The Prodigal Parent

There is a show called “how the lottery changed my life” It chronicles the life of normal individuals who by chance have won the jackpot. (Elaborate) But, most often by the end of the episode the viewer is left with the reality that the lotto winner is left with nothing to show for their prize. How does this happen? (Elaborate)

Reckless with his Resources

The father is a wealthy man. We can tell by the way his son lives by way of his inheritance. Yet like any parent with any affection for his children has the tendency to be reckless with is resources. He has spent his life acquiring and building, working and saving, laboring and investing.

1. Younger Son-Then comes along his baby boy asking for what does not belong to him yet and that what he didn’t even work for. And despite the fiscal responsibility that the father may have had he gives the son his property. But, this is what love looks like. This how love shows up. It puts other people before you. (Elaborate) The father risks his very livelihood on the hope that his son will do right. That’s just how God does us. (Preach)

2. Older Son-Then comes along the older son. Up until this point we haven't met him. But here he is. All angry because the younger son is getting a party (briefly tell his side) But its with the older son that we see just how reckless the father is with his resources. After the son berates the father for giving the younger son a party the father says, “Son, you are always with me, and that is mine is yours.” (Preach)

Lavish with his Love

Generous with his Grace

The recklessness of the father is one thing, but how generous he is with his grace is something else. When we consider how generous he is with this grace we first have to evaluate the magnitude of the offenses committed against him.

The youngest son’s loss was not only a loss that the son suffered but it was a visible, physical, and moral loss for the father. (Tell how bad it was what the son loss)

The grace happens when he doesn’t chasten the son, but instead he offers the son more. Grace upon Grace. The robe was a sign of inheritance, the ring was a sign of authority, the shoes were a sign of belonging.

Then the oldest son. Look at how gracious the father is with him.

Lavish with his Love

We now must turn to the most obvious way the father is a prodigal parent. He is lavish with his love. Whatever else must be said about this man is that he loves his sons. He shows just how much he loves the young boy by how eager he is to go after him. The idea is that he recognized him from so far because he was looking for him. He love for the son never changed. The same son who left was the same son who returned, but his time he’s alive.

Then the love with the second son shows up in the same way. When this man is so angry that he won’t come outside the father does something that makes me shout. Does the same thing for the older son as he did with the younger son. When he finds out that the son wont come in, he goes out to him. He seeks the son who never left!

reckless with his resources, Generous with his grace, lavish with his love, flamboyant with his favor, liberal with his liberty, bountiful with his blessings, abundant with his affection, messy with his mercy, trusting with his treasure…And after all this blessing, all this, giving, all this sharing, God out did himself when he gave the very best that he had. For God so loved the world.