DCLM Sincere Milk 8 December 2022 — The prodigal son
DCLM Sincere Milk 8 December 2022 Devotional by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — The prodigal son
TOPIC: THE PRODIGAL SON
BIBLE TEXT: LUKE 15:11-24
11And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12And 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.
13And 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.
14And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17And 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!
18I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20And 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.
21And 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.
22But 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:
23And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
KEY VERSE: “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” (Luke 15:21).
MESSAGE:
Jesus tells a story of a man who had two sons. One day, the younger son decided that he wanted to leave home to go enjoy himself in a faraway country. So, he went to his father to ask for his own portion of the family’s investment (money). His father gave it to him, and he left. Soon, he spent all the money on partying and useless things. He became lonely, miserable and hungry. He then decided to take a job of feeding pigs just to get food to eat. One day, as he fed the pigs, he thought *”my father’s servants have plenty of food, and here am I starving, I will arise and go back to my father and ask for forgiveness.”
Surprisingly, the father had missed his son. So, when he saw him coming back home, he ran to him, hugged and kissed him. It was a loving and warm welcome. The son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.”
But his father forgave and received him back. He told his servants to bring out a fine robe for his son, organised a big party, and they began to celebrate. The father received his son back as one that was dead in sins and trespasses and is now awake to a new life. If you will come to Jesus now, He will receive you and make you His friend. Then heaven will rejoice because of you.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I come to You now, forgive me and wash my heart clean with the blood of Jesus.
FURTHER READING: Matthew 18:11-14
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
