Luke 15:11-32
Have you ever wondered what is the story of the prodigal son all about? What important lessons does this story have? How is the story applicable to us in the end time Church? These and more are matters of paramount importance that we are going to discuss in this important parable.
First, I’d like to clarify that if a thousand preachers delivered a 40 minutes sermon each about this parable, they still will not exhaust lessons we learn from this story or any other passage of the bible. The reason is that all scripture is God’s breathed and the Holy Spirit uses it to convey relevant message to each individual person according to their needs.
Lessons We Learn from This Story in Relation to the Kingdom of God
As you may have noticed, we have been discussing many great Kingdom truths that help us maximize our potential and productivity. Until we understand how every single story of the bible is woven and coiled together to construct a portion in the Kingdom we will still live in ignorance and obliviousness.
What is the Story of the Prodigal Son Teaching Us About?
Major Mistakes the Second Son Did
As we have already indicated above, every story of the bible has more than one lesson. Today we are going to learn several lessons from this parable. Please follow keenly.
- The Son Wanted To Become an Owner
In this Kingdom we are Stewards NOT Owners.
Now, as we kick start the story, we learn that a certain man had two sons. The younger son went to the father and asked for his share of inheritance. The father approved the request, so he divided the inheritance into two then then soon or later the younger son was on his way leaving to a foreign country.
This story is a representation of the Kingdom of God whereby the father represents our Father – the King of kings (Deuteronomy 10:17; 1Timothy 6:15). In this Kingdom, the Father is the owner of everything, we are only but stewards. As stewards we expected to be faithful (1Corithians 4:2).
It’s not easy to become an owner due to maintenance, responsibility, cost, and accountability, etc attached to it. This is why it’s only God (the owner) who is able to play this role amicably. In Romans 8:15, we call Him “Abba Father” which means ‘sustainer,’ ’source,’ and ‘defender.’ Having learned that, no human being can become all the things mentioned without soon complaining of tiredness, fatigue, or boredom.
The ’prodigal son’ didn’t know that taking wealth and becoming the owner called for all the above-mentioned responsibilities. This is the mistake that make many of us make, wanting to personally run our lives never remembering that we do not belong to ourselves. We were created and purchased at a great price (1Corinthians 6:20).
2. He Wanted To Be Independent NOT Dependent
In This Kingdom We Are Subjects To The King
Though we don’t know how old this son was, most likely this could be the teenager’s behavior. I remember as a teenager, I used to demand for independence because I thought that my parents were too strict on me, not knowing that parents were only concerned with my welfare because they knew that I had not matured enough to some major decisions.
Though at times I pushed for freedom, most of the mistakes I made in life is when I ignored parents’/elders’ advise. The same applied to the prodigal son. Since this is a parable, Jesus omitted many details from the story, only to pass across the main point of the story. I hate reading my ideas into the bible because the scripture speaks for itself, however, we can all agree that the father – though not said in the story, must have taken time to advise his little boy before letting him leave home.
In this Kingdom, dependence is a sign of rebellion to our King of kings. As believers, we must totally depend on God for wisdom, power, provision, protection, strength, etc on a daily basis. The name ‘Abba Father’ in Romans 8:15-16 refers to God as ‘source’, ‘sustainer’ and ‘protector.’ He is therefore worthy of our dependence, and it makes Him proud to see that we can submit and depend on Him at all times.
3. The Son (Heir) Wanted To Inherit Prematurely
In This Kingdom, Preparation Comes Prior To Inheritance
As we follow with the story, when the son asked for the inheritance, the father divided it into two and gave the younger one his share. As I have indicated above, our Lord Jesus didn’t provide many details simply because it was a parable. One characteristic of a parable is that it doesn’t provide all details needed.
Following the decisions taken by this young man, after receiving his inheritance, he left to unknown place. In Galatians 4:1-2, as long as the heir is under-age, he’s no different from a slave, his inheritance shall be kept under the custody of trustees until time comes when it will be handed over to him after maturity has been proved.
The reaction of this young man after he received the inheritance is enough proof that he was actually not ready at all, he needed preparation. Many believers have forfeited their spiritual inheritance due to their immaturity. To attain spiritual maturity, one needs to pay the required cost. There are many believers looking for results but not willing do what it takes to produce the same results.
4. The Son Sought Help From Wrong People
In This Kingdom Our Help Comes From God
When the young man went to the far away country, the bible says that he soon wasted what he had in wild living. This possibly means that he squandered it with prostitutes and friends who had no idea where the wealth had come from and how the young man’s father had worked to accumulate it. Within a short time, the young man found himself with nothing at hand and with no one at his side. All those who pretended to be good friends were nowhere to be seen.
Does this sound familiar? If it has never happened to you, most likely it happened to someone you know. To solve this problem, the young man hired himself to a citizen whose best offer was to send the young man to look after his pigs. The bible says that there was a severe famine and this young man toiled for food to an extend of filling his stomach with the pods the pigs used to feed on.
Coming Back To Senses
As he was feeding the pigs, with no one to talk to or give him anything, he began to think critically about his life. At this point loneliness was killing him! The friends had deserted him, and the only thing that seemed to care for his situation was the pigs who stayed around him because they had no option.
In Luke 15:17, everything around him pushed him to come back to his senses. When he did, he wondered to himself, how many workers are enjoying good life in his father’s household while he toiled here with these speechless pigs? This tells us that he knew that his father gave the best life to his workers, so he opted to work at his father’s farm than to his stranger.
Coming back to senses involved the following:
- Clear Thinking
When this second son was still a son at home, he took everything for granted including the father’s love. Now that he is away, he could think clearly. He realized that what seemed normal wasn’t at all. This reminds me of the saying, “You don’t know the worth of something until you loose it.”
2. Taking Action
The young man’s decision was not just mere words, it was accompanied by action. He said, I will go to my father and tell him that, “am not worthy to be called your sons…” This shows how desperate the son had become. He was no longer the proud son who demanded his rights of being a son. His attitude was already changed.
3. Repentance
In verse 18-19, Luke 15, when the young man came to his senses, one of the things he was ready to do was to go to the father and ask for forgiveness. Repentance is a sure sign of someone who has realized their mistakes and wants to live a different life of pleasing God.
In Matthew 4:17, one of the major qualifications to enter the Kingdom of God was repentance according to the first messages Jesus preached at the beginning of the His ministry.
4. Change of Lifestyle
The young man was not only ready to repent but also to take action to correct his mistakes. What action? First, the young man was ready to become a servant in his father’s household not a son. Secondly, according to Luke 15:20, the young man got up and went to the father.
Repentance is not repentance if one is not ready to take action, first to realize their mistakes, secondly, to speak out in correcting the mistake (to confess/apologize), thirdly, to stop sinning. Jesus forgave the adulterous woman brought about to Him by the Pharisees who wanted to stone her (John 8). One important charges Jesus gave to this woman is to go and sin no more (John 8:11).
The Father Received the Son
This story becomes interesting as the father sees his son while still far off, meaning that the father was expecting his son back someday (Luke 15:20). The father and the son met somewhere in the middle between home and this guy’s destination.
God is always ready to receive whoever is willing to take action as the prodigal son did.
When they met, the bible says that the father threw his hands around his son and kissed him. This must have been so dramatic! There is great joy when one sinner turns to the Lord (Luke 15:7-11).
One thing that amazes me it that the father did not start questioning the son as many parents would do, questions like: where have you been? What happened to you? What have you been feeding on? Did they harm you? Etc. The father, just accepted the son, he didn’t even comment on his repentance but his gesture shows us that the son’s return was all he was waiting for.
This is exactly what happens when we repent our sins before God. The bible says that as far as the East is far from the West, that’s how God treats our sinfulness after repentance (Psalm 103:12). He remembers them no more.
Conclusion
As we come to the conclusion, one more in a snapshot, what is the story of the prodigal son speaking to us about? We have discussed several things here worth remembering. The prodigal son did four major mistakes that excommunicated him as a son, yet the same that pushed him to come back to his senses.
On realizing his mistakes, he took a major decision and immediately acted upon it. He rose and went back to the father and asked for forgiveness. We see a loving father who was expectant of his son receiving his son back and slaughtering the fattened calf as a way celebration for his son was lost but now found.
What an amazing lesson! What is it that you have done that makes you alienated from people and God? Why don’t you come back and realize your mistakes today? Jesus said in Matthew 11:27-30, that “come to me all ye who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” The Lord’s yoke is easy and light to anyone who wishes to take it.
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