Introduction: J. Wilbur Chapman often told this testimony given by a man in one of his meetings: "I got off at the Pennsylvania depot as a tramp, and for a year I begged on the streets for a living. One day I touched a man on the shoulder and said, "Hey, mister, can you give me a dime?" As soon as I saw his face, I was shocked to see that it was my own father. I said, "Father, Father, do you know me?" Throwing his arms around me and with tears in his eyes, he said, "Oh my son, at last I've found you! I've found you. You want a dime? Everything I have is yours." Think of it. I was a tramp. I stood begging my own father for ten cents, when for 18 long years he had been looking for me to give me all that he had."

What a wonderful illustration of the way God longs to treat us, if we will only let Him. In many ways, this man's story mirrors the parable of the prodigal son. (See: Ps. 84:11; John 16:15; Eph. 1:4-8; Eph. 3:16; Phil. 4:19)

Jesus told many parables. Most authorities suggest a number in the range of 40-50. Of those fifty stories we identify as parables, perhaps none is better known than the one we will be examining today -- The Prodigal Son.

You don't even have to be a church going person to be familiar with the story line of the young man who took his inheritance, moved away, and soon found himself destitute for food, clothing, and shelter because he had wasted the money on wild living.

This parable is recorded only by Dr. Luke. It was used by Jesus during His Perean ministry, that occurred during His final 6 month trip to Jerusalem. The title usually associated with this parable - The Prodigal Son - and it is taken from the Greek word that is translated in modern literature as wild or riotous. The King James, which is Elizabethan English, translated the word to mean "prodigal," which means wasteful.

The problem with this word is that it places the emphasis upon the young man. In my opinion, he is not the central character of the story, but I'm getting ahead of myself. I would suggest that you open your Bibles to verse 11. I want to examine each element of this parable, and then ask the question, "What does this mean for my life?" In other words, how do we interpret the parable in such a way that it makes sense today? But let us first take a look at the story itself.

I. The Story of the Prodigal Son The law prescribes the dividing of an inheritance among children (Deuteronomy 21:17). It requires that the firstborn receive a double inheritance. In this story, we have a family with two children and a father. The younger of the two boys asked his father to divide the estate. This was not an uncommon practice. When a man became elderly he would often divide his assets among the children prior to his death. There was a cultural reason for this. Jewish tradition required that the older child who received the double share (in this case, 2/3 of the estate), provide a place for the father, who may no longer be able to work, to live for the rest of his life. So, the father transferred his possessions into the hands of his children, but maintained the right to live on the family property until his death.

We know the story well. The father divided his assets among the two children - 2/3 to the older son and 1/3 to the younger. By Jewish law both would have had to be legal adults.

But, the younger son was not content to stay at home after receiving his inheritance. He wanted to widen his horizons. He took his money, packed his bags, and set off to make his fortune on his own away from the shadow of Dad and big brother. We've all known men and women just like the younger son. Parents hate to see such children leave, but you can't "parent" adult children without their consent. You have to allow them to make their own decisions. The first time my son John flew across country to ENC, I wrote him a letter, and asked him to read it on the plane. Among other things, I told him that he was now an adult, and that he would be responsible for all of his decisions. We would pray for him, and be available for advice, but all decisions would now be his. I told him this at a time when we had no guarantee that he would make the right decisions.

It wasn't long, Jesus tells us, until all the money was wasted on evil pursuits. If we let our imaginations run, we can envision all kinds of things he might have gotten himself into. In fact, his elder brother had a vivid imagination about the exploits of his younger brother. Later in the story, he remarks to his father that his brother had spent his money on prostitutes. All we know from the earlier statement is that he wasted it. We don't know the details and the details don't really matter. You see, we've all been there, haven't we? Oh, we may not have visited prostitutes like the older brother imagined, but we have been less than careful stewards of the blessings God has given us.

After his money was gone, the young man hired on at a pig farm, in order to survive. Things had sunk to an unimaginable depth. Here was a Jewish boy, who had not only fled home, but had gone to a Gentile city to sow his wild oats. We can assume he went to a Gentile city, because the only work he found was lowly work, even for Gentiles. To work among the pigs was the lowest of lows. In fact the Talmud says, "Cursed be the man who breeds swine." But, even the little bit of money he made from the farmer did not solve his financial problems, because he was still hungry - hungry enough to dine on hog slop with the rest of the pigs. Can you imagine what foul stuff that must have been?

It is at this point, that we read one of the most beautiful statements in the Bible. "When he came to himself." What a profound thought. Reality finally hit home. He had finally hit bottom. He realized that even the hired servants in his father's house had better lives.

He decided to return home, and began to rehearse his speech. Have you ever done that? Children do that all the time. They practice what they are going to tell mom and dad about the broken bicycle or the stomped on rose bush.

The journey home begins. Back then everyone lived in small towns along with their livestock for the purpose of safety. Also, the towns were most likely on a hill or some sort of high ground. So I picture this beaten down, depressed and apprehensive youth, walking slowly up the grade to the town where his father lives. His father is an important man in the town, so he would be sitting at the town gate with the other important men taking care of town business, as was the custom. He also kept looking down the road, hoping his son would return. As our bedraggled young man becomes visible, his father sees him coming. He recognizes his gait. He can hardly believe his eyes. In fact, he finds himself running toward the figure to make certain. As he gets closer, "It is he!" he cries to himself. The son's clothes are tattered. His feet are bare. He still hasn't bathed, and reeks of pigs and pig slop - like a garbage truck. Weeping and crying for joy, the old man throws his arms around him, stench and all, and kisses him on both cheeks.

When they finish greeting each other, the prodigal begins to deliver his rehearsed speech (see verse 21), but before he can finish his father starts barking orders to the servants who had followed him down, and were gawking in disbelief. "Quick, bring the best robe I have. Get my signet ring off the dresser and bring it. You'll find new pair of sandals in a box in the back of the closet. Bring them, as well. Oh, and tell the cook to slaughter that calf we have been fattening up to butcher, for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."

A few hours later, the celebration is now in full swing, and the elder brother arrives from the fields at dusk. He inquires about the festivities and is told what has happened. He is not a happy camper. He refuses to go in to join the celebration. His father comes out to try to persuade him to come into the party. But the older brother is so angry, that he refers to the prodigal as "this son of yours" rather than as "my brother." He is really ticked off. He bellyaches that he has never caused his father a moment's grief and yet his father had never thrown a party for him. He obviously resented the treatment his younger brother is receiving. And that's how the story ends -- kind of like those television shows that leave you hanging with the words, "to be continued." The trouble is that we have no record of the sequel. We don't know if the elder brother ever did come around. Lots of folk have speculated, but we can't know for sure.

Transition: So, there you have it - one of the most famous stories in all of literature. But, it leaves me with one question, "What does this story have to do with my life?"

II. What does the parable say to us today? There are several interpretations

1. Leave it to the modern mind to try to turn the parable into something it was never intended to be. I know of a book in which the author interprets this story utilizing the psychological theories of Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud. First-born and second-born issues. You know how it goes. The younger son represents all the tendencies to live without rules while the older son represents the anger and resentment that often simmers behind quiet obedience. The Id and the Ego are in there somewhere manipulated by a father who has chosen favorites among his children. Neither child is responsible for his actions, but is the product of poor parenting and religious fundamentalism. Well, there is probably some truth in there somewhere, but frankly, it leaves me cold. I feel as if I am watching a re?run of the Smother's Brothers where a frustrated Tommy cries, "Mom always did like you best."
   
   
2. If the modern methods of interpreting the parable are ridiculous, are we any better off with the traditional interpretations? Yes, but only sorta.
   
   
   1. The most common interpretation of the parable centers on the lostness of the prodigal. It follows the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin. Most people call this the third parable on lostness. Interpreters speak of various ways of becoming lost. (The sheep is lost because of its own foolishness, the coin is lost from the carelessness of the owner and the son is lost because of his rebellion.) Some even add that the elder brother is a fourth lost person, because of anger and resentment. Those interpretations are good and acceptable; however, I don't think they have plumbed the full depths of the parable.
      
      
   2. Another possibility is that this parable is a lesson on the foolishness of sin and the joy of repentance. Such an interpretation is consistent with the title assigned to the parable -- The Prodigal Son. Also, this interpretation places the emphasis on the young man's rebellion, and the decision he made to change his life. Indeed, that too is a good and acceptable interpretation of the parable; however, I don't think this interpretation gets at the full meaning of the parable, either.
   
   
   
3. Before we can figure out what the parable means to us today, we must first ask the question, "What did Jesus' audience understand him to say?"
   
   
   1. Look back at the first two verses of this fifteenth chapter. These parables were delivered in direct response to the Pharisees' accusation that Jesus was defiling himself by eating with tax collectors and sinners.
      
      
   2. This particular parable was aimed directly at those who had accused Jesus. Jesus is the father, the tax collectors, the prostitutes, the alcoholics, and the sinners are the prodigal, and the Pharisees are the older brother. They were as critical of Jesus' welcoming back the sinners as the elder brother was about his father's love for the wayward son. In the parable, Jesus is defending God's gracious offer of salvation to the prodigal, and pointing out the wrongness of the Pharisees' opposition to his ministry.
   
   
   
4. That truth, my beloved, sheds a different light on this parable. Indeed, it tells us something about the degradation of sin and the joy of repentance. It tells us something about how easy it is to become lost. It may even tell us something about sibling rivalry, but these are not the main point of the parable.
   
   
   1. The main point in this parable is surely this: The father is the hero. His love is remarkable. He waits at the city gates, day after day, squinting over the horizon hoping beyond hope that his son will return. When he sees his son coming, he does not wait for his son to complete the act of repentance. He runs out to meet him. Notice that the father also goes out to meet the elder brother, as well. It is the loving father who takes the initiative to forgive and forget, to celebrate, to reconcile, to restore relationships - the hound of heaven, if you will.
      
      
   2. The father's action is a surprise to both brothers. Not only is the elder brother surprised by the graciousness of his father toward the prodigal, but the prodigal himself is surprised. Remember, all he hoped for was to be made a servant. Instead he is fully restored to a place of honor.
      
      
   3. God is pictured through the father in this parable not as passively waiting to be begged, but actively seeking a meaningful and reciprocal relationships with both sons. You see, if a human father can be that forgiving of both his wayward younger son, and of his jealous older son, how much more is our Heavenly father ready to accept us, even with the stench of the pig sty on our clothes. And, how ready we should be to accept into our fellowship all whom God has forgiven.

Why do we call grace amazing? Grace is amazing because it works against the grain of common sense. Hard?nosed common sense will tell you that you are too wrong to meet the standards of a holy God; pardoning grace tells you that forgiveness is available in spite of so much in you that is wrong.

Aren't you glad that God does not have to justify the incomprehensible nature of His love? "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

"Amazing Grace" -- Americans' favorite hymn according to the Gallup Poll??was written by the former captain of a slave ship. That "wretch," John Newton, eventually became an Anglican priest, and gave of himself to abolish the slave trade.

There is a Psalm that I just can't escape when I think of these things.

I love you, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.
The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.
In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help.
From his temple He heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.
He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
He drew me out of deep waters.
He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.
They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support,
he brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.
(Psalm 18:1-6, 16-19)

Isn't that amazing? God rescues me not because he has to, not because he ought to, not even because he promised to. He rescues me because he delights in me - just like the father in Luke 15 delighted in his sons. And God is calling each one of us to love everyone in the same way. It is easy for us to love the people in the church, well most of them. However, this parable is also calling us to love and welcome those sinners who have come to the end of their ropes, and might smell, and might be unlovely. We are to be God's surrogates, and love them for his sake, and in his place. That, my dear ones, is the truth of this parable.

And as we are celebrating the ultimate expression of God's love, this morning, as revealed to us in Jesus and His death on the cross, - let us remember that it was His love that sought us out - and saved us when we too were unlovable. Let us worship Him, and His endless love at the foot of the cross.

J.T. Kauffman