Series: Growing in Holiness

Title: Embracing the Prodigal

Text: Luke 15:11-31

I. But What About Me? (Introductory Drama at 10:30 Service)

Recently I read a story by Eddy Kozak, about a young couple: George and Celia.

George was a farmer, just like his father.

Like in our Gospel reading, the father gave George’s brother – Junior – his inheritance early.

Junior ended up squandering his inheritance and ending up destitute.

Celia was bitter.

1. She was bitter that Junior had squandered the money. She looked down upon him as inferior in every way.

2. She had wanted to borrow that money from George’s father for a stock investment, which did incredibly well. She was bitter that she had missed that investment opportunity.

Celia’s primary concern was for her own financial advancement, not for her destitute brother-in-law.

When she found out that Junior was planning to move back onto the farm, she was furious.

She was terrified that Junior would end up siphoning off part of George’s inheritance.

She ends by screaming, "What about me! What about me!"

II. Why is it Difficult to Embrace the Prodigal?

Like Celia and like the elder brother in our reading from Luke chapter 15, when you or I refuse to embrace the prodigal, we have a problem.

Why is it so difficult to embrace the prodigal?

Sometimes, we’re afraid their sins will infect us or our loved ones.

Sometimes, our sense of "self-righteousness" looks down upon their inferior morals.

Sometimes, our greed makes us fearful they will take what is ours.

 

In Columbia, South Carolina there’s a conservative Bible School: Columbia International University, formerly Columbia Bible College.

It’s a good school. I have several friends that went there and have gone on to serve as pastors and missionaries.

They have classes in Bible, Church History, Evangelism, and Missiology – the typical courses you would expect at a Bible school or seminary.

Several years ago, one of the professors taught a class on practical evangelism:

It wasn’t that ivory tower stuff, but good practical stuff that you could really use.

One Friday he told his students,

"This is an evangelism class.

What we are trying to learn to do is to evangelize sinners.

To evangelize sinners, you must first get to know them.

This weekend’s assignment is to go out and make contact with some sinners."

They all seemed eager.

He asked his students, "Where can you find sinners?"

They told him: pool halls, bars, and honky-tonks.

He said,

"Great. I want you to go out to these places and meet some sinners. Talk to them. Listen to them. See what makes them tick."

A student said,

"Wait a minute!

You want us to go in those places.

I’ve never been in a bar.

There’ll be smoking and drinking and cussing and people will be hanging all over each other.

What if someone sees me? They’ll think I’m not a Christian."

The professor answered,

"But how will they hear the good news unless someone tells them, and how will you tell them unless you know them?"

These future pastors and evangelists found it difficult to embrace the prodigal.

They feared these sinners would infect them or their reputation.

The good news is not for "perfect" people; they don’t know they need it. The good news of Jesus Christ is for sinners, for prodigals.

My guess is that on that weekend, those Bible school students learned to embrace the prodigal, to love sinners into the Kingdom of God.

The parable I read this morning from Luke chapter 15 has no title in the Bible.

Depending upon whom you place your emphasis, the parable could have three different titles:

The parable of the unforgiving brother.

The parable of the prodigal son.

The parable of the merciful father.

 

The parable is a story about you and me, and our relationship with God.

God is always the merciful father, to those who will turn to him.

Each and every one of us is the prodigal son, who needs the mercy of our Heavenly Father.

Sometimes, you and I fall into the trap of being the unforgiving brother.

One day the prodigal, rebellious, lost, wild, reckless son came to his father, asking for his inheritance.

How rude. You don’t ask for your inheritance. You receive your inheritance after your parents die.

This young man was so self-centered and so unconcerned about his father’s feelings that he asked anyway.

That is how you and I are when we turn away from God.

 

The father surprised everyone when he willingly divided his property between his sons:

In ancient Middle eastern culture, sometimes the father would divide the property between his sons, but retain the income from that property for himself until his death.

Very rarely would a father divide his property and give the money to his sons before his death.

Most people would have thought that the father in this parable was either extremely naive or stupid.

That’s not the case. This father represents God. He is neither naïve nor stupid. He knows all and sees all.

Why would God give a rebellious person so many blessings?

God has given us all the gift of free will. He won’t force you to love him. He won’t force you to do good. He won’t force you to do his will.

He allows us to do as we please, but he hopes we will turn to him. He woos us to come to him. He wants us to love him without compulsion, but he won’t force us.

 

The prodigal son thoughtlessly received his inheritance without so much as a word of thanks to the father.

He went to a "distant country" – a place far away from the father.

There he squandered the gifts his father had given him.

That’s what happens when you and I turn out backs on God.

 

When he had misused every last gift the father had given him, the father allowed him to experience a severe famine:

He was hungry. He was starving. He longed to eat hog slop!

He longed for happiness, but couldn’t grasp it.

He longed for peace, but felt only turmoil.

He longed for love, but received none.

The same is true in your relationship with God.

He allows you wander from him. He allows you to rebel against him. He allows you to totally reject him. But he doesn’t give up on you and he won’t force you to return.

When we wander from the Lord, often He begins to withdraw his blessings and protection. He allows you to fall, and to fall hard.

Twice, St. Paul describes this process as being "handed over to Satan".

In First Timothy chapter one, "…Hymenaeus and Alexander" were "…handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme."

1 Timothy 1:20 (NIV)

In First Corinthians chapter five, a man was handed over to Satan due to his gross sexual immorality. (5:1-5 )

 

The Bible tells us in Hebrews chapter 12:

5"...My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,

6because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."

Hebrews 12:5-6 (NIV)

 

Would the prodigal son have returned to the father if he had not faced hardship?

I doubt it.

Why did the prodigal son return to the father?

Verse 17, "He came to his senses."

Comparing his life without his father to life with his father, he said,

17…‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! ¹⁸I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ ²⁰So he got up and went to his father.

Luke 15:17-20a (NIV)

Until you make the decision to get up and return to your Heavenly Father, you’ll remain wallowing in the fruit of your rebellion.

The rebellious son was a long long way away from his father, but as soon as he got up and voiced his decision to return:

Verse 20, "…his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son…"

Luke 15:20 (NIV)

The merciful father had been waiting for this day since the moment his son left him.

He didn’t require his son to get cleaned up first.

He didn’t require his son to pay him back.

He didn’t require his son to prove his sorrow by good deeds.

In a most undignified manner, the merciful father came running to him with tears streaming down his cheeks and his arms outstretched to draw him close.

He threw a feast in his son’s honor.

He gave him a new wardrobe.

He even gave him a ring of authority.

In verse 24, the father proclaimed loudly and proudly, so all could hear:

"…this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."
Luke 15:24 (NIV)

 

The same is true with your heavenly father:

Regardless if it’s you, your spouse, or children, your parents, or a friend:

God is patiently waiting to throw his merciful arms wide and welcome you home.

He wants to clothe you with His righteousness.

He wants to give you spiritual authority over sin, sickness, and Satan.

He wants to celebrate your return.

 

I wish the story ended here, but sadly it doesn’t.

It’s no accident that the older brother was working hard out in the fields.

He always worked hard.

He always did all the right things.

He always obeyed all the rules.

Outwardly, he did everything right.

 

But inwardly everything was not right, he was in turmoil; he was bitter. When he heard that his brother had come home and that his father was celebrating his arrival:

He boiled over with anger.

He seethed with self-righteous.

He wrestled with resentment.

To avoid his brother, he even excluded himself from the celebration.

Sadly, the same is true:

When you or I see ourselves as more worthy of God’s love and blessings than someone else.

When you fail to forgive those who have wounded you or others.

When you refuse to join in the Sunday celebration because you fear someone who has offended you might be present.

When your chief concern is, "What about me!?! What about me!?!"

 

In verses 31-32, our Heavenly Father tells you and me,

31"‘My son [my daughter],...you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³²But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’"

Luke 15:31-32 (NIV)

We must embrace and welcome the prodigal, rebellious, lost, wild, reckless people:

Whom our Heavenly Father is wooing to himself.

Who are just now coming to their senses.

Who are climbing out of the pigsties of life to be embraced by their Heavenly Father and to be embraced by their brothers and sisters in Christ.