The Parable of the Loving Father
Luke 15:11-24
Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.”
God’s Love and Purpose for Man
Where do we come from? Why are we here? Where are we headed? These questions have always been in man’s heart: the origin, the reason and the goal of the human life.
Genesis, the first book of the Bible, tells us that God created man in a very special way: “Then God said: Let Us make man in Our image according to Our likeness; So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:26-27). God did not create man in a generic way like He did all the other creatures, but in a very wonderful and special way according to His own likeness and His own image!
To all other creatures, God is simply their creator; but to man, God wants to be much more than that! He desires to be a father to them, and for them to be His sons (2 Corinthians 6:17-18). What a wonderful mystery it is that we have been predestined and chosen to be sons of God! The Bible says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ… [who] chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to sonship by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will” (Ephesians 1:3-5). “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God…” (1 John 3:1).
Man’s Fall Being Alienated from the Life of God
Unfortunately, Adam was deceived by the serpent, Satan. Instead of eating from the tree of life which represents God’s life to be received by man, he chose to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil which God had forbidden him to eat, thereby causing sin to enter into him. “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). Through sin, man became alienated from the life of God (Ephesians 4:18) and independent of God, “having no hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12).
In spite of man’s fall, God, in His love for man still provided him with everything he needed to subsist in this world. This fallen world lies in the hands of the evil one today (1 John 5:19), and is distant from the presence of God. And so we read in the parable, “And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country…” (vv. 12-13) – far away from the living God.
Living a Wasted Life in the World
The parable continues: “and there he wasted his possessions with prodigal (wasteful) living” (v. 13). The Bible says that all fallen human beings live and walk in the “futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness” (Ephesians 4:17-19).
Being alienated from God, many waste away their precious lives on this earth. Some young people waste their lives on drugs and immoral things; others work hard to build up their careers, yet many end up in divorce and broken families. People spend most of their lives gathering riches, but as Solomon said: “Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven” (Proverbs 23:5). Who could have imagined that in a brief moment on September 11, 2001, thousands of lives would end? Or who could have predicted the sudden crash in the stock market that caused many to lose their wealth?
Regardless of what man may own, his human life is still his best asset. Moses said: “The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away… So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:10, 12). A heart of wisdom is one that seeks after the living God after Jesus Christ. It is the exact opposite of a darkened, blinded, hardened and ignorant heart. The main reason why we are on this earth is so that we might seek after God and find Him (Acts 17:26-27).
Everything Comes to an End
“But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything” (v. 14).
At some point in time, all good things come to an end. Nothing in this world is secure or lasts forever – not your health, your work, the economy, and not even your human life! As the end draws near, man is once again left completely on his own, with no one and nowhere to turn to. You may have many friends when you are rich and successful; but one day if you were to lose everything, you would also lose many friends. This is a common phenomenon which exposes the hypocrisy and selfishness of human nature. So at the critical moment in the prodigal son’s life, “no one gave him anything.”
Repent and Return to God Our Father
“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father” (vv. 17-20).
Until now, the prodigal son had been so consumed by his outward situation, that he forgot and did not realize his relationship with his father. Similarly with us, so many worldly dealings, pressures and influences, harden our hearts toward God. But do you know that it is the goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering of God that lead men to repentance (Romans 2:4)? Out of love for man, God uses every situation in our lives to awaken us out of our slumber and to soften our hearts. As with the prodigal son, who came to himself, I have seen many instances where a person comes to the end of his rope. It is at that breaking point where he suddenly wakes up and cries out to God in his time of need.
When he finally came to himself, the prodigal son did two things. Firstly, he repented, saying, “Father, I have sinned.” Then he humbled himself, saying, “I am no longer worthy to be called your son, make me like one of your hired servants.” How precious are these two things before God – repentance and humility! If anyone wants to come to God, he must repent and humble himself.
The Father Awaits the Return of the Prodigal Son
“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him” (v. 20).
God is a God of mercy and love. He truly longs for man to return to Him. He desires for all man to be saved and come to the full knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). If we would just repent and return to Him, He would run to meet us and accept us with joy.
What a contrast we see in this parable between the father and the friends of the prodigal son! All of his friends helped him spend his riches. And when his riches were gone, they left him and did not give him anything. But his father was waiting for him to come home. In this parable, the Lord Jesus really demonstrates His love for us. “While he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.” What a picture! There is really no need for us to explain further. Such a picture speaks for itself.
The Lord Jesus once said: “All that the Father gives Me will come to me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out” (John 6:37). Wait no longer; come to God through Jesus Christ! Like the prodigal son, none of us are worthy; but in His divine love for us and because of His purpose with man, God has paid for all our sins and debts through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord! God joyfully accepts us all in Christ. He is waiting for you to come to Him.
Everyone should have the boldness to come to God through Jesus Christ, for His word tells us: “But as many as received Him (Jesus), to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13).
The Rich Blessings in Our Father’s House
“…And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry” (vv. 21-24).
After believing and becoming children of God, many Christians, like the prodigal son, just want to be like a hired servant, to serve God. But this parable shows us that the Father first wants to bring us into His house to pour out His blessings upon us. God’s house today is the living church (1 Timothy 3:15), where all His children can be satisfied with His spiritual riches (Psalm 36:8; 65:4) and be separated from the world. All God’s children must learn to treasure the Father’s house.
1) The Best Robe – Christ as Our Garment of Righteousness
The prodigal son returned in filthy rags because he was poor and had been feeding pigs. Raising pigs and feeding pigs in the Scriptures signify low, dirty, and sinful preoccupations in a world full of unrighteousness. Isaiah 64:6 says: “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags …” How refreshing it is to have our filthy rags removed and to be fully washed and cleansed by the precious blood our Lord Jesus shed on the cross. His blood cleanses us from all sins (1 John 1:7). Not only so, but God, our father, also clothed us with the best and fresh new garment of righteousness. Isaiah 61:10 says: “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness…” The whole New Testament shows us that Christ has been made righteousness to us (1 Corinthians 1:30); and we have put on Christ through baptism (Galatians 3:27). How good it is to be justified before God through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ!
2) The Ring the Holy Spirit as Our Guarantee –
After a person hears the word of truth, the gospel of his salvation, and believes in Jesus Christ, he is “sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance…” (Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Corinthians 1:22). This is signified by the ring which the father put on the finger of the prodigal son. If you accept Christ as your Savior and are baptized into Him, you will receive the Holy Spirit as a seal in you. The Holy Spirit is the guarantee that you belong to Him (2 Timothy 2:19), that you will never lose your salvation, and that you are an heir of God (Galatians 4:7). This is too wonderful!
3) The Sandals – a New Walk in the Newness of Life in the Spirit
“Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:1).
The Father also gave the son sandals for his feet. This signifies that everyone who becomes a child of God through faith and baptism should have a new way of life. They should now learn to walk in the newness of the life of Christ they have received in their spirit. A believer should no longer walk according to the flesh (barefooted), but according to the spirit (as illustrated by the sandals). This is indeed a wonderful blessing. Before we were saved, we were bound to live in our flesh; but now after we are saved, we can and must live by Christ in our spirit.
4) The Fatted Calf – Christ as the Living Word to Be Our Spiritual Feast and Nourishment
And last, but not least, there is the fatted calf. The father commanded: “And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry!” The prodigal son came home hungry. He had not eaten for a long time. The fatted calf here refers to Christ, sent by God the Father to be slain on the cross as our sin and trespass offering. He is the unique sacrifice for our sinful nature and our sins. However, it is not enough to just take Christ as our sacrifice, we must also EAT Him! This corresponds to the Old Testament picture of the Passover lamb. The lamb was killed not only for the shedding of blood for the Israelites’ redemption from the final plague. The people of Israel had to eat the lamb to be strengthened for their exodus from Egypt. The blood is for God to see, the meat is for the people to eat. This is a marvelous spiritual reality! We can eat Christ as our spiritual food and live by Him (John 6:57).
To eat is to satisfy our inner hunger and to be strengthened by the nourishment we take in. Every new believer must learn to enjoy and eat the word of God as spiritual food daily. Christ is the reality of the word of God (John 1:1, 14; Revelations 19:13); and His words are Spirit and life (John 6:63). Christ is the rich feast prepared by the Father for our nourishment and enjoyment. When we eat, we will be strengthened to live by Him, to overcome sin and the world, and to glorify God our Father.
The Father’s Joy
“For this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry” (v. 24).
In God’s eyes, all people are dead in their sins and are perishing (Ephesians 2:1-3). But through faith in Jesus Christ we have been saved and made alive with Him. We are born again of the Holy Spirit and are transferred into His heavenly kingdom (Colossians 1:13). This is our Father’s masterpiece and His utmost joy. We should all proclaim as the apostle John did: “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!”
Coming to the Father
After much suffering the prodigal son “came to himself” and returned to his father. But do we have to wait until we get to that point? No, we do not have to wait! We should wake up from our stupor, “come to ourselves” and seek after the living and true God now! Most people only cry out to God when they are in need. But let us not wait until then to turn our hearts to God. “For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness” (Hebrews 3:78). The Lord is speaking to you today, and now is the time to be saved.
Some may say, “But I’m young. I can still wait.” This thought is doubly deceptive. Firstly, death has no respect of age and comes without warning. Many young people die from diseases and accidents. Secondly, you will miss a life that is truly worth living. There is so much to know and to experience with the living God that it will take your whole life and more! Therefore, today is the right time! Confess your sins before the Lord Jesus Christ, believe in His name, and be baptized into Him, and you will receive the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).
A jailer once asked the apostle Paul, “What must I do to be saved?” Paul replied, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:30–34). Immediately, he and his whole family were baptized, and joy filled his entire house.
If you have heard His voice today and believe His word, then say this prayer from your heart:
“My God and Father, I thank You that Your son, Jesus Christ, died for me on the cross. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God and confess my sins before You. Lord Jesus, I receive You into my heart; fill me with Your Holy Spirit, and bring me to the Father’s house. Amen!”