Nov 24
9
Old Testament Reading: Psalm 86
“A PRAYER OF DAVID. Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day. Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me. There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seeks my life, and they do not set you before them. But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant. Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.” (Psalm 86)
New Testament Reading: Luke 15:11-32
“And [Jesus] 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.’” (Luke 15:11-32)
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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.
Introduction
Of all Jesus’ parables, I would imagine that the parable of the prodigal son is among the most well-known and beloved, and for good reason. This parable is rich with meaning. It does not convey one lesson but many. It reveals a great deal to us about man’s sinfulness and the love and grace of God extended to sinners, both common and saving.
As we turn our attention to this parable today, it is important to remember the situation that prompted Jesus to tell it. Keeping the situation in mind will help us to properly interpret this parable. In Luke 15:1-3 we are told that “tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear [Jesus]. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.’ So he told them this parable…” (Luke 15:1–3). In fact, Christ told the scribes and Pharisees, and the crowd that had gathered around him, three parables. We considered the parable of the lost sheep, and the lost coin last Sunday. Today we will consider the parable of the lost son. As we begin, we must remember that Jesus uttered all three parables in response to the grumbling of the scribes and Pharisees. It should be clear to all that these parables were delivered by Jesus for this purpose: to correct the scribes and Pharisees and to call them to repentance, and to comfort the sinners in the crowd who had turned from their sins to follow after him. Indeed, this parable does correct the prideful and it comforts the repentant.
In the introduction to the previous sermon, I asked you to consider what must have been in the minds and hearts of the scribes and Pharisees to move them to respond as they did. Many sinners were coming to hear Jesus. Jesus spoke the word of God to them and he ate with them. You would expect these God-fearing shepherds of Israel to rejoice in this fact! But they grumbled and complained. These scribes and Pharisees did not grumble because they were having a bad day. Their grumbling was from the heart. Their grumbling was the product of their deeply held beliefs and convictions. Concerning their belief in God, they must not have viewed him as having love for sinners. Concerning their beliefs about the coming Messiah, they did not think he would be willing to associate with sinners when he arrived. And concerning their view of themselves, they thought they were righteous. Why did the scribes and Pharisees respond with grumbling when they saw Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners? They responded as they did because of the beliefs that resided in their minds and hearts. As I have said, Jesus told these three parables to correct the false beliefs of the scribes and Pharisees and to comfort the sinners in the crowd who had turned from their sins to follow him.
This parable is traditionally called The Parable of the Prodigal Son. Prodigal means wasteful, extravagant, or reckless. And the word “prodigal” does accurately describe the behavior of the younger son in this parable. Jesus tells us that he gathered all his father had given to him and “took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living” (Luke 15:13). Indeed, he was for a time a prodigal, that is to say, a reckless and wasteful son. While I think the traditional name that has been given to this parable is good, we must not focus all our attention on the behavior and words of the prodigal son in this story. We must also carefully consider the behavior and words of the father and of the older son.
Who does the father in this story represent? The father in this parable represents God the Father. We will learn a great deal about the love and grace that God the Father shows to sinners through this parable.
Who does the older brother represent? He must represent the scribes and Pharisees. Clearly, this parable was meant as a warning to them concerning their grumbling and their self-righteous pride.
Finally, who does the younger son – the prodigal son – represent? He must represent the tax collectors and sinners who had, at one time, lived sinful lives but had recently turned from their sins to draw near to Jesus.
Let us now go to the parable to consider the details.
The Prodigal Son
First, in verses 11- 20a, our attention will be fixed on the prodigal son. As we consider his behavior, we will see four things. Firstly, we will see a sinner follow the natural desires of his heart. Secondly, we will see a sinner learn from bitter experience that the ways of sin are hard and miserable. Thirdly, we will see a sinner come to his senses, recognize his miserable condition, and resolve to repent. Fourthly, we will see a sinner turn to God in true repentance and faith (see J.C. Ryle’s Expository Thoughts On The Gospels, Luke, vol 2, pgs. 136-138). These four experiences will resonate with anyone who is a follower of Jesus Christ today, for these experiences, to one degree or another, are common to all who have been effectually called to repentance and faith in Christ.
A Sinner Follows The Natural Desires Of His Heart
The first thing we must notice about the prodigal son is that he was a sinner following the natural desires of his heart.
The parable begins with these words: “And [Jesus] 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” (Luke 15:11–12).
These opening lines tell us a lot about the younger son. One, he clearly does not respect his father. To request an inheritance early (for no good reason) would have been regarded as highly disrespectful. Two, this younger son is portrayed as being in love with the world and the things of this world! Already, the younger son represents the tax collectors and sinners well. Before repenting and following Jesus, they too lacked respect for God and his law. And they were in love with the word and the things of the world.
Notice that these opening lines also tell us something about the father. The father freely gave to his two sons, neither of whom were deserving. He gave the younger, disrespectful, son his portion and he gave the older, self-righteous, son his portion too. No doubt, this is meant to symbolize the common love and grace that God the Father bestows on all.
In Matthew 5:43-45 we hear Christ speak to his followers, saying, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:43–45). Here Christ Jesus commands his followers to love even their enemies. And who does he point to as our example? He points to God the Father! Does God the Father love his enemies (those living in sin and rebellion against him) with a saving love? No! The scriptures teach that unrepentant and unbelieving sinners are under God’s wrath and curse! But does he show common love and grace to his enemies? Yes. As Christ has said, “He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” This common or universal love and grace of God is what we, as followers of Christ, are to imitate as we show love and kindness even to our enemies. By the way, if you are not showing love and kindness to your enemies you are not living in obedience to Christ. Disciples of Jesus are to love their enemies just as God loves those who hate him by showing them mercy and common grace.
Let us now continue in our consideration of the behavior of the younger of the two sons. Verse 13: “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” (Luke 15:13).
Three actions are mentioned here.
One, the younger son gathered all of the property he had received from his father. The Greek word translated as “gathered” suggests that he sold his property and possessions and turned these assets into cash. If you were to reflect on this action for a moment, I think you would be able to see how wicked it is. What did the father give to the son? The text says, property. This word can refer to a variety of forms of wealth, but given that he needed to sell the property, I think it is right to view the property as being in the form of land, houses, livestock, and other material possessions. This younger son had already disrespected his father by requesting his inheritance early (for no good reason), and now he disrespects his father further by selling these precious possessions and turning them into cash. In doing so, he reveals his lack of love for his father and his lack of concern for his father’s estate.
Two, we are told that the younger son took a journey into a far country. He did not remain near to his father out of a sense of gratitude for the kindness his father had shown to him. No, quite the opposite. He gathered up his father’s gifts and ran far away from him! This further reveals the son’s lack of love for his father.
Three, once in the far-off country, we are told that the younger son squandered his property in reckless living. Some English translations say that he squandered his wealth with “prodigal living” (NKJV). Others say, “wild living” (NIV84). Still, others say, “riotous living” (AV 1873). Later in this parable, the older son explicitly accuses the younger son of devouring his father’s property with prostitutes (see Luke 15:30). Clearly, this younger son was living a very worldly, sinful, and reckless lifestyle. Indeed, he was a prodigal son.
I think it would be good to pause for a brief moment before moving on in our text to consider how the two groups to whom Jesus spoke would have received this parable up to this point.
What do you imagine the tax collectors and sinners were thinking? I imagine them thinking, this describes me! I was living like this younger son! I had no respect for God or the things of God! God gave me good gifts to enjoy in this world, and yet I foolishly loved the gifts instead of the giver of the gifts. I ran away from God and his kingdom and I wasted the days of my life in foolish, senseless, and reckless living. Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Now, what do you imagine the scribes and Pharisees thought as they listened to this parable? I imagine them thinking, that’s them! They are like the prodigal son! They have had no love for God! They have only loved the world and the things of this world. They are wicked. They deserve God’s judgment!
Let’s continue our consideration of the prodigal son.
A Sinner Learns From Bitter Experience That The Ways Of Sin Are Hard And Miserable
As we move on in the parable we see, secondly, that the prodigal son learned from bitter experience that the ways of sin are hard and miserable.
Look with me at verse 14: “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” (Luke 15:14–16).
The prodigal was, for a time, living what many would consider to be, the high life. He had lots of money, but soon it was all gone. He ate fine food, but a famine arose and took it all away. He indulged in every worldly pleasure, but soon, these earthly enjoyments came to an end. He found himself filthy, empty, and alone.
This portion of the parable illustrates the common experience of every sinner who looks for satisfaction in the fleeting pleasures of this life and places their hope in the transient and temporary things of this world. Everyone’s experience is different. Some sinners fall quickly into this sense of despair. Others are permitted to flourish, worldly speaking, for a longer period of time. All who live for the pleasures of this life and place their hope in the things of this world will come to this sense of despair at death.
The prodigal son descended rather quickly into this hard and miserable condition, and we must view this as an act of mercy from God. As we will soon see, God used this hard and miserable circumstance to bring the prodigal to his senses.
Friends, God always works this way. No one ever turns from their sins to God through faith in Christ without first coming to an awareness of their miserable condition. Some are brought to the awareness of their sin and misery relatively quickly and without descending so far into a life of sin and debauchery. Others take longer and descend further into a life of sin before comprehending the greatness of their need. But all who turn from their sins to draw near to God through faith in Christ Jesus share this in common: they come to see themselves as filthy sinners; they recognize that they are empty and alone; they are awakened to the fact that true satisfaction will be found in God, Christ, and the world to come.
A Sinner Comes To His Senses, Recognizes His Miserable Condition And Resolves To Repent
This is the third thing we see in the prodigal: a sinner who comes to his senses, recognizes his miserable condition, and resolves to repent.
Look with me at verse 17: “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’” (Luke 15:17–19).
The parable is descriptive, not explanatory. By this I mean, it describes what happened to the prodigal, but it does not explain how it happened. What happened? While the prodigal was wallowing in the filth of his sin, hungry, and alone, he came to himself. This means he came to his senses. He woke up. He was enlightened. Though he was once blind, he began to see.
This illustrates what happens to everyone who turns from their sins to God through faith in Christ. In a moment, they come to their senses. Though they were blind to these things before, they come to see the filth of their sin, their miserable condition, and the magnitude of their need. And notice this: they also come to see the goodness of the Father and long to be with him.
How does this happen? The parable of the prodigal son does not explain. But other passages of Scripture do explain that sinners are brought to their senses by the grace of God alone through the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ as the Holy Spirit works upon them inwardly to regenerate them and to make them willing and able to believe.
This is the doctrine of effectual calling. It is summarized beautifully in chapter 10 of our confession. Paragraph one says, “Those whom God hath predestinated unto life, he is pleased in his appointed, and accepted time, effectually to call, by his Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ; enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God; taking away their heart of stone; and giving to them a heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and by his almighty power determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ; yet so as they come most freely, being made willing by his grace.” This is what Paul speaks of in Colossians 2:13 when he says, “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses…” (Colossians 2:13).
It is important to note that when the prodigal son turned from his sin and to his father, the change was internal before it was external.
Christ tells us that “he came to himself.” The NASB translation says, “he came to his senses“, and that is the meaning.
Next, we read, “he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!’” (Luke 15:17). Who did the prodigal say this to? He said it to himself! As you can see, he had a change of mind. He could see the goodness and love of his father. He could also see the folly of his ways.
Notice, that the prodigal’s heart was changed too. He spoke within himself, saying, “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” (Luke 15:18). Notice the humility. Notice the brokenness. Notice the true sorrow over sin. When the prodigal says that he will request to be treated as a hired servant, this means he will request to be received by the father, not as a son, and not even as a household servant (these were often regarded as members of the family), but as a day-laborer. At least he would be near to his father and would enjoy his provision. The point is, that the prodigal’s heart was changed. He was humbled.
And can you see that the conversion did not only affect his mind and heart but also his will? The prodigal spoke to himself inwardly, saying, “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” (Luke 15:18). These are three parts of the soul, the mind, the affections, and the will. We make choices with the will. And when the prodigal “came to his senses” his will was renewed too.
True repentance begins in the soul. The mind, heart, and will of a sinner must be converted by God before his way of life can be truly converted. But repentance is not true if it is inward only. No, true repentance will begin in the soul and it will result in action.
A Sinner Turns To God In True Repentance And Faith
This is the fourth thing we see in the prodigal son. Having been converted inwardly we see the sinner turn to God in true repentance and faith.
In verse 20 we read, “And he arose and came to his father” (Luke 15:20a).
Dear friends, I’m sure there are many sinners in the world who feel bad about their sins. They can see that they are filthy. They are aware of their sin and misery. And they might even say to themselves, it would be good to follow after God and Christ. I will stand up and walk out of this pig pen. I will draw near to the Father through Christ. I will, I will, I will. But if these “I wills” do not result in action, they mean nothing. True repentance is first internal, and then it is external. Conversion begins in the soul and then it involves the lips, the hands, and the feet. Do not be deceived, dear friends. To say to yourself, to others, or even to God, I feel bad about my sins and will turn from my sins to draw near to God through Christ, means nothing if it does result in actually turning from sin and drawing near to God through Christ.
The prodigal son proved that his inward conversion and repentance were true when “he arose and came to his father” (Luke 15:20)
I’d like to ask you to do what we did a moment ago and to view what we have heard in this parable so far through the eyes of the tax collectors and sinners, on the one hand, and the scribes and Pharisees, on the other.
At this point in the parable, the looming question is this: what will the father do when the prodigal son returns home?
I imagine that many from amongst the tax collectors and sinners were hopeful that the father would show mercy to the prodigal and grant him his request to be received back, not into his house as a household servant, and certainly not as a son, but at least as a hired servant – a day laborer. This would be a very kind and merciful thing for the father to do!
I imagine that from amongst the scribes and Pharisees thought that the son ought to be rejected by the father, or at most, to be received, but only as the lowliest of servants.
The Gracious Father
In the second half of verse 20, the focus of the parable shifts to the father. This section begins with the word, “but”. In the Greek (the language the NT was originally written in), the word translated as “but” is a marker of contrast. The prodigal son returned to the father hoping to be shown some mercy and to be received back as one of the fathers employees – a day laborer. “But…” in contrast to this, “while [the prodigal son] was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him” (Luke 15:20).
This response from the father is shocking. I do believe it would have shocked even the tax collectors and sinners. Certainly, I would have shocked (and perhaps even offended) the scribes and Pharisees. The prodigal son deserves the father’s wrath! Perhaps the father will show him mercy! But this is way more than mercy. It is a shocking display of unconditional love. It is an outpouring of unmerited grace.
In the introduction to this sermon, I mentioned that the scribes and Pharisees must have viewed God as having no love or concern for sinners. It was this belief concerning God that led them to grumble and complain when they saw Jesus receiving and eating with tax collectors and sinners. It is here at this point in the parable that Jesus corrects their faulty beliefs about God.
How does God view repentant sinners? In the previous parables Christ taught that “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7). And again he said, “I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10). But here in the parable of the prodigal son we learn that there is joy in heaven and joy before the angels of God in heaven when a sinner repents because there is joy in the very heart of God when sinners turn from their sins and draw near to him through Jesus the Messiah.
We must be careful to not push this parable to answer questions it is not designed to answer. There are two guardrails, one on each side of the road, that will keep us from veering off the edge. The guardrail on the right is the context. We must remember what prompted Jesus to tell this parable, namely the grumbling of the scribes and Pharisees. He told this parable to them to, among other things, correct their erroneous views concerning God’s heart for sinners. Let the parable speak to that and do not insist that it speak to other issues. The guardrail on the left is what the Scriptures have to say elsewhere about the nature of God (he is unchangeable and impassable), his decree (he has foreordained all that comes to pass), and how he effectually calls his elect to faith and repentance (he calls them through the preaching of the word and by the working of the Holy Spirit).
When we keep these hermeneutical guardrails up – the context on the one side, and the analogy of faith on the other – it will free us to fully appreciate what this parable is communicating about and his love for truly repentant sinners and it will keep us from slipping into grave theological error.
Dear friends, this parable does not intend to teach that God the Father sits in heaven with all of the passions and emotions of an earthly father, grieving over the rebelliousness of his creatures, waiting, wishing, and hoping, that some of them will somehow manage to come to their senses and to return to him. How do we know this is not the meaning? One, the context reveals that the focus of the parable is more narrow. Two, to take this view would mean that there are contradictions in the Scriptures. For the Scriptures plainly teach that God is not like a man. He does not have human emotions or passions. He does not change. He does not sit in heaven hoping that things will go this way or that. No, he has decreed all things that come to pass. He has declared the end from the beginning. As it pertains to the salvation of sinners, the Scriptures plainly teach that God has chosen whom he will save. He sent the Son to atone for the sins of his elect. And he draws these elect to repentance and faith in Christ at his appointed and accepted time through the ministry of the word and by the working of the Holy Spirit. Our interpretation of the parable of the prodigal son cannot contradict these doctrines about God and salvation taught elsewhere in Scripture.
What then does this parable reveal about God the Father? It reveals that he is pleased to receive those who turn from their sins to draw near to him through faith in Jesus Christ. That God the Father is pleased to receive repentant sinners is illustrated in the parable by these words: “But while [the prodigal] 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.” (Luke 15:20–24)
This is a parable. It is an earthly story with a heavenly and spiritual meaning. We cannot make a one-to-one correlation between the earthy father in this parable and God the Father in heaven. I hope it is clear to all that God the Father does not react to the decisions of men. He does not feel like men feel. He does not run, embrace, or kiss, for he is a most pure spirit. And neither does he eat or celebrate like men eat and celebrate. Though we must not make a one-to-one correlation between man and God, we must see that these analogies have meaning.
What is the meaning of it all? When repentant sinners draw near to God through faith in Christ Jesus, he eagerly receives them. He does hold grudges against them for their past sins. He does not give them the cold shoulder or the silent treatment. He does not leave them at the door to beg. He does not make them pay for their iniquities. No, he is eager to receive repentant sinners and is willing to commune with them. He does not receive repentant sinners and day laborers or as mere servants, but as sons. He able to receive them into his holy presence because he has cleansed them from all their sins through Christ’s blood. Not only this, he clothes them. He clothes them with the best clothes. He clothes them with the very righteousness of Christ. This is the point of the parable. And this point was made by Jesus in response to the grumbling of the scribes and Pharisees. They “grumbled, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them’” (Luke 15:2). Here Jesus shows himself to be in sync with the Father, for the Father is eager to receive repentant sinners and to commune with them too.
Think of the comfort this portion of the parable would have brought to the repentant tax collectors and sinners who had drawn near to Jesus and were eating with him. I imagine tears of gratitude in their eyes.
And think of the condemnation this brought to the scribes and Pharisees. Christ here demonstrates that while he is in perfect sync with the heart of God for sinners, they are terribly out of step with the plans and purposes of God.
The Self-Righteous Son
The older son represents them. Verses 25?: “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’” (Luke 15:25–32).
In this parable, when the father spoke to the indignant, self-righteous, and unforgiving son, saying, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours”, it perfectly symbloized the scribes and Pharisees as they lived under the Old Covenant order. They were near to God, covenantally speaking. They were often in the house of the Lord, that is to say, the temple. They had access to the blessings of that covenant blessings (see Romans 9:4-5). But this parable reveals that, though they were near to God, covenantally speaking, their hearts were far from him. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). When sinners drew near to Jesus to eat with him the angels rejoiced with God in the heavenly realm, and Christ and his disciples rejoiced on earth. But these scribes and Pharisees grumbled and complained.
Conclusion
Dear friends, this parable is rich and is worthy of careful mediation. I wish to exhort you to take up this parable to look closely at it later today. Ask yourself this question: where am I in this parable?
Perhaps you will see yourself in the prodigal son. The question is, where in his journey do you see yourself represented?
Perhaps you are presently like the prodigal was at the start. No love for God and lots of love for the world. I pray that the Lord would be gracious to you to bring you to your senses soon to spare you from having to learn by experience that the way of sin is hard and miserable.
Or perhaps you are already wallowing in the filth of your sin and begin to sense your emptiness and need. May the Lord grant you true repentance and faith. I pray that you will quickly move out of this miry bog wherein you feel sorry for your sins and resolved to someday draw near to God through faith in Christ. Do it today. Get up, turn from your sins, and go to the Father. The only way to get to him is through Christ the Son, for he is “the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through [him]” (John 14:6).
It may be that some of you have turned from your sins and have come to the Father through Christ the Son, but you still cannot believe that the Father has so warmly accepted you. He has accepted me as a hired servant, but not as a son, or so you think. Believe it, brothers and sisters, if you have turned from your sins to trust in Jesus, the Father has eagerly and warmly embraced you. He has clothed you with the finest clothes, he has put a ring on your, and shoes on your feet to show that you belong to him and to make you fit for his house. Did you deserve this? No. Did you earn it? No. But Christ earned it. And it is by the grace of God and through faith in Christ that you have received these blessings. Look away from yourself and to Christ, and give glory to him for the redemption he has worked and the reconciliation he has secured,
Some of you might not see yourselves in the prodigal son but in the older, self-righteous, unforgiving, and indignant son instead. Please hear me. Though it may have appeared that the older son was near to the father, his heart was far from him. The older son was as lost as the younger. He represents those who are religiously devout but dead inwardly, being devoid of spiritual life and love.
No matter if the younger son or the older son represents you, the message is the same. Turn from your sins and draw near to God the Father through faith in Jesus the Messiah, for “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
