The Prodigal's Road to Ruin

TEXT: Luke 15:11-32

TOPIC: Tales from the Prodigal: The Prodigal’s Road to Ruin (2 of 6)

Pastor Bobby Earls, Northgate Baptist Church, Florence, SC

Sunday, November 6, 2022

(A series based upon Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son taken from John MacArthur’s study series in Masterwork Sunday School curriculum, Winter 2010-2011)

Last Sunday we began a new sermon series from our Lord’s Parable of the Prodigal Son. My first sermon was entitled, “Previewing the Prodigal.” This morning I would like for us to consider “The Prodigal’s Road to Ruin.”

Please open your Bible to Luke 15:11–32 (NKJV). Luke 15:11, Then He said: “A certain man had two sons.”

Jesus begins this Parable by introducing to us the main characters of His parable in verse 11. He tells us about “A certain man,” and his “two sons.” As the story unfolds, the focus shifts from one character to another.

· The one we know best is called the Younger Son—the Prodigal—he, of course, is the main focus in the beginning, Luke 15:11-20.

· Then there is the Loving Father—The Father takes center stage midway through the story, Luke 15:20-24.

· The Elder Son—or the Older Brother wraps up the story, Luke 15:25-32.

The entire parable naturally follows these three main characters. As we move from one main character to another, the plot takes a surprising turn.

As the parable begins it is the younger brother who is cast as the scoundrel, the spoiled and insolent child. But in the closing section, it is the elder brother who is unmasked as the real villain.

The three-part story line all develops the central theme of the parable—Heaven’s joyover a sinner who repents!

· The Prodigal Son is the picture of truerepentance

· The Loving Father personifies the joyof heaven

· The Embittered Elder Son portrays the pretentious, self-righteous resentment of the Scribes and Pharisees.

Let’s begin this morning by looking first at the Prodigal’s Disrespect for His Father in verse 12.

I. The Prodigal’s Disrespect for His Father, Luke 15:12 (CSB)

The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets to them.

The crowds that listened to this story that day must have been in shock at such a disgusting and disrespectful statement by the younger son to his Father.

““Give me the share of the estate I have coming to me!” He didn’t want to wait. He wanted it all right now!

It is interesting that the word “prodigal” doesn’t actually appear in the KJV. The NKJV uses the word in verse 13 where it says, 13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.

The word prodigal is a very old English word that speaks of reckless wastefulness or lavish extravagance.

The Greek word is used only once in the NT Scriptures and it is the word asotos, which means wasteful. But it also conveys a much more sinister meaning. The Prodigal was much more than just a spendthrift. The Greek meaning also encompasses the concepts of licentiousness, promiscuity, and moral debauchery.

This younger son is the classic example of the careless, indiscriminant, undisciplined young person who wastes the best part of his life through extravagant self-indulgence. He becomes a slave to his own lust and sin. He is a living picture of the course of sin and how it can destroy any promising young person’s life.

Someone once said, “Sin will take you where you don’t want to go; keep you longer than you want to stay and cost you more than you want to pay!”

Look again at verse 12. And the younger of them said to hisfather, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So, he divided to them his livelihood.

I’m sure the Jews in the crowd were taken back by this young son’s disrespect and really, his dishonoring his father. But I also want you to see of the other disrespectful demands this young man made toward his father.

1) He showed a complete disregard for his inheritance.

Notice that this young man’s attitude toward his inheritance was completely misguided and entirely wrong. A principle known as the law of primogeniture governed the transfer of a family’s inheritance in Israel. That meant the first-born son would receive a double portion of the family’s inheritance. (Deuteronomy 21:17) Occasionally the double portion could go to the younger son (i.e., Isaac rather than Ishmael; and Jacob over Esau). But standard cultural practice almost always followed the law of the first born.

But this young prodigal showed no respect or gratitude for the legacy that generations of his family had provided for his father—and one day for him! He lacked both patience and discipline. Worst of all, he lacked any true love or respect for his father.

2) He completely dishonored his father.

This young man who obviously felt his father was a domineering, controlling father who left very little time for selfish pleasure seeking and lack-luster laziness could not wait to get away from his father. Leaving home sounded like the most thrilling adventure that would surely set him free from all the expectations of his demanding father.

As I told you before, for a son in that culture and time to ask for his inheritance early was tantamount to saying, “Dad, I wish you were dead!” “You are holding me back from doing what I want to do. I’ve got big plans for my life, and you are in the way!”

3) He foolishly demanded his birthright.

The right of a firstborn to a special (often double) inheritance among other siblings. This concept also includes the general right of all children to an inheritance of their household.

Had this prodigal been patient, the day would have come for him when he may have been the sole possessor of all that currently belonged to his father.

We often forfeit the best for the good because of our impatience or greed.

T/S—So we have seen first that the Prodigal’s Road to Ruin began with his disrespect for His Father, his family, and his heritage. But for just a few moments, notice two other major aspects of this parable.

II. The Father’s Surprising Response, Luke 15:12, So he divided to them hislivelihood.

The word livelihood is from the Greek word bios. It means life. Everything this man had accumulated up to this point in his life he willingly and freely divided out to his sons. He gave them the keys not just to the car, but to the house, his business and to the bank vault! Everything!

This may have been an even greater shock to those who listened to this story that day, especially the wicked Scribes and Pharisees.

But it doesn’t shock or even surprise us today who understand that this earthly father in the parable represents our Heavenly Father who is gracious, kind and merciful to those of us who are His spiritual children.

Finally, notice…..

III. The Prodigal’s Shameful Decisions, Luke 15:13

And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigalliving.

The Road to Ruin continues for this prodigal in verse 13 as he completely forsakes the ways of his father and family to pursue a reprehensible lifestyle.

Wine, women and song became the careless motto of this young playboy.

The problem with sowing seed to the wind is that it never produces a productive harvest.

The Bible tells us if we sow to the wind, we will reap a whirlwind. My pastor use to say the problem with many people is that they want to sow to the wind and pray for a crop failure.

No, the Bible is true when it says, “We reap what we sow.”

Galatians 6:7 (CSB) Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows he will also reap,

Conclusion:

The good news is that even if you have been the Prodigal you can still return to your loving Father. In the sermons to come we are going to see how or the way one must return to the Father.

Heads are bowed and eyes are closed as we pray…….