Prodigal Son

1. Prodigal Son A story of two sons.

3. Main Points • 1) To study a parable, it is helpful to consider the setting and the customs of the time. • 2) Detailed look at rebellious son. • 3) Important to understand the good son. • But most important of all: God Loves Each of Us. • God Loves Us! • God Loves Us!

4. Luke 15 • 11-12Then he said, "There was once a man who had two sons. The younger said to his father, 'Father, I want right now what's coming to me.' • 13-16"So the father divided the property between them. It wasn't long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to hurt. He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any. • 17-20"That brought him to his senses. He said, 'All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. I'm going back to my father. I'll say to him, Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.' He got right up and went home to his father. • 21"When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: 'Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son ever again.

5. 22-24"But the father wasn't listening. He was calling to the servants, 'Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We're going to feast! We're going to have a wonderful time! My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!' And they began to have a wonderful time. • 25-27"All this time his older son was out in the field. When the day's work was done he came in. As he approached the house, he heard the music and dancing. Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was going on. He told him, 'Your brother came home. Your father has ordered a feast—barbecued beef!—because he has him home safe and sound.' • 28-30"The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen. The son said, 'Look how many years I've stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!' • 31-32"His father said, 'Son, you don't understand. You're with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours—but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he's alive! He was lost, and he's found!'"

6. 22-24"But the father wasn't listening. He was calling to the servants, 'Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We're going to feast! We're going to have a wonderful time! My son is here—given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!' And they began to have a wonderful time. • 25-27"All this time his older son was out in the field. When the day's work was done he came in. As he approached the house, he heard the music and dancing. Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was going on. He told him, 'Your brother came home. Your father has ordered a feast—barbecued beef!—because he has him home safe and sound.' • 28-30"The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen. The son said, 'Look how many years I've stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!' • 31-32"His father said, 'Son, you don't understand. You're with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours—but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he's alive! He was lost, and he's found!'"

7. To understand the story • We need to look back at the time and see the importance of the different elements. • To do this we are going to see how one pastor provides a more spirited description of the parable.

8. 25-27"All this time his older son was out in the field. When the day's work was done he came in. As he approached the house, he heard the music and dancing. Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was going on. He told him, 'Your brother came home. Your father has ordered a feast—barbecued beef!—because he has him home safe and sound.' • 28-30"The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen. The son said, 'Look how many years I've stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!' • 31-32"His father said, 'Son, you don't understand. You're with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours—but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he's alive! He was lost, and he's found!'"

9. The story continues with Son #2 • The son has stayed and worked hard. • But when he hears the party for his brother he is MAD. • During that time meat was a treat. A fatted calf was a super special treat. The whole village would have been invited. • The father left the party to talk to the ‘good’ son. He deeply cares about both his sons.

10. But the ‘good son’ is mad. • The ‘good son’ is not considering the Father or the family’s situation. He is pouting. • Is it all about the son? Or is it all about the Father? • Lastly, the story end abruptly. • Prodigal son has 3 parts, but the Good son has only 2. • The last part is missing. What happens? Will the good son join the party? Or Not? We don’t know!

11. In small groups talk about the questions. • Some questions about both parts of the parable.

12. Part 1: • Which son do you most identify with? • What does the rebellious son ask of his father? And what does his father do? • What does the son do with the money? What happens? • At the bottom and very hungry, what does he do? • When he gets home, how does his father greet him? • After the son comes back, what does the father do? • Who is God in the story? • What does this parable tell us about God? • The rebellious son took the inheritance. What inheritance has God given us?

13. Part 2: • What is the good son doing as the party starts? • When he hears the party, what does he do? • Why does the father come out? • Why is the son so mad? • What do you think the good son wants? • The parable ends suddenly. Why? • What does the father want both sons to do? • What does God want us to do? • (If you have time) Parables often have more than one meaning. Which two groups were present when Jesus told this story? (hint: read the first verses of Luke 15) How would the parable apply to the two groups?

14. What is common between the two sons? • The Father Loves them both! • In fact, the whole point is: • God Loves US

15. What do we have to do get this love?

16. Main Points • 1) To study a parable, it is helpful to consider the setting and the customs of the time. • 2) Detailed look at rebellious son. • 3) Important to understand the good son. • But most important of all: God Loves Each of Us. • God Loves Us! • God Loves Us!

17. Prayer- A different approach • During the song: • 1) Listen to the Crowder Band's words- God loves us. • 2) Pray any prayers for others. • 3) GOD will RUN to meet us. He wants to LOVE each of us.