LOST AND FOUND WEEK 5:
COME HOME
In Luke 15, we find one of the parables of Jesus that is read and taught the most. We know this parable as the parable of the lost (or “prodigal”) son. It is the story of a young man who demands his inheritance; once he receives it, he leaves home, only to waste everything he was given with bad decisions and loose living. He finds himself destitute and hungry, desiring to eat the pig slop that he was now feeding to the pigs he was taking care of. Verse 17 states, “when he finally came to his senses” he decided that even the servants back home had it better than he did, and he decided to go back home. It is a great story of reconciliation and coming home again, but most of the time the focus is totally on the young man who ran off…and not on perhaps the most important character in the whole story: the father.
In this account, the father is faced with a decision of giving this boy his inheritance (even though it wasn’t due to him until the father’s death). This would have been a huge slap in the father’s face; in essence, what the son was saying was “you are dead to me, give me what is due to me.” I can only imagine the hurt and humiliation that the father must have felt in this instance. But then, when the son is on his way home, the story tells us that even while the boy was still a long way off, the father saw him, ran to him (something that was considered undignified for Jewish men to do), and embraced him. Then the father threw a big party to celebrate his son coming home!
There is almost this picture of a father longing for that lost son to make his way home. Going to the roof of the house every day to watch the long road that led to the house to see if that son was coming back. That is exactly how God the Father acts toward us.
What Jesus was showing us in this story is that we can be lost in all kinds of things. We can be lost in rebellion like the younger son. We can be caught up in religion and routine like the older son. But regardless of where we find ourselves, our loving heavenly father is watching and waiting for us to take a step toward home (and back to him). You can be lost in shame, chaos, religion, suffering, or even lost at home. But the Father is still looking, grace is still reaching, and the home is still open. Don’t wait until you’ve cleaned yourself up or until you figure it all out. Come home because the Father is better than you imagined.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Read Luke 15:11-32. What are some of the ways we as Christians can easily become prodigals?
Compare the three characters in the story. What are the key differences we see in these three people?
Who do you believe each of these characters represents in the Gospel story? Why?
In the story, the father gives the son sandals, a robe, and a ring. Take a few minutes to discuss the significance of each of those items in reconciling the son.
Which of these characters do you most see yourself reflecting? Why? How can we be more like the father and less like the boys? Why is that important?