May 24-25, 2003      AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE!         Luke 15:11-24

EXTREME HOMES!

THREE STAGES IN THE EXTREME HOME:

1. STAGE ONE: REBELLION!

*** Luke 15:11-16 “Jesus told them…: Once a man had two sons. The younger son said to his father, "Give me my share of the property." So the father divided his property between his two sons. Not long after that, the younger son packed up everything he owned and left for a foreign country, where he wasted all his money in wild living. He had spent everything, when a bad famine spread through that whole land. Soon he had nothing to eat. He went to work for a man in that country, and the man sent him out to take care of his pigs. He would have been glad to eat what the pigs were eating, but no one gave him a thing.” [Contemporary English Version]

WHEN A CHILD WANTS TO REBEL:

A. YOU LET THEM GO!

$ ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT THINGS TO DO AS A PARENT IS TO KNOW WHEN TO HOLD ON AND WHEN TO LET GO!

B. YOU LET THEM MAKE THEIR OWN MISTAKES!

$ SOME THINGS WE CAN ONLY LEARN THOUGH

PAINFUL EXPERIENCES!

*** Proverbs 20:30 “Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways.” [Today’s English Version]

$ PARENTING IS TEACHING OUR KIDS RESPONSIBILITY!”

-- James Dobson

C. YOU LET THEM REAP THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR

ACTIONS!

*** Galatians 6:7 (TEV) “Do not deceive yourselves; no one makes a fool of God. You will reap exactly what you plant.”

$PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY ENDS WHERE

PARENTAL CONTROL ENDS!

2. STAGE TWO: RE-EVALUATION AND REGRET!

*** Luke 15:17-19 (CEV) “Finally, he came to his senses and said, "My father's workers have plenty to eat, and here I am, starving to death! I will go to my father and say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against God in heaven and against you. I am no longer good enough to be called your son. Treat me like one of your workers.' "

WHILE YOU ARE WAITING:

A. YOU PRAY!

*** Lament. 2:19 “Rise during the night and cry out. Pour out your Hearts like water to the Lord. Lift up your hands to him in prayer. Plead for your children….” [New Living Translation]

*** 2 Samuel 12:16 “David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground.”

[New International Version]

*** Job 1:5 “When these birthday parties ended--and sometimes they lasted several days--Job would summon his children to him and sanctify them, getting up early in the morning and offering a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said, "Perhaps my sons have sinned and turned away from God in their hearts." This was Job's regular practice.” [Living Bible]

B. YOU COMMIT THE CHILD TO GOD!

$ “IT’S COMFORTING TO KNOW THAT THE THINGS THAT ARE OUT OF OUR CONTROL ARE NOT OUT OF GOD’S CONTROL!”

*** 1 Samuel 1:22 “Hannah…told her husband, "After the child is weaned, I'll bring him myself and present him before God—and that's where he'll stay, for good." [Message]

C. YOU WAIT PATIENTLY!

*** Psalm 33:20 (NIV) “We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.”

3. STAGE THREE: THE RETURN!

*** Luke 15:20-24 (CEV) “The younger son got up and started back to his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son and hugged and kissed him. The son said, "Father, I have sinned against God in heaven and against you. I am no longer good enough to be called your son." But his father said to the servants, "Hurry and bring the best clothes and put them on him. Give him a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. Get the best calf and prepare it, so we can eat and celebrate. This son of mine was dead, but has now come back to life. He was lost and has now been found." And they began to celebrate.”

THREE THINGS TO DO WHEN THE CHILD RETURNS:

A. YOU LOVE THEM FAITHFULLY!

B. YOU ACCEPT THEM UNCONDITIONALLY!

$ THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE IS ALWAYS PHYSICAL!

$ USUALLY REQUIRES MUTUAL CONFESSION!

C. YOU FORGIVE THEM COMPLETELY!

$ GOD DOESN’T RUB IT IN, HE RUBS IT OUT!

“But if you don't want to serve the Lord, you must choose for yourselves today whom you will serve. As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord." -- Joshua 24:15 (NCV)