
THERE’S MORE TO THE STORY
Text: Lk. 15:11-32
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
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.
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.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
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!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
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.
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.
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:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
Intro:
- Every time we read this story or passage of Scripture it seems that the focus is almost always entirely upon whom? The Prodigal.
- However, this story does have two other main characters, And how the younger son/younger brother is treated by the father and older brother shows us how differently grace and religion treat those in need of salvation.
1. What Are We Preoccupied With?
- Everyday the father’s thoughts were upon his missing
- When the prodigal did return, what was the father doing? He was longing, loving, and looking. (cf. v. 20)
The older brother only thought of
The loving father and older brother are representatives of mindsets or attitudes that we today can have or should have toward modern day prodigals.
As Christians, our number 1 preoccupation is to be whoever is
What are we preoccupied with? Two things can help us determine what we are preoccupied with.
1) What hinders our prayer life and ministry?
2) What are we praying for? Who are we seeking to minister to?
2. What Is Our Context For Seeing Those Far From God?
- What was the context in how the Father saw his prodigal son? Grace and forgiveness. (vv. 22-24)
What was the context in how the older brother saw his younger brother? Shame and guilt. (vv. 30)
Our job is to help people understand their
- The prodigal needed forgiveness while he was in the pigpen, but he had to seek his father to truly receive it.
3. What Is Our Reaction To Salvation (i.e. A Prodigal Coming Home)?
What does a party do?
1) It celebrates an occasion (vv. 23, 24, 32; cf. vv. 7, 10)
- Loving fathers operate from the context of forgiveness but also
2) It connects in relation
- The prodigal son needed more relationships (good ones) than with the father’s alone. Every prodigal who comes home does.
- Do you know what happens in the context of the party (fellowship)? Relationships. People
Every prodigal who gets saved needs a church home, not just a church who will celebrate their salvation, but also connect with them in a relationship that will help them grow.
The father threw a party. The older brother threw a fit. He would have been happy with the status quo. What was the status quo? A missing brother.
- Loving fathers operate from the context of forgiveness but also
4. What Is Our Reaction To Gracious Or Religious Attitudes?
- The father confronted (entreated) the older brother. He was seeking to change the older brother’s thinking. (vv. 28)
- The older brother was critical of his father’s thinking. (vv. 26, 28)
- The solution to the older brother’s thinking was the
5. What Is Our Hope For Those Far From Home?
- God always has the “Welcome” light on. There is
- As a church, we want to make sure that we always have the light on as a beacon to the lost that they can come home to Jesus.