Luke 15, verses 11 to 32.
I will read out loud for us.
And he said,
There was a man who had two sons,
and the younger of them said to his father,
Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.
And he divided his property between them.
Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had
and took a journey into a far country.
And there, he squandered his property in reckless living.
And when he had spent everything,
a severe famine arose in that country,
and he began to be in need.
So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country,
who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate,
and no one gave him anything.
But when he came to himself, he said,
How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread,
but I perish here with hunger.
I will arise and go to my father,
and I will say to him,
Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.
I am no longer worthy to be called your son.
Treat me as one of your hired servants.
And he arose and came to his father.
But while he was still a long way off,
his father saw him and felt compassion,
and ran,
and embraced him,
and kissed him.
And the son said to him,
Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.
I am no longer worthy to be called your 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,
and bring the fattened calf,
and kill it,
and let us eat and celebrate.
For this,
my son was dead,
and is alive again.
He was lost,
and is found.
And they began to celebrate.
Now,
his older son was in the field,
and as he came and drew near to the house,
he heard music and dancing.
And he called one of the servants
and asked what these things meant.
And he said to him,
Your brother has come,
and your father has killed the fattened calf,
because he has received him back safe and sound.
But he was angry,
and refused to go in.
His father came out and entreated him.
But he answered his father,
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.
But when this son of yours came,
who has devoured your property with prostitutes,
you killed the fattened calf for him.
And he said to him,
Son,
you are always with me,
and all that is mine is yours.
It was fitting to celebrate and be glad.
For this,
your brother was dead
and is alive.
He was lost
and is found.
This is God's holy and authoritative word.
Because apart from Christ,
we are self-righteous,
selfish human beings.
We have all,
at different points of our lives,
held a grudge against someone.
Maybe it's against a lazy,
calculating co-worker
that only works hard
when the supervisor is looking.
And when you get put in the same team
for a project,
he dumps all his work on you,
and you finish it,
but then afterward,
he takes all the credit for it.
And of course,
lo and behold,
when the time for promotion comes,
he gets promoted,
and you don't.
You hold a grudge
against that co-worker.
You begrudge that person's success
because you don't think he deserves it.
Maybe you hold a grudge
against a housemate
that eats your food
from your fridge
and never does dishes
or never vacuums the house,
never takes out the garbage.
And then you find out
that this inconsiderate slob
has started dating the guy
that you had been fantasizing about.
So you say to yourself,
if only he knew
what kind of a person
this woman really is.
You begrudge that person's
now successful relationship.
Maybe it's your neighbor
that has three kids upstairs
and they're always rowdy.
It seems when you're trying to sleep
is when the kids
are most alert and awake.
They're jumping up and down
and running up and down.
It sounds like a war zone.
And then you find out
that they're pregnant
with a fourth.
And you think to yourself,
they don't deserve
to have another child.
They can't even manage
the ones they have.
So you begrudge their success.
Don't they already have enough?
These people may be
truly undeserving,
but what all of these scenarios reveal
is something that we hate to admit,
that the begrudging spirit in us
also reveals
a profound selfishness,
a self-righteousness
within ourselves.
This is the point
that Jesus is making
here in Luke chapter 15.
To remind you of the backdrop
to this parable,
the Pharisees and the scribes
who are the Jewish religious leaders,
they are the moral cream
of the crop in society.
And they begrudged
the grace that Jesus
was extending to sinners
and tax collectors
who were the moral scum
of society.
And recognizing this grudge,
Jesus now addresses
the Pharisees and the scribes.
He teaches them
using these three illustrations
in chapter 15.
This is the third
and climactic parable
in illustration.
And his point is that
we should partake
in God's joy
of seeking and saving the lost
rather than begrudging
his grace.
That's his main point.
And this parable
is popularly called
the prodigal son
because it talks about
a wastefully extravagant son.
And that title goes back
all the way to the 4th century.
But the title itself
is not inspired
like the scripture.
In fact,
the focus of the parable
is really
on both sons,
not just the younger son,
the prodigal one,
but also the older son.
And really,
the main focus,
not even the sons,
but the father,
his heart,
his love.
So we'll examine
this parable
by looking at
the major characters
in the story.
First, we'll look at
the licentious son,
the lawless son.
And then the lavish father.
And then third,
the legalistic son.
So let's first look
at the licentious son.
He's the lawless one,
libertine,
spendthreat,
wasteful son.
And the parable begins
unassumingly in verse 11.
There was a man
who had two sons.
But it takes a sharp turn
in verse 12.
It says,
And the younger of them
said to his father,
Father,
give me the share
of property
that is coming to me.
The man had two sons.
That means Jewish law
stipulated that
the older son,
the firstborn,
gets a double portion.
Which means the younger son
is entitled to a third
of all of his father's property.
And so he's demanding
his share
of the inheritance,
which is in and of itself
is fine.
Son asking for,
a father for money,
of course,
is not an uncommon thing.
I mean,
I'm sure some of you
have asked your parents
for money.
It's not,
but there's something,
there's a little more sinister
going on here.
Because the younger son's request
was really quite rude
and impertinent.
And in order to see why,
we have to understand
ancient Jewish property law.
It was not uncommon
in the ancient Near East
for a father
to give his son's
legal right
to his inheritance
before his death.
The legal right
to possess it.
And it would belong to him.
It's signed away
to the son.
But even in that case,
the son would not have
the right to dispose
of the property.
He would have the right
to possess it legally,
but not the right
to dispose of it.
It doesn't come to him.
It's not disposable
until the father's death.
It's similar in a way,
maybe we think about
life insurance nowadays.
Imagine a father,
a loving father
who invests in life insurance
and pours money
into it every month.
So that after his death,
his two sons
have something to live on,
something that they can use.
That's legally,
they're the sons.
It belongs to them.
But it does not
become available to them
until the father has passed.
That's when it becomes
available for disposal.
Now, so it's similar
to that context.
And with that in mind,
look again at the son's request.
Father, give me the share
of property that is coming to me.
He's saying,
give me now
the share of property
that is coming to me later.
I know it's coming to me,
but I don't want to wait for it.
So give it to me now.
It's an unthinkable request
because it amounts
to telling the father,
I wish you were dead already.
I don't want you.
I want what is yours.
I want my inheritance.
You're living far too long.
The presumption of that request
is seen clearly
in the way the father responds
in verse 12.
It says that
he divided his property
between them.
He actually
grants this request.
It shows his graciousness.
And he says,
he divided his property
between the two sons.
And the word property here
literally means
life.
That's the word
that is used there.
The father divided
his life
between them.
He gave up
his livelihood,
the life earnings
away to his sons.
And the true intent
of the younger son's demand
is seen clearly
in verse 13.
Look with me.
Verse 13.
Not many days later,
the younger son
gathered all he had
and took a journey
into a far country
and there he squandered
his property
in reckless living.
His intention
wasn't to,
you know,
get the inheritance now
and then,
you know,
live and honor
his father
for the rest of his life
and take care of him.
No,
that's not his intention.
He doesn't lose
any time.
Not many days later,
then he's probably
selling off stuff
at less than
what he can get for it
because he's,
you know,
rushed to get out.
Not many days later,
the younger son
gathered all he had.
That's the technical term
used in a financial context
like this.
It means to convert
all of your assets
into cash.
He's liquidating
all his assets
so that he could
take it all with him
and go.
He's not trying
to take the flock
and herd with him
to start a new business,
a new life for himself.
He's getting rid of all of it
to leave
and get away
from his father
and his family.
He's sick of home.
He's sick of the family business.
Sick of living
on the family farm.
Sick of his brother.
Sick of his father.
So he goes,
journeys into a far country
away from the concerned
watching gaze
of his father
and he says that there
he squandered his property
in reckless living.
He takes his father's life,
his livelihood
and then he squanders.
It literally means
to scatter it,
throw it into the wind.
That's what he's doing.
In reckless living,
high living,
this young man
has expensive taste.
He's a high roller.
He goes on a spending spree.
He only thinks
about the pleasures
of life
without thinking
about their costs.
Swiping left and right
without checking his budget.
And later in verse 30,
the older son
says of him,
the younger brother,
that he devoured
his property
with prostitutes.
Probably something
he heard from
one of the servants.
So this younger son
is licentious.
He's lawless.
He's wasteful.
He's immoral.
The desire to get away
and his desire
to get away
from the father
is actually
at the heart
of every sin.
If you're not yet
a Christian,
then you're living
without reference
to this true God.
even if you live
a relatively moral life,
you have been living
in prideful unbelief
because you're living
without reference
to God.
You're living
as if God
didn't exist.
You're doing
exactly
what this younger son
wanted to do
to live
without the father.
In cruder terms,
your life
is an expression
of this younger son's
unspoken wish.
I wish you were
dead already
so I could have
what is yours.
You're enjoying
the gifts of God.
Every good thing
in your life,
your family,
love,
a charming pet,
delightful food,
pleasing sounds
and music,
a stable job,
your intellect,
your health,
the wonders of nature,
these are all
from God.
God.
They're his good gifts
and you're enjoying
them all
and yet
you're enjoying
the gifts
without acknowledging
the giver.
You want
what is God's
but you don't want
God himself.
That's the root
of unbelief.
And even for the Christian,
the desire to get away
from the father
is at the heart
of every sin.
When we indulge
our sinful desires,
when we buy something
we shouldn't buy
or say something
we shouldn't say
or do something
we shouldn't do,
we are to varying degrees
all saying this,
God,
living under your authority
in your household
is too restrictive.
I want to have
my own way.
I want to get away
from you.
Sex outside of marriage
is forbidden.
Marriage is only
between one man
and one woman.
I should give
my hard-earned money
to the ministry
of the church
and the service
of the poor.
I shouldn't get drunk
on alcohol.
I should consider
others more significant
than myself
and look out
for their interest
instead of mine.
I should forgive
the person
that gravely wronged me.
Oh, now you're
asking for
too much.
That's too constrained.
I'm out.
I can work under
your authority
in those other ways,
but this,
I gotta have
my own way.
Every act of sin
is an act
of rebellion
against God
and that's why
it's so damaging
to our relationship
with God
because it's actually
in essence
a vote of no confidence
in God's ability
to care for us
and do what's good
for us.
We're doubting
His goodness.
We are questioning
His fatherly care
for us
because we're believing
essentially the same lie
that Adam and Eve
believed in the Garden of Eden
because the serpent
asked them
in Genesis 3, 1.
Did God actually
say
you shall not eat
any
of the tree
in the garden?
You shall not eat
of any tree
in the garden?
Has God really
been that restrictive
with you?
Has God really
withheld that
good thing
from you?
But those things
are so good
and they're so desirable
God must not
love you
if He's withholding
that from you.
dear brothers and sisters
have you bought
into the lie
of the enemy?
In what ways
are you running
away from God
in pursuit
of sin?
Do you doubt
God's commands
that they are good?
That they are lovely?
That they are beautiful?
Do you think
that you can create
a better life
for yourself
apart from God?
A desire
to deviate
from God's
good plan
and good will
for us
always reveals
a defective view
of God Himself.
And it's because
the younger son
did not understand
his father's love
for him
that he left him.
He did not believe
that what the father
offered him
was his best
what was best for him
so he sought
to find his own
best life now
to find out
for himself
what he had
been missing out on.
And like all sinners
the younger son
soon realizes
how miserable
his life is
apart from God.
It says in verse 14
that when he had
spent everything
a severe famine
arose in that country
and he began
to be in need.
He lived like
there was no tomorrow
so when tomorrow
came with a severe famine
he began to be in need.
He has left
the safety net
of his family
his community
he has spent
all of his money
and now this young man
begins to taste
the bitter end
of his sweet
indulgence.
Did my mic
just go up?
I like it now.
Sorry about that guys.
I usually have help
for all these things
but summer
we're missing
a lot of people
and the man usually
who makes me
check the battery
is not here
and so
I forgot
to check the battery
and
so this young man
is now tasting
the bitter fruit
of his indulgence
and now
his poverty
forces him
to start
behaving like
an adult
kind of like
an adult
and he seeks
employment.
It says in verse 15
so he went
and hired himself
out to one of the
citizens of that country
who sent him
into his fields
to feed pigs.
So he used
to be
this esteemed
son of a wealthy
respected landlord
and now he is
a hireling
of one of
the citizens
of the far country.
He has been hired
by a Gentile master
and you can tell
that this is a Gentile
because he sent him
into his fields
to feed pigs.
Jews considered pigs
to be an unclean animal
and for that reason
you can see
that this is really
kind of a very
demeaning
dirty job
for this
Jewish
son.
This is a
it's kind of like
there used to be
a TV show
that I've never seen
but I've read about
on the Discovery Channel
called Dirty Jobs.
You guys remember that?
Yeah.
So it's like
I think the host
is Mike Rowe.
He performs
these difficult
and usually disgusting
jobs
alongside the
regular employees
and some of those
jobs included
being a zoo cleaner
or a roadkill
collector.
That might be
the closest
you can get
to what this
job would have been
like for this
younger son.
It's repulsive
to Jews
who consider
pigs unclean.
It's demeaning.
It's lowly.
Humiliating.
But the younger son
sinks even lower
than that.
It says in verse 16
that he was longing
to be fed
with the pods
that the pigs ate
and no one
gave him anything.
Not only was he
humiliated by the work
he went hungry
in spite of his work.
He was tasked
with feeding the pigs
but no one else
gave him something
to eat.
No one fed him.
He had sunk
lower than the pigs.
At least the pigs
get to have their fill
and so we don't know
exactly what kind of pods
that the pigs
were eating
but I imagine
it wasn't
very appetizing.
Yet as Proverbs 27
verse 7 says
one who is full
loathes honey
but to one who is hungry
everything bitter
is sweet.
We're picky eaters
because we're full.
Let's admit it.
If you're really starving
it all tastes good to us.
To this starving younger son
even pig slop
looks delicious.
And this is the sad condition
and the ultimate experience
of all sinners
who are alienated
from the Heavenly Father's care.
In our Father's house
we are cared for
we have the richest affairs
to enjoy.
We're treated as sons
but out in the far country
with a strange master
we are reduced
to slavery.
We're used
but not loved
not provided for.
We are valued
on the basis
of our utility
as servants
and not on the basis
of our identity
as sons.
When we leave
our Father's house
we are all reduced
to servitude
to another master
that the Bible calls
the ruler of this world
the prince of the power
of the air
Satan.
And this evil Lord
makes grand promises
but never delivers.
It's always a bait and switch.
The enticing pleasures
of sin
become less
and less satisfying
and we become
more and more enslaved
so that we long
to be fed
with the pods
that the pigs eat.
That's the reality
of all rebellious sinners
and that's the picture
of the licentious son.
In verse 17
the focus of the narrative
begins to shift
from the licentious son
to the lavish father.
It says,
but when he came
to himself
he said,
how many of my father's
higher servants
have more than enough bread
but I perish here
with hunger.
When the younger son
comes to his senses
he realizes
that even the higher servants
at his father's house
have more than enough bread
but he is here
perishing with hunger.
And the word
higher servant
is not a reference
to household servants
that live in the property
and have a permanent place
in the family.
These are references
to the day laborers
people that get hired
on a day-to-day basis
who have no job security
and they get hired
as needed.
Even these higher servants
have plenty to eat
in their father's house.
They occupy the lowest rung
of the social career ladder
yet they have plenty to eat.
So son is here
remembering the generosity
of the father.
Why am I slaving away here
for this strange master
in a far country
that won't even feed me?
My father is a better master
and if I'm going to be
a higher servant anyway
I might as well be one
under my father.
At least he will feed me.
So the son
who was once sick of home
and therefore moved away
from home
is now homesick.
So he resolves
to return home
in verses 18 to 19.
He says,
I will arise
and go to my father
and I will say to him,
Father,
I have sinned against heaven
and before you.
I am no longer worthy
to be called your son.
Treat me as one
of your hired servants.
The younger son realizes
how much shame
he has brought
to his father
and not only that
he acknowledges
that he has sinned
against God
as well.
And he is not
so shameless
as to expect his father
to take him back
as a son
into his family.
He resolves to beg
to him
to treat him
just as one of those
day laborers,
higher servants.
This is a helpful picture
of repentance
for us,
for Christians.
Because the younger son
here
realizes that he is
no longer worthy
to be called
a son.
He admits
that he has forfeited
all worthiness.
He does not deserve
to be received
back into the family.
The only thing
that he brings
back to his father
is his debt
and his shame.
The admission
that he has sinned
against God.
Normally,
a son that has
so dishonored
his father,
in order to have
any hope of being
reconciled to his dad,
would have to come
bearing gifts.
But here,
he has no gifts.
Nothing but sin
and shame.
His only hope
of acceptance
by the father
is the lavishness
of the father.
The generosity,
the grace
of the father.
This is a helpful
picture of our own
repentance before God.
William Temple,
who was the Archbishop
of Canterbury
from the 20th century,
puts it this way.
He says,
All is of God.
The only thing
of my very own
to which I can
contribute to my own
redemption
is the sin
from which I need
to be redeemed.
That's all we bring
to God.
But even this
younger son,
who seems to understand
something of the
father's generosity,
doesn't quite grasp
how lavish the father
really is.
It says in verse 20,
He rose and came
to his father.
But while he was still
a long way off,
his father saw him
and felt compassion
and ran
and embraced him
and kissed him.
The word
long in,
long way off,
is the same word
that was translated
as far
in verse 13,
into a far country.
The repetition
of the word
reveals the father's heart.
The younger son
left,
took a journey
to a far country
on his own,
disgracing the father
and yet,
his father
has not disowned him.
In fact,
it seems
that he has not
despaired of finding him.
He had been
looking out
on the horizon
for the sight
of his returning son
ever since.
And one day,
while the son
is still far off,
the father
spots him.
He wells up
with compassion
and he begins
to run
to embrace him
and kiss him.
And in doing so,
this lavish father
is breaking
all ancient
Near Eastern protocol.
Elderly Jewish men
in this culture
do not run.
It was considered
beneath their dignity
to do so.
Because men
in those days
wore long,
you know,
flowing robes
that limited
their mobility.
You can't squad,
you can't really run,
you can't kick anything.
In order to run
or do anything
that's mildly,
physically strenuous,
they would have to
roll up their
robes.
If you have
a girdle,
a belt,
you can gird up
your loins.
Especially the Bible
uses sometimes.
Otherwise,
you just have to
hold it like a skirt
and run like this.
It's embarrassing.
It's indecent exposure.
It was considered
beneath the dignity
of an elderly gentleman
to run.
But in this moment,
when he spots
his son far away,
his overflowing
compassion
overrules
all cultural conventions
and this father
runs
however clumsily
can you imagine
the sight
of this son
beholding
his elderly father
running to him
this way?
It must have been
quiet and moving
inside.
And then
when he arrives,
the father
embraces him
and kisses him.
The word embrace
literally means
to fall upon
someone's neck.
It's not a polite,
you know,
respectful
New England hug.
It's a bear hug.
You fall on
someone's neck,
you're chest to chest,
you're face rubbing
against their face
and he kisses him
affectionately,
tenderly.
The younger son
must have been filthy.
This penniless
pig feeder
returning from
a long journey
and the father
does not care
before the son
even says
a word.
notice the son
hasn't said anything.
But just to see him
start to return,
the father already
welcomes him
and loves him.
And then in verse 21,
the son finally
works up the courage
to say the lines
that he had been
rehearsing probably
all along his journey.
He says,
Father,
I have sinned
against heaven
and before you.
I am no longer
worthy to be called
your son.
But before the son
could finish his lines,
before he could
say the part
about being treated
as one of his
hired servants,
the father is already
motioning to his servants
in verses 22 to 23,
Bring quickly
the best robe,
put it on him,
put a ring on his hand,
shoes on his feet
and bring the fattened calf
and kill it.
Let us eat
and celebrate.
Taking his son
back as a hired laborer
is far from
the father's mind.
He doesn't berate
this son
about his wastefulness
and foolishness.
He doesn't consign him
to slavery
until he can pay
back the money.
He doesn't nag him
about all the things
that he's done wrong.
All that preoccupies
this father
in this moment
is the joy
of having
his lost son
back.
And so he reinstates
the youngest son
with all the privileges
of sonship,
putting on him
the best robe,
a symbol of status,
giving to him
a ring,
which is likely
a signet ring
with the family seal
representing his
re-inclusion
into the family membership
and shoes for his feet
to cover his dusty,
blistered feet.
The younger son
understands only then
that his father
will only take him back
as a son.
And as if that
weren't enough,
the father throws
a party to celebrate
the return of his son.
They slaughter
the fattened calf.
The fattened calf.
Meat was rare
in first century Palestine
and the fattened calf
was saved
for special occasions
like major religious holidays.
The meat of a young calf,
of course,
is more tender
than aged cow.
And the fattened calf
is one that has been
intentionally pampered
and fattened
for to be slaughtered
on special occasions
like this.
It'd be enough
to feed the entire village.
The father spares
no expenses.
He lavishes his son
with his love.
Some of you
in our church
have a hard time
relating to God
as your heavenly father
because you did not
grow up with
the loving earthly father.
But you have to rely
not on how
your earthly father
represented
our heavenly father.
But you need to rely
on how God's word
reveals
our heavenly father.
What scripture tells us
about our loving
heavenly father.
And this is one of the
most compelling pictures
of our own heavenly father.
When you feel like
you've been
a bad child of God
when you feel
burdened with guilt
do you feel like
you can't approach God?
Do you think
you need to cry
a certain amount
of tears
feel a certain
intensity
of remorse
before you can
approach God again?
Do you feel like
you need to spend
a certain number
of hours
or days
in self-ordained
exile
just moaning
grieving your sins
before you can
approach him again?
Do you think
that you need
to pay God back
with all of your
good works
before you can
be received back
into his family?
Our father
is not
looking you
up and down
in disgust
or disdain
or disappointment
our God
is a gracious
God
why do you
think of him
as such a hard
man?
He is a loving
father
he's a merciful
father
he's a gracious
father
he's not
asking you
to spend
days and
months and
years
doing penance
trying to pay
him back
before you
return to
him
the moment
you turn
to return
to him
he is
running
toward you
with compassion
in his eyes
there's no reason
to delay our
repentance
we should run
to him
he's the first
person we should
run to
when we feel
that we have
done wrong
that's the heart
of the lavish
father
and in this
last section
verses 25
to 30
we see a
portrait
of the second
son
the legalistic
son
it says in
verses 25
to 26
now his
older son
was in
the field
and as he
came and
drew near
to the house
he heard
music and
dancing
and he
called one
of his
servants
and asked
what these
things meant
unlike the
younger son
who left
his father's
house
this older
son is
still
dutifully
at home
even though
he did
receive his
share of
the inheritance
he stayed
home to
take care
of his
father
but as
he approaches
the house
returning
home
he hears
music and
dancing
and he
begins to
wonder
there's a
party
going on
and I
hadn't
heard
anything
about it
what in
the world
is going
on
so he
calls out
one of
the servants
and asks
and his
servant
answers him
in verse
27
your brother
has come
and your
father has
killed the
fattened
calf
because he
has received
him back
safe
and sound
the older
son gets
livid
over this
he was
angry
he says
in verse
28
and refused
to go
in
the father
is joyful
for his
son's
return
the older
son is
angry about
this party
going on
for his
younger
brother
and interestingly
the younger
son that
was formerly
outside the
house
is now
inside the
house
celebrating
with his
father
and this
older son
that had
always been
inside the
house
now is
sulking
outside
the house
so that
his father
must come
out
to entreat
him
and the
oldest son
airs his
grievances
in verses
29 to
30
look
these many
ears
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
but when
this son
of yours
came
you
who
has
devoured
your
property
with
prostitutes
you
killed
a fattened
calf
for him
doesn't that
sound like a
fair complaint
haven't we all
said something
similar to
God
while this
son of yours
was squandering
your wealth
I was working
hard at home
building your
wealth dad
when this
son of yours
blatantly rebelled
against you
brought shame
to your
name
I've been
bringing
honor to
your name
and yet
you never
even grilled
hot dogs
for me to
celebrate
have a
barbecue
with my
friends
and this
son of yours
comes and
you're grilling
filet mignons
USDA prime
beef
what's going
on dad
where's
justice
where's
fairness
that's
my
fattened
calf
remember
you gave
him all
of his
inheritance
it's all
mine
that you're
parting
with
the
relational
strain is
never more
obvious than
in the way
this son
addresses his
father
he doesn't
address him
as father
which is
a respectful
thing to me
he doesn't
call him
certain
he says
look
and look at
the way he
refers to his
younger brother
he doesn't
say my
brother
this son
of yours
he's
distancing
himself from
the family
disowning his
relationship with
this brother
and this
reaction of
the older
son shows
that he
was just
as lost
as the
younger
son
the younger
son said
I am no
longer worthy
to be called
your son
treat me
as one
of your
hired
servants
and because
he doesn't
deserve to
be called
a son
the younger
son thought
that his
father might
hire him
as a
servant
instead
the older
son says
look
these many
years
I have
served
you
and I
never
disobey
your
command
he
thinks
he
deserves
to be
called
a son
and only
because
he has
served
his father
for many
years
neither
of them
understands
the true
nature
of sonship
neither
of them
understands
the grace
of the
father
both
of them
though in
different
ways
have been
operating
like
they have
been
servants
the older
son
thinks
unless he
serves
like a
slave
he can
never
get
those
good
things
out
of
his
father
he
does
not
realize
that
he
gets
those
inheritance
those
blessings
simply
because
he
is
the
son
simply
because
he
is
the
child
of
the
father
instead
he
thinks
he
has
to
earn
it
he
thinks
of it
as a
wage
payment
not a
gift
an
inheritance
so
the
younger
son
was
licentious
but the
older
son
was
legalistic
the
younger
son
represents
the
tax
collectors
and
sinners
that
are
coming
to
Jesus
the
older
son
represents
the
Pharisees
and
the
scribes
that
are
resenting
and
begrudging
Jesus
receiving
these
sinners
and
tax
collectors
they
both
had
a
view
of
God
as
someone
who
is
stingy
and
strict
the
younger
son
type
of
people
the
tax
collectors
and
sinners
because
they
didn't
think
that
what
God
had
for
them
was
good
enough
that
to
leave
God
and
wanted
to
do
everything
that
they
want
themselves
to
find
that
good
for
themselves
the
older
son
type
of
people
the
Pharisees
and
scribes
because
they
don't
believe
God
is
good
and
generous
because
they
think
he's
a
stingy
and
strict
God
they
feel
like
I
need
to
pry
these
blessings
out
of
God's
fingers
by
obeying
him
observing
all
the
law
to
the
T
force
him
to
bless
me
that's
why
theologian
Sinclair
Ferguson
writes
in his
book
The Whole
Christ
that
legalism
and
licentiousness
are
actually
non-identical
twins
from the
same
womb
you
can't
cure
licentiousness
with
dosage
of
doses
of
legalism
you
can't
cure
legalism
with
doses
of
licentiousness
do
whatever
you
want
live
free
God
loves
you
can't
live
do
whatever
you
want
obey
do
everything
God
commands
because
in
both
ways
we're
not
getting
to
the
heart
of
the
issue
the
heart
of
the
issue
is
an
erroneous
view
of
God
you
don't
see
God
rightly
relate
to
God
rightly
as
a
loving
generous
lavish
father
only
when
you
see
God
as
he
truly
is
as
this
lavish
father
who
is
eager
to
lavish
on
us
all
the
good
things
that
he
has
all
he
commands
is
good
and
beautiful
and
right
only
when
we
see
God
rightly
do
we
obey
him
not
reluctantly
or
dutifully
but
joyfully
lovingly
some
of
us
tend
to
be
more
like
the
older
brother
than
the
younger
one
I
think
there's
a lot
of
older
brothers
in
Cambridge
and
this
is
true
for
Christians
as
well
as
non
Christians
we
begrudge
the
blessings
that
others
enjoy
because
we
feel
that
we
deserve
them
more
we
think
that
God
owes
us
something
because
we
have
been
well
behaved
when
in
reality
we owe
God
everything
we
look
at
others
disdainfully
in
self
righteous
judgment
keenly
aware
of
their
sins
but
obtuse
to
our
own
sins
if
that's
you
need
to
hear
the
tender
words
of
the
father
in
verses
31
and
32
son
you
are
always
with
me
and
all
that
is
mine
is
yours
it
was
fitting
to
celebrate
and be
glad
for
this
your
brother
was
dead
and
is
alive
he
was
lost
and
is
found
the
older
son
refused
to
address
his
father
as
father
but
the
father
still
addresses
him
as
son
and
he
reminds
him
that
the
older
son
that
he
referred
to
as
this
son
of
yours
is
actually
this
brother
of
yours
and
he
reminds
him
that
even
though
you
complained
I
never
gave
you
a
young
go to
celebrate
with
your
friends
in
fact
everything
I
have
is
yours
I
have
given
you
my
entire
life
can
you
see
God's
heart
in
this
we
like
to
kind
of
make
fun
of
the
Pharisees
and
the
scribes
and
say
oh
man
these
legalistic
self
righteous
people
we
don't
want
anything
to
do
with
people
like
that
but
do
you
see
what
God
is
doing
with
this
parable
God
is
entreating
the
Pharisees
and
the
scribes
Jesus
is
telling
them
join
me
in
my
mission
to
seek
and
save
the
lost
rejoice
with
me
don't
stay
outside
the
party
I
want
you
to
be
the
part
I
want
you
to
be
a
part
of
this
celebration
join
me
he's
reaching
out
even
to
legalistic
sinners
self
righteous
sinners
and
we
don't
know
how
this
older
son
responds
this
parable
ends
on
the
cliff
hanger
because
it's
an
invitation
to
all
the
older
brothers
among
us
how
will
you
respond
will
you
begrudge
God's
grace
sinners
or
will
you
celebrate
rejoice
and
join
him
on
his
mission
to
seek
and
save
the
lost
this
is
a
wonderful
parable
but
the
lavishness
of the
father
comes
with
a
cost
that
we
need
to
account
for
because
the
father
has
to
bear
the
shame
and
loss
that
this
younger
son
has
brought
upon
him
likewise
this
elder
brother
has
to
bear
the
shame
and
loss
that
his
younger
brother
has
brought
upon
him
after
all
that
is
left
of
the
father's
inheritance
is
technically
his
and
now
he
must
share
that
with
the
younger
brother
that
has
come
so
there's
a
heavy
cost
to
forgiveness
reconciliation
and
this
is
where
Jesus
comes
into
the
picture
Romans
8
29
describes
Jesus
as
the
firstborn
among
many
brothers
he's
the
first
who
sets
the
pattern
for
all
those
whom
God
will
save
similarly
Colossians
1
18
describes
Jesus
as
the
firstborn
from
the
dead
Jesus
is
the
eternal
son
of
God
who
always
obeyed
the
father
perfectly
and
he
not
only
obeyed
the
father
he
loved
the
father
perfectly
from
eternity
past
but
the
people
whom
God
created
and
chose
for
himself
rebelled
against
him
brought
shame
and
loss
into
his
family
into
his
kingdom
and
in
Jesus
the
elder
brother
the
firstborn
instead
of
taking
on
the
posture
and
attitude
of
the
older
son
in
this
parable
says
I
will
be
the
true
older
brother
I
will
go
and
seek
and
save
my
lost
brother
and
he
comes
to
earth
he
dies
he
pays
the
debt
that
we
incurred
to
the
loss
of
our
heavenly
father
he
pays
that
debt
on
the
cross
by
dying
for
our
sins
and
he
is
raised
to
new
life
so
that
when
we
repent
of
our
sins
and
believe
in
Jesus
it
can
be
said
of
us
that
we
who
were
dead
is
now
alive
again
we
who
once
were
lost
we
who
once
were
lost
are
now
found
again
that's
what
Jesus
has
done
he's
the
true
older
brother
and
because
of
what
Jesus
has
done
there
is
a
celebration
there's
a
note
of
celebration
that
runs
through
the
entire
chapter
when
the
shepherd
finds
the
lost
sheep
in
verse
six
when
the
woman
finds
the
lost
coin
in
verse
nine
and
here
when
the
father
recovers
his
lost
son
they
throw
a
party
I
hope
you
see
that
that's
God's
heart
for
you
if
you're
not
a
believer
the
moment
you
return
to
him
come
to
follow
him
to
believe
in
Jesus
there's
a
party
no
expenses
spared
in
heaven
and
with
all
the
heavenly
hosts
for
you
that's
what
he did
for
each
one
of
us
when
we
came
to
know
Christ
he
you