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The gift of life. Luke 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
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The gift of life Luke 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 • Knowing God – we are born of God. 1 John 4; John 11:25-26; prince of life; eternal life. John 17:1-3 • Newness.Springs of water, rivers of water, water of life, newness of life, life to the full. • Satisfier – when we “feed” on the bread of life. John 6:35; fountain of life. Ps 36:9; living water. • 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. • Not about making bad choices. • 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”: • He demands. • He leaves quickly. • He goes to a distant country. • He wastes his estate with “loose living.” • He loses everything. • He is trapped. He cannot go home now.
How does he experience “life”? • He is “dead.” He admits it. V 16. • He comes to his senses. • He gets up and starts home. • Not self-absorbed, inward turned but God-absorbed, outward turned.
The father’s gift of life? • He sees him far away. • He runs to him. • He restores, forgives, he reclaims him as his son. • The lost son is found, the dead son is alive again.