"The Joy of the Father"

Luke 15:1-2; 11-32

Rev. Min J. Chung

(Friday Night Large Group, September 17, 1999)

 

Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering round to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them." Luke 15:1-2.

Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, `Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a dist ant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fiel ds to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no-one gave him anything. "When he came to his senses, he said, `How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way of f, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. "The son said to him, `Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' "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. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was l ost and is found.' So they began to celebrate. "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. `Your brother has come,' he replied, `and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 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. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' "`My son,' the father said, `you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 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.'" Luke 15:11-32. NIV

 

I. IntroductionA. We realize somethings value when we lose it. How many of you have

ever lost your keys? [Many raise their hands.] Wallets? [Again many hands.] I have lost money, my drivers license (this is worse than money because you could go to jail if you dri ve without this), my credit card. How many have lost study notes? (If youre a pastor, its sermon notes.) When our building was on fire, I had to grab my sermon notes, because they represented years of invaluable work for me. How many of you have los t information€you forgot where you parked? [Several hands.] Thats important information because you have to roam around for ten minutes looking for your car. How many of you have lost computer work€you spent twenty hours typing your paper and the compu ter crashed? [Many hands.] Think of the pain you experienced. I remember one time I was at Barnes and Nobles with my kids. I go there because they read while I study. By now, they know where everything is. So I was sitting at the table, drinking coffee, and I said, "Boys, put all your books back and come back." Daniel came back and was talking with me

while we waited for Joshua. Joshua wasnt coming back. I was thinking, "What happened to this boy?" I went a few times up a nd down the aisles of Barnes and Nobles looking for him. I started to get really worried. Parents think of the worst situations possible. I was thinking that he had gotten kidnapped. I was frantically looking for him. I couldnt imagine what had happene d to him. A kid could easily go out through the back door and be kidnapped in a few minutes. Then I went to the childrens section and in the corner of the store, there was Joshua was reading Pokeman books, which are banned in our family. My initial re action was to be so happy that he was there. Then I was so angry at him. Losing your keys or wallet is nothing compared to losing the most precious thing to your heart. I remember many times talking to women who have had abortions, who have either killed or lost their child. The sadness and feelings they have are incomparable to the losing of ones keys. I remember talking to parents whose children had committed suicide. That is incomparable to the losing of ones keys. The principle is the pain of losing an object is in proportion to the value of the object to its owner. The pain of losing an object is equal to the value of the lost object. The more you care for the lost object or person, the more pain you have if you lose it. I think thats what this text is about.

B. There are three parables lined up in Luke 15: the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. The lost sheep and coin were valuable to their owners, but nothing compares to a lost son. Why is Jesus giving these parables? The key t o understanding them is this: When you hear the story you must feel the emotions that are going on. Jesus is speaking in verses 1-2. "Now the tax collectors and sinners". The tax collectors and sinners were being compared to the younger so n. They were the lost coin, the lost sheep, the lost son. They were all gathering around to hear him. They were the outsiders, the ones who usually dont come to church. If they did come to church, youd look up and down at them and judge them. The yo unger sons, the coins and sheep that were lost, were coming home. When the church people realized that these people were coming to Christ, they should have rejoiced, yet in verse 2 it says, "But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law (the synagog ue-comers, the ones in the sanctuary, the ones who came to church) muttered, This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them." They were the older sons, the 99 sheep, the coins that were in the pocket of the owner. Later on, well see deeper insigh ts, but at least in the minds of the Pharisees and teachers of the law, thats what they were being compared to. They were judging not only the people, the tax collectors and sinners, but they were also judging Jesus. Why do we say

that? Because they w ere saying to Jesus, "You cant do that. Its forbidden. You cant sit and eat with them." They werent rejoicing that the lost were coming to Christ. Rather they were angry that Jesus was spending time with them. To illustrate that point, as the parable begins in verse 11, it says that Jesus continues, meaning that Hes giving the same point as the first two parables. Jesus continues with the third parable of the prodigal son, or the parable of the older son, or the parable of the fath er who lost his son. Well talk about these three characters briefly.

II. BodyA. Younger Son

1. Maybe some of you live like this and you feel so judged. Maybe some of you feel like people are looking up and down at you with their judging eyes, because of things that you feel insecure about in your daily life. You know those things are wrong, but you live that way outright. When you come to church, people look at you funny.

2. "The younger one said to his father, Father, give me my share of the estate. So he divided his property between them. 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." (vv. 12-13) One characteristic of the younger son is that he wanted to get away from the father. He lived a lifestyle externally, in public, that declares, "This is how Im going to live and I am going to decide the st andard." If youre like that, you may come to church, but your intention is to get away from the father. In public, you display this kind of lifestyle outright. If youre like that, perhaps you are that younger son. Once in awhile you come to churc h but when you do, you feel judged.

3. What are the characteristics of the younger son? These are also the characteristics of the tax collectors and sinners€money addicts and harlots.

a. Unrestrained Freedom1. In verse 13, as soon as he goes off, he squanders his

wealth in wild living. That word is attractive even in todays society. Loose. Abandon. Reckless. Youre living a loose life. Youre doing whatever you want. Abandon. Reck less. Being free without restraint. The concept of freedom in the world is doing whatever you want. So according to the world, coming to church and reading the Bible is restraint, because freedom is doing whatever you want. But

the Bible says that w hen you do what you want, youre actually in slavery. Youre in the slavery of sin€your evil desire within. Its like sky-diving. Sky-diving feels so free until you realize that you dont have a parachute. It feels free until you hit the bottom. Oops! You werent free. Thats how long the freedom lasts€until you reach the bottom. The prodigal son was soon to hit the bottom. He squandered his wealth and even though temporarily he was doing whatever he wanted, he wasnt free. When situations came he realized that he was trapped.

b. Inevitable Slavery1. He thought he was free, but he was in slavery. Thats

what happens when you do whatever you want. You cannot help but to do whatever you want. You are enslaved to your sinful desires. Just talk to people who smoke. I used to smoke. It was so har d to quit. I just couldnt because I was enslaved. Talk to people who are involved in promiscuous relationships. Tell them, "Stop it," and they cant. Talk to drug addicts. They are in slavery.

2. Some things are not learned without pain. Until the situation came€severe famine, lowest of the lowest, eating pigs food€he didnt learn. For Jews to work with pigs was the lowest of the lowest. He was led to inevitable slavery. When you li ve in unrestrained freedom, you are a slave to sin.

3. I was talking years ago to someone. It might shock you, but people talk to me about everything and anything imaginable. I dont talk about the people involved in these issues, of course. This girl came and said, "Im pregnant." I had to talk to her about all kinds of things so that she would not commit an abortion. She was on the line. She didnt want to do it but she felt like she had to. I told her that wed even raise the kid for her until she got a job because one life is worth it . I told her, "You can disappear for six months. Have the child and well cover for you. Then you can come back and finish school." There are many instances like that. This person said this,

talking about her sexual encounter: "If I just didnt do it that night. If I just stopped that one time." I was thinking, shouldnt you be repentant for more than that one occasion? Until you learn the lesson, one more time can kill you. Just ask Eve€one more fruit. Just ask David€one more lo ok. Sometimes things arent learned without pain. There are many of you listening here who will come years later with regret, with so much of your life ruined, because you had been led into inevitable slavery. If you break attachment with God, youll end up attached to something else. When you dont get it from God, youll try to get it from people or things, drugs, alcohol, other things. You become enslaved. Unrestrained freedom leads to inevitable slavery. Maybe some of you are here, or on the r oad to this place. This is what you need to do to have restored sonship.

c. Restored Sonship. Basically the younger son comes in repentance. How he repents is important. How do I restore my relationship with God? Very simple. Here are a few things.

1. He came to himselfa. When you come in repentance to God, when

you are in relationship with God, you are coming to your senses. Thats what verse 17 is saying. When he came to his senses. When you are alienated from God, you are always alienated from yourself . You cant know yourself or relate properly to God if youre running from the One who made you for Himself. You were made by God in the image of God for the glory of God. Thats your identity so apart from God you are not yourself. That is a m ain thing about your identity as a human being; apart from God you are lost. You have no purpose. You dont know who you are. Conversion, coming back to the Lord is coming to yourself as well as coming to God. It is discovering where you came fr om, who are you and what you live

for. People say to us Christians, "Youre out of your mind." But the Bible says that we are the ones in our senses. The people in the world are out of their minds until they find their identity in God, their pu rpose in God, and are living for the glory God.

2. He realized he sinned against God and peoplea. Verses 17-18. The identity of the father is that

hes rich and awesome. ""When he came to his senses, he said, `How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father a nd say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you." What does it mean that "Ive sinned against heaven?" It means that "Ive sinned against God." What does it mean that "Ive sinned aga inst you?" It means that Ive sinned against my father-a human being. The younger son is realizing, "Ive sinned against God and you." In his repentance, he understood he sinned against God and people. When he sinned, ultimately, its a sin against God, but it involved people. When you hit someone, its a sin against God. But you dont go to your room and pray, "Im sorry. Ive sinned against You, Lord," and thats it. You gotta also ask for forgiveness fro m the person you hit.

b. This sorrow is not for what he had lost, but for what he had done. Remorse and regret is "I lost all my money. Man!" Or "My reputation is shot down. Im going to go home. How can I talk to my neighbor! They all know what I did.&qu ot; Feeling bad doesnt mean youre repenting. He realized he sinned against his father and God. This sorrow wasnt for what he had lost, but for what he had done against God and people.

c. I try to teach that to my children. A few weeks ago, one of my boys did a terrible thing to his

piano teacher. He was very rebellious, uncooperative, shouting at her, so I, the police dad, had to come. I gave him an ample spanking. Then I told him, "Get on your knees by your bed and repent, boy." He did. He said, "Am I done?" I replied, "No. You gotta write a letter to your teacher and say youre sorry." He wrote a letter saying, "Ill never do it again." ; It was so cute. I wanted to kiss him but I had to look angry. Then I said, "Go apologize to everyone in the room because you made everyone feel bad when you acted like that."

d. He comes to himself, sinned against God and people, but also:

3. He saw the privilege of sonshipa. When you realize what youve done is against

God and his people is wrong, then you realize whatever you have is a privilege. "I am no longer worthy to be called your son." I could have said, "He saw his worthlessness," ; instead of "He saw the privilege of sonship." But it doesnt sound good in this day and age so I had to correct it. He realizes the privilege of sonship. In this self-image culture, what is your self-image? Self-esteem is thinking higher of yourself. Wrong theology is like this: Jesus came to die for you because you are so valuable. Thats wrong. We are nothing. We are worthless. He came to die for worthless people, but because He died for us, now we are worthy, because we have bec ome sons and daughters of Jesus Christ. We are valuable only because of His love, salvation, and what we are in Jesus Christ. We have no objective value in and of ourselves. Apart from God, you are not much different from cockroaches, mosquitoes, o r me. We merely become dust when we die apart from God. But we have subjective value to whom? God. Do you see? We have no

objective value but we are valuable because God considers us valuable. He loves us; there is no other reason. Its not because w e are good-looking or nice or contribute to anything He does. We are objectively worthless. "I am no longer worthy to be called your son." Our value is equal to Gods love. We are dust, cockroaches, sheep, coins that are lost€who cares? But w e are sons. There are millions of sons who die all the time, why are we valuable? Because of the fathers love for his child. Because our God is our Father, we are valuable. When we see our unworthiness, we see the privilege of sonship.

B. Older SonHe does not know love. He has no love for God nor people. He cannot see himself. Jesus is comparing the older son to the Pharisees and teachers of the law. Hes talking to the church comers and pew warmers. The older sons are the compliant ones, t hough not necessarily the happy ones. They are the externally impeccable. Many of you are like that. Goody-goodies. Lets look at the characteristics of the older son.

1. He Was a Slavea. Notice that he didnt consider himself a son. Look at what

he thinks he is. The older son comes out and there is a party going on. "Hey! Nobody sent me an invitation." A servant comes out, "Come on, join the party. Your brother has returned home!" The older brother is angry. He says, "All these years Ive been slaving for you." See how he sees himself? He was a slave. You see the proof? "Yet you never gave me even a young goat." You didn t pay me. Only servants desire pay. Do you desire payment from your dad? (Sometimes we do. Some of you ask for payment from your dad without working.) Who serves? Slaves. Who loves? Sons. He was doing the masters work but not receiving the F athers love. There was no joy because there was no love. If you have no joy there is no love. Ill do anything for my kids, my family. Most of the time Im so happy to do anything. Are you a slave or are you a son?

b. The father says, "My son, you are always with me." He was asking for money as a slave and the father responds, "Everything I have is yours." The father was saying,

"Youre my son. Am I not enough? I give you not onl y a fattened calf, I give you everything I have. Everything I have is yours." Whatever the Father has is yours. Hes a billionaire. Its all mine! Are you joyful when you serve the Father?

2. He Was a Self Lovera. He loved himself. When he says to the father, "Pay me,"

what is he saying? He was serving to receive for himself. Thats why when his brother comes, hes angry and has no love. He does not even refer his brother as a brother but he s ays "This brother of yours." What was his motive? The younger son has external sins, doing things outside. The characteristic of the older son is wrong motive and heart. Why was he doing all those compliant things at home? Remember, if ther e are negative emotions, there is a false motive. He says, "All these years Ive been slaving for you and (its not in the text but you know that its there) I never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goa t so I could celebrate with my friends." What was his real motive for being compliant, for doing all those things at home, for "serving" dad? For himself.

b. What is the consequence of his self love? No love for God or others.

1. He had no love for the fathera. The proof of love is that you are joyful

when something gives joy to the object of your love. If you really love that person, you are happy when they are happy. The worst thing as a parent is if youre holding your child and theyre crying and yo u cant do anything about it. When your child or wife cries, you cant do anything about it. Are you going to say, "Stop it!"? But when theyre happy, theres nothing like that. That gives you such joy.

b. A couple of days ago, Daniel came and said, "Daddy, daddy let me read you this book." I was so busy, but he insisted. He read me half the book. I had to go so I told him, "Lets finish this later." I was thinking hed forget be cause they usually forget after a few days. Well, a few days later, on my way out, he said

to me, "Daddy, I thought you were fasting today. When you fast you stay home all day. When am I going to read you this book?" For him to remember for a couple of days and remind me that he wanted to read this book, I was so happy. I wanted to just be there for ten more minutes just so he could read it to me. He really wanted to be with me. I wanted to give him what he wanted. If you really love a perso n, whatever gives that person joy will be joyful to you. The father is this happy for the younger son to come back; if the older son really loved the father, hed be happy, too. This joy is important, because in all three parables, it talks about joy. He had no love for his father.

2. He had no love for othersa. It proves his self love. When this son of yours.

He doesnt say, "When my brother." Its like when Adam talks about his wife, he says "The woman you gave me.", not "my wife." He tried to make it as non-perso nal as possible. This son has no love for his brother. We can see the amazing love of the father in gentle correction of verse 32. "But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was los t and is found.'" Hes saying to the older son, "Its not this son of mine." Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees. "When these tax collectors come, theyre your brothers; love them." When the older son had this anger, it proved his motive of living for himself.

b. When you have hatred toward others, you have judgmental eyes. Why? Self-righteousness. Why did the Pharisees have judgmental eyes and self-righteousness? Look at verse 30. The older son says, "But when this son of yours who has squandered you r property with prostitutes comes home." Where does it say that the younger son spent

his money on prostitutes? Jesus is saying that if you had the money that the younger son had, thats what you wouldhave done. How do you know about the tax collectors and prostitutes? How do you know? Your hidden desires. Youre self righteous, because youre at least not doing it outside aand thus you think you are better than them." They lusted all their lives. The Pharisees were stabbed in their hearts. When youre self righteous, you have no love for God or people. You have no love for the Giver, only the gift. He was a slave and a self-lover.

3. He Was Blinda. The same filthy, internal sins the older son had, the

Pharisees had as well. They were blind, proud, selfish, unloving, hypocrites. When you think of the younger son, think of the process. He saw himself. Then he felt sorry to < B>God and people and then he says, "Im unworthy," and humbled himself. This older brother is exactly the opposite. He was blind. This older brother hates God and people. He thinks hes worthy to receive. Are y ou like the younger or older son? Are you proud because youre not externally committing sins, but internally youre filthy in your heart? Its about your motive, intention, thought life. The reason you do things is for yourself, to be exalted; you are b lind and judging. When you look into Scripture, these are the worst kinds of sinners, the spiritually proud. They will cause more problems for the kingdom of God. They are harder to convince. That is so true in the church. People who have more titles a nd positions, including pastors and elders. Always look at your heart and fight and struggle with it all your life so you will never lose the privilege of being in the kingdom of God. May you always have a pure heart, pure motives, humbling yourself befor e the Lord.

C. FatherThe Father is what this parable is about.

1. He Is Seekinga. He would leave the 99 to seek the one. Hes not happy with

having nine coins. He seeks one more. He doesnt say, "I have another son." He desires to seek and save the lost.

2. He Will Forgivea. The older son harbored internal sin. Some might

mistakenly think that God hates older sons. "Im the older son so He hates me." No. Remember, He looks for the younger son only because the older son didnt run away. You can be in the Fa thers house but never receive the love of the Father. The Father did go out and plead with the older son, just as he wentt out for the younger son (v. 28). He loves you. Older brothers, hypocrites, He loves you. He loves us hypocrites. Chuck Swindoll said there are two rebels under one roof. Internal and external.

b. What does he do for the younger son? Think of it like this. He waits all this time. He probably spent everyday looking for his son. The son is walking back and saying to himself, "Im going to say this and that." He is a still long, way off, far away, maybe as small as a particle of dust. But the father thinks about him so much that he knows its him. Hes filled with compassion for him and he starts to run toward him. Stop right there. I was thinking about this. The younger son is w alking and thinking, "Im dead. Hes gonna yell at me. Hes gonna say, I told you so. Im just gonna be a slave." Then he looks up and sees his father running toward him. Maybe the younger son is thinking, "Oh no! Hes gonna kick me! Hes gonna kill me!" But he throws his arm around him. Now the younger son thinks hes going to choke him. But he kisses him. The tense of the word kissed him  is he kissed him again and again and again. He smooched him. He kissed him aga in and again and again and again and again. What is the point? It doesnt matter what you have done. He doesnt ask, "What did you do with the money?" Hes so happy at just the fact that he is coming, at his repentant attitude. Whether its internal or external, I dont care what you have done. The power of the love of Jesus Christ is much more powerful than any sin you can imagine committing. Thats the power of the gospel. If you come, He will forgive. He has a soft spot for a broken h eart and contrite spirit. If you have a broken and contrite heart, no matter what youve done, Hell forgive you.

3. He Will Rejoice

a. He rejoices not over football games. Not over bargain sales. Not over a $10 million dollar lottery jackpot. (That would be nice for our building fund. I would rejoice.) Not over finishing a doctoral degree. Not over the roar of a crowd. N ot over the approval of a boss. Not over the crush of an attractive person of the opposite gender. God rejoices over a sinner coming home. He rejoices over a soul coming to Christ. Remember, the pain of losing an object is equal to the value of the lost object. The more valuable the object, the more painful it is when you lose it. The more valuable the lost object, the more joyful it is when you find it. Why in the world is there a picture of a joyful and happy God in all three parable s? Because He loves us that much. Praise the name of God!

III. ConclusionA. The application for us in the church is just as the Father seeks, a true

brother will seek. Why? Because its a family thing. Just as the Father will forgive, a true brother will forgive. He will not look up and down at someone coming into c hurch. He forgive. He kisses again and again and again. He fives a pleading look. For God has a soft spot for a broken and contrite heart. If youre a true brother, as the Father rejoices, you will, too. If you are that younger son, you are living for your flesh. You have unrestrained freedom. Maybe you are slowly realizing the inevitable slavery. You need to come to yourself because apart from God you dont know where you are going. You dont know the purpose of your existence. You must realize that youve sinned against God and people. Realize your unworthiness and come to the privilege of sonship. Hell come. I wish we had a communion table here. I always say before communion, "Those who say, Im so unworthy that I can never come to the t able. God cant forgive someone like me. This table is for you. Its for all the cheaters, liars, selfish ones. Its for those with judging eyes, those older sons as well as the younger sons. Its for the pimps, prostitutes, aborters, fornicators, adul terers. This table is for you." Our God is a forgiving God, no matter what youve done in your life, He will forgive you. If you come and say, "I need You," He will forgive you. Do not learn the hard way. Come to the Lord and Hell wash y ou, cleanse you and your life will never be the same again. Lets pray to the Lord for a few minutes. If youre an older brother, repent, you hypocrites and Pharisees. His love for you is the same. Realize you absolutely need His love. Its a privilege t hat you can be sons and daughters of God. Repent of your internal sins, your hypocrisy, your lack of love for God and His

people. Repent for that. If you are a younger son, come with an open heart. Say to him, "Lord, I need you." Its not a comp licated prayer. Lets be lavished at the banquet of the Father. This table is for every single one of you with a broken and contrite heart.