Chapter BY Chapter

Luke 15 – The Prodigal Son

 

This passage is as follows:

 

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.”

 

So he told them this parable:  “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?  And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.  And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’  Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

 

“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?  And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’  Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

 

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.’”

 

(End of passage)

 

Up to this point in the Gospel According to Luke, Jesus has dined with the Pharisees two times.  During these dinners, Jesus had scathing things to say about the Pharisees after they criticized him for doing things like healing on the Sabbath or not washing his hands before eating.  Now we get to chapter 15, and it starts off in a way that could connect to the dinner Jesus just had with the Pharisees in chapter 14.  In chapter 14, verse 1, Jesus goes to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees.  Jesus heals a man, and Jesus then drives home the point that it is okay to heal on the Sabbath.  Then Jesus tells a few parables to point out some of the bad things they do like jockey for the best seat, fail to feed the poor, and how they are missing out on God’s invitation.  Chapter 14, verse 25 says, “Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them.”  Luke is explaining here that a great number of people went with Jesus or were nearby him when he went to dine with the Pharisees.  So, this is likely to be the same event.  When we get to Chapter 15, verse 1, it says, “Now the tax collectors and sinners were drawing near to him.”  This could yet be the same event.  The Pharisees are still there, grumbling.  So let’s see what they are grumbling about.

 

Verses 1-10,

 

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.”

 

So he told them this parable:  “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?  And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.  And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’  Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

 

“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?  And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’  Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

 

So, Jesus answers the grumbling Pharisees with these two parables.  What is Jesus telling them with these parables?

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1. If you lose something, you leave everything else to find it.

2. God has more joy over one sinner that repents than 99 who do not need repentance.

3. There is joy in heaven over the sinner that repents.

 

Is Jesus saying that the Pharisees do not need to repent?  Jesus is not saying that.  Elsewhere, Jesus tells the Pharisees that they are in need of repentance.  Jesus is saying that these are the people that are repenting.  Therefore, rejoice for these people.

Jesus gives one more parable about this concept.  This is a long one.

 

Verses 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.’”

 

What lessons is Jesus teaching with this parable?  What parallels are there to our spiritual life?

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1. Sin has consequences.

2. Sometimes we don’t realize how blessed we really are.

3. God loves sinners.

4. We have a much better inheritance than earthly goods.

5. Worldly pleasures eventually lead to dissatisfaction.

6. When we choose our way over God’s way, we become a slave to sin.

7. The food of the world is not sufficient for spiritual growth.

8. Just like the prodigal son came to himself or came to his senses, we need to come to our senses and realize that we have much more in God’s kingdom.

9. Just like the prodigal son turned back and returned to his father, so too, we must turn back towards our heavenly father.

10. Just like the father in the parable saw his son from afar, so too, our heavenly father sees us from afar and watches for us to turn to him.

11. Just like the father in the parable showed abundant love, his mercy on the cross is shown abundantly to all.

12. The brother in the story showed self-righteousness and was critical of the father’s love.So too, we must guard ourselves against self-righteousness and envy.

13. We should rejoice when a prodigal son comes home.

14. Notice that the Father didn’t even let the prodigal son finish what he was saying.The father did not let him say, “Treat me as one of your hired servants.”The father treated him like his own son again.

15. God does not always love each of his children in exactly the same way.Some may have more spiritual gifts than others.Some may receive more forgiveness.

 

What do you say to someone that says that if God is good, he wouldn’t have allowed evil?  Or, why do some get a good life but others do not?

 

First of all, evil does not exist because God created it.  God created life.  Life necessitates autonomy.  Autonomy allows for the possibility of evil.  Evil is created by evil people.  Some people say that if God was really a good God, he wouldn’t have allowed Evil people to do evil things to others.  God is a good God because he has also planned a day of judgment.

 

Secondly, God created life with the possibility of enjoyment.  Are you enjoying life?  Have you enjoyed life?  Are you thanking God for that life he has given you?

 

Some people may say that if God cared about our life, he would have made it more perfect, that there wouldn’t be starving people in the Sahara Desert, tornadoes, or volcanoes or hurricanes, or earthquakes.

 

Ideas about applying logic or perfection to God are human constructs.  Logic was designed to be applied to mathematical numbers, not beings.  What we think of as perfection exists in our own imagination.  We don’t know what God had to do to create the universe, but he went from nothing to being able to have a planet like the earth with diverse life forms in only 14 Billion years.  We also know that if there was a perfect equality between matter and anti-matter that there would be no universe.  Therefore, imperfection was needed to create the universe.  Now, do you think you could do better?

 

Thirdly, by creating life, which comes with autonomy, the possibility of love also exists.  Just like the world that we live in, love is not perfect.  But it exists.  Listen to some of these love stories.

 

Story One

 

The best thing Ben and I ever did for our relationship was break up.  We started dating when we were eighteen, in school and still only partially formed humans.  After three years, we said a tearful goodbye (he yelled a lot and I think I threatened to punch him in the neck) and took the next two years to grow up, meet new people, and figure out who we were.  We had no idea we were going to end up together, so that time apart was difficult and often awkward because we shared a group of friends neither of us were willing to part with.  We learned how to be friends, how to exist separately, before we came to the conclusion it would be more fun to exist together.  Growth isn't linear, it's sloppy and unexpected.  The confidence we both gained in ourselves and in each other over the years helps us to be each other's biggest cheerleader, toughest critic and best friend!

 

Story Two

 

Just over a year ago we hit a rough patch, actually I hit a rough patch.  I was off doing my Masters in Ohio and it was a difficult transition being away from home again.  I started to realize that as much as I loved having Ryan in my life, I didn't really know what life with just Alena was like.  Do I love myself? Am I confident in myself?  Who is Alena without Ryan?  I freaked out a bit and something in my gut told me I needed some time to myself, just Alena time (bare with the third person for a second, it's almost over).  Ryan and I parted ways for several months.  Even though it was ultimately my decision, it still hurt so much.  It was a dark time but needed to happen for me to grow from it.  Ryan came back into my life and I knew it would be forever from that point on.  I had more clarity and confidence in our relationship and in myself.  Ryan is truly an angel sent from God.

 

Story Three

 

I was working as the maître’d in a fine-dining restaurant to put myself through university when I met Ali, who was one of my top waitresses.  Like many great romances, ours started at work.  However, upon finishing my degree in architecture, I decided to travel through Australia, and I was lucky enough to be offered a job in Noosa, so I decided to stay.  Ali decided to move to be with me.  We had a care-free, fun-filled couple of weeks, but everything changed dramatically when Ali was struck by a truck while riding her bike in Noosa.  The tragic accident left Ali with a serious brain injury and broken jaw.  Rather than partying and going on dinner dates, I spent the next two weeks by her bed at the Royal Brisbane Hospital.  It was during that time as she convalesced that I realized she was my forever love.  It took one and a half years for her to recover from her horrific injuries and we decided then that our lives would always be about living in the moment, living life to the fullest.  We realized that living life together was our ‘Tonic, the elixir of happiness’ and this became the name of our business – Tonic Design.  We now have four children and are still loving our lives together.

So, as you can see, quite often it is the presence of the bad things in life that make love really stand out.  That’s what makes love what it is.  Difficulties.  That’s what makes love meaningful.  No one loves in the same way.  No one is loved in the same way.  The possibility of evil is what makes love meaningful.

 

Sometimes it is the imperfect things like the spaghetti sauce stain on a shirt, Old Spice Cologne instead of the latest man fragrance, the mud on your boots, someone stealing the covers at night, arguing about who’s turn it is to do the laundry, asking where the spatula is at, those awful scents that someone jet blasts into the couch cushions, that sarcastic remark, so many hair and makeup items on the bathroom sink that you can’t find your toothbrush, long times spent waiting for someone to apply all that makeup, exclamations about having nothing to wear, the back seat driving, saying you decide then saying nope to everything, and drive by talking about important things.  And through it all people still love each other.

The two sons in Jesus’ parable about the prodigal son were not loved exactly the same, and they did not love back exactly the same. 

They were both loved by the same father.  Just like the father in the story loved both sons and rejoiced when the lost son came back. 

They were both loved, and they were both invited to the celebration.

 

In the same way, God loves all his children.  We may not all get his love in the same way, but he always rejoices when we come to him.