Compassing Light

Tax collectors and others notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach.   This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that He was associating with such sinful people - even eating with them!  So Jesus told them this story.  (Luke 15: 1-3)

Three Reasons We Get in Debt

1. Lack of Contentment
   1. Luke 15:11-12
      1. A man had two sons.  The younger son told his father. 'I want my share of your estate now before you die.'  So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.

2. Lack of Good Judgment
   1. Luke 15:13
      1. A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land and there he wasted all his money in wild living.

3. Unforeseen Circumstances
   1. Luke 15:14
      1. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land and began to starve.

Three Steps to Getting Out of Debt

1. Get a realistic perspective of your finances
   1. Luke 15:17
      1. 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!'

2. Admit you need some help
   1. Luke 15:18-19
      1. 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.  Please take me on as a hired servant.'

3. Make a move toward becoming debt free
   1. Luke 15:20
      1. So he returned home to his father.

God's Irrational Restoration

His father said to he 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 his son of mine that was dead and has now returned to life.  He was lost, but now he is found.'  So the party began.  (Luke 15:22-23)