The Prodigal Son

NOTES

IDEAS:

Tell the story first.

Then application. WE ARE ACCEPTED.

Tim Keller Videos notes

Not a story about 1 son, but about 2. They are meant to be compared and contrasted.

Normally, stories are in 3 acts. Like movies. But Jesus doesn’t do that.

ACT I.

Asked for land. Had 2 sons. Died. Divided the estate into 2/3 and 1/3. More to the older son. But this only happens when the dad DIES. Wishing the father dead. Wants the things. Not the Father.

UNHEARD OF. But more amazed at the Father’s response. Would’ve PHYSICALLY abused the son, but he divided the property. Greek word bios. The Father divided his life.

The Father’s estate was his land. The only way to give was to sell. His land was everything. The son was asking his father to tear his life apart. The Father only has 2/3 now.

Spends the money. Maybe I should go home. In pig.

Home isn’t just a place. It’s a relationship. He wants to go back home.

The son wants to pay the father back. I don’t want to be a son. I want to EARN MY WAY BACK.

This Father, seeing the son from afar, had compassion. HE RAN. Ancient, middle eastern patriarchs never ran. Only children ran. But the father did. He kisses him.

The son tries to roll out his plan.

RING — Signet ring. Had the family seal. “i don’t want to be brought back, I want to earn my way back” “lI’m not going to let you. I’m going to bring you back” GRACE.

You think that everything is normal again, right?

There’s one more we haven’t met yet. He hasn’t learned that the son has been found.

ACT II

The new conflict. As the father throws the feast.

The older brother was in the field, and hear music and dancing. Talks to the servant.

The son by not being at the party was saying that he didn’t want to be part of the family. He’s the rightful air.

LOOK! He doesn’t even say Father. “this son of yours”. He’s not going to acknowledge that he is in the same family.

the most expensive was the fattened calf. THE ENTIRE VILLAGE MUST’VE BEEN AT THAT FEAST. This was the greatest day of the father’s life.

The older brother doesn’t care this his brother is home. He doesn’t care that this is the best day in his father’s life. And he doesn’t care that the entire village is there to celebrate. What does he care about?

He cares about the estate. The things. Not the Father. He cares for the father’s things, not the Father’s heart.

He’s humiliating in the field. During the party. The father tenderly says, “I still want you at the feast.”

DOES HE COME BACK?

Jesus ends the parable.

There are two sons. They’ve both been alienated from the Father. Both wanted the father’s things, but not the Father. One did it by being very very good, and the other being very very bad.

The thing that was keeping the older brother from the father wasn’t his sin, it was his goodness.

THEY ARE BOTH LOST. WHY??? BECAUSE THEY BOTH HAVE NO RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER.

Elder brothers obey to get things from God. And if doesn’t happen, they get bitter.

The story ends. The lover of prostitutes is saved. The lover of morality is gone.

God wants good people. God wants new people.

We must repent of our evil AND our good.

EPILOGUE.

Jesus doesn’t end his story, but maybe he wants you to complete it.