The Prodigal Son Part Two Series

The prodigal son part two

Luke chapter 15:24-15:32

Introduction

Last week we looked at the prodigal son, it is a familiar verse where we see a rebellious son takes his inheritance to a far off country and lives a wild life until his money runs out and he realizes that what he had was not so bad.

Luke 15:11 “When he came to his senses”

We all relate to that in some degree.

Some of us have learned the lessons and some are still learning.

Some never learn the lesson and blame God because they are not willing to change. (Repeat) they don’t change, they are not willing.

If you get nothing else from last week‘s message, I hope that you got a glimpse of what God is really like.

He is a God that loves you.

He is a God who desires to restore or create a relationship with each one of us.

He is a God who we can come to when we have blown it. (Repeat)

I can think of many times I have blown it, how many times I knew better but I did it anyway. How many people God has put in my path to help me in my walk with Him, and how many times I did not listen or did not learn.

The prodigal son’s motive was rebellion.

He wanted what he really did not work for to be given to him so he can live a life that would not be pleasing to God.

Until he came to his senses- he thought the grass was greener on the other side.

That rebellious son motive was selfishness- the current state of most people today is selfishness.

We have raised a society to believe it is all about us.

Have it your way!

You deserve a break today!

You owe it to yourself!

It is easy for us to look at this passage of a rebellious son with no name, and tell him what he should do.

He should realize what he is doing is not working and listen to God.

He should repent because he knows what he was doing was wrong.

He should return to God- he should run as fast as he can to the arms of God- right? Right.

What about the good son? What lessons is God trying to teach us?

Luke 15:24-15:32

I want you to see something very important that takes place between verses 24-25

“For this son of mine was dead and is alive again, he was lost and is found, so they began to celebrate.”

(25)Meanwhile,- big word, while the lost son came home, dad called for a celebration, meanwhile, the older son who was in the field heard what is going and had a fit because his younger brother returned and was having a party given for him.

The rebellious son is getting the best robe, ring of distinction, and special occasion sandals put on his feet, and the other son working in the field was getting nothing.

While the father is showing forgiveness, and divine mercy, the old brother is showing us the attitude of the Pharisee, and showing resentment that anyone could come back to the father without whining siblings feeling like they have been cheated.

The welcoming father has to now deal with this unwelcoming brother.

The father is fill with compassion

The father runs to greet the wayward son

The father embraces him

Unwelcoming brother

Is angry

Not wanting to greet him.

Complains that he has been cheated.

The Lord deals with sinners coming home and opens up his arms to receive him only to find a few that are not happy.

I pray as a church that we side with the father and we have compassion.

We are eager to forgive.

We are a church that truly puts out the welcome mat and shows people that they are truly welcome.

Jesus loved sinners, may none of us that have been in the family of God for a long time forget that at one time in our lives- we were the prodigal son/daughter and God reached out to us.

Isn’t it funny how we can see how someone else can lose their salvation, but think we are incapable of falling ourselves. We become judgmental because we rate sin and are not as bad as most other people.

The older brother became angry and refused to go in- sounds like the parable of the pouting son.

Was in the field, working for the father

Heard a party

Your father has killed the fattened cow.

Goes into a fit of rage because the father has rewarded the wayward son with a party while the faithful son worked the field everyday without one.

I want you to take a hard look at the older brother.