“I DID IT MY WAY”

Intro

1. We are studying the parable of The Prodigal Son and trying to learn the lessons from

            this “heavenly story with an earthly meaning” that Jesus taught.

2. There is something almost magical about this story, because it touches the heart of

            people who understand what it means to be away from a loving father, a secure

            home, and joyful and peaceful heart.

3. Let’s go a little deep gleaning truths from this passage in Luke 15.

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I. FOUR FACTS ABOUT THIS PARABLE:

          #1. Jesus’ audience was made up of both brothers in the                        story.

                        1. The lifestyle of the prodigal son was represented by the presence of

                                    the tax collectors and the sinners gathered around this great teacher

                                    who never heard teaching like this before. They were captivated

                                    by His acceptance of them regardless of who they were and

                                    what they had done.

                        2. The lifestyle of the elder brother was represented by the self-righteous

                                    Pharisees. These men steeped in man-made traditions were arrogant

                                    and proud---and they had power that they were not willing to

                                    surrender to this Man from Nazareth... this carpenter’s Son.

                        3. So the sinners crowd grew, while the Pharisees and scribes began to

                                    voice their complaints, to interrupt with their questions.

          #2. The sinners were social outcasts.

                        1. The term sinner included all those social rejects and the Pharisees used

                                    this term for anyone who was not of their persuasion.

                        2. The Pharisees held the view that God loved the righteous---even the

                                    self-righteous.

                        3. They also held that to the same degree He loved the righteous, God

                                    hated sinners.

                        4. In fact, the Pharisees actually believed that God delighted tin the death of                                     sinners since this removed them from His presence.

                        5. Isn’t it ironic that as the Pharisees concentrated their attacks on Jesus,

                                    they were surrounded by a growing crowd of the very same people

                                    that they despised.

          #3. Jesus wanted to show the Pharisees just how far they                           had gone in their call for separation.

                        1. Their missing fruit of the Spirit was JOY.

                        2. The evident joy of the characters in each of these three movements:

(v.5-6)                             #1. the joy of the shepherd

(v.9)                                #2. the joy of the housewife

(v.20-24,32)                      #3. the joy of the father

                        3. All of this was to reflect the joy of the Father toward a repenting sinner.

          #4. The Prodigal Son parable differs from the preceding                       two, the lost sheep and the lost coin.

                        1st: The Pharisees were not depicted in the other two parts of this parable.

                                    It wasn’t until they saw the reaction of the elder brother that they

                                    got the message Jesus was trying to teach them.

                                    Their own self-righteous attitudes clearly paralleled the attitude of                                             the elder brother.

                        2nd: Also:

                                    √ The coin was lost through no fault of its own.

                                    √ The sheep, a hapless animal, was lost because it wandered off

                                                into the wilderness.

                                    √ But the son was lost because of his own stubborn, self-willed                                                         determination.

                                                Unlike the coin and the sheep, he made decisions that led

                                                to his downfall.

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II. THE YOUTH OF “TODAY”

          A. A Young Man In A Hurry

                        1. Read Luke 15:11-13...

                                    And 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 falleth to me.

                                    And he divided unto them his living.

                                    And not many days after

                                    the younger son gathered all together,                    

                                    and took his journey into a far country,

                                    and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

                        2. Some things that must have been in this younger son’s mind:

                             #1. “I want to be out on my own.”

                                                We hear it all the time, from every rising generation. It’s

                                                the desire to go where they want to go, to do what they want

                                                to do.

                                                It’s being tired of your parents’ house. It’s being tired of

                                                living with your parents.

                                                It’s being tired of your parents’ rules, regulations, and

                                                standards.

                                                It’s having an older brother that you’re tired of taking orders

                                                from... he’s a frequent critic.

                             #2. “I can make a success of my life.”

                                                There is an impatience in teenagers and if the parents are

                                                not willing to train them to wait, too many will leave home

                                                totally unprepared for the real world.

                                                He dreamed of making it big---his own fortune in life.

                                                The hot, hard work in the fields was too demanding.

                                                His dreams must have kept him awake at night trying to

                                                figure a way to get out of this trap, this place that was

                                                holding him back.

                             #3. “I’m living on a dead-end street.”

                                                He needed money to finance his dreams and he had none.

                                                Some day he would have an inheritance, but that was an

                                                eternity away.

                                                One day he would have one-third of his father’s                                                                possessions. According to the law, his older brother would                                                   receive a double-portion and the family land would remain                                                    with the older son.

                                                His father’s death was most likely going to be years away.

          B. A Young Man With A Demand

                        1. What we learn of this younger son’s character:

                             #1. He spoke disrespectfully to his father.

                                                • There was no “please” or “thank you.”

                                                • Just “give me.”

                                                • It was not a request, but a demand.

                                                • Bottomline: “I wish you were dead!”

                             #2. He didn’t know what he was getting into.

                                                • He didn’t know how immature and inexperienced he                                                                     was.

                                                • He didn’t know the test of prosperity--having too much                                                                money in his pocket.

                                                • He didn’t know he lacked wisdom.

                                                • He didn’t know how little self-control he really had.

                                                • He didn’t know how poorly he chose his friends.

                                                • He didn’t know his bent towards evil... or maybe he                                                                      just didn’t care.

                        2. What we learn from this father:

                             #1. He was not a weak man for granting his son’s                                             request; he knew his boy.

                                                • He knew he had a hard time listening to those who had

                                                            authority over him.

                                                • He knew he had tried to teach him to be honest and                                                                                productive.

                                                • He knew his son had to learn things the hard way.

                                                • He understood the law of sowing and reaping.

                             #2. His heart must have been broken.

                                                • Although it doesn’t say that in the passage, just read

                                                            ahead at the response of the father when his son    

                                                            returns to him.

                                                • What parent doesn’t ache for their wayward son/daughter?

          C. A Young Man Having It All And Having A Ball

                        1. What did the younger son NOT do:

                                    a) He didn’t consult a financial planner.

                                    b) He didn’t ask for advice from others.

                                    c) He did no estate planning for himself.

                                    d) He didn’t buy into investments that could potentially grow.

                                                ...in short, he did nothing.

                                                ...except live loosely and wildly.

                        2. He’s not the first to squander away a fortune:

                                    #1. A young man nicknamed “Coal-Oil Johnny” Steele reportedly                                                         wiped out a two-million-dollar inheritance in just a few                                                          years, once spending $8,000 on clothes in a single day. On                                                   another occasion he is said to have leased a entire                                                               Philadelphia hotel for a night at a cost of over $10,000---just                                                 so he could fire a clerk who had not accorded him the                                                             deference he demanded.

                                    #2. Another big spender was Diamond Jim Brady, who owned a                                                           separate set of jeweled studs, cuff-links, and rings for every                                                           day of the month. Reportedly he was in the habit of giving                                                            chorus girls a thousand dollars a piece for attending his                                                             lavish parties.

                                    #3. And there was “Bobby,” the son of a wealthy industrialist.                                                       Bobby selected his college on the basis of the parties held on                                     campus. The academic dean dismissed him after the first                                                       year. But Bobby had arrived on campus with a fist full of his                                          dad’s credit cards  and had actually managed to charge up to                                                     $100,000 on clothes, cars, and alcohol. He had also                                                                  wrecked two new cars, including the sports convertible he                                                   had been given for his high school graduation. At the time of                                            his dismissal he demanded of his father $1,000 to pay for                                                        the abortion of a girlfriend.

                        3. It’s not always the lifestyle of the rich and famous---in this case it was                                            the lifestyle of the rash and foolish.

                                    He went from riches to rags.

                                    One thing is sure: He went broke.

                        4. Now he was deserted, destitute, and discouraged.

                        5. Think about all he wasted.... every bit of it was God’s gift.

                                    a) That’s exactly what an inheritance is--- a gift from God to go

                                                from family-to-family.

                                    b) Think of the time he wasted---and his talents.

Squandering God’s gift---no matter what it is---

is sin and the essence of the prodigal life.

                        6. This is the doorway into The Bondage of Sin.... and many have

                                    passed through this way.

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Conclusion:

1. Let’s not be too quick to judge the younger son. Let’s take a look at our own lives.

            Was there a time you wasted God’s gifts to you? How did it affect you?

            In what ways have you changed? Are there some lessons you learned that you

            can share with others?

2. Not all sons are prodigals. Some sons simply take their places in the family for granted

            by not being thankful for what the Father has done for us. It’s easy to get this way

            when you get into a routine of life.

            Is serving God faithfully with a sweet, submissive spirit, part of your routine?

3. It’s always better to do it God’s Way---not My Way.

            If you’ve strayed away from the Father, isn’t it time to come home?