Awakening to Grace: The Prodigal Son's Journey

Devotional

Day 1: Breaking the Cycle of Fear and Sin

The story of the prodigal son illustrates the cycle of fear and sin, where fear of God's wrath keeps us away, yet God's provision through Christ invites us back. This cycle can only be broken by divine intervention, awakening us to the reality of God's grace. The prodigal son, trapped in his own fear and sin, initially remains distant from his father, unaware of the grace that awaits him. It is only through a divine awakening that he realizes the depth of his father's love and the provision made for his return. This awakening is not something he could achieve on his own; it is a gift from God, much like the call to Lazarus to come out of the tomb. This divine intervention breaks the cycle, allowing the prodigal son to return home and experience the fullness of his father's grace. [00:33]

Ephesians 2:4-5 (ESV): "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved."

Reflection: What fears are keeping you from fully embracing God's grace today, and how can you invite Him to intervene in breaking this cycle?

Day 2: Divine Awakening to Spiritual Reality

True awakening is a divine act, not self-induced. Like Lazarus, we cannot awaken ourselves from spiritual death; it is God who calls us to life through His Word. This awakening leads to genuine repentance and a desire to return to God. The prodigal son's moment of "coming to himself" is a powerful illustration of this divine awakening. It is a moment of clarity and realization that he cannot continue in his current state and must return to his father. This awakening is not a result of his own efforts but a response to the call of God, who desires to bring him back to life. It is a reminder that our spiritual revival is not something we can manufacture but is a gift from God, calling us to repentance and transformation. [09:01]

Colossians 2:13 (ESV): "And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to experience a divine awakening, and how can you open yourself to God's call today?

Day 3: Recognizing Sin and Returning to the Father

Misery in the world is a result of sin, and while people desire freedom from misery, they often resist freedom from sin. The prodigal son's journey shows that true freedom comes from recognizing our sin and returning to the Father. Many people, like the prodigal son, seek relief from the consequences of their actions without addressing the root cause—sin. The prodigal son's decision to return to his father is a recognition of his own sinfulness and a desire to be free from it. This journey back to the father is not just about escaping misery but about embracing a new life of obedience and grace. It is a call to acknowledge our own sin and to seek the true freedom that comes from returning to God. [06:24]

Isaiah 55:7 (ESV): "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

Reflection: What sins are you holding onto that are keeping you in misery, and how can you take steps to return to the Father today?

Day 4: Repentance and Acceptance by God

Repentance involves acknowledging our unworthiness and the reality of our sin against God and others. It is not about accepting Jesus on our terms but being accepted by Him, leading to a transformed life. The prodigal son's journey home is marked by humility and a desire to be in his father's presence, even as a servant. This humility is a key aspect of true repentance, recognizing that we are unworthy of God's grace yet longing to be accepted by Him. The father's response to the prodigal son is a powerful picture of God's grace, welcoming us back with joy and celebration. It is a reminder that repentance is not about negotiating with God but about surrendering to His love and grace. [16:17]

Psalm 51:17 (ESV): "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."

Reflection: In what ways do you need to humble yourself before God today, acknowledging your unworthiness and seeking His acceptance?

Day 5: Living in Gratitude and Obedience

The father's response to the prodigal son is a picture of God's grace, welcoming us back with joy and celebration. This calls us to live in gratitude, obedience, and delight in God's presence, reflecting the true essence of the Christian life. The celebration of the prodigal son's return is a powerful reminder of the joy that comes from being in right relationship with God. It is a call to live a life marked by gratitude for His grace and a commitment to obedience and delight in His presence. This is the essence of the Christian life, a life transformed by the grace of God and lived in response to His love. [24:03]

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV): "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Reflection: How can you cultivate a heart of gratitude and obedience in your daily life, delighting in God's presence and grace?

Sermon Summary

In the story of the prodigal son, we find a profound illustration of the human condition and the transformative power of God's grace. The prodigal son, trapped in a cycle of fear and sin, remains in the pigpen, afraid of his father's wrath. Yet, unbeknownst to him, God has already made provision for his return through the sacrifice of His Son. This story is not just about a wayward son but about the awakening to the reality of God's presence and the realization of one's spiritual deadness. The prodigal son "comes to himself," a figurative awakening that signifies a spiritual revival, much like a boxer regaining consciousness after being knocked out. This awakening is not self-induced but is a divine act, akin to Lazarus being called out of the tomb.

The world is full of misery, a direct result of sin. People desire to be free from misery but not from sin, much like the prodigal son who wanted the inheritance without the father. True awakening involves recognizing the holiness of God and the need to return to Him. The prodigal son's decision to arise and go to his father signifies genuine repentance and faith. This is not a mere profession of faith but a possession of real faith that leads to a transformed life. The prodigal son leaves the pigpen, still bearing the marks of his past, but resolved to return to his father.

Repentance is not about accepting Jesus on our terms but about being accepted by Him. It involves acknowledging our unworthiness and the reality of our sin against God and others. The prodigal son's journey home is marked by humility and a desire to be in his father's presence, even as a servant. The father's response is one of overwhelming grace and joy, welcoming the son back with open arms and celebrating his return. This story calls us to awaken to God's holiness, to return to Him, and to live in gratitude and obedience, delighting in His presence and grace.

Key Takeaways

1. The prodigal son's story illustrates the cycle of fear and sin, where fear of God's wrath keeps us away, yet God's provision through Christ invites us back. This cycle can only be broken by divine intervention, awakening us to the reality of God's grace. [00:33]
2. True awakening is a divine act, not self-induced. Like Lazarus, we cannot awaken ourselves from spiritual death; it is God who calls us to life through His Word. This awakening leads to genuine repentance and a desire to return to God. [09:01]
3. Misery in the world is a result of sin, and while people desire freedom from misery, they often resist freedom from sin. The prodigal son's journey shows that true freedom comes from recognizing our sin and returning to the Father. [06:24]
4. Repentance involves acknowledging our unworthiness and the reality of our sin against God and others. It is not about accepting Jesus on our terms but being accepted by Him, leading to a transformed life. [16:17]
5. The father's response to the prodigal son is a picture of God's grace, welcoming us back with joy and celebration. This calls us to live in gratitude, obedience, and delight in God's presence, reflecting the true essence of the Christian life. [24:03]
** [24:03]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:33] - The Cycle of Fear and Wrath
[01:35] - God's Provision for Restoration
[02:34] - Awakening to Reality
[03:28] - Figurative Awakening
[04:17] - Spiritual Death and Misery
[05:23] - Misery and Sin
[06:24] - Desire for Freedom from Misery
[07:15] - The Wakeup Call
[08:06] - Coming to Himself
[09:01] - Divine Awakening
[10:59] - Real Faith and Transformation
[12:31] - Leaving the Pigsty
[14:08] - The Struggle of Christian Life
[15:36] - Confession and Repentance
[16:17] - Sin Against God and Others
[17:57] - The Journey Home
[19:26] - True Repentance
[20:52] - God's Grace and Acceptance
[22:34] - The Father's Joyful Welcome
[24:03] - Celebration of Return
[25:52] - Awakening to God's Holiness

Sermon Clips

Thank you, thank you, but we still have a problem. We still have the prodigal son in the pigpen, and we haven’t rescued him yet. We’ve talked about why he stays in the pigpen, because he’s afraid of his father’s wrath, huh? And that is something to fear. But we also understand that every second he stays away from the father, the wrath is being treasured up. [00:00:59]

But something happens. Do you remember early on I told about my own experience and the experience of countless others of an experience of being awakened, coming alert and alive and conscious to the reality of the presence of Christ. I said that was the catalytic moment of my life, the moment that was the most strongly felt change of direction I’ve ever known. [00:01:58]

You notice this, that everybody in the world wants to be delivered, rescued or saved, if you will from misery. This world is full of misery. It’s full of disappointment; it’s full of pain; it’s full of violence. It’s full of death. It’s full disease. It’s full of trouble -- misery. And everybody in this world wants to be saved from misery. [00:05:43]

Now here’s the problem. We want to be delivered or saved from our misery, but not from our sin. We want to sin without misery just like the rich -- or the prodigal son wants inheritance without the father. He wants rescued from the pigs, but he doesn’t want to go home to the father, because he’s dead in his sin. [00:06:37]

The only way you can be awakened, the only way I can be awakened, the only way I can be quickened to spiritual life is by the power of God Himself. Sometimes I get amused, but I’m really not amused when I hear preachers say, you know, step up here, come one forward and decide to be born again. [00:09:01]

You have as much power to awaken yourself from spiritual death as a corpse has the power to waken himself from physical death. The only way you can ever come awake is if God wakes you up. But how does He do it? The alarm clock is His word that the Spirit wakens people, quickens people, gives new life to people through the hearing of His word. [00:09:40]

You do not receive the benefits of Christ or the inheritance of the Father by a claim to faith, by a decision for faith, but by the possession of faith. And it must be real. The threat of God’s judgment is real. The satisfaction of His justice by Christ is real. And for you to have real salvation, you must have real faith. [00:11:23]

There’s a pernicious doctrine going through this land that says a person can become a Christian and never change. Don’t believe it. You cannot stay in the pigsty if you’re a Christian. If you truly embrace the holiness of God and love and delight in the majesty of God, if you rejoice in the satisfaction that Christ has performed to you on the cross and God the Holy Spirit has quickened you and brought you to life, he will not leave you in the pigpen. [00:12:16]

The prodigal son came to himself not by himself, and said, “I will arise.” I’m getting out of here. I have to go home. I’m not afraid of the father’s wrath anymore. Wonder how that fear left? He said I’m going to go home and I’m going to tell my father -- listen to what he said I’m going to tell my father – “I’m going to tell my father that I have sinned against you and against heaven.” [00:15:17]

The kind of repentance we do today is we say come to Jesus, receive Him, accept Him. I hate that -- accept Jesus. How arrogant. Yes, Jesus, I accept You. Ho, ho, ho. Who are you to accept the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of the Kings? The question is does Jesus accept you, not do you accept Him? [00:19:02]

I always say to my students, “Don’t ever ask God for what He owes you. You might get it.” Because if He deals with you according to merit, you’re finished. If the Lord would recompense me for all of my sins, I have no hope. And so the son says hey, make me a servant. Just let me come home. I know I am no longer worthy to be called your son. [00:21:13]

This whole day and through this whole session this entire experience I’ve only been concerned about one thing here, and that is that we be awakened to the holiness of God, that we come to an understanding of who God is and what He has done for us, so that instead of running from him, hiding from him, refusing to come home to him, we will wake up and come to our Father. [00:25:52]

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