The Prodigal Son
Notes
Transcript
“We have important pieces of information for Today's message. First we are continuing our series “the parables reimagined” where we study the parables and try to reimagine them in a modern 21st century context. Today also happens to be fathers day. So the question of “what parable should we study today” was a pretty simple and easy question. The parable of the prodigal son is a perfect fit for a fathers day discussion.Charles Dickens once said this is the finest short story ever written. Let’s get into this text, which is one I am sure we all know well.
READ Luke 15:11-12
And he 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.
The story opens with the younger son asking his father for his share of the inheritance. This would have been shocking and scandalous in the land. The poor father in this story would have been the subject of all the rumors and gossip in town. Here is why, you might have heard some of these before.
Asking a father for your share of the inheritance would be the equivalent of telling your father you wish he was dead. It would be one of the greatest forms of disrespect. The significance doubles in an honor shame society.
Also the inheritance sons would receive from their father would have been titles and land. The only way to receive a payout in money would be to have the son's share of the land liquidated and sold. This process could have very easily brought financial ruin upon the family.
READ Luke 15:13-19
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.” ’
Things don’t go well for the son. He spends his money on wild living, and then hard times happen upon the land, leaving him desperate. There are 2 ways we can understand the sons “wild living;” both may be correct.
The first way of viewing this centers around him giving himself to a party lifestyle. We get a mental image of a wild night in Las Vegas. He partied day in and day out
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In either case the money and time is wasted, and he is left empty handed during hardship.
Times would get so hard the son would hire himself out to a pig farmer. We know swine were notoriously unclean for Jewish culture. He would have to be in extreme desperation. Jesus would double down on this by mentioning the son was so hungry that he desired to eat pig-slop. I cannot think of a more unappealing food source. The son would come to his senses, and make the choice to return home. This is when we get into the meat and potatoes about what this teaches about forgiveness.
Motive: When the son comes to his senses, he’s not thinking about how he is sorrowful or remorseful in how he treated his father. The son is focused on his self preservation, that is his motive. If the son was motivated by remorse or sorrow, the story would have mentioned this. The parable would have said the son realized how poorly he treated his father, and in sorrow and remorse he desired to make amends. Instead the son's thoughts are focused on his situation and the dire straits he was in. The son realized being considered least among his fathers servants was better than his current situation. The son never stopped being selfish. However, as we will learn,forgiveness is bigger than our motives.
True forgiveness READ Luke 15:20-32
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.’ ”
When the son approaches from a great distance, the father sees him and runs to embrace him. The son is prepared to give his speech, however he is embraced by his father before he gets the chance. He is adorned with the best clothes, and seated in the highest position, and the best calf is slaughtered for a banquet in his honor. We learn 2 important things in the fathers response. The son was not forgiven on his own merit and works. This was the son's plan, to work off the wrong he inflicted on his father. However he never got the chance, as the father took his chance to forgive his son, and restore his honor. The forgiveness and restoration of righteousness came from the father, and father alone. Also, despite the fact the son was still selfish in his repentance, he was forgiven anyway.
Bitter resentment The second parable focused on the older son, who was faithful to his father. He was irate at the notion of his wayward brother being forgiven. However the father encourages his son to recognize that bearing resentment towards the actions of his brother would continue to give the sin of the younger son power over their lives. The only way to rob the sin of the younger brother it’s power, was to forgive and celebrate his forgiveness and repentance.
Conclusion: Forgiveness does not consider merit, we’d be in serious trouble if it did. This is perhaps the most important lesson this parable teaches us. On fathers day, let us learn from the fathers action, and mirror them on our own. Sometimes people will ask our forgiveness with selfish motives. Forgive them anyway, because we are often selfish in our motives in forgiveness as well. Sometimes we’ll be tempted to harbor resentment, resist. The hurt and anguish others cause us is as real as pain gets. However harboring resentment will only continue to give their sinful actions power over you. Forgiveness is the key to robbing that sin and pain of its power. Remember, forgiveness does not consider merit. There is no better news.