The Parable of the Prodigal Son
Luke15:11-32
11 then He said, "A certain man had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his
father, 'Father gives me the portion of goods that falls to me. 'So he divided
to them his livelihood. 13 And not many
days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country,
and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 14 But when he had spent all, there arose a
famine in that land and he began to be in want. 15 to a citizen of that
country, and he sent him to feed swine, 16 And he would gladly have filled his
stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself, he said' How
many of my fathers hired servants have bread
enough to spare, and I perish
with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to
my father, and will say to him," Father I have sinned against heaven and
before you, 19 and I am no longer
before you, 19 and I am no
longer worthy to be called your son.
Make me like one of your hired servants.'" 20 And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his
father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and
21 And the son said to him,
'Father I have sinned against heaven and in your
sight, and am no longer worthy
to be called your son,' 22 "But the father said to his servants, 'Bring
out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on
his feet. 23 And bring the fatted calf
here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;
24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is
found.' And they began to be merry. 25 "Now his older son was in the
field. And as he came and drew near to
the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 So he called one of the servants and asked what these things
meant. 27 And he said to him, 'Your
brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father
has killed the fatted calf.' 28 But he
was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded wit
him. 29 So he answered and said to his
father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed
your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat that I
might make merry with my friends. 30 But
as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with
harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him,' 31 "And he said to him, 'Son
you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32 It was right that we should make merry and
be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is
found."
EXPLANATION
The parable of the Prodigal Son is one of the most loved
parables. It begins with a certain man who had two sons. His youngest son wanted his inheritance while
his father gathered all together and left his father and brother and journeyed
into a far off land and into a life of iniquity, sexual possessions with prodigal
living." He wasted all his possession with Prodigal living is not merely
wasteful extravagance but also sexual immorality. With
no money he was force take a job feeding swine which was so
degrading for a Jew to touch
unclean animals. He was so hungry that
he thought he would eat the pods that were for the swine but they were not for
human consumption.
Then it finally came to him in, the mire of the disgusting
swine, broke, and starving he was now ready to repent. In verses 18 and 19 he says 'I will arise and
go to my father and say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and
before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son, Make me like one
of your hired servants.” So he got up and went back to his father, who saw him
from a distance and had compassion and ran out to greet him. He fell on his neck and kissed him, but
before he
could get the rehearsed
statement out," Father I sinned against heaven and am no longer worthy to
called your son" his father ad
already told his servants to bring him the best robe and put it on him and get
him a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. He also
told his servants to kill the
fatted calf and to eat and be merry. And
he said in verse 24 "for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was
lost and now he is found. And they began to me you.
This is an analogy of how a lost sinner or backslidden
Christian returns to God. He will be
ready to forgive them and run out to meet them.
And the Bible tells us to there is no greater merriment in heaven then
when a sinner repents and gives his life and his heart to our Lord Jesus
Christ.
But now the older brother returned from working in the
fields and heard the music and a servant told him his brother had come home but
he refused to join the party. So his
father had to go plead with him. Hi older son said to him, "Lo, these many
years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any
time; and yet you never gave me a young goat that I might make merry with my
friends. But as soon as this son of
yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots; you killed the
fatted calf for him,"
While he should have joined in his father joy he shows
utter contempt for his father instead. His statement of "never
transgressed your commandment" shows of religious hypocrisy. The kind of comment a self righteous comment
a Pharisee would make.
In verses 31 and 32 his father answers him, "Son, you
are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and
glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is
found." But nothing could make his eldest son join in his joy.
APPLICATION
The parable of the prodigal son shows us the abounding
forgiveness and grace God has for us.
The Father represents God in the parable. When the prodigal son came back with a
repentant heart God was there to meet him and show him grace and forgiveness.
No questions asked just forgiveness and grace given. Are you a prodigal son a lost sinner or
backslidden Christian God is ready to meet you right now. Just repent as the
prodigal son did and take Jesus Christ into your hear as Lord and Savior.
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