In the name of Christ Jesus, dear fellow redeemed people of God,

Today, we consider the parable of the Prodigal Son. Jesus told this parable to explain why he welcomed people that the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law called "sinners." The parable reveals that these "sinners" were repentant. I invite you to follow along as we consider this section verse by verse to learn:

{11-13} Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. {12} The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. {13} "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.

The younger son requested his inheritance early. He didn't even wait for his father to die. Then, when his father gave him his share, he took all his possessions and went to a foreign country. There he squandered everything in wild living. You can picture this, can't you? I picture the young man getting drunk, buying rounds of drinks at the bar, spending time with prostitutes, and so on. He squandered it all in wild living.

{14-16} After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. {15} So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. {16} He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

But now he had nothing. And there was a "severe famine" there, so he was going hungry. His fun had ended. He had ruined his life. He had no one to blame but himself. He was so hungry that he longed for the food of pigs! This is sad, but it still happens today. Teens rebel against their parents and fall into drug use or prostitution. They become unwed mothers or fathers. Some run away from home. Some ruin their lives with wild living. People still get drunk. They sleep around. They get into trouble. And then, they are in need of help.

{17-19} "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! {18} I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. {19} I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.'

"He came to his senses." Now, he realized how foolish he had been. He saw the error of his ways. He had some major regrets. He had a broken and contrite heart. He repented of his sins. He said, "I have sinned." He said, "I have sinned against heaven and against you." Every sin is a sin against God. He had also sinned against his father. Further, he said, "I am no longer worthy." This is also repentance. He has been crushed by the reality of his sin, and realized his own unworthiness.

Can you say that today? Have you messed up? Have you sinned against your heavenly Father? Have you been guilty of wild living? Come to your senses. See your sin and repent. Say, "I have sinned." That's what the prodigal son did. But, would his father accept him? Would his father even talk to him? Let's read on.

{20} So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

He went home to his father. The father saw him while he was still far away. That seems to be an indication that the father had been watching the road, looking for his son. How many times do you think the father looked down that road, hoping to see his son returning? He was probably glancing down the road at every opportunity, hoping and praying that his son would come home, safe and sound. The father was "filled with compassion." He had so much compassion for this younger son of his. He didn't wait. He couldn't wait. He ran to his son. Now, I don't know how old this father was, but if his son was a young man, the father was getting up there in age. And yet, he didn't wait. He didn't walk. He ran! And he threw his arms around him, gave him a big hug, and kissed him. His son was home. He was relieved, and really glad.

A number of you might have experienced this. You long for your children to return. You hope and pray, and make long glances down that road. And when they return, your arms are ready to embrace them! And you are so relieved and so glad to have them back, safe and sound. You would say: "Welcome home!"

Well, that is how our Lord feels when sinners repent. They might have fallen away. They might have run away from him into wild living. They might have committed many embarrassing sins. But now, they regret it. They repent of their sins and seek forgiveness. And our Lord is like the father. He can't wait! He says, "All is forgiven! Welcome home." That's why Jesus told this parable. He had been eating with "sinners" and the Pharisees didn't like it. But these were repentant sinners. They were like this prodigal son.

You know, we are all sinners. We have all gone astray into sin. And yet, each time we confess our sins, we hear that we are completely forgiven! We hear that Jesus lived for us and died for us and rose from death. We hear that Jesus took all of our sins away! God forgives us, because of what Jesus did... You are forgiven through Christ. Let's return to see what happens between the father and the returning son.

{21-24} "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. ' {22} "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. {23} Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. {24} For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

The father immediately restored his son. He would not be a hired hand. He was still the father's son. He was forgiven. The robe, the ring, the sandals and the party all said, "Welcome home, son. All is forgiven." This is what the Lord says to sinners who return with broken and contrite hearts and say, "I have sinned." Jesus says, "You are forgiven! Now let us celebrate!" Yes, heaven rejoices when even one sinner repents (v.7).

But, maybe a few of you are thinking, "This doesn't apply to me. I never was guilty of wild living. I've been right here all along, a faithful follower of the Lord." Well, there is another sinner in this story. Let's see:

{25-28} "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. {26} So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. {27} 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' {28} "The older brother became angry and refused to go in.

The older brother was not happy to see his brother. He wasn't concerned about him. And when he returned, he was not at all rejoicing that he had not been harmed in all his wild living. He was angry.

{28b-30} So his father went out and pleaded with him. {29} But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. {30} But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'

The father's pleading fell on deaf ears. The older brother was very selfish and unloving. He thought only of himself. He didn't care about his brother. He was angry because he didn't get a party. He wasn't going to rejoice. He didn't care about this brother. He called him "this son of yours." He had disowned him. He wasn't forgiving. He was thinking, "He made his bed, let him lie in it!" This older brother had worked hard and stayed home. He didn't make these kind of mistakes.

Can you see a picture of the Pharisees here? They didn't want Jesus to celebrate with the repenting sinners? They didn't want Jesus to be seen with these "sinners." Weren't the Pharisees just like this older brother? And, is there anyone here like that? Is there anyone here who doesn't think we should celebrate when lost sinners repent and find forgiveness? Is there anyone here who really doesn't care? Are you a little selfish about such things sometimes? Listen to the father here.

{31-32} "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. {32} But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'"

The father deals with this son in love too. He pleads with him. He tries to explain that the party must go on, because "this brother of yours" has returned! He gently said, "Son, he's still your brother. He was lost and is found! You should be glad too.

Learn from this parable how God treats repentant sinners! God welcomes and forgives and restores lost sinners when they repent! He celebrates with them because they were lost and now they are found. Heaven rejoices when even one sinner repents! Our Lord Jesus told this parable to explain why he was not ashamed to eat with repentant sinners. These were former prostitutes, yes. But emphasize the word "former"! They were lost and now were found. Jesus had reclaimed them. Think of all the cases like this: Zacchaeus, Matthew, and even Peter were lovingly restored by Jesus. In fact, he has lovingly restored us. I ask you: have you sometimes been just like that older brother - selfish, cold, and unloving? Repent! And realize that Jesus also forgives these sins. That's why he came. That's why he lived for us and died for us and rose from death. He says, "You are forgiven of all of your sins." But then, go now and sin no more. Let no one go back to wild living. Let no one go back to cold-hearted, selfish living. Meanwhile, let's glance at the door, hoping that straying sinners will return. And when they do, let us welcome them gladly, in Jesus' name. Amen.