Getting Lost [Luke 15:11-32]

“Peace be with you.”

“Let’s Pray: Father, may your will be done. Jesus, may your word be proclaimed. Spirit, may your work be accomplished in us we pray. Amen.”

The Lenten Journey

We have been walking with Jesus as He heads to the cross, striving to put to death the deeds of the flesh and to live more life in the Spirit. Throughout Lent we seek to lose more of ourselves so that we can gain more of Christ. As we have been walking with Jesus we have experienced and learned many things:

We began this journey with Jesus in the wilderness facing temptations, learning that this journey can only be accomplished by remembering the Father’s Love for us, and the Spirit’s power in us.

Then we discover the challenges of the “Check engine light” and how easily we encounter things that might prevent us from continuing down this road with Jesus. We learned that trusting in God’s plan requires perseverance to achieve the goal we have set out on.

Last week we find out that we have been heading in the wrong direction which has led us to a dead end. But when we repent and Let Jesus take the wheel, we discover that our dead end is just a roundabout and Jesus is the one who gets us going back in the right direction—towards the cross.

This week, we aren’t heading in the wrong direction, we are just lost and out of gas. How will we be able to ever reach our destination now?

I. Getting Lost.

A. The Intended Audience (V.1-3).

Luke 15:1–3 NASB 95

1 Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. 2 Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3 So He told them this parable, saying,

B. Two Kinds of Lost (v.11).

Luke 15:11 NASB 95

11 “A man had two sons.

1. Two Children:

Imagine, if you will, two children. One seems to ignore anything you say, causing you frustration.

The other will do whatever you say, but will make their displeasure known while doing it.

Imagine one child who sneaks out late at night to pursue their own pleasure, and another child who wakes up when you call but on the wrong side of the bed.

A child who plays too much and another who works too much.

One who seems to make poor decisions and the other who seems to make the right ones to be self-reliant and self-made needing no one.

A child who lets things out while the other holds it all in.

A child who is better at spending and a child better at saving.

A child who easily makes friends, and a child who isn’t so good at relationships.

A child who fights with their fists and the other who fights with wit.

The difference between these two children helps us understand the two sons in the parable and why it is that they are both lost. We often only think about the younger son as the prodigal, when the older son is equally prodigal because He doesn’t have any more love for the father than his younger brother does, they just show it in two different ways.

Note: Prodigal- spending recklessly, wastefully extravagant; having or giving something on a lavish scale.

2. Two Sons:

A. One is Rebellious and the Other Religious.

The younger brother paints the portrait of a rebellious child who doesn’t want anything to do with His Father’s way of life, so he rebels against it. The Older brother paints the portrait of a religious child who will follow His Father’s way of life so that he can earn a life where he can live on his own way. Both are motived by selfish desires but two different ways to get what they want.

B. Loose living vs. licentious living (earning his right)

The younger brother spends his life with loosing living (prodigally) throwing away approval. The Old brother spends his life earning approval.

C. Rejects the father’s life vs. rejects father’s way.

The younger brother rejects the life the Father has for him thinking there is a better life that awaits him.

The Older brother rejections the way the Father operates thinking he would do it better.

But there is one way- Jesus. No yours. Not another. Jesus. Enough said.

D. One Dashed vs. the other Distant

E. One feels inferior vs. the other entitled. (15:29)

Both children approach life in different ways but both are lost. Neither one has a heart for their father but a heart bent inward on themselves. They wrangle life in their own way not God’s way. Both represent two kinds of lost because they seek to find what they are looking for either by seeking it in the world or seeking it in their works. Both are different but both have the same problem—their lost. Both respond differently but need the same remedy. But the one who reaches for the father’s love gets found!

II. The True Prodigal.

Though we have spent a little time understanding the difference between the two sons, this parable isn’t actually about them, we have accessed that both are lost. The real Prodigal and hero of the story is the Father. This parable is about the Prodigal Father and how his love leads one of his sons to repentance but the other to rejection. The sons offer us lessons of what not to be while the father offers us the one we need.

The Prodigal Father.

Prodigally confident- in the work of Grace.

He wastefully and lavishly is more confident in the effects of Grace than He is on his sons works or decision making abilities.

Two Acts of Grace.

1. Giving Over.

The Father gives the younger son exactly what he wants. The Father delivers over his son to himself. This is an act of grace because it recognizes the result that sin has in life. It can only produce death. We all must die to self if we are ever to live to Christ. It is a hard act of grace to give but one that is sufficient nonetheless. It can be hard to watch those you love come to an end of themselves. To willingly and knowingly not interfere with someone getting lost. But it is the prime place to be if there is any hope for them to be found.

Romans 1:24 NASB 95

24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.

1 Corinthians 5:5 NASB 95

5 I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

2. Pouring Out.

This is another act of grace, and one that appears to be easy but in some ways can be even harder. It is to bestow blessing and favor on someone who hasn’t deserved it. It is to demonstrate the prodigal love for another by letting them off the hook, letting their trespasses go, and pouring out on them approval and blessing when their actions or attitudes have not earned it.

Romans 5:8 NASB 95

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Prodigally Restores- His Repentant Son to a higher status not based on his son’s decisions or actions but because of the love He has for his son.

The Father lavishly and relentlessly seeks to restore the son who is repentant. Delicately embracing and initiating restoration without having to hear the practiced words of the repentant son.

Prodigally Celebrates- the Deliverance he desired for his son.

The Father demonstrates that the greatest joy that must be celebrated is the salvation and deliverance of his family.

Prodigally compassion- breaking societal norms to demonstrate his love for his son.

The Father doesn’t play by societal norms, but will be moved but what is right and best even if it cause indignation in the culture around him. Though its not dignified to run, he runs. Though its not dignified to go out to one who refused to come into the party, he goes out. There is no distance he will not cover to plead for their hearts.

Prodigally relational- not moved by religion or rebellion.

The actions of the Father are all motived by a desire for relationship. By the end of the parable we see what the Father values most—a relationship with his sons. What makes a relationship is not how good or bad his sons actions are but how far or near their heart is towards the father.

Prodigally Generous- offers all he has to his son both of himself and his blessings.

B. The Purpose of Prodigal Love is to lead to Repentance and New Life.

Romans 2:4 NASB 95

4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

Conclusion.

1. If we are honest we can find ourselves in the younger or in the elder son, and possibly in both from time to time but the truth is clear. The heart is of most concern. For where the heart is there your life with follow. Be smitten with the love of God. Ask the God of love for a heart full of His love so that a life of love can be set in motion. Today say “Father by your love save me for I am yours.” Or “Father in your love sanctify me for I am yours.”

2. All who come to Jesus start by being lost. If we have gotten lost on our Lenten Journey, then you are in the prime place to be found if you reflect upon the Father’s love for you. In fact, We should come to expect to get lost every Lenten Journey so that more of us can be found and redeemed by the Love of God.

3. What kind of Grace has the Father given to you to draw you close to Him and experience his wastefully lavish love that He has for you? How has this caused you to repent and turn towards God or rejection his ways and love? Will you repent and be found robed in the Father’s love?

4. How can our Prodigal Father teach you to be a Prodigal parent, spouse, or Christian?

5. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the wisdom on which kind of grace needs to be given so that love for God can be rooted.

Love never fails.

When your soul is awaken by the Prodigal love of God resulting in repentance, then you have realized that Love never fails.

When you are lost and alone and know that God is searching, then you will experience that Love never fails.

When your sin has killed the only one who could ever love you, and he loves you still. You will know that love never fails.