2 lost sons

Luke 15

Two Lost Sons - Luke 15

Luke 15:1-2 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Jesus Journey toward the cross – at the house of a Pharisee

Jesus was at a Pharisees house
One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. (Luke 14)
Still there as we begin this chapter? Perhaps
There were Pharisees around at any rate along with the teachers of the law
This law = law of God
10 commandments...plus more as the laws had been expanded and reemphasized throughout the years

The “problem” - sinners were coming to Jesus

In the mind of the Pharisees there were those who could be with the Messiah...and those that could not
Pharisees and teachers of the law...those that knew the “right thing” and did it
And also knew the “wrong thing” and didn’t do it
they were welcome to be with the Messiah
Tax collector and “sinners”...those who maybe knew the laws but did not obey
Or those who did not even know the laws well enough to obey
They were not welcome
You know... “those people”

Who are our “those people?

-those who voted for a different political leader?

-those on food stamps/government support?

-those who practice homosexuality?

-those who are bi-sexual, non-binary, trans gender?

-Those who have a different skin tone?

-Those who have fled to this country illegally?

-Those who worship under a different denominational title? Lutheran, Methodist, CoG...

So the Pharisees and teachers of the law had a problem... “those people” thinking they could somehow come to this guy claiming to be the Messiah, savior...
Afterall...he didn’t come to save “those people” right?

Luke 15:11-20 11 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. 14 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. 17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants 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 servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.

The first lost son...

We are familiar with the parable
Let’s quick review... Father represents? (God, God’s kingdom, Jesus, Messiah, salvation) all the good stuff right!
Younger son represents? (us, sinners, lost, world) the bad right...maybe we would even say the “those people)
Jesus is trying to get them to realize something in this Parable – remember the context. People who think they are better than others are questioning who gets to come to Jesus (we there? Okay good)
The younger son get’s half of his father’s money (older son also gets half...more later) and goes and wastes it...

Ever waste what God’s given to you?

-The moments -the opportunities -the money -the conversations

-the seconds, minutes, hours, days years...

spent looking at the problems vs. Embracing the second chances

CHANGE HAPPENS

Came to his senses... himself, itself, themselves, correct state of being... love this! Stood out to me as I was studying this
Before while he was wasting the life the Father had given...he was not “in his senses” he was not himself!
Romans 6:6 We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.
But something happened at this lowest point where he was able to realize...he was not making sense before! It was something...HE HAD TO COME TO HIMSELF!

Do you remember when you came to yourself? When you came to your senses?

-something YOU had to do...personal

-You had to let the Holy Spirit breakthrough and help you realize your slavery to sin...

After coming to his senses the younger son...Decided to go to the Father
Has a whole speech prepared...
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you – very true
I am no longer worthy to be called your son; - also very true
make me like one of your hired servants – take a great showing of grace and mercy, this son does not even deserve this...he’s wasted what he was given! Why should the father give him anything more...even just a job as a slave?

Luke 15:20-24 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. 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.’

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.

SALVATION for the first lost son

The father... RUNS … to the first young son
He had been watching... and while his son is far away … The father ran down
“When our hearts were far away...your grace went further still” (you alone can rescue)
God didn’t wait until we made it to them...They sent Jesus Christ to US!
Jesus made a way, not by staying in unity with the father but by humbling himself and becoming obedient to the most horrendous death
Remember the context again – Pharisees are whispering about “those people” that Jesus is ministering to...bringing the holy ground too. THEY ARE NOT WORTHY!
Jesus tells a story of the most unworthy son and the father doesn’t ask anything of him does he...he asks for none of the money back, don’t have him make a promise to work till the debt is paid off...no what does the father do?
CELEBTRATES...because this first son who was lost found salvation!

Notice...I’ve said the first lost son...because I think this story is about 2 lost sons

Luke 15:25-32 25 “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. 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!’

31 “‘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 second lost son...

The loyal son was also lost...
Lost...in anger in self-righteous in self-centeredness and lost...in mercilessness
He does not celebrate that this unworthy person has been welcomed back...not as a slave (that would be bad enough) but AS A SON!
No no no …. HE IS THE SON! He’s been good, when he got his half he still stayed with the father, worked for him... where is his thanks? Where is his party?
He did not realize just how lost he was
His brother...part of his family...had become “those people”

The people you think of as “those people” are CREATED IN the image of God and DEEPLY irrevocably LOVED BY the Good Good Father (those who voted differently, on food stamps/government support, who practice homosexuality, who are bi-sexual, non-binary, trans gender, who have a different skin tone, who have fled to this country illegally, who worship under a different denominational title)

Jesus doesn’t share if this son eventually “came to his senses” or not...I think purposefully
Remember the context...those judgmental teachers of the law and Pharisees... trying to decided who gets to “have Jesus” THEY WERE LOST

Are you lost?

Like the first lost son-do you need to allow the Holy Spirit to bring you to your senses

Like the second lost son and the Pharisees –do you need to allow the holy spirit to convict and change your anger self-righteous self-centeredness and mercilessness?