The Prodigal Son

BIBLICAL REFERENCE: LUKE 15: 11-32;1-10

I would like to teach you the meaning of the parable of the "Prodigal

Son". It is found in Luke 15. In this parable it shows you the Great

Love that God has for all His children...and yes..even the ones who are

Lost! In the story of the Prodigal Son we see one who is saved and one

who is lost.

And he (Jesus) 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!

God gives us all that heaven has to offer, yet we, like the Prodigal Son

squandered it on all the evils and temptations of this world. We give

into Satan and his evil ways, only to find that we have not only hurt

God, others and ourselves; but find ourselves lost and far removed from

God and His love. We also find ourselves out in a very lonely desert

with no food of the spirit or the living water to quench our thirst. How

empty and lonely we become when we are far removed from that which fills

us with the love and goodness from God. How hungry and thirsty we become

when there is no food to feed our spirits or living water to quench our

thirst for righteousness! Yet, because of our foolish pride and

arrogance we settle for the crumbs that are left for the swine until we

realize that going to God or returning to God is the only way we will be

nourished with the food of the spirit and the living water of

righteousness. The Prodigal son realizing that he has sinned decides to

return to his father and beg his forgiveness.

He says,

"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.

Notice here that the Father already knew his beloved son was coming

home, even though the son was a great distance away. the Father had

great compassion for his son and ran to greet him. He hugged his son

around the neck and kissed him and even though the son said to his

father that he was not worthy to be his son because he had sinned

against heaven and his father, the father forgave him. Then he brought

out the best robe and put it on him and gave him his ring and put shoes

on his son’s feet. The father the ordered a feast of celebration for the

son who was lost but now was found, who was dead but now was alive!

This is exactly what takes place in God’s heaven every time a lost child

finds their way home! God and all of Heaven rejoice!

But there was jealousy!

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Why was there jealousy by the older brother? Let’s take a look at the

brother’s reaction when the servant told him that his lost brother had

returned.

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