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lesson 5 THE LOVING FATHER Lk 15:10-32 I. Background
of the Parable 1. Context a. The
sinners drew near to Jesus and the Pharisees complained, Lk 15:1-2. b. Jesus
used two parables to teach about the value of the lost who are found,: -9,
the lost sheep and the lost coin. c. Jesus
says there is joy in heaven over sinners who repent, :10. 2. Definitions/Cultural Insights a. Prodigal:
wild, wasteful, riotous, :13. b. Famine:
shortage of food, probably because of drought, :14. c. Pods:
seed pods of the Carob tree, :16. d.. Hired
servant: hired man contrasted with a son, :19. e. Fattened
calf: young ox fed specially for serving at a celebration feast, :3. II.
Understanding the Parable 1. The setting…a man of
substance has two sons. a. The
younger son demands his inheritance, :12. b. The
father divides the inheritance between the two sons, :12. c. The
younger son leaves his father and goes his own way, :13. 2. The parable shows the result
of separation from the father. a. The
son wastes his resources in sinful living, :13. b. He
finds himself in a hopeless condition, :14-16. 3. Jesus showed… difficult circumstances bring repentance. a. The
son realized his lost condition, :17. b. He
remembered the blessings of his father’s household, :17. c. He
decided to put himself at his father’s mercy, :18-19. 4. Jesus taught… the fruit of repentance. a. The
son decided to return to his father, :20. b. He
confessed his unworthiness, :21. 5. The love of the father. a. The
father was waiting, looking and saw him coming, :20. b. The
father received him with great joy and celebration, :20-24. 6. Reaction of the elder brother. a.
The elder
brother was jealous of his father’s affection, and kept looking at the
unworthiness of his younger brother, :28-30. b, The
father reminded the elder son of all the blessings he received from being
always with his father, :31. c. The
father reminded him that the younger son was his brother, and that he was
lost, and is found, therefore it is right to rejoice, :32. III.
Consideration and Application of the Parable 1.God’s Unconditional Love!! The father loved both the faithful
(jealous) older son and the rebellious (repentant) younger son. He rejoiced because of the return of the younger son,
who had been lost from his family, and was now found, who had be dead in sin, but had now repented and
returned to his father, Lk 15:7, 32.
Such is God’s love. Can you be
happy for the way God blesses and loves others,
or do you think of yourself and what you deserve first? 2. God’s Love… for the lost God looks with great
compassion on the lost, and wants them to repent and return to him, Lk 15:20;
Mt 15:32; 2 Pet 3:9. As the father, God will wait, watch and
ultimately forgive the repentant.
Will you have the same heart?
Will you act like Jesus and seek the lost, Lk 19:10? 3. God’s Love… never failing God will not fail to receive
His children, if we repent and turn to Him. Rom 8:27-35, 1 Jn 1:5-10. Will you continue to have a repentant spirit, 2 Cor 7:9-11? 4. God’s Love… or counterfeit love Initially the son
settled for a fake love, the love of friends when you have money. Why do people waste their lives on cheap love, i.e. sex, money, and
power? How have these counterfeit
types of love hurt or destroyed people you know, 1 Jn 2:15-17; Js 1:12-22? . IV. Memory Verses - Lk 15:31-32 |