The sermon,
"LESSONS FROM THE PRODIGAL SON"
was preached by Pastor H.B. Charles, Jr.,
the Pastor-Teacher of SHILOH CHURCH
of Jacksonville and Orange Park.
Intro: What can we learn from the prodigal son? … Luke fifteen tells us that lost people matter to God. First, Pastor Charles will show us what motivates the life of sin. , second, the dilemma that confronts the life of sin, next, the discovery that changes the life of sin, and the deliverance that redeems the life of sin. Today’s message, Lessons from the Prodigal Son. *
For the past several weeks we have been studying Luke fifteen under the title and theme “Lost People Matter to God.” I want to continue with a second look at the Prodigal Son Parable. Luke 15:11-32. Let me read the parable in its entirety, then you may be seated.
11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 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. 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. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 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. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
17 “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! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 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. 21 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.’ 22 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. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 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.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 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. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”
Amen. This is God’s Word. You may be seated.
I want to label the message “Lessons from the Prodigal Son.” Lessons from the prodigal son. The famed American novelist, Charles Dickens, was asked what he thought was the best short story written in the English language. Dickens simply replied, “The Prodigal Son.” I fully agree. The Parable of the Prodigal Son is the best known, most beloved parable of Jesus. But “The Parable of the Prodigal Son”: is not actually about the prodigal son. It is not about the elder brother. The prodigal son rightly consumes most of the attention in this story because he is the character that we most easily relate to. But the parable is not about the prodigal son or the elder brother. The message of this parable is rooted in the Father’s love for both of his sons.
Luke chapter fifteen, verses one and two set the scene. “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.’ ”
Jesus replies and responds by telling three parables. Verses four through seven is the parable of the lost sheep. Verses eight through ten is the parable of the lost silver. Verses eleven through thirty-two is the parable of the lost son. These three parables make one point. Lost people matter to God.
But this third parable is three dimensional. There is a lesson here in the loving father, the prodigal son, and the elder brother. In this message, I want to focus on what we can learn from focusing on the prodigal son. The father in the parable is a picture of the love of God, but the prodigal in this story is a picture of the life of sin. The big idea of the text is that lost people matter to God. But by studying the downfall and restoration of the prodigal son we also see why God should matter to lost people. The story of the prodigal son’s trip to the far country confronts us with an inescapable truth that every sinner needs to hear. It is the point of the message in three words, “You need God.”
Two preachers were invited to speak at an event together and as they traveled to the meeting they discussed with one another the messages they prepared. But when they arrived at the event and saw the audience made up of poor, illiterate, peasant people one looked at the other and said, “The message that I have prepared will not fit this crowd.” His cohort said, “Neither will mine.” So the first made a recommendation of alternative text for them both. It was Luke fifteen and he suggested I’ll preach the prodigal into the far country and then you preach next and preach him home. Well, in one sermon today I want to both preach the prodigal into the far country and preach him back home. In the downfall and restoration of the prodigal son we will see why every person including you and me need God. The story of the prodigal’s trip to the far country teaches four dynamics of the life of sin. Let’s plunge right in.
First, consider the desire that motivates the life of sin, the desire that motivates the life of sin. Verses eleven and twelve begin the parable. 1 “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.’ This younger son’s request is actually a declaration of independence from his father, and this is where all sin begins. Beyond sinful words, choices, and deeds sin is a matter of the heart. It is a heart of rebellion that strives for independence from God’s control over our lives and God’s credit for our lives. Consider that with me. On one had the spiritual independence desires control over one’s life. Verse twelve again says, “Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.” This is an unparalleled scenario. No son in the ancient world would have dared bring up the subject of his inheritance with his father. The father’s blessing was only bestowed at the father’s initiative. But this younger son had the audacity to demand his share of the father’s estate in advance.
Verse thirteen says, “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 with reckless living.” When this boy received his inheritance, he did not just move out of his father’s house. He moved out of his father’s country. It’s one thing if he would have moved across the city. He moved to the other side of the world. The term “a far country” indicates that this Jewish young man relocated to a pagan country. It was a complete repudiation of his father’s value system. He no longer had to submit to his father’s authority. He no longer had to receive his father’s permission. He no longer had to abide by his father’s curfew. He was now his own man not his father’s son.
Church, this is the story of every prodigal that is separated from God. We want to control our own lives independent of God’s authority. In Genesis chapter three verse six, the serpent explained to Eve why she should eat of the forbidden tree in spite of God’s explicit command. “For God knows,” said the serpent, “that the moment you eat of this fruit your eyes will be open and you will be,” listen, “just like God knowing good and evil.” The first sin was the result of human ambition that sought to be like God. And so it is with every other sin. The truth is our prodigal hearts don’t really want a relationship with God, not the God of the Bible at least. We wanna be our own God, and we want to use the true God to help us better serve ourselves. Like the prodigal son we want to be independent of God’s control but want God to finance our independence. If he really was his own man, he would and left and not asked for money to leave. You all not in here with me. The very request was evidence that he could not make it on his own. Yet he was determined to control his own life independent of the father. So it is with every sinner.
Spiritual independence desires control over one’s life. Likewise, spiritual independence desires credit for own’s own life. The prodigal son no longer wanted to live under his father’s authority, but that was not his only motivation. He asked his father to finance his independence, but this request would not fulfill his motivation if he lived in the same city with his daddy as he wore his fancy clothes, drove his big car, and enjoyed in his plush condominium, no one in his hometown would have been impressed. Everybody in his hometown would have known that the only reason he had it going on was he was spending his daddy’s money. So he took a trip to the far country where nobody knew him. And when this hotshot moved to the big city he could then play the role of a self-made man. This is the desire that motivates the life of sin. Sin desires control over life so that we can take credit for life. We want credit for our own lives.
In Romans chapter one verse twenty-one, Paul explains why the wrath of God is revealed in heaven against all unrighteousness of man. The reason is because although they knew God they refused to honor God as God or give thanks to God. The prodigal heart does not honor God because the prodigal heart wants to be honored as God. And our unrighteousness is not revealed in the reckless living in a far country. Unrighteousness is revealed when we find it difficult as Romans one, twenty-one says just to give God thanks for what He has obviously done. We’re stingy with praise because we want to take credit for our own lives. This is not deep theology, Church; this is basic etiquette. The little child shows up with a gift or piece of candy or a toy or a dollar. And the good parent has two questions. Question one, “Where did you get that from?” That’s to make sure the child didn’t steal it. And he says, “Pastor gave me that piece of candy.” And having established that, the parent has another question, “What did you say?” That’s to ensure that the child said thank you. But the prodigal heart finds it difficult to answer those simple questions.
Okay, you got a nice house in a gated community. Where did you get that from? You got a postgraduate degree and a successful career. That’s cool. Where did you get that from? You got a blessed family. Your family is healthy. Your marriage is okay. Your children are generally behaving. That’s wonderful. But where did you get that from!? And if you know where you got it, what did you say!? Ya’ll not listening to me here. The Bible says in first Corinthians chapter ten verse thirty-one, “So then whether we eat or drink or whatever you do you’re to do it all to the glory of God.” So first in this text, we see the desire that motivates the life of sin.
Secondly, would you consider the dilemma that confronts the life of sin? The dilemma that confronts the life of sin The prodigal son forsook his own house and traveled to the far country. And the prodigal’s experience in the far country holds in tension two vital facts about the life of sin. I want you to get the two things, these two truths about the life of sin.
Here’s the first. The pleasures of sin are real. Verse thirteen. 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. In verse thirty the elder brother claimed that the prodigal wasted his inheritance on prostitutes. We don’t know how he would know that. The parable does not chronicle the prodigal’s spending spree in the far country. But we can rightly assume that while he squandered his father's property in reckless living the prodigal had a good time. He wasted his daddy’s money, but he had a ball doing it. That’s an important lesson. As we share the good news of the rescuing grace of God in Christ with lost people, on one hand, we must be careful not to glorify the life of sin. We are to call the prodigals from the far country, not make the pig pen look more attractive. But on the other extreme, we must not assume that people in the far country are miserable, hurting and troubled. The fact of the matter is, the pleasures of sin are real. Vegas stole its model. What happens in the far country stays in the far country.
Being lost can be fun. The pleasures of sin are real. The far country can be enjoyable. I know it’s a weird thing to hear, but there are hardened sinners who are more wealthy, successful, and prominent and happy than faithful Christians. That’s why first Corinthians chapter fifteen verse nineteen says, “If in Christ in this life we have hope only, we are of all people the most to be pitied.” I want you to think about that because some people think that Christianity is worthwhile even if Christianity is not true. But I submit that a righteous life is a worthless pursuit if Christ didn’t rise from the dead. If you live and then you die and then that’s it, Christians are the most pitiful people on earth. We missed the party. First Corinthians fifteen verse thirty-two says, “If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink for tomorrow we will die.” This is the motto of an empty life. The consuming passion of the prodigal is to enjoy all the worldly pleasures the far country offers. And those pleasures are real.
But here’s the second truth we need to get. The pleasures of sin are real, but the pleasures of sin are temporary. Oh, I grant you. You can have big fun in the world, but it won’t last. Look at verse fourteen. “And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.” The prodigal son had big fun in the far country until he spent everything. Emptied his accounts. Maxed out his credit cards. Then the friends he had hooked up could no longer be found when he needed a hookup. Then a severed recession hit the far country and the prodigal son found himself in desperate need. Or if I could say it in more simpler terms. The party was over. This is the dilemma that confronts the life of sin. Being lost can be fun, but the fun of sin will not last. In Hebrews chapter eleven verses twenty-four and twenty-five, the Bible says, “By faith Moses when he had grown up refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.” Choosing instead to suffer mistreatment with the people of God, rather than enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. What a phrase, “the fleeting pleasures of sin.” Sin can be pleasurable, but the pleasures of sin are fleeting. Our past sins are temporary. In the economy of Scripture, valuable things are the things that last longest. That’s why the vast pleasures of the far country are never worth what they cost because whatever the Devil offers won’t last. Foolishness my interest you for a while, but it won’t last. Greed may thrill you for a while, but it won’t last. Immorality may gratify you for a while, but it won’t last. The nightlife may excite you for a while but it won’t last. Strong drink may stimulate you for a while, but it won’t last. Ungodly companions may please you for a while, but it won’t last. And worldly pleasures may satisfy you for a while, but it won’t last. Only one life twill soon be past, and only what’s done for Christ will last. That’s the dilemma that confronts the life of sin, but will you look thirdly at the discovery that changes the life of sin.
The discovery that changes the life of sin. In he far country the prodigal son learned something about life and about himself and his father. But his father was not the one that taught him the lesson. Let me tell you how he learned the most important lessons of his life. Life caught up with him. Are ya’ll listening to me today? Consider what he learned and where he learned it. Notice that it is the lesson that sin teaches. Verses fourteen through seventeen says, “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!’ ”
The prodigal son went to the big city with a lot of money and his daddy nowhere around. But it was when he spent everything that he had that he began to recognize how good his daddy had been all along. Hired servants in his daddy’s house were well taken care of, but here was the prodigal son feeding pigs in the far country. In fact, he went from herding the pigs to hurting with the pigs. So desperate that he almost started fighting the pigs over the slop he was supposed to feed the pigs. So he made up his mind. I can’t keep living like this. I need to go home to my daddy’s house. Lord, help me preach. This is the inevitable lesson. The life of sin teaches, I’ll repeat it, it’s three words, “you need God.” You need God. You need God. Don’t ever put anything or anyone ahead of God. Do not put your children ahead of God cause you’re going to need God to help you with those crazy kids. Don’t put your job ahead of God, cause you going to need God if you get laid off that job. Do not put your health ahead of God cause you going to need God when the doctor gives you a bad report. Up or down you need God. Win or lose you need God. Poor of rich you need God. Sick or well you need God. High or low you need God. Victory or defeat you need God. Sunshine or rain you need God! I want to be clear. I want to be clear. I’m not saying you need the blessings of God. The boy had that. The blessing will turn on you if you don’t know the God of the blessing. I wish I had a praying church. You need God!
Psalm one twenty-seven says it this way, “Unless the Lord builds the house the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman watches in vain.” Don’t miss that. The builder seeks accomplishment. The watchman sustains accomplishment, but without God, the house will come crashing down. Without God, the city will be overtaken by the enemy. In every season, in every situation, in every circumstance of life you need God.
Thirty-seven-year-old mother and wife named Annie Hawk cleaned her house one day meditating on the goodness of God. And as she considered God’s blessings, I want you to get that, she wasn’t sick, she wasn’t in trouble, or going through a storm, as she considered God’s blessings she was struck with her desperate need for God. So she stopped cleaning and sat down and wrote a poem. The poem was set to music later. And for a hundred years now the church sings,
I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
As I come to Thee.
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
As I come to Thee.
That’s the lesson sin teaches. You need God, but I better warn you about the classroom where sin teaches. Verse seventeen, “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! The prodigal son had a great awakening. He recognized how good the father was, but he did not learn this in his father’s house. For that matter, he didn’t learn it in the far country. He learned it in the pig pen. And a prodigal heart can be so stubborn in its rebellion against God that if you not careful, you play with sin you’ll end up in a place where you have to lose what’s most valuable to you before you recognize how much you need God.
Irene Jones was my Sunday school teacher when I was a boy. And every week as she gave the closing prayer in class, she would pray ???? particularly for me that I would not have a prodigal son experience. I asked her one day why she prayed that for me every week. She said, “At an early age you know the love of God, and my prayer for you is that you won’t have to go out into the world before you recognize what you already have in God. I didn’t fully understand that then. There were times I thought she prayed that each week just to pick on the pastor’s son, but in the providence of God, I later became the pastor of the church that I grew up in. And over the years I had to minister to many who I grew up with who came back to God after life caught up with them. In fact, there was a season then, when I was embarrassed about my testimony. I got over that. I learned that you should thank God for what He brings you through, but you should also praise him form what He saves you from. You better hear me here. You mad cause your parents make you go to church. You better be glad for some of the things God is keeping you from. The sad fact is some people have to lose it all before they come to themselves. Some people have to go through the pig pen before they realize how good the father is. Some people have to hit rock bottom before they look up to God. JC Ryle said it well. “Hell is truth known too late.” Don’t wait for life to catch up with you before you trust and obey the Lord. Second Corinthians chapter six verse two says, “Behold, now is the favorable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.”
I need to show you one more thing. Finally, would you consider with me briefly the deliverance that redeems the life of sin. The deliverance that redeems the life of sin. .Look at verse seventeen. He came to himself and said, “How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!” Listen to this. “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.” Wow! The last time he saw his daddy he demanded that his daddy give him money. This time when he goes to see his daddy he plans just to beg for a job. That’s what happens when life catches up to you. It strips you of your pride. Now it did not matter the terms. He just needed to go home. This is the only means of deliverance from the life of sin. You can’t fix life by working harder in the pig pen. The only redemption from the life of sin is to come home to God. Come home to God. You can come home to God. You should come home to God. You must come home to God! Will you come home to God today? Why won’t you come home to God … today.
If you come home to God, you don’t have to worry or wonder how God will respond. The elder brother may look at you side-eyed, but you don’t have to worry how the Father will reply. Verse twenty says that, “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.” And we now find ourselves at the punchline of Luke fifteen. The religious leaders asked, “If Jesus really knows God, why is he partying with sinful people? Jesus asked, “If you really know God, why haven’t you joined the party?” The Clarion call of Luke fifteen is this. Join the party. The heart of God celebrates anytime one prodigal comes back home to God from the far country.
One more thing. If you come home, you’ll discover that when the prodigal came home everything he was looking for in the far country was already available in his father’s house. He wanted fancy clothes. The father said, “Put the best robe on him.” He wanted shoes that signified he was somebody. The father said, “Go ahead and put sandals on his feet. He wanted bling-bling. The father said put a ring on his finger. He wanted to party! He wanted to have a good time! He wanted to celebrate! And the father said, “Go kill the fattened calf, and let’s throw a party to celebrate that my son was lost, but now he’s found, he was dead, but now he is alive.” And the father’s heart was so overjoyed that he left the party to go into the field and beg the prodigal son to come in.
Hear me, friend. Only God has what your soul needs, what your spirit craves, what your heart longs for, what your mind imagines, and what your strength pursues. In John chapter ten verse ??? says, “The thief comes only the steal, kill, and destroy, But I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.” Just come home.
Maria’s husband died not long after she gave birth to Christina. It was left to Maria to carry the burden of caring for the family alone. She expected that when Christina came of age she would help carry the load, but Christina Christina came of age, she was fixated with big city life. Maria knew her daughter, and knew the big city, and knew what it would take for her to survive in the big city and constantly warned her to stay home. One morning Maria woke up to find Christina gone and all of her belongings. Maria immediately determined to go to the big city and retrieve her daughter. She didn’t have a lot of money. She didn’t have any connections. She did have a knowledge of the big city and where to look. But before she left she went to a photo booth and took as many pictures of herself as she could afford. So she went to the big city and everywhere she could go—bars, clubs, hotels—she hung a picture of herself till she ran out of money and of pictures and returned home with a broken heart. But sometime later Christina was leaving a hotel after a long night. Life had caught up with her and now she would rather her cot in her mamma’s house rather than the scores of beds she had been in in the big city. As she exited the hotel she looked up and saw a picture of her mother. She took it down off the wall only to find a note written on the back of it that said, “Christina, where ever you are, whatever you’ve done. It doesn’t matter. I love you. Come home.” Christina did.
When we were lost, God took a picture of himself. He named it Jesus. And he hung it in one universally visible place…at the cross. And if you are lost, look to the cross where the blood of Jesus was paid for your sins. And hear the message of our heavenly Father. Say, “Where ever you are, whatever you’ve done. It doesn’t matter. I love you. Come home.” God be praised for his word
