Greg Laurie - The Prodigal Sons (10/07/2017)
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Pastor Greg Laurie shares the parable of the Prodigal Sons from Luke 15, showing two lost sons—one who rebelled openly and one who stayed home but harbored a self-righteous heart. Jesus told this to answer the Pharisees' complaints about Him welcoming sinners, revealing God's pursuing love for the lost and the joy in heaven over every repentant sinner.
The Heart of the Parable: God's Love for the Lost
Let's turn now in our Bibles to Luke chapter 15. The title of my message is The Prodigal Sons. That's right. You heard me right. I said prodigal sons, not prodigal son. There's two in the story.
I wonder if you've ever lost anything. You know, years ago we used to have a dog. My wife named him. His name was Charmaine. I don't know where she came up with that name. He was a Blue Merle Collie. Do you know what that is? It's a collie, but you know, it's sort of a gray tint to his fur and so forth. And though it was a very attractive dog, it was a wayward dog. It was always running away. It's like every other day that dog had run away. So I'd be walking down the street yelling out, Charmaine! Charmaine! People were looking at me like, what is going on with this guy? What is happening? They didn't know who I was calling out to.
And so I'd get a call from the pound. We found your dog. Okay. And I'd have to pay the fee, pick him up, bring him home. Two days later, he's out again. I go through the neighborhood looking for him. They call me back. Your dog is here. Now the fee is a little higher. I paid the fee, brought him home. After about six times, they called me up. We have your dog. And this is the fee. I said, you know, I'm kind of tired of paying that fee. I'll make you a deal. I'll come and pick the dog up. I'm not going to pay you. I'm sorry, sir. We cannot release the dog. You just got yourself a new dog. And that was the end of Charmaine, the dog. Oh, he was probably adopted into a loving family.
From Lost Pets to Lost Children
So, this is the way it works. Okay. So we got another dog. And my son Christopher named him. He was just a little boy at the time. And we had just gone to my grandmother's house for a meal. And she makes amazing biscuits. And so I said, Christopher, what do you want to name the new dog? He said, Biscuit. Seriously, want to name the dog Biscuit? Yes. Okay. There you go.
Well, Biscuit got out of the yard. Now I am walking down the street. Biscuit. Biscuit. Isn't that the guy that was calling for Charmaine? Maybe he is hungry. Just throw him some bread.
Well, that is one thing to lose an animal. But it is another thing when you lose your child. Have you ever been in an amusement park and had your child with you and momentarily you didn't know where they were? You know that sense of panic that sweeps over you? There is nothing worse than that. And maybe that is why those kid leashes are not such a bad idea after all.
Well, here in Luke 15 is a parable that Jesus told about a father losing a son. The great author, Charles Dickens, said, This particular story was the greatest short story ever written. It is so rich and inexhaustible, yet at the same time a child can grasp its basic truth.
I preach this story all around the world. And it doesn't matter if people are young or old, if they are from our country, from another culture. Everybody understands this story. This story resonates with any person who hears it.
Why Jesus Told This Parable: The Backdrop
But before we dig into this very familiar story, I want us to consider the backdrop of it. In other words, why did Jesus tell this story? And the answer for that is found in Luke 15:1-2. Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, This man receives sinners and eats with them.
So we will stop there. Now, an amazing thing was happening at this point in the ministry of Jesus. The more He taught, the more the religious people got angry with Him. But sinners loved everything He was saying. As one group grew closer, the other group drew back. While the sinners loved His words, the religious people hated them.
So this parable was given by Jesus to refute the accusations of the Pharisees. And make no mistake about it, they hated the sinners of the day, especially tax collectors.
Now, don't think of a tax collector of today, maybe an IRS agent. I don't think anyone wants to be audited by the IRS. But it is not the same as tax collectors of 2,000 years ago. A tax collector in this culture was someone that was considered by Jews as a turncoat, a traitor, even an outlaw.
A tax collector would be a Jewish person who worked for the Roman government to collect taxes from his fellow Jews. And the rabbis said of them, let no person associate with such people, not even to bring them near to the law of God. So the mentality was, sinners are bad. Especially tax collectors. Have no contact with sinners. Don't talk to sinners. Stay away from sinners.
Ah. So along comes Jesus. And who does He hang around with? Sinners. He was called the friend of sinners. He dared to hang around immoral people like the woman at the well. Matthew the tax collector. The list goes on. And this just blew their minds.
In fact, they say in verse 2, this man receives sinners and eats with them. And the Greek word used here for receive means more than face value. It means Jesus received them gladly with open arms.
Now, let's understand something. This doesn't mean Jesus condoned their sin. This doesn't mean He approved of their sin. But here is what it does mean. He loved them despite their sin. And He hung around them so He could change them.
How are we ever going to change a person or help a person to change if we don't have some kind of contact with them? But some will say, well, no. If you are around them, you are condoning what they are saying or doing. It is guilt by association.
Well, listen. When I am around a non-believer, this might surprise you. I don't expect non-Christians to behave as Christians. Because they are not Christians. Therefore, they act like non-Christians. And they talk like non-Christians. And they think like non-Christians. My objective is to build a bridge to the non-Christian and help them become a Christian. And therefore, there has to be some kind of contact and communication.
But these religious people did not want this. So you are going to see how they factor in to the story and a part that is often left out. And so He spoke this parable to who? To them. This parable was given to them.
Three Pictures of God's Heart
But in this parable, God is portrayed as a Shepherd seeking a lost sheep. He is portrayed as a woman looking for a lost coin. And a father waiting for a lost son. It is like three different snapshots of God. And each one shows us something special.
But here is the one common theme running through all of Luke 15. God is seeking lost people. That was an alien thought to his listeners. In fact, even an offensive thought.
But they had forgotten that way back in the first book of the Bible, the book of Genesis, after Adam had sinned against the Lord, we find the Lord walking in the garden in the cool of the day, saying, Adam, where are you? God crying out for fellowship with man.
And so this is the message that we find here. It is a story of the prodigal son. Let us read Luke chapter 15. We will go verses 1-10.
The Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin: Heaven's Joy
What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep, which was lost.
Verse 7. I say to you, Likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
Verse 8. Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and carefully search until she finds it. And when she has found it, she calls her friends and her neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost.
Verse 10. Likewise I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels over one sinner who repents.
I want you to notice verse 10, which is emphasizing the same point as verse 7, which is there is joy in heaven when a sinner repents. Alright?
The Shepherd's Pursuit
So let's start with the first movement of the story. God is portrayed as a Shepherd seeking lost sheep. In verse 4. He seeks the sheep until he finds it. You might think that a Shepherd having a hundred sheep would say, hey, you know, win a few, lose a few. Cost of doing business. But no, the Shepherd leaves the ninety-nine and searches until he finds the sheep wrapped around his neck, bringing it back, telling his neighbors to rejoice with him.
And we are like that sheep that go astray and God does not rest until he finds us.
The Woman's Search for the Lost Coin
So now we go from a Shepherd searching for a sheep to a woman losing her coin. This coin, or the drachma, represented a day's wages and was probably part of the woman's life savings. But more likely this coin was part of her wedding headband.
See, when a Jewish girl would marry, she would wear a headband of ten silver coins, signifying that she was now a wife. So it is not just like losing a coin. It is like losing the most valuable coin ever, to put it in modern vernacular. It would be like losing your wedding band, right?
Now I can't lose my wedding band. It is humanly impossible. My finger is so fat it doesn't come off. I need the jaws of life to get it off now. The point is you don't want to lose something like that, not just because of its financial value, but because of its symbolic and sentimental value.
So not having her wedding band is not an option. She searches until she finds it.
So what is the point of these two stories? Here it is. God loves to see lost people found. Again, verse 10, likewise I say, There is joy in the presence of the angels over one sinner who repents.
Heaven Rejoices Over Every Repentant Sinner
This means every time there is a true conversion that takes place on earth, they are praising God in heaven. Clearly there is a direct connection between heaven and earth.
I have heard it said, you know, people in heaven don't care about what is going on on earth. Well, I beg to differ. That is really one of the main reasons I wrote my book as it is in heaven. I wanted to show the connection between heaven and earth. And there is a connection. And I do believe there is some knowledge in heaven of what is happening here on earth.
Now, I am not implying that people in heaven are sitting in little lawn chairs looking through a portal, watching everything that is going on like in the Thor film, you know. No, but I think rather there is an awareness.
So every time a sinner comes to faith there is rejoicing. I want you to notice it doesn't say there is joy among the angels when one sinner repents. It says there is joy in the presence of the angels.
The reason I bring this up is it is not saying necessarily that the angels are rejoicing. I think it is implying that we, or whoever is in heaven at the time.
I told you a story recently about a 90-year-old man that accepted Christ at one of our crusades. His dear wife had died and gone to heaven. She had prayed for him for their entire marriage. He never came around. Finally, after she is in heaven, he accepts Christ. When that victory shout went out, do you think she might have been aware that her husband just believed? I would suggest to you that is entirely possible.
But this brings up a very important thing. And here it is. If God gets excited, if you will, about lost people coming to faith, we should get excited too.
Let me flip it around another way. If we are not excited, if we are not concerned about lost people coming to faith, there is something wrong with us spiritually.
How We Should Respond at Salvation Moments
Let me tell you to share a little harvest protocol for you that are new to our church. Often at the end of a service, I will give an invitation for people to come to Christ. Right? It happens almost in every service. And sometimes we will call them forward. Sometimes we will have them stand and pray in their seats. And we will direct them over to our room.
Okay. At that moment in the service, and I think you pretty much know when that moment is coming. When I am coming to the end of a message and I will say something along the lines of, now let me say a few words to you that are visitors. And sometimes I will hear a bunch of Bibles close. Okay. That is okay. You know the message is over. I do not have a problem with that.
Here is what I have a problem with. When people get up and leave. To me, that is so rude. And it is so irreverent. To leave when we are calling people to Christ.
What really frustrates me is there have been times where people are walking forward to accept Christ. And they have to go around the Christians that are leaving. Because the Christians that are leaving want to get in their cars and not fight traffic.
Look, if you are one of those people and you just have to get out, sit in the back. Okay. Or sit in the overflow. If you have an emergency, you have to get out of the sanctuary. By all means, you can go. But if you are just going for your own convenience, what message are you communicating to that non-believer?
Here is a person coming forward. Oh yeah, this isn't important to me. I have to go now. See what I am saying?
So what should we be doing when that moment happens? Disconnecting? Planning our exit? No. No, we should be praying. Because if you brought a non-believer with you that day or that night. If that was your mother, your father, your son, your daughter. Your husband, your wife. Your best friend. And they are sitting there. You are praying they will believe.
We should all be praying. So maybe you didn't bring a person. Though perhaps you should have. Someone else did. So be praying. Praying for the person in front of you. Praying for the person behind you.
See, because God cares about lost people. And we need to care about lost people.
The Prodigal Son: Leaving the Father's House
So that brings us to the actual story of the prodigal son. And I have run out of time. So God bless. No. That was the preamble. The setup. I preached this story so many times. So tonight I would rather teach it to you. As opposed to preach it to you.
Let's read it now. Luke 15:11. Then he said a certain man had two sons. 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.
And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together and journeyed to a far country. And there he wasted his possessions with prodigal living.
When he had spent all there arose a severe famine in the land, and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, who sent him into the fields to feed swine.
And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. We'll stop there.
The Demand for Inheritance: A Picture of Rebellion
So here's a boy who wants independence from his father. Verse 12. Give me the portion of my inheritance. Now in Jewish law at this time, the oldest son would receive two thirds of the inheritance. The rest was divided among the younger children.
So there's two sons here. The older son is going to get most of it. But this younger son is going to get some of it. But it was divided after the father died. The will was read. The inheritance was given.
He basically says, loose paraphrase, Dad, I'm kind of getting sick of waiting for you to die. And in a way, what he's really saying is, I wish you were already dead. I don't care about you. I don't care about your rules, your regulations. I want my money now.
Now if we would have read the father smacked his son, it would have made sense. Amazingly, the father acquiesces to the request.
What does this say? Well, we're like the son, or the daughter. God's like the father. We say to God, I'm going to leave. God doesn't say, you're not going anywhere. I'll put a leash on you, right? He says, I love you, so you're free to go. And that's mind blowing. Free will. Not free Willy, free will.
You have the choice. God will not force you to stay close to him in fellowship if you don't want to. So he actually grants the son's request.
And the son now is taking the money. Verse 13. The younger son gathered all together. In the Greek that simply means he turned it into cash. So this was a vast estate with servants, hired help, buildings, et cetera. How do you liquidate that quickly? He sold it at a discount. So he didn't get really what it was valued at. Because he was so impatient to have the money in his pocket.
Characteristics of the Prodigal's Home
So let's start identifying some points here that are important.
Number one. It was inconsiderate and selfish of this boy. Because this was a really stable home. I mean we are living in a time now where a stable home is a rarity. A mother and father raising a child. That happens in the church. But even in the church there are families breaking apart. But out in our culture more and more people are being raised by single parents. They are coming from fatherless homes.
You can take almost every social ill in our country today and directly connect it to the breakdown of the family. And specifically the absence of the father.
Well in this home there was a father. And you know what? He was a good father. He wasn't a raging alcoholic. He wasn't an absentee parent. This was a stable loving home with a hands on dad.
Number two. It was a loving nurturing and caring affection of father here. Because when the son comes back again the father welcomes him. He embraces him. He kisses him again and again. In so many homes fathers can be aloof and disconnected. Not this father.
Number three. It was an affluent home. They had hired servants. This boy would have lived in a spectacular estate with the finest clothes. And he didn't want for anything. He had everything he would need in life and more.
And it would appear, fourthly, that there was faith in this home. Maybe the father even read the Bible to his two sons. But the young boy thought, I'm tired of this religion. I'm getting out of here. The first chance that I get.
And I don't think the boy was thinking this through. But he just wanted to go.
Understanding Backsliding in the Christian Life
But this is a picture of a person leaving God. This is a picture of a backslider. That's a unique biblical word. Backslider.
What does it mean? Jeremiah 2:19. God says your wickedness will punish you. Your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the Lord.
Then Jeremiah 3:22. God says, return you faithless people. I will cure you of your backsliding.
What is a backslider? Well, we think of them as someone that has pretty much abandoned their faith. Maybe they say, I don't follow Christ anymore. They don't go to church anymore.
I suggest to you, you can be a backslider and still be in church. Let me put it another way. The Christian life is one of constant growth and transformation. It has been said the Christian life is like a greased pole. You are either climbing or slipping.
Listen, the moment you stop growing is the moment you potentially begin to go backwards again.
You know, you might say, well, I still go to church when I can find the time. I still read the Bible. By the way, where did I leave that Bible? I haven't seen it in a few weeks. I still obey God. Unless, of course, it conflicts with what I really want to do.
See, backsliding is not something you plan on. But it happens when you start neglecting your spiritual life. It is just relaxing your grip a little bit. Backing off a little bit. Not moving forward as you ought to. And then the backsliding process begins.
See, I have a supernatural tendency to do what is right. And I have a natural tendency to do what is wrong. They are like two natures constantly fighting.
And one of the first steps to backsliding is saying, I will never backslide.
Let me tell you something about yourself. You have the potential to backslide. Let me tell you something about myself. I have the potential to backslide.
As the old hymn says, prone to wander. Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. Oh, we have that tendency.
Going back to sheep. All we like sheep have gone astray. We turn everyone to his own way.
How Backsliding Often Begins
I don't think a drug addict starts out by saying, I want to be a drug addict. I want to die of a heroin overdose with a needle still in my arm, all alone. I don't think a person says that. But they start out with a gateway drug like ecstasy or marijuana.
I know there is a big push in our country to legalize marijuana. It has been legalized in some states. I think this is a huge mistake. And we are going to reap the consequences of it later.
Because, you know, listen, I smoked enough pot in my early days to know what I am talking about. And there is no question. I don't care what these experts say. Because I could come up with just as many stats if not more to prove my point. But I can just tell you from people I knew that got into this, one thing leads to another. That is why they call it a gateway drug.
And you start there and after a while it is not giving you the buzz, the rush, the high, or whatever it is you are seeking. And that is why you move on to other drugs.
The alcoholic, or the drunkard as the Bible calls them, is not a person that says, I am going to become an alcoholic. But, you know, they drink for whatever reason. You know, that lady says, well, I just need a drink in the morning to get started. Or the guy says, well, I have to have a drink with the guys after work. Otherwise they will think I am strange.
And, you know, one day you find you have a problem.
Or the immoral person. They didn't plan on going and having an affair and busting up their marriage. But I did think it would be kind of fun to flirt a little bit. It is just flirting. There is nothing more to it. Oh, I will maybe go out into this chat room anonymously. Or, yeah, one thing leads to another.
This is my point. Every backslide begins with the first step. And most people don't plan on it. But if you go back and retrace your steps, if you have ever backslidden, you will find you started to slow down and back off.
And so here is this son saying, I am out of here. I am leaving.
By the way, what is the deal with the older brother? Why doesn't he step up and protect the father? Answer, because he didn't care about the father either. And he was concerned about getting his share of the estate. We will talk about him in a few moments.
This is why I call this the parable of the prodigal sons.
So here we have a loving father. We have a blatant, hedonistic, selfish, unapologetic sinner for one son. The other is self-righteous, mean-spirited, swine for the other. They hate each other. Maybe they even hate the father.
The Downward Spiral in the Far Country
So off the prodigal goes. I bet when he hit town... Just woke up two people right here. They were... Another guy. He had his posse. Because he had money. You know when people become very successful? They have these giant posses, right? Travel around with them. All these hired friends. And he had a lot of friends. Until the money was gone. And his friends left.
His older brother says, after he returned, he turned to prostitutes. So he spent his money on hookers. Probably on booze. And everything else. And soon the money was gone.
Brings us to point number five. He discovered the emptiness of his life without his father.
Here is what is so amazing. This story is 2,000 years old. And yet it is current. I could just give you names right now from popular culture. That would fit this story perfectly. They are doing the same thing.
So he comes to his senses. Verse 14. A severe famine is in the land. And he began to be in want. Not because he lost his money. But also because he had no support system. See, his family was gone. His friends were gone. He has nothing left in his life to fall back on.
This is why some people, when they reach this stage, commit suicide. They lose hope. Listen, you can't live without hope. And this boy was losing hope.
Still, he would not return home. So he is reaching out, desperate for someone to help him. And he finds some guy that must have shown a hint of concern.
Verse 15. He went and joined himself to a citizen of that country who sent him in the fields to feed swine. The word for joined himself is in the prodigal. Joined himself. Could be translated, he glued himself. Like, help. Maybe he is hanging on the guy's leg.
And the guy is like, yeah, this isn't working. Listen, I will tell you what, buddy. I have got some pigs out in the backyard. Why don't you go take care of the pigs? The boy agrees.
Can you imagine this? He went from the lap of luxury to a pig pen. And by the way, he is a good Jewish boy. Not a very kosher thing to be doing.
God's Wake-Up Calls for the Lost
You know, sometimes we pray for our friends, our children. People we know to come to the Lord. Then something bad happens to them. They get busted for a sin. Or even a crime. They get thrown out of school. They get fired from that job. Or something happens and we say, what is going on? Could it be God is answering your prayers?
See, for some people, it doesn't happen until they get the wake up call. And by the wake up call, I mean they got to reap what they sow. Because if they are going to keep getting away with it, and there is no ramifications and there is no penalties, they think they are free as a bird.
So one day, man, those chickens come home to roost. And that is the thing that gets their attention.
Here is what is amazing. He is feeding pigs and still he has not come to his senses. But finally, finally, his eyes are opened.
Coming to His Senses: The Turning Point
Luke 15:17. When he came to himself, he said, How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough to spare? And I am perishing with hunger.
I am going to arise. I will go home to my father. I will say, Father, I have sinned against heaven. And before you, I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.
You know, there is no question in my mind that sin is a form of insanity. Let me put it in a real simple way. Sin makes you stupid. Say that after me. Sin makes you stupid.
It is so true, isn't it? I mean, think of the crazy things people do under the influence of sin. If men leave beautiful wives and children throwing away years of marriage, along with their friends sometimes, their whole social structure, they will walk away from it for some passing sexual pleasure. It makes no sense.
You have women doing the same. Women walking out on husbands and children. It makes you stupid.
Finally, this boy is coming to his senses and he is waking up to reality.
Verse 17. He came to himself, My father's hired servants have bread enough to spare, and I perish with hunger.
This is an interesting little twist in the story. He is talking about the people that worked for his father. They would be like day laborers. They worked from sunrise to sunset and they were paid a minimum wage. Barely enough to survive.
But in contrast, this father took great care of those who worked for him. He says, My father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare. The father overpaid the day laborers because he was generous.
And now the boy is thinking, This is insane. Why did I ever leave it? I mean one day he wakes up and he can't wait to get away from his father's home. And the next day he wakes up and he can't wait to get back.
And that is what happens to people. Oh man, I hate the church, man. The church is full of hypocrites. And everyone is so judgmental, you know. I want to go out there in the world and people just accept you as you are.
Yeah, yeah, okay. Okay, you can go. And they go out there and they go, Man, I sure miss the church. People are really loving there, you know. Yeah, I mean it wasn't perfect, but boy, that was a great place to be.
Seriously, anywhere you find people, you'll find hypocrisy. But by and large, come on. There is nothing like the church. There is nothing out there in our culture like God's people gathering together.
The world can't offer you anything like a worship experience. You don't go out there and find absolute truth coming from God's Word like you hear it in the church. This is the only organization Jesus started. He said, You are my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.
It is great to be a part of the church.
So this prodigal realizes, Man, this is insane.
Verse 18. I am going to go to my father and say, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. Actually in the Greek this can be translated into heaven. I have sinned into heaven. Let me put it another way. His sins stunk to high heaven.
The prodigal son, he went to the dogs. He fed the hogs. And homeward he jogs.
So he is going home. I am sure it was a long trip. Wow. Probably recited that. Okay, I am going to say, Father, I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants. No, I can't say it. Father, I am not. Oh, I can't say it that way now. Father. How do I say it? And he is going over it and over it.
The Father's Compassionate Welcome
Meanwhile, back at the ranch. Here is dad.
Verse 20. He sees his boy. 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.
This would indicate the father was watching for the boy. The picture to me is this. This is a dad sitting on the porch. Probably in his old rocking chair. And he would just look down the horizon to the end of that road that led to his ranch or his estate. Just hoping, praying, longing for the day when he would see his boy again.
Maybe he would go into his boy's old room and remember those times they had together when the little guy was growing up, playing together, learning together, seeing that son become a strapping young man, longed for his return.
Here is a question. When a child is lost, who suffers more, the parent or the child? If your answer is the child, then you haven't been a parent yet. Because when you have been a parent and you lose your child, that is pure terror.
You know what? I believe grandchildren are the reward for the pain of parenting. All the grandparents are clapping. The parents are like, I don't understand that single people are completely perplexed. You will see. And it is a punishment to your children for what they put you through. Because now they get to worry when their child is out late or when their child is sick.
The problem is, I have five grandchildren. I still worry about them too. So you never get over that.
But here is this father, desperately missing his son. And now his son is making his way home. The old man's heart leaps. And he bolts to his feet and begins to run, not walk, to his son.
In this culture, it was considered undignified for an older man to run. Not to mention the fact it is harder for an older man to run. You know, the joints and the pain and the pressure. It is just not like it is when you are younger.
And also, in this culture, you were never supposed to pull your robe up and expose your legs. Okay. And so for a father to run, to give him mobility, he would have to pull his robe up above his knees so he could get traction and get to his son as quickly as possible.
The father is shamefully running, embarrassing himself. Why would he do such a thing? Maybe the dad wanted to get to the son so quickly, not just to give him a hug and a kiss, but to save his life.
Maybe the people in the city were picking up rocks and were preparing to stone the boy. After all, this boy had broken many commandments. He had drugged the family's name through the gutter. He had drugged the village's name through the gutter. He had dishonored the Lord.
And I will tell you, one thing there is a lot of in Israel are rocks. They are everywhere. They might say, let's get him. Let's get him right now. Let's take him out.
The father says, I am getting to him before you get to him. Throws his arms around him as if he is saying, you want to kill this boy, you kill me first.
Well, they wouldn't stone the father. They respected the father. Probably a lot of them worked for the father. But you touch this boy. It is a perfect picture of what happened at Calvary.
Jesus said, you don't touch these people. I will die in their place. I will atone for their sin. And he took the penalty we should have taken in our place.
So here is a boy stinking. Have you ever smelled someone who has not bathed for a while? How about someone who has not bathed for months? How about someone that has been hanging out with pigs? Have you ever smelled a pig? Imagine. This kid stunk. You probably smelled him before you saw him. Just reeked of stench. Covered with filth.
You would imagine the father would have got about four feet. Oh boy. Take a bath. And maybe I will give you a hug. No. He hugs them right there on the spot.
Reminds us that God accepts us as we are. But He doesn't want to leave us that way.
Full Restoration and Celebration
So now the speech begins.
Verse 22. The father said to his servants, Bring out the best robe. Put it on him. And a ring on his hand. And sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here. And let's kill it. And let's eat and be merry.
For my son was dead. He is alive again. He was lost. And he is found. And they began to be merry.
One modern translation. I really like it. It says, And they had a barbecue. That is awesome. But that is exactly the picture. They had a party. It is party time. The boy is back home.
Remember the theme of this chapter is the joy of God. He had joy when he found the lost sheep. The woman has joy when she finds a coin. And there is joy over one sinner that comes to repentance.
The Older Brother: The Prodigal Who Stayed Home
Now here is the twist in the story. Here is the part of the story that is usually left out. And here is why I call this message the story of the prodigal sons.
Look at Luke 15 starting in verse 25. Meanwhile the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home he heard music and dancing in the house.
And he asked one of the servants what was going on. And the servant said, Your brother is back. And your father has killed the calf. And that we were fattening. And we are going to have a great feast. We are celebrating because of his safe return.
Verse 28. The older brother was angry and wouldn't go in. His father came out and begged him. And he replied, All these years I have worked hard for you. And you never once refused to do a single thing. Or excuse me. I never once refused to do a single thing you told me to do.
And in all that time you never gave me one young goat for a feast with my friends. Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the finest calf we have.
The father said, Look dear son. You and I are very close. And everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead. And he has come back to life. He was lost. And now he is found.
Who the Older Brother Represents
So remember the context of the parable. The sinners were flocking to hear Jesus. The religious people. The scribes and the Pharisees were resentful.
So who is who in the story? Well the prodigal represents the sinners. Obviously. Broken, destitute, hurting. Finding all they needed in a relationship with God. Spurned by the religious world. But embraced by Jesus.
But the older brother represents the religious people. How dare you?
Oh let me tell you a story. See if you can find yourself in my story. These are the people with a sense of entitlement.
As the younger prodigal is a picture of the sinner coming to Christ. Or the backsliding believer coming back to Christ. The older brother is a picture of the person who never left the church. But in their heart they have for all practical purposes left God.
You see you can be in the church and still be a backslider. You can be in the church and still be a prodigal. You become one of those judgmental people.
You are sitting there going, oh why are they in church? Look at the way they are dressed. Oh that is not right. I don't like this. I don't like... You know you become one of those people. You do not want to become one of those people.
And here is the problem. As you get older it happens very easily. Because you want the whole world to cater to you. You want everybody to bow to your needs. You want everybody to give you what you want. You are resistant to change.
You don't care about reaching non-believers. You don't care about reaching culture. You don't care about lost people. In fact more people means it is going to make it harder for you to find a parking space.
When that long-winded pastor gives that invitation you are going to get out and beat the crowds. Guess what? You just became the older brother.
So repent. Because it is a form of backsliding.
Listen if your heart doesn't leap when you see a lost person come to Christ. You need to go to God and say God change my heart. Because I am wrong.
The Invitation: Come Home to the Father
Maybe you are the person that has been running from God. And you have been trying to fill that big old hole in your heart. With all the things this world has to offer. And like that prodigal you have come to your senses. And you have realized that it is not out there.
And maybe for the first time you realize it is right here. Not in this building in particular. And not with this particular group of people in particular. But it is right here I mean in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
You have always overlooked Him. You have always thought He could not be the one I need. But now you are discovering He has always been the one you need. And He is the one who has always loved you. And He is the one who will forgive you of all of your sin.
And if you like the prodigal. Well say I have sinned. God will hear your prayer. And He will answer it and forgive you.
Think about that. All the bad things you have done. All the sins you have committed. Can be forgiven. And listen. Forgotten. Immediately.
You say well Greg how long does it take to become a Christian? About this fast. Can you measure that? It is pretty fast. The moment you put your faith in Christ He will forgive you.
So if you need to make that commitment. I will give you this opportunity. If some of you are backslidden. I will give you an opportunity to come back to the Lord.
Alright. So let's bow our heads.
Father thank You for Your Word to us. Thank You for loving us. And now I pray for those who have joined us. Especially those that don't know You yet. Lord help them see their need for Jesus. And help them believe in You right now.
The Closing Altar Call
Now while our heads are bowed. And our eyes are closed. If you would like Jesus Christ to come into your life. If you would like Him to forgive you of your sin. If you would like to know with certainty that you will go to heaven when you die. You want Jesus in your life. Wherever you are right now. I want you to lift your hand up. And I want to pray for you.
God bless you. God bless you. Anybody else? Lift your hand up before I can see it. God bless you. God bless each one of you. Anybody else? If you are watching this on a screen, I can't see you. That doesn't matter. The Lord sees you. Raise your hand up. Let me pray for you right now.
You want Christ to come into your life. Lift your hand up. God bless you. While our heads are still bowed, maybe some of you would say, hey, I am the backslider you have been talking about. I have been trying to live in two worlds. I have been running from God. But I want to come back to Him again. I want to return to Jesus Christ. Pray for me.
If you need to return to the Lord, would you lift your hand up right now? You need to return to Christ. You have been a backslider. Lift your hand up. Let me pray for you. God bless you. God bless you.
Now how many of you would be honest enough to say, I am like the older brother. I become stuck in my ways. I become judgmental. I become mean. And I haven't really been caring about lost people like I ought to. And I am ready to repent right now. Would you raise your hand?
God bless you. Don't feel bad about that. Don't feel bad about that. Just let's get right with God.
Now I am going to ask all of you that have raised your hand, if you would please, I want you to stand to your feet. And I am going to lead you in a prayer. Everyone that raised their hand, stand to your feet. Stand up right where you are. That is right. You heard me right. Stand to your feet.
We are going to pray together. Stand up. Wherever you are, stand up. Even if you did not raise your hand but you want to make this commitment or recommitment to Jesus Christ, stand up.
I am going to lead you in this simple prayer. Anybody else? God bless you. God bless you. Anybody else? Stand now. A few more moments. God bless you. There might be a few more of you that need to stand. Do it now. God bless you.
One final moment. If you're gonna stand, God bless you. Stand now. Anybody else? Stand now. God bless all of you.
All right, you that are standing, I want you to pray this prayer out loud after me. Again, as I pray, pray this out loud after me. Pray this after me right where you stand:
Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner. But you died on the cross for my sin. I'm sorry for my sin. I turn from it now. I choose to follow you from this moment forward. As Savior and Lord. As God and friend. Thank you for loving me. And accepting me. And forgiving me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
God bless all of you. God bless you. Amen.