SCRIPTURE: Luke 15:11-32 "And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found."
PROPOSITION: to use this text to expose the character of the younger son and the older brother of Luke chapter 15. To show that the real hero of this parable is the father who is loving, kind, compassionate and forgiving. and also to show that God is willing to show any sinner forgiveness if they're willing to repent and come to Christ.
1. Who was the youngest son and what is Jesus teaching us through him.
A. He was a very self centered person who put a much higher value in material possessions and his own pleasure then he did in the value of his father, he said to his Father "give me the portion of goods that falleth to me". there are millions of people today who seek things first and put the great majestic God of glory as far away from their mind as their conscience will allow them to. But Jesus has told us that "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
B. He considered himself Superior to his father so much so that he commanded his father, he said "give me". there are delusional sinners like that today, they put demands on their Creator as though he owes them something, and through the pride of their countenance they have placed themselves above God. Lucifer was the first one to do this, and he has had many followers. Isaiah 14:13 "For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God"
C. Not many days after his Father had "divided unto them his living" " the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country", often sinners think if they can get away from restraints that they can live in the "pleasure of unrighteousness" without the "wages of unrighteousness", But sin always has its consequences both in this life and in the life to come. Someone once said that sin will always take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay, and that saying is a commentary on this young man's life.
Psalms 89:32 "Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes."
D. This young man may have had tremendous potential as many do but he wasted his life and "wasted his substance with riotous living". any life outside of Christ is a waste and is in direct opposition to the glory of God.1 Corinthians 10:31 "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."
E. This young man had lived such a profligate life and "when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want". Oftentimes a life of immorality leads to poverty. Proverbs 6:26 "For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread". After this young man had been brought to a piece of bread God brought a mighty famine to the land which brought this man very low and humbled him greatly. A life of sin will always lead to a famine of God's word which is far worse than any natural famine.
Amos 8:11 "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:"
F. Oftentimes poverty leads to more poverty and this young man had wasted everything, he had no food and needed a job. for a jewish boy the most unthinkable job would have been an occupation in the hog industry, but times became so rough that "he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine". the effects of sin are no doubt putting wrinkles in this young man's forehead, and he's beginning to learn the high cost of low living. Proverbs 21:29 "A wicked man hardeneth his face"
G. Times had become so hard that his paycheck was not enough to buy food and "he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat". when a person makes a willful decision to live on the corruption of the world, one's diet will make him sick morally and spiritually, "and no man gave unto him" James 5:5 "Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton".
H. A life of sin is really a devilish form of insanity, "And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.". In Repentance there is always a change of mind, sinners hate the sin that they once loved so much that they are willing to turn from it.
Psalms 7:11-13 "God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. IF HE TURN NOT, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors."
I. This younger son who has lived for sin and self is now on his way home "And he arose, and came to his father" in repentance there is always a turning from sin to God. He left the pig pen. when individuals claim to be saved but they have never left the pig pen it gives us great reason to question their profession. The scripture talks about those who repented not and remained in a filthy state with their hearts and minds embracing uncleanness.
Revelation 9:20-21 "...yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts."
J. This young man had great confidence in the character of his father and his confidence was not disappointed. " But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him". those that come to God must "believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him". this young man was full of contrition because of the wicked life he had lived, he said "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son." He understood that his sin was "against heaven", it was a transgression against God's moral law and government. The Father is so moved by his young sons repentance that "the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry"
The Father gave this repentant son the best robe and in regeneration there is a robe of righteousness.
Isaiah 61:10 "he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness". The Father gifted a ring to his young son which would seem to be a symbol of sonship and authority, Galatians 4:5 "To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." he also gave him shoes for his feet, and in that day shoes were even of greater value than they are today, most of the time their only means of transportation was walking. God supplies our deepest needs and our practical needs. Philippians 4:19 "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." This Father also killed the fatted calf and had a great celebration, heaven doesn't rejoice over professions but over true repentance. "For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found" Luke 15:7 "I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance." Also everyone that goes to hell knows that they did not repent and that they deserve the torments that they are now inflicted with, as expressed by the rich man in Luke chapter 16:30 "And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent."
2.) Who was the oldest son? And what is Jesus teaching us through him?
A. He was more than likely a hard worker. when he steps on the scene he has just come from the field, "Now his elder son was in the field". there are millions of people who work hard at religion thinking that in some way they might earn everlasting life, but salvation is never obtained through our hard work, but through who Christ is and what he has done, what he suffered and the blood he has shed.
Acts 4:12 "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
B. He showed no love or compassion. oftentimes the least compassionate of people are those who have a form of religion without Christ. "as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in:". this elder brother was very envious of the forgiveness bestowed upon his younger brother by his Father. Cain had the same problems with envy and despised his brother Abel because of it. Genesis 4:8 "And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him."
C. The elder brother trusted in himself that he was righteous, he didn't think that he had ever broken one of his father's commandments and he was willing to proclaim his own goodness while he despised his own brothe. and he "said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf". its amazing the patience that this father was willing to show to the younger son and the older son, he now begins to reason with the older son, "he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found." This older son could not understand why there should be any rejoicing over his younger brother who had returned after living such a reckless life, but where sin abounds grace does much more abound wherever true repentance is found. Matthew 21:31 "...Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you."
3.) Who is this Father, and what can we learn from him?
A. This father is a picture of who God is. he was longing to forgive and reconcile, even though he had been offended and his heart had been crushed by his wicked sons.
Daniel 9:9 "To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;" it was God the Father who had been offended and who's anger had been kindled and stirred up, and yet in compassion he provided an innocent substitute to die in the sinners place, and this substitute who was the Lord Jesus Christ went willingly to such an ignominious death of crucifixion, knowing that he would bear the wrath of his father and knowing that his father would turn his back upon him, and yet he suffered and paid the debt so that Sinners out of every tongue and kindred and language might be forgiven, reconciled, and saved from so great a death. Revelation 5:9 "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;"
CONCLUSION: The hero of Luke chapter 15 is not the younger son who repented and was clothed in a robe of righteousness or the older son who lived an outwardly moral and strict life and was clothed in the filthy rags of his self-righteousness. but the magnanimous father who was willing to forgive, reconcile, and rejoice. we see in this father the heart of God who is not willing that "any should perish but that all should come to repentance" and this is why the scripture says that
(Luke 24:47) "repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."
