THE INJURY OF HISTORY!

THE INJURY OF HISTORY

GREETING

OPEN IN PRAYER

 

INTRODUCTION:

Shake one of your limbs and say: “THE INJURY OF HISTORY”

I remember my first time learning how to ride a bicycle. I was about 6 years old. We stayed in a small house in Springs. My folks rented this house. It wasn’t anything fancy but it is what we called home. I am sure we can all empathize with that. Most of us came from very simple beginnings and over a period of time, we complicated it… but that’s a story for another day.

Our neighbour had a bicycle before me and I used to watch him living his best life on this bike through our tv room window. Makes me think of how we get caught up in what other people are doing in their lives that we actually forget to live ours. Looking through the window, wanting what others have and we are not focused on the one who wants to give us what He wants for us.

Anyway, I finally conjured up the guts to ask him to teach me how to ride a bike. He saddled me up, held the handle bars and said start to pedal like your life depended on it. Before I knew I was cycling by myself and all of a sudden there was this rock. I hit it, tumbled over the handle bars and fell on the tarmac. We get so fixated on travelling at a speed that we forget to look where we are going. The devil has placed obvious obstacles in our lives but we are too busy rushing around that we don’t even see him coming. The devil is not as smart as he thinks he is.

Needless to say, after falling off the bike I was in a lot of pain and like any kid, when you get hurt, you rush to your mother. My mother, hardly any sympathy for me, rushed for the gentian violet and plastered it all over my wounds. I limped in anguish…

Later on, that month our neighbour was riding his bike while I was playing with my football outside and he stopped to ask me if I wanted to give it a go again. I shouted and said not a chance. Obviously because I had fallen before.

It then took me months to get over it before I actually got back on the bike and tried and got it right.

 

-          How often has something happened to you and stopped you from trying again?

-          How often do you focus on the negative emotion attached to the experience that it stops you from living?

-          Did you realize that you are delaying the plan that God has for you?

 

Wiggle another limb and say: “THE INJURY OF HISTORY”

 

 

 

READING: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION

THE PARABLE OF THE LOST SON

LUKE 15:11-32

The Parable of the Lost Son

11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

-          When we ask our Father in heaven for things, He listen to us. He answers us.

-          When the Father gives, He gives his children their equal share.

-          He does not say that He will not give you what He has given others

-          He does not say that you are not worthy to receive all things great

-          He does not say that you are forgotten about when you do not even ask

-          The ultimate provision belongs to you just because you are a child of the most high.

13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

-          Have you squandered opportunities for growth in the past?

-          Have you allowed those thoughts to consume you even till now?

-          Does your past come back and haunt you?

-          Like me on the bicycle, I was haunted by a painful experience, so much so that it robbed me of the opportunity to grow.

-          We can either fixate ourselves on the pain or we can focus on the promise

-          The promise of favour, the promise of grace, the promise of Divine intervention, the promise that we will forever be taken care of no matter what the situation

-          When we begin to need, God interjects, God takes control, God hears your heart

-          It is not about what you want but rather about what you need

-          We serve a God that is ever vigilant to our situation and is present even when we are not

*insert story about football career coming to an end*

17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

-          Step 1: turn toward your Father when you have made mistakes

-          Step 2: be honest about what has happened

-          Step 3: go towards your Father

 

-          When we start moving in the direction of our Father, He sees us coming. He has been waiting. He has been longing for your return. He has been waiting to embrace you.

 

-          The love of a Father never leaves. I loved you before you were born. I loved you even when you were in your mother’s womb. I loved you even though you made mistakes. I loved you when you hurt me. I loved you when you turned your back on me. I loved you when you insulted me. I loved you when you lied to me. I loved you when you shouted at me. I loved you then I love you still.

21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

-          Even when you make those mistakes, your Father restores what He believes you should have.

-          It is never too late

-          You are entering back into your royalties

-          You are entering back into favour

-          You are entering into blessings in abundance

-          We serve a God who accepts us for who we are and gives freely. He gives exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond all understanding and recognition.

Wherever you are right now, just shout your praises.

25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

-          How strange it is that when we are with our Father, the great I am, the God of all… we don’t even realize it?

-          I don’t know about you but if I am with God, I never want to miss out on an opportunity to share in His splendour. I never want to not know what I have in Him. I don’t ever want to know this life without our God.

-          “You are always with me and everything I have is yours”

-          Even though you didn’t ask me for it, it already belonged to you.

-          You were with me and it belonged to you. You have all I have.

-          You have the power to rebuke, you have the power to heal, you have the power to encourage, you have the power to conquer, you have the authority to declare that all is well in the mighty name of Jesus.

-          Say it is well with my soul!

-          Be bold in the mighty name of Jesus.

-          Your father didn’t ask you why you did it? Your father didn’t care about the why because He already knew why. He didn’t fixate on what was already done. He fixated on what you are doing right now.

 

Right now, pray this prayer with me…

*pray*

May this week ahead be one of victory for you and your family in the mighty name of Jesus.

Let us end with the benediction:

Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through me”.

Amen.

Be blessed.