1. Stages of a life wasted
1.1. "This is the greatest!"
1.1.1. Just can't believe "it" could be this good
1.1.1.1. First time seeing a movie
1.1.1.2. First time being on you own
1.1.1.3. First time hearing a great song
1.1.1.4. First time drunk
1.1.1.5. First High
1.1.2. Good or Bad, there is only one first time
1.1.3. God's blessings increases, Satan's traps decrease
1.1.3.1. Lots of women
1.1.3.1.1. Typical "my way is better than God's way"
1.1.3.1.2. Emptiness Loneliness
1.1.3.2. One woman, married for years
1.1.3.2.1. Gets better and better
1.1.3.2.2. Love more and more
1.1.4. It is hard to convince someone sin is bad at this stage
1.1.5. At the start of the party
1.1.5.1. By the end
1.2. Blissful ignorance
1.2.1. Walking in a Lie
1.2.2. Cognitive dissidents
1.2.3. Romans 1:21 (NLT) 21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.
1.2.4. "Part of you has to know that is not true"
1.2.4.1. That is where their anger comes from
1.2.4.2. Anger is the response when you challenge a delusion
1.2.5. Seek out things to reinforce you delusion
1.2.5.1. You only read and watch things you agree with
1.2.5.2. Facts get in the way
1.3. It is never enough
1.3.1. Like a sermon
1.3.2. Anything without eternal meaning, will leave you longing
1.3.2.1. Money
1.3.2.2. Drugs
1.3.2.3. Sex
1.3.2.4. Even "Harmless" fun Turns "Boring"
1.4. The Shame
1.4.1. You realize what you have done
1.4.2. in the ancient world disrespect toward parents (especially fathers) or failure to care for parents was condemned, even to the point of saying that neglect of parents was an imprisonable offense
1.4.3. According to Deut 21:18–21 rebellious sons were to be stoned
1.4.3.1. Deuteronomy 21:18 (NLT) 18 “Suppose a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or mother, even though they discipline him.
1.4.3.2. Deuteronomy 21:19 (NLT) 19 In such a case, the father and mother must take the son to the elders as they hold court at the town gate.
1.4.3.3. Deuteronomy 21:20 (NLT) 20 The parents must say to the elders, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious and refuses to obey. He is a glutton and a drunkard.’
1.4.3.4. Deuteronomy 21:21 (NLT) 21 Then all the men of his town must stone him to death. In this way, you will purge this evil from among you, and all Israel will hear about it and be afraid.
1.4.3.5. If the Father would have commanded the younger son to stay he "must" have Him stoned.
2. Role of Gods presence
2.1. Holy Spirit Conviction can Interrupt the cycle
2.2. Exposes the truth
2.2.1. Shame
2.2.1.1. Heart knows even if the mind denies
2.2.1.2. Romans 1:19 (NLT) 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.
3. Message Video
4. Time to get out
4.1. Luke 15:13 (NLT) 13 “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living.
4.2. Luke 15:14 (NLT) 14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve.
4.2.1. Life is full of "famine"
4.2.2. It is the mercy of God that allows sinners to feel pain
4.2.3. We get in God's way when we relieve pain before behavior changes
4.2.4. Some people "Have to find out for myself"
4.3. Luke 15:15 (NLT) 15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs.
4.3.1. Lower than low
4.4. Luke 15:16 (NLT) 16 The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.
4.4.1. Soon he has wasted all his money in wild living and finds himself penniless in a foreign country.
4.4.2. Eventually he is forced to eat the food of the pigs he feeds.
4.4.3. Carob pods had no nutritional value, like straw