The Lost Son(s)

Preparing the way

We have seen several lost things in this chapter:

The Lost Sheep (Lk15:1-7)

The Lost coin (Lk15:8-10)

Both show the value of man over things and how God wants all that are lost to be found. And the rejoicing that happens in heaven when something that was lost is found.

In our passage this morning we see another parable, commonly known as the parable of the prodigal son.

In this passage we will see the selfishness of two sons.

The repentance and return of one

The grace, forgiveness and redemption through the loving father.

This is not a story just about a prodigal son, it is a powerful story, parable about God’s redemption and the necessity of repentance, as well as joy for a repentance sinner!

Our cast of characters

The younger son: rebellion to repentance; from humiliation to exaltation.

The older son: Resentment, and unforgiveness

The Father: A picture of God’s unconditional, unwavering love and forgiveness.

A reminder of who is listening:

Tax collectors and sinners (v.1)

Pharisees and scribes (v.2)

How about take a second and maybe this illustration would fit sometime in your life.

Think back to a time in your life when you made a decision you later regretted - just like the younger son in the prodigal story. You may have felt like running away from everything, but when you returned home, there was grace waiting for you. The father didn’t shame the son but threw him a party! This reminds us that our mistakes don’t define us; instead, it’s the love that welcomes us back that truly matters. Sometimes, the best parties are those thrown simply for being back where we belong!

Now it is time to look at our passage.

The parable

Luke 15:11–12 NASB95

11 And He said, “A man had two sons. 12 “The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them.

Luke 15:13–14 NASB95

13 “And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. 14 “Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished.

Luke 15:15–16 NASB95

15 “So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 “And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him.

Luke 15:17–18 NASB95

17 “But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! 18 ‘I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight;

Luke 15:19–20 NASB95

19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.” ’ 20 “So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

Luke 15:21–22 NASB95

21 “And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet;

Luke 15:23–24 NASB95

23 and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.

Luke 15:25–26 NASB95

25 “Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 “And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be.

Luke 15:27–28 NASB95

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 became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him.

Luke 15:29–30 NASB95

29 “But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; 30 but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’

Luke 15:31–32 NASB95

31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 ‘But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’ ”

What sticks out to you in this passage?

Do you see yourself in this story?

In what ways do you find hope in this passage?

What facts can you learn about the younger son (vv.12-16)?

What changed (v.17)?

What did he reason to do then (vv.18-19)?

What did the father do (vv.20-24)?

OK, how about the older brother, what facts do you learn (vv.25-30)?

How did the father respond to the older son (vv.31-32)?

The squandering son’s struggle

A certain man had two sons; the younger demanded his inheritance now.

Inheritance could be given before death, but normally after death and would be the older son first who would receive 50% and the rest split between other sons.

In accepting the inheritance now it is as if saying I wish you were dead. And the son would be considered dead.

The younger son took the inheritance and lives as a prodigal (reckless, foolish, extravagant).

The son’s choices had consequences and put him where he ended up, in the pig pen

Can we make choices trying to seek fulfillment outside of Christ? We can see the broken son’s spiritual poverty without God.

Lost Son’s significant shift

He “came to his senses.”

Some versions may say “came to himself.”

Key part of this passage is the son realizes his sin, and this a time of repentance.

In all his misery he comes to his senses, he comes to think clearly. He came to himself. Morrison in his commentary said: In his years of riot he was not himself. It was not the the prodigal who was the real man. The real man was the penitent, not the prodigal.” (Morrison).

Notice he does not put the blame on anyone or anything. He takes responsibility. He decides to return to the father.

For a real repentance it is accepting responsibility, understanding your own brokenness and willing to turn from that to the Father, through Jesus Christ.

Guzik in his commentary made a good point:

“Jesus didn’t say that the man thought of his village or his home, but his Father. When the son returned to the father, he also came back to the village and to the house, but his focus was on returning to his father.” (Guzik)

The Lord awaits the children to come back to Him, first and foremost, then you come to the church and to Christian friends.

The wandering, dead son, came to his senses and was prepared, speech and all to demonstrate his unworthiness and an honest confession of sin.

Worldly sorrow brings death, but godly sorrow leads to repentance and eternal life (ref: 2Cor7:10). He has a significant shift in his thinking.

The lost son demonstrated his repentance just as Jesus had spoke in the previous parables, lost sheep, lost coin.

This started with a son demanding “give me,” to now “Father, make me.” He asked the father to make him a slave that he is not worthy to be a son.

The son came to his senses

The son decided to return to the father

The son plans to tell the father not worthy of being a son

the son gets up and goes to the father.

What a picture of repentance that was more than thought it was action for that is what repentance is an action.

Father’s forgiving fervor

From the passage you can see the father’s readiness to receive the pentitent son, the lost son, the dead son.

Just as Jesus looks for the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. all the same, looking for the lost souls, or wayward souls.

You can see the heart of God, the compassion, the forgiveness, the rejoicing at the restored relationship.

Look at the passage and see the actions

The father sees the son from a distance and feels compassions

The father runs to his son, embraces him and kisses him.

The son confesses his sins.

The father orders the best robe, ring, sandals

The father calls for a feast to celebrate the son’s return

The brother’s begrudging blindness

The brother returns from field and is filled with bitterness and resentment

He had always been with the father, never lived a prodigal life, and did not like the welcome the brother was receiving. He had lost his joy in the father.

The older brother did not appreciate what he did have.

“Every day he had his father’s company, and the blessed society of the home. His father’s love was round about him constantly, and everything the father had was his. . . yet, the proud and self-righteous always feel that they are not treated as well as they deserve.” (Morris)

The father calls the older brother “child,” and in the Greek that is the tenderest affection that can be given (Morrison)

Remember who is hearing this saying, tax collectors, sinners, religious leaders. and I love what Kuzik had to say and we will close on just a couple more statements.

“In each of the parables, the message to the tax collectors and sinners was clear; repent, come home to the father. The message to the religious leaders was also clear; be happy when the lost are found, when they repent and come home to the father. (Kuzik).

One more quote, this one from Spurgeon, too long to put on a slide:

“The truth here is taught is just this: that mercy stretches forth her hand to misery, that grace receives men as sinners, that it deals with demerit, unworthiness and worthlessness; that those who think themselves righteous are not the objects of divine compasssion, but the unrighteous, the guilty and the undeserving, are the proper subjects for the infinite mercy of God; in a word, that salvation is not of merit but of grace.”

Application:

Forgive: Like the father we need to be ready to forgive those who have wronged us; even when it is difficult

Compassion: Have compassion and mercy like the father, show mercy to those who may have strayed and made mistakes.

Self-reflection: Be sure to check yourself for any self-righteous attitude and resentment in judging others that the father has forgiven, or willing to forgive.

Restore: God is in the restoration business, and we are to be in the restoration business too in leading people to repent and return the the Father through the Son. Then celebrate the return, rejoice and welcome the lost, the wayward who comes in repentance.

(Prayer) (exit)