A Word about a Prodigal Family

 

As we continue in our series “Family Business,” today, I want us to consider the well-known parable we know as the Parable of the Prodigal Son. 

There is more to this story than just a son who makes many mistakes, however.  Let’s begin by reading Luke 15:11-19.

He also said: “A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets to them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living. After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing. Then he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. He longed to eat his fill from the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him any. When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired hands.’

 The term “prodigal has come to mean wayward, or one who has been lost and who now has been found. This of course comes from our passage for  today, but that particular term is actually not found in the Biblical text. In truth the word prodigal comes from the word prodigious, and it means abundant or profuse or lavish. And in fact, our scriptures for today discuss a family and the word prodigal or prodigious could be used to describe each member of this family and their situation.

First, Let’s Consider the Prodigal Son:

We begin as we read in verses 11 through 19 with the prodigal son. What we can see from the prodigal son was that he had a prodigious need. Why do people act the way they do? They act out of a need in their lives. When there is an ache in their hearts it is like a hunger that must be satisfied.

What kind of needs do people have? People have many different needs, from self-esteem to love and acceptance, and including fulfillment and the need to be productive. Most of all, people have a need that they often do not recognize. Everyone has a God-shaped hole in their hearts that only He can fill. Sadly, many people try to fill that hole with other things, and this is the situation of the prodigal son.

The prodigal son was not only prodigious in need, but he was also prodigious in the wrong response to his need. Look at all the things he tried: Travel, riches and greed, freedom from family, wild riotous living. So, what was the result?  He wound up broke and hungry and feeding pigs. Anyone knowing anything about Old Testament Judaism would know how horrifying that result was.

The prodigal son reminds me of the song with the line that says that we often look “for love in all the wrong places.” And so, he did also.

Fortunately, the story of the prodigal son has a happy ending. Not only was he prodigious in need and prodigious in making bad decisions, but in the end, he was prodigious in the ultimate wisdom that he exercised.

He saw clearly that his former response to his need was sinful. Let me be clear, the sin was not in the need, but the sin was in the response. The answer to his need was found in his ultimate response, which was to confess his sin and to return home to confess that sin to his father. His sin had broken him, and he was returning to where he knew he could find love.

Next in this story we see the prodigal father as we read verses 20 through 24:

So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’  “But the father told his slaves, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.

Next, Let’s Consider the Prodigal Father:

Although his youngest son was prodigious in his rebellion, the prodigal father was prodigious in his loyalty. It did not matter what his son did; he still claimed him. He allowed his son to make his own decisions, but he was always ready to receive him back when he repented of his prodigious mistakes.

Please note that this father did not help his son to continue his destructive ways, but note that, after his son came to his senses, the father was willing to help him find new and less destructive responses.

When the son repented, we find that his father was prodigious in acceptance. He hugged and kissed him even though he probably still smelled like pigs.  He also gave him a robe of honor, and a calf fattened on wheat. He gave him a welcome home party, and he let the whole world know that his son was home. He did not hold his son's mistakes over his head.

From his actions, we see that the father was prodigious in forgiveness. He did not make his son a servant, but instead he recognized his son as what he was: his son.

What we see here is an example of God's love in our own lives. After we repent of our sin but while we still stink of it, our God receives us into his family. As Paul told the Romans, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us! How prodigious is the love of God!

We also need to see the prodigal brother as depicted by Jesus in verses 25 through 32:

“Now his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he summoned one of the servants and asked what these things meant. ‘Your brother is here,’ he told him, ‘and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ “Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him.  But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.  But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets[m] with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’  “‘Son,’ he said to him, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Now, Let’s Consider the Prodigal Brother:

The prodigal brother was prodigious in his lack of understanding. He may have said to himself, “If I can handle life, why can't my brother?” He did not understand his brother's needs, nor did he understand his father's love.

His lack of understanding resulted in him being prodigious in resentment. He asked, “What about me?” His pride in his own work for his father overcame any love he had for his brother. And it was clear that he only cared for himself.

The prodigal brother was prodigious in his resentment, which is arrogance, but he was also prodigious in his judgment. He was like the person I knew once, at a previous church.

This person was a leader in that church, and we had need to discuss a situation in which one of our church members had found themselves.  This person had lived a rough life but had come to Christ. This new Christian was growing, but he had recently experienced a bit of trouble in his life. As the church leader and I were considering that situation, he revealed the attitude of his heart by saying, “Well, you know people never really change, do they?” I was so stunned that I failed to correct that mistaken idea.

To be honest, that church leader’s statement was half right. We cannot do right, and we cannot change our lives, by way of our own means and efforts. When we repent and turn to God, however, our lives can be transformed, and in fact they will be transformed! So, as the saying goes, a half-truth is the worst form of a lie, and this is where the prodigal brother was, when his brother returned home. 

Of all the people in this parable, the one we don’t want to be is the prodigal brother!

Finally, I would like us to consider Galatians 5:1-6:

Christ has liberated us to be free. Stand firm then and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery. Take note! I, Paul, tell you that if you get yourselves circumcised, Christ will not benefit you at all. Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to keep the entire law. You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith working through love.

Finally, Let’s Consider the Prodigals in the Pew:

In this message so far, we have been considering what I call the Prodigal Family. In doing so we have seen a sad tale, but in the end, when the son came home, he was forgiven and blessed. But is this just an interesting story of family drama?  Or does it have a personal meaning and application to our lives today?

We need to consider God’s message to the prodigals in our pews, the real-life people with whom we interact in our churches and in our community and in our families. They may be our friends, our family, our coworkers, our enemies, or even ourselves. What would God want us to know today?

First, Prodigals need Jesus! Prodigals are either helpless, or they think they are helpless. How often have we heard someone say, “That’s just the way I am . . .” or “I have tried everything I know, but nothing works . . .”?  Here’s the truth, nothing we try before we find Jesus can cause God to forgive our sins. Also, nothing we try after we meet Jesus, but have strayed away from Him can bring us back close to God except Jesus.

Only Jesus can make a difference in our lives. Only He can move us from slavery to sin to freedom in our spiritual lives. Only He can move us from burden to rest, and from works to grace. Only He can move us from fear to love, and from helplessness to helpfulness.

Next, let’s read Galatians 5:16-26:

I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I tell you about these things in advance—as I told you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit. We must not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Next, prodigals need the Fruit of the Spirit,

 True life requires growth. This is true physically as well as spiritually. For we prodigals in the pew, this means we must walk in the Holy Spirit. How do we do that? First, Paul would tell us to forsake sin.  This means to turn our backs on our destructive ways. In other words, we decide to stop doing dumb things! The first step to getting out of a hole you have dug for yourself is to stop digging!

 Forsaking sin is not enough, because that leaves a vacuum in our lives. Jesus told the parable of the man who had an evil spirit cast out of him. Sadly, he did not replace that evil spirit with the Holy Spirit, and when the evil spirit discovered his life was empty of God, he came back into the man along with seven others.  Just saying “no” is not enough. We must say “yes” to the filling of the Holy Spirit who will produce His fruit in us.

 So often we ignore the Holy Spirit, or we live in ways that prevent Him from working in our lives. We also can try to produce the fruit of the Spirit in ourselves, but that’s a fool’s errand. We can’t do it. When we walk with the Lord, however, the Holy Spirit will fill the emptiness in our lives and produce His fruit in us.

 Prodigals also need fellowship. Let’s read Galatian 6:1-2:

Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you also won’t be tempted. Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

The challenges of this fallen world are great, and we should not face them alone, but we don’t have to! Not only has God sent us the Holy Spirit, He also has established the church. Just as a burning ember will cool when it is removed from the body of flames, so can we cool when we remove ourselves from the body of Christ.

Remember, when Christ sent out the disciples to minister, he sent them out in teams. Being spiritually isolated is dangerous. As Proverbs 27:17 tells us, “As iron sharpens iron, so does one person sharpen another.”

Finally, Galatians 6:3-5 tells us, prodigals need to take responsibility for themselves. This passage says,

For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But each person should examine his own work, and then he will have a reason for boasting in himself alone, and not in respect to someone else. For each person will have to carry his own load.

God has no grandchildren, and no one can get to heaven on their parents’ faith. Each of us, on our own, must make our own decision for or against God, and for or against walking daily with Him.

God expects us to own up to our own frailties and take responsibility for our own needs. He has provided us all of the power and resources we need to grow and to be blessed. He expects us to use them.

Conclusion:

In conclusion today I hope what we see is our prodigal God. Remember that the word prodigal means extravagant or lavish. And when I mention our prodigal God, I am referring to His prodigious love for us and His prodigious care for us.

We are obviously the prodigal son, but at the same time we might also be the prodigal brother. We have great needs, and we often look to satisfy them in the wrong places. We can only really find the help that we need, however, in our prodigal God.

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt