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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.
1/3 of the estate. According to Jewish law.
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. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
wreckless living....
famine
Deep need.
Got a job feeding pigs.
eat pig food.
NO ONE GAVE HIM ANYTHING. (only the Father that ever gave him anything!)
17 “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! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’ 20 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.
Came to His senses. could be an idiom for coming to a place of repentance.
21 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.’ 22 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. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
Note, the son’s confession was never completed....
The father interrupts, brings out the robe the ring, the sandals.... indicating this son was more than a son!
Robe… given to a guest of honor.
Ring- signified deep authority.
Sandals- not a slave, a free man.
25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 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.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 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. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”
The older son was not present when the party began, so he was not aware of it.
Perhaps he was busy, or perhaps, unlike his father who kept looking for his son.... this brother had a distant relationship with botht he father and the brother.
He becomes angry and won’t go in.
The father comes out and pleaded with him to come into the party.
30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’
This son of yours… hmmm.Note, he won’t acknowledge his own brother....
look at how the father corrects him in Luke 15.32
32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”
This brother of yours… hmmm.
The older brother was not only criticizing the younger brother… he was criticizing the father as well.
Look at Luke 15.31
The Father uses words of affirmation… it was necessary to celebrate. It is not only a necessity, it was urgent.
Let’s talk. Where did the younger son go?
A far country. Note, the far country doesn’t involve miles it involves attitude. It involves the heart.
Southwest Airlines- Wanna Get Away.
The younger son wanted a far country, but it was really a place away from home. Away from his father. Away from his brother. Away. He did wanna get away.
In context… the sheep was lost through foolishness. He lost the sheep.
The coin was lost through carelessness.... it was misplaced.
But the younger son, he was lost through willfulness… His own will put him on the road to being lost.
He wanted his own way, rebelling against his father and breaking his father’s heart in the process.
It was his will.
The older brother had a will too.... but....
The older brother. I am not going to dwell on this character today, though I could. Let’s get him out of the way quickly… Read Luke 10:25-28
25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”
Love God. Love your brother or neighbor.
The older brother could not do this.
A key point on this brother. He would not forgive his brother.
but he also wouldn’t forgive his father.
And while the older brother did do his father’s will… he was a hard worker and faithful… he did it out of obligation and not out of love.. it wasn’t in his heart, it was in his head. He was a lot like Jonah.
This older son was angry.... at his brother.... but also at his father.
he wouldn’t go into the house or the celebration.
There are plenty of elder brothers in the world. They refuse to fellowship, celebrate, or forgive. And they usually are curmudgeons for their efforts.
The Prodigal
The Prodigal
Wasteful. wasteful of what? His inheritance… his father’s love....perhaps his father’s forgiveness.
Wasteful. The obvious meaning is his father’s inheritance, or money. Why?
He wanted more. We know that by what he does.
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.
More things, this his things could buy.
He valued things more than people (his family).
He valued pleasure more than responsibility (the family farm.)
He valued there ( a distant country) more than here (his family).
In Luke 12 there is an argument between two brothers over their inheritance. Look at the bomb Jesus drops in the middle of the conversation in Luke 12.15
15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Beware of covetousness.... why?
The covetous person will never be satisfied.
No matter how much he/she obtains, their heart will be dissatisfied.
A dissatisfied heart will bring a disappointed life.
The Prodigal
The Prodigal
You Can’t Enjoy What You Have If You Ignore The One Who Has You
You Can’t Enjoy What You Have If You Ignore The One Who Has You
This prodigal (wasteful) son was dissatisfied in his heart and it gave him a dissatisfied life.
Dissatisfied with a place to live a family to love and a life to live. So he left.
New scenery.
New people.
New life.
And he became miserable.
Do You Wanna Get Away? Have You Ever?
Pastors who move.
Husbands who leave.
Fathers who check out.
Wives who give up.
Children who run.
Christians who fall.
Church people who walk.
We are all prodigals in some way.
The perfect church doesn’t exist; the perfect spouse does not exist; the perfect family has not yet been created; whatever it is that you may leave for, it isn’t there.
so many people in the above situations say, “God wants me to be happy.” Well, show me the verse. Because I don’t think he said that- you did. God wants us to be faithful.
But our spiritual adhd sends us forth to the far country, whatever that is.
In the far country, the prodigal found misery.
And like the prodigal, we look for meaning and find misery.
it has to do with the will.
The will of the prodigal. What the prodigal wasted was not his father’s money- it was his father’s love. It was there all the time, but he didn’t see it.
There is the will of the father, and the will of the son. The father wanted the son safe at home- but he never interfered or took away from the son’s autonomy, the ability to determine for himself- to have his own will.
And the son, wanted everything but what he already had. And that will- that will, is the thing we call sin.
You see sin promises us some sort of freedom, but it really brings slavery. Jesus said, in John 8.34
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
The boy went looking for himself, but he lost himself and that which he already had.
But his father really loved him.
God’s love will not save you. Say that one more time. God’s love will not save you.
God loves the whole world, everyone that ever existed… but not all will be saved.
By grace are you saved through faith…grace saves.
God’s grace saves, and grace is God’s love that pays the price.
The father had infinite love, and he used it to pay for a robe aring and some sandals.
God has infinite love, and he used it to die for our sins.
When the prodigal left- he found misery.
When the prodigal returned- he found mercy.
And mercy is what we need. And it’s already ours, no need to leave the ranch. We just need to open our eyes and see it.