The Parable of the Prodigal Son

Renouncing God

The Context…Jesus had just finished the

Parables of…

The Lost Sheep The Lost Coin

The Audience…

Pharisees and other Skeptics who…

could not understand that Jesus would eat with

“sinners”

The Characters…There are Three Characters…

The Younger Son The Older Son

The Father

The Parable is About…

God…

and how God Responds to Those Who Renounce Him

The Sin Of The Son

Luke 15:11-12 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.

The Sin Of The SonLuke 15:13

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.

He offends by publicly liquidating part of the family’s inheritance and

insulting his father  

The Misery The Prodigal Sinks Into

Luke 15:14 And when he had spent everything, a

severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.

He’s in need and there is no one who really cares for him –

especially when the money runs out 

The Misery The Prodigal Sinks Into Luke 15:15

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

pigs

He “glues himself” to a Gentile

The Misery The Prodigal Sinks Into

Luke 15:16-17 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!

The Audience… At this point in the story, Jesus’ audience

would have been drawn in and approving of the story –

they suspected that Jesus’ eating with tax collectors and sinners meant that he was

soft on sin.

… as this story unfolds they are happy to hear that Jesus does have a serious view

of sin and it’s misery.

The Son’s Solution To His Problem

Even though reduced to starvation – he still thinks he can work his way out of

his situation…  Luke 15:18-19

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.” ’

The Son’s Solution To His Problem

What is his plan? He wants to get his father to allow him to work off his debt

The Son’s Solution To His Problem

Did there appear to be a motive associated with honoring his father…. or was he simply trying to eat better?

Luke 15:17b “…How many of my father’s hired

servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!”

What Did the Son Really Do?

Luke 15:17

“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!

Revolutionary Teaching of this Parable

“He came to himself”..

does not mean he truly repented

coming to himself is not the same as being brought back by God

The Astounding Love Of The Father

Luke 15:20 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.

The Astounding Love Of The Father

The father does the unthinkable - he runs!

Luke 20:15his father saw him…and ran and embraced him and kissed

him.

The Son is….

Overwhelmed by the Love and Grace of the Father

Luke 15:18-19

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”

He never did say this…

The Astounding Love Of The Father

He keeps on kissing his son

The son is so moved, he does not complete his speech as he planned –

his plan to earn off his debt evaporates when he sees the father’s

love   

True Repentance…

Is when God --- by Grace --- overwhelms a person with Forgiveness and Love and

moves that person into fellowship with God

It is a Gift from God to You

The Astounding Love Of The Father

Luke 15:22 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.

The father restores him as a trusted son

The Astounding Love Of The Father

Luke 15:23 And bring the fattened calf and kill

it, and let us eat and celebrate. The father throws a party – he is filled

with joy and wants to share it with everyone! 

What This All Means For Prodigals And Other Sinners

Sin is worse than we think – it is running away and telling God “I wish you were

dead”

We must give up trying to fix it ourselves - it is deeply offensive to

God – it is a slandering of the work of His Son

What This All Means For Prodigals And Other Sinners

Repentance is not pleading with God for a second chance so that we can pay off

our debt and thus keep our dignity – it is collapsing on mercy alone…

in God’s Power

The deepest repentance comes from the freedom of full forgiveness

What This All Means For Prodigals And Other Sinners

Because of the Grace of God through Christ, we get…

the ring (trust)the robe (honor)

and the shoes (dignity) that we don’t deserve 

Selah….

We get to bask in the Father’s indescribable joy

We get the party and the fatted calf for the feast

 

Why?

2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to

be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become

the righteousness of God.

So What do we do now?

We Celebrate the Great Grace of God

through Christ!