John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Has anyone ever told you that God loves you and that He has a wonderful plan for your life? Maybe you think, well I don’t know about that? If God loves me, why do I have all these issues, why are there so many terrible things in the world and how could a loving God send people to hell?
I want to tell you a story of 2 sons and hope to make things a little clearer, to show you that it is not God causing all these issues.
Luke 15:11 Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. 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. 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. 14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
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! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’
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. 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.’
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; 24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
25 “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 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.’
28 “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 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. 30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’
31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32 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.’ ”
This message of the two sons is for two groups of people. Those who live with the Father and those who do not live with the Father.
The son that walked away cannot blame the father for his problems. Mankind cannot blame a God that they do not follow, for their problems. Many people are looking for something that actually only God the Father can give them.
Maybe you need forgiveness, healing of your heart. Maybe you are sick or depressed. Maybe you’re in financial ruin or you’re trying to save your marriage. Maybe you need peace, you experience an emptiness in your heart.
The prodigal son understood that he made a mess of things. He realized that he had sinned, he repented and he realized that there was a better life for him.
God loves you, but are you living the life He has for you? The father said: all that is Mine is yours.
Some wonder why things aren’t going the way they should. Look at this story again: Both sons had a problem. One was away from the Father and returned. The other was with the Father but did not know his rights and did not live the life of abundance that the Father had for him.
This story is a reflection of what the Bible has to say about the love of God, in a way, we are all lost.
1: Everyone is lost: Rom 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
No matter how good we think we are,we are not good enough to enter God’s glory. His standards are so much higher than ours.
There will come a day when we will have to answer for what we have done with our lives. You may not be a thief or a murderer, but all have sinned. Some say “I’m not that bad, I’m quite a good person” but compared to what or who? We think we are innocent because we make up our own rules. (we have built ourselves a golden calf, a god the way we want him to look like)
Different countries have different rules. If we would do in another country what we do here (drugs, prostitution), we would go to prison or even face death. You have to follow their rules.
This earth belongs to God, this is His house, we should follow His rules, but we have failed.
2: the consequences of sin: Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The reward, or punishment, I might better say…of sin is death which is eternal separation.
3: God’s provision: Rom 5:8 But God demonstrates His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
He is not sending anyone to hell, in fact He gave us Jesus Christ to stop us from going there.
John 3:16 God loves you so much that He gave His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. He bore the punishment. He was innocent but died on the cross for our sins.
Jesus says in John 10:9 I am the Door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved;
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Step 4 is to accept, to believe: Rom 10:9 If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
What can you do to receive eternal life? Believe that Jesus died for your sins and was raised from the dead to give you new life. The second is to confess Jesus Christ as Lord over your life.
2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
It does not matter if you are like the son who went far away from the father or like the one who stayed with him, a new and better life is waiting for you.
