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Luke 15:11-32: The Parable of the Lost Son

This parable was written with God’s grace and love for us. It is masterfully told by our Lord. There are three characters to think about. We read of the Father, the loving provider, who represents God. There is a son who disgraces his father by asking for his share of the inheritance early, which, in this culture was an outrageous event, and would have been seen as the son wishing his father dead. The Father obliges and the son leaves to chase the pleasures of this world. This parable reminds us that this life choice never works for anyone. When we take ourselves away from the Father, any trial that comes our way breaks us.

A famine comes, “And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.” (Luke 15:14). The son, who was prospering, becomes a slave to sin. He hires himself out to a citizen of the world, “So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.” (v.15). Look how the world treats him – he ends up rock bottom, feeding pigs, which were unclean to Jews, “And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.” (v.16). He was not only feeding the pigs, they were eating better than he was. The world may lead you away from God, but temptations leave you rock bottom.

The son decides to return home, coming back on his own terms, merely as a servant. To his surprise, as he repents from his worldly sin, he sees his dad waiting for him with open arms. The son is welcomed back, not merely as a servant but loved as a son, “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.” (v.22). Not only that, he was given a sacrifice to atone for his sin – a prize calf, a rejection of the golden calf of this world, “And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.” (v.23).

Such celebrations upset the third character in this story, the other son, “But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him,” (v.28). He is jealous of his sibling’s treatment and said, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.” (v.29). He makes the mistake of seeking a similar reward, but out of obedience. Both boys have no understanding of how God works. One thought he had to reach rock bottom to receive grace, the other thought he could earn it.

Jesus makes it clear that God’s love for you is freely an offer for you right now, regardless of where you are at. Jesus loves you all so much, He has done it all for you already. You don’t have to reach rock bottom to receive God’s love because Jesus, on the cross, hit rock bottom for you. Jesus says you can turn back to him right now. You can repent of your sin right now. Whatever is weighing you down, whatever shameful secrets you hold onto, God says, ‘Come to me.’ When you do, you will find the Father is already waiting for you with open arms, running towards you to clothe you in the robe of righteousness of the Son.

The generosity of our Father doesn’t stop there. It gets better! Brilliant! The Parable of the Lost Son links it to the wider narrative, “He also said …” (v.11). This parable is linked to what has gone on previously: the Lost Coin and the Lost Sheep. Both parables end in the same way – a party in heaven, “Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” (v.7), “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (v.10), “And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.” (v.23).

What is Jesus telling us here? He is reminding us that when we turn away from the ways of the world and repent, heaven has a party. When TJ gets baptised this afternoon, it will not just be the people here rejoicing, heaven has a party. Millions of angels will be rejoicing.  

I have strong links to Romania. Romania and Roch are bookends of our continent! Christians in Romania have suffered Muslim oppression, then atheist oppression and now cultural oppression from Wokeism of secular Europe. They never talk of the day they came to faith; when giving their testimony they tell of the day of their repentance and fell into the warm embrace of their loving Father. That is what we see in the parable. We see the amazing truth of God’s grace. We don’t have to earn our salvation, we don’t have to reach bottom. He will always welcome us if we turn to Him because He is gracious. Heaven has a party. The angels rejoice.

If heaven is willing to have a party, just for you, when you repent, you can know that God will never ever let you go. Jesus wants you to bask in the love of Himself. Jesus also wants you to rest in the blessed assurance He will never let you go. The precious Lamb of God was slain for each of you. In heaven, the victory party has begun. Your other option is to spend the week living in the filth of condemnation. It’s an easy choice. God has brought each of you here today to hear this. Today is the day of salvation. Turn from your guilt, turn from your lies and darkness, come to the truth, come to God. He is waiting with open arms. Come to God before this window of grace closes.