Jesus Uses Parables to Preach the Gospel
Book of Luke Chapter 15
We have answered this question before, but what is a parable?
The Webster dictionary describes a parable this way: “A fable or allegorical relation or representation of something real in life or nature, from which a moral is drawn for instruction”.
In truth, a parable is not a fable nor an allegory.
One commentary says: A parable makes it evident that an essential feature of the parable lies in the bringing together of two different things so that the one helps to explain and to emphasize the other.
To make it simple, a parable was often used in a more restricted sense to denote a short narrative, under which some important truth is veiled.
In these parables, it proves the great love God has in seeking lost sinners and His forgiveness for them if they will only repent and return to Him.
Luke Chapter 15 begins with the Parable of sinners coming to Jesus, and next the Parable of the Lost Coin.
We could say that Luke Chapter 15 is one of the most important chapters in the Bible.
Our lesson spends its time on the Lost Son, whom we call the Prodigal Son.
Praise the Lord, for He knows how to find lost things!
I was once one of those lost things that He found.
The Pharisees and the scribes of today see searching for the lost as a waste of time.
What does God say? Luk 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
Luk 15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
If we make a few substitutions, we can better understand this parable.
1) The lost son teaches us about sinful living and true repentance.
2) His father represents our Heavenly Father.
3) The other son in this parable teaches us about the self-righteous and those who reject the truth.
Remember this is the Lord Jesus speaking.
****Luk 15:11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
Luk 15:12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
We could say the problem in this family is a problem of relationships.
The problem of the relationship of the father to his two sons.
The problem of the relationship between the two sons and their father.
One son will represent the sinner.
The other son will represent the Pharisee who was always against Jesus.
The father represents the love of God for both of these sons.
The Lord Jesus Christ died for every sinner and every Pharisee and all others on Mount Calvary.
Those in the past, those who live now, and those who would live in the future. This also includes every Israelite.
The truth is that man’s love is narrow, shortsighted, and selfish.
We do not see much love in the world today.
God’s love is boundless, profound, reconciling, and unreserved.
Both of these sons, in their own way, sin against the love of God.
When we reject our Creator, we are sinning against His love!
There are so many differences between these two sons, so it is hard to believe they are brothers.
The one thing they have in common is that they have the same father.
The youngest son is rebellious, as we see in many of our youths today, driven by the desire to leave home and treat his parents as if they do not exist.
This son wants to make grown-up decisions and be his own, but no person alive then or today becomes so mature that they can declare their independence from God.
This reminds me of all those politicians and preachers who claim to know the truth of God, but they do not uphold the truth of God’s Word when dealing with the lost.
How can any so-called Christian defend any kind of immorality when God says it is an abomination?
How can any so-called Christian defend any sin when God says for us to repent of our sinful ways?
No one can claim they are saved and in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and then defend the sin, the wickedness, and the immorality in our nation or in our world; no matter what they say, they are liars.
Even in Israel at the time of Jesus, it was the custom for the property to be divided among the sons after the death of the father, with the firstborn getting a double portion.
Today, if there is a last will, the possessions of that father would be divided according to that will.
This foolish young man convinced his father to divide his estate, which he did, and gave to both sons their inheritance while he was still alive.
He was declaring that to him, his father was dead!
The young man immediately exchanged his property for money.
On that day, land and animals were a sign of wealth and not money.
He had no intention of honoring his parents in their old age, which in that day was the responsibility of the sons.
He severed his relationship with his father and wanted nothing else to do with his family.
There have been many such sons and daughters who have done this today, and a great many of them have come back home because independence and the world are not what they thought they were.
This is the picture of the sinner who wants to do with his life what he wants to and to heck with everybody else.
*Luk 15:13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
Luk 15:14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
In most family homes, the children are first trained to help keep the home clean, and they will have more responsibility as they get older.
This young man wanted his independence from any such responsibility. He wanted to do his own thing and live as he wished.
This father gave his son what he asked for.
There is no clearer way to deny God than to give in to your own will and ignore the will of God!
What do we see? He wasted all that his father gave him on riotous living.
He tried to live in luxury.
He was wanton, he became immoral, and lived without moral restraints.
He was licentious, giving in to festive indulgences, which meant he lived the party life, ignoring the laws of his upbringing.
He ate only the best foods this world had to offer, no matter the cost.
He chose a country that was far different from his father’s home.
He chose a country that was full of wickedness and immorality, where he could live a worldly, fleshy life.
We could say he was living for pleasure.
We know that King Solomon tried this lifestyle and found it a vain way to live.
Solomon had much more money than this prodigal son.
What does the word prodigal mean? One that expends money extravagantly or without necessity; one that is profuse or lavish; a waster; a spendthrift.
In a short time, this son had spent every dime he had, as he had wasted his inheritance and was now broke in a foreign country.
He had nothing left on this earth to help him.
The world we live in is only nice to those who can afford it, but this world will take away everything that you have and laugh at you.
When you wrap your life up in pleasure, you will find that the pleasures of this world get old fast.
There is only pleasure in sin for a season.
Isa 21:4 My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.
This young man had found out that the world we live in is a corrupt world.
I used to think we live in a nation that could not be corrupted, but I know no better.
A certain political group has corrupted our nation, and they fight with the strength of the Devil to keep it that way.
Proverbs 11:19 says so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.
Not only was he dead broke with no help, but a famine came to the country he was now living in, and he, being an illegal immigrant, would suffer even more.
He became a slave and could only get the worst jobs.
*Luk 15:15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
Luk 15:16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
We should know that a Jew was forbidden by law to attach themselves to a Gentile.
Even if we disregard this, the humiliation of cleaning hog pens was a terrible pain for this young man.
The attitude of the Jews toward swine was also governed by the Law.
Lev 11:7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.
Lev 11:8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.
In typology, those hog pens give us the picture of sin when a man is enslaved to it.
Sin will enslave us!
Pro 5:21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.
Pro 5:22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.
Pro 5:23 He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.
His bodily hunger became so great that he would have eaten the food that was given to the swine.
The Greek text of the Bible says those husks were the pods of the carob tree, which was used for the feed of animals.
Some say it had a sweetish taste, but it would tear your bowels up, and only the very poor would attempt to eat it.
This young man came to his senses.
*Luk 15:17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
Luk 15:18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
Luk 15:19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
He had sunk as low as he could go. Trying to do things his way just was not working out.
When he could only see how his freedom had turned out, he began to think about home and the only one who had loved him, his father.
Heaven will be so wonderful that God considers any person who rejects the Lord Jesus to be mad or insane for wanting to live in this unreal, wicked world.
Our world is not only vain, but it is also fake.
Our nation has been known as the land of opportunity, but it is fake.
Only Heaven is the true land of opportunity.
Ecc 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
Ecc 9:6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
Inner conviction began to lead this young man to repentance.
Repentance is the beginning of reality and the basis for building a sound life.
The beginning of repentance is thought, thinking about the need to repent and turn back to God.
The Holy Spirit will first convince us that we are sinners.
Then He will put in our hearts that there is a God who loves us.
It is the heart that will convince us of our lost condition.
It is the heart that will bring us to confession.
This is how the Holy Spirit works to bring us under conviction.
God is Light, and God is Love.
As Light, He works in the Heart to convince us of our lost condition.
As Love, we can see in Him in His Goodness.
1Pe_5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
This son knew one thing for certain. If he remained in his condition, he knew he would perish!
His sin is staring at him in the face.
When we sin against God, we have sinned against His Love for us.
He began to think about his father and how his father had many servants, but not one of them were slaves.
They were hired help, taken care of, and fed from his father’s table.
He realized that he was no longer worthy to be considered a son and sought to just become one of his father’s servants.
He knew he needed to get moving before he perished.
He knew he would have to turn from his sinful life.
He knew he would have to turn toward and move toward God.
This is repentance!
When we repent, we must turn from this world and turn toward God’s New Heaven.
This begins after confession of our sin!
It was time to do this before another day passed.
*Luk 15:20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
Luk 15:21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
Many a soul on this earth realizes their sinful life and realizes that they are not worthy to receive forgiveness, but they feel they cannot be forgiven, so they remain in their misery or seek an early death, having no hope.
When we do this, we dishonor not only ourselves, but we dishonor our Heavenly Father, who is waiting for us with open arms, with healing in His wings.
Mal_4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
The greatest decision this young man would ever make was the decision to return to his father.
We need to reconcile ourselves with God!
Heb_2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
God is always ready to receive us!
God is omniscient, so this son was forgiven before he even confessed!
Repentance is the sign that we are sincere when we confess.
There is a movement in many places of worship to remove this step to salvation.
People want to be saved and then work on repentance, but repentance will not come without the help of the Holy Spirit.
God sees we are sincere when we turn from our wicked ways!
This is why the father ran to meet his son!
The God of the New Testament, the Father of all mankind, is most clearly revealed in His compassion.
When we take one step toward God, He will take two steps toward us!
Psa 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
When this son returns to his father, he finds out that his father has never stopped loving him.
His heart had gone with his son even when he was far off.
This is the example the Lord Jesus was making.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
It was time for a feast.
*Luk 15:22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
Luk 15:23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
Luk 15:24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
This young son was now accepted and restored, but it would not have happened if he had not returned.
Before this son says just make me one of your servants, the heart of the father has taken over.
It is the position of our Heavenly Father that determines that we are still His sons and daughters.
Repentance is the key to returning to the arms of God.
When we walk through Heaven’s Gates, we will walk in as a son or daughter who has returned home!
Luk_15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
Our dirty, rotten, sinful clothing will be removed, and a robe of salvation will be given to us.
Notice an important point: the servants of this father knew exactly where this robe had been hanging in anticipation of the return of this son.
Not only do we have a mansion in Heaven prepared by the Lord, but there is also a Robe of Righteousness awaiting us.
Isa_61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
The best robe we will ever wear is the robe we receive when we get to Heaven.
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
We will receive a ring as a sign of special honor and dignity: Gen 41:42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
Those new shoes show that we now walk with our Heavenly Father.
Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
We should notice that this son receives much more than he received when he left.
That fatted calf is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, who was slain for our sins.
Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
There is much more that we can get from this parable of the Prodigal Son if we just take it to heart and remember our own salvation.
Amen