Luke 15:20-24

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-Well, we’re going to be back in Luke 15 this morning...

…if you’d like to turn there...

…and to follow along in your own Bibles.

(I would certainly encourage to to do that)

If you’ll remember, we’ve been...

…looking at those “lost” and “found” parables...

…for the past two weeks.

They had begun with a lost sheep...

And then had gone to a lost coin...

Both of which were...

Sought out and found...

…to the great delight of their owner!

And if you’ll remember...

…Jesus had stated this...

…as the point being proven by both parables:

Luke 15:10 (ESV)

10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

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(i.e., who returns to God)

-Now, we began the third and final...

...of the three parables (of chapter 15) last week:

(The one most people refer to as…

“The Parable of the Prodigal Son”)

And in it, (as I told you before)...

…even though...

it’s much longer

much more complex

it illustrates many biblical themes...

…its primary thesis...

…is still going to be the same:

God rejoices over sinners who truly repent!

And, what we saw being illustrated...

…in the verses that we looked last week, was...

What true repentance looks like.

Well, today’s verses are going to illustrate (once again)...

…how God responds to that repentance.

These five verses (Verses 20-24)...

…are really the heart of this famous parable.

And praise God for the...

…assurances that they give us, amen?

-Alright, let’s read them together...

…beginning back in Verse 11 for context.

Luke 15:11–24 (ESV)

11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons.

12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them.

13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.

14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.

15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.

16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!

18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.

19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’

(Here’s where we left off last week)

20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.

23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.

24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

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Pray

-So last week, we saw this younger of two sons...

Rebelling against his father’s authority

Disgracing his father’s name

Demanding that his father...

Give him his inheritance NOW...

Essentially, ending the relationship between them.

And then he went and lived...

In a foreign land:

Outside of his father’s discipline and influence

Away from his father’s religion and culture.

And he engaged in sensual and licentious living, until...

A severe economic hardship befell him (famine)...

And he had blown his entire inheritance, with...

Partying

Prostitutes

And, when his coffers were empty...

…none of his gentile friends...

…did anything to help him.

In fact, he ended up...

…indenturing himself to a gentile master...

…who forced him to go and work among his pigs!

And if that wasn’t destitute enough...

…remember what we read in Verse 16:

Luke 15:16 (ESV)

16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

For a Jewish man in the old world...

…you couldn’t fall any lower than that!

-But… something began to change.

And it started with...

…him viewing his father differently.

Remember, Verse 17?

Luke 15:17 (ESV)

17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!

Then, as is the case for us today...

When he began to see his father...

…for who he really was...

…he began to see everything else correctly, too...

…including himself!

-And then, as is always the case...

His change of mind...

Brought forth a change in the course of his life!

Verse 18:

Luke 15:18 (ESV)

18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.

Luke 15:19 (ESV)

19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’

And, while I acknowledged that this wasn’t...

…the thesis that the parable was proving...

I told you last week, that...

…this is a beautiful illustration...

Of Gospel Repentance!

(And I think (based on Verses 7, 10...

…that it was meant to illustrate that)

-Now, if you’ll remember, we had...

…ended last week with a lingering tension.

We had only read the first sentence in Verse 20:

Luke 15:20 (ESV)

20 And he arose and came to his father...

And we had ended with this quote:

(I think it will help us to read it again)

Luke 12–24 for You (The Younger Son)

Like the young man, the tax collectors and sinners had wandered far from “home” in their rebellion against God and his law.

But just as he had come to his senses and humbled himself, so they were repentantly seeking to be restored to their heavenly father through Jesus.

He’s going to address both groups in this parable eventually.

But, then we read this:

In this way we are engaged with the main tension of the parable: how will the father react?

It is all well and good for the young man to decide to head home, but it is all for nothing if his father will not take him back.

-Look at Verse 20 again:

But, before we read on...

…let’s try to empathize a little bit.

Consider this:

A Walk with God: Luke (72. The Father’s Welcome (Luke 15:20–32))

Think for a moment how you would feel if you were in this young man’s shoes. Not that long ago you had left the security of your family.

You had badgered your father to give you your inheritance in advance. Your father advised against it, but you persisted, and he finally gave in.

And here you are, penniless, filthy, coming back to tell your father what you have done.

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And not only that...

…according to Deuteronomy 21:18-21...

…you deserved to be stoned to death!

Should he be ashamed?

Should he be afraid?

What’s his only hope?

His father’s good nature, right?

That his father will be gracious and merciful.

-Look at the rest of Verse 20...

His father’s response...

is unexpected

it’s over-the-top!

It is itself, prodigal!

Luke 15:20 (ESV)

20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion...

Now, what all does that tell us?

1.) That “But” tells us that...

…the father’s response...

…messed up the son’s plan!

(The son, even now, didn’t understand...

…just how benevolent and good...

…that his father really was)

(Even now, he doesn’t yet fully comprehend...

…the depth of his father’s love for him)

2.) It tells us that his father, was looking for him.

He was...

Watching for

Longing for...

…his safe return.

Even during the period of his son’s rebellion...

…he wanted their fellowship and communion restored.

That was the waiting disposition of his heart.

3.) His love for his son was unconditional:

He saw him hobbling back (which means he’s repentant)...

…barefoot, dirty, and ragged...

…probably with a shorn head and beard...

…and nearly unrecognizable to anyone else...

…and instead of responding with disgust...

…he is overpowered with a sense of compassion!

4.) It shows us that his love and compassion was spontaneous.

That means that it was...

…an outworking of his very nature!

Here’s the principle:

Psalm 103:13 (ESV)

13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

(And guys, remember that...

...Jesus is answering the question...

…of why he “receives sinners.”)

-Alright, back to our text (Verse 20—at the end):

Luke 15:20 (ESV)

20 ...while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

Oh, there’s a lot in that!

First of all, as John MacArthur puts it:

“Middle-Eastern men… DON’T RUN!”

Sproul elaborates:

In the ancient world a man of his social stature would wear great robes and be careful to follow the customs and protocol of the time. So to see such a man as he was running down the dusty roads, with his robes girded at the waist, was unthinkable.

But he didn’t care who saw him, he just wanted to get to his son. — R.C. Sproul

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So, without concern for his honor or dignity...

…he runs passionately and purposefully...

…out to meet his son.

(Guys, who’s being the prodigal now?)

-Now, remember what the son’s been doing:

Taking care of pigs!

What do you think he looked like?

How would he have smelled?

And yet, we see that his father...

“Embraced him!”

Literally:

Luke 15:20 (KJV)

20 ...his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck...

And not only that:

Luke 15:20 (ESV)

20 And he . . . ran and embraced him and kissed him.

Dirty

Disheveled

Reeking of Swine

He wraps him up in his arms...

…and kisses his cheek (presumably).

Do you know what that meant?

It meant forgiveness!

It meant forgiveness and reconciliation!

Let me sho you why I say that:

Genesis 33:1 (ESV)

1 And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him...

Genesis 33:4 (ESV)

4 But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.

What happened there?

Do you think this event would have come to mind?

What about Joseph’s forgiveness...

…of his brothers who had so wronged him?

Genesis 45:14–15 (ESV)

14 Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck.

15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. After that his brothers talked with him.

Their betrayal was forgiven

The relationship restored.

-Now, remember something back in our text:

All of this has happened...

…without a word of petition from his son!

Calvin’s application of that is marvelous:

Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, and Luke (Luke 15:11–24)

This is the main point of the parable.

If men, who are by nature prone to revenge, and too tenacious of their own rights, are moved by fatherly love kindly to forgive their children, and freely to bring them back, when they are sunk in wretchedness, God, whose boundless goodness exceeds all the affection of parents, will not treat us more harshly....

As this father, therefore, is not merely pacified by the entreaties of his son, but meets him when he is coming, and before he has heard a word, embraces him, filthy and ugly as he is, so God does not wait for a long prayer, but of his own free will meets the sinner as soon as he proposes to confess his fault.

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-Now, it would appear to me...

…that this reception from the father...

…should have been enough...

…to convince the lost son that he was forgiven and restored.

Nevertheless, he goes ahead...

…with the plan that he had devised before:

Verse 21:

Luke 15:21 (ESV)

21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

So, two things that he recognizes and confesses:

His sin: He acknowledges it...

(without making any excuses for it!!!)

His fallen condition (unworthiness)

-Now, is what he says true?

-Is it essential for him to recognize it?

You don’t have genuine repentance...

…apart from those two things!

So, as long as he wasn’t...

…trying to earn his father’s favor...

(which had already been granted)

…by doing those things...

…then this was entirely appropriate.

-Now, commentators are divided...

…as to why he doesn’t complete his full speech here.

Remember that when he had...

…devised it and rehearsed it...

…he had added this to the end:

Luke 15:19 (ESV)

19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’

Some surmise that his father’s...

…proactive display of grace and forgiveness...

…made him realize that...

…that final petition would be ridiculous.

Others, (and I lean toward this understanding)...

…suggest that he still intended to say it...

…but that the father saw it coming...

…and interrupted him before he could even say it.

And, sure enough, Verse 22...

…begins with the same conjunction of contrast...

…that that second sentence in Verse 20 had.

So, once again, Jesus seems to be indicating...

…a disruption in the young man’s plans:

-Look at Verse 22.

First of all, Jesus says:

Luke 15:22 (ESV)

22 But the father said to his servants...

So already, there’s a distinction being upheld…

…between his son and the servants.

He’s about to tell his actual servants...

…to continue their service to his lost son.

-But, look at what he tells them to do.

(Again, I want you to ask yourself as we go through it...

…who is the prodigal now?)

Let’s read on:

Luke 15:22 (ESV)

22 ...the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him...

This would have been a garment...

…that was held in reserve...

…to be given to honor...

…a very distinguished guest.

So, what’s he saying?

I’m glad that you’re here

You will be honored and respected in my house.

He goes on:

Luke 15:22 (ESV)

22 ...‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand...

Most likely this was meant convey...

…the idea of a signet ring:

A ring that signified the designation of authority...

From a King to an emissary or steward

From a father to a son.

So again, what’s he saying?

You’re a son!

With full rights and privileges restored!

(Again, who’s being a prodigal now?)

-Finally, he tells them to do this:

Luke 15:22 (ESV)

22 ...Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.

I’ll let Sproul explain this one too:

Shoes or sandals were a luxury. They were worn by free men, never worn by slaves. — Sproul

What’s the point then?

You’re not going to be my slave!

You will once again be my son!

-Now, look at the last two verses...

…and let’s remember the...

…central thesis of the whole chapter as we do:

Luke 15:23–24 (ESV)

23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.

24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

So, once again...

…Jesus is answering the accusations of the Scribes and Pharisees.

He's illustrating it to them...

…through this powerful story.

If they still can’t understand it...

…then it’s because they don’t have:

Eyes to See

Ears to Hear

Hearts to understand

Mike McKinley states it plainly:

This parable is Jesus’ way of putting a fine point on the lesson of the previous two parables—if we rejoice in the restoration of relatively unimportant things like sheep and coins,

how much more does God rejoice when human beings that are made in his own image are returned to him through repentance? — Mike McKinley

As deep and rich as this parable is...

As many spiritual truths as it assumes...

Its point (at least thus far) is really that simple!

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-So, that leaves us with...

…with two very simple imperatives...

…through which we can...

...bring joy to the heart of God:

1.) Seek Repentance in our own lives...

2.) Encourage others to do the same.

But let’s be clear about that...

How do we do that?

In what posture...

…do we return to the father?

In a posture of humility

With empty hands

-Guys, it’s equally dangerous...

…to pride ourselves in our repentance!

If we’re proud about it...

it’s NOT repentance!

it’s sinful presumption!

Augustus Toplady may have said it...

…as best I’ve ever heard:

Not the labor of my hands

Can fulfill Thy law’s demands

Could my zeal no respite know

Could my tears forever flow

This for sin could not atone

Thou must save and Thou alone.

That’s what Repentance looks like

Nothing in my hand I bring

Simply to Thy cross I cling

Naked, come to Thee for dress

Helpless, look to Thee for grace

Foul, I to the fountain fly

Wash me, Savior, or I die

Amen!

That’s the anthem of repentance

And it must be the song of our hearts!

Let’s Pray