United Church of God

The Prodigal Son

You are here

The Prodigal Son

Downloads
MP3 Audio (9.38 MB)

Downloads

The Prodigal Son

MP3 Audio (9.38 MB)
×

Christ never wasted words Luke 15 - Three parables in this chapter not just the prodigal son. 3-7 lost one sheep and left 99 to go and find it 8-9 woman lost coin and then found it Lost son who returns Three great celebrations - over the top celebrations The joy of God Luk 15:7  I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. Luk 15:10  Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."   Break it down and draw from each verse Luk 15:1  Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. Tax collectors were looked on as lowest of low. Jews hated the Roman occupation. Pharisees and Scribes looked on them as unclean. Luk 15:2  And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them." Luk 15:3  So He spoke this parable to them, saying: Luk 15:4  "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? Luk 15:5  And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. Luk 15:6  And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' Luk 15:7  I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. Who doesn't need repentance? Scribes and Pharisees did not see themselves as needing this. Luk 15:5  And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. Luk 15:6  And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' God says they are His sheep not anyone else's. God joy. He instigated it. He has found His sheep that He has lost. 1% of the sheep are important. Luk 15:8  "Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? Luk 15:9  And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!' 10% of the coin are important. Peasants only had minimal wealth. Luk 15:10  Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." God keeps His eyes on us and we are important to Him. Lost human being referred to in vs 1, it is not too late. Everyone is important. Christ came to reveal the Father the way He is, not the way we think He is. Charles Dickens stated that the Prodigal Son was the best short story that was ever written. Three stages of a short story, beginning, middle, end. Prodigal son stages: Sick of Home Home sick Home Luk 15:11  Then He said: "A certain man had two sons. Christ's audience was made up of Middle Eastern people. The Father was the supreme authority of the family. Held in high esteem and great honor. The resembled the authority of God the Father.  2000 years ago to a Middle Eastern family. Rich man, village elder of the town, held in utmost respect in family and community. Dressed nice sitting in the gates and addressing problems. Luk 15:12  And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.' So he divided to them his livelihood. Livelihood not inheritance. Father would have had to have sold some of the assets. Give me is a disrespectful way of asking, demanding, could have called son out and stoned him for this action. Father would have taken him to the gate and slapped him in the face and said you are dead to me. He would have sent him away. Luk 15:13  And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. prodigal  adjective adjective prodigal spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant. wasteful extravagant spendthrift profligateimprovident imprudent having or giving something on a lavish scale. generous lavish liberal unstinting unsparingbounteous noun noun prodigal plural noun prodigals a person who spends money in a recklessly extravagant way. a person who leaves home and behaves recklessly, but later makes a repentant return. Left to a far country,  Gentile country where he would have been allowed to  participate in many things he would not have been exposed to in his country. Luk 15:14  But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. He went from having plenty to being in want. Probably for basic necessities of food, shelter, clothing. In Judea God had provided for the poor. Farmers did not cut the field all the way to the edges. The poor were able to glean in the fields. Luk 15:15  Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. Joined means glued. He glued himself to a gentile. His life was at stake. He was as far away from the city as he could be. Probably living in a lean-to out in the field. Christ could have cast the demons into any animal but He used a herd of swine. This tells us what Christ thought of these animals. Luk 15:16  And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. Luk 15:17  "But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! Defining moment - if he didn't do anything, he would die. He was at that point when he says there has to be more to life than this. Which son are we? Are we the son that needs to return to God or are we the self-righteous older one? Two characteristics that humans have: Run from God or be self-righteous and there is no need to change. Luk 15:18  I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, He acknowledges that he had sinned against God in heaven. Luk 15:19  and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants." ' He knows it will be very humbling and humiliating to go before his father. He knows that if his father doesn't take him back, he has nowhere else to go. There are so many people out there that have no hope. He went from an attitude of make me to let me be a servant. Luk 15:20  "And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.  A Middle Eastern respected man would never run. His father had seen him a far way off because he was looking for him, everyday. The embrace meant full acceptance. He kissed this pig smelly, dirty son. His father was his only hope. This is how God views us, stinky , filthy. But when we repent and turn to God, He runs to us. Christ came to reveal the Father. This is the kind of Father that we have. Luk 15:21  And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.' Christ wanted to show that if He was willing to die for the worst that He would die for everyone. This son had true repentance. Luk 15:22  "But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. The ring was a signet for the family. His father was returning him to the family. Servants didn't wear sandals. Luk 15:23  And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; Common meals were goat or sheep or fish.  Calves were saved for special events. The boy probably thought, Am I really that important? Some have turned away from God's truth and have returned and some who are thinking about it. This is a very encouraging parable. Luk 15:24  for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry. This father thought his son was dead. The Scribes and Pharisees were probably shaking their heads. They were thinking that this son should have been beaten down and made to repay the disrespect. Luk 15:25  "Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. This is when Christ draws the Pharisees into the story. They are the same as the older son. Luk 15:26  So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. Kept himself segregated from all that was happening and sent someone else in. Luk 15:27  And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.' How did the older son respond? Luk 15:28  "But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. His father tried to get him to see and understand the importance of this event. Luk 15:29  So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. Never - is a self-righteous attitude. He mocked his father. Luk 15:30  But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.' Son of yours means that his brother is still dead to him. Luk 15:31  "And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. Luk 15:32  It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.' "   It is right for us to rejoice. There has been a big change in your brother.   Father - Spiritual Father Younger son - returning to Christ Older son - greater percent of the human race   Which of the son's are we? Examine ourselves, coming to a defining moment. We need to have the attitude that the younger son had. We need to see something that is still there. True repentance.