Sermons on Lukas 15:31:

God Is Our Friend Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 26, 2021

God is our Father, but that is not enough. The message is not complete until we know too that God is our Friend.

Martin Luther spent a major portion of his life looking for a God who liked him. He was devoutly religious from his childhood, but religion was more a burden than a blessing, for his God was not his friend. He knew God hated sin and demanded perfection and so he was obsessed with trying to be ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

The Father's Job Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 7, 2021

Fathers are God's agents of the law, but they are also God's agents of grace. To be the first, and not the second, is to be one testament shy of a Bible, or shy of God's full revelation. A half of a Bible is not the Bible, and half of a father is not a father.

Dick Van Dyke tells the stories of how children act toward their father when they are angry. In his book Faith, Hope and Hilarity he tells of a boy who had been spanked by his father for making too much noise. The boy climbed into his mother's lap and said, "Mama I wish you had married ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

The Prodigal's Father Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 7, 2021

Fathers need some encouragement. There are two things I see in the parable of the Prodigal that can be an encouragement to fathers, for these two things make it clear that fatherhood is hard, but that there is hope. The two things I see here are the intricacy and the intimacy of fatherhood

We live in the age of the marvelous machine. In Washington D. C. the traffic for a half mile around the White House is controlled by a computer system. The system is constantly telling the lights when to change to move the traffic according to the need. 450 buses have a transmitter which is ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Four Gospel Pictures From The Parables Of Jesus

Contributed by Justin Steckbauer on Apr 24, 2021

But did we allow that consuming power of God's love reshape our lives? Did we make a decision to give our whole lives to Jesus Christ the savior of all? That is the question I want you to ask yourself today.

"Kenneth Clark, internationally know for his television series Civilization, lived and died without faith in Jesus Christ. He admitted in his autobiography that while visiting a beautiful church he had what he believed to be an overwhelming religious experience. "My whole being," ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13, Matthew 21:28-32, Luke 15:11-32, Luke 18:9-14

Denomination: Salvation Army

The Heart Of The Father - Father's Day

Contributed by Thomas Andrufski on Jun 19, 2021

Do you ever consider the Heart of our Heavenly Father? This message attempts to bring you into a greater understanding of the heart of the Father on Father's Day.

John 17:25-26 (KJV) O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. 26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. I've been ...read more

Scripture: John 17:25-26, Romans 12:3, Genesis 1:27, Luke 15:25-32

Denomination: Church Of God

Overwhelming Grace: The Prodigal Son, The Unjust Steward, And You!

Contributed by Nickolas Kooi on Sep 19, 2019

This sermon examines the relationship between the prodigal son, unjust steward, and the hearer. It draws upon the parallels among all three to make a Gospel application. I am indebted to Dr. David Schmidt's observations on this text found on 1517.org for the idea.

A few weeks ago, I bought the movie Dunkirk on sale, which is about the evacuation of over 300,000 British troops after the Fall of France in World War II. I tried to watch this movie at night as I was going to bed. Between falling asleep, helping with Mia, or checking my phone, the movie took ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:1-8, Luke 16:1-16, Luke 15:11-32, Luke 15:12-24

Denomination: Lutheran

Pride And Prejudice

Contributed by Thomas Clawser on Oct 6, 2019

Two Things that Constrain Our Joy

Legend holds that in 1884 a young man died, and after the funeral his grieving parents decided to establish a memorial to him. With that in mind they met with Charles Eliot, president of Harvard University. Eliot received the unpretentious couple into his office and asked what he could do. After ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-32

Denomination: Other

Now, That Makes No Sense At All!

Contributed by Michael Stark on Oct 11, 2019

It makes no sense to be part of the same family and be mad when the father chooses to do for one what he hasn’t chosen to do for the other. Yet, this is precisely what happened in the parable Jesus told of two sons, either of whom were prodigal.

“Jesus 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 ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Denomination: Baptist

This Is Our Story Series

Contributed by Brad Bailey on Nov 11, 2019

This is Our Story Series: Encountering Jesus (through the Gospel of Luke) Brad Bailey – November 9, 2019

This is Our Story Series: Encountering Jesus (through the Gospel of Luke) Brad Bailey – November 9, 2019 Series #46 / Luke 15:11-32 Intro As we continue in our extended season of Encountering Jesus through the Gospel of Luke…we are challenged to face that we haven’t understood the actual story ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Prodigal Son Series

Contributed by Kevin Brady on Nov 25, 2021

A younger son tries to run away from the father. An elder son tries to replace the father. Neither succeeds because the love of the father ultimately breaks through and touches them both.

The Prodigal Son The younger brother threw down his hoe and stormed angrily across the field toward the farmhouse. His elder brother watched for a while, shook his head and returned to his weeding. For the two brothers, never happy with each other, this was the latest incident in the ongoing ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Lost And Found Series

Contributed by Brad Bailey on Dec 1, 2021

Lost and Found Series: Parables - Small Stories, Big Truths Brad Bailey – June 27, 2021

Lost and Found Series: Parables - Small Stories, Big Truths Brad Bailey – June 27, 2021 [Note: This message is only slightly adapted from what I had taught entitled “Our Story” when engaging this passage in a series in the Gospel of Luke. Both series called for teaching the text in its entirety ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Did Jesus Say About The Father? Series

Contributed by Brady Boyd on Jan 20, 2022

Loneliness happens when we believe we have nothing in common with others.

God is … What Did Jesus Say About the Father? January 23, 2022 Luke 15:11-13 NIV “Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. 13 "Not long after that, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-13, Luke 15:14-16, Luke 15:17-20, Luke 15:22-24, Luke 15:25-32  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Prodigal Or Judgmental

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Mar 20, 2022

Imagine someone who wasted his inheritance on wild living, went broke, was homeless, smelled like a pig and just wanted to come home? Purpose: Let’s look at the prodigal son. Plan: Let’s examine Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32.

Hymns: You Raise Me Up (Joshua 5); Forgiven (Psalm 32); We Are Standing on Holy Ground (2 Corinthians 5); Father I Have Sinned (the Prodigal Son Song). Readings: Joshua 5:9-12; Psalm 32; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 Prelude: Imagine someone who wasted his inheritance on wild living, went broke, was ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-3, Luke 15:11-32

Denomination: Baptist

4th Sunday In Lent, Year C. Series

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Mar 21, 2022

March 30th, 2025.

Joshua 5:9-12, Psalm 32:1-11, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, Luke 15:1-3, Luke 15:11-32. A). THE BLESSING OF PARTICIPATION. Joshua 5:9-12. The LORD spoke metaphorically of having “rolled away the reproach of Egypt” (Joshua 5:9). Egypt stands for the place of captivity. In like manner Jesus, by taking ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 5:9-12, Psalm 32:1-11, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, Luke 15:1-3, Luke 15:11-32  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Eclipse Of The Heart (March 27, 2022)

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Mar 23, 2022

This morning let us strive to look at this story from a different angle as we give weight to the bitterness and indifference of the elder brother. Today we will focus on the hungry heart and the alienated heart.

ECLIPSE OF THE HEART Text: Luke 15:1 - 3, 11-32 Luke 15: 1 -3, 11- 32  Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him.  (2)  And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them." ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-3, Luke 15:11-32

Denomination: United Methodist