October 8, 2025 • 20 mins
In this Bible Story, we explore the story of the Prodigal Son. Jesus uses his story to demonstrate the steadfast forgiveness of God. No matter how far gone someone may seem, the Lord is actively waiting to restore and forgive. This story is inspired by Luke 15:1-32 & Matthew 18:12-14. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.
Today's Bible verse is Luke 15:32 from the King James Version.
Episode 202: As Jesus was reclining enjoying a meal with His friends, the Pharisees mocked Him for eating with known sinners. When Jesus heard this, He got up and told them a story about a man and his two sons. In this story, the younger son went to his father and demanded his inheritance. The young man used up all his wealth on wild living. After coming to the end of himself, he realized he had sinned against his father. He also realized that his father's hired servants were better off than he was. So he went back home with the intention for asking his dad’s forgiveness and asking to be taken on as a servant. But when he got close enough to home to be seen, his father ran to him, embraced him, and made a celebration for his safe return. In telling us this, Jesus gives us a glimpse of God’s great love for His prodigal children.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let us pray it was meet that we should make
merry and be glad for this. My brother was dead
and is alive again, and was lost and is found
Luke fifteen thirty two. Lord, your grace and your forgiveness
never ceases to amaze me. Then no other story displays
(00:23):
this more than the one that you shared about the
prodigal son in Matthew eighteen twelve through fourteen. Through the
reading of this text, I mesmerized by how even with
the foolish decisions that were made, the father never left
his position of searching. May this bring comfort to my
(00:45):
soul in knowing that no matter what mistakes I make,
that you are always there searching for me. When I
feel like I have blown and squandered my inheritance, I
praise you because you have more in store for me.
As I come to you with a humble and broken heart,
(01:08):
when others seek to keep me in the pig pen
of life, I praise you that you will clothe me
with honor. You'll restore power back to me through your
ring of authority, and you will seat me at the
table of greatness again. All that you have is mine.
So I will make sure not to be jealous when
(01:29):
I see others get restored back to their place of
opulence and abundance. Because what is yours Father is also mine,
because I too am a child of God. I was lost,
but through your love, Jesus, But through your love Jesus,
I am found in Jesus name. Amen. Thank you for
(01:56):
praying with us today. Continue your time with God by
listening to today's Bible story, brought to you by Bible
in a Year dot.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Com The Prodigal Son. In our last story, we learned
about the true meaning of kindness from the story of
the good Samaritan. Jesus used this story to teach that
goodness does not always come from the perfect people, rather
(02:26):
those that we may least expect. Now, Jesus is questioned
by the Pharisees for eating with tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners.
Jesus confronts them with another story, a story that reveals
the true heart of God inspired by the Gospels.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
I'm so glad you've joined us on the Bible in
a Year podcast today. But before we get to today's episode,
I want you to know that I would absolutely love
to send you my daily devotional that will give you
fresh encouragement every single morning and day, from the moment
we wake up to the moment our head finally hits
the pillow. There are thousands of things demanding our attention,
(03:10):
but it's in the midst of all this crush and
hustle and bustle that you and I need peace and
truth in God's Word. That's why I want to help
you spend time each day growing in God's life giving,
life changing Word by sending you my free daily email
devotional PowerPoint Today. So visit Jagraham dot org to sign
(03:32):
up for your PowerPoint Today devotional. That's Jagraham dot org
Jack Graham dot org. In our last episode, we heard
the parable the story of the Good Samaritan, which Jesus
used to teach a very important lesson about how we
are to love people, what a neighbor looks like, and
(03:52):
that our neighbor is anyone who has a need. It
was a great challenge for us to share the love
of Christ with every person that we meet. Today, we'll
hear another powerful story from Jesus that shows the merciful
heart of God and his willingness and desire to forgive
and share his love with all who seek him. It's
(04:15):
the story of a loving father and two sons who
are both lost, but in very different ways. Let's listen
now to this powerful story from Jesus.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Jesus was sitting at a table enjoying a meal with
many of his new friends. They went out, the type
of people one would expect a religious man to dine with.
Tax collectors, dirty fishermen, and prostitutes sat at the table
sharing bread with the son of God. It was a
sight that disgusted the Pharisees. They reviled him and scoffed
at his willingness to fraternize with the undesirables of the city. Look,
(04:51):
they pointed and spat this man eats with sinners. What
type of man of God is this? A small crowd
was watching as the Pharisees mock Jesus openly. They were
waiting for Jesus's response. Jesus wiped the crumbs off his hands,
took a sip of water, and stood to his feet.
He walked closer to the Pharisees, showing them that their
(05:12):
religious elitism had no effect on him. Jesus paced the courtyard,
projecting his voice for all to hear as he told
another story There was once a wealthy man who had
two sons. The older son worked the fields silently and
with diligence. However, the younger son was unruly and independent.
(05:33):
One morning, before the rooster crowed and the sun rose,
the younger brother stumbled into his father's house after a
night of parties. He was a shameful sight and held
no sense of respect for his father. He slept in
until midday and rolled out of his bed while his
brother tilled the fields. Grumpy and entitled, the younger brother
(05:53):
went to his father with his chest puffed up in
his nose high in the air. He demanded his father
give him his inheritance. I do not want to wait
until you die, the son complained, Give me my half
of the inheritance now, so that I might do what
I wish. The father did as the younger son requested
and divided his wealth with a broken heart. He gave
(06:16):
his son property in gold and watched him walk away
without so much as a thank you. The younger son
gathered everything and took his wealth into the far country.
He slithered around the cities, drowning himself in wine, women,
and reckless substances. What he did not spend on prostitutes
and revelry. He gambled. Weeks had passed, and his unearned
(06:38):
wealth was eventually dried up. He owed a great deal
of money to bad people and had contracted sickness from
his promiscuous habits. Soon a great famine fell across the
land and everyone was in great need. The friends he
had made and his wealth were nowhere to be seen,
and the young son descended into total poverty. The younger
(06:59):
son scoured the countryside looking for any work that would
fill his belly and his new addictions. The only job
he could find was tending to a farmer's pigs. Days
had passed and the Sun still had very little money
to pay for food. What little money he made he
gave to pay off his gambling debts. His stomach rumbled
as he watched the pigs feast on slop and garbage.
(07:21):
The smell of rotten onions and fermented figs filled the air. Dung,
dirty rain water, and pigs eliva dripped into the feeding troth,
but the Sun could not take his eyes off it.
He was starving, desperate, and ashamed. The young man walked
beside the pigs, fell to his knees and began to
eat the brown slop with the pigs. The rancid smell
(07:45):
was almost unbearable. His mouth was filled with dung, rotten vegetables,
and spoiled meat. As the young man brought his face
to his hand filled with garbage, he considered the state
of his life. Even my father's hired servants get fresh bread.
Yet I am here and hunger. He thought to himself.
If I go to him and beg for his forgiveness,
(08:06):
maybe he will make me a slave. At least then
I will have a warm bed and fresh bread. So
the younger son traveled through the countryside back to his father.
His head was held low and his feet dragged in
the dust. A few tears streamed down the son's eyes.
He could picture the angry look of his father. Surely
he would be too ashamed of me to take me back,
(08:28):
the son thought to himself. Yet the younger son kept walking.
His options were limited, and his belly was empty. It
was late afternoon and the sun had turned the father's
fields of bright gold. He sat above his terrace, admiring
the way the breeze made the grain dance. He watched
his elder son tending to the works. Then a small
(08:50):
speck appeared in the distance. The father peered closely towards
the hills to see a figure hobbling towards the property.
As the figure drew closer, the father could see that
it was his younger son. He had returned. The father
tied up his robes and ran out of his home.
He ran with fire and vigor. The son could see
his father in the distance, running towards him. Afraid that
(09:12):
his father would attack him, the young son braced himself,
but instead of a strike to the jaw, he received
a warm embrace. The father cried on his son's shoulders.
Laughs came from his belly. His tears streamed down his
bearded face. You have come home, the father shouted with glee,
My son, you have returned to me. The son fell
(09:33):
to his knees. He was so ashamed he could not
stand to look at his father. My father, please forgive me,
the younger son said, I am not worthy to be
called your son. His face fell into the dust as
he wept. The father knelt down into the dust with
him and picked him up by the shoulders. He called
for his servants and said, get me my best robe
(09:55):
and put it on my son, put a ring on
his hand and shoes on his feet. Then kill the
fattest calf we have for tonight we will hold a
feast in his honor. The servants left immediately. The son
was stunned and confused. The father smiled from cheek to
cheek and said, my son, you were once lost, but
now you are found. This is why we celebrate. So
(10:19):
the younger son was washed and given fine clothes. There
was a great feast and party held in his honor.
The younger son was humbled and laughed silently as he
watched his family dance and sing, although not everyone was
happy to see him return. The older brother came in
from the field to see his father dancing and rejoicing.
He saw that the fattest calf had been cooked and
(10:41):
the finest robe placed on his brother's shoulders. The older
son stewed in anger. He felt underappreciated and angry. He
stormed off to be alone in the fields. The sun
was setting and the older brother could hear the music
in the distance. He hated his brother. He hated that
he stole half his his father's wealth while he toiled
(11:01):
in the fields. Yet his brother received the celebration. The
wind blew gently, and a few tears fell down the
older brother's face. His father could see him sitting and
sat beside him. What upsets you, my son, he asked.
The older son shook his head and gave a sorrowful laugh.
He did his best to hold back tears.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
As he spoke.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
For years, I have served you and worked hard for
your favor. I never disobeyed you, and you have never
given me so much as a goat for me and
my friends to celebrate. Yet when your son comes home
after squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattest
calf and adorn him with rings and robes. The father
was silent for a moment. In sighed, he put his
(11:46):
arm around his oldest son. Son, you are always with me.
Everything I have is yours. You may take of whatever
is mine and enjoy it. But your brother was once.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
Dead, but now is alive.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
He was lost and now he is found. This is
worth celebrating. After saying these things, Jesus sat back down
with his friends, and the Pharisees left in a fury.
Jesus revealed a special part of God's heart that day,
that no child is too far gone to experience his
love and favor. No matter how far one goes, the
(12:22):
father will run to embrace his lost child. As a
shepherd will leave ninety nine of his sheep to go
after one lost one, so Jesus will go to any
length to find the ones he loves.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
As we begin today's reading, let's give a little background
once again. The Pharisees are grumbling and complaining about the
kind of people that Jesus is hanging out with. They
expected him to shun all the undesirables, tax collectors, sinners,
outcast fringe people, just as they did with sinners they
(13:01):
believe was beneath the man of God. So if Jesus
was really a righteous man, they concluded, he would not
associate with bad people. As always, Jesus knew their thoughts,
and so he told them more stories parables to illustrate
what it means to be lost and found. He spoke
of a shepherd who left his flock to find one
(13:23):
lung sheep that had gone astray, and the joy of
finding a lost coin, even when it was just one
of many. He was setting up the grand finale, a
story about a father and his two sons. It's a
story that many have heard. It's the story of the
prodigal son. We call it the story of the prodigal son,
but if you pay close attention, it's really not about
(13:45):
the son so much as it is about the loving
father who never gives up in waiting for longing for
his children to come home. We hear that this father
had two sons, one who was obedient to all all
the rules and expectations, but another who wanted to live
for himself. The older son, the elder brother, worked hard
(14:08):
waiting for one day to receive an inheritance that he
felt was out to him. But the younger son, he
did not have patience. He wanted it all now. He
in effect said, Dad, I don't care if you live
or die. Give me what's coming to me now. And
he asked for his cut, and then he left town.
Imagine the heartbreak of his father, totally rejected and abandoned
(14:33):
by his son. Buddy would not force him to stay,
and as the son demanded, he gave him his share
of the estate. Of course, this was a terrible decision
for this young man. It looked like a lot of
fun at first, to go and live it up in
a place called the far country. But his way of life,
all the partying, all the drinking, all the womanizing, it
(14:56):
finally caught up with him and he went to the bottom.
You know, sin is like that. It can seem pleasurable
at first. In fact, the Bible says there is pleasure
in sin for a season. But you know sin will
take you farther than you want to go, and keep
you longer than you want to stay, and cost you
far more than you want to pay. We think, if
(15:18):
there are no rules, then we can really live it up.
But when there are no rules, when we throw our
lives away, there is such loss. And that's what this
young man experienced. He found out for himself what an
uncontrolled life is really like. It was truly prodigal. But
though he turned away from his father, in his heart
(15:39):
of hearts, when he came to the end of himself,
he knew that there was one hope, and only one hope,
and that was to return to the father, to go
back home to humble himself. He came to himself and
he owned his own sin, and he's repentant in heart,
and he wants to go home. When I read this story,
I'm reminded of the grace and the heart of God
(16:02):
to receive us when we truly confess our sins and
seek God's love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Did you notice
in this story, as the son began his way back
home to his father, that his father wasn't surprised. He
had not given up or shut out his son permanently. No,
(16:22):
Apparently this man was looking for his child for it
says in Luke fifteen and verse twenty. But while he
was still a long way off, his father saw him
and felt compassion and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
What a beautiful story while he was still a long
way off. It reminds me of the scripture that says
(16:42):
that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
You see, God loves you very much, and he's waiting
for you to come to him. It's so inspirational to
see that the father didn't wait and watch for his
son to come to him. He ran to his son.
In this culture, this was not the action of a
dignified man, But this loving father could care less about appearances.
(17:06):
He was rushing to restore his son. He was running
to show forgiveness the young man confessed his sin his unworthiness,
but he didn't have to say anything more. The father
clothed him with his robe and made him part of
the family again. This story could have ended with a
very happy reunion for everyone, But as we noted, there
(17:29):
were two sons in this household, and with all the
rejoicing and feasting for the prodigal son who came back,
the older son is now bitter. He had no interest
in welcoming his brother back into the family. Instead, he
was pouting and pitying himself, complaining, after all he'd done
(17:49):
for his father, how could he receive this young son back?
Where was his reward? As the Pharisees listened to this story,
I'm sure they were nodding their heads in agreement with
the son's anger. They too had done everything right. Why
should they welcome terrible sinners into the family of God.
The sad reality is this son, the elder brother, just
(18:12):
like the Pharisees, was just as lost as the younger son.
The younger son was lost way far away from the house,
but this young man was lost inside the house. Both
had the father all along, both had an opportunity for
a relationship, but they both missed the joy and the
abundance that the Father could give them. In telling this story,
(18:35):
Jesus was demonstrating how much God is always loving us
as a caring, compassionate father. He rejoices with those who
return to him and repent of their sins and receive
his grace. And he's reminding all of us that it
is never too late for a new beginning. It's not
too late for a new beginning for you today. And
(18:57):
if you find yourself far from God, this is the
time to come home to him. Jesus loves you, He
died for you, he rose again, and he will give
you a home and a hope in heaven if you
will trust in him. Let's pray. Dear God, we thank
you for your love and grace. We know that you
(19:17):
are a father who cares for your children, and so
we come to you. We trust in you, and we
believe that when we return from our sins, that you
will welcome us into your family through our faith in
Jesus Christ. And then, no matter how far we have
walked away, that it's never too late to start over
(19:37):
in Jesus's name. Amen, thank you for listening to today's Bible.
In a year podcast. I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas,
and before we go, I want you to know that
I would love to send you my daily devotional to
give you fresh encouragement every single day. So visit Jack
Graham dot org to sign up for your PowerPoint Today
(19:58):
devotional that's at graham dot org
Let us pray it was meet that we should make
merry and be glad for this. My brother was dead
and is alive again, and was lost and is found
Luke fifteen thirty two. Lord, your grace and your forgiveness
never ceases to amaze me. Then no other story displays
(00:23):
this more than the one that you shared about the
prodigal son in Matthew eighteen twelve through fourteen. Through the
reading of this text, I mesmerized by how even with
the foolish decisions that were made, the father never left
his position of searching. May this bring comfort to my
(00:45):
soul in knowing that no matter what mistakes I make,
that you are always there searching for me. When I
feel like I have blown and squandered my inheritance, I
praise you because you have more in store for me.
As I come to you with a humble and broken heart,
(01:08):
when others seek to keep me in the pig pen
of life, I praise you that you will clothe me
with honor. You'll restore power back to me through your
ring of authority, and you will seat me at the
table of greatness again. All that you have is mine.
So I will make sure not to be jealous when
(01:29):
I see others get restored back to their place of
opulence and abundance. Because what is yours Father is also mine,
because I too am a child of God. I was lost,
but through your love, Jesus, But through your love Jesus,
I am found in Jesus name. Amen. Thank you for
(01:56):
praying with us today. Continue your time with God by
listening to today's Bible story, brought to you by Bible
in a Year dot.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Com The Prodigal Son. In our last story, we learned
about the true meaning of kindness from the story of
the good Samaritan. Jesus used this story to teach that
goodness does not always come from the perfect people, rather
(02:26):
those that we may least expect. Now, Jesus is questioned
by the Pharisees for eating with tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners.
Jesus confronts them with another story, a story that reveals
the true heart of God inspired by the Gospels.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
I'm so glad you've joined us on the Bible in
a Year podcast today. But before we get to today's episode,
I want you to know that I would absolutely love
to send you my daily devotional that will give you
fresh encouragement every single morning and day, from the moment
we wake up to the moment our head finally hits
the pillow. There are thousands of things demanding our attention,
(03:10):
but it's in the midst of all this crush and
hustle and bustle that you and I need peace and
truth in God's Word. That's why I want to help
you spend time each day growing in God's life giving,
life changing Word by sending you my free daily email
devotional PowerPoint Today. So visit Jagraham dot org to sign
(03:32):
up for your PowerPoint Today devotional. That's Jagraham dot org
Jack Graham dot org. In our last episode, we heard
the parable the story of the Good Samaritan, which Jesus
used to teach a very important lesson about how we
are to love people, what a neighbor looks like, and
(03:52):
that our neighbor is anyone who has a need. It
was a great challenge for us to share the love
of Christ with every person that we meet. Today, we'll
hear another powerful story from Jesus that shows the merciful
heart of God and his willingness and desire to forgive
and share his love with all who seek him. It's
(04:15):
the story of a loving father and two sons who
are both lost, but in very different ways. Let's listen
now to this powerful story from Jesus.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Jesus was sitting at a table enjoying a meal with
many of his new friends. They went out, the type
of people one would expect a religious man to dine with.
Tax collectors, dirty fishermen, and prostitutes sat at the table
sharing bread with the son of God. It was a
sight that disgusted the Pharisees. They reviled him and scoffed
at his willingness to fraternize with the undesirables of the city. Look,
(04:51):
they pointed and spat this man eats with sinners. What
type of man of God is this? A small crowd
was watching as the Pharisees mock Jesus openly. They were
waiting for Jesus's response. Jesus wiped the crumbs off his hands,
took a sip of water, and stood to his feet.
He walked closer to the Pharisees, showing them that their
(05:12):
religious elitism had no effect on him. Jesus paced the courtyard,
projecting his voice for all to hear as he told
another story There was once a wealthy man who had
two sons. The older son worked the fields silently and
with diligence. However, the younger son was unruly and independent.
(05:33):
One morning, before the rooster crowed and the sun rose,
the younger brother stumbled into his father's house after a
night of parties. He was a shameful sight and held
no sense of respect for his father. He slept in
until midday and rolled out of his bed while his
brother tilled the fields. Grumpy and entitled, the younger brother
(05:53):
went to his father with his chest puffed up in
his nose high in the air. He demanded his father
give him his inheritance. I do not want to wait
until you die, the son complained, Give me my half
of the inheritance now, so that I might do what
I wish. The father did as the younger son requested
and divided his wealth with a broken heart. He gave
(06:16):
his son property in gold and watched him walk away
without so much as a thank you. The younger son
gathered everything and took his wealth into the far country.
He slithered around the cities, drowning himself in wine, women,
and reckless substances. What he did not spend on prostitutes
and revelry. He gambled. Weeks had passed, and his unearned
(06:38):
wealth was eventually dried up. He owed a great deal
of money to bad people and had contracted sickness from
his promiscuous habits. Soon a great famine fell across the
land and everyone was in great need. The friends he
had made and his wealth were nowhere to be seen,
and the young son descended into total poverty. The younger
(06:59):
son scoured the countryside looking for any work that would
fill his belly and his new addictions. The only job
he could find was tending to a farmer's pigs. Days
had passed and the Sun still had very little money
to pay for food. What little money he made he
gave to pay off his gambling debts. His stomach rumbled
as he watched the pigs feast on slop and garbage.
(07:21):
The smell of rotten onions and fermented figs filled the air. Dung,
dirty rain water, and pigs eliva dripped into the feeding troth,
but the Sun could not take his eyes off it.
He was starving, desperate, and ashamed. The young man walked
beside the pigs, fell to his knees and began to
eat the brown slop with the pigs. The rancid smell
(07:45):
was almost unbearable. His mouth was filled with dung, rotten vegetables,
and spoiled meat. As the young man brought his face
to his hand filled with garbage, he considered the state
of his life. Even my father's hired servants get fresh bread.
Yet I am here and hunger. He thought to himself.
If I go to him and beg for his forgiveness,
(08:06):
maybe he will make me a slave. At least then
I will have a warm bed and fresh bread. So
the younger son traveled through the countryside back to his father.
His head was held low and his feet dragged in
the dust. A few tears streamed down the son's eyes.
He could picture the angry look of his father. Surely
he would be too ashamed of me to take me back,
(08:28):
the son thought to himself. Yet the younger son kept walking.
His options were limited, and his belly was empty. It
was late afternoon and the sun had turned the father's
fields of bright gold. He sat above his terrace, admiring
the way the breeze made the grain dance. He watched
his elder son tending to the works. Then a small
(08:50):
speck appeared in the distance. The father peered closely towards
the hills to see a figure hobbling towards the property.
As the figure drew closer, the father could see that
it was his younger son. He had returned. The father
tied up his robes and ran out of his home.
He ran with fire and vigor. The son could see
his father in the distance, running towards him. Afraid that
(09:12):
his father would attack him, the young son braced himself,
but instead of a strike to the jaw, he received
a warm embrace. The father cried on his son's shoulders.
Laughs came from his belly. His tears streamed down his
bearded face. You have come home, the father shouted with glee,
My son, you have returned to me. The son fell
(09:33):
to his knees. He was so ashamed he could not
stand to look at his father. My father, please forgive me,
the younger son said, I am not worthy to be
called your son. His face fell into the dust as
he wept. The father knelt down into the dust with
him and picked him up by the shoulders. He called
for his servants and said, get me my best robe
(09:55):
and put it on my son, put a ring on
his hand and shoes on his feet. Then kill the
fattest calf we have for tonight we will hold a
feast in his honor. The servants left immediately. The son
was stunned and confused. The father smiled from cheek to
cheek and said, my son, you were once lost, but
now you are found. This is why we celebrate. So
(10:19):
the younger son was washed and given fine clothes. There
was a great feast and party held in his honor.
The younger son was humbled and laughed silently as he
watched his family dance and sing, although not everyone was
happy to see him return. The older brother came in
from the field to see his father dancing and rejoicing.
He saw that the fattest calf had been cooked and
(10:41):
the finest robe placed on his brother's shoulders. The older
son stewed in anger. He felt underappreciated and angry. He
stormed off to be alone in the fields. The sun
was setting and the older brother could hear the music
in the distance. He hated his brother. He hated that
he stole half his his father's wealth while he toiled
(11:01):
in the fields. Yet his brother received the celebration. The
wind blew gently, and a few tears fell down the
older brother's face. His father could see him sitting and
sat beside him. What upsets you, my son, he asked.
The older son shook his head and gave a sorrowful laugh.
He did his best to hold back tears.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
As he spoke.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
For years, I have served you and worked hard for
your favor. I never disobeyed you, and you have never
given me so much as a goat for me and
my friends to celebrate. Yet when your son comes home
after squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattest
calf and adorn him with rings and robes. The father
was silent for a moment. In sighed, he put his
(11:46):
arm around his oldest son. Son, you are always with me.
Everything I have is yours. You may take of whatever
is mine and enjoy it. But your brother was once.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
Dead, but now is alive.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
He was lost and now he is found. This is
worth celebrating. After saying these things, Jesus sat back down
with his friends, and the Pharisees left in a fury.
Jesus revealed a special part of God's heart that day,
that no child is too far gone to experience his
love and favor. No matter how far one goes, the
(12:22):
father will run to embrace his lost child. As a
shepherd will leave ninety nine of his sheep to go
after one lost one, so Jesus will go to any
length to find the ones he loves.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
As we begin today's reading, let's give a little background
once again. The Pharisees are grumbling and complaining about the
kind of people that Jesus is hanging out with. They
expected him to shun all the undesirables, tax collectors, sinners,
outcast fringe people, just as they did with sinners they
(13:01):
believe was beneath the man of God. So if Jesus
was really a righteous man, they concluded, he would not
associate with bad people. As always, Jesus knew their thoughts,
and so he told them more stories parables to illustrate
what it means to be lost and found. He spoke
of a shepherd who left his flock to find one
(13:23):
lung sheep that had gone astray, and the joy of
finding a lost coin, even when it was just one
of many. He was setting up the grand finale, a
story about a father and his two sons. It's a
story that many have heard. It's the story of the
prodigal son. We call it the story of the prodigal son,
but if you pay close attention, it's really not about
(13:45):
the son so much as it is about the loving
father who never gives up in waiting for longing for
his children to come home. We hear that this father
had two sons, one who was obedient to all all
the rules and expectations, but another who wanted to live
for himself. The older son, the elder brother, worked hard
(14:08):
waiting for one day to receive an inheritance that he
felt was out to him. But the younger son, he
did not have patience. He wanted it all now. He
in effect said, Dad, I don't care if you live
or die. Give me what's coming to me now. And
he asked for his cut, and then he left town.
Imagine the heartbreak of his father, totally rejected and abandoned
(14:33):
by his son. Buddy would not force him to stay,
and as the son demanded, he gave him his share
of the estate. Of course, this was a terrible decision
for this young man. It looked like a lot of
fun at first, to go and live it up in
a place called the far country. But his way of life,
all the partying, all the drinking, all the womanizing, it
(14:56):
finally caught up with him and he went to the bottom.
You know, sin is like that. It can seem pleasurable
at first. In fact, the Bible says there is pleasure
in sin for a season. But you know sin will
take you farther than you want to go, and keep
you longer than you want to stay, and cost you
far more than you want to pay. We think, if
(15:18):
there are no rules, then we can really live it up.
But when there are no rules, when we throw our
lives away, there is such loss. And that's what this
young man experienced. He found out for himself what an
uncontrolled life is really like. It was truly prodigal. But
though he turned away from his father, in his heart
(15:39):
of hearts, when he came to the end of himself,
he knew that there was one hope, and only one hope,
and that was to return to the father, to go
back home to humble himself. He came to himself and
he owned his own sin, and he's repentant in heart,
and he wants to go home. When I read this story,
I'm reminded of the grace and the heart of God
(16:02):
to receive us when we truly confess our sins and
seek God's love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Did you notice
in this story, as the son began his way back
home to his father, that his father wasn't surprised. He
had not given up or shut out his son permanently. No,
(16:22):
Apparently this man was looking for his child for it
says in Luke fifteen and verse twenty. But while he
was still a long way off, his father saw him
and felt compassion and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
What a beautiful story while he was still a long
way off. It reminds me of the scripture that says
(16:42):
that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
You see, God loves you very much, and he's waiting
for you to come to him. It's so inspirational to
see that the father didn't wait and watch for his
son to come to him. He ran to his son.
In this culture, this was not the action of a
dignified man, But this loving father could care less about appearances.
(17:06):
He was rushing to restore his son. He was running
to show forgiveness the young man confessed his sin his unworthiness,
but he didn't have to say anything more. The father
clothed him with his robe and made him part of
the family again. This story could have ended with a
very happy reunion for everyone, But as we noted, there
(17:29):
were two sons in this household, and with all the
rejoicing and feasting for the prodigal son who came back,
the older son is now bitter. He had no interest
in welcoming his brother back into the family. Instead, he
was pouting and pitying himself, complaining, after all he'd done
(17:49):
for his father, how could he receive this young son back?
Where was his reward? As the Pharisees listened to this story,
I'm sure they were nodding their heads in agreement with
the son's anger. They too had done everything right. Why
should they welcome terrible sinners into the family of God.
The sad reality is this son, the elder brother, just
(18:12):
like the Pharisees, was just as lost as the younger son.
The younger son was lost way far away from the house,
but this young man was lost inside the house. Both
had the father all along, both had an opportunity for
a relationship, but they both missed the joy and the
abundance that the Father could give them. In telling this story,
(18:35):
Jesus was demonstrating how much God is always loving us
as a caring, compassionate father. He rejoices with those who
return to him and repent of their sins and receive
his grace. And he's reminding all of us that it
is never too late for a new beginning. It's not
too late for a new beginning for you today. And
(18:57):
if you find yourself far from God, this is the
time to come home to him. Jesus loves you, He
died for you, he rose again, and he will give
you a home and a hope in heaven if you
will trust in him. Let's pray. Dear God, we thank
you for your love and grace. We know that you
(19:17):
are a father who cares for your children, and so
we come to you. We trust in you, and we
believe that when we return from our sins, that you
will welcome us into your family through our faith in
Jesus Christ. And then, no matter how far we have
walked away, that it's never too late to start over
(19:37):
in Jesus's name. Amen, thank you for listening to today's Bible.
In a year podcast. I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas,
and before we go, I want you to know that
I would love to send you my daily devotional to
give you fresh encouragement every single day. So visit Jack
Graham dot org to sign up for your PowerPoint Today
(19:58):
devotional that's at graham dot org
Host
Jack Graham
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