{"id":4063,"date":"2024-01-28T10:55:44","date_gmt":"2024-01-28T15:55:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/?p=4063"},"modified":"2024-01-28T10:55:53","modified_gmt":"2024-01-28T15:55:53","slug":"the-prodigal-son-january-28th-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/?p=4063","title":{"rendered":"THE PRODIGAL SON, JANUARY 28TH, 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Hymn: Just as I am without one plea <\/p>\n\n\n\n

CENTRAL THOUGHT Genuine repentance attracts God\u2019s pardon <\/p>\n\n\n\n

TEXT: LUKE 15:11-24 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

INTRODUCTION: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This parable is an illustration of the depravity and depth of misery which sinners and backsliders slump into through disobedience. It also illustrates God\u2019s love for all and His willingness to receive those who return to Him. The prodigal son requested for his portion of the inheritance and went into a strange land; there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. (Luke 15:14-15). In a bid to struggle for survival, he went into the abominable act of feeding with swine. He was later convicted, broken down and returned to his father who joyfully accepted him with celebration. The aim of this study is to warn sinners and backsliders on the danger of rejecting God\u2019s protection and also to guide them on the process of returning to Him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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BIBLE TRUTH: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

QUESTION 1) READ LUKE 15:11-13 AND MENTION SOME OF THE RISKS TAKEN BY THE PRODIGAL SON IN DEPARTING FROM THE FATHER\u2019S HOUSE The prodigal son out of covetousness (emanating from pride of life and quest for recognition), requested his father to share his inheritance and give him his portion. Thereafter, he gathered all his belongings and went into a far country and there he wasted his substance on riotous living. He abandoned his father\u2019s coverage\/ protection thereby despising the law of God. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

QUESTION 2) FROM LUKE 15:14-16, IDENTIFY THE DANGERS OF BACKSLIDING. Backsliding means turning away from the truth of the gospel. It begins when a believer starts living presumptuously i.e being insensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit. The scripture says that he that breaks the hedge, serpent will bite. The dangers of backsliding are: i. Exposure to the devil\u2019s attack. ii. The backslider makes the sacrifice of Jesus Christ of no effect to himself. iii. The person loses fellowship with God. iv. The person also loses fellowship with brethren. v. The backslider ultimately faces eternal destruction if he\/ she refuses to repent. God in His infinite mercy is calling all sinners and backsliders to return to Him. The careless ones are also warned to be careful with their lives. God says in Jer. 3:22, \u201creturn ye backsliding children and I will heal your backsliding\u201d. God is not interested when a sinner or backslider dies hence, He calls all to return to Him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

QUESTION 3A) IDENTIFY THE STEPS TAKEN BY THE PRODIGAL SON IN HIS EFFORTS TO RETURN TO HIS FATHER\u2019S HOUSE LUKE 15:17-21 Having realized his error, the depravity of his lifestyle, his father\u2019s enormous wealth, his suffering and abominable acts (feeding with swine), the prodigal son came to his senses and declared he will arise and go to his father and that he was no longer worthy to be called his father\u2019s son rather chose to be a servant, if only he would be accepted. Thereafter, he took the following steps: i. I will arise and go to my father; and say to him, \u201c I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.\u201d And he arose and came to his father. (Vs. 17-20a). ii. He had a change of mind (genuine repentance) and acted upon it (went to his father). iii. He confessed that he was not worthy to be called his son, but he should be taken as one of the servants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

QUESTION 3B) HOW CAN A SINNER OR A BACKSLIDER BE RESTORED TO GOD TODAY? (PRO.28:13, ROMANS 10:8-10) The following steps can help a sinner\/backslider to be restored: (a) Admit that you are a sinner or have backslided. God knows this but wants you to acknowledge it. (b) Repent. Genuine repentance attracts God\u2019s pardon. Forsake all forms of transgression. The Bible says \u201cHe that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but he that confesseth and forsaketh shall have mercy\u201d (Prov.28:13). (c) Accept by faith that God has forgiven him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

QUESTION 4) WHAT DOES THE PRODIGAL SON\u2019S FATHER TELL US OF GOD\u2019S LOVE FOR REPENTANT SINNERS OR BACKSLIDERS? LUKE.15:22-24. The action of the prodigal son\u2019s father tells us of God\u2019s love toward \u201call\u201d especially towards repentant sinners and backsliders. The father displayed extreme love for his lost but found son. He was full of compassion and immediately granted his request. As the father was eagerly waiting for his son\u2019s return, so also God waits for all sinners and backsliders who will willingly accept God\u2019s provision of redemption. He has promised that He will \u2018abundantly pardon\u2019. Only those who genuinely repent will experience His pardon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

DAILY LIVING APPLICATION: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

God\u2019s mercy draws a person into fellowship and preserves him\/her in the fold. The song writer says, \u201cThe vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus, a pardon receives.\u201d God is ever waiting for a prodigal son with a bowed head, bended knees, a humble and repentant heart. Through the ages, God\u2019s promises have been to forgive our sins and iniquities, to restore the backslider and cleanse from all unrighteousness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

MEMORY VERSE: LUKE 15:32B \u201c For this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

MONDAY: He that covereth his sin shall not prosper. Pro.28:13; Job 33:31. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

TUESDAY: It is dangerous to backslide. Luke 15:14-16. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

WEDNESDAY: Genuine repentance attracts God\u2019s pardon. Luke.15:17-20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THURSDAY: Bring forth fruit meet for repentance. Matt.3:8-10. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

FRIDAY: God will abundantly pardon. Isaiah 44:22; 55:6-7. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

SATURDAY: Blessed is the man whose sin is forgiven. Psa.32:1-5 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hymn: Just as I am without one plea CENTRAL THOUGHT Genuine repentance attracts God\u2019s pardon TEXT: LUKE 15:11-24 INTRODUCTION: This parable is an illustration of the depravity and depth of misery which sinners and backsliders slump into through disobedience. It also illustrates God\u2019s love for all and His willingness to receive those who return to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4064,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4063","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sundayschool"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/the-parable-of-the-prodigal-son.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4063","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4063"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4063\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4065,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4063\/revisions\/4065"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4064"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4063"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4063"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mzgtiglobal.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4063"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}