This morning, we continue our series on “The Parables of Jesus.” We will seek to glean “Pearls from the Parables.”
Before we get to the parable, let’s look at a scripture we have been looking at all year. This is something I believe the Lord wants us to meditate on.
(Psalm 126:4 TPT)
Now, Lord, do it again! Restore us to our former glory! May streams of your refreshing flow over us until our dry hearts are drenched again.
This is a season of refreshing and restoring for us.
The Parable of the Prodigal Sonl: (Luke 15: 11-32 NLT)
11 To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons.
12 The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.
13 “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living.
14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve.
15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16 The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.
17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger!
18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you,
19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’
20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.
21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’
22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet.
23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast,
24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house,
26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on.
27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’
28 “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him,
29 but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends.
30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’
31 “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours.
32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”
So, what does this mean to you today? Today will be an introduction, but we will seek to glean a few things nonetheless.
Setting the stage.
After spending considerable time diving deep into parables centered around finances and stewardship, I’m genuinely excited to shift our focus. Today, we are transitioning from the tangible to the intangible, from the material to the matters of the heart. While understanding God’s principles concerning money is essential, there’s something refreshing about exploring a narrative that paints a vivid picture of God’s boundless love, grace, and mercy. The Parable of the Prodigal Son does just that. It’s a story that, I believe, captures the very heartbeat of God and offers us a glimpse into His relentless pursuit of us, His children.
The Parable of the Prodigal Son stands out as a beacon of hope in Jesus’ teachings, shedding light on the profound depths of God’s love and the power of genuine repentance. Picture this: a young man, fueled by a burning desire for adventure and autonomy, prematurely demands his share of the family inheritance. With full pockets and a deceived heart, he sets off to a far-off land, only to squander every dime on reckless living.
As life (or fate) would have it, as soon as he runs out of money, a crippling famine hits the land, and he is already penniless. So he takes a job dealing with pigs, something he would have never done at home. He gets so hungry that he craves the slop the pigs are eating.
It is at this point, his lowest point, his rock-bottom, that he has an epiphany. With a heavy heart and shattered pride, he decides to return home, just hoping his father might take him in as a mere servant. But what he encounters is beyond his wildest dreams. His father, who had been scanning the horizon day in and day out, spots him from afar and, in a display of overwhelming love and joy, runs to him, throws his arms around him, and kisses his neck. The father did not welcome the young man back as a slave or a servant but as a son.
Then the father throws a party! It is nothing short of magnificent. Yet, amid the jubilation, the older brother, who had been the epitome of faithfulness, grapples with feelings of envy and bitterness. This story isn’t just a tale from the Bible; it’s our story. It’s a reflection of our moments of defiance, God’s steadfast love, and the internal battles we face when confronted with grace we think others don’t deserve.
Here are some of the key themes we will discuss as I seek to break down this parable:
1. God’s Unconditional Love:
— The father’s immediate embrace of his returning son showcases God’s readiness to accept and love us, no matter what we have done in our past.
— Our Heavenly Father loves us, and He is not holding our past against us.
— The father’s joyous celebration emphasizes that in God’s eyes, our return and repentance are reasons for heavenly rejoicing.
— The father’s patience, both in waiting for the younger son’s return and in addressing the older son’s resentment, mirrors God’s enduring patience with us.
— This parable illustrates the very essence of God’s love and grace.
— You did nothing to get God to START loving you, and nothing you will ever do will make Him STOP!
2. Repentance and Forgiveness:
— The younger son’s decision to return, even expecting nothing in return, highlights genuine repentance.
— Repentance means changing your heart and your direction. This is exactly what he did when he decided to come home. This illustrates the type of change our Father is looking for from us when we are wayward and disobedient.
— The father’s quick forgiveness, without any conditions, teaches us about God’s grace and unconditional love.
— No matter what any of us has done, no matter how disrespectful we have been to God, or how “loose” our living has been when we come home and throw ourselves in God’s hands, He will welcome us with open arms.
— The son’s journey from recklessness to realization serves as a reminder that it’s never too late to turn back to God.
— If you are ready to repent, God is ready to forgive.
3. Jealousy and Resentment:
— The older son’s reaction to the celebration reveals the dangers of harboring jealousy and comparing our journey with others.
— His feeling of being overlooked, despite his faithfulness, is a caution against seeking validation from works alone.
— The father’s gentle reminder that “everything he has is already the older son’s” underscores the importance of recognizing and appreciating our blessings.
— Check your heart and run your own race. Paul said, “For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” (2 Cor 10:12 NKJV).
— God is a good God, and He blesses His children in good ways. Sometimes, if we are not careful, we can become bitter when we see God’s goodness poured out on those we believe don’t deserve it. Be careful. It’s not our place to judge the goodness of God. If God wants to be good to someone, who are we to say they don’t deserve it? If we were honest, we don’t deserve God’s goodness either.
4. Reconciliation:
— The father’s outreach to both sons emphasizes God’s desire for unity and reconciliation within His family.
— The celebration thrown for the younger son wasn’t just about his return but about restoring broken relationships.
— The dialogue between the father and the older son serves as a lesson in understanding, communication, and the healing power of love.
— Just like our children are all different, God’s children are all different. Just like we should not compare our children against each other, God doesn’t do that to us. Thankfully, He loves us all the way we are, and He loves us too much to leave us that way. He deals with each of us individually, and He ministers to us in ways that are tailor-made. Thank God for His grace, mercy, and unconditional love!
Declaration of Faith:
Father, this is a season of refreshing and restoring for me! I boldly declare:
I embrace Your unconditional love, always open to receive me.
You love me, regardless of my past or actions, and I thank You for that, Father!
My heart is set on true repentance, always returning to You.
I renounce jealousy and resentment, choosing not to compare my journey with anyone else.
I celebrate Your blessings, refusing envy or bitterness.
I champion unity and reconciliation in every relationship.
Your patience with me is a testament to Your grace.
My worth is in being Your child, not in my works.
I know it’s never too late to turn to You; Your mercy is endless, and Your grace is enough!
I aim to reflect Your heart daily. As a recipient of Your grace, I seek to be an extender of Your love and grace to all.
Living with this mindset, I know GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
