THE GIFT OF LIFELuke 15:11 - 24

“LIFE” DESCRIBES THE SPIRITUAL

•Life is what God gives because He is love.•V 24:•Dead = lost•Life = found.

16 DIFFERENT USES OF “LIFE”

•Book of life•Tree of life•Bread of life•Light of life•Prince of life•Newness of life

•Spirit of life•Fountain of life•Water of life•Living water•Springs of life

•River of life•Crown of life•Promise of life•Resurrection and the life•Eternal life

THE “SO WHAT” OF LIFE IN SCRIPTURE

1. Knowing God – we are born of God. 1 John 4; John 11:25-26; prince of life; eternal life. John 17:1-3

2. Newness. Springs of water, rivers of water, water of life, newness of life, life to the full.

3. Satisfier – when we “feed” on the bread of life. John 6:35; fountain of life. Ps 36:9; living water.

4. Guides – the light that guides. John 1:4, 8:12

WHAT IS THE “LIFE” GIVEN BY GOD?

•1 John 4:9. God is love. He gives life.•1 John 4:15-16, confession of Christ means that God abides in me.

• John 17:25-26, God’s love for Christ abides in me.• Ephesians 2:4-5, made us alive together w Christ.•1 John 5:11-12, to have the Son is to have life.

LOST SON HAS REJECTED THE FATHER

•The son has rejected the father. V 12.1. Not about making bad choices.2. Rejecting the father and going my way.

•Martin Luther – “sinner: person curved in on himself,” and away from God. (from “Delighting in the Trinity,” by Michael Reeves)

THE LOST SON IS “CURVED IN ON HIMSELF”:

1. He demands.2. He leaves quickly.3. He goes to a distant country.4. He wastes his estate with “loose living.”5. He loses everything. 6. He is trapped. He cannot go home now.

HOW DOES HE EXPERIENCE “LIFE”?

1. He is “dead.” He admits it. V 16.2. He comes to his senses. 3. He gets up and starts home.•Not self-absorbed, inward turned but God-absorbed, outward turned.

THE FATHER’S GIFT OF LIFE?

1. He sees him far away. 2. He runs to him.3. He restores, forgives, he reclaims him

as his son.4. The lost son is found, the dead son is

alive again.