Community & Discipleship

God`s Way Out (Lk. 15:11~24)

2019.07.07P. Wes McClure

Let us take God's way out of sin. God is faithful, gracious, and redemptive, so we come back to Him with a broken and contrite heart, and the Father receives us with love.

Many entrances into sin, only one exit

In the subway, the most important thing is to know which exit to take. The right exit keeps you on your route, while the others lead into detours. Sin is like that: there are many entrances, but only one way out, and that is God's way. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him. We cannot go around Him, or over Him. We must go through the cross to come out of sin.

Sin takes you farther, costs more, keeps you longer (vv. 11-16)

The prodigal told his father, "Give me my share," took everything, and went to a distant country. Taking everything suggests he did not plan to return. He squandered his wealth, a famine came, and he hired himself out to feed pigs, which went against everything he had known. The speaker passes on a saying, perhaps from Ravi Zacharias, that sin will take you farther than you want to go, cost you more than you want to pay, and keep you longer than you want to stay. If this describes you, God has a way out.

The enemy's lie and the God who is faithful

The enemy says God is not listening and that you will not be accepted if you return. He does not mention that God is faithful and has promised never to leave or forsake us. Jesus came full of grace and truth, and God's grace is greater than all our sin, so you cannot out-sin it. God does not merely do good, gracious, and loving things. He is good, grace, and love. He is angry at sin, but He loves you.

A redemptive God who restores, not condemns

God sometimes uses pain and the consequences of sin to bring us to the end of ourselves. He takes no pleasure in our suffering and wants to restore us, not condemn us. John 3:17 says God sent His Son not to condemn the world but to save it. To the woman caught in adultery Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you. Go and leave your life of sin." He neither condemned nor condoned, but restored. This plan of redemption was announced in Genesis 3:15, and Jesus crushed the serpent's head on the cross. Paul's severe letter to the Corinthians (2 Cor. 7:8-10) and Peter's word about God's patience (2 Pet. 3:9) show that God desires repentance.

Repentance is turning to God with action and faith (vv. 17-20)

The prodigal came to his senses at rock bottom, but repentance is first of all toward God. David said in Psalm 51, "I have sinned against you and you only," and what God will not despise is a broken and contrite heart. The Old Testament words nasham and sub mean to turn around, return, seek, and restore. The New Testament word metanoia means a change of mind that comes with action. Zacchaeus gave half his property to the poor and repaid fourfold. Faith begins when reason ends. The prodigal stopped trying to work things out and said, "I have sinned against heaven."

The Father sees a long way off and celebrates (vv. 20-24)

The conditions around the prodigal did not change when he left the pigsty. He changed. The Father sees our repentance a long way off, before we take a single step, because what matters is the distance of the heart, not physical distance. The older brother stood close to his father but was far from him in heart. We cannot walk out by sight. The Holy Spirit, the paraclete who comes alongside us, gives us the power and the will. Unlike the woman with the issue of blood, who tried every way before touching Jesus' garment, we should not make Jesus our last resort. The prodigal came back with no pretense or bargaining, asking only for mercy. The Father answers with a robe, sandals, and a ring, and it is time to celebrate.

Apply to Life

  • Let us remember that there is only one way out of sin, and take God's way through the cross of Jesus.
  • Let us not believe the enemy's voice that God does not listen and will not accept us, but trust the faithful and gracious God.
  • Let us come to the end of ourselves and repent before God with a broken and contrite heart, praying, "Have mercy on me."
  • Let us show our repentance with a change of mind and action, and walk by faith rather than by sight with the help of the Holy Spirit.
  • Let us make Jesus our first resort instead of our last, and return to the Father, who sees us a long way off and celebrates our return.

This summary was made automatically from the sermon's captions and may differ from the sermon.

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