1. Luke 15:11-24
(ESV)
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2. 11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons
11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 
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3. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 
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4. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 
16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
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5. 17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’
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6. 20 And he arose and came to his father
20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
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7. 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
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9. Discontented Christians

10. One of the sons is bored with the food & comfort at home;
he is bored with the Bible stories that the father tells him;

11. he heard that there are better things out there and he wants to travel and experience different religions and different kinds of fun;
he is not content with God who accepts and loves him; he wants more.

12. He is like Eve in Eden.
Eve had access to all kinds of tasty fruits; she had a loving husband;
life was good and she was happy;
she was happy until she met the serpent.

13. Gen 3:1, He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 

14. 2 the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 

15. 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die
4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 

16. She was happy until she heard that God was holding back good things from her;
and suddenly she was discontented with God;

17. 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate,

18. she wanted more and so she tried the forbidden fruit and paid the consequence for disobeying.

28. 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 

29. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

30. The father is not rebuking the younger son for his reckless wastefulness; he is just glad that the son is home.

31. 25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 

32. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 

33. 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat that I might celebrate with my friends

34. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes; you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 

35. Mal 3:14 ‘It is vain to serve God
Mal 3:14 ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? 15 And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’

36. 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

37. Conformimg Christians vs Discontented Christians
The moral conforming person would say, “I am not doing what I want to do, I will do what the tradition or community wants me to do.”

38. The nonconforming discontented Christian would say, “I am not doing what they want me to do; I decide what is right or wrong for me; I will do whatever I want.”

39. We can sin against God by breaking his rules;
We can sin against God by keeping all his rules.
Sin is putting you in the place of God as Savior and Judge.

40. Gospel redefined:
The gospel is both sons are wrong and both are loved and the father wants them to realize that and come back to him.

41. “The gospel is this: We are more flawed and sinful in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.”

42. "The Christian Gospel is that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me, yet I am so loved and valued that Jesus was glad to die for me.”