"Prodigal Son"(Luke 15:11-32)

Luke 15:11-32

The story of the prodigal son is a good story which shows our relationship with our Father God.

The younger son damages his relationship with his father when he asks for his portion. Because the younger son believes that he is entitled to his inheritance, he does not see the grace that his father has given him. The son is arrogant in that he believes that what the father has given him is actually his because he deserves it. Like us, we believe that the successes in life we have is due to our efforts and not the grace of God.

The younger son also leaves his father because he believes that he can do things on his own and does not need his father or his father's rules. God is our creator and he loves us more than all of his other creations. When we separate ourselves from God, we suffer. The younger son suffered because of his separation.

And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them.

Luke 15:12 ESV

The older son thinks that the younger son had a fun life, and that the younger son's life was easy. He did not think that the younger son had suffered.

But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’

Luke 15:30 ESV

As soon as we leave our Father God, we start to suffer. It is not after we have fun that we suffer, but our suffering and grievances are more immediate. The son may not have acknowledged 

Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.

Jeremiah 17:5 ESV

Once we become children of God, we cannot live without our God. The kingdom if God is not a certain place. It is in you? Where is Hell? It is where God is not. We can experience Hell wherever we are.

The younger son experiences suffering and comes into a time of famine. He tries to fix the problem by being hired. The younger son becomes even more miserable. The son cannot fix his problems. This can only be solved by the father. Eventually, he returns to his father. Like us, we cannot fix the problems of sin, this is something that only God can do. 

The younger son regretted his decisions but repentance without action is meaningless. We need to change our behavior or we cannot really repent. It is not enough to express regret.

The prodigal son returns and is completely changed except for one thing which is his identity.

And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

Luke 15:20 ESV

The father was waiting for his son. By waiting, he was looking for his son to return, and when his son returns, the father runs out to his son. The son makes a choice to return and puts that choice into action. God will run to us if we would only return to Him,

Jesus tells us that we must love our Father God. In fact, this is the first and greatest commandment. If we can do this, we can have a right relationship with God.

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.

Matthew 22:37‭-‬38 ESV