How do you view God?
Some people view God as a heavy-handed, demanding judge with strict rules of right and wrong.
Others view God like a doting grand-father who willingly gives his grandchildren whatever they want - practically spoiling them.
Some may view God as aloof and distant, uninterested or unconcerned about the affairs of humans.
Scripture reveals God in a variety of ways. He is complex and intricate. His actions can come across in many of the ways that we discussed above. Certain perspectives throughout history, guided by his word, reveal God in a variety of different ways - beautiful, harsh, loving, strict, gracious, merciful.
God described himself to Moses in his way…
Exodus 34:6–7 …“The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”
In Luke 15, Jesus shares three parables that reveal a bit more about the character of God and how he acts toward his people.
Last week, as we considered the first two parables of Luke 15, Jesus helped us to see the way that God loves and seeks after the lost, rejoicing when they are found - as seen in repentance.
Today, we’ll consider the final parable in this chapter. Open your bibles to Luke 15. I’m going to read the first few verses and then will read the final parable.
Luke 15:1–3 ESV
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
So he told them this parable:
Luke 15:11–32 ESV
And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
“Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 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 was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”
This parable is often called the prodigal son. That title points our attention to the younger son, who acted in very prodigal ways. Prodigal essentially means:
spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant
having or giving something on a lavish scale
(Apple dictionary)
As we read, we could see the reckless ways that the younger son lived, but is he the only prodigal in the parable? I would content, no. So as we walk through this passage, we’ll consider three primary things:
the lostness of the younger son
the lostness of the elder son
the prodigal love of the father
So Jesus begins His parable by stating that “there was a man who had two sons.” (11) He then goes on to discuss the bold and brazen request of the younger son. In the process, He reveals…
The lostness of the younger son: indulgence.
Now, we may find that there are other areas of lostness for this younger son, but indulgence clearly marks his life. He makes this bold request to his father, asking for his portion of the inheritance. As in our day, that kind of request was extremely offensive. With this request, the boy was essentially telling his father “you’re as good as dead to me.” He was severing ties with his family and moving on with his life in whatever way he wanted to.
He went and lived recklessly, spending all of his money in frivolous things. And then, when all of his resources were gone, as if to make matters worse, a famine hits, and the young man has no resources upon which to sustain his life.
The boy was clearly living for the moment. There was no thought about the future. There was no thought about consequences. There was only the here and now. He was indulging himself on all that he could.
In some ways, this sounds a bit like the words of the teacher in Ecclesiastes, where he allowed himself to experience all that life had to offer, and in the end, found that it was meaningless. Where the teacher used his experiences as a means of learning, this son simply lived with the attitude of YOLO- You only live once - so live it up.
This young man represents the “tax collectors and sinners” in Jesus’ audience. These were people who were ostracized from so many in their culture. They were looked down upon and scorned by many. Sometimes it’s by their own doing - as in this boy. Sometimes it’s by little to no fault of their own.
But I do wonder if in all of us there is something of this young man. We may not go and party, binging on alcohol until we pass out, or living recklessly with whatever that may entail. But is there something in us that is selfish? Are there things that we feel like we deserve now like this boy deserved his inheritance? Are there temptations that don’t have to work hard to entice us?
The younger son’s indulgence was marked by selfishness.
His indulgence was also marked by control. He wanted to control his life. By rejecting his father, he was essentially saying that he could make decisions on his own. He was ready to move on and get out from under the rule of his father.
But there is something for all of us in that desire for control. There is something that wants life without restrictions, something that longs for autonomy, true autonomy, where no one else can tell me what to do.
As the story goes, he hits rock bottom and begins to do what ever he can to survive - even feeding pigs. In the process he realizes that he has burned a bridge that he can’t cross again, so he comes up with a plan in hopes of returning to the familiarity of home - not as a son, but as a hired hand - someone who works for wages. So he makes his way back home.
But notice, this younger son got to a place that all of us need to get to - true repentance. Jesus talked about that in the first two parables of this chapter. In true repentance, he does not expect a place at the table or in the house - expects to repay what he took through work. He knows he messed up. In some ways, he is looking for a better means of survival.
Lest we get too caught up in the travails of this younger son, Jesus notes in this parable that the man had two sons. As Jesus continues the story, he reveals…
The lostness of the elder son: self-righteousness.
Now we may be tempted to look at the life of the older son and think “he isn’t lost.” When the father divided the inheritance and gave it to the younger son, Jesus notes that he also divided the inheritance and gave it to the elder son. The elder son would’ve had twice as much, that was his birthright. And rather than deciding to move away from the family, he stayed and dutifully fulfilled his obligations as son.
But notice several things about this son’s lostness. When he learns that his brother has returned, he is indignant. He refused to join the celebration. He remained on the outside. When the father comes out to plead with him to come in - he gets mired in his own lostness of…
self-righteousness
He looks to his track record as if that is his means of acceptance into the family. “I have served you and never disobeyed your commands….” It’s as though his self-righteousness was his means of earning his father’s love. He couldn’t simply rest in being a son - he had to prove that he was worthy.
Not only was he self-righteous, there is a sense in which he too sought:
control
He wanted to control the love of his father. He wanted to control his own situation. He wanted to control others. He wanted to control his brother’s access to the father.
But there is another element that seems to be present, that is he is…
selfish
We’ll discuss this more in a moment, but when the younger son received the ring - it was as though he was fully reinstated as a part of the family, as an heir. That means that the inheritance that was already divided, would be divided again - someday. The elder son was not willing to pay the price required to bring the son back into the family.
Do you remember who was in Jesus’ audience? The tax collectors and sinners, but also the Pharisees and scribes. This son seems to represent this second group.
We’ve talked a lot about Pharisees and scribes. They controlled the teaching. They set out the traditions. They thought they determined who could receive acceptance into God’s family. They knew right from wrong. They had a clear definition of sin.
As someone who has grown up in the church, I’ve tried to live within the moral boundaries of what scripture teaches. Like the older son, I’ve worked to dutifully earn God’s love. I’ve narrowly defined sin as breaking certain rules.
Tim Keller notes:
Nearly everyone defines sin as breaking a list of rules. Jesus, though, shows us that a man who has violated virtually nothing on the list of moral misbehaviors can be every bit as spiritually lost as the most profligate, immoral person. Why? Because sin is not just breaking the rules, it is putting yourself in the place of God as Savior, Lord, and Judge just as each son sought to displace the authority of the father in his own life.
He goes on to say:
The younger brother knew he was alienated from the father, but the elder brother did not. That’s why elder-brother lostness is so dangerous.
I wonder how many of us might fall into the mindset of the older son? We know intellectually that we’re saved by grace, but we work dutifully as if we have to earn his love and affection in order to remain a family member is good standing. We can’t rest in His love. We can’t delight in His affection. Like Jonah, we can’t rejoice when the wayward come home because we think they don’t deserve God’s love.
This shows up in how we pray - how I pray - limiting times of prayer to lists of concerns, asking for desired outcomes as if to dictate what I hope or expect what God will do, rather than engaging with His word and speaking to him as if with a friend, a Father, seeking to understand His heart.
This shows up in how we speak to and about others with condemnation, looking down on them in judgment. Comparing ourselves to others in order to prove our own value.
This shows up in how or whether we share the gospel - expecting certain behavioral changes in order for salvation can be received - as if we are the gate keepers.
“The gospel is for this kind of person not that…”
The younger son’s lostness was easy for all to see - out on the surface. The elder son’s lostness was more subtle and difficult to discern, but frankly more convicting for me.
Both of these sons had the opportunity to experience…
The prodigal love of the father
This is seen in several ways:
In generously giving of the inheritance in the first place
likely tied up in land/property
divided three ways - 2 for the older, 1 for the younger
Toward the younger son:
anticipation - looking
Humiliation - running
welcomed
embraced
kissed
reinstated
celebrated
Spurgeon - on the Father’s love (McKinley):
“The condescension of God towards penitent sinners is very great. He seems to stoop from His throne of glory to fall upon the neck of a repentant sinner. God on the neck of a sinner! What a wonderful picture! Can you conceive it? I do not think you can; but if you cannot imagine it, I hope that you will realize it. When God’s arm is about our neck, and His lips are on our cheek, kissing us much, then we understand more than preachers or books can ever tell us of His condescending love.”
Toward the elder son:
Shared all that was his, but refused to enjoy it, delight in it, felt like he had to earn it.
Overlooked the offenses and vitriolic accusations (this son of yours) of the elder son and invited him in. In spite of this, the elder son remained on the outside. - McKinley notes:
The parable ends with a surprising reversal of fortune—the younger brother is inside the house celebrating his relationship with his father, but the older brother is on the outside, suddenly estranged from his father.
It’s not difficult to see that the father in this parable is God. Oh that we would bask in His prodigal, freely given love. Let me just read a few passages that help us to see just how much God loves us:
John 3:16–17 ESV
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Romans 8:32 ESV
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
Ephesians 2:4–7 ESV
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Titus 3:5–6 ESV
he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
1 John 3:1 ESV
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are….
This brings us to one other element that we should consider…
Our true elder Brother.
Jesus, as the truly righteous, elder brother welcomes us in our unrighteousness
where the brother in the story refused to re-share the inheritance, Jesus willingly sacrificed all that He had in heaven and laid down his live for us. “Oh how he loves you and me.”
Friend - our heavenly Father and our true Elder Brother are standing with arms open wide to receive you into the family. Your debt has been paid. Repent, come to Him, receive His life for yours.
Beloved, brothers and sisters in Christ - we all may be tempted from time to time to act like the younger brother - drawn back into sinful habits and addictions. May we repent before we get to the end of ourselves. At the same time, we may be tempted to stand in our own supposed self-righteousness and moral correctness. Rest. Jesus paid it all - in joy we get to live for him. Rest.
Let’s pray.
The Lord’s Supper
Benediction
1 John 4:9–10 ESV
In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Questions for reflection and discussion:
Read Luke 15
Do you know anyone who is living as the younger son in the distant country right now? What will you pray? What might you do?
Are you in any danger of living as the older son at the end of the story right now? Do you need to stop parading your goodness and demanding blessing from God, and simply enjoy his presence?
How have these three parables caused you to love Jesus more?
What do you learn about the character and actions of God in the parables of Luke 15? Can you think of other places in the Bible where those traditions are taught?
Would you say you celebrate and rejoice when you hear of or see others repenting? Do you think your heart most resembles the father, the younger son, or the older brother?
How does this parable challenge your understanding of unconditional love and acceptance in your own life?
How can the themes of reconciliation and acceptance guide your relationships or conflicts you might be facing right now?
Sources
Anyabwile, Thabiti. Exalting Jesus in Luke. Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2018.
Bock, Darrell L. Luke 9:51-24:53. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999.
Keller, Timothy. The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith. 1st ed. New York: Dutton, 2008.
Martin, John A. “Luke.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
Liefeld, Walter L. “Luke.” In The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke, edited by Frank E. Gaebelein, Vol. 8. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984.
McKinley, Mike. Luke 12-24 for You. Edited by Carl Laferton. God’s Word for You. The Good Book Company, 2016.
Stein, Robert H. Luke. Vol. 24. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992.
The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible. Biblical Studies Press, 2005. Print.
Wilcock, Michael. The Savior of the World: The Message of Luke’s Gospel. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1979.
