Sermon Tone Analysis

The Parable of the Lost Graduate () Graduate Sunday 2016

Rev. Shelly Chandler / General

Graduation /

Leave Your Mark!

Graduates, leave your mark on this world.

This world needs you to leave your mark.

Graduates, leave your mark on this world.

This world needs you to leave your mark.

Your generation are born between 1977 and 2000.

This generation makes up 25% of America’s population.

This generation spends more than any generation and some estimates say they spend one trillion dollars a year.

There are parents here that are saying, “I could have told you that!”

Your generation is call by some the lost generation.

because even-though this generation is bigger than the boomer generation it is the least saved generation in US history.

The term "lost generation" is not a new term, but was used to described the youth who has come to age at the start of WW1.

The term was made famous used by Ernest Hemingway in the book, "The Sun Also Rises".

Your generation is call by some the lost generation.

because even-though this generation is bigger than the boomer generation it is the least saved generation in US history.

The term "lost generation" is not a new term, but was used to described the youth who has come to age at the start of WW1.

The term was made famous used by Ernest Hemingway in the book, "The Sun also Rises".

I use that term today because you are entering a world that is disoriented, wandering, and directionless.

Without clear biblical direction you will be lost in this world.

Today our world is confused about which bathroom to uses.

Today this world is confused about whether they are a male and female.

All of this is prophesied in the scripture.

21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools...

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

My prayer today for each of you is that you will leave a mark on this fallen world and that this fallen world will not leave a mark on you.

In the gospel of Luke chapter 15 is the story of the Prodigal Son, the hateful world, and the loving Father.

In the story are are seven ways to leave your mark on this world.

Here are seven ways to leave your mark on this world.

1. Focus your life on giving, not getting.

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Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons.

The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’

So he divided his property between them.

If base your life on how much you can get you will be disappointed.

I don not mean you will be disappointed with how much you get.

You may one day accumulate much wealth, but the things of the world never satisfy.

They only bring outward amusement, but never inward peace and contentment.

There is a long list of people who have try to fine peace and contentment with wealth and power and they all testify to the same things.

This world does not satisfy.

King Solomon said is best... 

Eccl

wind.

12 I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

13 I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven.

What a heavy burden God has laid on men!

14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

If you want your life to matter focus on giving not getting.

21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.

Then come, follow me.”

Turn to ...

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.

32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,

36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?

38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?

39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,

43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

2. Don’t look for greener pastures, make your pastures greener.

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NIV84

NIV84

“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.

The Grass is not the problem.

My parents are the problem.

I need to get out of my house.

My teacher is the problem... Bonifay is the problem...

I need new friends... my friends are the problem.

I will tell you what is the problem is.... SIN.

Yes sin that lives in you.

When the younger son left his father he took all of his problems, his sin, his insecurities with him, and you will too.

The Grass is not the problem... it is not any greener on the other side of the fence! 

3.

Money will not bring you happiness.

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3. Happiness is not found on the outside but on the inside.

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Happiness is not found in the outside but on the inside.

Happiness is not found in the outside but on the inside.

“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.

After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.

You have heard it said, easy come, easy go and this is often true with money.

You have heard it said, easy come, easy go and this is often true with money.

21 An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning will not be blessed at the end.

17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.

4. The World is not your friend.

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18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.

19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

11 Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.

NIV84

So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.

He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.