Here at The Cure KC, we are a pentecostal church in Kansas City and if this is your home church, you know this to be true.
However, that doesn’t make us better than any other Christian denomination. At the end of it all, we will all be in heaven together! So whatever church you attend serve God faithfully there. However, if you call this your church home, don’t drift away or think the grass is greener because no matter where you are it will never be completely perfect. Stay planted!
Luke 15:13 says,
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.
The prodigal son was not just some greedy kid trying to get his hands on his fathers money. He already had his fathers money. He was living in a blessed house with wealth at his disposal. But this young man was restlesss and wanted to live life on his own terms. He wanted to do what he wanted, when he wanted, and how he wanted.
He wanted to be his own man.
When this young man left his father’s house he left with all sorts of substance and carried it into the enemy’s territory. I like that word,
SUBSTANCE
I’m so glad the Bible didn’t say money.Your substance is what God gave you; dignity, self esteem, annointing, the person who God made you to be. He wants to steal your chutzpah.
Do you know what chutzpah is? It’s your staying power, your boldness, your tenacity. You need to hold on to that!
Do you remember what God did for you? Do you remember what He took you out of? He made you a son or a daughter and the devil wants you to throw all that away.
The prodigal son began to hook up with riotous people. Bad company corrupts good morals my friend. You say you’re lonely? That’s okay because you have Jesus.
We see that once the young man had nothing left so did his so called friends and he was sent to live with pigs. That’s just like the devil. Some of you knopw what that’s like. At one time you were a king’s kid and then you found yourself living in a pig’s pen. All you can think about is how good you had it in the house of God.
Well here’s the good news. It’s not too late.
The Bible says this,
“When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Luke 15:17-19
The young man came to himself. God gave us the ability to reason and repent. Repentance is not just an apology. Repentance is an apology with an intention to change attached.
So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’
But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found. Luke 15:21-24
I want you to know that if you are in the house you never have to leave. You never have to give up your substance. But if you have left the blessed place learn from this story. The prodigal son repented and came home to a father waiting with open arms. You can do the same.