Jesus' Parables about money (6)

The Lost Son...

Last week, we looked that the shrewd manager, and how he did favours for others so that they would take care of him after he had lost his job.

Jesus said

Luke 16:9 NLT

Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.

In other words, let’s send our possessions on ahead. Let’s store up for ourselves treasures in Heaven. This is the only way to make sure that our things can’t be stolen, they can’t be moth eaten, or be destroyed.

This morning, I’d like to look at the story of The Lost Son, and see what we can learn from it.

Before we get to our Scripture, let’s start with a little context:

Who was Jesus speaking to?

Luke 15:1–2 NIV

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

It would appear that there were two kinds of people that were there to listen to Jesus teach. There were those who didn’t deserve anything from God. They had lived sinful lives and they seemed to be far from God.

There were also those who were doing everything within their power to live righteous and upstanding lives. These were Pharisees and teachers of the Law. They knew God’s word and had memorized from their youth, and they looked that these sinners, these reprobates and wondered how Jesus could even allow them to be in His presence.

Today we’re looking at the story of

A Jewish father and his two sons...

Let’s read our Scripture and then we’ll dive right into our story.

Luke 15:11–24 NIV

Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

Jesus wasn’t one to waste words. He told His stories with purpose, and He told stories that people could understand. He pushed people’s buttons. The Pharisees and teachers of the Law were so steeped in their traditions that I’m sure that much of what He said drove them mad. They lost their minds until they said to one another, “We have to do something about this man.” and they did. They had Him nailed to a cross.

In this story, there were two sons. We don’t hear much about the older until later on in the story, but the story starts with

The younger son

demanding his share of the inheritance.

(Some thoughts from LANTC, Tim Keller, BKC, Ruth Chou Simons)

It’s one thing to be given a gift. It’s one thing to have college or university paid for, getting a vehicle to drive, maybe even getting a down payment for a house, but to ask for your share of your inheritance while your dad is still farming… Houston, we have a problem.

First of all, this showed disregard for his father’s authority in the family, but it did more than this. Basically, he was saying to his father, “I wish that you were dead.”

According to the Law, the oldest son would get twice as much as the rest of the sons. In this case, there were two sons, so the older son was entitled to 2/3rds and the younger son was entitled to 1/3rd.

If your children came and wanted you to divide everything up while you were still actively farming, I think you might have a few words for them, and this father could have done the same as this disrespectful son was disgracing his family.

This would change the father’s income or his ability to make money. Status in ancient times was based on what one owned, so this father’s standing in the community would be affected.

How do you think those listening would have reacted?

The son wanted to do things his own way...

He was tired of the rules and he wanted to go and do what he wanted to do. He wanted what was his but didn’t want to stick around to earn it.

I think if I had done this, my dad would have had other words than, “Here’s your share of the inheritance.”

He might have said that but, I would have received my things in a suitcase as I was walking out the door.

What does he do?

He goes out and blows it all. He spent it all on wild living. I’m not sure if word had gotten back home but in verse 30 his brother said,

Luke 15:30 NIV

But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

This younger son had just finished draining his inheritance and a famine comes on the land.

So…He had to figure out a way to make a living. He couldn’t live on Dad’s money anymore, because it was gone.

He goes out

Job Hunting...

He probably hadn’t been out to tech school to get a trade. He was too busy carousing to develop a trade, so he had to take whatever was available.

After job hunting, he finds a job out in the countryside feeding pigs.

Feeding pigs isn’t the greatest job, but there are probably worse jobs, unless you are a Jew.

A pig was an unclean animal, which means that it either didn’t have a split hoof or it didn’t chew it’s cud.

Jews were forbidden from eating pigs, and they weren’t to work with them or own them.

One day when Peter was in Joppa, and God spoke to him in a vision.

Peter’s vision...

Cornelius was a centurion in the Roman army. He was a God fearing man, gave generously to those in need and he prayed regularly.

He had a vision and was told to send for Peter.

At this point to Peter a Gentile would have been off limits or even a stench, but not to God.

Acts 10:9–22 NIV

About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven. While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there. While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.” Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?” The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.”

Peter went, and as he preached the people were filled with the Holy Spirit. God chose the Gentiles too.

Getting back to the story, this young man was feeding pigs, the ultimate humiliation, and he wished that he could even eat the pods that he was feeding them.

He was neglected, not cared for, and insignificant.He was essentially starving, working for people that were taking advantage of him and who couldn’t have cared less.

He gets a thought...

Life was better at home. maybe my father would let me come back and become a hired worker.

But what would I say to him? I have blown it. I am so sorry. I’m sure he rehearsed words in his head many times over until he came up with the right words.

Luke 15:18–19 (NIV)

...Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

I am no longer worthy to be called your son;

make me like one of your hired servants.’

(Repeat it 3 times)

So he gets on the road and begins the long trek home. Probably rehearsing his lines, “...Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

I am no longer worthy to be called your son;

make me like one of your hired servants.’

He turns the corner on his long trip home. He has no idea what to expect. There were no phones or email to send a message on a head to see if he would be welcome but he came anyways.

According to Ruth Chou Simons here are some thoughts as to why it would be so hard to come home.

It was shameful to ask for your inheritance before the death of a parent

It was shameful to squander what was entrusted to you

It was shameful to live with pigs, the symbol of uncleanness

It was shameful to return so unworthy to your father

As many of you know, this story is a picture of how God loves us, but Satan wants you to think that you are not worthy to come. Thoughts may rush through your mind such as “why would God forgive you?” or “You don’t deserve it.”

Let’s look at

The Father...

He was watching for his son. I don’t know how many times he had looked, wondering if his son would come home, but one day he saw what looked like his son coming down the road, and he ran...

We know the story of the loving father, but let’s look at the context of the culture.

Simons says, “A Middle Eastern man in the first century did not run. This is fascinating to me as I read more background and historical context for this parable… Ever heard the phrase,

gird up your loins?

Well, that’s exactly what a Middle Eastern man of the first century would have had to do in order to run. And in doing so, he would have inevitably shown his bare legs. This was considered shameful and unacceptable in Jewish culture.

(Thoughts from Ruth Chou Simons)

To listeners that day, this would have caused even more disgust by the father’s actions than the son’s.

Why did the father do this?

Let’s look at a little more context. Here’s some possible insight...

When a Jewish boy lost his inheritance to Gentiles, there was a ceremony that would take place called

Kezazah

“The ceremony literally meant to be cut off (like “canceled”). Upon his shameful return, the older men of the community would meet the younger man at the city gates and throw a pot onto the ground signifying a broken relationship and the state of being broken off from his family.” (Simons Honor and Shame 99)

He wouldn’t be allowed to come back to the community. The young man’s father was to sit at home emotionless as this ceremony took place.

In the case fo this parable, the father rescued his sinful son before this ceremony could occur.

He bore his son’s shame.

Each of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…and yet Jesus bore our shame.

Isaiah 53:6 NIV

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

This is the story of the cross. This is the story of the shame and punishment that Jesus took to satisfy the wrath of God.

Let’s now take a few minutes and look at the older son.

Luke 15:25–32 NIV

“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”

Here is the older brother that was entitled to everything that the father had.

What do we see in this brother?

He was faithful

He had done everything that his father had expected of him.

He became very angry

Once he found out that his brother was home and there was a great celebration. This set him off. He probably thought of all the work he had done, and how this just wasn’t fair.

He became jealous or even envious

He had served so faithfully and he hadn’t even received a goat to eat with his friends, and this brother was getting the best of the best.

He refused to celebrate

His father pleaded with him to come and celebrate because his brother who was lost was now found. His brother who was dead was now alive.

What can we learn from this story?

God the Father is looking for those who have wandered. When he sees sinners coming home, He runs to them.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

Jesus came to seek and to save those who are lost.

God loves us enough that He bore our shame.

“He became sin for us so that we could become the righteousness of God in Him.”

In a lot of ways, the older brother was like the Pharisees and teachers of the Law. In their opinion, they had followed the Law and had done everything that was required of them, and yet they had missed the mark.

They didn’t like that Jesus was hanging around with despicable tax collectors and sinners. They didn’t deserve to come to Jesus. They didn’t deserve a celebration.

It’s not enough to do the religious things. It’s not enough to live a good life. Sometimes we live far below what God the Father has for us. We try to please Him by being good enough, when He’s pleading with us to come in to the celebration.

God calls us into fellowship. He stands at the door and knocks. If we will open the door, He will come in and eat with us. Fellowship together.

Let’s not stand outside the house, with our arms crossed. Let’s go in.

Without even realizing it, it can be so easy to become a little legalistic. Yet Jesus ate with people that nobody else wanted to eat with. He never looked down on them, but He had compassion on them.

Who is God speaking to you about this morning that you’ve maybe given up on? Is there somebody that you’ve been praying for that you are losing hope of them coming to Christ.

Who knows, they might be coming around that last curve in the road, and the Father is waiting to run to meet them.

Don’t give up! Don’t lose heart! Keep praying.

Let’s pray!