The Prodigal Son

 

 Welcome back! :) 

       I would be lying if I said that I understood this parable right after I read it. To be completely honest, I am still sorting through some thoughts as I am writing this. If it has been a while since you last read this parable, (or if you haven't ever read it) then I highly recommend that you read Luke 15:11-32 before we go any further. :) 

   Okie dokie, now we're ready. First things first- what exactly is a parable? Definition: a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, as told by Jesus in the Gospels. Knowing this fact is ideal in understanding parables- for a long time, I thought that the prodigal son's story was a literal event in history. 

   Before we even dive into the actual parable itself, let us understand the background. Tax collectors and sinners were gathering around to hear Jesus preach, and of course Jesus welcomed them. According to the Pharisees, this was absolutely insane! Why in the world would Jesus welcome these horrible people? Little did the Pharisees know that they would need salvation just as much as the tax collectors.

  The Pharisees continued to murmur, so Jesus began to share the following parable:

   Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?  And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’  I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. Luke 15:3-7

   That story is great news if you are the lost sheep. But, what if you are one of the 99? You go to church every day, you watch what you say, you volunteer at the soup kitchen, you sew blankets for the elderly, etc. You never wandered away, so why don't you get special attention? 

  There is obviously a very important point that Jesus is going to make, because he shares another parable that sounds quite similar.

   “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’  In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:8-10 

   The main point of this parable is that the one lost coin is just as valuable to the woman as the other 9. Again, great if you are the lost coin. Doesn't seem very fair to the other 9, does it though? Aren't they just as, if not more than, important? 

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   Luke 15:11 actually begins the parable that we are focusing on today. In this parable, there is a man who has two sons. The younger one (the prodigal son) asks his father to give him his share of the land. After he gets his share, he takes off and lives recklessly -  spending all of his money in the process. As if that wasn't bad enough, a famine came across the land. This "prodigal son" became poor as dirt, and regretted all of his decisions. He found a job feeding pigs, and he was so hungry that his desire was to eat the pig's food. Hmm, I don't know about you, but I would have to be literally starving to be seen eating pig slop. Read this next verse very carefully: 

"When he came to his senses, he said 'How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against Heaven and you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son - make me like one of your hired servants." Luke 15:17 

   "When he came to his senses..." Instead of running hime to his father the moment that things got rough, his first plan of action was to actually work with pigs and earn some kind of money. Sure, his pride probably played a part in why he didn't go home right away - but is anyone really prideful enough to eat pig slop over facing their father?? His main reason for not going home was probably because of a feeling that we all hate to feel - shame. He was ashamed of his actions, and he would rather live in this mess that he created than to face his father. (How often do we do that?! A lot...) He knew that he didn't deserve any mercy from his father. He would have been grateful just to be a servant. 

 

   When his father saw him from afar, he ran to his son and was filled with great joy. He called for a celebration because, "this son of his was dead and is alive again; he was lost and now is found!" 

   His father called for the best robe, a ring, some sandals, and even a fattened calf for dinner. A full on celebration was had, but someone was not happy. 

   Yep. The older son. 

    The older son was one of the 99 sheep. He was one of the 9 silver coins. When he heard about this celebration, he was furious. His father came out to the field and pleaded with him, but the son wouldn't listen. 

  “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.  But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ Luke 15:28-30

    I can honestly say that I don't blame him for feeling this way. I mean, he worked hard and never did anything wrong, when his brother, who seemed to do everything wrong, got a celebration.

    

  "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and now is found!'" Luke 15:31-32 

   Does the father love his older son any less? Nope. In the same way, he doesn't love his older son any more than the prodigal son. This story is a perfect example of how much God loves us. 

1. He has grace for when we make horrible decisions. We need a savior as much as our neighbor, and Jesus will run to us with open arms and welcome us!! 

2. He is also big enough for our questions and thoughts. Notice how the father doesn't get mad at the older son when he is complaining - He has grace for him too. Both of the sons struggled in their own way. One with pride, one with shame. We all have "prodigal moments" & "older son moments." Either way, we need grace. 

    When I wake up, I need a savior. When I volunteer at a homeless shelter, I need a savior. When I really mess up, I need a savior. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life - I need him just as much on days that I check off every item on my to-do list as I do on days when I can't seem to do anything right. I need Jesus. You need Jesus. He is there with open arms, waiting to celebrate. All we have to do is accept his free gift of grace. 

   Thank you so much for reading! Have a blessed day & week, and leave any questions/comments below!