Luke 15:11-32

Date: March 14, 2010
Spring Week 2: Jesus tells the Parable of the Lost Son (Luke 15:11-32)
Bible Study: God will Forgive us when we sin

Luke 15 .. previously . . love that seeks
• the Parable of the Lost Sheep – the shepherd went and found the sheep
• the Parable of the Lost Coin – the woman went and found the coin

Luke 15:11-32
The Parable of the Lost Son . . . (this is the end of Luke 15) . . love received

11 Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood.

• the root of all sin! … a desire to not depend on God!

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.

• Far from God .. God was not in his thoughts … then he wasted away all the grace he had received

14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.

• All his worldly pleasures failing, he grew conscious of his want of real “goodness”

15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

• Either the devil or one of his children, the genuine citizens of that country which is far from God.
• He employed him in the base drudgery of sin

16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

• He would have satisfied himself with worldly comforts. Vain & fruitless!

17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

• For till then he was beside himself, as all men are, so long as they are without God in the world.

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 worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’

• the first steps of true repentance are pointed out! Against Heaven - Against God.

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 kissed him. 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.’

• The moment he had resolved, he began to execute his resolution
• Returning, starved, naked

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.

• Interrupting him before he had finished what he intended to say. So does God frequently cut an earnest confession short by a display of his pardoning Love

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.

• “merry” -- Both here, and wherever else this word occurs, whether in the Old or New Testament, it implies nothing of levity, but a solid, serious, religious, heartfelt joy: indeed this was the ordinary meaning of the word four-hundred years ago, when my translation was made

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.

• The elder son seems to represent the Pharisees and scribes, mentioned Luke 15:2
2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”

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.’

• He doesn’t mention the robe or ring . . the music and dancing are around the food

28 “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.

• How natural to us is this kind of resentment!

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.’

• the character of the Pharisees
• So he was one of the instances mentioned Luke 15:7.
7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.

• Don’t “murmur” against the attention/prayers shown to “big sinners”
• the father's receiving of the younger son did not cause him to disinherit the older one
• God's receiving of notorious sinners will be no loss to those who have always served him

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.’”

• So beautiful is scripture !!! ... this line brings tears to my eyes when I think of my own sons
• The older son had unkindly said, This your son … the father replies This your brother –
• the best of men ought to account the worst sinners their brothers
• the Jews had no cause to murmur at the reception of the Gentiles
• even when enriched by the Blessings of God we still run from him (v12)
• Sensual pleasures are eagerly pursued, till they have squandered away all the grace of God (v13)
• while these continue, not a serious thought of God can find a place in their minds.
• even when afflictions come upon them (v14), still they will make hard shifts before they will let the grace of God persuade them to think of a return (v 15,16)
• When they see themselves naked, indigent, and undone, then they recover the exercise of their reason (v17)
• Then they remember the blessings they have thrown away, and attend to the misery they have incurred. And hereupon they resolve to return to their father, and put the resolution immediately in practice (v 18,19).
• God receives us back with Joy!
• God’s gifts are not due to us
• Don’t be content with your life .. and just receiving their “good things”
• The Lord opens our eyes, and convinces us of our sin; then we view ourselves and every object, in a different light from what we did before.