The Prodigal Child, also known as the parable of the lost son, is a biblical parable found in Luke 15. The word Parable finds its roots in the Greek verb παραβάλλω – “to throw by the side of, to compare”. Gabel & Wheeler (1990:189) write: “The parable originally was a brief story that used details from ordinary life to illustrate a moral point, like the parable of the two house builders in Matthew 7:24-27, and it was an effective teaching device because it put things in terms that people could understand and made them easy to remember.” The Lord Jesus has often made use of parables in His teachings as illustrative device to reveal in simple relatable terms the complex and difficult concepts of divine truth.
It is therefore imperative for us to discern the divine revelations the Lord Jesus Christ is conveying in this parable in order for us to grow spiritually.
Luke 15:11-24 - English Standard Version (ESV)
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. 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[a] 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. 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. 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.
The text can rightly be divided into 2 major sections:
1. The lost son – Vv. 11-20a;
2. The loving and compassionate father – Vv. 20b-24;
In Jesus’ days, faith and communion with God was earned at great expense because of the ever expanding laws that the religious leaders of that time imposed on all sincere seekers (Matthew 23:1-36). This situation certainly distorted the general public view of who God truly was. It had probably created an image of a distant and far removed entity that had no peculiar interest in human condition and suffering and was not concerned about human affairs, because He was far too Holy and Transcendent.
Through this parable, the Lord Jesus Christ comes to dispel this myth and reveal unto His direct audience and the believers of today that Our God is in fact a loving father who is keenly aware of our fallen condition and He longs to see us promptly turn to Him for mercy and the salvation of our souls. God is more interested in saving people from all walks of life without distinctions, rather than damning and condemning mankind without a genuine opportunity of reconciliation and restoration.
The above is indeed the truth explicitly revealed in the first 2 parables of Luke 15 – Joy in heaven over one sinner repenting. The third parable carries on the exact same truth.
Let us turn to our text now – Luke 15: 11-24.
Vv. 11 - 20a: The lost son
- HIS ARROGANCE:
When Jesus told this parable, He was fully aware of the laws of inheritance for the Jews (Deut.21:15-17; Numbers 27:8-11). According to these scriptures, in order to speak of inheritance the master of a household (father) must be dead or in a physical condition that prevents him to continue to provide effective leadership for his household. The law also stated that first male born (heir of a family) always received a double portion of the inheritance in comparison to his brothers. In this tradition, a father ruled as a little king over his household; a rebellious child was punishable of death (Deut.21:18-21).
The younger son in our parable here presented himself before his living and healthy father and demanded to be given his portion of the inheritance. This was an open act of rebellion against his father. Doesn’t this ring a bell in your mind? Open rebellion against authority! This is exactly the state of the human heart in relation to God, isn’t it?
The arrogant belief that we can do well all by ourselves… that we don’t need someone in the sky dictating what we can or can’t do. Humanity today is characterized by a complete lack of reverence for God. Mankind in general wishes to have nothing to do with God anymore. This rebellious disposition is the direct result of the fall (Gen.3). Man expresses in every way possible a total rejection of God, His word and His authority.
- HIS FALL:
Back to our text, the actions of the younger son were punishable of death. Yet the good father does not fight with him. He gives him what he asked for. This very much rings a bell with Romans 1:18ff. When we insist on having our way, God will ultimately abandon us to the self-destructing desires of our hearts.
In a short span of time, the prodigal son sells all the goods he was given as an inheritance and takes off with his newly acquired wealth to a far remote region away from the presence of his father. There, he wasted away all his fortune in careless living. This child who was royalty in every way found himself in the field with pigs deeply longing for what theses filthy animals were feeding on. [This is exactly what sin does to us dear friends. It removes us from the palace unto a pig’s life]
- HIS REPENTANCE:
V.17 “…he came to himself…” O how I wish that many of us will come to ourselves today as we read through this sermon! How I wish that many in 2018 will come to themselves and realize that Jesus is all they need. Not another romantic relation, not more money, not another church, not another Job, not another country but simply Jesus. Let us come to ourselves and realize how low we have fallen!
The younger son realized how great his sin was that with much remorse he acknowledged that he wasn’t even worthy to be called the son of his father anymore (V.19). A broken heart! This is what should accompany every act of repentance. When last did you really have a broken heart over your sins and rebellious attitude toward God, His word and the church?
Vv. 20b-24: The loving and compassionate father
- THE FATHER-GOD’S HEART REVEALED (Profound compassion and mercy):
Just like our Heavenly Father waits eagerly on us to turn from our wicked ways and to come back to Him with truly broken hearts, the father in the parable was always on the lookout, awaiting the return of his rebellious child. In V.20b we read: “…the father saw him and was moved with pity… he ran and embraced him…”
CAUTION - When the Bible says that God loves sinners, it does not mean that He is pleased with them or that He approves of their ways. He finds pleasure and great joy only in the righteous. But his love toward sinners is expressed in compassion and mercy. So the father took pity upon his son because he loved him dearly and it broke his heart to see him in the condition he was.
There are two key reasons why the father ran toward the returning son.
First, moved with compassion he couldn’t resist from running to his son who had found reason and was returning home.
Secondly, it was a protective move because this son was punishable of death for what he had done. If any other person of this area had recognized him and gotten to him first, his death sentencing would have been inevitable. So before anyone could get to him, the father made sure to get to him first and he kissed him, assuring his son that he did not come up to him in judgment. He was rather offering mercy, forgiveness, and restoration.
So, what is Jesus revealing unto us in this parable? Our Heavenly Father to this day earnestly awaits the return of all rebellious children into His loving arms (2Tim.2:4; 4:9-10).
God continuously seeks out repentant sinners, and He rejoices greatly every time a rebellious soul runs into His loving arms through His SON JESUS – the way, the truth and the life.
Indeed, it is in Jesus alone that the Justice of God is satisfied and His Joy is made complete.
CONCLUSION
Vv.22-24 we encounter again the theme of celebration like in the previous two parables.
The young brother had done a despicable thing. He dishonored not only the father, but the entire family by putting them in great financial risk. He had no right to come back! He had nothing more to get from his father. He took all that was his and wasted it. Just like many of us are wasting the precious breath of Life God has given us. Instead of honoring Him with our lives, we are choosing to waste it in futilities and degrading behaviors. Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart. Return immediately for He will not cast you away! He said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. The God that we serve is a God of second, third, etc… chance.
It doesn’t matter what you did, how you did it, where you did it or how long you have done it. Should you come to yourself today and turn to God with a truly broken and repentant heart, He will restore you.
APPEAL:
Are you a rebellious child who realizes that you have been rejecting God’s authority over your life? GOD is eagerly waiting on you to come home. Seek Him with all your heart (2Chrn.7:13-14; John 3:16; Rom.10:8-13).
