We are looking at Luke 15:11-32 this morning and the story of the prodigal son.
The point
. . . of this parable is easy enough to discern. The verses right before it set the context for understanding it: Luke 15:1-2 says, “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.’”
- Jesus is receiving and eating with repentant sinners; people who have intentionally disregarded God and knowingly done what was wrong.
- The Pharisees do not approve of this; people who have tried to keep God’s will.
This is the situation that is being dealt with in the whole of Luke chapter 15.
Then in Luke 15:3-10 come the twin parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin – which comment on this situation. Yes, there are those who are not lost – the 99 sheep and the 9 coins, but when the one that was lost is found there is rejoicing. Even rejoicing in heaven among the angels.
Then in our text we have:
- The younger son’s repentance which is celebrated
- And the elder son, who grumbles about this
So, you can see how these all line up, and what corresponds to what:
So all these parables refer back to the situation of Jesus and the Pharisees and comment on it.
The point of our parable, then, is that it is right to welcome and celebrate sinners who repent.
- The father celebrates his son’s repentance. In vs. 23-24 he said, “Bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.”
- The father tells his older son that it is right to do this. In v. 32 he said, “It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.”
Now, beyond this central point – there is much that we can learn from this parable about repentance, and we have looked at it in this light.
There is also something to learn about how those who have sought to be faithful and have been serving God for years, should be welcoming to repentant sinners, and rejoice for them, despite their years of sin and failure.
And there is also much to be learned about God’s love. And this is our focus today. And to get to this, first we look at . .
The love of the father in this parable
He is actually the central figure of the story. It begins and ends with him, and he is the thread that holds the two parts together, first with his younger son and then his elder son. So lets look at his love:
1. The father’s love endures rejection. His son’s request was highly unusual, indeed insulting to the father. You only get your inheritance when your father is dead! And so the son is, as it were, treating his father as if he is already dead. And he just wants his money. He doesn’t care about his father, only what he can get out of him.
But the father grants his wish. V. 12 – says “he divided his property between them,” that is the two sons.
2. The father’s love accepts his son when he repents. Even though the father knew his son was wasting his own hard earned resources and squandering his good gifts . . ..
Even though he knew that his son was debasing himself:
- using the money on prostitutes (v. 30)
- sinking to the lowest possible point for a Jew, caring for pigs which are unclean animals
- and being so hungry that he longed for their food . . ..
Even with all this, when the father saw his son coming v. 20 says,
- he “felt compassion”
- he “ran and embraced him”
- he “kissed him”
This kind of display of affection was unusual in this cultural context. It shows the intensity of his love for his son. And this despite all that his son had done wrong.
The father’s love survived all the insult and pain and was there waiting for him as he returned from far away and from his foolishness. It was waiting to accept him.
3. The fathers’ love is full of mercy. He gives him so much more than he deserves, given all that he has done. V. 22 speaks of . . .
- “the best robe”
- “a ring” (a symbol of authority)
- and “shoes”
All of these items speak to a certain social status. The father is proclaiming him to be his son and not a servant. (The son had only hoped to be accepted back as a servant).
And then the father welcomes him with a party – v. 23. The fattened calf is brought out, reserved only for the most special of occasions.
4. The father’s love is patient with the elder brothers grumbling. The elder son objected to the party. In fact, he insults his father by not taking part. Even though the father pleaded with him.
Yet the father is patient and only gently rebukes him. He says in v. 32, “It was fitting to celebrate and be glad . . ..” The father is saying, ‘He’s your brother! And something amazingly good has just happened.’
5. The father’s love rewards the faithful service of his elder son. In v. 31 he says to his elder son who has worked for him so long and so hard, “Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours.”
This shows us again that sin has consequences. The younger son’s inheritance was still all gone. But the point here is that the father honors faithfulness. Everything the father has is his elder son’s. He is blessed for his faithfulness.
Our heavenly Father’s love for us
Now, the father in this parable certainly represents to us our heavenly Father. So let’s see what we can learn from him about the love of God:
1. God’s love endures our rejection of him. So often we dishonor God by making our own choices that go against God and God’s way. But yet, like the prodigal son, we want what we can get out of God. When we get in trouble or there is an emergency we call for God’s help.
But despite our all this, our heavenly father’s love for us endures.
2. God’s love accepts us when we repent. No matter how much we have rejected God, no matter how much we have debased ourselves, no matter how much we have squandered God’s gifts to us – when we come to our senses and come to him in repentance – God is there to welcome us with affection and love.
3. God’s love is full of mercy to us. Our heavenly father gives us so much more than we deserve. When we come in repentance –
- He blesses us with gifts
- He calls us his children
- and there is rejoicing in heaven
None of which we deserve.
4. God’s love is patient with us when we grumble. Although we all live out the prodigal son’s story to some degree, since we understand that we have all sinned against God, we can also all find ourselves in the place of the elder son.
Perhaps you were raised as a Christian, or at least you’ve been a Christian for many years – serving God and seeking to do what is right.
And we become proud and un-accepting of those who have lived truly sinful lifestyles for years. All the attention and fuss that is made over them. We’ve been toiling in silence for years!
Yet God lovingly and gently admonishes us to rejoice with those who have come to their senses; to welcome them.
5. God’s love rewards us for faithful service. God’s grace to those who have wasted so much of their lives in sin, will not cheat anyone out of God’s blessings. No one needs to fret or be upset.
If we have truly been faithful, God will be faithful to bless us for all that we do for him.
So we learn much about God’s love to us in this parable – when we are walking in sin, when we come to God in repentance and when we are faithful as well. God loves us with an amazing love!
William Higgins
Christian teaching 