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. 14After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17"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! 18I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20So 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.
21"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.[a]'
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. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.
25"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26So 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. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29But 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. 30But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'
31" 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' "
Let us take three important notes from this story:
1. It took him NO time to squander his inheritance. He "set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living." Even the brevity of the sentence in the early part of the parable suggests the amount of time that it took the son to lose this money. The "friends" he made in the world were doubtless happy to be part of his celebration - until the money was gone. Can't you just picture him buying shots for everybody at the bar and tucking dollar bills into the waitress's skirts and buying lavish meals and clothing? You might find it surprising, but even God himself concedes that there is pleasure in sin for the carnal man - but only for a season (Hebrews 11:25).
2. Repentance is the Key. The Bible tells us that the son reasoned "I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20So he got up and went to his father." This is a picture of true repentance. This young man, after he came to his senses (reads v. 17) made a decision with the help of the Holy Spirit. He decided to repent. Sure, it required him to swallow his pride and ego and admit that he had royally messed up, but look at the mess he had created for himself and the life that his riotous living had caused. I like that phrase, "after he came to his senses" in the NIV - repentance is a sensible thing!! We are sinners, it's obvious, and the sensible thing is to realize that we are a mess and that are lives are filthy as swine and that we need Christ's unmerited favor on our lives. He came to his senses, praise God!
3. Unmerited favor was his for the asking. "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." Can you just imagine that picture?! I've found one online and provided it for you below.. I love it. It's a sad picture, because it shows this young man in a humbled, kneeling, sad, rather contrite position, but if it were animated, I have a feeling that the next few scenes would be ones of exhilarated joy and happiness - the whole community would be there joining in the scene. Near pandemonium erupted because the boy who had gone - perhaps presumed dead - had returned home and forgiveness, favor and unequivocal love were his.
As many times as I have read this story, it just never gets old. I guess that's the case because I realize that the Prodigal Son is really me. I hope it's you, too. Because if it's not, it means that you haven't gotten out of the pig field yet - you haven't had an encounter with the Lord Jesus. I pray you have tonight - and I pray otherwise that you have a blessed night of peaceful rest in the hands of the Lord Jesus.
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