FROM THE HOG PEN
TO THE FATHERS HOUSE

11 ¶ And 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 falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And 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 fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet 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 unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, 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 elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

THIS MORNING I WANT TO LOOK FOR A MOMENT AT A SON AND FATHER. MAYBE THE MOST FAMOUS FATHER SON RELATIONSHIPS IN ALL THE WORD OF GOD. WHAT I WANT TO DO TODAY IS TRACE THE STEPS OF YOUNG MAN FROM THE HOG PEN TO THE FATHERS HOUSE.

WE COULD LOOK AT THE TRIP FROM THE FATHERS HOUSE TO THE HOG PEN.. BUT WE'LL JUST SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THAT. WHAT I WANT TO CONCENTRATE ON IS THE RELATIONSHIP THIS YOUNG MAN HAS WITH HIS FATHER. IF WE'LL ALLOW GOD TO MOVE AND WORK I BELIEVE WE WILL SEE GOD THE FATHER IN A WONFUL FRESH LIGHT THIS MORNING. I BELIEVE WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THE RELATIONSHIP OF A SINNER TO HIS FATHER LIKE WE'VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE.

THIS MORNING WE CAN READ A STORY WITH A HAPPY ENDING… A STORY THAT WAS WELL ON IT'S WAY TO TRADEGDY… BUT THANK GOD THINGS TURNED OUT ALRIGHT. LET'S HAVE A LOOK AT THE TRIP FROM THE FATHER'S HOUSE

WHY DID THE BOY LEAVE THE FATHER'S HOUSE IN THE FIRST PLACE?

1. DISSATISFACTION --- THIS BOY CAME FROM A GOOD HOME. CERTAINLY HE WASN'T NEGLECTED. BUT HE LEFT… HOW MANY HOMES ARE CONCENTRATING ON THE MATERIALS OF THIS WORLD AND FINDING OUT THAT THEY DON'T SATISFY.

2. DISILLUSION -- MAYBE THE BOY WAS DIDISILLUSIONED AS TO WHAT THE WORKD HAD TO OFFER. HE WANTED OUT TO GET HIS TASTE OF THE WORLD. OF COURSE THE WORLD CAN'T SATISFY.. NEVER COULD, NEVER WILL BE ABLE TO.

3. DESIRES --- HE MAY HAVE JUST WANTED OUT FROM UNDER THE RESTRICTIONS OF A SOLID DAD. I KNOW FROM THE END OF THE STORY THE DAD LOVED HIM. BUT MAYBE THIS BOY WANTED A PERMISSIVE DAD SO HE COULD FULFILL HIS DESIRES… BE CAREFUL, YOU'LL REAP WHAT YOU SOW!

HIS DEPARTURE IS MARKED BY FOUR STEPS… NOTE THIS.. THEY'LL BE THE SAME FOUR YOU OR I WILL TAKE!

1. HIS DEPARTURE VR. 13 -- A TREE ALWAYS FALLS THE WAY IT'S LEANING
2. HIS DELIGHT VR. 13B --- PLEASURE IN SIN FOR A SEASON
3. HIS DISAPPOINTMENT VR. 14 -- SEASONS EVENTUALLY CHANGE
4. HIS DESPERATION VRS. 15 – 16 -- WHAT CAN BE SALVAGED? AMERICA IS SO SCARED TODAY BY SIN!

NOW LET'S LOOK AT THE TRIP OUT OF THE HOG PEN TO THE FATHERS HOUSE.

I.) HIS REALIZATION

17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

WHERE HE IS: AWAY FROM HIS FATHER IN A WORLD THAT WILL USE HIM AND SPIT HIM OUT.. NOW HE'S ALONE. SCARED. DIRTY, MISERABLE… AND HE COMES TO HIMSELF… YOUNG FOLKS REALIZE THIS IS WHAT SIN WILL DO TO YOU.. (STAY HERE A WHILE)

WHAT HE HAD DONE: HE BY HIMSELF OF HIS OWN ACCORD HAS LEFT HIS FATHER.. NO ONE IS TO BLAME BUT HIMSELF.. HE NEEDS TO COME CLEAN.

WHAT DOES HE NEED TO DO: TO HUMBLE HIMSELF.. TAKE THE FULL BLAME AND RESPONSIBILITY AND DO HIS BEST TO PUT WHAT IS LEFT BACK TOGETHER… THEIR WILL ALWAYS BE CONSEQUENCES TO OUR ACTIONS.. WHEN WE FALL THEIR WILL ALWAYS BE THOSE WHO WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO TRUST US AGAIN. I MEET FOLKS WHO WANT OUT OF THE HOG PIN BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO TAKE THE BLAME FOR GETTING THERE. GOD HELP US. WHEN WE MESS UP WE MUST FESS UP!

BUT IT ALL STARTED WHEN HE CAME TO HIMSELF. IF YOU ARE AWAY FROM GOD YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO COME TO YOURSELF! THE DEVIL WILL MESS WITH YOUR THINKING.

WE NEED TO DO SOME CONSIDERING, AND REALIZING.. AND GET BACK TO THE FATHER'S HOUSE!

EZ. 18:28 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

MAY I SAY RIGHT HERE… THAT I BELIEVE FROM THE TIME THE BOY LEFT THE HOUSE TILL HE STARTED UP THE PATH FOR HOME… MOMMA AND DADDY WERE PRAYING.. BEGGING GOD TO HELP THEIR SON COME TO HIMSELF…. IF THOSE WHO ARE WAYWARD AROUND YOU ARE DEPENDING ON YOUR PRAYERS ARE THEY IN GOOD SHAPE? ARE YOU CALLING ON GOD TO HELP THEM? ARE YOU EARNESTLY, EFFECTUALLY, PRAYING FOR THEM? LET'S DON'T DROP THE BALL. LET'S DIG IN. WE NEED TO PRAY. WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERNENCE!

II.) HIS RESOLUTION

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

HE TAKES THE BLAME! HE DOESN'T SAY, "WELL IF YA'LL HAD OF DONE RIGHT BY ME I WOULDN'T HAVE LEFT.." MANY FOLKS NEVER GET RIGHT BECAUSE THEY NEVER RESOLVE RIGHT! HE REALIZES THINGS MAY NOT BE THE SAME AGAIN. BUT HE WOULD RATHER JUST BE A HIRED SERVANT WITH THE FATHER THAN STAY IN THE HOG PEN THAT HE'S IN.

I JOHN 1:9

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 Cor. 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

UNTIL YOU MAKE UP YOUR MIND TO LEAVE YOUR SIN AND COME HOME…. YOU'LL NOT FIND GRACE AND MERCY AND RESTORATION. THANK GOD THIS BOY DID THAT.

PROV. 28:13

Proverbs 28:13 ¶ He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

DANIEL WHEN HE REALIZED THE 70 YEARS HAD ELAPSED SINCE ISRAEL HAD BEEN IN CAPTIVITY.. KNOWING THAT ISRAEL WAS THERE BECAUSE OF IT'S NATIONAL SIN… DANIEL CONFESSES HIS COUNTRY'S SIN AND ASK'S GOD FOR MERCY FOR ISRAEL. DAN. 9:4-5

III.) HIS RETURN AND RECONCILLIATION

20 And he arose, and came to his father.

MY THOUGHT… WHEN DID HIS FATHER RECEIVE HIM? WHEN SAW HIM COMING HOME! NOT AFTER A LONG PROCESS OF BEGGING… GOD KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON.. I BELIVE GOD SAVED ME WHEN I GOT OUT OF MY PEW ON MARCH 3RD, 1985. IF THE RAPTURE HAD OF TOOK PLACE BETWEEN MY PEW AND THE ALTER>>>> I BELIEVE I WOULD OF GONE UP>

WHY? GOD KNEW, I WAS COMING TO HIM FOR FORGIVENESS AND SALVATION.. JN. 6:37.. HIM THAT COMETH TO ME I WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT!

IV.) HIS RECEPTION AND RESTORATION

VS. 20 – 22 But when he was yet 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 unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

HIS HONESTY AND PRODUCED THE GREATEST RECEPTION OF HIS LIFE.

A SON AND THE FATHER FROM ITALY HAD THE FIGHT, SEPARATED…

THE FATHER BREAKS DOWN AND AFTER OF SEPERATION HE PUT'S AD'S IN THE MAJOR NEWSPAPERS OF THE LAND…

"PEDRO, IF YOU'LL FORGIVE ME, MEET ME AT SUCH AND SUCH SQUARE AT THIS TIME".

PEDRO DID SEE THE ADD, AND HE SHOWED UP. TO HIS AND HIS FATHERS AMAZEMENT, OVER A 1000 PEDRO'S HAD COME TO THAT TOWN SQUARE.

THIS WORLD WANTS FORGIVENESS.. THEY NEED IT. GOD HELP US.

NOTICE HE IS RECEIVED WITH:

THE RING -- STANDING IN THE FAMILY

THE ROBE -- HIS SINS ARE COVERED

THE RAINMENT -- HIS OLD NAKEDNESS AND SHAME ARE FORGOTTEN

V.) HIS REJOICING..

23 And bring hither the fatted calf, 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.

O' WHAT A FATHER.. O' WHAT A FATHER… I'M GLAD WHEN YOU GET BACK IN RIGHT RELATIONSHIP AND YOU CAN REJOICE.