The Parable of The Prodigal Son
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Tonight I will be preaching on one of the most familiar parables in all of the Scriptures. To be honest it was a little intimidating. However, as I began to work through the text itself, I found it both encouraging and convicting. I found reason for both rejoicing and repenting. Any time we come to the Scriptures and come away having repented, been strengthened in faith and hope we ought to praise God for His grace and mercy. So tonight, as we study the parable of the Prodigal Son I pray that we all leave here tonight repenting of sin and rejoicing in our salvation we have recieved from our Great God!
Before we jump right into the Parable of the Prodigal Son tonight, there is something important we must understand if we want to truly understand Jesus’ intent of this parable. So the first thing we are going to consider is,
The Placement and Progression of the Parable
The Placement and Progression of the Parable
Parable
Parable
First we need to consider the placement, where is this parable placed in the Gospel of Luke and where is it in the flow of Jesus’ ministry. To see this we need to back up to the beginning of Luke chapter 15.
Look with me at Luke 15:1-2
This parable of the Prodigal Son is probably the most familiar parable in all of Scripture, you have probably heard it preached countless time. However, that doesn’t mean we should just skip over it and ignore it because we know it. Instead we are to remember the word of God is living and active sharper than any two edged sword. So tonight as we approach this familiar parable I pray the Lord would use the sword of His word and cut us deep that we may learn more about our own heart and run to God our heavenly Father in repentance and faith.
We first need to understand what caused Jesus to break into his parabolic teaching on the Prodigal Son.
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
We find our answer to that in chapter 15:1-2
We see that Jesus is in the midst of the Pharisees and scribes and they are grumbling about his fraternization with sinners. Jesus sees this as an opportunity for telling a string of parables to straighten out the attitude of the religious leaders. These Pharisees and scribes have a major problem and Jesus is going to teach three parables to correct the problem.
Sinclair Ferguson explains,
“Their problem was attitudinal and theological.”
In other words, they did not understand or know God, therefore their heart had not been transformed to properly display the love of God.
This attitude and statement by the Pharisees and Scribes are what sets up Jesus to begin the trilogy of parables He is about to tell. Jesus hears and perceives this self-righteous, arrogant attitude of the religious elite of Israel and is about to teach them how He and the Father feel about their grumbling.
What Jesus does next is of course a masterful display of teaching through three parables to conceal and reveal truth. To exhort to faithfulness and encourage in faith, but also to correct error and convict of sin.
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
Jesus begins with the parable of the Lost Sheep, then moves to the parable of the Lost Coin, and finishes this rebuke to the Pharisees and Scribes with the parable of the Lost Son. This is where we find the placement of the parable of the Prodigal Son, at the end of three parables Jesus preached to the Pharisees and Scribes for one singular purpose.
Consider now the progression of these parables, this will help us further in interpreting the main point of not only the parable of the lost son, but of the lost sheep, and lost coin as well.
As you can tell by the title of each all three of these parables carry the same theme. Something is lost,
The sheep is lost, and sought after then found by the Shepherd.
The coin is lost, and sought after and found by the woman.
The son is lost, and found by the father.
There is one more common theme that runs through all of these parables. It is the theme of rejoicing. Each time the thing that is lost is found what happens. There is great joy, there is rejoicing, and celebration. Now why did these parables start? Because the Pharisees were grumbling that Jesus was receiving and eating with sinners.
Jesus was doing what Jesus did,
He was seeking the lost.
He was the physician looking to heal the sick.
He was in the world but not of the world.
But the Pharisees could not stand it, and they grumbled and accused Jesus of being a wine bibber and drunkard. But listen to the heart of Jesus and God the Father regarding rejoicing at the lost being found.
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.
Do you see what leads Jesus into this string of parables in Chapter 15. Jesus is doing what Jesus does. He is being in the world not of the world. He is spending time with the sick who need a physician. He is loving the tax collectors, sinners, the Jews and the Gentiles. Jesus is being a friend to tax collectors and sinners.
They were all drawing near to him. They wanted to hear him teach, they wanted to get to know this Jesus.
But then you have the Pharisees and the scribes, the spiritual elite who instead of sharing the truth of the Scriptures they knew so well, they used this as an opportunity to slander the Savior. To complain, to grumble about Jesus association with sinners. These spiritual hypocrites looked down upon those who didn't have the same lineage or learning as they did. They turned their nose up and stiffened their necks toward the lost, the down and out, those who needed grace alone through Christ alone.
Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The
As we fly over these first two parables and then do a deeper dive into the Parable of the prodigal son, let’s examine our own hearts and attitudes and see how we respond when the lost are found, when a sinner repents, and the loving Father reconciles a rebellious son.
Luke
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
So we see the placement or setting of the parable. Now let’s look at the progression of the parables.
Luke 15:24
It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”
Luke 15:
Do you hear how the people of God ought to react when sinners are saved, when the lost are found, when the blind are made to see, and when the dead are brought to life?
Jesus teaches three parable in chapter 15, The Parable of the Lost Sheep, The Parable of the Lost Coin, and then finally the Parable of the Lost Son.
There is one more theme that our partner in the gospel Voddie Baucham was helpful in pointing out. Notice the value of the items lost continues to increase through out the parables.
One out of 100 sheep is lost = 1%
One out of 10 coins is lost = 10%
One out of 2 sons are lost = 50%. And there is nothing more precious than a son or daughter. These repeated parables of the lost, found, and rejoice with and escalating value continues to help us get to the main point of the parable. So, here it is, the Main point of the parable and the sermon tonight.
“God the Father rejoices when rebellious sinners and self-righteous sons repent and are reconciled into a right relationship with Him.”
Here is how we are going to walk through this parable tonight. We are going to draw ought 5 points of application from the Parable of the Prodigal Son that I believe you will see as we expound the truths of this very familiar yet living and active parable of Jesus. This parable calls the lost child of God to repent and return to the Father for salvation, and also calls the self-righteous saint to repent and remember the blessing and cause of their salvation.
Here we go, the first point of application from this parable is really practical.....This parable gives us a clear warning in verses 11-16 through the illustration of the younger son to,
I. Run from Reckless Living (Vs. 11-16)
I. Run from Reckless Living (Vs. 11-16)
Jesus begins this story by laying out the family dynamic. We see very simply in verse 11 that there was a father who had two sons. The rest of the story is going to be an explanation of opposite roads these two sons take and the different attitude of these two sons.
What we can’t miss throughout the parable is the constant love of the father, the one who despite the rebellion, rejection, and all out ungratefulness that his two sons exhibit at times his love for them never fails. His willingness to receive them when they repent never waivers. Therefore, the father in this parable ought to draw our attention to our Father in heaven who patiently waits until the perfect time to cause us to come to our senses, see our hopeless depravity, and call us to come home to Him and receive His mercy and grace.
However, here is the first lesson we learn from the younger son.
a. Selfishness Leads to Recklessness
a. Selfishness Leads to Recklessness
Do you see a them starting? Jesus teaches three parables of something precious being lost. Remember, the setting? He is teaching these parables to the Pharisees and scribes who were grumbling about Jesus receiving the lost. He is working toward the main point of the Prodigal Son, but he is going to get there by first teaching on the lost sheep and the lost coin.
And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 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.
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.
Here Jesus takes us right to the boiling point in the parable. We don’t get any background leading up to this request by the young son. Any of us that have been 17 -18 or have had 17 or 18 year old children know that this is a special time of life. At this point you know everything, you know what you want to do, you know where you want to go, and you know what you need to do it. This son is no different. He has these youthful passions which he thinks he has the right to fulfill, the problem is like most of us at this young age we don’t have the funds to feed our fleshly desires.
The young son then does the only thing he can do, I will ask Dad to give me my share early so I can go live the way I want to live and do the things I want to do. I am tired of Him telling me what to do and when to do it.
Do you see the pure out selfishness in the sons request? Do you see the ungratefulness in what he does? No matter that his father has fed him, clothed him, and kept a roof over his head for 17 years he says give me the share of the property that is coming to me.
What may be more shocking about this opening of the parable of is the Father’s response. Jesus says, And he divided his property between them. The father gave him his request the father gave him what was his. Now, we have to understand he didn’t get half, because the older son would have been due a “double portion” according to .
I would imagine this wasn’t the first time the son had complained about his current situation and his desire to have his inheritance divided up so he can bolt. I am sure that the father would have tried to talk some sense into him, but at this point he finally said ok, your selfish desires are going to lead you down a path of destruction. But, I am going to give you the desires of your heart.
This brings us to another picture Jesus paints in the rebellion of the younger son. He illustrates,
b. The Road to Reckless Living
b. The Road to Reckless Living
There is a second theme that runs through all three parables. That is the theme of rejoicing when the lost is found.
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.
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.
The son got what he wanted so after a few days he gathered up all he had and took a journey into a far country. This far country shows us he was heading out of the Jewish community he lived in out of the safety of the care of his father and family. Out of the reach of their neighbors and friends that cared for him and looked after him. He was headed to a place where there would be no accountability, no protection, and ultimately a place where we could live in unrestrained licentiousness.
We know this because of the second half of verse 13, there he squandered his property on reckless living.
Reckless living is use in the sense of — acting wastefully and unrestrainedly in either morality or spending; often includes both aspects.
ESV - reckless living
NASB - loose living
NIV - wild living
NRSV - dissolute living
KJV - riotous living
NKJV - prodigal living
Get the point? The young son ran off and wasted his inheritance on wasteful, unrestrained, prodigal living.
What’s the big deal, Why should we run from reckless living?
Why should we walk the narrow road that leads to Christ and not run the wide road of reckless living that leads to destruction? Because the young son is about to show us,
c. Reckless Living Leads To Hopelessness
c. Reckless Living Leads To Hopelessness
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.
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.
Luke 15:
Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
Luke 15:
And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”
Famine arose in the land. So now not only were his funds gone, the food was scarce in this far country, a sign of judgment. Who control’s famine?
The Good Shepherd rejoices when one sheep is found.
Instead of being a son who had access to all the father had he was now a slave, stuck feeding swine.
You can imagine, for a little while everyone wanted to hang with him, but once he had squandered his cash no on gave him anything.
His loose living had left him longing to eat with the pigs.
His loose living had left him alone, hungry, helpless, and hopeless. He had nothing and no one cared a thing about him.
I once was lost in darkest night
Yet thought I knew the way
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave
ve you been wrecked by your reckless living.
Have you been wrecked by your prodigal living.
Have you been wrecked by your reckless living.
Have you been at this point? Have you been wrecked by your reckless living.
Have you realized your lostness in the midst of loose living?
Have you reached the point that you are left helpless, alone, and you are metaphorically left eating slop with the swine.
Here is the good news,
If you are at the point where you recognize your depravity and see the depth to which you have fallen, remember point number 1
Run from reckless living! - Any living, that is outside of Christ, it doesn’t have to be living in a land of unrestrained sinfulness. Any one who is not living under the care and protection of God, in Christ is a prodigal!
If you are, this brings us to our second point of application...
II. Run to the Father who cares for you.
II. Run to the Father who cares for you.
The Woman rejoices when her lost coin is found.
The Father rejoices when his lost Son is found!
Now there is one more theme in these parables I want to point out before we get to the prodigal son. Our brother and partner in the gospel Voddie was helpful in point this out. There is an increase in value of the thing that is lost.
Run from your reckless living and run to the Father who lovingly cares for you!
Notice first that the Shepherd lost one out of one hundred sheep. He was willing to leave 99 to go after one and rejoice when he found the one which made up only 1% of his flock.
Notice, the prog
We see this as the young son,
Secondly, the woman rejoiced when she found the 1 silver coin out of the 10 silver coins she had in her possession. This was a 10% loss, that was found.
a. Remembers the care of the Father
a. Remembers the care of the Father
Now consider the lost son. How many sons did the Father have? 2, 50% of the most precious possession the Father had was lost. Now we all know, you can lose and animal and be heartbroken, you can lose money and be distraught, but when you lose a child you feel as if your life has been destroyed.
Notice the progression of the parable,
“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!
Do you see the importance now of the placement and progression of the Parable of the Prodigal Son? As we begin to look at it keep in mind Jesus has built up to this point by teaching the religious elite the concerned for the lost, the rejoicing that happens when the lost is found, and the increasing value of things that are lost which climaxes in the value of lost souls.
Now that we have set the stage, I want to give you the Main Point of the Parable of the Prodigal Son, here it is,
The younger son came to himself and remembered the care of his father.
Luke 15:17
Notice what he didn’t do. He didn’t say “my unrestrained living has left me lost,
I will restrain my behavior.
God the Father rejoices when rebellious sons and self righteous sons repent and are reconciled into a right relationship with Him.
I will change my ways,
I will tighten up my loose living.
He said, “How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!”
The lost son begins to consider the care of his father. He remembers how well fed his father’s servants are. He contrasts that with the fact that he is perishing with hunger.
He had to be asking himself, why am is staying in this far country and famishing, while at my father’s house even the servants are flourishing?
Listen the words of J.C. Ryle,
Luke: Crossway Classic Commentaries The Parable of the Prodigal Son (15:11–24)
Thousands have reasoned in this way and are saying the same words to themselves every day. And we must be thankful when we see such thoughts arise. Thinking is not a change of heart, but it may be the start of it; conviction is not conversion, but it is one step, at any rate, in the right direction. What ruins so many people’s souls is simply this: they never think at all.
Here is the question, have you came to your senses, have you realized your reckless living has left you hopeless? Have you begin to think about your spiritual famine and remembered the way the father feeds his servants?
That is a good thing, but it is not enough. Once we come to our senses, and remember the care of the our Father, we must,
b. Repent of reckless living.
b. Repent of reckless living.
I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’
Luke 15:
The prodigal son didn’t just think about his helpless estate, he got up and went to his father. Do you get the picture of him sitting in the pen with the hogs. Sorting through their pods, trying to get enough to eat to fill his belly, to curb his hunger.
Sitting there overtaken by the sounds and smells of the hogs. Starving, feeling like he is about to die. Then finally saying why am I living like this, why have I let my loose living destroy me. My father loves me and cares for his hired hands better than these foreigners care for me.
But he doesn’t stop at just thinking about his helpless state, he confesses his sinfulness. He says,
This parable is book ended by the description of two sons. One who is rebellious and runs off into reckless living. The second is one who is self-righteous and refuses to rejoice when he lost brother returns. After Jesus describes each one of these sons he tells of a Father whose desire is to see both sons repent and remember the blessings they have as his children.
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servant.”
Jesus tells the Pharisees and scribes, the lost son recognizes his sinfulness, his unworthiness, and pleads for the father’s forgiveness.
This profession of repentance of the prodigal son is modeled, described, and prescribed in the OT and the New. Consider,
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
Even in the Lord’s prayer we see Jesus teaching us to pray to ask the Father to feed and forgive us.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Matthew
We see the example of the tax collector’s prayer in
But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
Has the Spirit awaken us that we might see our life is ruined by our reckless living? Have we remembered the Father’s loving care for us? Have we remembered,
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Saved from our selfish, sinful, and starving hearts. Maybe tonight is the night The Holy Spirit has caused the scales to fall off of your eyes, you were blind but now you see. If so don’t wasted another minute, don’t wait till the end of the service or until you get home, but follow the model of the prodigal son.
c. Return to the loving Father.
c. Return to the loving Father.
:b And he arose and came to his father.
Here is how I want us to walk through this parable, as we work our way through it we are going to draw out 5 points of application from the Parable of the Prodigal Son.
Here is number one, this is a really practical pint.
I. Run from Reckless Living (Vs. 11-16)
I. Run from Reckless Living (Vs. 11-16)
Luke
And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 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. 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. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
A. He selfishly ask for his share.
A. He selfishly ask for his share.
And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 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.
Jesus describes the younger son here as one who is arrogant, disrespectful, unappreciative, and filled with youthful passions and lusts. His desire is to take what is his and run off to live a live of licentiousness. He is tired of being under his parents thumb, he thinks he knows better than his wise father and wants to take off.
A. He selfishly asked for his share.
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.
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
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
None of us have ever been in this position before have we? I am sure we were all perfect children who obeyed perfectly and never rebelled against our parents never ran off into sin, never lived recklessly.
This may leave us with the question, why wouldn’t the Father just say no. Why wouldn’t he refuse to give him the inheritance, he had all right to do so. We could say the same thing about Adam and Eve, why would God put a tree in the Garden that he knew was going to cause them to fall and bring sin and death into the world?
I don’t know the perfect answer, but here is what I do know, had God not allowed Adam and Eve to eat that fruit and reveal their heart problem they would have never experienced the mercy and grace of God.
The Father in this parable may have thought the same way, he may have warned his son about living recklessly, but then he may have seen the sons heart and realized the son is going to have to learn this one the hard way. So he gives him his inheritance and lets him go.
Next we see,
Get up and come to the Father,
B. He ran the road of reckless living.
B. He ran the road of reckless living.
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
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.
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Luke
The young son, took the money and ran. He journeyed off into a far country. Can you imagine the Father as he watched his son walk of headed down the road, knowing that he was headed for a life of destruction, a life of sinful living. Even more than that for his son to walk off down the road basically saying, Dad I don’t care about you all I want is your money, fulfilling my desires of the flesh are more important to me than obeying my loving, faithful father.
Right now if you have never trusted Christ, if you have never ran from your reckless living, and ran to the Father who cares for you, right there where you are sitting, or if you want to come to this alter like the prodigal son, confess with you mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead and you will be saved!
This had to crush his father watching his son walk off. Looking down that road seeing him get farther and farther away until he had disappeared in the distance.
Now think about what is going through the sons head. I have me a pocket full of money, I am heading to Vegas. I am going to take in all of the world has to offer. I am going to live it up. I will not have my Father telling me what to do or when to do it, I am going to be my own man.
I am going to partake of all the things my father withheld. As soon as he was out of sight of the homestead, he probably started his sinful living.
He got to the place where he would live it up and probably even made all kinds of new friends. He had something they wanted, a wad of cash. He probably made it a few days, a week or two maybe, but then the cash started to dwindle, his money was running out and his friends were running off.
So in verses 14-16 Jesus explains,
C. His reckless living left him hungry.
C. His reckless living left him hungry.
Believe this in your heart and you will be justified, declared not guilty, declared righteous.
Confess with your mouth that you have sinned against heaven and you are submitting to the Lordship of Christ and you will be saved from spiritually starving to death, saved from receiving the just penalty for your sin, how, because Christ has taken your punishment for you.
If you have placed your trust in Christ, repented of your sin you can take heart in the third point of application in this parable,
And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
The selfish son finally reached the point where he has spent everything he had, his money was gone, his buddies had left, and he began to be in need. He was getting hungry, he had left home, where he was cared for and full and now was in a far country destitute and in despair.
III. Rejoice in the forgiveness of the Father.
III. Rejoice in the forgiveness of the Father.
If like the prodigal son,
We run from our reckless living.
We run to our Father who cares for us with repentant hearts,
We can Rejoice in the forgiveness of the Father.
First of all because of,
a. The Father’s compassion
a. The Father’s compassion
Notice though something else happened, a severe famine arose in that country. A famine happened in a specific place at a specific time by the hand of a sovereign God. All though the son was out of reach of his earthly Father, he was not out from under the hand of the heavenly Father. Famine is a sign of judgment of discipline. This rebellious son was about to experience the consequences of his sinful living and have the heavy hand of God discipline him to a point of repentance.
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.
Luke 15:
The prodigal son got up and headed home, he turned around and left that far country, got on that same road that lead him into reckless living, but now it is a road of repentance. He is returning to call on his father for forgiveness. He desires to be reunited with his father.
As great as it is to see a repentant son, it is even better to see a loving compassionate father. Get the picture in your mind the same road the father saw his son take his money and run on, he looks up and see his broken son returning home on.
The father doesn’t drop his head, turn away and go back inside. Instead take takes off down the road, running the text says, he embraced him and kissed him. Is there a more beautiful picture. The son came home having disrespected the father, squandered his money, has been living a sinful and shameful life. He has even sunk to the level of feeding pigs.
But when the Father sees him all he sees is his precious child, who has come to his senses, come back to his home country, and desires to serve his father as a servant.
The father runs out meets him and embraces him. There is an example of a reunion of a father and son in the Old Testament that gives us this same picture. We see it in the life of Joseph. Pastor Keith Vaughn preached on this text when we were in Cary, NC and I will never forget the imagery as he expounded it.
After Joseph had been sold into slavery and separated from his father from years. After years of Joseph’s father thinking he was dead they are finally about to be reunited in Genesis chapter 46, listen to what is written in verse 29-30.
Then Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen. He presented himself to him and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while. Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive.”
Genesis 46:
Joseph finally seeing his father after being sold by his brothers, enslaved by the Egyptians, imprisoned for the acts of a wicked woman, and finally had become a ruler in Egypt was so happy to be reunited with his father the text says, he fell on his neck and wept a good while. Now we may have never been separated from our earthly father for a long period of time, some of us may have, so some may understand the joy in this reunion.
However, some may not have had this kind of relationship with their earthly father. Let me assure you, when we are reunited with our heavenly Father and get to metaphorically fall on his neck and weep tears of joy for a good while, eternity we will understand this kind of compassion like we never before.
But notice what Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive.” Israel say’s now that I know are alive and well, I can leave this earth, I can go to my Father now. Is this not the same love we see throughout , when the lost is found, when the dead are found to be alive there is great joy in heaven, our Father in heaven rejoices and celebrates because his child has been found.
Notice next,
b. The Son’s broken and contrite heart
b. The Son’s broken and contrite heart
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.’
Luke 15:
Listen to the sincerity in the son’s repentance. He knows he has sinned against heaven and against his father, he recognizes his unworthiness. The son completely understands,
For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Psalm
The son knows the Father, he knows his father will receive and reconcile him if he is broken and contrite. The son knows the his father loves him in spite of his sinful living, he knows he is unworthy, he knows he doesn’t deserve his father’s care and compassion.
But the father in this story is to point us to our heavenly Father who is Lord, who is a God of steadfast love. Meaning His love doesn’t end when we run off into reckless living, our God of steadfast love and faithfulness is committed to running out and rescuing you and I from our reckless living. We ought to be filled with and inexpressible joy.
The apostle Peter says it this way after he explains God the Father has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ,
Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,
1 Peter 1:
Often we may struggle with that and like the young son we struggle to understand,
But here is what the son truly doesn't understand,
c. The Father’s lavish love
c. The Father’s lavish love
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. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
Notice the Father’s continued display of affection toward his son.
First of all he did not hug his neck, kiss his cheek then whip his behind. He did not say son I am glad you are home not meet me behind the barn.
Instead the father said to his servants, ‘bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him,
The father treats him as a guest of honor, then he puts a ring on his hand as a sign of authority and shoes on his feet, which only a free man would wear.
Then he has the fatted calf slaughtered and the feasting and celebrating begins.
What does God the Father do for those he saves?
He put’s his Son’s blood stain robe on us.
Why the joy, why the display of lavish love?
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. There was not greater joy to the father of the two sons than to have his ungrateful, rebellious, son come home. He wanted his son back with him, back in his presence and when he came he celebrated. What a beautiful picture of mercy and grace.
The son deserved nothing, but the Father gave him everything!
Have you recognized your recklessness?
Have you repented of your sin and ran home to the Father?
Have you recieved the gift of His grace? Today could be the day, you could be wrapped in his robe, sealed by His Spirit, and be an adopted child of God. Will you run to Him today?
Now it would be great if the story ended here, however, do you remember who Jesus is telling these parables to?
So next we turn to the older brother, and our fourth point of application which is.....we must,
IV. Recognize our own self-righteousness.
IV. Recognize our own self-righteousness.
“Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 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.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him,
“Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 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.’
a. How do we respond when a sinner repents?
a. How do we respond when a sinner repents?
In these three verses we see the celebration begin. There is music, dancing, and feasting going on and the father looks around and the older brother is nowhere to be found.
Bottom line, is he was angry and refused to rejoice at his little brothers reunion! That is hard to imagine, but this is the exact attitude of the Pharisees, they thought they were the faithful, they thought they were the only ones with a right to the inheritance, and despised the filthy sinners, tax collectors, and gentiles and had no desire to see them saved.
What is our attitude when one of God’s elect is found? When they may have come out of a place of filth, they might smell like the swine. They may have the stench of sin, they may have even rebelled against us, rejected us, or maybe even taken advantage of us?
Do we respond in grace and mercy or anger and rejection? Here is a couple ways to tell...
b. How many times do we repeat I have or I never or I deserve?
b. How many times do we repeat I have or I never or I deserve?
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.
Luke 15:29
Notice how the older brother responds.
I have served you
I never disobeyed your command
I, I, I, I, I like this, I don’t like that, I should be able to, do you get the point.
Then he turns to his father,
You never gave me a goat,
That I might celebrate
When we think the gospel is all about us, we begin to look at what we have done and what we think we deserve and then dangerously begin to think in our hearts, God you have not been that good to me. God I have been so faithful and you are not being faithful. Do you see the danger in this attitude? It is one thing to think to much of ourselves, it is another to think to little of God’s mercy and grace.
One more question to help us evaluate our own self-righteousness....
c. How often do we point out the sins of others?
c. How often do we point out the sins of others?
c. How often do we point out the sins of others?
But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’
What does Voddie say, “If you can’t say amen you better say ouch.” Instead of running to meet his repenting brother he says,
I have been faithful, while my little brother has wasted our money on wild living with prostitutes.
He went right to the sin of his brother, right to pointing out his reckless living instead of rejoicing in his repentance and return.
Here is the deal, when someone repents, it is over, we rejoice, we celebrate with them, but we do not keep reminding them of their reckless living. The truth is our sinful past will haunt us enough, we need someone to point us to the path of sanctification in the Spirit, not remind us of our spiritual adultery. If we have come to Christ we remember that when we look to the cross and understand it is our sin that hung him there.
How then do we avoid this self- righteous attitude?
Here is our fifth and final point of application. We,
V. Rest in our relationship with the Father, and rejoice with Him when the lost are found.
V. Rest in our relationship with the Father, and rejoice with Him when the lost are found.
Don’t miss how low this son had sank. He went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country. The son was outside his home territory in area outside of Jewish territory. He had been hired to do a job, that was and insult to the Jewish community no Jew would work feeding pigs which we know were considered unclean. He was so hungry that he was eating the pig food, the pods that the pigs ate. This once well cared for and loved son was now at the point no one gave him anything.
His reckless living left him empty.
His sinfulness left him starving.
His wild living left him without anything.
This brings us to the second point of application. When like the young son we have rebelled, and ran off into reckless living,
II. Remember Your Loving Father (Vs. 17-20)
II. Remember Your Loving Father (Vs. 17-20)
A. Remember Your Father’s Care
A. Remember Your Father’s Care
“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!
Luke 15:
B. Repent of Your Rebellion and Reckless Living
B. Repent of Your Rebellion and Reckless Living
I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’
Luke 15:
C. Rise and Return to Your Loving Father.
C. Rise and Return to Your Loving Father.
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.
“And he arose and came to his father.”
III. Rejoice in the Forgiveness of the Father
III. Rejoice in the Forgiveness of the Father
There are three truths we learn about Forgiveness we learn that ought to cause us to rejoice.
First we see,
A. The Father’s compassion
A. The Father’s compassion
But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
Second, the Father’s forgiveness comes as a result of,
B. The Son’s broken and contrite heart
B. The Son’s broken and contrite heart
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.’
Luke 15:
C. The Father’s Lavish Love
C. The Father’s Lavish Love
Third, the father forgiveness is displayed in,
C. The Father’s Lavish Love
C. The Father’s Lavish Love
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. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
Luke 15:22
IV. Recognize Our Own Self-Righteousness
IV. Recognize Our Own Self-Righteousness
How do we recognize the sin of self-righteousness slipping into our lives?
A. How do we respond when the lost are found?
A. How do we respond when the lost are found?
B. How many times do we say I have or I never?
B. How many times do we say I have or I never?
C. How often do we point out the sin of others?
C. How often do we point out the sin of others?
V. Rest in Your Relationship with the Father and Rejoice with Him When the Lost are found!
V. Rest in Your Relationship with the Father and Rejoice with Him When the Lost are found!
A. Remember the blessings you have in Christ.
A. Remember the blessings you have in Christ.
Luke 15:
And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
It is like the father looks at him and says, SON, remember you already have all that I have, what’s mine is yours. If you want to kill a calf let’s pick one out. If you want to rejoice and celebrate let’s rejoice.
My son, all that I have is yours, rejoice in the fact you are under my care everyday, you feast at my table every meal, you can rejoice in the relationship you have with me right now. Rest in that!
And finally,
B. Rejoice and be glad when your brother is found.
B. Rejoice and be glad when your brother is found.
It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”
Son, the fact that you wake up every day and know your Father is near gives you reason to rejoice. However, when your lost brother is found, when your dead brother is made alive this ought to bring about great joy in your heart. This salvation brings the Father great joy, this salvation bring great joy into heaven, therefore when the lost are found there ought to be great joy in our home here on earth! If we are one of God’s elect, we ought to ecstatically rejoice when one of our adopted siblings are brought home. When a son is no longer a slave to sin and has become a slave to Christ we out to celebrate no sulk! We ought to be filled with joy, not self-righteous judgement!
Tonight how about you? What does our life look like, the Reckless younger son? Or the self-righteous big brother? Here is the good news, we have a loving Father who crushed his Son that both the reckless and the self-righteous can repent and be reunited with Him!
As we close, will you,
Run from reckless living?
Run to the Father who cares for you?
Rejoice in the Father’s forgiveness?
Repent of your self-righteousness?
Rest in your relationship you have with the Father