Scriptures to Read and Ponder

  • Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV)

    “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

  • Luke 15:11–24 (NIV) – The Prodigal Son

  • Genesis 1:1–3 (MSG, NIV)

    “In the beginning… earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness… And God said, ‘Let there be light.’”

  • 2 Corinthians 4:6 (NIV)

    “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”

  • John 10:10 (NIV)

    “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

  • Psalm 50:15 (NIV)

    “Call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honour me.”

Sermon Recap

1. Jeremiah in Prison – The Prophet in Darkness

  • Jeremiah is confined in a prison cell, not a palace or platform.

  • His imprisonment symbolises the rebellion, idolatry, and brokenness of a whole nation.

  • The prophet in prison, the promise in the rubbish heap, the potential reduced to emptiness.

  • Yet into that darkness comes a word from the Lord: “Call to me…”

2. God Speaks in Dark Places

  • Creation itself began in emptiness and darkness.

  • Genesis 1: “a soup of nothingness, an inky blackness.”

  • But God spoke: “Let there be light!”

  • 2 Cor 4:6 shows us this light is now revealed in Christ, shining into the darkness of our hearts.

  • God does His best work in caves, prisons, pigsties, and empty places.

3. Call: An Invitation, Not a Regulation

  • God’s word “Call to me” is not instruction, law, or theology exam.

  • It is as simple as a child calling out for a parent’s embrace.

  • Hebrew word קָרָא (qara) = to cry out, summon, call loudly.

  • Prayer is not polished words—it’s desperate, honest cry.

4. The Prodigal – Exile of the Heart

  • Jeremiah’s prison = national exile.

  • The prodigal son = personal exile.

  • To ask for inheritance early = to say: “Father, you are dead to me.”

  • This mirrors humanity turning its back on God.

  • Sin is not just “badness”—it is waste: wasted opportunities, wasted inheritance, wasted potential for a flourishing life.

5. Hunger and Dishonour

  • The prodigal’s journey downward: famine, hunger, pigsty.

  • Triple dishonour for a Jewish son: feeding pigs (unclean), becoming a slave, serving a Gentile.

  • For Jeremiah: the prison.

  • For the prodigal: the pigsty.

  • Both = rock bottom moments.

6. Revelation – Coming to His Senses

  • Luke 15:17: “When he came to his senses…”

  • This is Jeremiah 33:3 lived out: the moment of calling, the moment of revelation.

  • God often awakens us by reminding us who we really are:

    • Not slaves.

    • Not prisoners.

    • Sons and daughters of the Father’s house.

7. The Father’s Heart

  • The father scans the horizon.

  • He runs (culturally undignified for a man).

  • He embraces and kisses the son—while he still smells of pigs.

  • God is not passive—He is passionate, running to meet us.

8. The Upgrade

  • The son prepares a speech:

    • “I have sinned.”

    • “I am not worthy.”

    • “Make me a servant.”

  • The father cuts him off: “Quick! Bring the robe, the ring, the sandals!”

  • Robe = restored position.

  • Ring = restored authority.

  • Sandals = restored identity as a son (slaves went barefoot).

  • God doesn’t just take you back—He upgrades you.

Memorable Quotes

  • “The prophet in prison. The promise in the rubbish heap. The potential reduced to squalor.”

  • “God does His best work in dark places—He spoke in the void, the chaos, the pigsty, and the prison.”

  • “We see sin as badness, but God sees sin as waste.”

  • “When you’re down to nothing, God is up to something.”

  • “Grace doesn’t restore you to where you were—it lifts you to where you never dreamed you could go.”

Questions for Discussion

  1. Jeremiah was in prison when God spoke to him. What does this teach us about how God meets us in our darkest places?

  2. In what ways does Genesis 1 (creation out of chaos) parallel the spiritual emptiness in our lives without Christ?

  3. The prodigal son represents “exile of the heart.” How do we see ourselves in his rebellion, waste, and return?

  4. Why is it significant that sin is described as “waste” rather than just “badness”? How does that reshape our view of repentance?

  5. What does the father’s act of running and embracing tell us about God’s posture toward us?

  6. How have you personally experienced God giving you an “upgrade” when you expected only mercy?

  7. Who are the “prodigals” in your life that you are scanning the horizon for? How can you pray and act for their return?

Further Reading

  • Scriptures:

    • Isaiah 55:1–7 (Invitation to return and receive mercy)

    • Hosea 14:1–4 (Return, O Israel… I will heal your waywardness)

    • Romans 8:14–17 (Adoption as sons and daughters)

    • Ephesians 2:1–10 (From death to life, by grace)

  • Books / Resources:

    • N.T. Wright – After You Believe (on true identity and calling)

    • Henri Nouwen – The Return of the Prodigal Son (on the father’s embrace)

    • Pete Greig – Dirty Glory (on prayer and calling out to God)

Prayer Points

  1. For those in prison places – Lord, shine Your light into every place of darkness, despair, and hopelessness.

  2. For prodigals – Father, bring home those who have turned away. Let them come to their senses and return to You.

  3. For revelation – Holy Spirit, awaken our hearts to who we truly are in Christ—sons and daughters, not slaves.

  4. For parents and loved ones – God, strengthen every parent scanning the horizon. Fill them with hope as they pray for prodigals to return.

  5. For restoration – Thank You, Father, that You don’t just forgive us, You restore us. Give us the robe, the ring, and the sandals once again.

  6. For the church family – Let Living Waters Church be a place of welcome, embrace, and upgrade for every prodigal who walks through our doors.