Prodigal Son Part 3

Luke 15:25-32

This morning, we pick back up in the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke chapter 15. It’s the longest parable and there are a lot of moving parts, so we have been taking our time going through it. There are three main characters in this parable. We have already looked at the prodigal son in verses 12-19. Then we looked at the Father who represents Jesus Christ in verses 20-24. And now we will look at the Elder son in verses 25-32.

And just in case you’re thinking, well we’ve pretty much talked about everything there is in this parable, we’ve already talked about the prodigal son and the Father, so now we must be on the downslope, and we just need to finish off the parable. There’s probably not a lot left. But actually, that thinking couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Because the whole point of the prodigal son parable is in fact, not the prodigal son. The main point is not the Father. The whole main focus of the parable is actually the elder son. Well, why is that? We call the parable, the prodigal son. Yes, that’s true, the prodigal son definitely starts the story and gets it going.

But always remember that we need to look at the context as a whole. Who is Jesus talking to? (Luke 15:2-3) The scribes and pharisees.

And what sparked this massive 3-part parable is they were complaining that Jesus receives sinners. And we all know that’s exactly right. That’s the whole point Jesus came.

Slide:Luke 19:10 (Find and Read)Jesus came to seek and save the lost.

And these guys are just not understanding this. Why? Because they have hard hearts and they are self-righteous. They are fully deceived in their corrupted minds. So, Jesus tells them in the lost coin and lost sheep. NO, no, you have God all wrong. The God of the Bible rejoices over lost wretched sinners coming to repentance. No matter what they have done. Repentance and faith are all that is needed to enter eternal life.

Luke 15:7 (1 repentance verses 99 self-righteous) Whatever God you have made up in your evil mind, that is not the one true God. And the Pharisees may have agreed that people need to repent. But God is still going to make them pay for what they did. Well again, that’s the wrong thinking. I really don’t know what the pharisees were thinking exactly, that’s all assumption, but it’s probably not far off, because then Jesus goes into greater detail giving us the longest and most loved parable.

Jesus paints a picture showing what sin does. He shows us what total depravity is. Everyone is in the situation the prodigal is, blind, wretched, naked, miserable spiritually, until they come to repentance. Then Jesus again explains who God is, showing that he is immensely gracious, merciful and compassionate.

He shows how God not only saves us, justifies us, forgets everything in the past, has compassion on us and loves us so much, that is beyond comprehension because he then adopts us as sons and then proceeds to give us all things in the heavenly places. And Jesus said all of this to build up to the reaction of the elder son.

The younger son’s actions at the beginning led to a chain of events leading to the elder brother’s sinful reaction.

In fact, I would argue that the elder son is the most important piece of parable. Why? Because the prodigal son repenting is very rare. People who realize their sinful state and repent is rare. All people are in the state of the prodigal son, but not all people do what the prodigal son did. Repent.

Most people, even those who call themselves Christians are actually the same as the elder son.

Slide:  Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are fewwho find it.

Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, in Your name did we not prophesy, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name do many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some consider slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

The prodigal son is rare, the elder son is common. Let’s read the passage together.

Slide:Luke 15:25 (Find and Read)

First, I want to clear up that the Elder son is not representing a Christian, who is close to God, seemingly living with the father and doing his work. No, in fact the elder son represents the apostate legalist who has no relationship with the father as we will see as we dissect this passage.

It’s as if Jesus was telling them what a true repentant sinner looked like, that’s who the prodigal is, this is then who God is, vs, 20-24, then this is who you are, talking to the pharisees and scribes.

Vs 25 – the older son was in the field, unaware of his brothers return and party.

- He then approached the house and found a village wide party going on; without him being invited or even knowing about it.

vs. 26 - So, he grabbed one of the servants and asked him what was going on.

Vs 27 – read then vs 28 (But he became angry). Why did he become so angry?

- It’s usually the firstborn’s responsibility to plan a party. He wasn’t even invited. Also notice it was the older sons’ resources being used for the party.

- We know the father divided the inheritance at the beginning. The younger got 1/3 and the older got 2/3. Vs. 13 – the younger gathered it all. He made it into cash. The older probably just left everything he owned as is in the story.

o There’s no spiritual significance here, it’s best not to get wrapped up in the minor details of the story. Not every little detail has a spiritual significance.

o But either way, the father did retain control of the estate as long as he lived, and was perfectly legal in using his resources that he allotted to his older son.

- The spiritual significance we do see, is the relationship between the older son and the Father. The father did not consult the older son about the reconciliation or the party, there was no communication, there was no relationship. The older son was metaphorically and literally far away in the field.

- Why else was the brother angry? Well to top it all off, the slave told him that his father had received his wretched brother back safe and sound.

o Safe and sound is a Greek word meaning in good health but metaphorically used to mean peace. So, the father reconciled the younger son and there is now perfect peace between them.

- The older son was angry because His father didn’t make his brother pay for what he did or make restitution.

Vs. 28 – he was not willing to go in.

- He could not rejoice over the recovery of his lost brother. Why? Because he had no love for his father. Or to put it this way, the love of the father was not in him.

Slide:1 John 3:17, 4:7-8

- The older son was picturing the Pharisees perfectly as hypocritical legalists. Doing what was expected of them on the outside, but their heart is filled with secret sins, such as bitterness, hatred, jealousy and anger in this case.

Slide:Matthew 23:27-28 – Whitewashed tombs.

- Here we have a great litmus test to see whether or not we are in the faith or if we are whitewashed tombs, unsaved and far from the father.

o Do you despise people, looking down upon them as if they are lower than you because they are sinners, wretched people. And you are just the greatest because you go to church, you give in the offering, you go home and pray and read your bible instead of partying like those hooligans in the world. Do you do all the Christian things on the outside but inwardly, you heart is filled constantly with bitterness and anger toward others? Well, if that’s your heart all the time without any conviction, you have a serious problem in that you are not saved. You do not have a changed heart, you need to come and throw yourself at the mercy of Jesus Christ immediately. Don’t be like the pharisees. Don’t be a whitewashed tomb.

- The older son was exponentially more lost than the younger son, because he had spent a lifetime convincing himself that he was good. Both morally and spiritually. And that makes it nearly impossible for them to realize they are also a wretched sinner.

Slide:Proverbs 21:2 Every man’s way is right in his own eyes, But Yahweh weighs the hearts.

- We need to always weigh our hearts. What’s on the inside?

Slide:  Vs. 28 – in another shocking turn of events, the father comes and pleads with him.

- Showing the same compassion as he had for his younger son, despite the older son’s hard heart. This represents God in Christ Jesus pleading with all sinners to come to salvation.

Vs. 29 – then we see the older son’s pent-up anger and bitterness comes forth.

- Disregarding his father’s honor and disrespecting him by not addressing him. He just says, Look!

- I’ve been serving you. Working for his father felt like nothing but slavery. Which is absolutely true for all unsaved people calling themselves Christian.

- Do you feel like living for God is slavery? Do you find it so hard and burdensome to read your bible every day, to pray to God, to come to church and fellowship with his family, with brothers and sisters of Christ? Is it so burdensome that nearly every time, something else of this world always trumps those things? And when you dwell in those earthly things, you feel relieved almost, relieved from the burden of spiritual matters? Then my friend, you have a salvation problem, that’s a sign of a hard heart, and you need to immediately evaluate yourself, am I deceived? Have I repented and given my life fully to Christ?

- Now again, I don’t want to overburden you if you are newly saved or are truly saved, I’m not talking about the occasional choice to dwell in earthly matters, truly saved followers can still choose that, and with that comes great conviction. I’m talking about all the time. You can never seem to get away from the burden of spiritual things. That’s the issue.

- “I never neglected a command of yours.” This the self-deception and the illusion of being a good person. The person who thinks they are right with God based on what they do. (Romans 3:10-12)

- Then came the allegations against his father. (you never gave me a young goat) expecting to be celebrated for his legalism. (I might celebrate with my friends). Showing the people who really mattered to him. He wanted to celebrate with his friends, not his father, not his family.

- It also showed that being religious was all about him and what he got from it.

- Another test, is that Christianity to you? Is it all about you and what you get from it? Because don’t be deceived, that is not biblical Christianity folks. That is a false Christianity and mirrors the prosperity gospel.

Slide:Philippians 1:29 – Granted to suffer

- Being a true Christian means to repent, have faith, being truly saved by God’s grace alone, but then picking up our cross and following him, becoming a disciple of him, being willing to suffer for His sake, being willing to be persecuted and not backing down, understanding we are now ambassadors for Christ, going forth in a foreign world we once called home and spreading the gospel and making disciples and doing it all for the glory of God.

- True Christianity is not a focus on ourselves, it’s a focus on God. It’s not what we get out of it, but how can I glorify my Lord and Savior, the one who lovingly saved me from eternal damnation. What else can I do for Him, all while getting to know Him more and increasing my relationship with Him by His word, fellowship and prayer.

- That is Christianity.

Slide:Vs. 30 – The older son would not even associate with his brother or even acknowledge that he was his brother. (This son of yours).

- He then tries to sum up what he sees in the worst way possible. (Read 30)

- His actions point directly to the pharisees. They were unrepentant, self-righteous, hypocritical, choosing to revile and scorn Jesus for reconciling sinners to himself, instead of joining with those who knew they needed salvation from Christ alone and praising God for his saving grace.

Vs. 31 (Read) – This shows God’s graciousness and slowness to anger especially toward the jews. They were chosen by God to be his people, they were given Scripture, common grace for even being a jew, and thousands of years of gospel opportunity before anyone else. Before any of the gentiles.

Romans 9:4 (Paul – my brothers) who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises,

- God’s riches and grace were given in greatest abundance and clarity to the Jews. The pharisees prided themselves in their knowledge of Scripture.

- (all that is mine is yours) I’ve given you every opportunity.

Vs. 32 – the closing statement summarizing all three parables.

- God’s joy at recovering lost sinners.

The younger son symbolizes those who seek God’s salvation by grace. The older son are those who seek salvation by works.

This last Wednesday night during Adventure Club, our lesson was over Jesus being Lord. The central truth has a question and answer.

Slide:The question: Who must bow before Jesus and why?

Slide:The answer: Everyone must bow because Jesus is Lord of Everything.

Slide:Our memory verse for the lesson is Romans 10:9. I explained to the kids that we have been talking about repentance and faith, how all that plays out. But if you had to summarize all of it into a neat little package, it’s right here in Romans 10:9.

Read Romans 10:9

Confess means to state out loud an ultimate truth. And to confess someone as Lord, meant that you stated and fully believed that all things including your own life belong to that person, and you pledged your full allegiance to that person.

For these people in this time, to confess someone as lord other than Ceasar was treason and punishable by death in most cases, and they knew that. To confess Jesus as Lord out loud with their mouth was not a shallow statement and not a statement that they did not weigh heavily in their mind. It could bring severe consequences.

But the ones like the prodigal son knew that there was a higher treason with an infinitely greater punishment. Not confessing Jesus as Lord.

Slide:Matthew 10:28 (Read)

The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. The fear of God leads to salvation. And so, confessing with your mouth Jesus as lord was not and is not just some shallow statement that all people who call themselves Christians say.

The recipients of this letter knew that. This wasn’t a half in and half out kind of scenario, you were putting all your chips on the table. You were literally putting your neck on the line.

What that really means, was evaluating your condition, weighing the stakes, realizing what it might entail, some suffering, some persecution, back then, maybe death. But then looking to God and having a greater fear of what happens if I don’t, and then making the choice to go all in. Repenting and then pledging your full allegiance to Christ Jesus, Lord of all things.

Noah and his family had to go all in. They had to go all the way into the ark and the door was shut and sealed. During the catastrophic flood, Noah could not leave the door open and hang half his body outside of the ark wishing to be apart of the world that perishing. They had to go all in.

Slide:John 10:9 “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved…

But it’s not halfway, it’s not 99%. You have to go all in.

In the night of Jesus’ betrayal, Judas Iscariot went up and kissed Jesus. Judas kissed the door, but he never entered. We see so many people today, professing Christians, who stay by the door, they kiss the door, they say that’s a nice door, they may even agree that the door is the only way to be saved, and they still won’t enter, they still won’t go all in.

Slide:Romans 10:9 Confess = Repentance. Believe = faith. You will be saved.

Slide: Last question: Have you gone all in? That’s the only way to be saved.