Parable of the Prodigal Son

Bible Passage: Luke 15:11–32

Introduction

I want to ask yourselves this question, “Who is your favorite person in the Bible?” Is there a certain person in the Bible that you often look back to/refer most often?

During my four years in college, I was so thankful for my time at the BCM. The BCM has impacted me in so many profound ways. These include the weekly Bible studies, worship, and the different mission trips and retreats.

After my freshman year, I knew I wanted to get involved even more. One way was through leadership. Each year, students can apply and interview for different positions.

One of the questions on the “application” was the following:

“Who is your favorite character in the Bible (other than Jesus) and why?”

Students would often many profound characters such as Paul, John, Moses, Joshua, Esther, or any “big” name we think of the Bible. During my time in college, one of my good friends had always put “The Prodigal Son” as his answer when he applied for leadership.

I always thought to myself: “Out of all of the big historic people across the Testaments, you chose the Prodigal Son?” If we were asked that same question to you today, I guarantee that this might have been one of the last, if not, the last response we would put.

What I failed to realize is the reason why he chose the Prodigal Son.

If you really put it into perspective, this parable is a direct image of the grace that God extends to sinners. It’s a picture of our own desire to chose the world and the things of this world over him, and God’s patience and sovereignty when it comes to calling us to salvation and repentance.

But I also want to be careful to put this passage into context. It is easy to take a passage like this or many others across scripture and read them for surface level.

This morning, Brother Keith read off the two previous passages before this one in Luke 15. This entire chapter can be summarized in three words: lost, found, rejoice.

Luke: Verse by Verse Parables on the Joy of Finding Lost Things (15:1–32)

The first two center on the search for the lost, and the third on forgiving the lost. All three present God’s wondrous mercy, compassion, and love for the lost and his desire to bring them to himself

In each of these three parables, Jesus is teaching the disciples of what God’s active pursuit over those who are lost looks like. This pursuit is ongoing and it reveals God’s heart to see people cross over from death to life. After those come to God in repentance, we see that there is a celebration.

This celebration is not like a birthday celebration or any holiday, its the type of celebration that sparks joy throughout all of heaven.

Look at v. 7 in this chapter: “ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance”.

Also look down at v.9 “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Isn’t that an awesome picture to see, that when someone repents and comes to God, their is a roar from heaven?

There is a reason why Jesus puts such an emphasis on the joy that is not only found in the believer of coming to know God. Not just the joy of the angels and heaven, but also for us! There is joy that we should have when people come to know Jesus.

This morning, we are going to look at the central theme for this passage, but also for the entire chapter of Luke 15. In this passage, we see the love and mercy of the father, but we also get a glimpse of the hearts of his two sons. These two sons are very different from one another, but at the same time, they are very similar to each other.

The first thing we see in this passage is the heart of the younger son. This brings me to my first point:

1. Worldly Desires Lead Us Away From God’s Design

Luke 15:11-16

English Standard Version (Chapter 15)

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.

Growing up, I have always heard the quote, “Sin will take you a lot farther than where you want to go and keep you a lot longer than you want to stay.”

I believe this is a picture of what has happened to the son in this passage. In verse 12, The son begins by wanting to have a share of the father’s inheritance. In the culture, the inheritance a younger brother recieved was very little, or sometimes close to nothing. The son has a desire for some sort of wealth so that he can satisfy his own desires.

In our culture, an inheritance is given when someone has passed. This was the same theme for the culture in this time. Only on certain circumstances were inheritances given before someones death. The youngest son did not have any logistical reason to request his share of his father’s inheritance. He was well taken care of, had everything he needed, and a father who cared very greatly for him. The youngest son’s only explanation for wanting his share of the inheritance was for selfish gain and desires. His desires weren’t for good, but they were to satisfy what he wanted to do. The son did not have anyone of anything else on his mind, but himself.

This is the clear picture of the root of sin - pride. Sin is birthed when there is a desire other than God’s will. The son in the parable does not have the father’s will on his mind, but only his own. From the very beginning of mankind on earth till the very end, all sin emerges from a problem in our heart.

Think about it? Why did Adam and Eve sin against God? Because they wanted to be like God. They ate of the tree of knowledge.

However, the father still gives his son his inheritance. Even though the son does not have a reason to have the inheritance right now, the father gives the son what he wants. In verse 13, the son packs his bags and moves to a foreign land. He makes himself fatherless, and distances himself from his family. He lives in the city, and spends his money recklessly.

This is where we get the title “Prodigal Son”. The word Prodigal means reckless, foolish, extravagant.

This word describes the life that the son lived. He took his inheritance and spent it on things that were a waste! If we remember from last week, Michael preached on the "Parable of the Talents”

In this parable in Matthew 25, a man gives three servants “talents” which is a certain amount of money, not the kind of talent we think of today. A talent is roughly the same amount of money 20 years of wages are worth. Two men go and use those talents and make a return for the master. The last one, however, took his talent and buried it. The last servant used what God had given him for nothing. He did nothing with it.

The son in this passage took his inheritance from the father and wasted it. The son soon found himself a lot further than where he wanted to. The son never wanted to end up where he wanted to, but due to his desires, it built up to desolation. He was left with nothing. Just himself and an empty stomach.

The son had nothing. The son became nothing. The son no longer was part of a family but alone in what he had sown. The son found himself deep in his own sin.

In verse 15, he found himself a servant of a citizen of the city. His job, out of all of the jobs, was feeding pigs. If we recall in Jewish culture, pigs or swine are considered unclean animals.

In Leviticus 11, the chapter is spent declaring which animals were considered clean, and which were unclean. verse 7-8 in Leviticus tells us this:

“And the pig, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. 8 You shall not eat any of their flesh, and you shall not touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you.”

The son’s job describes a deeper meaning than just being a “servant”. It shows us that the result of his sin and disobedience took him to the lowest place possible. He was working in a job that was against his Jewish beliefs.

The job of feeding the pigs is very ironic. I believe Jesus uses this job to portray how deep in trouble the son is. See, in Jewish culture, pigs are considered very unclean. People who often worked with these animals or even breed pigs were often looked down. When the son took the job of tending to the pigs, he went against his Jewish custom. He found himself in the “uncleanest” position to his culture.

Jesus paints this picture to show us that our sin takes us in the complete opposite direction of his design. The father had provided for the son and took care of him. However, the desires of the world overcame the son, and he sought after a life that he thought was more promising. He went from a life with a family in a noble position, to desiring the food that the pigs ate.

v. 16 tells us that he was longing for the food or pods the pigs ate, and no one helped him. He did not even have one friend who even helped him in this position.

Due to the sin in our life, only Jesus can rescue us. What Jesus does is he extends the invitation of eternal life with him. No one wanted to help the son who was deep in his own sin. Jesus is the only one who would and can rescue us.

That brings us to our second point for this this morning:

2. The Father Extends Forgiveness To The Repentant Son

Luke 15:17-24

English Standard Version Chapter 15

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.” ’ 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.

While the son was deep in his sin, he finally comes to the realization that life with the father is greater than the life he sought after. He has a longing for home, and realizes that even if he was to be a servant for him, it would be far greater than lounging with the swine. In v. 17, he realizes that if he remains where he is, he will perish.

We see a glimpse of Romans 6:23 in this parable. Paul writes in Romans that the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ. The son then comes up with a plan when he will return to the father. Would he lie about what happened? Would he blame others? Would he point fingers at the circumstances around him? No. The son prepares to go to the father and tell him that he has sinned against him!

v. 18-19 of this passage says: 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.”

This is what repentance looks like. In RC Sproul’s book “What is Repentance?” He defines repentance as the following:

What Is Repentance? (Chapter One: What Is Repentance?)

Generally speaking, metanoia (Greek translation) has to do with the changing of one’s mind with respect to one’s behavior. It contains the idea of ruing. To rue something means to regret a particular action. It carries with it not only an intellectual assessment but also an emotional or visceral response. The feeling most often associated with repentance in Scripture is that of remorse, regret, and a sense of sorrow for having acted in a particular way. Thus, repentance involves sorrow for a previous form of behavior.

Repentance is not just to regret a certain behavior, but it is to change. This is an inward change that is expressed on the outside. Paul describes this as being a new creation. When we repent and accept Jesus into our heart, there is a transformation in our hearts and we are given a new name. We are no longer known as the prodigal, but we are called God’s own.

In verse 20, the son begins his journey back home. While he is still a way’s out, the father see’s him returning home. The father is overcome with joy to see his son return to him. Rather than waiting on the son to get the father takes off to meet the son.

The father embraces him and kissed him. He welcomes him back home. Rather than scolding the son for leaving, he is joyful to see that he has returned to him. While the son repents over what he has done and asks to be a servant of the father, the father tells his servants to bring the best robe, put a ring on his finger, and shoes for his feet.

Just a few verses, the son was lying with the pigs, hungry, and deep in his own sin. Now the son is reunited with the father and is changed on the outside and inside. The robe, ring, and shoes have very significant meanings.

a. The robe is a long, flowing garment worn as a sign of authority, dignity

b. The ring was a symbol of authority. In Genesis 44, as Joseph is raised to power in Egypt, Pharaoh places the ring on Joseph’s finger. The ring represented power, authority, and stature.

c. By the father giving sandals to the son, it was honoring him.

None of these things were necessities, but they were honoring the repenting son. Just as the father was quick to forgive the repentant son, God is quick to forgive sinners who repent of their sin and come to him. The younger son did nothing to earn this forgiveness. He simply came to the father and admitted his sin.

There is no deed or action we can ever do to receive forgiveness from the father. Forgiveness is not earned by our own deeds but rather it is given to us because of the work of Jesus on the cross. Verse 24 tells us that son was once dead, but is now alive. He was once lost, but now found. Just as the son was dead in his sin, he is now alive with the father.

Scripture tells us that we were once dead in our trespasses. But eternal life and salvation is found in the love and mercy of the father.

I just love this picture of God’s forgiveness. God gives the son redemption that he doesn’t deserve. He opens him back with open arms. He clothes him and throws a celebration for him. What a great way to close out this parable. However, this isn’t the end of the story. The oldest brother returns back to the story.

The oldest brother should be celebrating, right? His brother has returned home. The brother demonstrates another side of the parable, and ultimately, another dark side of the hearts of many. This brings us to our last point for this morning:

3. Jealousy Blinds Us of God’s Grace

Luke 15:25-32

English Standard Version Chapter 15

25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”

One of the things we had mentioned previously is the importance of context. Context is crucial, and in this passage, it helps us see the picture clearly. In the two passages before this one, Jesus is continuing the theme of the joy that there is when people find God.

In the very first two verses of this chapter, we get a picture of the audience of this passage.

English Standard Version Chapter 15

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

Who is the audience in this passage? Right after these these verses, he turns to his disciples and teaches them these three passages. Firstly, we see that tax collectors and sinners were drawing near to him. This is what the gospel does to those who are lost.

“Tax collectors” were reviled like much the way IRS agents are today. Ancient Jews despised them as traitors to the nation and supporters of their oppressors. “Sinners” refers to all types of immoral people living contrary to God’s word. These despised and immoral people want to hear Jesus.

We see that the fact that Jesus was among the sinners and tax collectors is an issue for the scribes and Pharisees. All during Jesus’ ministry, scribes and Pharisee’s questioned Jesus. They doubted his deity to the Father. They denied the word he brought. They even denied they way he lived out his mission. The scribes and Pharisee’s were against the mission of reaching the lost and redeeming those who seemed “unsaveable”.

They were so caught up in their religion, that they forgot the message of the gospel. They thought that their status was a center part of their faith, that they missed the truth that Jesus spoke.

The scribes and Pharisee’s were very legalistic, that they cared a lot about what they looked like on the outside. The oldest son does the very same thing here in this passage. The son first hears of the celebration in v. 25, and asks what the reason for the dancing and music in v.26.

When the son finds out, he flips out. He becomes infuriated. He even does not go inside to celebrate with the father and youngest son. The oldest son is just as wrong as the youngest son. He refuses to share the joy that the father has about his son returning home.

The oldest son will not celebrate with the father because he is also full of pride. Just as the youngest son was prideful in his ways, the oldest is prideful in his ways. He tells the father in verse 29-30:

29 Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’

Notice the beginning of v. 30, he doesn’t even address his brother, as a brother, but rather says “this son of yours came”. The oldest son is so blinded by pride, he can’t see the beauty of his own brother coming home.

Even in our own lives, if we are not cautious, we can be blinded by our own pride. How many times have you been frustrated that God has blessed someone, even it they “don’t deserve it”. How many times have we looked at someone trust in Jesus and think, “They don’t deserve to be forgiven?”. How many times have we questioned God’s mercy towards others.

Here is the truth. God’s design is for all nations to come to know Jesus. God’s design is for every people from every tribe to gather around and worship him.

In Deuteronomy 28, God is giving the “Blessings for Obedience” and the “Curses of Disobedience”. In this chapter, God tells his people, the nation of Israel, that if they continue in faith and obedience, that the people of ALL the earth will know that they are called by name of the Lord.

We also see this reflected in the Great Commission, that Jesus tells his disciples to first GO! and secondly, to MAKE DISCIPLES!. The translation for Go in Matthew 28 means as you are going.

The oldest son seems to forget that. And he is not the only person to. Jesus is using this parable to draw attention to the heart of Isreal, his followers, and the scribes and pharisees that God’s redemptive plan is to call all people to know him as Father.

The oldest son points to the flaws of the youngest son. The oldest son tries to remind the father of his mistakes. He brings up his past in an effort to make the father think less of the younger brother and more of the older brother.

Matthew 23:27

27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

The son is practicing this very verse by his neglect in celebrating the joy of his brother coming home. While the oldest son looks to be the “better” son. The son who stayed and did not leave. In reality, the oldest son is just as lost as the youngest son tending to the pigs.

The father reminds the oldest that what is his, is also the son’s. We see the closing part of this passage that the father says it is fitting to celebrate the son’s repentance.

After this parable, Jesus continues on in his teaching to the disciples with the pharisees and scribes close by. The sad reality of this parable is that while we tend to focus on the younger son and God’s grace, which are both themes of this passage, we often forget about the oldest brother. Though we want to look and think of ourselves of the first son, many of us may have found ourselves in the shoes of the second son.

Here are some takeaways from this parable that Jesus teaches us:

a. Christianity and Moralism are two different religions.

Christianity is about what Jesus has done, and moralism is what we have done. The first son finds mercy and grace in the love of the father, while the second son finds himself angry at his brothers lack of moralism.

Ask yourself this, “Am I living my life in a way that orchestrates what God has done, or do I find myself displaying the work I have done?”

b. Repentance brings about a celebration in the church and throughout heaven.

Do you embrace the same joy as the father when people repent and come to God.

c. Jealousy will continue to disrupt the heartbeat of the body of Christ.

Are you jealous of the way God is working in the lives of others? Or do you celebrate God completing his work in one another?