In the Gospel according to Luke,
• We find one of the greatest short stories that can be found in the Bible!
• And the story I am referring to is the parable of "The Prodigal Son,"
• It’s one of the first stories we hear, as children, in Sunday School.
And As adults, we have heard this text preached on many occasions in our lives!
• One thing we learn early on is that
• Jesus had a unique way of making a point by the use of parables!
• He would use His earthly surroundings and recognizable human circumstances and predicaments
• To illustrate the Truth that would set us free!
• What we see is that the parable of "The Prodigal Son," is the final story – in a trilogy of parables!
• And it’s only recorded only in the Gospel of Luke -
• Now this trilogy was developed out of a definite need and a definite set of circumstances –
• And that need and circumstance was Dealing with the issue of being lost and then found!
• This is what links the two (2) previous parables to this parable!
The first parable in the trilogy is the parable of "The Lost Sheep.
• Let me remind you of what is happening here.
• A shepherd had one hundred sheep.
• He took them out of the fold to graze in the pasture.
• And when He returned to the fold, he counted the sheep
• And found out that one of the sheep was missing.
• So Immediately, he left the "ninety and nine" to search for the one sheep that had gone missing.
• After a short while, he found the lost sheep and he carried it back on his shoulders to the fold.
• Rejoicing over his success, he called for his friends and neighbors to come and rejoice with him.
• Jesus, sums this parable up by pointing out that t
• We can experience the same kind of joy that the shepherd did
• Because we know that Heaven itself rejoices over one sinner who repents and comes back home –
• More than "ninety and nine" just persons, which need no repentance."
The second parable in the trilogy tells about "The Lost Coin."
• To revue A woman had ten (10) pieces of silver – 10 silver coins!
• And She discovered that she had lost one of these coins.
• So, she turned her house upside down - she swept every corner –
• Until she found the lost coin.
• When she found it, she called for her friends and neighbors to come and rejoice with her.
• Jesus, the Christ, sums this parable up by pointing out
• That there is joy in the presence of the Angels of Almighty God over one sinner who is lost; and, then, is found!
So here in the third and final parable, of the trilogy,
• We see the parable of "The Prodigal Son
• And it is impossible to detangle it from the previous 2
• It is concerned with the human condition with regard to the prodigal son –
• The son who was lost; and, then was found!
• Now personally I believe that both sons were lost; but, that is another story for another time!
Let’s examine this parable,
• A certain man had two (2) sons.
• The youngest son asked his father for his rightful portion of his inheritance.
• But He was impatient - he was unwilling to wait until his father died –
• He wanted his share; and, he wanted it now!
• The father granted his youngest son’s request;
• And, according to Jewish law, he divided his estate in this fashion:
• Two-thirds went to the eldest son
• And one-third to the youngest son!
• And after receiving his share The youngest son ran away from home!
• He went off to a far country and spent his money having a good time,
• Carousing, Partying; and, Engaging in riotous living!
• As long as he was spending money,
• As long as he was playing the role of "Mr. Big Shot,"
• As long as he seemed to be "King of the Hill,"
• He had plenty of friends!
• But the truth of the matter is in life
• You will always have plenty of people around you when you are spending money on them –
• They will smile in your face –
• They will tell you how great you are –
• But, when the money runs out - they run out with it!
• It’s like my father always told me, "Friends are a dime a dozen!"
In our parable, the money ran out - it disappeared –
• And when it did the prodigal son’s so-called "friends" disappeared with it!
• He was broke, penniless,
• He had no place to sleep;
• He had nothing to eat!
• But Somehow, he managed to find someone - in that far off country –
• That was willing to give him a job –
• And that job was feeding and taking care of the pigs in the pig pen
• A muddy, pig pen!
• The pigs had corn on the cob to eat;
• But, he could only have what the pigs left behind
• All he had to eat were the husks that the pigs didn’t eat
• Now I want you to think about this for a minute
• Can you picture in your minds the scene?
• Here was the prodigal son
• A man who until recently had plenty of money
• And now he was crawling around in the muck and mire –
• This was the lowest point of his life –
• He was destitute, lower than low, his life seemingly in a sinkhole - lost in a deep pit!
This prodigal son had truly found himself caught between a rock and a hard place!
• But the Bible tells us that in spite of his circumstances –
• In spite of his seemingly irreversible, irrevocable plight,
• "He got his wits together!"
• So the life questions we ask are
• "What does one do when he or she finds himself or herself in such a position?
• Where do you go?
• And maybe more importantly Who do you go to?"
• When ever we are faced with this kind of situation in life
• The first thing we need to do is to realize and recognize
• Where we are on this life’s journey –
• We must take a personal inventory of our situation!
You see, the problem that many of us - even preachers –
• Is that we find ourselves stuck between a rock and a hard place
• And it happens without us even realizing it!
• Some of us have been in a hard place for so long
• That we have come to embraced our situation
• We have started to think of it as normal –
• And because of this we are, unable to make a breakthrough!
• Many of us have tried to move to the left - only to find a rock!
• Many of us have tried to move to the right - only to find another hard place!
• We have tried everything: however, nothing has worked!
• Well, tell me, "Have you tried Jesus,?"
• The Bible tells us that Jesus, is the Alpha and Omega –
• He is the beginning and the ending!
• A fellow preacher and friend of mine once told me,
• "When Satan tries to destroy your life, he runs into Alpha;
• And there is nothing on the other side of Alpha.
• When Satan, tries to bring up your past, he runs into Omega;
• And there is nothing on the other side of Omega!"
• This I feel truly is Good News
• If we will follow the rules that Jesus, gave us in this parable,
• Our worries will be over!
• Because Look what happened when the prodigal son got it together –
• When he came to his senses!
• The first thing he did was to start thinking in positive terms –
• He started to think rationally!
• His mind was reconditioned, his mind was re-programmed!
• He found himself asking the question "Why am I in this pig pen –
• Why am I knee deep in mess?
• I have a father who has hired servants that live better than this!
• My father has plenty to eat - my father has clothing –
• My father has rooms to stay in!
• I know what I will do, I’ll get up and go home
• I’ll go back to my father’s house!
• I’ll tell him I’m sorry.
• I’ll tell him that I am not worthy to be called his son,
But if he will just take me back as a hired servant,
• I will work for bread and water,
• I will work for a place to stay –
• Because anything is better than the predicament that I’m in right now!"
Now isn’t this what Christian true believers do,
• When they fall down; they get back up?
• And in our parable we see that that the prodigal son makes his first wise decsision!
• He gets up and heads for home!
• But check this out:
• His father sees him – while he is still way off down the road –
• And he is filled with compassion;
• And, he ran --- - he ran to meet him and fell on his neck and kissed him!
• And after the prodigal son made his prepared apology,
• Which no doubt he had worked long and hard to perfect on his way home
We read in Luke 15:22-24
Lk 15:22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger, and sandals for his feet.
Lk 15:23 And kill the calf we have been fattening in the pen. We must celebrate with a feast, Lk 15:24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.
The name of this parable really should be changed from
• "The Prodigal Son" to "The Loving Father" –
• Because this parable would be meaningless –
• It would be irrelevant - it would just be an old wives tale without any power to change anything –
• If it were not for the loving, compassionate father!
As I get ready to close, today,
• We have to understand that each one of us has lived in hopelessness and despair
• But because we have a loving, and compassionate Father,
• We can have hope,
• We can have a richer and fuller life –
• And live that life more abundantly!
He’s waiting –
• He’s looking far down the road –
• He’s looking for you and for me –
• It’s time for us to say goodbye to a world of false pleasures and sin –
• And say hello to a life of membership in His family –
• A life that comes with all the rights and privileges –
• Of a royal child of The Almighty God!
• Now I don’t know about you;
• But, I have been between a rock and a hard place - many times!
• And Each time, I have tried everything else –
• I have gone everywhere else - and, when I reached rock bottom –
• I went to Jesus,
• And what I have learned is that I should have gone to Him first!
• What we hopefuuly have learned today is that, in spite of ourselves,
• God loves us - anyhow - anyway –
• He cares for us - and, He will answer when we call on Him!
So No matter where you are,
• No matter what you’ve done,
• No matter what your cicumstances are,
• God can fix it!
• You just have to let Jesus be the center of your joy –
• That’s where you’ll find peace, compassion, mercy, love, deliverance, healing, and Salvation!
May Almighty God richly and abundantly bless each and every one of you!
