Luke 15:11-32
Then Jesus said, “Once there was a father with two sons. The younger son came to his father and said, ‘Father, don’t you think it’s time to give me the share of your estate that belongs to me?’ So the father went ahead and distributed among the two sons their inheritance. Shortly afterward, the younger son packed up all his belongings and traveled off to see the world. He journeyed to a far-off land where he soon wasted all he was given in a binge of extravagant and reckless living.
“With everything spent and nothing left, he grew hungry, for there was a severe famine in that land. So he begged a farmer in that country to hire him. The farmer hired him and sent him out to feed the pigs. The son was so famished that he was even willing to eat the slop given to the pigs because no one would feed him.
“Humiliated, the son finally realized what he was doing, and he thought, ‘There are many workers at my father’s house who have all the food they want with plenty to spare. They lack nothing. Why am I here dying of hunger, feeding these pigs and eating their slop? I want to return home to my father’s house and tell him, “Father, I was wrong. I have sinned against you. I’ll never be worthy of being called your son. Please, Father, just treat me like one of your employees.” ’
“So the young son set off for home. From a long distance away, his father saw him coming, dressed as a beggar, and great compassion swelled up in his heart for his son, who was returning home. So the father raced out to meet him. He swept him up in his arms, hugged him dearly, and kissed him over and over with tender love.
“Then the son said, ‘Father, I was wrong. I have sinned against you. I could never deserve to be called your son. Just let me be—’
“The father interrupted and said, ‘Son, you’re home now!’
“Turning to his servants, the father said, ‘Quick, bring me the best robe, my very own robe, and I will place it on his shoulders. Bring the ring, the seal of sonship, and I will put it on his finger. And bring out the best shoes you can find for my son. Let’s prepare a great feast and celebrate. For this beloved son of mine was once dead, but now he’s alive again. Once he was lost, but now he is found!’ And everyone celebrated with overflowing joy.
“Now, the older son was out working in the field when his brother returned, and as he approached the house, he heard the music of celebration and dancing. So he called over one of the servants and asked, ‘What’s going on?’
“The servant replied, ‘It’s your younger brother. He’s returned home, and your father is throwing a party to celebrate his homecoming.’
“The older son became angry and refused to go in and celebrate. So his father came out and pleaded with him, ‘Come and enjoy the feast with us!’
“The son said, ‘Father, listen! How many years have I been working like a slave for you, performing every duty you’ve asked as a faithful son? And I’ve never once disobeyed you. But you’ve never thrown a party for me because of my faithfulness. Never once have you even given me a goat that I could feast on and celebrate with my friends like he’s doing now. But look at this son of yours! He returns after wasting your wealth on prostitutes and reckless living, and here you are throwing a great feast to celebrate—for him!’
“The father said, ‘My son, you are always with me by my side. Everything I have is yours to enjoy. It’s only right to celebrate like this and be overjoyed because this brother of yours was once dead and gone, but now he is alive and back with us again. He was lost, but now he is found!’ ”
I love this parable. There are so many truths packed into these 21 verses.
First, The father listens and lets the son go, with no lectures, no chastisements, no “You’ll come crawling back.” He just split the inheritance, and the son left.
He tried fixing it himself and ended up taking a job that disgusted him.
Like so many of us, the young man did everything that he had been told for years was wrong. The result was loneliness, shame, regret, and the realization that his father had been right all along.
So humiliated, he went home, hoping his father would hire him as a servant.
He set off home, and because of the time this was told, there was no mail system, no phone calls, no texting, there was no communication at all with his father to announce his change of heart, or what he intended, as far as this young man was concerned his father was going to reject him because of everything he had done.
The father saw his son from the distance, and he ran to him to embrace him. Despite everything that had happened, he loved his son and wanted to rejoice that he had returned.
As the young man started apologizing, the father interrupted him to give instructions to his servants so that he could celebrate the return of his lost son. The father was overjoyed that this son had come back, and nothing from the son’s past would dissuade him from celebrating.
The dutiful son came in from the fields hearing the celebration and wanted to know what was happening. A servant explained and, upon hearing it became jealous. How dare his father do this? He had not left, not embarrassed his family. He had done everything asked of him. How could his father throw a party for his rebellious brother? This is like so many who have dutifully attended church all these years. While our brothers and sisters went to the world for “fun,” they stayed in church and did what was required of them.
The father explained to his loyal son a simple truth, My son, who as far as I know was dead, came home and I am celebrating that he is alive, everything I own is yours, please understand a fathers love, and I want to share with everyone my good fortune.
Peter nailed this in 1 Peter 4:8 “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.”
