Divine Disposition

Luke 15:11-32

Intro:

Have you ever doubted the character or goodness of God? We all have! Circumstances of life, heartache, prevalent evil, and even our own sinful tendencies can cause us to question God’s disposition toward us. Such is the case w/ both of these sons, neither really knew his father. The emphasis of this parable seems to fall more on the prodigal son (for so it is named) than it does the father; yet, Jesus told the parable to illustrate who God is. Jesus’ listeners probably expected the younger son to get what he deserved for his treasonous actions. Moralists considered squandering very evil. But Jesus told parables to not only illustrate the kingdom of God, and the end-times, but also the character of God. Several of the parables challenge conventional ways of understanding God and thereby encourage the reinterpretation of who God is and how God works in the world. Remember, parables are for the purpose of illuminating and revealing what can’t actually be seen.

Message

Love and Grace

The motif of salvation by faith alone comes to the clearest articulation in the parable of the prodigal son.

No one has ever done anything so egregious that he/she can’t be forgiven.

No one is has sunken so far that the long arm of God’s grace can’t reach you.

This younger son’s selfish and malevolent act could not even alter his father’s love much less annihilate it.

Every human being who walks away from the grace of God does so in the face of more love than he/she will ever know or understand.

It was love that urged this father to give his younger son what he wanted, even though the father himself knew of its detrimental affects.

God knew the evil that would befall Israel when they asked for a king to lead them, but He gave them what they wanted anyway.

When love gives freedom, it must, by constraint, honor that freedom.

Love Exemplified

I. He Cared for his sons.

A. Real love is unalterable.

(1) B/c it’s not predicated on emotions or feelings.

(2) It is rather an inward disposition predicated on choice.

(3) The father had to be looking for him everyday b/c he saw him coming from a long distance.

(4) Love is a verb. 73% of the time love is in the NT, it is a verb.

B. Real love is altruistic.

(1) Evidenced by the father running and falling on his son, kissing him.

(2) A grown man running in antiquity was disgraceful.

(3) Jesus was shamed for us.

(4) Rom 15:1-3 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.”

(5) Heb 13:13 So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.

II. He had Compassion for his son.

A. Is Tender

(1) Compassion (σπλαγχνιζομαι) The exact nature and form of this verb is that it can’t help but feel compassion. It describes a profound emotional response to another’s need.

(2) Ancients believed the seat of the emotions was the viscera, which is the internal parts--the stomach, the heart, the lungs, the spleen, the kidneys, and the liver.

(3) The word is also used for the intestines. The cognate noun of this word is σπλαγχνα.

(4) Acts 1:18 Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out.

(5) This verb is used almost exclusively of Jesus or in reference to God.

(6) The only place it is used of one other than Jesus or as an inference to God is in Luke 10:33 where the Samaritan had compassion on the victim lying in the road half-dead.

(7) Some contend that in His sovereignty, God has compassion for some but not others.

(8) Their premise lies in Ex. 33:19, which Paul then quotes in Romans 9:15. He will have compassion & mercy (future) on whom He has compassion & mercy (present).

(9) This just simply implies that God's mercy and compassion is not on all and will not be on all, but that He will be compassionate and merciful to those He has compassion and mercy for.

(10) Why? B/c some reject Him. The father had compassion for his wayward son but had the son not humbled himself and came home, he would never have experienced it.

(11) God has NEVER turned anyone away who earnestly, humbly sought His compassion.

(12) The father’s compassion on his son was not b/c of the son’s humility and confession when he came home; it was b/c the father was already compassionate.

B. Takes on the burden of another

(1) Jesus took and bore what we could not.

(2) Matt 8:17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases.”

(3) Putting the “best robe” (the father’s) on him was protecting the son from the ire and judgment of the people.

III. He Celebrated his son.

A. Extravagant

(1) This calf was the calf they had been fattening for a special occasion.

(2) Meat was not usually eaten at meals; so this is an indication of how special this dinner was.

(3) The calf would have been big enough to feed the whole village; this would have been a big party!

(4) People have always celebrated around food.

B. Exuberant

(1) The father didn’t even hear when the son asked to be a servant b/c of his joy.

(2) When we go to God confessing our sins and we gravel before Him; He pays no attention to it rejoicing that we have come.

(3) V. 32 says they had to both celebrate and rejoice.

(4) It reminds me of that great celebration yet to come:

(5) Rev 19:7 “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”