Sermon Notes

Back to School

Everyone Can Be Saved

PARABLE

A simple, fictional story used to teach a significant, spiritual lesson.

LUKE 15:11-32  

And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 

 

And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

 

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’

 

And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

 

But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

 

“Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’

 

But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’

 

And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

SUMMARY

• Younger brother takes inheritance, leaves, spends it all, then returns.


• Father celebrates his return.


• Older brother gets mad.

THE TENSION

How can we maintain close fellowship with God and avoid feeling isolated from God?

MY BURDEN

A majority of Christians don’t actually know the meaning of this parable.

MY BURDEN

A misinterpretation of this parable can lead to a misunderstanding of the message of Christianity.

If the preaching of our ministers and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then we must not be declaring the same message that Jesus did.

If our churches aren’t appealing to younger brothers, they must be more full of elder brothers than we’d like to think.

Message outline

* The Younger Brother’s Isolation

* The Older Brother’s Isolation

* The Perfect Father

DEMANDING

‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ - Luke 15:12

SELF-INDULGENT

 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 

- Luke 15:13

COMPENSATING

 “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” - Luke 15:18-19

ANGRY

“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. - Luke 15:28

JOYLESSLY-COMPLIANT

‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. - Luke 15:29

MORALLY SUPERIOR

But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 

- Luke 15:30

LESSON #1

Everyone is wrong. 

Everyone is loved.

Everyone must be saved.

COMPASSIONATE

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 

- Luke 15:20

LAVISH IN BLESSING

‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 

- Luke 15:22-23

INITIATING IN NATURE

But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him - Luke 15:28

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. - Luke 15:20

Both younger brothers 

and older brothers are joined with God by receiving God’s love.

APPLICATION

• “Younger brothers” repent for yourself-indulgence.


• “Older brothers” repent for your self-righteousness.


• Receive God’s lavish love for you!

THE PERFECT OLDER BROTHER

He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!