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Then Jesus said: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 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. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 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! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ 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. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 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. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 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. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 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.’”(Luke 15:11–32)
It's interesting to note that there are a lot of books, movies, and TV shows which depict people who were lost on an island. There is the famous novel Robinson Crusoe. The movie and television series “Swiss Family Robinson” was based on this novel. Some of you might remember the television series “Gilligan's Island”. There was also the show “Survivor” and the movie “Cast Away”. Most recently, there has been the television series called, “Lost”. Again, all of these books or shows depict people who were lost on an island.
Have you ever been lost? I was lost once, as a little kid in the grocery store, and let me tell you, I was scared.
Matthew, the tax collector, was once lost, but Jesus gave him faith and salvation. Matthew, then, followed Jesus as a disciple. Later on, Matthew hosted a dinner and invited his fellow tax collectors and the so–called “sinners” of the day. They all showed up and ate with Jesus. Jesus saw this as an opportunity to bring the lost into the fold. He wanted them to hear and to believe the Gospel. But the Pharisees criticized Jesus for eating with these kinds of people. Jesus said to Pharisees, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:31–32). Elsewhere, Jesus said that He has come for the purpose of seeking out and saving the lost (Luke 19:10).
At another time, all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to hear Jesus. This was a good thing. Hopefully they will hear and believe that the kingdom of God is present in Jesus. But the Pharisees and scribes complained saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:1–2).
As a response to this comment, Jesus tells three parables. The first parable is about a shepherd who lost a dear lamb. The shepherd searched for the lamb and eventually found it. When he came home he said to his friends and neighbors, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.”
The second parable is about a woman who lost a precious coin. She searched for it and eventually found it. When she found it she called her friends and neighbors together and said, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost.”
The third parable is about a Father who lost his younger son. This son was once dead but is now alive. He was once lost but is now found.
So, when a sinner comes to repentance and trusts in the forgiveness of sins, this is a good thing — whether they were a thief, a rebellious child, a drug addict, or a murderer. Even the angels of God rejoice over one sinner who repents. We should, too.
There is joy in heaven when we live a life of repentance and faith in the forgiveness of sins. There is joy in heaven when Jesus receives us sinners and eats with us at His altar. Our goal in life is not to earn brownie points with God. But our goal is: “first, that we confess our sins; and second, that we receive absolution, that is, forgiveness, from the pastor as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven” (Small Catechism).
This is exactly what the younger son did. He confessed his sin, but the parable leaves us hanging whether the older son was ever repentant over his sin or not.
The parable begins by telling us that a father had two sons. These two sons were as different as night and day, yet they were similar in some ways.
The younger son did work because he had to, whereas, the older son was a more willing worker. He was more responsible. The younger son was like a party animal. He was a big spender, a lover, and a high roller. The older son, on the other hand, liked to please his father through hard work and by being in bed by 9:30 p.m. The younger son broke the law, but the older son thought that he perfectly kept the law. One rebelled openly; the other rebelled secretly. Both broke their father's heart. Both thought that their father's love was conditional upon what they do.
I imagine there was family conflict between these two brothers. We know that there was conflict between the younger son and his father. By demanding his share of the inheritance, the younger son sees his father as good as dead.
Are there conflicts in your family? During family reunions, two brothers seem to constantly fight. A husband gossips about his in–laws behind their back. A son hates his father. A daughter ran away from home. A husband and a wife refuse to forgive each other. An employee can't stand his employer or his co–worker. Family conflicts are a reality. They happen in our own lives.
We are the younger son cursing our heavenly Father for the problems we think He brought into our lives. We blame God, and we want out. We have made money our idol god. We have squandered the gifts of God.
There are days when we are also like the older son. We think that God owes us blessing upon blessing for the good things that we have done for Him. We judge other people because they are not as sanctified as we are. We even wonder why they are in worship and why are they coming to the communion rail. We live by the law. We resent God's mercy upon the so–called “sinners” of our day. And then, when good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to us, we get angry with God.
There are two parts to confession. The first part is that we confess our sins. This is exactly what the younger son did. After hitting bottom, he had a change of heart. He plans to return to his father and say, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants” (v. 18–19).
When I was a pastor in Madison, Nebraska, I would often times lead a Bible study at the local Juvenile Center and at the County Jail. After using this text, one teenager said, “I can relate to the younger son. I, too, have hit bottom and have no where to go but up.” Our youth group would eat dinner with the residents in the Juvenile Center and then play cards, sing, and have a devotion. The residents would say, “We're happy that someone cares about us.” After having a Bible study in the Madison County jail, one gentleman said, “Pastor, I read my Bible and pray every day. When I get out of here, I'm going to go back to church, and I'm going to be faithful to my wife and job.” I often wondered whether the people at his church ever welcomed him back.
Jail ministry is a very important ministry. I've spoken before with the chaplain at our Collin County Jail. Anyone want to go with me to bring the Gospel to those in the Juvenile Center or to the county jail?
Getting back to our parable: as the younger son was coming closer to home, the father recognized him. The father didn't wait for the son to arrive and then scold him. He doesn't lecture him at length about his behavior. Instead, the father took the initiative and ran to his son. The father had compassion for his son. And so, the father was the one who first put his arms around his son and kissed him. This is a portrait of unconditional love. The father expresses his complete reconciliation and acceptance of his son.
This was all done, before the son proceeds with his repentance. Again, this was done before the prodigal has uttered a word of confession. The prodigal is clearly shocked at how the father receives him. The prodigal has been received back as a son unconditionally, without earning it.
Therefore, when the prodigal then makes his confession saying, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to called your son,” he leaves off the part, “make me like one of your hired servants”, because the father has already received him as a son purely by grace.
The father demonstrates his acceptance by putting the best robe on him, a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. The father, then, kills the fatted calf and throws a party.
The reason why the father is joyful is because his son was dead and is alive. He was lost and is found. He is home in good health both physically and spiritually.
The younger son once wanted to do his own will, but Jesus left heaven wanting to do His Father's will. Jesus leaves His Father's home in heaven and goes to a far away place — here on earth. Here, Jesus was born of the virgin Mary and was laid in a manger. While on earth, Jesus did not live an immoral life like the younger brother. Jesus did not sin at all. But God made Jesus who had no sin to be sin for us. Compared to heaven, life on earth for Jesus is like a pigpen. God laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all. There on the cross, Jesus made the payment for our sin. It is finished, and no other work needs to be done.
On that Good Friday, Jesus died but — three days later — was made alive again. He was dead and is now alive. The Father raised His Son from the grave to show the world that there is now reconciliation with the Father.
Dearly beloved, because of what Jesus did by His death and resurrection, you are received back to your heavenly Father unconditionally and purely by grace. In your baptism, God has put the robe of Christ's righteousness upon you. You were once dead in trespasses and in sin, but God has made you alive in Christ Jesus. You were lost in sin, but your Good Shepherd found you and brought you back to His fold.
You have returned home — here, to God's house. Here, you experience a merciful and forgiving Father who is slow to anger and abounding in love. Here, He welcomes you back into His arms, not as a slave but as His own child. Here, you confess your sins and you receive absolution — that is, the forgiveness of sins.
In our text for today, Jesus was criticized for receiving sinners and eating with them. Around this table, Jesus receives us repentant sinners and eats with us. He is not only host, but He is also the meal itself giving us His body and blood for the forgiveness of sin.
Notice that what angered the older brother about the prodigal's return was the feast. Having a meal together was the problem. The older brother is upset that his father never gave him even a little goat to celebrate with his friends.
This was also the thing that angered the Pharisees about Jesus. He was eating with the tax collectors and sinners.
The Lord's Supper is attacked today by many who think that it is merely bread and wine. They will say, “It's nothing special. It's just a memorial meal,” and they think that Jesus is far away. But the Lord's Supper is special. It is the very meal in which Jesus receives us sinners and eats with us.
If you read the many books or see the shows about people who were lost on an island, sometimes they are rescued and sometimes not. But for you, your Good Shepherd found you and brought you into His fold. You were once dead, but you are now alive. You were once lost, but now you are found. Thanks be to God the Father for His unconditional and unending love toward you and me because of His Son.
Jesus once said, “I have other sheep which are not of this fold. I must bring them also” (John 10:16). They are lost and need to be found. May our Lord's Gospel go out to them so that they may be brought in and hear the Shepherd's voice. Amen.
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