The Parable of the Prodigal, Part 1

Luke 15:11-32

11Then Jesus said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So he divided his property between them. 13A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. 17But when he came to himself he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’ ” 20So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21Then the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” 22But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” And they began to celebrate.
25‘Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27He replied, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.” 28Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29But he answered his father, “Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!” 31Then the father said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.” ’

The Confidence of Children

I John 2:29-3:10

29If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who does right has been born of him.
1See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. 3And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
4Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him. 7Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8Everyone who commits sin is a child of the devil; for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. 9Those who have been born of God do not sin, because God’s seed abides in them; they cannot sin, because they have been born of God. 10The children of God and the children of the devil are revealed in this way: all who do not do what is right are not from God, nor are those who do not love their brothers and sisters.

Confidence in the Truth

I John 2:18-28

18Children, it is the last hour! As you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many
antichrists have come. From this we know that it is the last hour. 19They went out from us, but
they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But
by going out they made it plain that none of them belongs to us. 20But you have been anointed by
the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge. 21I write to you, not because you do not know the
truth, but because you know it, and you know that no lie comes from the truth. 22Who is the liar
but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the
Father and the Son. 23No one who denies the Son has the Father; everyone who confesses the Son
has the Father also. 24Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from
the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25And this is what
he has promised us, eternal life.
26I write these things to you concerning those who would deceive you. 27As for you, the anointing
that you received from him abides in you, and so you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his
anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you,
abide in him.
28And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he is revealed we may have confidence and
not be put to shame before him at his coming.

Spiritual Confidence for Failures

I John 1:5-7

5This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him
there is no darkness at all. 6If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in
darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; 7but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the
light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all
sin.

Finding Spiritual Confidence

I John 1:1-4

1We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with
our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2this
life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was
with the Father and was revealed to us— 3we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that
you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his
Son Jesus Christ. 4We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.