Luke 15:11-32
11 He also said: "A man had two sons. 12 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. 13 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. 14 After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing. 15 Then he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to eat his fill from the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him any. 17 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! 18 I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. 19 I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired hands.' 20 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. 21 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.' 22 "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. 23 Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let's celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!' So they began to celebrate. 25 "Now his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he summoned one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 'Your brother is here,' he told him, 'and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' 28 "Then he became angry and didn't want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 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. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.' 31 "'Son,' he said to him, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'"
While it is true that God desires the unsaved to come to Him, (for this reason He sent His Son into the world, that we might be brought into relationship with Him) this parable is really speaking to the “backslidden” Christian.
The opening sentence in verse 11 confirms this:.. “There was a man who had two sons.”
We can find definitions of “sons” in such scripture as Romans 8:14, that says those of us who are led by the Spirit of God, are the sons of God. Galatians 3:26 states it this way: for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
The lost son only truly cared about receiving his share of his father’s estate and his inheritance. (V12)
Once he receives what he desires, he doesn’t leave immediately, but shortly after. (V13)
In your hunger and greed for material wealth and possession, you may think that you can stay in God’s will, but you cannot. Greed and fleshly desire will always pull you out of God’s kingdom.
Your ways will not keep you nor sustain you through the famine about to come. (V14)
You will try to find other ways to compensate for your spiritual lack and hunger, and explore other ways of life and religions. (V15) You will long to be filled, but no one will be able to offer you even a crumb of truth. You will be spiritually starving to death. (V16)
That is when you will realize that it is better to be even a servant in your father’s house (kingdom), than a ruler in the mess of your own making. (V17)
You must, and will realize your lowliness and that you never deserved to be called a child of God. (V18-19)
At this realization and revelation, you begin your journey back to the Father. (V20)
It is at this point of repentance that the father meets you and welcomes you back with open arms. He has only been waiting for your heart felt repentance. You realize that it is not He that left the relationship, but you. He has ever had love and compassion for you. (V20-21)
It is the Father’s good pleasure to welcome you back and lavish you once again with true riches. (V22-23)
The Father and all of heaven celebrates when one who was lost, returns again to His kingdom. (V24)
There is a message of comfort and love for the obedient. The ones who feel over looked and forgotten. The Father has not forgotten you. You may feel a little disheartened at not “seeing” the Father’s love as so evident in the outward manifestation of one returning to the Father. The Father tells those of us who find ourselves in this situation, to not be saddened. We know and are sure of our heavenly rewards. Let us reach out to those who are backslidden, and to share in the Father’s joy when they return to His kingdom. We are neither to be angry nor to focus on their mistakes or what was squandered, but rather, focus on, and rejoice in their return.
A Word from The Lord
There are those who wish to squander their heavenly “riches” right now. They only see God’s blessings as being material and monetary. They feel that they have right to those riches right now, and not later. I myself, have heard many word of faith teachers and preachers say that very thing! Like broken records and denominational parrots, they repeat material mantras, and teach others to do the same. “Give me mine now!” They say, “I don’t need money and riches in heaven, I need it here and now!”
