"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR THOSE WITH A PRODIGAL(S)"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR THOSE WITH A PRODIGAL(S)"

This is a long passage, but may I ask that you just read it through, and then note the explanatory thoughts, the application, and prayer at the end.

Luke 15:11 He said: “A certain man had two sons.

Luke 15:12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood.

Luke 15:13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.

Luke 15:14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.

Luke 15:15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

Luke 15:16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

Luke 15:17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

Luke 15:18 ‘I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,

Luke 15:19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.

Luke 15:20 And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

Luke 15:21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.

Luke 11:22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.

Luke 11:23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;

Luke 11:24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

Some explanatory thoughts, application and a prayer:

1. Many families have more then one child, and in this family, there were two boys, and the one went off and wasted his livelihood, and the other stayed home. It was of course not normal for this to happen, The boy would normally have waited till much later, and then went off on his own as most sons do, but not this boy, He broke his fathers's heart.

2. Several things happened to the boy.

(1) When he ran out of money, and unexpected famine took place, and he began to now be in need. He had been riding high as it were, but now the tides had changed for him. This must have been a sobering surprise to him, he had not expected misfortune to come his way. But, God used this misfortune to minister to this young man.

(2) The boy got into a working relationship with a local, and began feeding pigs. This was to say the least the bottom of the barrel for him. Feeding pigs. He was so hungry, that he would have been happy to eat pig food, but no one would give him any. So, he was now, out of money, surprised at the famine, feeding pigs, and very hungry.

(3) But, when he came to himself. Now, this is where the story begins to change, and this of course is what we as parents with prodigals pray for, that our children would come to themselves, or really recognize what they have done, and the position their choice has brought them into. He began to think about his home, and how that his fathers servants had plenty to eat, but, he was dying of hunger.

So, he decided that he would go back home and admit to his father that he had sinned against heaven, and in the sight of  his father, and, that he was no longer worthy to be called his father's son. He truly had come under a conviction as to what he had done, and the sinfulness of it all. This is what our prodigals need, and the Holy Spirit is the one who can bring this conviction.

(4) So, he started to make his way back home. However, while he was till way down the road, his father saw him, and It would seem to me, that each day the father no doubt would glance down that road, to see if by chance his son might be coming home. The Father was old enough to know that living like his son was living would not end well, and maybe the son would indeed come to himself and come home.

And, lo and behold, when he looked this day, there was the son, and the father seeing him, started running to him, and had compassion, not condemnation, but compassion on him, fell on his neck, or hugged him, and began to kiss him. Mind you, this young man must have smelled terrible, had matted hair, dirty clothes etc, but, that made no difference the father, he was just happy to see his son home.

(5) The son told his father all that was in his heart, and to his surprise the father said, "to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet." The robe, the ring, the sandals and the fatted calf were all expressions of grace, forgiveness, mercy, and joy, and restoration. A real picture for us of how God welcomes home a sinner. The father said, "for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry."

3. What a wonderful story of so many things. The foolishness of sin. The reality of our free wills to do as we like. The fact of high living being suddenly over. The unexpected circumstances that the boy could not have imagined. The terrible and unfriendly circumstances he found himself in. But, then, the great fact of "coming to himself"

All is not lost for your prodigal(s) They can come to themselves also. The genuineness, of his heart, admitting his sin, His humility, being willing to just go to work for his father, and feeling as if he was no longer worthy to be called his fathers son. And, the great response and love of his father. The boy must have been overwhelmed at the way his father treated him. Just as sinners are who return to God.

A prayer:

Father, there are probably many people reading this who have prodigals. Some parents have no idea of even where there prodigal(s) are at this moment, but You know Lord, You know. And, Lord, there is no one who can bring them to themselves but You. Your Holy Spirit is the great convictor, the great convincer of truth. We pray Lord that He, the Holy Spirit would work in a mighty way, even this very hour to bring the prodigals to themselves. And, Lord, we pray You would bring them back into a right relationship with their parents. That's us Lord, that's us. We ask these things in Jesus name.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia