We closed the identity series and the semester with the Gospel. It was a simple message from scripture using Luke 15 the story of the "Prodigal Son." Many know the story of the son who leaves the father and goes off and lives like a rebel, and many high school students often venture out in rebellion so it's easy association. Prostitutes, parties, and whatever money could buy. The turning point for the son is in Luke 15: 16He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. Feelings of remorse follow but don't change his position with the father... He is still at that point distant.
The parrellel (but not the main point) is that "feeling bad" doesn't change your standing/position with God. Knowing you've done wrong doesn't bring you home it just hopefully leads to that. Those feelings need to be followed by actions.
17"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20So 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.
We used the bridge illustration of the cross. It's through Jesus and the cross that we can "come home." Jesus said in John 14:6 "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." We can "come home" by...
1. Admitting we have sinned / we are lost / and deserve to be punished.
2. Believe in Jesus. Put your trust in the cross as payment for your sins
3. Confess and Commit. Confess Him as your Lord and Commit to living for Him!
The next step was to writing your name on a post it note and stick it to the bride you were to walk as kind of that visual sign that you were "home." The bridge was nothing special, just a big plank between two buckets, but the responses were. 12 new students stood up to profess for the first time that Christ was Lord and Savior. it was so great to have the stand and be prayed for. At one point one of the students who stood created such a rush of joy that his friend and prayer warrior just burst out in applause. His friend had "come home!"
This is a stack of all those who are a part of e22 who claim to be Christians. You can be in prayer for these and the dozen new believers. It's our desire to partner with parents and the rest of Cornerstone Church to help these students to be deeply rooted in Christ!
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