How To Have Your Relationships In Order
TEXT: Luke 15:11-32
Let us begin this morning by reading our text. It is found in the gospel of Luke chapter fifteen:
And He said, "A man had two sons. "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. "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. "Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. "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. "And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. "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! ~'I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men."' "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. "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.' "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; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 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. "Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. "And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be. "And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.' "But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him. "But he answered and said to his father, 'Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.' "And he said to him, 'Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. ~'But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.'" Luke 15:11-32 (NASB)
The story has three main characters in it. You know who they are.
The Prodigal Son.
The Pouting Son.
The Persistent Father.
You know the story. The youngest son asks for his share of the money and then takes off. He goes out and has a good time until the money is spent. He ends up feeding pigs. He returns home only to find his father waiting for him. But do you know what the story is really about? The story is about three things. It's about how:
1. God is concerned about your relationship with YOURSELF
2. God is concerned about your relationship with OTHERS
3. God is concerned about your relationship with HIM
Let's look at the first point:
1. God is concerned about your relationship with YOURSELF
Look at verse seventeen again. It says:
"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! Luke 15:17 (NASB)
The King James says:
"When he came to himself..." Luke 15:17 (KJV)
I like in the story of the prodigal son that he comes to the point in his life where he comes to himself. He figures it out. He is living in a pigpen when he could be living in his father’s house.
Here is a fact folks: All of us need to come to ourselves. We need to figure out where we are.
In the story of the fall of man - Adam has sinned. He has broken God's law. He has eaten the forbidden fruit. It’s interesting that when God comes looking for Adam He asks Adam: "Adam, where are you?" Do you think that God did not know? Do you think that Adam had hidden himself so well that God could not find him?
Or was God asking Adam to do some self assessment? Where are you - really?
Let me ask you - where are you really? Is there guilt? Is there bitterness? Is there shame? Is there unconfessed sin? Come to yourself - do a self evaluation - where are you? Do you think you can hide anything from God? Look at what the Bible says:
"But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known." Luke 12:2 (NASB)
Or what about:
"O God, it is You who knows my folly, And my wrongs are not hidden from You." Psalm 69:5 (NASB)
Do we think we can hide from God - do we think we can fool ourselves? God knows where we are. He knows that we have been to the pig pen - but sometimes we try to deny it. Sometimes we try to cover it up. Do you remember what Adam did after he sinned. He tried to cover it up. Remember? He took fig leaves and sewed them together. He said, "There - now I fixed it." But you know what happens - fig leaves decay and in time Adam would be naked again.
Where are you? The prodigal knew - didn't he? He came to himself and realized he was living in a pig pen and he said, "What am I doing here. This is stupid. I could be living in my father's house. I would have good food to eat and clean clothes to wear. I could work for my father. I could be his servant. I would be taken care of."
Folks where are you. To become spiritually right in this world it starts with knowing where you are. You see the prodigal was lost - until he realized where he was. That revelation started him back on the road to redemption.
But that is not all that the parable of the prodigal son teaches us. It also shows us that:
2. God is concerned about your relationship with OTHERS
You don’t have to leave home to be lost. The older brother was just as lost as the younger.
After working in the fields all day, the older brother arrives home only to hear the Karaoke music shaking the rafters. When he learns that a party is going on because his younger brother has returned home and becomes angry. Verse 28 literally means he flew into a "rage". He becomes the pouting son. He refuses to go into the celebration. He points out the sins of his younger brother. He says, "He's wasted all the money. He's been out partying. He's spent the inheritance on booze and broads. What gives him the right to come back home? Who does he think he is?"
We all know that there can be rivalry among brothers don't we? Brothers and sisters sometimes just don't get along sometimes - do they? But I think it goes deeper than that. The older brother is pointing out the sins of the younger brother. He is letting the whole world know just how bad the younger brother is. But there are other sins - aren't there? What about sins like jealousy, pride, and resentment? Sure they are easier to hide – but they are just as devastating. The Pouting son had been keeping the rules. He had been faithful. Shouldn’t there be a celebration for him too? Shouldn’t someone notice his contributions? Shouldn’t someone pay attention to his needs? Shouldn’t someone throw him a party too?
Let me ask you - how do you feel when a co-worker gets promoted? How do you feel when someone gets a better bargain than you do? How do you feel when the attention is focused away from you and on to someone else? You see that is what is going on with the pouting brother - isn't it? Jealousy - resentment - envy - we can all feel those emotions - can't we. What is our relationship with others?
The Bible tells us:
Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Romans 12:15 (NASB)
To be honest with you - I find it easier to weep with those that weep than it is to rejoice with those who rejoice. Perhaps when I hear someone telling me good news I am always asking, "Why couldn't that happen to me? Why couldn't I have such "luck"?"
There is a painting of the prodigal son by the 17th century Spanish artist Murillo. I looked it up on the internet to look at the details of the painting. In the painting you can immediately find the father and the prodigal son. The prodigal son is thin and filthy. His hands are clasped in prayer and he has a hopeful look on his face as if he is wondering, “Will my father take me back? Will my father let me be a servant in his house?” The father is leaning over and embracing his son. The father seems oblivious to the dirt and the smell. He loves the son regardless of where he has been or what he has done.
Beside the father, two servants are bringing a tray with a fine robe and sandals for the son. Another servant is holding a ring. To the left a young servant is leading the fattened calf, and a workman has an axe ready to kill the calf so the feast can begin.
It’s a joyous scene – except for one face. There standing in the shadows Murillo painted the older brother. There is an unmistakable resemblance between the two sons. The older son seems to have a smirk on his face. In his eyes and on his lips you can see the resentment and sarcasm. The younger son is on his knees looking up at the father, the father is leaning over his lost son, but the older brother is the highest head in the painting. The older brother seems to be looking down on all the activity. Looking down not just from his vantage point – but looking down in disgust.
I must always ask the question: "What is my attitude toward those around me? Do I act high and mighty or do I have an attitude of grace and mercy?" What attitude do you have?
For a long time I missed what the father was really saying in verse 32. But as I studied the text, I saw it. Let's read it again:
~'But we have to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.'" Luke 15:32 (NASB)
What the father was actually saying was “Son, you and I must celebrate.” The verb is an imperative. He was saying, “It’s not your younger brothers party, it’s OUR party. We are the ones who need to celebrate because your brother was dead and he’s alive. So we MUST celebrate. You must celebrate with me. Not for your brother’s sake, but for our sake.” The party was not for the Prodigal Son it was for the Pouting son and the Persistent Father. The father is showing joy - should not the pouting son show joy too. God wants us to rejoice with those who rejoice and if we don't do that - we lose the blessing. God is concerned about your relationship with others. He wants us to celebrate with him. He wants us to celebrate as a family for He is concerned about the relationship we have with one another.
But that is not all:
3. God is concerned about your relationship with HIM
Let me ask you a question: "Where was the father when the prodigal son came home? Do you know?" Look at verse 20 again with me:
"But while he (the prodigal son) was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him." Luke 15:20b (NASB)
Do you see where the father was at? The father was outside looking for his son. I can almost imagine that the father went outside daily - looking for his son. In the morning he would get up and go outside to look. In the evening he would sit out on the porch swing - looking for his son. He never gave up looking for his son. Then one day he sees a figure in the distance. "Could it be.... Was it him.... I - I think so..." and he runs and embraces his son.
God doesn’t care about how far you’ve gone. He doesn’t care about what a mess you made with your life. He doesn't care that you have
gone down dead end roads. He doesn’t even care how bad you smell. He cares about the relationship that you have with him.
John 3:16 tells us of God’s love:
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."
Matthew 18:11 tells us of Christ’s purpose.
“For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.”
The Father is always persistent. He is always consistent. He is always ready to take us back.
You know what Sunday morning is not about us. It’s not about a fashion show or a social gathering. The Father is celebrating because His children have come home. They have come into His presence to worship Him – and He is pleased. You must celebrate with ME.
Did you know that in Luke chapter 15 there are actually three celebrations. There is the celebration of the shepherd who finds his lost sheep. There is the celebration of the women who finds her lost coin. And there is the celebration of the father who finds his lost son. Does the Pouting Son come to celebrate with the father? To tell you the truth – I don’t know because the story does not tell us. I do know that Jesus left this story open-ended on purpose. You see – it’s up to you what you do. God is concerned about your relationship with Him. What are
