The Bible Parable of The Prodigal Son ( LUKE 15: 11-32 ) is a powerful moral lesson and guideline for importance of maintaining the crucial spirit of forgiveness, redemption, and it teaches about the restoration of those non-Christians, as well as Christians who wander away from the beloved Father Christ Jesus to go to a faraway land that is representative of worldly desire, material wealth, and selfishness.
The Prodigal Son represents a lot of us who are impatient, and want our “portion” immediately, and refuse to wait patiently, in service of our Father Christ, seeking the Kingdom of God first. Here, we have the Prodigal Son demanding his share of his Father’s inheritance, as if he is entitled to be a manager of a large portion of money, without first, proving to his Father that he will be obedient, and submissive to his father, in handling the little portion of money he is allowed. In many ways, the Prodigal Son wants to be like God, independent of God’s guidance and rules. Thus, the Prodigal Son sets off to a faraway land that he already desired to be in years before he came of age to obtain a portion of his father’s inheritance. The Prodigal Son’s mind was already in “Egypt” so to speak, a land of idolatry, lack of morals, beautiful women, money, nice clothes, alcohol and other mind altering stimulants, that would take him far, far away from his Father’s guidance, and Father Christ.
The Scripture reads: LUKE 15: 15 “And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.”
Here we see the Prodigal Son fallen into a sad, sorry position of not only financial bankruptcy, but moral bankruptcy, for his ill-advised choice to wander away from the Father. But the Son comes to his senses, and desires to go back to his Father. The Son’s first act of rehabilitation is to humble himself, by working in a pig’s pen. Then the next step is when the Son repents and proclaims that he has sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
This is an amazing, powerful conversion the Son has just made. The Son is willing to go back Home to his Father, penniless, disgraced, and even willing to work as a hired servant for his Father. This is what those of us who wander Far from the Father must do, must be willing to humble self, and submit to our Father Christ and serve him obedient. We must be a slave to Christ.
Like our Father Christ Jesus, the Prodigal Son’s father never gave up hope that his lost son would one day return home. His father recognized his lost son far away from his house before he was anywhere near. Just like our Father Christ will recognize us no matter how low we have fallen, how dirty we have become in sin, how far away we left him. Jesus Christ will always recognize us, and welcome us back Home. The Scripture said:
"His father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. Verse 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. Verse 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: Verse 23 And bring hither the fattened calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: Verse 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry”
Our Father is so overjoyed when one of his lost sheep returns home! Consider the Scripture of Parable of Lost Sheep:
LUKE 15: 4-7 “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance”
Beloved, what a loving Father Christ we serve, indeed. Glory be to God. Amen
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