Ben & Kristin Duell (Jaiya, Tucker, Riggins)

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Prodigal: Recklessly or wastefully extravagant.

Big Idea: Sometimes we are the younger brother, sometimes we are the older brother, but we are all called to learn how to be loved by the father and how to love like the father.

The Parable of the Lost Sons (Luke 15:11-32) 11 He also said: “A man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets to them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living. 14 After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing. 15 Then he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to eat his fill from the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him any. 17 When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. 19 I’m no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired hands.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.

The Parable of the Lost Sons (Luke 15:11-32) But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. 21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father told his slaves, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate. 25 “Now his older son was in the field; as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he summoned one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 ‘Your brother is here,’ he told him, ‘and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 “Then he became angry and didn’t want to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him.

The Parable of the Lost Sons (Luke 15:11-32) 29 But he replied to his father, ‘Look, I have been slaving many years for you, and I have never disobeyed your orders, yet you never gave me a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’ 31 “‘Son,’ he said to him, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Why is Jesus telling this story? Luke 15:1-2  1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Why is Jesus telling this story? As a response to the religious Trying to show the religious that no one is beyond the reach of God’s redeeming love. Show the religious that sin is more then just doing bad things it can also be the reasons for why you do the good things.

Redefining God: By accepting the younger son back into the family Showing them the recklessly extravagant (prodigal) love of God. This type of acceptance would have rocked their world.

Redefining Sin: Completely aware of the younger brother type of sin. Completely unaware of older brother type of sin. Sin is more than just doing bad things it can also be the reasons behind why you do the good things

Redefining Salvation: The story ends with the older brother outside the father’s house. Younger, messier, more sinful brother was feasting at the fathers table. The “perfect” good son is still outside not because of the father but because of his goodness. We don’t get to see how it ends.

You might be an older brother if: You find yourself wishing the younger son would have had to pay for his foolishness. You jump to judgment, caution, or concern whenever you hear about believers hanging out with sinners in THEIR establishment. You isolate yourself from sinners and messy non-believing people.

You might be an older brother if: You get perpetually frustrated, angry, and repulsed by the sins of those around you. You get angry with God for not providing something for you that you feel you deserve because you’ve never disobeyed him.

You might be an older brother if: You get even angrier with God for providing something for someone else who you know for a fact has not been as loyal and devoted to God as you. You don’t really think you are that sinful.

You might be an older brother if: You struggle to give yourself grace and to offer grace to those around you. You obey God for what he might give you not simply because you love him.

You might be a younger brother if: You feel tired of your self-indulgent lifestyle. You feel ashamed of your past, your present, and the prospect of your future. You are turned off by your experience with self- righteous religious people.

You might be a younger brother if: You are certain that you know the best path for yourself and don’t believe you need anyone or anything to tell you otherwise. You are afraid to be deeply known and loved by people for fear that they might discover who you really are and what you’ve really done. You want God for what he can give you not simply because you love him.

You might be learning to love like the Father if: You find yourself more and more deeply aware of your own sin and need for a savior. You find yourself increasingly burdened by the lost-ness of others around you. You find yourself increasingly offering Truth and Grace to those around you.

You might be learning to love like the Father if: Sinners are drawn to you because of how you offer them the Love and Truth of Jesus in a way that is full of grace and humility. You are willing to dive into the messiness of peoples lives and get your hands dirty in order to help them experience the love of Jesus. The religious are angry with you for spending time with sinners.

How is New Hope doing in this area? Do we as a church tend to primarily draw moralistic religious people or are we characterized by our willingness to walk side by side in the messiness of younger brothers and older brothers and help them experience the prodigal love of the Father?

The Good News!!! We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ then we ever dared hope. -- Tim Keller

Big Idea: Sometimes we are the younger brother, sometimes we are the older brother, but we are all called to learn how to be loved by the father and how to love like the father.