Luke 15:11-32  Lesson 141

In this lesson: 
 
In the last lesson, we read about lost sheep and coins. 
Now we meet the lost son. 
 
The "Prodigal Son" is perhaps the most famous of 
Jesus' parables and appears exclusively in the Gospel of Luke. 
Early Christians referred to Luke as a painter. 
The verbal image Luke paints of God's love for lost souls shows why.
 
This is an excellent passage to read when dispirited by our sins.

                                              New Living Translation 
 

Luke 15:11-32
Parable of the Lost Son
 
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!"

​This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible.  However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."  

Today's question:
 
1. What is the meaning of the prodigal son parable?            
     
 

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Answer:  (Do you agree?) 
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1. Like the parables of the lost sheep and misplaced coin, the Prodigal son is a story of recovery.  In the Prodigal Son parable, the "father" (15:12) represents God.  The "younger son" (15:13) symbolizes us, sinners.  With his newfound wealth, the young son thinks he no longer needs his father (God).  To be independent, he severs all ties and leaves home to live as he pleases.  He soon realizes he made a mistake.  The "elder son" (15:25) symbolizes the Pharisees and their indifference toward those who repent.  Like the sanctimonious Pharisees, the older brother believes he is better than his sibling.  In his mind, he's the one who served the father (15:29).  He is the one who worked and sacrificed and he believes he alone deserves his father's love.  He's angry that the younger son (sinner) is welcomed by the father with loving arms (15:20) into the family (heaven), no questions asked.  He feels no joy that the sinner has repented, and he refuses to join in the celebration.  But the father is always ready to forgive, exults when his wayward child repents, runs to him (15:20), and dresses him in his finest robe and jewelry (15:22).  This parable is a reminder that God loves us and is willing to pardon us regardless of what we've done.



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Application thought for the day:
 
We've all been lost at some time in our lives.  Like the son who's life choices led to his demise (15:14-16) many of us made choices that hurt and degraded us.  But God loved us enough to send his son Jesus to make it right.  Come home and repent of the sins that separate you from your Father.  He is waiting!