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The Hired Servant - 12/7/25 - Pastor Charlie Branch · Meadows Baptist Church Podcast

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Welcome to [music] Meadows Baptist
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Church of Walnut Cove, North Carolina.
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We're so glad you joined us today. If
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you enjoy [music] today's message, be
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sure to subscribe, follow, and share
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with your friends. Now, let's [music]
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join Pastor Charlie Branch with a word
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from God.
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[music]
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Amen.
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I hope that's your desire tonight.
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tell you, if we know what we need,
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we need more of him.
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>> And uh if we'd be more like him, we'd
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have more of him.
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>> Amen. And I sure appreciate that good
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singing tonight. If you have a Bible, I
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invite you to turn with me to the Gospel
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of Luke. Gospel of Luke, chapter number
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15. You found your place. if you would
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stand on a reference to the reading of
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God's word.
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And uh dear is my mic in that pew.
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Amen.
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>> I'll do it like Joe.
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All right, we'll do it like Joel
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tonight. All right. Amen. Don't repeat
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that anywhere. Amen.
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Amen. You have to cut that one out of
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the live stream. Amen. Luke chapter
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number 15. I got a thought the Lord put
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on my heart and done went and lost the
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mic. Can't believe I done that. Luke
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chapter 15. I'm going to read just a few
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verses tonight. And really, I'll be
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honest with you, I've got somewhat of an
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outline, but I really just have a
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thought tonight. The Lord will help me
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preach it uh for just a moment of time.
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That'll work. Amen. Praise God. I don't
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have to hold this thing.
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Find your place. Verse number 11.
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Verse number 11.
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If you found your place, say amen.
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>> Luke chapter number 15 verse number 11,
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the Bible says, and he said, that's
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Jesus speaking. He said, a certain man
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had two sons. The younger of them said
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to his father, "Father, give me the
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portion of goods that fall to me." And
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he divided unto them his living. Not
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many days after the younger son uh the
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younger son gathered all together and
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took his journey into a far country and
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there wasted his substance with Ridus
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living. When he had spent all there
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arose a mighty famine in that land and
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he began to be in want and he went and
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joined himself to a citizen of that
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country and he sent him into his fields
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to feed swine and he would fain have
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filled his belly with a hus that the
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swine did eat and no man gave unto him.
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And when he came to himself, he said,
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"How many hired servants of my fathers
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have bread enough and despair, and I
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perish with hunger? I will arise and go
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to my father, and will say unto him,
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Father, I have sinned against heaven and
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before thee, and am no more worthy to be
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called thy son. Make me, notice this, as
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one of thy hired servants." Verse number
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20, the Bible says, "And he arose and
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came to his father." Now, Father, I come
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to you tonight and I ask you humbly,
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Lord, as we've gathered here in this
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place, Lord, I've come expecting you to
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move tonight. Lord, I know, Father, God,
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that you have a will for this service.
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You have a purpose that you want to
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accomplish tonight. And God, this is the
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scripture that you put on my heart. And
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Lord, I pray that you would give me
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liberty and vocabulary. I pray you'd
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help me to recall remembrance that that
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I've studied. And I pray, God, that you
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would portray the thought tonight that
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you have placed upon my heart. God, I
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pray that you'll help us to receive with
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meekness the engrafted word. And God, I
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pray you'll help us, Lord, to open our
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ears and our eyes. Lord, uh God, that
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we'd be attentive to the word of God
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tonight. I pray for the many needs that
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are present. Lord, I pray for every
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situation, God. You know, every need. I
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pray you'd bless in every place and
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every need. God, I pray tonight, Lord,
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for that one that's here and lost. I
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pray God tonight you'd deal with their
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heart and Lord right now conviction
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would set in on them. They'd come and
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get saved tonight. Lord, I pray Father
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you'd exalt your son, edify the church,
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and get all glory to yourself because
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you alone are worthy. Help us now as we
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look at this text. We ask it all in
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Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you for
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standing. You may be seated tonight.
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Luke chapter number 15. I counted it up
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this afternoon. And I think I preached
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out of this text, this particular text
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concerning the prodal son. I think I've
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preached on this will be the fifth time
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I've preached on it since I've been here
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at the church. And you say, "Preacher,
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how many times you going to preach
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this?" Well, I'm going to preach it till
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the Lord quits giving me stuff out of
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it. Amen.
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>> And I really just have a thought out of
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these verses. I don't ever like to do
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this, but this is what God put on my
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heart, and I figure he knows better than
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me. Amen.
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>> And so, I want to give you some things,
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some truths here by way of introduction
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tonight. concerning this and then I'll
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give you the message tonight. I notice
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in this text, of course, we're familiar
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with the story, we're familiar with the
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father. Really, when you consider this
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text, it could be the parable of the
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father and his wavered son. But I'll say
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this, when you consider this text, these
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two sons are mentioned. And so, there's
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the father and then there's his family
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in verse number 11. And verse number 12
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is mentioned there. There is a living
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that is given. There's a portion that is
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divided in verse number 12. This younger
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son comes to his father and requests the
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portion of goods, the inheritance that
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would fall to him after his father's
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death. And I've said this before, but
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one writer said it this way. He said
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that this younger son was basically
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saying that he wished his father was
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dead because he desired the inheritance
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that his father would leave behind to
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him. He cared not for the father but he
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only cared for the finances that would
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be left in his place. And so we notice
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in this text as this father is a loving
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father. The Bible says he divided unto
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them his living. And I pointed out
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before that there's his fairness in this
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text where the Bible says he didn't just
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divide unto him his living but he
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divided unto them. And so there's his
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older son and his younger son here in
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this text. And as tradition would be,
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the elder son would get twothirds of the
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portion of the father and the younger
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son would receive that third. And so he
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divided unto them his living. And I
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notice in verse number 13, the Bible
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says, "Not many days after the younger
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son gathered all together and took his
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journey into a far country." And the
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Bible says, "And there he wasted his
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substance with riotous living." And so
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we consider out of this portion that was
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divided, there was a party that was very
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destructive. This party tonight was it
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was in a in a far place. It was with
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foreign people, but it was with a people
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that were purely perverted in their
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motive. And you say, "What do you mean
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by that?" Well, the Bible says that it's
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riotous living. It's wasteful living.
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It's wicked living. And the Bible
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literally says that the elder son when
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he speaks of this younger son's
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departure in verse number 30, he said
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that he's devoured thy living with
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harlots. And so he has sold himself, he
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has sold his inheritance to live a
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perverted, wicked lifestyle. And I want
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to say this, the party life don't last
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too long. Amen. If you want to go out in
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this world and get involved in
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everything that's going on outside the
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doors of the church, I'll be real honest
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with you. You going to come up a day
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late and a dollar short and empty every
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single time. Amen. And so I consider
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this party that was destructive. Now we
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notice not only the portion that was
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divided and this party that was
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destructive. Notice what happened
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sometime after this in verse number 14.
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The Bible says, "And when he had spent
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all, there arose a mighty famine in that
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land and he began to be in want. And so
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thou are here now the problems that were
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desperate." You see, the Bible says, and
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isn't it interesting how the timing
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works out? This young man has just spent
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everything that he has been given. And
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almost at the same time, a famine shows
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up. When the finances run out, then the
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famine comes in the land. And there's no
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labor for him to be able to gain back
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for himself. And let me say this to you
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this morning. When you run out of what
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you've got in this lifetime, you'll find
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yourself in a place of destitution.
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You'll find yourself in a place of
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emptiness. You'll find yourself in a
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place where there is no fruitfulness.
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There is nothing you can gain for
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yourself. Amen.
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>> And I know y'all are looking at me like
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saying, "Preacher, we've heard this
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before, but if you'll get stay with me,
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I'm going somewhere." Okay? We ought to
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be able to just be attentive to it.
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Amen. As many times as we hear it, I see
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the portion that was divided, the party
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that was destructive, these problems
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that were desperate. This young man
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really he is fighting for his life so to
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speak because of the decision that he
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has made. The Bible says he began to be
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in want and that's what we find
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ourselves in so many times in this life
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with the destruction and the
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dissatisfaction that we come to. We find
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ourselves in want and I notice not only
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the problems that were desperate but
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note the pungence of his defilement. In
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verse number 15, the Bible says that he
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went and joined himself to a citizen of
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that country and he sent him into his
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fields to feed swine. And so he's come
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here, this Jew, no doubt he is defiling
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himself in these fields of swine,
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feeding the pigs. Something no doubt his
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father would have never allowed him to
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do. He'd have never allowed him to go to
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a friend's house and feed pigs. What I'm
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saying is he's defiled himself in the
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far country and the pungent smell that
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is upon him from feeding the swine and
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walking in the harm slop is stinking up
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his life. And it's evident on every turn
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that he is headed for destruction and
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death. And so you notice here and I'm
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going to get to the message this
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evening. We consider the pungence of his
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defilement. But note in verse number 16,
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the place of his demise. You say,
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"Preacher, what do you mean?" Well,
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notice the text. And the Bible says he
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would faint if filled his belly with a
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hus that the swine did eat. No man gave
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unto him. What you discover in this text
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is a young man at the end of his rope.
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He's done all that he can to try to
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satisfy himself. He's lived it up. He's
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laughed it up and probably loved it up
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in the sense of the world. Amen. But the
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truth is, what has he done? He's come up
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empty. You say, "Preacher, how is it?"
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It's how is it a place of his demise?
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Well, notice what the Bible says. He's
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so hungry that he would have filled his
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belly with these husk. His hunger has
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overtaken him to a point that he's not
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eating what the pigs would eat, but he's
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eating what the pigs left behind.
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>> Right?
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>> The waste.
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>> And you say, "Preacher, what are you
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saying?" Well, notice what happens. He's
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eating there in the text. He would have
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filled he would fain his want. His
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desire become so increased that he
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wanted to fill his belly with the hush
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that the swine did eat. Notice this. The
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Bible says, "And no man gave unto him.
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There was nobody to aid him. There was
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nobody to help him." But oh, this is
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where the story gets better. Amen.
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>> You say, "Preacher, where you going with
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this?" Well, I told you I got one
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thought. We might be done 10 minutes
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early tonight, but that'll be all right.
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Amen. Somebody say amen right there. If
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you say amen on anything I say tonight,
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that ought to get an amen.
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>> I notice all these truths, but I think
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this is the the thing that really caught
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my attention. And this is what God
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burned in my heart this afternoon. I
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considered the place of his demise. This
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young man's at the very end of himself.
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And notice what your Bible says in verse
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17. The Bible says in verse 17, "And
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when he came to himself,"
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>> notice what your Bible says. He said,
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"How many hired servants of my fathers
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>> have bread enough and despair and I
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perish with hunger?" Tonight, with the
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help of the Lord, I want to preach on
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those hired servants for just a minute.
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>> Amen.
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>> The hired servants. You say, "Preacher,
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what's so special about these hired
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servants?" Well, I want to give you
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something tonight. Just help you stew on
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this a little bit. I'm telling you, I
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about shouted all over my office this
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afternoon when I read this. You notice
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in this text, you see in verse number
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17, that first little statement, the
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Bible says, "And when he came to
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himself," you see, there's three things
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that are found in that little statement.
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I'd say number one, there's realization.
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You say, "What's the realization?" Well,
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he's realized where he's at.
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>> Amen. He's in the swine field. He's in
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the hog slop. Amen. He's starving to
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death. Literally at the verge of dying
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in the midst of the wilderness in a far
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away land where there is not a friend,
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there is not a family, and the father is
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nowhere around. Amen. In this text, he
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has come to the end of himself. He has
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realized where he is. But I'll say this,
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it wasn't only a realization of where he
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is, but I'll say this in verse 17. It
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was a remembrance of where he used to
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be.
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>> Amen.
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>> Amen. It was a remembrance of where he
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was. And you say, "Preacher, what do you
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mean?" Well, he begins to think back to
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the father's house. Amen. And think
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about how good it was over at the
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father's house, and there's a
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realization of where he is, and there's
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a remembrance of where he was. But I
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noticed this thoroughly in that little
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statement when he came to himself. There
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is repentance because now he's not
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concerned about where he is or where he
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was, but now he's concerned about where
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he's going.
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>> Amen. That's what repentance is.
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Repentance is a change of heart, which
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leads to a change of mind, which leads
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to a change of action. And you know
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what? That's a change in direction.
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Amen. And so in this place, he comes to
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himself. And the Bible says in verse 17,
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the first thing that he remembers is the
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hired servants.
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The first thing that he remembers are
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these hired servants. I'll say this when
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I consider this thought. He remembered
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number one, the number of them. Notice
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what the Bible said in verse 17. And
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when he came to himself, he said, notice
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the next two words, how many? You say,
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preacher, what do you mean by that?
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Well, there was more than one at the
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father's house.
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>> Amen. And he starts going through his
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mind of all those servants. And you say,
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how could he do that, preacher? Well,
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I'll say this right here. He remembered
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not only the number of them, but I'll
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say this. He remembered the names of
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them.
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>> Amen.
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>> You say, "Preacher, that's not in the
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text." Well, if you consider this truth
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tonight, I think it is. Look what he
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says. How many hired servants? These
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boys right here, these two sons have
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grown up with these servants.
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>> They know who they are. They've been in
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and out of the family all of their life.
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And these young boys grew up with their
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children. And no doubt the father
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entrusted these servants with their
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children and led them and helped them in
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the field. You notice in the text later
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on the Bible says in verse number verse
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number 25, look what your Bible says
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now. His elder son was in the field. And
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so this younger son, they in a doubt in
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my mind, he spent his life out there in
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the field. The elder son spent his life
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out there in the field. Who did he spend
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his life with? It was out there in the
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field with those hired servants. And
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this young boy when he was out there in
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the mess in the muck and the mire when
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he come to himself, you know who the
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first people he remembered was? The
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hired servants.
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>> He remembered the number of them. How
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many there was? He remembered the names
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of them. But I'll say this, and this is
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what I like the best, and I'm going to
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get into the message and we'll be done
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tonight. He remembered the number. He
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remembered their names because the son
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lived with them. But I'll say this, he
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remembered their need.
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You say, "What do you mean their need,
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preacher?" Well, notice it again in the
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text. Verse number 17. How many what?
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Hired.
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You know why? They were
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>> the father had need of them.
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>> You're right.
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>> And so you know what he did? He hired
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them.
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>> Right.
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>> And brought into his home to labor in
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his field.
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>> And in this text, I consider this truth.
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And you say, "Preacher, what does this
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mean?" Well, I was thinking about them
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two young ladies that got saved this
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morning and thinking about how God's
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been blessing our church and how good
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God's been to us. AND I WAS THINKING
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ABOUT THIS TEXT AND I REALIZED YOU know
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who we are. We're just like those hired
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servants.
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>> Right?
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>> You see this boy in this text when he
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got to the end of himself when his sin
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had destroyed his life and his shame had
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taken him to the lowest of lows and the
17:01
places WHERE HE NEVER THOUGHT HE WOULD
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BEEN. You know the first people that
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came into his mind, it was them servants
17:08
back there at the father's house.
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>> You know what the people when they go
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out in this world and they get to the
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very end of themselves?
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>> Yes.
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>> You know what? They come up empty. You
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know who the first people that they
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remember when they get to the end of who
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they are?
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>> Some people down there at the house of
17:24
God.
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>> You say, "Preacher, what's special about
17:27
them people?" Well, I'll show you what's
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special about them. Notice in this text,
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the Bible says that he remembered these
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hired servants. What did he remember
17:34
about them? I'll say this tonight. It
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wasn't their character that this young
17:39
boy remembered. He didn't remember how
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hardworking they was. He didn't remember
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their conduct, how they behaved
17:45
themselves. He didn't even remember
17:46
their children or anything else about
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them. He didn't remember the environment
17:50
in which they lived. He didn't remember
17:52
anything else about them other than this
17:54
one thing. And it was something that
17:56
they had.
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You say, "Preacher, what did they have?"
18:00
Look at the text. How many hired
18:03
servants of my fathers have bread
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enough?
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>> Amen.
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>> And to spare.
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>> You see, he remembered these servants
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not because of who they were, but he
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remembered these servants because of
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what they had.
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>> Amen.
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>> Some of y'all get hooked up with that in
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just a minute. Amen.
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>> You understand something down through
18:22
the ages, and I'm thinking about many in
18:24
my life right now. You realize that
18:26
there's people you can think back in
18:28
your life to your young days if you were
18:30
raised in church and you can think about
18:32
the ministry that they had in your life
18:34
and all that they did good for you. But
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you know what you remember most about
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them? Those people in church.
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>> Come on.
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>> It was the Jesus.
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>> Amen.
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>> That was dripping off their life.
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>> Yes.
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>> It was the bread. You say, "Preacher,
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what's special about that bread?" We'll
18:51
notice it in the text. The Bible says
18:53
how many hired servants, notice this, of
18:56
my fathers. These servants belong to the
18:58
father because the father hired them
19:01
BECAUSE THEY NEEDED HELP. THEY COULDN'T
19:03
PROVIDE for themselves on their own. AND
19:05
SO THE FATHER HIRED THEM AND THE FATHER
19:08
HELPED THEM AND THE FATHER GAVE THEM A
19:10
HOME. OH, SOMEBODY HEAR THE PREACHER.
19:15
>> He gave them a home, brought them into
19:17
his home. Look what he says. They
19:19
[snorts] have bread enough. You see this
19:21
bread?
19:23
It wasn't the service bread.
19:24
>> Yes.
19:26
>> But it was the father's bread.
19:28
>> It was the sovereign's bread.
19:30
>> Yes.
19:31
>> And you see, when this young boy
19:33
considered the bread that his father
19:35
had, HE DIDN'T SAY it was his father's
19:37
bread.
19:38
>> Right?
19:39
>> Oh, friend, listen to me.
19:41
>> IT WASN'T HIS FATHER'S bread that he was
19:43
thinking about, but he was thinking
19:44
about the fact that them servants had
19:46
bread.
19:46
>> Amen.
19:47
>> You know what you and I have? That's
19:50
right.
19:50
>> Amen.
19:51
>> It's the father's bread.
19:52
>> Amen.
19:53
>> But you know what? When this world
19:55
remembers us,
19:58
>> they remember us for sharing with them.
20:00
>> Amen.
20:01
>> The word of God.
20:03
>> Because God has given us bread.
20:05
>> He's given us a burden.
20:07
>> He's given us a blessing to share. Amen.
20:10
The word of God. The bread of God. The
20:12
bread of life with every soul that'll
20:14
listen. With every soul that will hear,
20:16
he has given us this bread to share. And
20:18
it's not our bread, but it's his bread.
20:21
>> Amen.
20:21
>> And I'll say this, he's in control. He's
20:24
hired us. He's brought us into his home
20:26
and into his heart. And I noticed this
20:28
in the text. And if you're not going to
20:30
help me preach tonight, I'm going to be
20:31
real honest with you. I'm about to come
20:33
loose up here. Amen. He He brought them
20:35
into his home and into his heart. He has
20:37
given them of his bread. It's the
20:40
sovereign bread. But I'll say this, it
20:42
was a sufficient bread.
20:44
>> Look what he says in verse 17. And how
20:46
many hired servants of my fathers have
20:48
bread what enough?
20:53
>> You know this morning them two young
20:55
girls that got saved.
20:56
>> They [snorts] got saved off the same
20:58
bread
20:59
>> that I got saved off of. I'm saying
21:02
there's enough bread to go around. For
21:04
every sinner, for every servant, for
21:07
every problem and every situation, there
21:09
is enough bread to go around TO EVERY
21:12
HOME AND EVERY HEART. HEY, THE PRODICAL
21:14
SON REMEMBERED THAT THERE WAS BREAD DOWN
21:17
AT THE FATHER'S HOUSE. AMEN.
21:20
>> He remembered that there was sufficient
21:21
bread. Let me tell you tonight, child of
21:23
God, you may be here tonight and you
21:25
don't I don't KNOW WHAT YOU'RE FACING. I
21:27
don't know what you're going through,
21:28
but let me tell you, FRIEND, THERE'S
21:30
STILL THERE'S enough bread. Amen.
21:32
There's enough bread to get you down the
21:34
road another DAY AND ANOTHER MILE. I'm
21:36
saying you say, "Preacher, this is to
21:38
the lost." Well, let me say it to you
21:40
again. IF YOU'RE HERE LOST, HEY, THERE'S
21:42
ENOUGH BREAD TO SAVE YOU. THERE'S ENOUGH
21:44
BREAD TO SERVE YOU AND FILL YOU. AMEN.
21:47
I'M SAYING THERE'S ENOUGH LEFT OVER FOR
21:49
YOU TO HAVE. AMEN.
21:51
>> AMEN.
21:52
>> It was the sovereign's bread. It was
21:53
sufficient bread. There's bread enough.
21:55
But I'll say this, there's spare bread.
21:58
>> Oh my. He said, "How many servants of my
22:02
fathers have bread enough and to spare?"
22:07
>> You know what this says?
22:10
Come on.
22:11
>> Come on.
22:12
>> There was room for the son to come home
22:14
again.
22:15
>> Right.
22:17
[snorts]
22:17
>> Cuz the father had enough bread.
22:19
>> Amen.
22:20
>> Come on.
22:21
>> Matter of fact, he had so much bread
22:22
that the storehouse, not of the father,
22:25
>> but of the servants,
22:26
>> you're right,
22:27
>> was running over.
22:28
>> The servants had enough bread that they
22:31
could have supplied the need of the son.
22:32
And the son said to himself, "Well, if
22:34
the servants have got enough, I know
22:37
without a shadow of a doubt that the
22:38
father's got enough. HE OWNS A CATTLE OF
22:40
A THOUSAND HILLS AND HE'S GOT ENOUGH.
22:43
AND IF I COME BACK HOME, THERE'S GOING
22:45
TO BE ENOUGH TO SUPPLY MY NEED." AMEN.
22:53
>> You say, "Preacher, what are you saying?
22:55
I'm talking about when this this son
22:57
came to himself, he remembered the hired
22:59
servants.
23:01
Those people that the father had brought
23:03
into his home and his heart and hired
23:05
them to work in his field. Let me ask
23:08
you tonight, I'm going to give you this
23:10
thought and I'm done. Let me ask you
23:12
tonight, [snorts]
23:14
how many people's going to remember you
23:15
when they get to the far country?
23:17
>> Amen.
23:21
How many people's going to know that you
23:23
had an impact on them? And it wasn't
23:25
your life and your labor, but it was the
23:27
bread that was in your life.
23:29
>> Amen.
23:29
>> Here's the message tonight. Don't miss
23:31
this. This is the message. It wasn't
23:33
their labor in the field that this boy
23:35
remembered. But it was the Lord's
23:37
faithfulness to them that he remembered.
23:40
>> Amen.
23:40
>> He didn't remember. Hey, he did not
23:42
remember them plowing up ground. He
23:44
didn't remember nothing about what they
23:46
were doing. But when he got to the end
23:47
of himself and saw that he had a need,
23:50
he remembered that the father had been
23:52
faithful to the hired servants.
23:55
>> You know what I'm thankful for? There's
23:57
an old man of God up in the mountains.
24:01
>> Alageney County, pastored a little
24:04
church over there for over 30 years.
24:07
Been faithful all his life. Still
24:09
preaching.
24:10
>> He's only had just a handful his entire
24:13
ministry. But I'll tell you this, he's
24:14
been faithful. Amen.
24:16
>> Service in, service out, preaching year
24:19
after year after year after year. He'd
24:21
been faithful. His wife passed away a
24:23
few years ago and he's still preaching.
24:25
>> He's still serving God, doing the best
24:27
he can. And when I think about that man,
24:29
I remember to myself that I don't have
24:31
to quit
24:32
>> cuz there's enough bread.
24:34
>> Amen. There's enough bread. I'm saying
24:37
there's some of you here tonight that's
24:38
in the house of God tonight because you
24:41
remember that there was a servant. there
24:43
was a hired servant down at the house of
24:45
God that HAD ENOUGH BREAD ON THEIR LIFE
24:47
TO SHOW YOU THAT THEY THERE'S GOD WOULD
24:50
STILL SUPPLY YOUR NEED. AND THAT'S WHY
24:52
YOU'RE BACK IN THE HOUSE OF GOD TONIGHT.
24:54
I'M SAYING THAT'S WHAT MAKES THE
24:55
DIFFERENCE TONIGHT. IT'S NOT WHAT WE DO,
24:58
BUT IT'S WHAT HE DOES THROUGH US AND for
25:00
us. Amen.
25:05
>> It wasn't their labor in the field that
25:07
he remembered, but the Lord's
25:09
faithfulness to them.
25:12
He says, "How many hired servants of my
25:14
fathers have bread enough and despair
25:17
and I perish with hunger?" You know what
25:20
we are? We're just servants. You say,
25:21
"Preacher, we're we're sons." I know
25:23
that. Okay, just stay with me. All
25:25
right? You know what? Every man in
25:28
[snorts] the scripture, pretty much
25:29
every apostle that wrote in the New
25:31
Testament, you know what they started
25:32
off their letters with?
25:34
>> A servant.
25:35
>> Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ. James,
25:38
a servant. Jude, a servant. John a ser
25:41
almost every one of them if they don't
25:43
in the introduction somewhere through
25:45
their their epistle they write that they
25:48
are a servant Jesus was a servant he
25:51
took upon himself the form of a servant
25:54
you and I are called to be servants we
25:57
are called to be surrendered SUBMITTED
25:59
TO THE SERVICE OF GOD AND OUR
26:01
SERVANTTHOOD tonight is all that matters
26:04
>> right
26:06
>> before God
26:09
you say preacher
26:11
What's the point in this text? Well,
26:12
notice this verse number 18. You see the
26:15
presentation of his repentance. He says,
26:17
"I will arise and go to my father and
26:19
will say unto him, Father, I've sinned
26:21
against heaven and before thee."
26:24
In this verse, he tells us reveals to us
26:26
that he is truly turning around.
26:28
>> Amen.
26:29
>> He says, "I'm going home. I'm going to
26:32
my father."
26:34
Why? Because he remembered there's
26:35
bread,
26:36
>> right? Amen.
26:39
>> Praise God.
26:40
>> Down at the servants's house.
26:42
>> Right.
26:43
>> Verse number 19. Not only the
26:45
presentation of his repentance, but I
26:47
note second of all the proclamation of
26:49
his request.
26:50
You say, "What is it, preacher?" Well, I
26:52
thought this was interesting. Look what
26:53
he says. He can note his worthiness in
26:56
verse 19. He said, "I no more worthy to
26:58
be called thy son." You're
27:00
>> right.
27:00
>> Look what he says. Make me as one of thy
27:04
hired servants. Amen.
27:08
>> You know what we are tonight?
27:11
>> We're sons and daughters of the king.
27:14
>> But I'll tell you what,
27:17
we don't deserve it. That's
27:18
>> right.
27:20
>> We're just servants.
27:27
[snorts]
27:33
>> Amen.
27:36
I'm thankful
27:39
for the service.
27:40
>> Amen.
27:42
>> Men of God, women of God down through my
27:45
life.
27:47
Thankful for their heart.
27:50
[snorts] They wanted to help me. I'm
27:52
thankful for their help.
27:53
>> Amen.
27:54
>> I tell you what I'm thankful for. I'm
27:55
thankful for their holiness.
27:57
>> Amen.
27:58
>> They stayed separate from this world.
28:00
>> Yes.
28:01
as a dear lady I was thinking about when
28:03
I was studying this. I'm done tonight
28:08
and uh none of you would ever know who
28:11
she is. Matter of fact, my wife don't
28:13
even know who she is.
28:15
But when I was
28:19
about 10 years old, my daddy was
28:22
pastoring a little storefront church
28:23
building.
28:26
[snorts]
28:28
this woman and her husband been coming
28:31
to our church and we had just a handful
28:33
there probably I don't know on a good
28:36
Sunday we'd have 10 people
28:39
and uh he was coming there and his
28:41
precious wife's teaching me and my
28:42
brother Sunday school talk about
28:44
faithfulness just me and my little
28:46
brother in there she taught us every
28:48
Sunday
28:50
>> and uh
28:53
I remember several things one of the
28:56
verses I preached here the
28:57
Sunday go Colossians chapter 3 verse
29:00
number one set your affection on things
29:02
above where Christ siteth on the right
29:04
hand of God
29:07
and she taught me that verse
29:11
2 Timothy 3 16-1 17 the Bible says that
29:15
for all scripture is given by
29:16
inspiration of God
29:18
>> is profitable for doctrine for reprove
29:20
for correction for instruction and
29:22
righteousness that the man of God may be
29:24
perfect thly furnished under all good
29:26
works
29:27
That little woman taught me that verse
29:29
10 years old and I've never forgot it.
29:31
>> Amen. [snorts]
29:32
>> None of y'all ever know who she is, but
29:35
I remember.
29:36
>> That's right.
29:38
>> Let me ask you something. Is anybody
29:40
going to remember you?
29:41
>> Amen.
29:43
>> Good.
29:44
>> I don't know if there's anything that I
29:46
desire more [snorts] in this life and
29:50
just to fulfill
29:52
that purpose.
29:54
>> Amen. that I'm an hired servant.
29:56
>> Yes.
29:57
>> Bible says Jesus told his disciples, he
29:59
said, "When you've done everything that
30:00
I've told you," he said, "At the end of
30:02
the day," he said, "you say you're
30:03
unprofitable servants,
30:05
>> we've done that which was commanded us
30:06
to do." Let me ask you tonight, church,
30:09
are you willing?
30:11
>> Amen.
30:12
>> Are you willing? Every head bowed and
30:15
every eye closed tonight.
30:22
I don't know about you, but I just want
30:23
to be a hired servant.
30:26
See, that boy didn't remember them
30:27
because of what they did.
30:30
He remembered them because of what they
30:32
had.
30:36
He didn't remember them because of who
30:38
they were, but he remembered them
30:41
because of who they belong to.
30:45
Oh, let me ask you tonight.
30:47
Who's going to remember you?
30:50
Who's going to remember me?
30:55
Make me as one of thy hired servants.
31:12
>> [snorts]
31:18
>> Father, thank you so much.
31:31
nor for them servants
31:41
[snorts]
31:53
[snorts] for them ones that's just
31:55
faithful
32:00
and Lord it ain't ain't got nothing to
32:02
do with them, but [snorts]
32:05
it's just because they belong to you.
32:12
And God, they live by the provision that
32:14
you placed in them. God, help us to be
32:16
that way. [snorts]
32:18
God, let us never make a name for
32:20
oursel.
32:25
God, let us never
32:28
try to measure our ministry by another.
32:31
[snorts]
32:35
But God, let us just be faithful to
32:37
bloom where we've been planted.
32:40
[snorts]
32:42
Cuz Lord, I know, Lord, if nobody else
32:45
in this world ever sees and it goes by
32:48
unappreciated, Lord, I know you see and
32:51
you notice.
32:54
And I thank you for that tonight.
32:57
God, I pray you'd help us all [snorts]
33:00
be surrendered, submitted to the work of
33:02
God.
33:08
Lemons, would you dismiss us, brother?
33:10
Thank you.
33:11
>> Thank you for joining our service
33:12
[music] today. We'd love it if you'd
33:14
join us in person the next time you are
33:16
able at Meadows Baptist Church. Our
33:19
physical address is 2988 Stewart Road in
33:23
Walnut Cove, [music] North Carolina. Our
33:26
service times are Sunday school at 10:00
33:28
a.m., Sunday morning worship [music] at
33:30
11:00 a.m., Sunday evening worship at
33:33
6:00 p.m., and Wednesday evening Bible
33:35
study at 7:00 p.m. For [music] more
33:38
information, visit us at
33:39
meadowsbaptisturch.com.
33:42
Thanks again for tuning in.
33:45
[music]