"I Have Sinned"

Taking Responsibility For Our Actions (Luke 15:17-19)

When we meet the young man in this text his story is already in progress. He is pining away in a pen of pigs, considering sharing a meal with them. He is tired and weary. He has nowhere to go and no one to help him.

I. The first part of our discussion is "I have sinned." To have a relationship with God, and go to heaven, we must admit our sin. Refusal to admit sin leads to misery on earth, and will one day live eternally in hell. The key to happiness is admitting our sin and having them forgiven in the blood of

II. We must take responsibility for our actions.

Acknowledging sin should lead naturally to taking responsibility for our sin. But not everyone who admits sin reforms his life. In Scripture Pharaoh, Balaam, King Saul, and Judas all admit sin but none of them took responsibility for their sins.

Ill. There are two choices when we sin: We can admit our sin, take responsibility and reform our lives. Or we can deny our sin, reject our responsibility and continue to live in sin.

The first choice leads us home to our heavenly Father.  The second choice leads us to a devil's hell.  The young man who is the subject of our study (Luke 15:17-19) admitted his sin, took responsibility for his actions and went home to his father.

- Eric Owens