BIBLICAL REFERENCE: LUKE 15: 11-32;1-10
I would like to teach you the meaning of the parable of the "Prodigal
Son". It is found in Luke 15. In this parable it shows you the Great
Love that God has for all His children...and yes..even the ones who are
Lost! In the story of the Prodigal Son we see one who is saved and one
who is lost.
And he (Jesus) said, A certain man had two sons:
And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion
of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And
not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his
journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous
living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that
land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a
citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine
did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said,
How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare,
and I perish with hunger!
God gives us all that heaven has to offer, yet we, like the Prodigal Son
squandered it on all the evils and temptations of this world. We give
into Satan and his evil ways, only to find that we have not only hurt
God, others and ourselves; but find ourselves lost and far removed from
God and His love. We also find ourselves out in a very lonely desert
with no food of the spirit or the living water to quench our thirst. How
empty and lonely we become when we are far removed from that which fills
us with the love and goodness from God. How hungry and thirsty we become
when there is no food to feed our spirits or living water to quench our
thirst for righteousness! Yet, because of our foolish pride and
arrogance we settle for the crumbs that are left for the swine until we
realize that going to God or returning to God is the only way we will be
nourished with the food of the spirit and the living water of
righteousness. The Prodigal son realizing that he has sinned decides to
return to his father and beg his forgiveness.
He says,
"I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have
sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be
called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants."
And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way
off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his
neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned
against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy
son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and
put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And
bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.
And they began to be merry.
Notice here that the Father already knew his beloved son was coming
home, even though the son was a great distance away. the Father had
great compassion for his son and ran to greet him. He hugged his son
around the neck and kissed him and even though the son said to his
father that he was not worthy to be his son because he had sinned
against heaven and his father, the father forgave him. Then he brought
out the best robe and put it on him and gave him his ring and put shoes
on his son’s feet. The father the ordered a feast of celebration for the
son who was lost but now was found, who was dead but now was alive!
This is exactly what takes place in God’s heaven every time a lost child
finds their way home! God and all of Heaven rejoice!
But there was jealousy!
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Why was there jealousy by the older brother? Let’s take a look at the
brother’s reaction when the servant told him that his lost brother had
returned.
Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the
house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants,
and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is
come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath
received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in:
therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said
to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither
transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me
a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy
son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast
killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever
with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make
merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again;
and was lost, and is found.
What the brother didn’t understand, as with many christians, he already
had all that the father had given him and he was obedient to the
commandments of his father, so he became jealous. The father told his
son that he was always with him and there was no need to feel slighted
in anyway, for what he had - he also returned unto the sinful son when
he forgave him. He was rejoicing because his son who was dead is now
alive and whose son was lost was found.The Lord and all of heaven
rejoices when a child who is lost is found and when a child who was dead
in christ becomes alive in Christ.There has already been rejoicing for
those who already found their way back to God and instead of jealousy,
they should rejoice in the fact the one more child has returned to the
Father.
Now Listen to what the Lord says about the Lost Sheep (His children) and
the woman who lost one piece of silver:
"Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth
sinners, and eateth with them. And he spake this parable unto them,
saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of
them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after
that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he
layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he
calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice
with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that
likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more
than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Either
what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not
light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find
it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her
neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece
which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence
of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."
Here Jesus explains that the lost sheep are His "lost children". The
ninety and nine sheep from the flock are His Children who are already
back into His fold and He knows that They are and will remain safe. But
for that "One Sheep" that is lost, Jesus, as the Good Shepherd, He will
go out and find that "Lost Sheep" in the wilderness and bring it home.
The Lost sheep in the wilderness is His child that is lost in the
world’s wilderness of sin and temptation and when he finds the lost
sheep, He rejoices and so do all of his sheep and all of heaven. It is
the same for the woman who lost one coin and rejoiced when it was found
and invited all her friends and neighbors to celebrate with her.
Instead of sitting back after we are "saved" and doing nothing, we
should be out helping Jesus to gather all His Lost sheep back into the
fold. We should be joyfully sharing the salvation and love of God that
we returned unto, with others and guiding them back to the fold as well.
If "God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son that
whomsoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting
life"; then are we not also responsible for His sheep as well and should
we not rejoice with the Lord when the one who was lost was found? God
showed us His Great Love for all his children, saint and sinner alike,
should we not do the same? God rejoices when the one who was dead is now
alive; should we not rejoice in that too?
Let me leave you with this thought:
"The saved have no need of being saved again, but the lost need to be
rescued and returned unto the Good shepherd - Jesus Christ. Is it not
therefore our duty as God’s Sheep to ’seek and help save’ that which
is lost?"
