Sermons on Prodigal:

U-Turns Encouraged Here Series

Contributed by John Bright on Jun 22, 2023

A four part series on Jonah. A good reminder that you can run… but you can’t hide from God! Teaching sheet at the end of the text.

“U-turns Encouraged Here” Jonah 1:17-2:10 Pastor John Bright Jonah 1:17 “Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” Jonah 2 “Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly. 2 And he said: “I cried ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:8, John 3:16, Deuteronomy 31:6, Revelation 2:6, Matthew 5:23-24, 2 Timothy 4:2, Ephesians 4:18-19  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

The Father Heart Of God

Contributed by Joel Smith on Jun 24, 2008

If your heart beats like the Father’s, you’ll love lost people too.

A several summers ago Laura and I witnessed every parent’s nightmare. As we soaked up the sun at Myrtle Beach, enjoying our annual vacation, watching Drake and Anna Gray, who were then still young enough to enjoy just playing in the sand, we noticed a man acting rather strangely. A barely ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-32

Denomination: Baptist

Love Myths #3 Series

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on Feb 2, 2010

How do we love like Jesus? For love, to be true, has to hurt just as it hurt Jesus to love us.

The day is December 11, 1979: in Oslo, Norway, an Albanian nun named Teresa, who has dedicated her life to live a simple life of love among the world’s poorest and most desperate people, receives one of the world’s most significant awards – the Nobel Peace Prize. As part of the ...read more

Scripture: John 15:9-13

Denomination: Baptist

The Porch - Pt. 1 - Off The Porch Series

Contributed by Steve Ely on Apr 12, 2014

It is a prominent feature in our lives and our memories. A place of safety. A place of provision. It's "The Porch!"

The Porch Pt. 1 - Off The Porch A crowd gathered. Ears tuned to sound of His voice. With a verbal paintbrush a complex plot is constructed, a unique in perspective is given, and rich in truth relayed. He quickly and easily crafts a story that will cause the likes of Charles Dickens and William ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-31

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Father: Reaching Into The Pockets

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Aug 9, 2010

The waiting father reaches deep into the reservoirs of love, extending compassion to his wayward son. So we also as parents must seek not to control but to guide and then be ready for forgiveness.

I shall not soon forget the image he presented, this father of the bride. He had smiled all through the vast and elaborate preparations for the wedding; his daughter was a kind of elegant princess, he knew it, she knew it, everybody knew it – and so the princess must have a grand occasion. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Denomination: Baptist

Pride And The Poor In Spirit

Contributed by Chris Mccarthy on Jan 11, 2011

This series is a study of the seven deadly sins contrasted with solutions found in the Beatitudes from Matthew 5. This second sermon uses the popular stories of the Prodigal Son and the Rich Man and Lazarus to contrast being proud against being poor in sp

Pride and the Poor in Spirit Seven Sins and Solutions THE STORY IS TOLD OF A MAN WHO HAD A DREAM IN WHICH AN ANGEL showed him two doors — one marked Heaven and the other Hell. Curious, the man went to the door marked Hell. Inside he saw an unhappy sight. Twelve emaciated people sat around a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:19-27

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Imagine A Heavenly Father

Contributed by Brian Harrell on Oct 18, 2018

From the I Can Only Imagine movie / campaign. God is a heavenly father. A perfect father. Unlike any father we have had on this planet. Using the prodigal son story we identify the traits of our heavenly dad.

Those grandkids of ours are tearing me apart. On Tuesday the call had come to evacuate the area of the coast where our whole family had rented a beach house. We had been there for a total of three days. On Tuesday night, trying to avoid traffic, Zach packed up the truck, put the kids in the car ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:20-23, Matthew 3:13-17

Denomination: Church Of God

Back In The Fold Series

Contributed by Kevin Broyhill on Oct 2, 2024

Christians can find themselves drifting farther from the Lord. Psalm 23 gives us a vivid image of this reality. But here’s the good news: no matter how far we stray, our Shepherd is always there to restore us.

Back In The Fold! Psalm 23:3a Introduction: Illust: Two students working for the summer got a job with the Public Works Department. They were given the job of painting the center lines of a rural road. The supervisor told them that they were on probation and that they must stay above the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:3

Denomination: Baptist

A Lost Sheep, A Lost Coin, A Lost Son

Contributed by Jefferson Williams on Jan 7, 2024

Jesus tells three stories to prove how much lost people matter to God.

God’s Love for the Lost Luke 15:1-32 Pastor Jefferson M. Williams Chenoa Baptist Church 01-07-2024 I Lost My Keys Again Have you ever lost something? I am better at it than most. I have lost coats, gloves, watches, sunglasses, my place in a song, and my heart to a girl named Maxine. One time ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-32

Denomination: Baptist

Sermon # 3 - The Secrets To Overcoming Want Series

Contributed by Andrew Dixon on Apr 3, 2024

The story of the Prodigal Son will teach us many lesson on what we should avoid, and what we should value in order to continue in the place of abundance, and not end up in want.

We continue our meditation on 2 Corinthians 9:8, “Besides, God is able to make every blessing of yours overflow for you, so that in every situation you will always have all you need for any good work.” (ISV) There is power in the word of God, and we must allow God’s word to be actualized in our ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:8, Psalm 23:5, Luke 15:14, Luke 15:17, 1 Timothy 1:17, James 1:17, Romans 11:36  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Other

The Rebel Returns Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 30, 2021

We want to look at the story Jesus told about a youth who learned the hard way. It is often called the parable of the Prodigal Son, but it could just as rightly be called the parable of the Faithful Father.

The main social event of the year in many Sunday Schools is the summer picnic. William Porkess was in an English Sunday School that was granted permission by an Earl to have a picnic on his large estate. How excited they all were as they were being carried to the estate by horse and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

The Runaway Lad And The Waiting Dad - Which Way Will You Run? Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Sep 26, 2005

The pharisees and the teachers of the law had a warped view of God... and many today have the same problem. What did Jesus mean to teach about the Father in this parable?

OPEN: (It is best to memorize the following illustration to allow for optimum delivery) “Feeling footloose and frisky, a featherbrained fellow forced his fond father to fork over the farthings and flew far to foreign fields and frittered his fortune, feasting fabulously with faithless friends. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-24, Luke 15:11-25

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Priority Of Concern Series

Contributed by Wayne Mock on Feb 4, 2011

People can have many priorities. Jesus expects His followers to have priorities based on His value system, not the value system of the world.

There are many things in life about which we can be concerned. We can be concerned about the weather – when will it be warmer? We can be concerned about the economy – especially if we are being directly affected by the recession. One’s health is also a matter of concern to many people. This ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-32

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Part 3: Helping Your Children Change Series

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Jul 24, 2007

The prodigal son needed change! And as we look at his story, we can see how to help our children find the changes they need.

Part 3: Helping Your Children Change (Series: Heavenly Help for Your Family) Luke 15:11-24 Sermon by Rick Crandall McClendon Baptist Church - June 25, 2006 *Change is hard! Mark Twain once said, “The only person who likes change is a wet baby.” (1) And that’s about right. *Nobody likes change, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-24

Denomination: Baptist

Lent 4, Year C: The Parable Of The Dysfunctional Family

Contributed by Fr. Rian Adams on Mar 13, 2019

Rian Adams: Sermon on the parable of the lost son, Lent 4, Year C. The sermon looks at family dysfunction.

?The Parable of the Dysfunctional Family The Rev. Rian Adams The father in this parable makes me uncomfortable. Some of his ways even bother me. I’m also willing to guess that he might seem “off” to you as well. There is one thing we can see; he wasn’t very good at raising sons. We know this ...read more

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

Denomination: Episcopal