Luke 15:11-32
The Parable of the Lost Son
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
Jesus knows us in great detail...He knows our name, and knows all about us...He knows how old we are, our weight, our height, what we are doing and what we are thinking...He knows the best in us and He knows the worst in us...And even though He knows the worst in us, He LOVES us and He died for us...The One who knows the worst in us still LOVES us and did not come to earth to condemn us...And Jesus LOVES us the most...He died for each of us individually...He died for us like we were the only individual on earth...And like the prodigal son, when we are lost and down and out He still LOVES us and runs to us when we come to our senses and see that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life...
Jesus' Words are the gospel and the gospel is one of hope and one of optimism...By trusting in Him and His teachings we look on the Light Side, the side and feeling of Hope...And His Teachings went to many outcasts and those who were looked down upon, when He was teaching...Like the prodigal son who made spent and wasted His Father's money and was now feeding the pigs, he was down and out...Had the young prodigal failed in his sin?...He realized he had hope in the LORD, His Father...
When Jesus walked the earth and dwelt among us, success and failure were measured by following His teachings and His Word and living the gospel...Many of His followers were poor, meek, and in need, and they were poor in spirit...So they had little success in their lives...Author George Boyle wrote, “Success and failure, ultimately, have little to do with living the gospel...Jesus just stood with the outcasts until they were welcomed or until He was crucified — whichever came first.”...