Luke 15:11-32[1]
As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, October 2nd, 2011
Last week we heard some of the most incredible mission testimonies ever. These Wano were sharing about the straight talk, the true talk, and they spoke the gospel more clearly through an interpreter than many pastors do in their people's heart language!
Wasn't that amazing, to witness the power of God through the Word given by the Wilds and the Ingles? I thank God for Mike and Libby and those four wonderful sons of theirs!
We are in the middle of our Lord's Journey Toward Jerusalem, following Him from Luke 13:22 – 17:10. We last examined the first two parables our Lord told in Luke 15 – the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin; today we'll absorb together the story of the Prodigal Son. It is critical to remember the audience our Lord is addressing: "Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them" (Luke 15:1-2). Two very distinct groups; the first are those who are outside of the realm of the religious but who are very interested in Jesus, and open to hear His words. The second group is comprised of those who scorn His words, and who hope to trap or discredit him in front of his followers. Oddly enough the first group has no history with God, and the second group can trace their history with God back for centuries! You wouldn't think so, the way they disdain the Savior God had promised to send (Ps 2, 22-24, 51, Isa 6, 7, 9, 53, etc.) This is a beautiful piece of literature, and it was very widely known in the church. Let's read this story – the majority of the chapter – together. Luke 15:11-32…
And he 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 there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants."' And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to celebrate. "Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.' But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, 'Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"
With this story, I often feel that reading it and praying would be sufficient. With that in mind, I will make my comments brief today.
In the lost sheep story we see the focus on the word lost. In the lost coin story we see a focus on the search. In this parable today we notice a focus on the word restoration[2]. What rich fullness of the character of God, and of His glorious gospel we see in these three stories! God sees the lost; God does the searching, and God, this perfect Being who hates sin, lovingly restores the sinner. All to show the sinners God cares for their souls, and to show the religious people that God makes salvation available only by faith in Jesus, and not by religious traditions, morality, and accomplishments. Let's unpack this parable.
The Father. Who would he represent in this story? God. He Loves. He Gives. He Runs. He Rejoices. He Restores. He Pleads.
The Younger Son. Rebellious sinner. Who does he represent in this story? Tax collectors and sinners.
Disdains. Deserves. Leaves. Falls. Shatters, humbles himself before his father.
The Older Son. Religious sinner. Who does he represent in this story? Pharisees and scribes.
Works. Stays. Deserves. Hardens, sets himself against his father.
Both sons reject the Father. Both want His stuff. Both are shown compassionate mercy.
Younger son – wow, what grace. He repents, and receives it.
Older son – wow, what loving patience! – and he rejects it.
Both sons are shown grace.
Both sons must come back to the table, to love, to be restored.
Both sons need to believe and love their father, not just his stuff. Can't take his stuff and disdain Him, and can't earn his stuff and disdain Him.
Both must humble themselves before God. For whom is it harder?
[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.
[2] Emphasis noted by Alfred Edersheim in his excellent work, The Life and Times of Jesus The Messiah: New Updated Edition, Complete and Unabridged in One Volume, Copyright © 1993 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.
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