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? I will continue my introduction today.
Setting the stage.
As we continue our introduction to the Parable of the Prodigal Son, we are still laying the foundation, setting the stage for the profound revelations this story holds. In Part 1, we began by transitioning our focus from the tangible aspects of previous parables to the intangible, heart-centered lessons of this story. We touched upon the younger son’s audacious request, the allure and pitfalls of worldly pleasures, and the initial steps of his journey that led him away from home.
Today, in Part 2, we’re delving deeper into the intricacies of the story, exploring the profound emotions, decisions, and lessons from each character in the story. From the younger son’s rock-bottom realization to the father’s unwavering love and the older son’s internal struggles, we’re unpacking the multi-faceted dimensions of this parable, ensuring we grasp the fullness of its message and its relevance to our lives today.
1. The younger son’s request disrupted the family in a major way.
It was a premature demand:
— In the cultural context of the time, asking for an inheritance before a parent’s death was akin to wishing them dead.
— It was a grave insult, highlighting the son’s disregard for familial bonds and the traditions of his people.
— Jewish traditions run deep. For this young man to ask his father to not only break the tradition but ask him to do so in a situation that is related to his death, and then the father decided to distribute the inheritance to both sons (causing even more turmoil in the family), was a huge thing.
There are so many things we can point out in this one point:
— The love of the father was amazing, to the point where he did not allow the son’s disrespect to negatively impact how he felt about the boy. This is a glimpse into the love God has for us.
— Even though the father knew the boy was making a mistake, he did not stop him. This is also a great lesson in parenting for us. You cannot keep your children from learning the consequences of their decisions and actions. We can shield and protect them when they are young, but there comes a time when they must know for themselves that their choices and actions have consequences, and sometimes they must learn through experience. The father let the boy endure the experience of what he wanted, even though I am sure he knew the boy was not making a good decision.
I could go on with this point, but I will stop here and say that the boy’s premature demand was a mistake; it disrupted his family and caused him to learn a lesson I am sure he will never forget. Please don’t think that God will keep you from the repercussions of your decisions and actions. What you do matters, and you will reap what you sow. When people say, “Well, if I were making a mistake, God would stop me,” I respond, “You must not know God.” God did not stop Adam from eating the fruit, and he will not stop you. The Holy Spirit will give you warnings, but since God made you a free moral agent, if you stubbornly choose to go down the wrong road, God will let you, and like the father in the parable, He will be waiting for you when you get back!
The boy had a desire for premature independence:
— I know many in the United States live with the understanding (or tradition) that once their children turn 18 years old, they are adults, and they need to leave the house to figure life out for themselves. But that is not what we see in Jewish tradition in the Bible. Many Biblical men lived with their parents until they got married, even into their 40s. This was certainly the case for women as well. So what this boy wanted was independence, and he wanted it before he was ready for it.
— The boy’s request wasn’t just about money. It was a declaration of his desire to live life on his terms, away from the guidance and oversight of his father. This mirrors how we sometimes seek to live without God’s guidance, thinking we know best.
— Many have coined the phrase “Young and dumb” for a reason. Many young people think they know better than their parents than anyone else, and sometimes even more than God. Over time, as they experience real life, they get to know better.
Most children go through these phases with their parents:
(1) Idolize: They are young, they love their parents, and their parents cannot do anything wrong.
(2) Demonize: They start growing up, and they believe they know better than their parents, and some (especially in the USA) build up the audacity to say to their parents, “I HATE YOU!” Thankfully, this phase does not last forever.
(3) Humanize: After they grow up and experience real life, they look back and understand what their parents were going through with them. In many cases, this is when they come and connect with their parents on a deeper level, understanding what their parents sacrificed for them.
All that said, there is still a cost for rebellion!
— Turning away from divine wisdom always has a price.
— The son’s rebellion led him to a place of destitution, showing that decisions made in haste and pride can have long-lasting consequences.
*** It’s amazing that even though the boy’s decision causes so much turmoil for the family, the father’s love was still the same. He loved the boy despite his actions. This is how God loves us!
2. The dangers of worldly pleasures.
— If anyone tells you that sin is not pleasant, it is someone who probably never committed to sin because when I was a sinner, I was good at it. I enjoyed it.
— The point I will make here is that I learned (when I was in sin) what the boy learned in this parable, and that is that sin only brings temporary satisfaction.
— The allure of the world can be enticing. But like the prodigal son’s initial days of rebellion, these pleasures are fleeting. They provide momentary happiness but lack lasting fulfillment.
— Sin also gives you the illusion of freedom (but it’s just an illusion). The son believed he was free, away from his father’s house. But true freedom isn’t about doing what we want; it’s about doing what’s right. His “freedom” led him into bondage and despair. True freedom is freedom in Christ!
— I am free to be ME becuase sin no longer has me bound. That’s freedom!
— I like to say that if you are Born-Again, sin will not unravel your righteousness (meaning that you are not going to lose your salvation). But while sin may not unravel your righteousness, it may unravel your life!
— Our choices shape our future. The son’s reckless decisions, driven by immediate gratification, led him to a terrible state, emphasizing the importance of wisdom and foresight.
— The late Dr. Myles Munroe said he did not have sex before marriage because he was a person who studied consequences. He looked at all the negative consequences that sex before marriage could bring (a child, STDs, soul ties, etc.), and he did not believe the actions were worth the risk.
— Sin will take you further than you wanted to go, make you stay longer than you wanted to say, and spend more than you wanted to spend.
— If you study the consequences of your decisions before you make them, you will make better decisions.
3. The power of humility and repentance.
— The boy hit rock bottom. There are moments in our lives when we realize we’ve strayed far from where we should be. For the son, it was the humiliation of envying pigs. These moments, though painful, can be catalysts for change. I hope you don’t have to hit rock bottom before you repent!
— True repentance isn’t just about feeling sorry; it’s about changing direction. The son’s decision to return home, even as a servant, shows genuine humility and a desire to make things right.
— Thank God for His unconditional love. Your heavenly Father will be waiting for you with open arms!
— The father didn’t just wait; he ran to his son. This powerful moment underscores that God doesn’t hold our past against us. He celebrates our return.
I will stop here for today.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, this is a season of refreshing and restoring for me! I boldly declare:
I thank You for Your boundless love, grace, and mercy.
I acknowledge that my choices shape my future, and I seek Your wisdom in every decision.
I recognize that seeking worldly pleasures only provides temporary satisfaction. I desire the lasting fulfillment that comes from You.
I declare that I am free in Christ, and true freedom is not about doing what I want but doing what’s right.
When I stray, I am thankful that You, Father, are always waiting with open arms, ready to embrace me.
I am committed to studying the consequences of my decisions, ensuring that I make choices aligned with Your will.
Father, I will not wait to hit rock bottom before turning to You. I choose to walk in humility and genuine repentance every day.
I am grateful that You do not hold my past against me. Your love is unwavering, and Your grace is sufficient.
I am committed to living a life that reflects Your love, grace, and mercy. I will not be swayed by the fleeting pleasures of this world but will remain steadfast in my pursuit of Your righteousness.
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!
