. He came to himself and said, 'My father has people working for him. Here I am, out here starving with nothing to eat.' Done something that you don't want nobody else to know about? Thank all 17 of y'all; I appreciate it .