The Parable Of Two Lost Sons Series

"The Parable of Two Lost Sons"

Luke 15:11-32

Pastor John Bright

Luke 15 11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons.”

Pause right there. Those words I just read; they were “Breathed by God”! God wants you to hear His Word right now! So, what is your response? Do you want to transformed by that Word or do you want to be informed about the words? You must choose.

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There is an old saying – “You can pick your friends, but you can’t pick your family.”

For some in my family, I was the disappointment… I was the prodigal. In my teens and 20s, I wanted to be an actor: on stage, television and movies. I lived in California twice and the biggest thing I ever did was an appearance on “The New Dating Game.”

Then I got clean and sober in 1985. It was then I could hear the call of God on my life (again) and I came home. That journey led me to this church in 2019. It’s still hard for some of my family to forget what I used to do way back then – “Guess that acting thing didn’t work out.”

Set-up for the parable

Last week we started Luke 15 with parables about 1 lost sheep and 1 lost coin. Remember, it all starts with a complaint – “2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Jesus was giving honor to folks who were cast out and were no longer welcomed. It has overtones of a family relationship – like brothers and sisters. The Pharisees were upset because Jesus seems to accept sinners as his siblings. That’s incredible if you think about it! They actually got it right! In response, Jesus tells them what has become the best known of all the parables to explain the radical limits of His relationship with you and me.

While I’m covering these parables in Luke, I rely on the work of Dr. Harry Wendt. (The Parables of Jesus, 1997)

The parable

AKA – Parable of the Prodigal Son

AKA – Parable of the Loving Father

AKA – Parable of the Older Brother Who Is A Pain In The… Neck

Actually, in many ways that are unique to storytelling in the Middle East the older son is the key figure. From their point of view, there is far too much time spent on the younger son who has a lower status in the family and in the village. Don’t forget the village – they are the fourth character in the story.

The Younger Son

11 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, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

17 "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.' 20 So he got up and went to his father.”

The younger son asks for his inheritance while his father still lives. Back then, the younger son would be entitled to 1/3 while the older son gets 2/3 of the estate. This was not unheard of back then. A father would divide the property before his death, but retain control. This was the “right of possession” rather than the “right of disposition.” (pg.49) This is an important distinction – why? There were no banks or 401Ks – everything the family owned was tied up in land and animals and goods. Now the younger son is demanding he wants the cash (coins). If he wants it quick, 1/3 of the assets will have to be sold quickly - most likely for a lower price. For the Middle Eastern listener, they hear the younger son is throwing away his true inheritance – family and village – for a bag of coins.

Lynn and I were so happy when Thomas and Jena got involved in a church in Richmond when they moved up there. I don’t know how folks face life without a church family – actually, I do. I went to CA the first time when I was 18. When I moved back, I lived in an apartment in my hometown. Went to Radford University and then back to CA. All that time – I NEVER attended church. When I got clean and sober, I found Crescent Heights UMC in West Hollywood. That’s where the NA meetings were held. I started attending. It was like coming home!