The Lost Son

The Lost Son | December 11, 2022 Sermon

Jesus concludes His three-part parable, which expresses the desire of God the Father for the lost to be saved. In this third part of the parable, Jesus responds to the mutterings of the Pharisees and teachers of the Law over the fact that Jesus welcomed and ate with tax collectors and "sinners", by telling about a man who had 2 sons and one leaves home squandering his money in rebellious living. After spending all his money, a severe famine hits the country and he becomes so desperate that he hires himself out to a citizen of that country feeding pigs. The young son becomes so hungry that he desires to eat what he is feeding the pigs. Coming to his senses, he realizes how his father's hired men had plenty of food and here he was starving to death. He decides to go back home, face the consequences, and beg his father to take him back as one of his hired men.
This parable has more to do with the father than it does the son and we see how the father compassionately receives his son, but not everyone is happy about his return, his older brother is upset. The father encourages the older son to celebrate and be happy for his brother was dead and is alive again, was lost and is found. Not only do we find out about the love of God for those who are lost and His joy for those who repent, but we are also challenged to have the same attitude toward the lost as God and to rejoice when sinners are saved.