THE PRODIGAL SON
Aug
25
Written by:
8/25/2011 12:00 AM
THE PRODIGAL SON
Aug. 21, 2011
(Luke 15:11 NIV) Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. (Luke 15:12 NIV) The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. (Luke 15:13 NIV) "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. (Luke 15:14 NIV) After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. (Luke 15:15 NIV) So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. (Luke 15:16 NIV) He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. (Luke 15:17 NIV) "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! (Luke 15:18 NIV) I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. (Luke 15:19 NIV) I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' (Luke 15:20 NIV) 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. (Luke 15:21 NIV) "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' (Luke 15:22 NIV) "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. (Luke 15:23 NIV) Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. (Luke 15:24 NIV) For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate. (Luke 15:25 NIV) "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. (Luke 15:26 NIV) So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. (Luke 15:27 NIV) 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' (Luke 15:28 NIV) "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. (Luke 15:29 NIV) 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. (Luke 15:30 NIV) But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' (Luke 15:31 NIV) "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. (Luke 15:32 NIV) 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.'"
The Prodigal Son is one of the best known of Jesus’ parables. Even in Japan many have heard the parable of the prodigal son. The parable of the prodigal son is also referred to as the parable of the lost son. It is the third of three parables of the lost that comprise the 15th Chapter of Luke. The first parable is about the lost sheep. Let`s take a quick look at the parable of the lost sheep. (Luke 15:4 NIV) "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? (Luke 15:5 NIV) And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders (Luke 15:6 NIV) and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' (Luke 15:7 NIV) 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.
In the second parable a woman had 10 coins and lost one. Let`s look at the parable. (Luke 15:8 NIV) "Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? (Luke 15:9 NIV) And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' (Luke 15:10 NIV) In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
In both parables we learn that there is great rejoicing in Heaven over each sinner that repents. The first parable concerns 100, the second 10 and the parable of the lost son concerns one person. Let`s take a closer look at the parable. It is about two sons. The younger son claims his inheritance and leaves his father and spends all his money in a distant country. A famine came upon the country and he became in great need. That brought him to his senses. (Luke 15:17 NIV) "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! (Luke 15:18 NIV) I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. (Luke 15:19 NIV) I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.'
The father ran out to greet his lost son that was returning. (Luke 15:20 NIV) 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. There was no condemnation towards the son that had returned. In fact his father had a celebration and feast prepared. However, the older son that had stayed with his father was very angry. (Luke 15:29 NIV) 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. (Luke 15:30 NIV) But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' Nevertheless, the father wanted to celebrate the return of his son. (Luke 15:31 NIV) "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. (Luke 15:32 NIV) 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.'"
In the parable the father represents our Heavenly Father. The lost son represents all sinners. The older son that stayed home may have represented the Pharisees of Jesus time. They did not like to see Jesus receive sinners. The older son may have also represented religious people of today that do not have a true relationship with our Heavenly Father.
The question we should consider about the parable of the prodigal son is which person do you represent? (1) Are you like the rebellious younger son that was lost and far from God? (2) Are you like the self-righteous older son that did not rejoice when a sinner returned to God? (3) Or are you like the servants that celebrated the return of the lost son? If we are lost and confess our sins like the younger son there will be great rejoicing in Heaven. (Luke 15:10 NIV) In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."