Stories Jesus Told Part 4

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Today we continue our series of messages titled Stories Jesus Told. We have been looking at the parables of Jesus and how he used them to teach his disciples truths. In many instances, the parables confused the religious leaders and made them mad as well.
Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 13:
Matthew 13:16–17 NIV
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
He has given believers a gift to understand and see truths of God that many have longed for in the past. As we read God’s Word pray that God would reveal and make real the truths spoken.
Today, we are going to read one of the more well know parables Jesus taught and hopefully we’ll gain a greater understanding of the love the Father has for us. Turn with me to Luke 15. I am going to start in verse 1.
Luke 15:1–2 NIV
1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
This concept of keeping sinners out and disassociating themselves from them was a common practice. People were outcast for many reasons and the religious leaders had no problem with that, but as we’ll see, Jesus has a major issue with this line of thinking. He goes on to tell 3 parables that speak against this practice.
Luke 15:3–7 NIV
3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
The first is about a lost sheep. This lost animal is very important and until it is found the shepherd does not stop. So it is will a sinner who repents. There is greater joy over a repentant sinner than a person who doesn’t need to repent.
Then he continues with the parable of the lost coin:
Luke 15:8–10 NIV
8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
I think we can all relate to this. We’ve lost something and until we find it, we don’t stop. When we do find it, we celebrate. So it is with a repentant sinner. Remember these parables are told in response to the Pharisees and scribes talking bad about Jesus hanging out with “sinners”.
Then he tells one more…a much longer parable and one that many are familiar with. So many paintings have been painted depicting this parable
Rembrant:
DiDCianni:
Bartolome Esteban Murillo
There have been TV shows by that name, Plays have been written, longer books and stories have been written all with this parable as the basis.
Let’s continue reading
Luke 15:11–12 NIV
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
The son says give me my share, and then the father divided his property...
In the Greek, these are 2 different words for “property”. The son is asking for wealth, while the father divides his life or livelihood. It is a reference to all that the father is. When someone passes, the items left from the life are divided up among the heirs. This was a unusual situation that this division of assets would happen while the father was still alive.
In telling the parable, Jesus doesn’t tell us what the father was thinking or how the father felt about this. In the culture of his time, this did not need much explaining. There was a respect giving to the patriarch of the family and for a son to request this was a major disrespect. It would have also reflected poorly on the father and the family as a whole. Nevertheless, the father granted the sons request.
Luke 15:13–16 NIV
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
When rebellion happens, sometimes it takes getting to a low point before we truly see the condition we are in. We can get so busy fulfilling the needs of our flesh that we lose sight of where we’ve ended up.
I think one of the things we often neglect as believers is the self examination that we did during communion time. Hopefully you were able to see areas in your life where you were starving for the spiritual nourishment that you’ve missed because we’ve walked away from the Father’s table.
The son hits a low spot and then...
Luke 15:17–20 NIV
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
When you realize you are hungry for what the Father has, get up and go to the Father.
Remember in the previous parable, he talks about a sinner repenting and it being the cause of rejoicing and celebrating in heaven. This is the moment of that change. The son is repentant and humbled.
As he is travelling home, the father meets him...
Luke 15:20–21 NIV
20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
Now if this were a Hallmark movie, which it is not, this would be the tissue scene. There is always that one scene that tugs on the heart strings and causes the eyes to water just a little.
Imagine it…the father continually keeps watch in the direction his son would come, expecting, hopeful that the son would return. And he is ready when he does. The father runs to him, embraces him and kisses him.
The Son planned what he was going to say, but the father was just as prepared. He knew that when his son returned, he would hug him and kiss him. He is rejoicing in the fact that his son returned.
The son wasted no time. He confesses and then accepts a low position back in the household. If there is one issue that I see in general with the way things are in the world is the sense of entitlement that exists. There is no repentance, there’s justification and then expecting no consequence. This son not only expected a consequence, but accepted it.
It is so easy to see this in others, but we must guard ourselves against the self-righteousness that Jesus is preaching against here. It is so easy to miss this in ourselves if we are not intentional about rooting it out ourselves.
Luke 15:22–24 NIV
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
The father continues the rejoicing and throws a feast to celebrate. I’ve imagine myself in the shoes of the prodigal at this point. You smell like pig, you’re hungry and you feel terrible about the things you’ve done. Other than the smelling like pig part, I can relate.
I’m not sure how I would have reacted to this situation if it were me. I don’t deserve a feast. I don’t deserve the ring or robe or sandals. Let me just take my place as the lowest servant. Just give me scraps, because that is what I deserve. I don’t deserve the best, yet that is what the father had for him.
Then the older son finds out what is happening....
Luke 15:25–30 NIV
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
I think we are all wired a bit like the older son. We just want what’s fair. If I’ve done all the right things and someone who hasn’t gets good stuff we think we should have gotten, then we can get a little huffy about it and say…That’s not fair! If you’ve got a sibling or more than one child that is close in age, you know what I’m talking about.
But the father had his reasons...
Luke 15:31–32 NIV
31 “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”
First he says that every I have is yours…The rest of the possessions that are left belong to the older son. The division of property already happened. The older son could have had a goat if he wanted…but this was about what was missing...
The brother was lost. He was on the wrong path…the father says that he was dead, but now as a result of repentance, he is alive again. That is worth celebrating.
Jesus is saying to these religious leaders: Back off. You are just like this older son. You toil away and are faithful, but you miss the point. It isn’t about shunning those who are sinners, it is about making room for sinners to repent. That is the heart of the Father.
He’ll let us chose our path and if by grace we end up in a pig pen, we might see the error of our path and turn away and repent. When we do, the Father is there to greet us. To run out to the road and hug us, to tells us we are loved. To celebrate with us that we’ve come home.
If you are the younger son and you find yourself in a pig pen of your own making…you think that you don’t deserve anything good, you’re right…you don’t, but Jesus. Jesus died on the cross and rose again that we might be saved from our sin. He asks that we repent and believe. We don’t deserve it, but he welcomes us because of his great love.
I am so grateful we are a church that welcomes people in. I have seen people who thought they had no business being in church gone come and find a home here. I pray for more to come. I pray that we would also go.
I want to leave a few moments to reflect. Here are some questions to ask as you pray quietly:
God are there areas in my life where I am the prodigal? Reveal them to me that I might repent.
God who are the prodigals around me that can tell about this love you have?
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