When the Prodigal Son Came to Himself (Luke 15:17 and Hebrews 12:4-11)

Luke 15:17 says the prodigal son came to himself, or came to his senses. This is one of the best descriptions in Scripture of what it means to be trained God’s discipline (Hebrews 12:11). He recognized he was experiencing discipline versus a trial. https://youtu.be/Ipeis6tkq_4 The prodigal son "came to himself," or came to his senses in one of the best examples of being trained God’s discipline (Hebrews 12:11). Table of Contents for When the Prodigal Son Came to HimselfFamily Worship Guide for When the Prodigal Son Came to HimselfSermon Notes for When the Prodigal Son Came to HimselfLesson One: We suffer because of trials we experience or sin we commit.Lesson Two (Part One) Trials can produce maturity…Lesson Two (Part One) Trials can produce maturity (Part Two) and discipline should produce repentance.Lesson Three: Be encouraged when disciplined, because it means we (Part One) are God’s child.Lesson Three: Be encouraged when disciplined, because it means we (Part Two) are in God’s hands.Lesson Three: Be encouraged when disciplined, because it means we (Part Three) can produce fruit.Lesson Four: Coming to our senses is part of being trained by God’s discipline. Family Worship Guide for When the Prodigal Son Came to Himself Directions: Read the verses and then answer the questions: Day 1: 1 Peter 2:19-20, 3:17, 4:12-15, Romans 5:3-4, James 1:2-4, 2 Chronicles 16:12, Numbers 20:12, 2 Samuel 12:10, 2 Chronicles 20:37—Describe a time you suffered because of trials. Describe a time you suffered because of sin you committed. Why do trials produce maturity? What is discipline supposed to produce and why?Day 2: Hebrews 12:5-11, 2 Samuel 24:12-14, Proverbs 27:22, Jeremiah 5:3—When disciplined by God what can you tell yourself to be encouraged? Can you think of other reasons to be encouraged when disciplined by God that were not mentioned in the sermon? Why is genuine repentance accompanied by fruit?Day 3: Luke 15:17, 2 Timothy 2:25-26—What does it mean that the prodigal son came to himself? In what ways is repentance having a change of mind? In what ways is repentance coming to our senses? What does it mean if we “Come to ourselves” regarding our sin? Sermon Notes for When the Prodigal Son Came to Himself The title of this morning’s sermon is, “When the Prodigal Son Came to Himself.” On Sunday mornings we’re working our way through Luke’s gospel verse by verse, but for Scripture reading I would like to look at some verses in 1 Peter 4, if you would please turn there. We will read verses twelve through fifteen. Please stand with me for the reading of God’s Word. 1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. You may be seated. Let’s pray. I know the parable of the prodigal son is very familiar to all of us, so I have been trying to dig out some wonderful truths that you might not have thought of before. This morning I hope to give you greater insight into Luke 15:17 which says The prodigal son came to himself. This is going to involve sharing some things at the beginning of the sermon, and we will connect the dots at the end. Let me begin by inviting you to think about the book of 1 Peter. Along with Job, this is the other main book in the Bible dealing with suffering. And Peter teaches that there are two causes of suffering: We suffer because of trials we experience. We did nothing to cause this suffering. It is simply the suffering that comes with living in a fallen world.We also suffer because of sin we commit. We did everything to cause this suffering. I want to give us a lesson just to drive this home… Lesson One: We suffer because of trials we experience or sin we commit. Let me show you some verses that make this point. I’m going to ask you each time if Peter is talking about suffering caused by trials or sin…so please pay attention…especially the kids… Look at 1 Peter 2:19… 1 Peter 2:19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. Is this suffering because of trials or sin? This is suffering because of trials that we did nothing to cause. Look at verse 20… 1 Peter 2:20a For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? Pause here. Is this suffering because of trials or sin? This is suffering because of sin. We sinned and God disciplined. When it says we sin and are beaten for it, God is the one beating us or disciplining us. Now look at the rest of the verse… 1 Peter 2:20b But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. Is this suffering because of trials or sin? This is suffering because of trials. Peter describes suffering that comes from doing good…the opposite of sinning Look at the next chapter at verse 17… 1 Peter 3:17a For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, Pause here. Is this suffering because of trials or sin? Trials. Again, suffering for doing good. Now look at the rest of the verse… 1 Peter 3:17b than for doing evil. Is this suffering because of trials or sin? Sin. Now go to 1 Peter 4:12… 1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. Is Peter talking about suffering because of trials or sin? Trials…he says fiery trial. He also says these trials test us, we should not be surprised by them, and we can even rejoice in them, because of the good they produce in our lives…and this brings us to the first part of lesson two… Lesson Two (Part One) Trials can produce maturity… In a word, trials are supposed to produce maturity. Listen to just a couple verses… Romans 5:3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, Trials are supposed to produce spiritual growth and maturity. We don’t like trials, but Scripture is clear that they are good for us. They are one of the primary ways we grow. James 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Just like Peter said we can rejoice when we experience trials because of the maturity they produce, James says the same. But to let you know, the reason the lesson says trials CAN produce maturity is it is not a guarantee. It is a true saying that trials can make us better or bitter. Let me give you one example of someone made bitter by trials. Asa was one of Judah’s greatest kings, but listen to this… 2 Chronicles 16:12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet, and his disease became severe. Yet EVEN IN HIS DISEASE HE DID NOT SEEK THE LORD, but sought help from physicians. Asa probably had gout or gangrene. There is nothing wrong with turning to physicians for help, but the verse is worded as a criticism of Asa for turning ONLY to physicians. Since he reigned forty-one years, this was within two years of the end of his life. Perhaps it is because he had been faithful to God throughout his life that he was angry with God for letting him get this disease…so he refused to turn to Him. Now look at Peter tell us one more time the other reason we suffer… 1 Peter 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Is Peter talking about suffering because of trials or sin? Sin…we can suffer because we murdered, or stole, or did evil, or meddled in other people’s affairs. Peter knows some suffering – such as that caused by trials – is unavoidable, but he wants to help us avoid suffering that can be avoided, such as that caused by God’s discipline when we sin. Here are some examples of discipline in Scripture: After Moses struck the rock instead of speaking to it as God commanded, Numbers 20:12 God said, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”After David committed adultery with Bathsheba and murdered Uriah, God told him through the prophet Nathan, 2 Samuel 12:10 “The sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.”After Jehoshaphat entered an alliance with evil King Ahaziah to build ships, God told him through a prophet 2 Chronicles 20:37 “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the Lord has destroyed your works.” Then the ships were wrecked. These men suffered because of their sin. It would be wrong to say they experienced trials. It would be right to say they sinned and God disciplined them. What can God’s discipline look like in our lives? People lose their jobs, because they slacked off for yearsPeople’s finances are tight, because of years of impulsive purchasesPeople are diagnosed with diabetes, because of years of gluttonous eatingPeople are in miserable marriages, because they ignored their parents’ warnings about the spouse they married These are not trials!