A sermon preached at Covenant Presbyterian Church of Fort Smith, Arkansas on March 15, 2026.
And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found’” (Luke 15:11–32).[1]
Luke tells us that as Jesus advanced onward to Jerusalem that “great crowds accompanied him” (Luke 14:25), but it is only later we learn that these crowds included “tax collectors and sinners” (15:1), the social pariah of first-century Israel. Keeping such uncouth company did not go unnoticed, as criticism from the religious right alleged that Jesus was welcoming “sinners” and (aghast!) eating with them (15:2). And the allegations were true. He was, leading to greater Pharisaical consternation. From their perspective, mixing and mingling with sinners meant accepting their sins. They saw no benefit in sinners coming to hear Jesus preach the gospel, nor did they consider that such kindness might lead to repentance. From their merciless perspective, Jesus was simply contaminating himself with the dregs of society.
It was then to their calloused hearts that Jesus told three parables, the first about a lost sheep, the second about a lost coin, and the third a lost son. All three parables convey the same general message: God delights in the salvation of sinners. But it is the third parable that is best remembered, likely because it tells of the extravagant grace and love of a father for his son. We may remember the pigs’ pods that the prodigal wanted to eat, but who can forget when the father runs to and embraces and kisses his wayward son?
It is then from the father’s perspective that I want us to consider this familiar parable. How did the younger son first respond to his father? How did he reconsider his father when he “came to himself” (15:17)? What was the younger son’s perspective of his father when he returned home, and how did the father respond? Why did the father celebrate despite the losing at least a third of his wealth to his younger son’s debauchery? What was the older son’s response to such extravagance, and what was the significance of this father’s response? There is much here for us to consider, but let’s start with the younger son in whom we first witness the ingratitude of depravity.
The Ingratitude of Depravity
The first thing we hear from the mouth of the younger son (in verse 12) is a demand: “Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me” (15:12). Wreaking of ingratitude, it is perhaps the equivalent of saying, “I wish you were dead, so I can have your money now.” According to Jewish law, the younger son was due one third of his father’s estate, and the remainder due his older brother. And scholars tell us that an inheritance could be distributed ante mortem (that is, before death), but whether before or after death, the son’s sentiment is the same. He had a home, provision, and a father who loved him. Yet, he treats these gifts as burdens rather than blessings. And, so he departed “with all he had.”
This should sound familiar to us all, as it describes the ingratitude of human depravity. The Apostle Paul writes in the first chapter of Romans, “For although [fallen humanity] knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him” (Rom. 1:21). Notice the two great failures: They did not honor God, and they did not thank God. They were happy to accept the abundant blessings of God’s common grace, yet without so much as giving thanks. At the heart of human depravity is not merely rule-breaking but ingratitude toward the God who gives us everything. It is living as though God does not exist, as though his gifts are ours to waste.
This is precisely what the prodigal does, taking his inheritance, leaving home, and traveling to a far country, and squandering his inheritance in “reckless living” (15:13). The word prodigal simply means wasteful. He wastes his father’s money, his inheritance, his life. A famine strikes the land, and the young man finds himself feeding pigs—an especially degrading situation for a Jewish listener—starving to the point of longing for the pods pigs eat.
If we could see sin for what it is, this is a fair depiction. It promises freedom but delivers bondage. It promises pleasure but delivers emptiness. It dehumanizes us. It distorts our conscience and clouds our judgment. Which is why we love it when the pigsty-wallowing prodigal comes to himself (15:17). He finally sees rightly.
And when he comes to himself, note what he remembers: his father’s house. He remembers that even the servants there have bread enough to spare. And so he resolves to return home with a humble confession: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” He confesses his sin against God and his father, neither making excuses nor blaming the famine or God but his own deliberate behavior. This sounds like true repentance, and it almost is.
But the prodigal son’s language betrays an underlying motivation. Comparing the pigsty to the livelihood of his father’s servants, he is still thinking of his father as a means to get what he wants. Even when he is graciously greeted by his father, he is still making demands: “Treat me as one of your hired servants” (15:19). Having confessed his sin, he’s now ready to earn his keep. He’s thinking like a servant not a son.[2]
The Presumptuous Pride of Self-Righteousness
Now, before we consider the father’s response to his younger son, I want to fast forward in the parable to the older son. After his brother’s return, after his restitution, the older brother who had been hard at work, hears the music and dancing and asks what is happening, only to learn that a feast is being held in his brother’s honor. Can you imagine his surprise, turning to frustration, turning to disgust? He stayed home, worked hard, and obeyed his father. And while busily caring for his father’s remaining estate, there’s a party going on . . . for his brother.
He says, “Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command…” (15:29).He sounds justified, doesn’t he? But listen closely to his language and tone (in verse 29). He does not respond with “Father” but “Look”!The verb translated “served” is douleuo, meaning “to serve” or “to be enslaved.” He is essentially saying: “Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you” (15:29 NIV).He thinks of his relationship with his father in terms of merit and reward, as if to say, “I served you. I obeyed you. You owe me.”But this is not sonship but slavery disguised as obedience.
Now, let’s pause here and remember why Jesus told this parable.The Pharisees were angry because Jesus welcomed sinners.They believed they had earned God’s favor through obedience.And so, their self-righteousness blinded them to the mercy and grace of God shown to sinners. And Scripture warns us about having this attitude.
In the second chapter of Romans, the Apostle Paul warns the self-righteous then and now, saying, “Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself…” (Rom.2:1).Self-righteous people compare themselves to others and conclude that they are better.But Paul continues, “Do you presume on the riches of [God’s] kindness and forbearance and patience…?” (Rom. 2:4).That word presume is important.The older brother presumes upon his father’s goodness.He assumes he deserves it.Yet Paul warns, “Because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself” (Rom. 2:5).
The tragedy is that the older brother is just as lost as the younger one. The younger son was lost through rebellion. The older son is lost through religion without grace. One ran away from the father. The other stayed near but never knew the father’s heart.
And many people today are in exactly that condition. They attend church. They try to live respectable lives. But deep down they believe God’s acceptance must be earned. Commentator Dale Ralph Davis says, “Some sinners smell of the hog pen; but others reek of the church pew . . .”[3] But the gospel tells us something very different. Which brings us to the heart of the parable.
The Lavish Love of God
The most remarkable figure in the story is the father.When the younger son returns, we read these astonishing words: “While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20).In that culture, dignified patriarchs did not run.But this father runs.He runs toward a son who had dishonored him.He runs toward a son who had wasted his wealth.And before the son can even finish his rehearsed confession, the father interrupts him.
He calls for the best robe, a ring for his hand, shoes for his feet. These are symbols of full restoration.He is not welcomed back as a servant. He is restored as a son.And then the father commands a feast: “For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found” (15:24).This is lavish love.
The father in the parable reflects the heart of God described, for example, in the second chapter of the prophet Joel: “For [God] is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love” (Joel 2:13).God does not merely tolerate repentant sinners.He welcomes them.He embraces them.He restores them.
But notice something else.The father also goes out to the older son.Just as he ran to meet the prodigal, he now leaves the celebration and pleads with the resentful brother.He says tenderly, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours” (Luke 15:31).The father longs for both sons.This shows us the wideness of God’s mercy.God calls the rebellious sinner to return.But he also calls the self-righteous moralist to repent.
There is one more detail worth noticing.The younger son squandered his inheritance.Which means the wealth used to restore him and throw the feast must come from the father’s remaining estate.In other words, the restoration of the prodigal comes at a cost.And this points us to the gospel itself.For God’s lavish love toward sinners ultimately comes through the sacrifice of another Son.Jesus Christ—the true Son—left the Father’s house, entered our far country, and bore our sin on the cross so that rebels and self-righteous people alike might be brought home.The cross shows us the fullest expression of the lavish love of God.
Let us then examine ourselves in light of this parable. Perhaps you recognize yourself in the younger brother. You have wandered far from God. You have squandered his gifts. The message of this parable is simple: Return. As the prophet Joel says, “Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful” (Joel 2:12).
Or, perhaps you see yourself more in the older brother: respectable, moral, religious. Yet quietly resentful of grace. If so, the call of the gospel is the same: Repent. Lay aside the pride that believes you deserve God’s favor and enter the joy of the Father’s house. Because the good news of this parable is that God delights to welcome sinners home.
His love is greater than our rebellion. His grace is deeper than our pride. Such is the lavish love of God: Come home.
[1] Unless referenced otherwise, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version
(Wheaton: Crossway Bibles, 2001).
[2] Philip Graham Ryken, Luke, Vol. 2 (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 2009), 135-137.
[3] Dale Ralph Davis, Luke 14-24: On the Rod to Jerusalem (Fearn: Christian Focus Publications Ltd., 2021), 37.
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