Well, I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome everyone to our youth mission as it commences tonight. We'd like to welcome the Reverend Ryan McKee, as he's here from MacDuffell Free Presbyterian Church. And of course, we're gonna have some singers and testimonies this week. So just to commence, we're gonna start off with a hymn, 276. Oh, now I see the cleansing wave, the fountain deep and wide. Jesus, my Lord, mighty to save, points to his wounded side. Just the beginning. Oh, I see the empty grave, the fountain deep and wide. Jesus, my Lord, why did you save? Atlantic Stream, I see, I see, I'm plunged, O, implanted be! O praise the Lord, implanted be! Implanted be! I see the year of redemption rise, I hear the speaking love. It speaks for the redemption rise, Takes me with ranting love. I see, I see. I want to know if that's a dream. Oh, praise the Lord, if that's a dream. If that's a dream. the world, and sing with heart, faith pure, and heart, Amazing grace, this heaven may know, to feel the blood of Christ. Jesus, only Jesus, no, my Jesus crucified. The cleansing stream, I see, I see. I want to know, inventeth me. Oh, praise Lord, inventeth me. Inventeth me, yes, inventeth me. Well, it's good to see that Harry got everyone warmed up. He said it wasn't quite there, but I think we've reached the point. So it's just at this point I'm gonna open the meeting in a word of prayer and seek the Lord's face. Dear Lord, our eternal heavenly Father, we thank you for every soul gathered in tonight, Lord. We thank you for the youth of the congregation, Lord, and the contribution that they will give this week. Lord, we thank you for your son, that died for us on the cross of Calvary, Lord. And we thank you that he rose again so that we may be saved. Lord, we thank you that we can be gathered here tonight and hear the simple gospel, Lord. Lord, we pray for souls that have gathered in who aren't saved yet. Lord, we pray for the singers and the testimonies that will go on, and for the Reverend Ryan McKee, that his message will be blessed. He will have the Spirit of God within him tonight, Lord. Lord, even at this time, we pray for the sick in the congregation, Lord, and the ones who we know would wish to be here, Lord, but can't make it out. Lord, we just pray that you will be at the center of this mission, Lord, and that souls will come out night after night, and that we don't look for the praise, Lord. We look to you and give you the praise, Lord. Just as we go further into the meeting now, let us seek your face as we know that you are amongst us, because where there is two or three gathered, you are there, Lord. Lord, I ask this all in your most precious and eternal name. Amen. It's just at this stage I'll invite Charlotte Cockey up to sing. I think she's got a few pieces for us. Thank you for having me here to sing tonight. We've already been singing about God's amazing grace and that's what I'm going to sing tonight. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me I once was lost, but now I'm found Was blind, but now I see It was grace that taught my heart to fear And grace my fears relieved How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed. My chains are gone. I've been set free. My God, my Savior's ransomed me. And like a flood, His mercy reigns, unending love, amazing grace. The Lord has promised good to me. His word my hope secures. He will my shield and portion be as long as life endures. My chains are gone. I've been set free My God, my Savior's ransomed me ♪ And like a flood, His mercy reigns ♪ ♪ Unending love, amazing grace ♪ ♪ My chains are gone, I've been set free ♪ ♪ My God, my Saviour's ransomed me ♪ And like a flood His mercy rains Unending love, amazing grace ♪ The earth shall soon dissolve like snow ♪ ♪ The sun forbear to shine ♪ ♪ But God who called me here below ♪ ♪ Will be forever mine ♪ You will be forever mine You are forever mine King of kings, majesty God of heaven, living in me Gentle saviour, closest friend ♪ Strong deliverer beginning and end ♪ ♪ All within me falls at your throne ♪ ♪ Your majesty I can but bow ♪ ♪ I lay my all before you now ♪ In royal robes I don't deserve I live to serve your majesty Earth and heaven worship you Love eternal, faithful and true ♪ Who bought the nation's ransom souls ♪ ♪ Brought this sinner near to your throne ♪ ♪ All within me cries out in praise ♪ ♪ Your majesty I can but bow ♪ In royal robes I don't deserve. I live to serve your majesty. Your majesty, I can but bow. before you now in royal robes I don't deserve I live to serve your majesty. I live to serve your majesty. I live to serve your majesty. Yeah, I'd just like to thank Charlotte for those words. It's great. So it's at this stage that I would like to invite Aaron Galt up for his testimony. I'd like to thank Reverend Martin for the invitation tonight to come and share my testimony. It never gets easier sharing your testimony, but I thank the Lord that I have a testimony to share. So if you have your Bibles with you, I'd like to turn to Psalms 31. Psalms 31, and we'll commence reading at the verse nine. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am in trouble. My night is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing. My strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed. I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance. They that did see me without fled from me. I am forgotten as a dead man, out of mind, and I am like a broken vessel. For I have heard the slander of many, Fear was on every side. While they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life. But I trust in thee, O Lord. I said they are my God. My times are in thy hand. Deliver me from the hand of mine enemies and from them that persecute me. Amen. So before I start, that's what I say. Anything I say this evening is not to glorify myself in any way, but it's to glorify the Lord and what he's done for me in my life. I had the privilege to be brought up in a Christian home, along with my younger brother, Ben, and younger sister, Cherith. I want to thank the Lord for giving me godly parents and godly grandparents. And I'm sure there's a lot of young people here tonight that has had the privilege of being brought up in a Christian home. And if I could say a couple of things to young people, it's to listen to your mom and dad, because they love you and they care for you. And they know what's best for you. And I can testify of this, because sadly, in my life, I never listened. And I paid the consequences for this. My parents attended Bush Mills Free Presbyterian Church and from an early age I was sent along to all the meetings, Sunday school, Sunday services, prayer meetings, children's meetings and from as young as I can remember the gospel was taught to me faithfully. I woke up on Sunday mornings, couldn't wait to go to church, I couldn't wait to go and I have many memories of a child that I can look back on and cherish because whenever I got to about 15 or 16 And it's since I stopped making memories because of the bad choices I made in my life. So I remember one Sunday morning, well most Sunday mornings we'd have been driving down, we lived in Balamony at the time, and me and my brother would have shouted at our dad, press the button, press the button. And some of you might say, what's the button? But me and my brother thought that my dad's Wheelick Blue Citroen Banger had a turbo button and somehow it made the car go faster. So here was us flying down the Portrush line in a Citroen heading to Sunday school. Bushmills Church was a Very small congregation, there wasn't many people that went to it. The Sunday school consisted of me, my brother and sister, and the Reverend Woods, his children, David and Jemima. Sunday school, it was my granny teaching me most of the way through Sunday school. And from a young boy, I knew my need of salvation. And at the age of five, I remember shoving my dad into my room, and I asked him, I told him that I wanted to get saved. And my dad read the scriptures with me, He prayed with me, and in a very simple, childlike way, I asked the Lord into my life that night. I went to Damhead Primary School, and primary school in the sense of living the Christian life was easy. I'm sure most young people can say the same. There's no real difficulties in primary school. But if we fast forward to about the age of 11, I had just finished primary school, and I had done my transfer test, and still to this day, it's the best result I've ever got in my life. I got 102 out of like 127, and I thought I was some sort of genius. So there was only one school I was going to and it was Corrie and Inst. I always wanted to go to this school because my dad and his two brothers went there as well. And my brother ended up going there too. But little did I know this was where my life would take a change for the worse. It was where I, in a sense, I would enter into the big bad world and face my first real difficulties and temptations. First year of secondary school was really a turning point in my life. It was where I was first really introduced to cursing, smoking, drinking, them sort of things. And it just really kept getting worse, second and third year was whenever I really started to drift away from the Lord. At the age of 15, my desire to follow the Lord was no longer there. And it was then around this time my parents made the decision to leave Bushmills Free Presbyterian Church and look for a new church. And one of the reasons for this was because Reverend Woods had received the call to another congregation. So the only youth in the church was me, my brother, and sister at the time. And they made the decision to seek around churches. And I'm glad to say we found our home in Ballymunnaigh. At the age of about 16, I was in fourth year at the time, my attitude towards everyone and everything had changed. It was a warm, sunny day, and I remember walking. I would have missed the bus home on purpose to go downtown and mess about. And one of the boys I was with brought a cigarette and lit it up and started smoking it. And he offered me a smoke, and me not wanting to look stupid and to fit in with the crowd, I took it off him and took a smoke of it. And as soon as I handed it back to him, there was a shout from behind me, and I was thinking, how could this be? Looked around, and it was the vice principal. So the first time I had a cigarette, I was caught, and I couldn't believe it. And as soon as I went home that night, I can assure you, it didn't want to be me. One cigarette turned into another, and then another, and before I knew it, I couldn't stop. And cigarettes can be classed as a gateway drug, and you might say, what's a gateway drug? Well, basically, it's an open door that leads to other avenues. Can you ever think of someone that's just smoked a cigarette and not done anything else? 90% of the time, that someone that's tried a cigarette will either probably try a drink or something else. And that was the same in my life. And I just want to say I don't blame anyone for the things that happened to me in my life because we all make our own choices and we all make our own decisions. We're not forced into doing anything we don't want to do. I was always getting into trouble at school and always bringing shame to my family's name. And at the age of 17, I was on antidepressants and drinking pretty much every night of the week just to fill the void in my life. At the age of 18 I told my parents enough was enough and I didn't want to go to church anymore and they couldn't make me go. And also at the age of 17, sorry, I passed my driving test and this was again another big problem in my life. A few months later I fell into another group of friends that really wasn't to be good friends for me. Then I started doing lifts for these people. At the start, I didn't know what the lifts were for, but I didn't really care, as they were paying me good money for doing the lifts. I later found out that the lifts I was doing was lifts for drugs, but as naive as I was, I said, it's fine, I'll never be doing them. Then they started doing them in the car in front of me, and it was only so long until I was joining in with them. You know, there's a saying, and it says, we're all like the people we hang around with. The first drug I tried was cannabis, and I only started smoking it once or twice a week. until I found myself smoking every night of the week just to function. I then started dabbling with other sorts of drugs such as MD, cat, tablets, yellows, blaze, lyrica, really anything, and the drug that ruined my life, cocaine. I took cocaine for the first time on my 18th birthday. Honestly, I can say I put my hand on my heart. The first moment I tried the drug, I thought, boys, this is great. Life can give you this high. I was able to take it whenever I want and not take it for a couple of weeks time until Very quickly, it became a very major problem in my life. I could tell you of many stories of what drugs done to me and my family's life, and the effects it had were horrific. The embarrassment I brought to my home breaks my heart now, but at the time, I didn't really care, to be honest. All I cared about was how I'd get the money, and I would have done absolutely anything to get the money. Sadly to say, every single penny I had went on drugs, and it took every single thing off me. I ended up stealing off my parents, brothers, or brother, sister, or grandparents, friends, anyone I knew that had money, or anywhere I knew money was being hid, I took it. I was selling things, Xboxes, phones, even if they weren't mine, I was selling them. The reality was I couldn't help myself, because I was so fully engrossed in how I would get my next bag of cocaine. Even though my life was getting so bad and so miserable, I still couldn't change. And, you know, the Lord will bring you to your knees, and the sin will take you further than you want to go, and it'll cost you more than you want to pay. And things just kept getting worse and worse, and I kept getting into worse and worse company. Pretty much every single night of the week, I was out, not coming home till 10 or 11 the next day. So yeah, I'd sleep all the drugs out of my system to do the same the next night. My mom and dad have shed more tears over me than I'll ever know. I remember one night coming in drunk and on drugs. I forgot my house key, and I knocked the door because there was no other way to get in. And my mom came down, opened the door, and I could barely even make it up the stairs. When I made it up the stairs, I spent the whole night lying in the toilet being sick. And the reason I remember this memory the most is because the next morning I woke up, I found out that my sister had to sleep down the stairs because she couldn't listen to the noise of me being sick. But no matter how many times things like this happened, it still wasn't enough for me to change. I kept promising my mom and dad that this is it, I'll change. But I was just giving them false promises to keep them off my back. You know, you have to come to a place in your life where you come to the end of yourself and you hit rock bottom, and you realize that the world can offer you absolutely nothing but pain and heartache. This went on for about another three years, and I still denied to myself that I was addicted to drugs, even though I was taking them every night of the week. There's many nights I just remember lying in my bed, staring at the ceiling, not being able to sleep because of the effects of the drugs. And people might think, how could someone ever want to do that? But it got to the point in my life where I had no choice over the matter. I needed them to feel normal, and I couldn't live without them. Drugs destroyed every single relationship I had with family members. They didn't want to know me, and looking back now, I don't blame them. However, on June the 1st, 2021, is a day I'll never forget. A week previous to this, I had left the house and not come home. I left on a Thursday and was paid on a Friday. I met up with a friend on a Thursday night, Between the Thursday and Monday morning, I spent my whole month's wages. On the Monday morning, I decided to go out and drive with two of my friends. Long story short, I had a head-on collision with another car. I remember waking up and people shouting and screaming, and all I could see was smoke. The three people in my car was taking an ambulance to the hospital, and the other driver was airlifted. I managed to get home from the hospital the next day, only having staples and a sore chest, and I realized something had to change. My dad came into the room where I was sleeping the next morning and said to me, son, would you like me to call Chris Cullen? And my dad had asked me this many times before, but I said I never, I thought I was never that bad or that I needed Chris to come and see me. But that time I knew something had to change, so I said yes, bring him to the house. And I knew that the only way I'd be able to get free from my addiction in an environment way would be to take him out of the environment and place somewhere else. So Chris came and visited me and told me all about a residential home down in Dublin. and within two weeks, on June the 13th, I was heading down to Tala, which in itself is a blessing because the waiting lists for these homes are months and months long, so I knew it was God's plan for me to go down to Dublin. It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, to leave all my family members, leave everything behind, but I'm glad I had the opportunity to go down to the home. It was time for me to grow up and start my life afresh. I arrived at the home and was took to the room where I was searched for drugs and given my induction. Orrin, one of the workers who was doing the induction, when I was searching through my bag, left out a Bible and asked me, are you saved? And I didn't really know what to say to him. I was sort of gobsmacked, I couldn't even reply. And I asked anyone in the meeting tonight the same question, are you saved? Are you born again? It's the most important choice that you'll ever, that you're faced with and the biggest decision that every one of us will have to face. I was in the home for about two weeks at this point and one of the workers referred a Bible passage for me to go and read. And when I did, I broke down in tears. And on June the 30th, 2021, I dedicated my life back to the Lord. It's coming up three years on June the 30th this year, and I can truly say my life has changed. I was in the home for about eight and a half months, and I'm not going to sugarcoat it, it wasn't an easy program. I stared to shape you, mold you, and develop you as a person, but it's exactly what I needed at that point in my life. You can imagine 16 men around a dinner table, 16 different personalities, Let's just say it's a testing experience, but a great experience also. I returned home in February 2022, and I'm not going to stand here and lie. It hasn't been easy. I've let the Lord down many times since, but I'm thankful that His grace is sufficient for me. And there's a verse that I've held dear to my heart ever since I've come home, and it's 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 13. And it says there, there's no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man. God is faithful. He will not suffer you to be tempted above that you're able. but with the temptation, also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it. When I returned home, I was given the opportunity to go to Romania with Reverend Park and Jonathan Macaulay. I'm truly thankful I had this opportunity, as it was a really blessed time and a good time of fellowship. Also, since I've been home, I've started a new job at Macaulay's Engineering, where I've been working over two and a half years now. And I nearly classify myself as a normal person now, but it depends what you classify as normal. Other things that the Lord has done for me in my life is restored relationships. You know, I never ever would have gone with my brother in my teen years, but I'm so thankful that the Lord has given me a godly brother. And I don't think I'd be where I am today if it wasn't for him. He's been an example to me, and he's been a friend to me, and I thank him for being there for me in the times he didn't know I needed him the most. However, after I returned home as well, I was in court for the collision that I was in on the 1st of April, 2022, I was charged with dangerous driving causing GBH and got a fine and lost my license for 16 months. Sin always has its consequences. But thankfully since then I've passed my theory and my driving test again, but trying to get insurance hasn't been fun. The last quote I got a couple of months ago was 19,000 pound. So if anyone's interested in paying that for me, I'd be much appreciated. Jokes aside, if I could give the young people any advice in the congregation tonight, it would be to choose your company and your friend group wisely. Proverbs 13, 20 says, he that walketh with wise men shall be wise, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. And that's me done, but just before I leave, just while I read out the question I read earlier, and it's, are you saved? Have you asked the Lord into your life? I pray tonight will be that night. Amen. I would just like to thank Aaron for such an eye-opening testimony. It was one cigarette, that's all it was, that led to the addiction to drugs, but God's amazing grace saved him and brought him home. It's just at this point I'd like to invite Jackie Alastair up just to give the announcements. I have to say that this old octogenarian feels a bit out of place up here tonight amongst all these young folks. So I'll get this over as quickly as possible. It is good to see you all here, especially all the young folks that have gathered in tonight. That's really encouraging. And of course, we encourage you to come back night by night this incoming week. Of course, the youth mission will be going ahead each weeknight this week. Monday through to Friday at 8pm. There also is a prayer meeting prior to the meetings and that will be from half past seven. So do remember that young folk, we need to bring the needs before the Lord as well as being out at the meetings. So do remember that. Can I say as well, that for the young folks tonight, there are refreshments over in the church hall and a time of fellowship there for you young folks and young adults after this meeting. And during the week of mission, there will be supper served each week, each night after the meeting as well. And on Saturday night, this coming Saturday at 7pm, there will be a barbecue as well for the young folks. So keep that in mind. The mission will then conclude next Sunday night at 8.45pm with a youth rally here in the church. So do remember that please. Can I just quickly mention a few other meetings then just for our own folks. Our prayer meeting goes ahead as usual, eight o'clock on Tuesday evening, and our men's prayer meeting at 10 p.m. on Friday. Friday as well, can I remember, remind the seniors from our seniors meeting that our outing takes place this Friday. I skirted around the time this morning because I couldn't remember, wasn't too sure, but I've checked, and we're getting away from the church sharp at a quarter to 10, on Friday morning, so do keep that in mind. Get here in advance of that so that the bus can get away promptly, and if you're travelling down individually, that's the timing as well. Next Lord's Day, it's our Children's and Young People's Day. Do remember that, always a special day. And half past 11 will be the first meeting with the young folks taking part. Our own Minister, the Reverend Martin, will be addressing the young folks. And then at 7 p.m. there'll be the meeting as well, the prize giving, and the Reverend McKee will be speaking at that meeting prior to the youth rally. Do remember the mission continuing over in Newtonards, Monday through to Friday with our two brethren, Noel Shields and Colin Maxwell. 8 p.m. Monday to Friday, that mission continues. I don't think there's a whole lot more that I need to say. Just to remind you as well that our next Family and Friends meeting will be two weeks from tonight. That's Sunday, the 23rd of June. And the speaker at that Family and Friends service will be Mrs. Avril Neely. Thank you. The Reverend Ryan McKee comes up. We're going to sing the first and the last verse of 308 and stand as we sing. Every day I've fixed my choice on Thee, my Savior and my God. And it is so they can't rejoice at death's rapture joy. every day. I am the bread, the soul of love, a farming youth shall daily eat. Till in my slave this hour I part, a blessing death upon so dear. ♪ Oh happy day, oh happy day ♪ When Jesus washed my sins away ♪ He taught me how to worship great ♪ And live rejoicing every day ♪ Hallelujah, happy day, oh happy day ♪ When Jesus washed my sins away Well, it's good to be here this evening, and can I thank the young people for leading and taking part in the meeting. It's been a real blessing and privilege to be in this meeting tonight. And we believe that the Lord is here and has already spoken. And what a blessing that is to be in a place where the Lord is. And we trust that if you know him, that you'll pray just now that the Lord will speak in these closing moments. And if you're not saved, that we pray that you'll give attention to the Word of God, and that the Lord will speak to your precious soul. If you have a copy of God's Word, could you turn to Luke chapter 15? Luke chapter 15, and we want to read Just a few verses out of the middle of this chapter, you will know the passage, you will know the story, but we pray that as we read it tonight, the Lord will make it fresh to us and teach us new things from it. Luke chapter 15, verse number 11. And Jesus said, a certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided onto them his living. Not many days after, the younger son gathered all together and took his journey into a far country. And there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land. And he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into the fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat, and no man gave on to him. And when he came to himself, he said, how many hired servants of my father's have bred enough and to spare and I perish with hunger. I will arise and go to my father and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and I'm no more worthy to be called thy son. Make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose and came to his father, but when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in my sight, and I'm no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, bring forth the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet, and bring hither the fatted calf and kill it. And let us eat and be merry, for this my son was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found. And they began to be merry. Amen. Let's just bow our heads, close our eyes, And as we do so, I just want to simply ask you in the stillness of this moment, are you saved? Are you saved? Are you walking with the Lord? Have you trusted Christ for salvation? Or are you one who's trying to find satisfaction in the things of the world? Just like the young man we've read of. I want to say from the outset, before we even preach, this world cannot satisfy your soul. If you continue in your sin, you will end up in hell. So therefore, something needs to happen in your life. A change needs to be made, and praise God it can be made tonight. May God give you grace to call on him. Heavenly Father, as we would preach the opening message of this mission, we pray for a real sense of thy presence by the Holy Spirit. We thank thee, Lord, that the Spirit of God has been here tonight. We thank thee in the hymns that have been sung, in the testimony that has been proclaimed. Thank you, Lord, for this young man rescued, and saved, and serving. We pray tonight, Lord, that thou will come into this meeting for their others, and their eyes are on the things of the world. And they're listening to the lies of the devil, that somehow they can satisfy their soul. Oh, Lord, we pray that tonight you'll make sin bitter to their taste, bring them to an end of themselves, bring them to the realization of this young man, that they have sinned before God and before others, and cause it to be that this night they will come to the Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ the Lord. Thank you, Lord. There's still forgiveness tonight. There's still power in the blood to save. And praise God, those who are saved in Christ are satisfied in him as well. So therefore, speak tonight, empty me of self and sin, fill me with thy Holy Spirit, and be glorified, Lord, in salvation of precious souls, young or old. For it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen and amen. Just a few things we want to say about this young man, the prodigal son, as he is called often by the preacher. First of all, I want you to notice the privilege that he had. He grew up in a loving home. It was a home where his father cared about him. We don't read about his mother. We don't know if she was still alive at this time, but we certainly know that he had a stable home life. He had a father who loved him and a father who taught him right from wrong. A father who had standards and expected him to fit in with those standards. A father who provided for him. Also a home where there was wealth because there were servants in that family home. He also had the privilege of being in a Christian home. You say, how do you know that? Well, this young man in the faraway country, when he was considering over the reality of his life, knew about sin. He knew about repentance. He knew about offending God. How did he know those things? Well, I believe he was taught them at home because he certainly wasn't taught them in the far country. So this young man had a wonderful upbringing. He was privileged physically, he was privileged spiritually. I wonder tonight, have you ever stopped to consider the privileges that you and I have? The very fact that you are sitting in this meeting tonight means you're a privileged people. God has given you the health, the strength, the soundness of body and mind to be here. Do you realize that every breath you breathe in your lungs is a gift from God? Every heartbeat that goes in your chest is a gift from God. God has blessed you with life and health and strength up to this point, and many, I believe, in this gathering have been under the sound of the word of God throughout their lifetime. You know what it is to sit in a children's meeting, a youth fellowship meeting, in missions, in church services, And all of these things are privileges. But not only was this young man privileged, he was ungrateful. He was ungrateful. He wasn't thankful for the privileges that he had. Look what it says, verse 12. Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. He went to his father and he said, Father, someday you're gonna die and I'm going to get an inheritance, but I don't want to wait until then. Father, I want you to give to me what is coming to me when you die, give it to me now. And in reality, what this young man was saying was that I don't really want you and your rules and your home and your way of life, but I want your money. And you know, there are many people who say that to God. They want health that God gives. And they want blessings that God gives, and they want a job, and they want relationships, they want all of these things, their family to be safe. They want all these blessings from God, but they don't want God. They expect God to bless them, but they don't want to follow God, just like this young man didn't want to follow his father, or to obey his father. There was absolutely no thankfulness. And could it be that there's someone in this meeting, and not once in your entire life, have you ever turned and said, thank you, God? for what you've given me. Thank you for my health, my strength, my family, all of those things. There was no consideration of others. He didn't consider how his father would feel whenever he came to him and asked him to give his inheritance early. No thought at all. And there was no realization of his blessings. A brother who spoke there mentioned the fact that at one point in his life, He didn't realize the blessing of being a Christian home. Maybe you're sitting here tonight and you can't wait until you're 18. Or you can't wait until you are out working and when you've enough money, you can move out and do what you want without the oversight of parents and without their knowledge. And it just seems to be there's a wide world out there waiting for you with all the pleasure and with all the enjoyment that it offers. And you can't wait to go. Let me tell you something. If you are from a Christian home tonight, you are richly blessed. Never despise that. Never despise it. Your parents want what's best for you. Your parents are praying for you. Your parents have brought you to God's house tonight. These people in this world have never known that privilege, but here you are. This man looked out into the world, and he went and gave himself to sin. Look at verse 13. Not many days after, the younger son gathered all together. And he took his journey into a far country and there wasted his substance with riotous living. That free as riotous living in the original has the idea that he didn't withhold himself from anything. There was no sin that he did not dabble with. There was no simple place he didn't go, no simple activity that he did not try. And in the midst of it all, he was wasting, wasting his substance, wasting his inheritance, wasting his time. And let me tell you, if you're going to live in sin, it's a waste. It's wasted years. It's a waste of life, wasted opportunities. What will it be for people to stand before God who were brought up in Christian homes, brought up in Christian churches, and yet wasted their lives in riotous living? They just gave themselves to sin, and now they're standing before the judgment seat of God, hearing the words, depart from me, I never knew you, and being cast into hell. You see, that in the reality is the end of sin. Oh, he went after the promises. Try this and you'll feel great. This will give you a big high. This will make you popular and feel good about yourself. And maybe for a while it did because the Bible's very honest. There's pleasure in sin for a season. Ah, but it's only for a little season. A brother said something that I always say whenever I preach in this passage, sin will take you farther than you'll want to go. Slowly but wholly taken control, sin will keep you longer than you'll want to stay, and sin will cost you far more than you want to pay. This young man didn't leave his home with a goal of ending up penniless, friendless, in a field, feeding on clean animals and hungering after the food that they were eating. And you know, nobody goes through their life and goes into primary school and into secondary school with the goal that they're going to end up in hell. My friend, that's the reality on the road that the sinner is walking. And if you're not saved tonight, unless something changes in your life, that's where you are going to be found. Someday you'll take your final breath. Someday you will die. And in hell, you will lift up your eyes. And friends, sin is going to cost you your soul. Sin is going to cost you your eternity. as you go out into the outer darkness of hell. And here's a man who had everything. But look at verse 14, when he had spent all. There arose a mighty famine in that land, and he began to be in want, and God has a way of making people who think they're untouchable, out of making people who think that they're in charge of all things realize that they're not in control of very much at all. His money was now gone. The prosperity in the land that he was in had now dwindled. And he went as a beggar to a farmer to feed swine. And as a young Jewish man, that was an absolute shame and disgrace. He had reached the very bottom of the barrel. And here he is, plenty of time now to think, and I love these words, look at verse 17, when he came to himself, when he came to himself. When he started to think clearly, when he started to think rationally, When he started to think scripturally, ah, what a change there was. What had happened when he came to himself, he looked back at what he wanted to run away from and realized he'd run away from a place of blessing where even the servants were more blessed than he was at this time. He also realized that he had sinned, that he was a sinner. sinner. And I wonder tonight, whether you're old or whether you're young, whether you've lived for many decades or whether you're in the first or second decade of your life, have you ever realized that you're a sinner? Have you ever realized that you're a sinner? The Bible says, for all have sinned, come short of the glory of God. And I remember hearing that in Sunday school, and I remember hearing that in church, but there came a time, a moment in my life when I realized I was a sinner. Now, I knew it on an intellectual level, but one night God revealed it to me on a very personal level. I am the sinner the preacher is talking about. I am the sinner the Sunday school teacher is talking about. I am the sinner the children's meeting worker is speaking to. Have you ever realized that? Friend, you are a sinner. You are a heartbeat from hell. You're a breath from hell. You're an enemy of God. You're one who is living against God. You're one who can do absolutely nothing to change your condition or to cover your sin. And praise God, this young man said, I will arise and go to my father and will say unto him, father, I've sinned against heaven and before thee. This man knew that there was a place he could go as a filthy sinner who'd lost everything, where he would be received. Now you will notice that decision he made. It was a decision where he was going to confess his sin Notice what it says in verse 18. Father, I've sinned against heaven and before thee. It's interesting the way he said that. He had hurt his father very badly. He had sinned against his father. But he says, first of all, I have sinned against heaven. In other words, I've sinned against God. And your sin will affect others, of course it will. Our lies, our selfishness, our cheating, our lust, all of those things will affect others, but ultimately, all our sin is against God. And God is offended by your sin, and God is angry with your sin, and God will deal with your sin. Father, I sinned against heaven and before thee. I'm no more worthy to be called thy son. Make me as one of thy hired servants. That was a decision he made. But I want to say something so important tonight. That decision didn't save him. That decision didn't even change his life. And sometimes that's as far as some people go. I will arise. I will go to my heavenly Father and confess my sin. Sometime. Someday. No, what saved him, what changed him is verse 20, and he arose and came to his father. He didn't just make a decision, but he acted upon that in faith and he did something about it. Now, if you want to be saved, you need to act upon the truth of God's word. There are many people I believe tonight in a lost eternity who were in agreement with a preacher that I'm a sinner, that I need to be saved, that only the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ shed at the cross of Calvary can cleanse me and make me right before God. And someday I will be saved. But tonight they're in a lost eternity because they held it off to someday. Maybe you've agreed with everything I've said tonight. Maybe you know you're a sinner. Maybe you say, yes, I need to get saved and someday I'll get saved. I'll maybe wait until another night of this mission. I'll wait until the Tuesday night or next weekend and then I'll get saved. Let me tell you, you don't have any guarantee that you'll be at another gospel meeting. You don't have any guarantee that you'll be at one more meeting ever in your lifetime. You've no guarantee that you'll even see tomorrow. The Bible says, boast not thyself of tomorrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. And if you know you need to be saved, I beg you and I urge you and I plead with you, do not put it off one moment longer. See where you're sitting in that pew tonight? You bow your head and your heart before God and confess your sin. And you call on Christ to save you tonight and to cleanse you and to make you a new creature in Christ Jesus. Look then at the welcome he received. Verse 20, he arose and came to his father. When he was a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. Verse 22, the father said to the servants, bring forth the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. 24, for this my son was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found. And they began to be merry. There was nothing to be merry about or joyful about in the field. Penniless, friendless, hopeless, embarrassed, wasted years. But when he came to his father, Look at the welcome he received. You know what it was? Unconditional love. Unconditional love. Some may have turned their back on this young man, but how blessed he was to have a father who ran to meet him. Put his arms around him, kissed him. And I want to say to you reverently tonight, the arms of our God are outstretched for you, dear sinner. And if you will do what this man did, if you will repent of your sin, if you will leave the life you're living and leave the way you're living your life and come to the Lord by faith, calling upon him, you'll know the embrace of a loving God. you will not be turned away. The Bible says, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. But preacher, you don't know where I've been. Preacher, you don't know what I've done. Preacher, you don't know my record. God does. I don't need to know. But he says, for whosoever shall call. That does not exclude anybody in this meeting today. Fred, you're welcome to call on the Savior and He will save you from your sin. You are instructed to call upon the Savior and He will save you from your sin. And listen to this, you need to call upon Him. You need to call. What a tragedy it would be that you would sit in a meeting like this, hear such a testimony. hear the word of God and then walk away saying, not for me, not for me. This man received unconditional love. He also was welcomed into the family. He was welcomed back then as a son, which even he knew he didn't deserve. Ah, but the father welcomed him as a son. I just think it's marvelous. Sinners such as I, sinners such as you, wicked, evil, sinful people. The Lord delights to call us his sons and his daughters. That's marvelous, that's grace, that's mercy. And he was also given Many things, he was given shoes, he was given a robe, he was given a ring. Well, we don't need to go into the significance of those tonight, but let's just say this, sin had taken everything he had and left him with nothing. And he came onto his father in repentance and confession of his sin, and he received great blessings. Friends, sin has robbed you. Maybe it's robbed you of friendships. Maybe it's robbed you of your reputation. Perhaps your sin has robbed you of your health. But I can tell you this, you come to the Savior, you come to Christ tonight, and all the blessings he will bestow upon you. Peace with God and the peace of God. The blessing of being justified, declared to be righteous. Strength to live for Him. The Holy Spirit within to lead you and to guide you. A Savior who walks and talks with His people. Oh, the blessings that the Lord gives again and again and again and again. Friend, why would you sit in the field of sin, feeding the pigs, when you could come to the Father's table and you get faced on the blessings of the gospel. Perhaps you have never considered how you stand before God. And perhaps you've been content in your sin. My prayer is tonight the Lord will open your eyes to show you the reality of sin. The evilness of sin. The end of sin. You do not have to go on on your way to hell because the saviour who died on the cross of Calvary and bore the sins of his people, he suffered hell that we might never be there. He suffered separation from his father that we might be united to him. He tonight can save you. He's a call away. Will you come? Will you come to the Savior tonight? Will you leave your sin? And will you come as a sinner to Jesus? With the stillness that we're sitting in, let's just close our eyes and bow our heads. We are here tonight as your servants for Christ's sake. Friend, if your heart is troubled and you know you need to be saved, come and speak to the Reverend Martin, to myself, to another believer in this church. We would love to show you from God's word how you can be saved. We'll not be embarrassing anybody. We'll certainly not be forcing anybody to do anything. Friend, we'll open God's word and show you how you can know the joy of sins forgiven. And perhaps tonight, you're like this prodigal, and you wasted your life up to this point. Your money, your health, your family, your blessings, all of those things wasted in your pursuit of sinful pleasures. And you look back and you realize that sin has not blessed you, but sin has cost you. Sin has cost you. And if you do not turn to Christ, it's gonna cost you a lot more. It's gonna cost your soul. I believe God's dealing with hearts tonight. I believe there's some here that need to turn and come to Christ. And I beg you, don't leave without him. Serious thing to walk out of a gospel meeting Serious thing, when the Holy Spirit is dealing with hearts, to say, no, Lord, not for me. Today, if you hear his voice, don't you harden your heart? Come to him. Heavenly Father, we are so thankful that we are in a gospel meeting tonight. Oh, how merciful, Lord, you have been. Lord, There are those who are not saved and they could have been anywhere tonight. But you have so ordered our footsteps that we are sitting in the house of God. We have heard a testimony, an up-to-date testimony of a prodigal son. And we have studied for a few moments the scriptural account of the prodigal son. And Lord, surely tonight, there are those that need to come to God. Lord, we pray that thou wilt trouble souls tonight in their sin. Show people the emptiness and the great cost of going their own way. We cannot go against God and prosper. So Lord, I pray you'll give grace tonight for that dear man that dear woman, that young person, and say, Lord, I'm coming tonight. I wasted too much of my life. And Lord, I'm coming now to give it to you. Lord, save in this meeting tonight. Restore that young person whose heart is far from me tonight. And oh Lord, do a wonderful, mighty work of grace We will be careful to give Thee all the praise and the honor and all of the glory. For Thou art a wonderful Savior. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Yeah.