Parables Illustrating God’s Love (Luke 15:11-32, 15:3-7,15:8-10)

The Story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32):

What Does Prodigal Mean?

Prodigal means spending money or using resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant.

Jesus also told the parable about “the prodigal son”. There was a man who had two sons, one day, the younger son came to him and asked for his share of his father’s property. So his father divided his property between his two sons. The younger son then took his share of his father’s property and went away to a distant country where he spent all he had on wasteful things. Eventually, he had no money left.

At this time, there was a famine in the country the younger son was in so he became desperate for food and got a job feeding pigs. He was so desperate for food he was willing to eat what the pigs were being fed but no one would give him any food even the food that was meant for the pigs.

This situation made him realize it was better for him to return to his father’s house because even his father’s servants had food to eat with leftovers to spare. He thought he needed to apologize to his father because he had dishonoured his father by asking for his inheritance. He decided that when he saw his father he would say these words 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 servants,”

Luke 15: 18-19 (NIV)

The younger son (the prodigal son) then travelled back to his father’s house. While he was still a distance away his father saw him, ran over to him and welcomed him with hugs and kisses. The prodigal son started to apologize for what he had done but his father was too happy to care about his apology. His father called for his servant to bring his son the best clothes and shoes. They were also to kill a fattened calf for a feast that night.

When the older son returned home that day from working in the field he was surprised to see there was a celebration in his home. He called one of the servants to find out the reason for the celebration and the servant told him. Once he heard the reason he became really upset and refused to join the celebrations.

When the father noticed his older son was absent from the party he went to plead with him to join in the celebrations. The older brother told his father that he was upset because he (the older son) had obeyed all his father’s rules but his father had never thrown a party for him or even killed a goat on his behalf. Yet, his younger brother (the prodigal son) was getting this huge feast whereas all he had done was disobey their father and waste his inheritance.

The father then explained to his older son that he had nothing to worry about because he (the older son) was always with him (the father) and everything the father had was his (the older son’s). Furthermore, the father explained that they had to celebrate because the son he thought was dead is now alive, he was lost and now he has been found.

The Parable of “the Prodigal Son” shows us a picture of what God’s eternal, perfect love for us as His children looks like. God’s love for us does not depend on our faithfulness or on our ability to be perfect Christians, He loves us unconditionally. He even loved us when we were still sinners and living in sin.

Although we are demanding as God’s children, we are always asking for things and not always grateful for the things God has given us. God is still and will forever be our loving and faithful Father. When we are ready to return to Him to repent and ask for forgiveness for our sins, He is always willing to forgive us and welcome us with open arms along with hugs and kisses.

The Lost Sheep (Luke 15:3-7):

One day, the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around Jesus to hear him preach. The Pharisees noticed and muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” – Luke 15 verse 2 (NIV). So Jesus told them this parable; if one of them had a hundred sheep and lost one of them, wouldn’t he leave the remaining ninety-nine and go looking for the one lost sheep? And when he finds the one, he joyfully puts it on his shoulder and goes home to rejoice with his neighbours because he found his lost sheep.

He then explained to them that there would be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine persons who do not need to repent.

Jesus used this parable of “The Lost Sheep” to show us that each one of us (as His children) is very precious to Him. He loves each one of us very much and will never give up on us, no matter what. He leaves the ninety-nine souls (or people) who are safe to go and find the one lost soul (or person) because each individual is very important to Him.

The Lost Coin (Luke 15:8-10):

Jesus then told them another parable with the same lesson and message, the parable of “The Lost Coin”. He asked them if a woman has ten silver coins and loses one of them, does she not do all she can to find it? When she eventually finds it, she rejoices with her friends and neighbours because she has found her lost coin.

Jesus told them that this is the same way “there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents”. – Luke 15 verse 10 (NIV).