Four Fathers-Four Stages

The Parable of the Prodigal Son has been touted as possibly the greatest short story of all time

It can be looked at as Episode III in a trilogy of parables

Episode I is the Lost Sheep

It could be called A New Hope for the lost sheep is found and comes home

With a new hope of continuing on

Episode II, The Lost Coin could be called The Cleaning Lady Strikes Back

For she turns her house upside down looking for her lost coin

And Episode III, Return of the Prodigal

About a young man returning from the dark side of life

The prodigal son parable is the most famous and beloved of all Christ’s parables

And it is one of the longest and most detailed

Often times the son is represented as an unrepentant sinner

An unsaved individual stepping out into the natural world of sin

But I want us to look at this story from a slightly different perspective

From the standpoint of a son

Part of a father’s family and how he relates to this father four different was

The characters in this story focus on our relationship to God

Father and son, is God and you

We want to look at ourselves and discover which stage we fall in to

I. Stage 1 - Living at home basking in the Comfort of the Father (15:11-12)

A. He is Home Sweet Home

Here we find the son still at home

Living in luxury with his wealthy family

These two sons were living at home and working with their father

The younger was old enough to set out on his own

So he was obviously old enough to have responsibilities around the ranch

He was close to the father

Doing his will working for him

Abiding in him

Fully focused on the task at hand

B. He was wealthy

Since this was a wealthy family, he lived a life of comfort

Of course he had to work, but he was well taken care of

The father had all the resources available to aid his son in any venture he desired

C. This is were you belong

The Heavenly Father wants you near Him

John 15:4 “remain in Me and I will remain in you”

John 14:18 “I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you”

Comfortless refers to orphaned, fatherless

He is our Father, always there for us

We belong to the Father

We are not promised an easy road by staying close to the Father, basking in His comfort (Paul’s example)

We are promised He will remain, and will comfort us

Maybe this is where you are currently at

Praise God for this is where a Christian belongs

Close to the Father, safe in His arms

This is where we are today thanks to those men and women who have served and given their lives defending this great country

We are basking in the comfort of our freedoms thanks to them

Not worrying about gathering here this morning to worship

Fearing an intrusion by an oppressive force threatening our very lives simply for gathering to worship

We do not have to fear simply because we have a Bible in our homes

We bask in the comfort of our freedom to worship

And as a Christian your hope should be, to be living at home basking in the comfort of the Father

II. Stage 2 - Leaving home basking in the

Richness given of the Father (12-13)

A. All figured out?!

This young man thought he had it all figured out

We often think we do as well

We know what is best for ourselves

B. He had thought this out

He had plans from the beginning almost of what to do

V 13 says “not long after that”

He said GIVE ME

His request very proudly was Father give me

Not “sir if you please, may I have it?”

No he makes an imperious demand

He demands “all that falleth me”

My share of the estate

He didn’t say give me “so much as you think fir to allot me

But that which falls to me as my due

It is a tragic thing when men look upon God’s gifts as debts, that God owes me something

C. This is a shocking request

He is pretty much saying he wished his father were dead

He is not entitled to any inheritance while his father is living

He showed arrogant disregard for the father’s authority

D. Did the father stop him?

No, he let him go on his own

Like our Father in heaven does

He allows us to step out of His will

His will is for us to remain close by His side

But He allows us to make mistakes

Big ones at times