This chapter is based on Luke 15:11-32.
Luke 15:11 Then He said: “A certain man had two sons.
Luke 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.
Luke 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.
Luke 15:14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.
Luke 15:15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
Luke 15:16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
Luke 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!
Luke 15:18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,
Luke 15:19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ‘
Luke 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.
Luke 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.’
Luke 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.
Luke 15:23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;
Luke 15:24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
Luke 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.
Luke 15:26 So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
Luke 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.’
Luke 15:28 “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.
Luke 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.
Luke 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.’
Luke 15:31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.
Luke 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.’ ”
The parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son, bring out in distinct lines God’s pitying love for those who are straying from Him.
Although they have turned away from God, He does not leave them in their misery. He is full of kindness and tender pity toward all who are exposed to the temptations of the artful foe.
How are you and I looking at the lost sinners, the rapists, the murderess? What thoughts do we entertain to those who robbed us so many many times?
LOST SON
In the parable of the prodigal son is presented the Lord’s dealing with those who have once known the Father’s love, but who have allowed the tempter to lead them captive at his will.
Let us carefully and prayerfully read the inspired words of Jesus:
Luke 15:11 Then He said: “A certain man had two sons.
Luke 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.
Luke 15:13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country.
Why did he do this? Why do so many Christians repeat this behaviour? Have you left the Father’s house and His love?
This younger son had become weary of the restraint of his father’s house. He thought that his liberty was restricted. His father’s love and care for him were misinterpreted, and he determined to follow the dictates of his own inclination.
The youth acknowledge no obligation to his father, and expresses no gratitude; yet he claims the privilege of a child in sharing his father’s goods. The inheritance that would fall to him at his father’s death he desires to receive now. He is bent on present enjoyment, and cares not for the future.
Having obtained his inheritance, he hits the highway to “a far country,” away from his father’s home. With money in plenty, and liberty to do as he likes, he flatters himself that the desire of his heart is reached.
There is no one to say, do not do this, for it will be an injury to yourself. Or do this because it is right. Evil companions help him to plunge ever deeper into sin, and he wastes his “substance with riotous living.”
Luke 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 (wasteful) living.
Listen to the words of Paul on this issue:
Romans 1:21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Romans 1:22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools
And this is the history of the young man of the parable. And not only him, but many young people of our day.
The wealth which he has selfishly claimed from his father he squanders upon harlots. The treasure of his young manhood is wasted. The precious years of life, the strength of intellect, the bright visions of youth, the spiritual aspirations—all are consumed in the fires of lust.
Sis on him. This was not what the father expected from him. He really deserves the father’s wroth.
Luke 15:14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.
Luke 15:15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
Luke 15:16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
To a Jew this was the most menial and degrading of employments. He behaved him like a pig, and now he was associated with pigs.
Solomon what have you say about this issue?
Proverbs 5:22 The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them; the cords of their sins hold them fast.
Proverbs 5:23 For lack of discipline they will die, led astray by their own great folly.
The glitter and tinsel that enticed him have disappeared, and he feels the burden of his chain. Sitting upon the ground in that desolate and famine-stricken land, with no companions but the swine, he is ready, forced to fill himself with the husks on which the beasts are fed.
Of the wonderful companions who flocked about him in his prosperous days and ate and drank at his expense, there is not one left to befriend him.
Where now is his wild and riotous joy? Stilling his conscience, benumbing his sensibilities, he thought himself happy.
But now, with money spent, with hunger unsatisfied, with pride humbled, with his moral nature dwarfed, with his will weak and untrustworthy, with his finer feelings seemingly dead, he is the most wretched of mortals.
Can you see him sitting there next to the stinking noisy pigs? You want to cry for him.
What a picture here of the sinner’s state! Although surrounded with the blessings of His love, there is nothing that the sinner, bent on self-indulgence and sinful pleasure, desires so much as separation from God.
Like the ungrateful son, he claims the good things of God as his, by right. He takes them as a matter of course, and makes no return of gratitude, renders no service of love.
As Cain went out from the presence of the Lord to seek his home; as the prodigal wandered into the “far country,” so likewise do sinners also seek happiness in forgetfulness of God. (Romans 1:28.)
Romans 1:28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.
Whatever the appearance may be, every sinful life cantered indulgence destroys beauty. Whoever attempts to live apart from God is wasting his fabric.
He is squandering the precious years, squandering the powers of mind and heart and soul, and working to make himself bankrupt for eternity. The man who separates from God that he may serve himself, is the slave of mammon.
The mind that God created for the companionship of angels has become degraded to the service of that which is earthly and bestial. This is the end to which self-serving leads.
If you have chosen such a life, this is what Isaiah says:
Isaiah 55:2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance.
There come to you hours when you realize your degradation. Alone in the far country you feel your misery, and in despair you cry, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 7:24.
This is the statement of a universal truth which is contained in the prophet’s words:
Jeremiah 17:5 Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD.
Jeremiah 17:6 For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited.
Jesus says:
Matthew 5:44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
Matthew 5:45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. –
But human beings have the power to shut themselves away from sunshine and shower. So while the Sun of Righteousness shines, and the showers of grace fall freely for all, we may by separating ourselves from God and still “inhabit the parched places in the wilderness.”
The marvellous love of God still yearns over the one who has chosen to separate from Him, and He sets in operation influences to bring him back to the Father’s house. The prodigal son in his wretchedness “came to himself.”
The deceptive power that Satan had exercised over him was broken. He saw that his suffering was the result of his own folly, and he said,
Luke 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!
Luke 15:18 I will arise and go to my father
“Miserable as he was, the prodigal found hope in the conviction of his father’s love. It was that love which was drawing him toward home.
It is the assurance of God’s love that constrains the sinner to return to God.
Romans 2:4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
A golden chain, the mercy and compassion of divine love, is placed around every imperilled soul. The Lord declares, , I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Jeremiah 31:3.
Luke 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.
Luke 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.’
The son determines to confess his guilt. He will go to his father, saying, “I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.” But he adds, showing how incomplete is his conception of his father’s love, “Make me as one of thy hired servants.”
The young man turns from the swine herds and the husks, and sets his face toward home. Trembling with weakness and faint from hunger, he presses eagerly on his way.
He has no covering to conceal his rags; but his misery has conquered pride, and he hurries on to beg a servant’s place where he was once a child.
Little did the happy go lucky, thoughtless youth, as he went out from his father’s gate, dream of the ache and longing left in that father’s heart.
When he danced and feasted and drank with his wild companions, little did he think of the shadow that had fallen on his home. And now as with weary and painful steps he pursues the homeward way, he knows not that one is watching for his return.
NEXT TIME
What reception did this washout receive from his father? Did his father lectured to him concerning the way in which he will have to obey?