Reference

1Kings 21, Ephesians 1:4-5; 4:1, Luke 15:11-24

Unchecked Desire

Ahab did not “let go” his evil discontent. He let his unchecked desire uncontrolled and at the end, this uncontrolled desire leads to the reckless action he took.

Clean Hands Dirty Heart

Ahab tried to keep his hands clean. He passively let Jezebel, his wife, took over and directs the dirty plan for him – Scheming, giving false witness, biased jury, and murder – All under God’s law.

God’s Judgment

“Have you killed and also taken possession?
Ahab tried to be out of the pictures, but the Lord never let him get away from the responsibilities and consequences.

Sold his identity

“There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the LORD like Ahab” v25
Ahab sold his identity as the king of Israel to do evil for a vineyard.
He wilfully neglects his identity as the king of Israel.

Our identity is precious

We are precious in the sight of the Lord.
Apostle Paul reminds us in the book of Ephesians.
Our calling is to be the sons and daughters of our heavenly father (1:5)
It was commissioned by God before the foundation of the world (1:4)
We are called to be holy and blameless (1:4)
And we should live in a manner worthy of this calling (4:1)

The power of repentance (Prodigal son)

The reckless son willfully neglect his identity and his calling as a son,
He sold his identity as a son in exchange for “his own reckless pleasure”
His father restores his sonship right there at the moment he returns home.

Repentance is powerful as it releases the power of Redemption from the Lord

Willful Repentance

Reclaim your sonship/daughtership by willful repentance
It was by an act of his will – that the prodigal son decided to run away from home.
It was by an act of his will – the prodigal son humbled himself with a heart of repentance, arose and came back to his father
It’s never too late


Reflections:

1. Have we ever given up our identities for something that is not worth mentioning?
2. A feast is waiting for you to come home to celebrate the restoration of your sonship/daughtership