A Father’s Two Lost Sons

11 He also said, “A man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets to them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living. 14 After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing. 15 Then he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to eat his fill from the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one would give him anything. 17 When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. 19 I’m no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired workers.” ’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. 21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 “But the father told his servants, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he summoned one of the servants, questioning what these things meant. 27 ‘Your brother is here,’ he told him, ‘and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

28 “Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’

31 “ ‘Son,’ he said to him, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”

Luke 15:11-32 (CSB)

Today we celebrate Father’s Day, and it’s a day that we can acknowledge the Importance of fathers because where we are fathers or not, every person here this morning has a father and we can all appreciate the important role that they play in our families and our culture.

You know when I think about Father’s Day, I am reminded of the definition that one small boy made up about the holiday. He said that “Father’s Day is just like Mother’s Day, only you don’t spend as much on the present.”[1] And while that may be true, we must never forget the importance of fathers.

And our scripture this morning is a great example of this. Because this story goes by several different names. You have probably heard it called the “Parable of the Prodigal son” or maybe even the “Parable of the Lost Son” but really if you dig into this parable of Jesus, you find that the emphasis really isn't on the sons at all is it, no its on the father the whole time. Both sons’ actions, responses, and decisions are based on their relationship with their father. And there are three parts of this story that I want to dig into this morning.

1. The Son Rejects His Father (11-19)

The first part of this story is that of the younger son rejecting his father. He goes to his dad and demands his inheritance. In that culture, just like our own, this would be considered rude at best, and downright disrespectful at worst. Because inheritance happens after someone dies, and not before. So, what this younger son is really doing is basically going up to his dad and telling him that he wishes that he was dead. But regardless, his father agrees and gives BOTH his sons their inheritance.

The reason he does this is that according to Jewish tradition, the older son is entitled to 2/3 of the inheritance and the younger gets the remaining 1/3. So, the father has to divide up everything to give the younger one what he wants.

And we see that once the younger son gets what he wants that he takes off. He runs to a foreign land and begins squandering his inheritance. It is obvious that the younger son wanted to live a big life and he loses all his money on things that do not last. And at the end of it, he is in a bad spot, he has not only lost his family but now he has no inheritance.

So, this son finds himself in a foreign land where he is not a citizen, he has no money, no belongings, and no friends. And on top of that, there is a famine going on, so no one is sharing what they have. So, we find this son working for some local farmer feeding pigs. Understand, in Jewish thought, to sink to the point of feeding pigs for a living was the lowest possible point for a Jew.

And we see that the son gets to the point that he realizes that he has hit rock bottom. He finds himself envying what the pigs are eating and concludes that there is nowhere else for him to go, except back home. We see this all come to a head in v. 17 where the son says, “17 When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger!” What is great is that this expression “came to his senses” literally means “came to himself.

Sometimes we must be at our lowest point to realize that we need to repent of what we have done. The son figures that he would be better off going home and working for his father, then staying as a foreigner in this land working for scraps.

And we see in Vv. 18-19 that the son prepares to head home. And rather than just showing up he comes up with a plan. He fully anticipates that his father will not see him as his son anymore, yet he seems to be hoping for some pity. However, if you look at his prepared plea you see that his mind is getting in the right place. Look at verse 18-19 again.

“Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. 19 I’m no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired workers.”

What is important is that the son recognizes that, although he did sin against his father, his first sin is against God. This son is beginning to repent of what they have done, yet he still realizes that there is a consequence for his action.

2. The Father Forgives his Son (20-24)

This brings us to the second part of the story, where the Father forgives his son. The son knows he has messed up and is trying to prepare himself for the meeting with his father. It reminds me of the story:

The Wall Street attorney sent his only son to his alma mater law school, promising him a gift of $10,000 if he would make the Law Review in one year. At the end of the son’s first year, the law student called his father and told him that he had wonderful news for him. “Dad! I’ve saved you $10,000!”[2]

It seems like the son in our passage is trying to do the same thing. Minimize the damage, and I don’t know about you, but I bet you he has been practicing this speech that he prepared for his Father until he can d it frontwards and backward. But look at what happens again at the end of verse 20,

“But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him.”

The fact that his father saw him coming meant that HE WAS LOOKING FOR HIS SON the whole time! He runs to him and embraces him. And then this kiss mentioned in this verse symbolizes forgiveness by the father. I mean this is more than the son could have ever hoped for. But still, the son begins reciting this speech that he has prepared for his father

But his father cuts him off and begins talking in v. 22-23

22 “But the father told his servants, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast,

I mean this is NOT the reaction that this son expected. But more importantly, it is not the reaction the son deserves, and he knows it. His father begins giving the orders that sound like those that would be given when a loved child returns from a long journey. The son had to have been shocked by this reaction. Especially when his father calls for a ring. By having a signet ring put on his finger again it signifies that his father sees him as a son again!

And in case there is any confusion, the father explains himself in v. 24. “because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” This reveals the father's heart. His son is alive and that is all that matters to him at this moment! And it is important to understand that when the father is talking about being alive again, he isn't talking literally. The idea here is that the son’s actions have made him socially or relationally non-existent and now he has been in a sense resurrected.

3. The Brother Resents the Father’s Forgiveness (25-32)

So, we see one son has been found, yet in the last part of the story, we see that the older brother is not happy that his brother has returned. And it is obvious that the older brother has stayed with his father and was even working in the fields, even after receiving his inheritance. So when he is coming home he realizes that there is a party going on and begins to wonder what the occasion is. And in verses 27-30 this all comes to ahead.

27 ‘Your brother is here,’ he told him, ‘and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

28 “Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’

The older brother is mad, and really it seems like the older brother has some legitimate complaints doesn’t it? What's so great is we see the father go to this son as well. And the conversation makes clear that the older son doesn’t think that what the father is doing for the younger son is fair. And he is right, this isn't fair, instead, it is grace.

The father reminds the older son that because of his loyalty that he will be the only one to inherit anything after the father dies. In other words, there is still a consequence for the younger son’s disobedience.

However, at the same time, there must also be an acknowledgment that the younger son has repented and returned! And what this means for you and for me is that anybody can come home, no matter what they have done in their past. God is like this father, eagerly waiting for all his lost children to come home.

Yet the older son's actions reveal that he is just as spiritually lost as his younger brother, and the most tragic part is that he is still home. He got so busy with the “work” of attaining his inheritance that he forgot to ever stop and enjoy the benefits of it. The oldest son ALWAYS had access to what his father is giving his younger son, however, he never took it, even though it was his the whole time.

Conclusion

What this story demonstrates is the grace and mercy of God the Father despite all the foolish things his children do. God WANTS relationship with you and me, he doesn’t take pleasure in our pain or misery I will close with a story to make this a little clearer.

Author Shea Seranno had just taken the exit ramp near his home when his car sputtered and died. Trying unsuccessfully to restart the car, he called a tow truck. The wrecker promptly arrived and deposited his car in the driveway. Serrano popped the hood and fiddled with the wires and hoses a bit. Having exhausted his less-than-vast auto repair knowledge, he called his father.

His father listened as he explained what had happened. His father simply responded, "I'll come up there tomorrow after work." Shea's father lived 215 miles from him. His dad was going to drive up after driving a city bus for 10 hours. Shea's father arrived on his doorstep three hours after he had turned on his bus at the depot. He said hello, hugged his son, and walked back out to the driveway to have a look under the hood.

It took about 15 seconds. His father emerged from under the hood, looked at his son, returned his wrench to his toolbox, and walked past Shea to his own vehicle. "What's wrong? Did you not bring the right tools?" Shea asked. "We're done," his dad replied. "What's wrong with it?" "It's out of gas, son."

Shea's dad ate with his son, and headed home. Another 215 miles. 430 miles round trip after 10 hours of driving a bus. Seranno says his father didn't harass him or berate him that evening over dinner. He didn't even bring it up at all. As a matter of fact, nine years later, his father had still never mentioned the embarrassing incident again.

God doesn’t want to hurt us, and when we repent of our sins, we see our heavenly father run back to us eager to see us. Not to remind us of past mistakes but to declare that something dead is alive again.

I don’t know where your relationship is with your earthly father. He might have passed on to glory already, you may have had an amazing relationship with your dad, or there might be more you were always looking for from. No matter what your earthly father was like, we need to remember that we all have the same heavenly father, and even when we mess up, he wants to see us return to him! He wants it so bad that he will run to meet us if we turn to him.

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

[1] Roy B. Zuck, The Speaker’s Quote Book: Over 4,500 Illustrations and Quotations for All Occasions (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1997), 149.

[2] Lowell D. Streiker, Nelson’s Big Book of Laughter: Thousands of Smiles from A to Z, electronic ed. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000), 157.