Love Always Wins, Sometimes

Probably one of the most popular and often preached parables is the story of the Prodigal

In fact, it is so beloved that I am going to use it as my text for the next two weeks.

But not from the side you are accustomed to but the backsides.

You have heard it many times from the view of the Prodigal

This week we are looking at the story from the view of the Father

Next Week it will be from the view of the Other Son

Luke 15:11-32

Luke 15:11–32 NIV84

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 men 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 men.’ 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. “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.’ ”

So to set the stage for this, even though Jesus, when He tells parables doesn’t give out names, lets give this father a name. Why not the name of the Gospel write who recorded it, Luke. And although online news has pretty much replaced News Papers, emails have replaced letters, and texting has replaced talking the one form of communication that still is in tact is the local gossip mill. So that will be the context of the message. ( I am not encouraging gossip just being realistic.)

Luke 15:11-12

Luke 15:11–12 NIV84

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.

Imagine the talk of the locals about this father and these current developments, because as we know, all too well, in small rural towns, everything we do becomes local gossip.

Luke(the father), without argument just handed the younger son his 1/2 of the family inheritance.

Does this seem a responsible thing to do?

What does it show about Luke’s love for his son(s)?

What would your reaction have been?

How do you think this reflects God’s love for us?

Luke 15:13-14

Luke 15:13–14 NIV84

“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.

Someone has probably made a trip to the city and seen Luke’s younger son. The gossip mill continues?

What do you think Luke is going through at home?

Does he know about what his son is doing?

If Luke loves his son so much he gives him the inheritance, why doesn’t he go stop him from blowing the fortune?

How would you minister to your child in this situation?

Is there any precedence to how God reacts to circumstances like this?

Luke 15:15-16

Luke 15:15–16 NIV84

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.

A few months later someone else made a trip to the city and found out some very disturbing information. What the gossip mill brought now?

Luke must know what is going on, or does he?

If Luke knows the state his son is in, and loves him as much as he has indicated, why doesn’t he go rescue him?

If your child(grandchild) were in this situation, what would your first reaction be?

Have we ever seen another place in scripture where God demonstrated love like this?

Luke 15:17-19

Luke 15:17–19 NIV84

“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men 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 men.’

Sometimes we prepare ourselves for situation or confrontation by playing it around in our mind ahead of time.

Have you needed to face someone you were afraid to confront and rehearsed your speech ahead of time?

Could there be something you have been avoiding to go to our Heavenly Father to and you have been playing that prayer over several times?

Luke 15:20-21

Luke 15:20–21 (NIV84)

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.”

Now back to the local gossip mill. The prodigal has come home and what would the news be then?

“While he was still a long way off, his father saw him.” says a lot about Luke and his love for his son(s). What does it say to you?

Have you ever had a prodigal child? How did you feel when you saw them back home for the first time?

Maybe you have a prodigal out there right now. What can you do to show your love for them?

We have all been, at one time, God’s prodigals. Maybe you still are or know someone who is. What did God do when you came home? What can you share with someone else that would help them go home?

Luke 15:22-24

Luke 15:22–24 NIV84

“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.

Everyone likes a good party, so how do you think the gossip tree is handling this one?

Luke showers his wayward son with gifts demonstrating his love as if the son had done something great.

What did the son do that was so great?

Did the reward Luke gave his son merit the action the son had done?

Think about God’s love for us and isn’t this very much the way he rewards the prodigals?

Luke 15:25-30

Luke 15:25–30 NIV84

“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!’

But that wasn’t the end of the story, there was still the older brother out there and the gossip chain would have something to say about the report they recieved about him.

The older son had been faithful through it all but didn’t feel his father loved him as much as he did the younger son.

Did Luke’s actions with both son’s seem equal or could there be another side to the story which the older son didn’t understand?

Have you ever been a parent that was accused of playing favorites? Did you? Were your actions wrongly perceived?

Sometimes it seems to us God plays favorites. We believe another was rewarded while we served Him and not been given our just reward. Is this an accurate assumption?

Luke 15:31-32

Luke 15:31–32 NIV84

“ ‘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.’ ”

What good is a gossip mill if we never hear the end of the story?

How does Luke show his older son his love? Just how much do you think he pleaded with the older son to join the party?

When one of you children doesn’t respond to your love the way you expected them to, how do you react? What do you say?

Do you think there are times we don’t respond appropriately to God’s love? How do you think that makes HIM feel?

Another story is left open ended.

How would you finish the story?

Do you think the message next week will give us a better ending?