Yes, I know you’ve heard the story before. But I guarantee you will get something new out of it!

The Prodigal Son

Luke 15:

11 And He said, "A man had two sons.

You know when Jesus tells a parable, you need to apply it to your Christian life. Obviously, the Father is God, and the sons are children. That means this is a parable only for believers.

12 "The younger of them said to his father, "Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.' So he divided his wealth between them.

Here’s something you can put in your useless information pile. Under Jewish law, the second son would get 1/3 of the estate, and the first son would get 2/3.

Deuteronomy 21:17

17 "But he shall acknowledge the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of his strength; to him belongs the right of the firstborn.

Notice that the son accepted the blessings of the Father, but at the same time turned his back on Him. God doesn’t violate our free will, and make us stay in His plan for our lives.

13 "And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.

Loose living is the Greek word ASOTOS, which means lacking moral restraint, indulging in sensual pleasures, reckless and wasteful. But it doesn’t say exactly what he did. This is important for later!

14 "Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished.

Having forsaken his father, he can only find poverty, misery, and famine! Apart from God, you will eventually end up in dire need!

15 "So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

I’ll fix it myself! I’ll get a new job!

16 "And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him.

This shows the depths to which a person can sink without God. His dreams of freedom, and the reality that followed, were just a little different! Remember, swine were considered disgustingly unclean to the Jews that Jesus was telling this story to.

17 "But when he came to his senses, he said, "How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!

Times of distress often lead to self-examination. They are often used by God to bring about repentance or a change in people’s lives. The first step toward true repentance is the realization of the hopelessness and helplessness we have.

You must recognize that a life of doing what you want apart from the Father offers only destruction and misery, while life with the Father offers happiness and prosperity.

18 "I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight;

19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men."'

What is the Father doing? He’s waiting for the son to return. Whether we are worthy or not does not change whether we are sons or not! Of course we’re not worthy!

When the son says, “treat me like a servant,” he’s really insulting God. God doesn’t want to treat you based on what you deserve:

Matthew 7:11

11 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

20 "So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

Father had been watching and waiting; He saw the son coming from a long way off. He didn’t meet His son with an “I told you so,” or ask what all sins he had committed, but treated him like he never went away!

21 "And the son said to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

22 "But the father said to his slaves, "Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet;

Notice that the Father cuts off the speech before the son can even say “make me a servant.”

This is what happens when you acknowledge your sin, and return to God – immediate restoration and fellowship! The sins are NOT brought up here! God doesn’t punish the son for his sins, but simply rejoices that he’s back!

23 and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate;

24 for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate.

The son wanted to make it up to the Father, and be a servant, but the father wouldn’t let him pay for his sins! The family relationship was PERMANENT, and survived the son leaving.

Many times when we sin, we want to make it up to God. But the only thing our Father wants us to do is RETURN! That’s what causes the celebration. No matter what your sin is, or how long you’ve been gone, the Father is always watching from far away, waiting for you to return.

Tomorrow we’ll learn a lesson from the response of the older son.