The Parable of the Prodigal Son

 

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

SUNDAY 25 MAY 2025 pm – MR BRYAN CRUISE

LUKE 15 VERSES 11 TO 24

This parable is undoubtedly the best known parable Jesus told. In verse 3 we see that it is one portion of a parable. It is a parable about lost things – the lost sheep, the lost coin and here the lost son. The title The Parable of the Prodigal Son is actually not a right title. Perhaps we think the prodigal is the main individual in the story but he is not. The father is the main individual, he is the one constant throughout. He is the same at the start of the story as he is at the end of the story. One single constant man, individual. If we could give this parable a title it would be the Parable of the Loving Father. 

We read about this man in verse 11 that he had 2 sons, a younger and an older son. The prodigal represents sinners who repent and come to Jesus. The older brother represents Pharisees and scribes who think they are living right but grumble in their service. We are going to focus on the relationship between the younger son and his father.

The rebellion. The young son comes to the father and asks for a share of the inheritance. It was actually half of what the older brother would receive. He was perfectly within his rights to ask for this according to the Mosaic law. The scribes and Pharisees listening to this story would have said that he should have rebuked his son. But no, he grants him his request. The young son travels to a distant country, a Gentile country, a region outside Israelite land. Where he goes is outside his father’s loving care. It is evident in our story that these actions have already taken place in his heart – verse 13 “And not many days the younger son gathered all together”. It didn’t take long for his plan to come into action. He had already left in his heart. He had decided in his heart already “I am going to leave. I don’t belong here.” In this foreign land he squanders all in selfish, shallow fulfilment, losing everything. The far country is not hard to be found – it was already there in his heart. You can be here and in the far country. You can be in the Sunday School and be in the far country. You can be in the pastorship and be in the far country. You can be a baptised member and be in the far country. You can be on the membership roll and be in the far country. Individuals living in rebellion to the word of God and the will of God. It is not measured by how far we walk but how far your heart is from God. All it takes to be brought into a right relationship is to come in repentant faith, to put your trust in Christ for salvation. It can happen suddenly. You can move from the far country into a loving relationship with God his father.

After his financial disaster comes a natural disaster in the form of a famine. There is a famine in the land. There are 13 famines in the bible but this is the only one is referred to as a “mighty famine” verse 14 “there arose a mighty famine in that land.” Psalm 105 verse 16 “Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread." Famine in the bible times heeds the call of the master. This one did the same thing. This famine rose in this land. The younger son began to be in want. He began to starve. He began to work to a Gentile feeding pigs. A horrible job for a Jewish person. He must have been in a desperate position to take a loathsome job. The word “citizen” indicated a privileged person. Not everyone is a citizen of the country. It was a position of prestige, it was aprominent position. Not everyone was a citizen. This man was honoured in the community, the society. The younger son joins himself to this individual. The Greek word is glued. This was not some job contract. He was a beggar, like a persistent beggar he latched onto this rich man, wouldn’t leave his side. To get rid of him he told him to go and feed his pegs. It was not a job contract.  This was a way to get rid of this young man – “go and feed my pigs”. This is the picture of people clinging to this sinful world, end up wallowing in wickedness, waywardness and worldliness in this sinful world. This young man travelled into a far country in hopes of finding his field of dreams but instead found himself in a field of swine. Sin promises more than it can deliver. It promises pleasure, contentment and fulfilment but it never delivers on those promises. Until you find yourself in greater, deeper pervasions of sin. Sin promises joy but brings pain. Sin promises happiness but all it brings shame. Sin promises life but brings death. Sin promises freedom but what it brings is guilt. Sin promises heaven but what it brings is hell. Sin is a liar. It is also a swindler.  Hebrews 11 verse 25 “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;” The bible tells us sin is only enjoyed for a season. You might think you can enjoy it for a long time but it is only for a season. It promises you an eternity of pleasure but it is only for a season. The bible says this young man grew so hungry that he longed to eat the pigs food. Sin will alter your tastebuds so that what once seemed abhorrent to you will seem pleasant. Sin can alter your taste.  He couldn’t find mercy. Verse 16 no man gave him anything. His friends had forsaken him. He had forsaken his family, now his so called friends forsook him. Once his wealth was gone so were his friends. The bible tells us the Lord is merciful. The Lord gave unto us his one and only Son. God the Father loved you so much he gave his only begotten Son. Mark 8 verse 36 “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Your soul is worth more than the whole world to God. All the money, power and authority in the world – your soul is worth more than that to God.

The repentance. The Prodigal Son was now in the situation where he was feeding swine and he begins to reflect on in his miserable existence. He comes to his senses. He sees his father in a new light. He devises a plan where he will return to his father, admit his sin. He will give up his rights as a son and take up a position as a servant in his father’s house. He begins to set off, begins to go, to leave. He turns from his lifestyle towards home. Summarizing his ministry the apostle Paul in Acts 26 verse 20 said “but shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judæa, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.” Repentance and faith can be understood as 2 sides of the same coin. Repentance is turning from sin to God. This young man realises his condition and turns from it.

The return. The father is waiting for his son to return. This father is unlike the shepherd and the woman in the previous stories. The shepherd goes out looking for the sheep, the woman looks for the coin. The father is different – he doesn’t go into the far country looking for his son. It was the son’s knowledge of his father’s goodness brought him to repentance. While he was a long way off he runs to his son. He ran to meet him. He kissed him. It was not customary for a grown man to run in Jesus’ day. How did he see son afar off? He was waiting for him. He was longing for the day when he would see him coming over the horizon. When he saw him he ran to meet him. There is no condemnation. He didn’t talk about all the things he had done wrong or said “I told you so”. The returning son has prepared a speech but the father cuts him off before he can finish. Verses 18 and 19. In verse 21 the father cuts him off before he can finish his speech, such is his love for him. When he said “I have sinned before heaven and you.” That was enough. He didn’t have to say anything more. He had said enough. The father told him to bring the best robe, the best ring and a fatted calf. A fatted calf would have fed the entire village. Usually it would be killed for a special occasion such as a wedding. Normally a goat would be killed for the return of someone. The father doesn’t question the son or lecture him. He gives him everything in his estate. We can see the love he has for his son.

The restoration. With this relationship restored the son is brought back into the privilege of being his son. Not the hired servant but a son. Ephesians 1 verse 3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:” When you come to faith in Christ you are made a son, a daughter, part of the family of God and given every spiritual blessing in Christ. It is the only family we are born into as well as adopted into. We must be born again. We are born into the family of God and adopted. We are sealed with the Holy Spirit, with the spirit of adoption. The double security we have. We have been born into it and adopted into it. It echoes the relationship. Jesus Christ has in his lineage with King David is related biologically through his mother Mary. He is legally a son through Joseph his father. You are born into God’s family. You are also legally adopted into God’s family when you come to faith in Christ. You receive all spiritual blessings. You have security in Christ. No-one can pluck you out of his hand. Will you come and know forgiveness from the father God? Will you not be restored into a relationship with almighty God.