"The Story of a Lost Son"
TEXT: LUKE 15:23,24
Introduction:
A. In chapter 15 we have three stories which early church Fathers considered as one parable.
1) The purpose of each is to show the natural reaction to finding that which was lost is Joy.
a. God longs to reconcile sinners to Himself.
b. God is NOT EAGER to send people to hell ¡V no matter their condition.
2) That which is lost is the sinner whom Christ came to seek.
B. Earlier in this chapter we find publicans and sinners (those thought to be the lowest on the social scale) coming to Jesus ¡V eager to hear His message, eager to be accepted by God and changed.
C. Following we have the parable of the Lost Sheep -- wondered off
D. Then we have the parable of the Lost Coin ¡V lost at home.
E. Now Jesus gives us the parable of the LOST SON.
1) The Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin, needed someone to seek them out for they could not o anything about their lost condition.
2) The Lost Son, left His Father and His Family ¡V He had to return himself, but His Father was eagerly awaiting his return.
F. The elder brother with his jealous attitude reflects the attitude of the Pharisees.
I. TAKING FROM THE FATHER. 12,13.
A. All the natural resources that we possess came from God.
1) He created us not Satan.
a. The eyes, ears, mouth, brain, reproductive system all created by Him.
1. How many today are wasting their God given substance on riotous living.
a. What are they seeking?
b. What are they finding?
II. "HE BEGAN TO BE IN WANT."
A. There is no satisfactory substitute for God in your life.
1) To leave the fellowship of the Father is to enter a life of frustration.
2) You can substitute that desire for God for periods of time.
a. While scheming and planning and dreaming of that new boat and for the first couple of trips on it found it.
b. When lost in oblivion and illusions of drugs.
a. What does it mean when a man turns to alcohol? --seeking God.
b. drugs -- seeking God
c. fornication -- seeking God.
4) What does he find?
a. Temporary relief of the symptoms.
b. "He would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat."
c. Jesus said of this world, "If you drink of this water you will thirst again."
1. You can fill your stomach with corn husks, but you'll still be hungry.
B. Away from His Father ¡V He hit the lowest of the lows.
1) To protect themselves from defilement, Jews would not even touch pigs.
2) For a Jew to stoop to feeding pigs would have been a great humiliation, and for this young man to desire to eat food that the pigs had touched was to be degraded beyond belief.
3) That is what sin does ¡V it degrades
a. Example: Samson (former Judge of Israel) whose name means ¡§sun like.¡¨
b. Sinned against God
c. Lost His Power, fell into the hands of his enemies, lost his sight.
d. Grinding in the mill ¡V like an animal.
e. Mocked by his enemies ¡V the Philistines made a sport of mocking him.
4) For the Prodigal ¡V in a strange land ¡V a victim of self destruction -- no one gave him anything.
a. This shows that he was neglected and insignificant; he had truly sunk to the depths.
5) We see this same degrading pattern in the lives of men and women today who have turned away from God.
a. A shell of who they once were.
b. Bound by addictions that have degraded them.
c. Homeless
d. Bound by a spirit of homosexuality -- going against nature itself.
III. "AND WHEN HE CAME TO HIMSELF."
A. That's exactly what Satan is trying to keep you from.
1. Fill you with lies.
2. Keep you so running.
3. Start his egg beater to confuse your brain.
B. Stop and think about God's offer to you.
1. eternal life in the place of perishing
2. love in the place of wrath
3. peace in the place turmoil
4. Joy & happiness- in the place of sorrow
5. righteousness in the place of sin
6. riches in the place of poverty
C. "Father" - servants have bread enough and to spare."
1) Look at these Christians here.
2) It is the emptiness and hunger that's killing you.
D. When you begin to think about turning to God a haunting fear grips you.
1) Will he receive me?
E. When reality finally hit him, the son finally came to his senses. Sitting among pigs that
were better fed than he was, he reflected on life back home.
1) He realized that at home even the hired men have food enough to spare.
2) With no money, no dignity, and, so he thought, no claim to sonship in his father's household, he decided to go home to [his] father, confess his sin, and ask to be taken on as a hired man.
a. At least there he would not go hungry.
3) While his motivation at first seems to have been his hunger, he could have saved his pride by never going back.
a. He could have searched for a job as a hired hand anywhere (although his present experience showed him that not all hired hands were treated as well as those on his father's estate).
b. I believe while sitting in the midst of those pigs, he began to reminisce about his loving father.
c. The key lies in the words that he planned to say to his father: "I have sinned against both heaven and you."
1. He wanted to tell his father he was sorry.
2. He wanted to repent of his selfishness that had sent him away and spent all the money that his father had set aside for his future.
3. Even if it meant living as a hired man in his own home, he would return there in order to say these things to his father.
IV. The Son¡¦s Reception at the Home of His Father
A. Notice how he was received ¡V this is very important
B. The prodigal son had been very disrespectful to his father ¡V did not regaurd the feelings of his father when he asked for his inheritance.
1) Left Home ¡V squandered his inheritance.
2) Defiled himself in every way ¡V reached the lowest of the lows.
C. In His mind, the best he could anticipate is to receive a cold shoulder, maybe a halfhearted welcome.
1) If my father will just take me back and just treat me like a hired servant.
2) I would rather be the least of my father¡¦s servants than to be a servant here in this pig pen, in the this pagan country.
D. What the son did not know --- his father has been casting his eyes of the horizon every day, looking, waiting, and praying for His son¡¦s return.
1) The Father is so excited when his son come into view ¡V that he runs out to meet him.
a. For the patriarch of the family to run was to lose all caution and dignity.
E. The Father went BEYOND NORMAL FORGIVENESS and showed incredible love.
1) The prodigal had his little speech all ready ¡§Just hire me as your servant¡¨ ¡V before he could get the words out ¡V his father was embracing him and welcoming him home and showing such great excitement.
2) The Father called for a GREAT CELEBRATION -- Kill the fated calf (being prepared for a special celebration)
a. The Father wanted to welcome his son back with a GRAND CELEBRATION.
b. The Shepherd who found the lost sheep ¡V what did he do?
„« Luke 15:6 (KJV)
6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
c. The woman who found her lost coin ¡V what did she do?
„« Luke 15:9 (KJV)
9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.
d. The Father who¡¦s wayward son returned home, what did he do?
„« He called for a GRAND CELEBRATION!!
3) Do you get the point the Jesus is stressing in this chapter?
a. The Father is searching for you.
b. He is eagerly awaiting your return!!
„« Luke 15:10 (KJV)
10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
F. The Father immediately restored his son.
1) He held nothing against him.
2) Finest robe ¡V generally given to a guest of honor.
3) A ring ¡V signifying authority, as a son, not as a servant.
4) Sandals ¡V only slaves and the very poor went barefoot.
Closing:
A. God has MERCY on repentant sinners.
B. The purpose of the great celebration ¡V that which was lost is found!!
C. Jesus is in the soul recovery business.
D. Jesus is in the sin disposal business.
E. God welcomes sinners with open arms!!
