The Prodigal Son: Releasing and Returning (Luke 15: 11-32)

The Prodigal Son: Releasing and Returning (Luke 15: 11-32)

Collin Leong, June 19, 2015

Scripture Reference: Luke 15:11-32

Study Synopsis

The Prodigal son is one of the most familiar parable that Jesus told. When you read that story, who do you most often imagine yourself to be? Most of you will probably answer "I am the prodigal son, who was (or need to be) forgiven for running away from God".  And of course, that would be 100% true.

But there's so much more to learn and apply from this story. You see, in it's most generic form, this story is simply about a lost-and-found relationship between two persons. (We leave the elder son out of the picture for the moment).  Each of us, at some point in our lives, had either been the person who had run away, or the person who had lost someone, or both.

Perhaps some of us have left or drifted away from our loved ones - our parents, our siblings, our spouse, or someone we promised to care for but have neglected them. It's been so long and we don't even think about them much anymore.

Or we could have "lost" someone - a rebellious child who wants freedom and go with friends we don't approve of; a wayward husband addicted to work, wine or women; a wife drawn to gambling or an independent life style; a sister/brother/friend lost in the chase for pleasure or materialism. Different people may have different reactions about losing someone - some may be sad and depressed, some may get angry, some may be disappointed. Some have lost hope, and some still hopeful.

In our group study, we wanted to look at this parable as an object lesson on what God would have us do, be it if we are the one who had run away, or the one who has lost someone.  We examine the three downward steps that the prodigal son took when he left his father, and how he took the three upward steps back to his father.  And we observe what his father (a human father) did as he lost his son, and how he welcomed him back.  From this we want to learn one thing - how to restore a broken relationship.

In summary, the 3 steps down when we run away from God or from someone:

1. Restlessness   (discontent with what God has placed us in or with)
2. Recklessness  (deciding to do what makes us feel good, even if it's irresponsible and hurt others)
3. Ruin               (God allows the persistent wayward Christian to reach the point of desperation,)

The 3 steps back to whomever we are running from:

4. Realization   (understanding in our mind how our actions have been wrong and is a sin)
5. Remorse       (being convicted in our hearts how our actions have hurt God and others)
6. Return          (repenting and taking action to go back where we were before)

If we are the one who "lost" someone, we can follow the example of the father in the story:

1. Release        ( Releasing doesn't mean stop caring, just means stop trying to control what you can't. So, let go, and let God.)
2. Receive       (To be prepared to receive with open arms at first sign of repentance. "While he was still far away" - he/she might not be perfect still!)
3. Restore        (Forgiven, forgotten, no mentioning of the past offense)
4. Rejoice        (Public affirmation of the acceptance of the person; not being ashamed of him/her)
5. Reconcile    (To reconcile not just unto yourself, but unto others that the person may have also   offended)

Application

a) Think of someone whom you have run away or drifted away from  (God, loved ones, friends). Pray to God to give you the courage to take the 3 steps back to them.

b) Think of someone whom have run/drifted away from you. Why, and what can you do to restore   them. Do you have to release the person? Do you need more grace to receive the person, instead of rejecting him/her if/when he/she returns?

c) Can you think of two people you can help to reconcile, just as the father attempted to reconcile the two sons? 2Cor 5:18-19  instructed us to carry out the "ministry of reconciliation"


Study Handouts/Details

Attached below.

Part 1:  Returning Home, Starting Over

11Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12The 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. 14After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16He 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! 18I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20So he got up and went to his father.

Passage (Luke 15)	Stages	Notes	Cross References & Personal Notes
v11-12	Restlessness	Discontentment with what we have, where we are, who we are with. Rejecting authority and values. -          Pursuing worldly rewards and materialism -          Children unhappy with parental discipline/control -          Couples unhappy with one another due to unmet expectations	“But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” (1 Tim 6:6-7)
v13	Recklessness	Deciding to do what feels good, what feeds our desires; Ignoring responsibilities toward others and moral values.  In other words, rebellion against the order God has established to protect our physical and spiritual life. -          Following the way of the world to get ahead in our career -          Our children mixing with wrong company. (YOLO) -          Couples living as individuals and pursuing own interests	Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. (Ecc 2:11)

v14-16	Ruin	Arriving at the point of total desperation. When daydreams become a nightmare. When what you depended on betrays you. -          Damaged relationships -          Damaged reputation  -          Broken families -          Damaged testimonies -	“Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” (1 Tim 6:9)
v17	Realization	Waking up to the futility of an independent, wilful and self-centred lifestyle. Being honest with our wrongs -          Recognizing God’s wake-up call -          Remembering His love and mercy -          Being a consistent example to our loved ones and friends who are astray so they remember our kindness in times of their trouble. -	If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally, and upbraides not; and it shall be given him. (James 1:5)
v18-19	Remorse	Not enough just to know in your mind that it is sin, but remain proud. Remorse requires humility and brokenness over sin in the heart. -          “I’ve sin against heaven and against you” – every sin towards fellow man is first a sin towards God. -          Willingness to return at all costs and facing the consequences  (loss of money, status, ego, -	A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.  Psalm 51:17
v20	Return (Repentance)	Real repentance means taking actual steps to return and rectify what was done wrong, not just wallowing in guilt. -          Judas Iscariot’s remorse or repentance is  the verb “metamelomai” -  a change of mind  but not necessarily a change of heart  (Matt. 27:3) -          “Metanoeo” or  “metanoia”  is used of true repentance, a change of mind and purpose and life, to which remission of sin is promised. -          The prodigal son “got up and went to his father” - repentance is not just admitting you are in the pig pen, it means leaving the pig pen	Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent (metanoia). (Rev 3:19)

Part 2: Letting Go and Welcoming Back

“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. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24For 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. 26So 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. 29But 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. 30But 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. 32But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”

v11

Releasing

To let go doesn’t mean not caring, but accepting what we cannot control, and letting God take over.    -          Son to father: “I wish you are dead” -          Why didn’t the father stop his son from leaving? -          What would you do? Reel them in and get resented, or let go and risk losing them? -          It’s difficult & painful -  but is there a time to let go, and let God? After all, God loves them even more than we do. -          Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord. (Phil 1:15,16)

“… with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. (2 Tim 2:24-26)

V20	Receiving	Welcoming back a wandering sinner/offender without judgment, forgetting and forgiving the past. -          Saw – from long way off. Constantly looking for the first sign of change. -          Filled – no anger. No bitterness. Only love and compassion. -          Ran & hug – to protect him from embarrassment, shame or even physical harm. (See Deut 21:18-21) -          Kissed – public declaration of acceptance and welcome	“Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.” (2 Cor 2:7)
V22	Restoring	It’s more than fairness or even kindness. It’s giving His amazing grace, even to the most disgraced. -          The Robe - Restoring his Purity (Zec 3:4-5).  Full forgiveness and justification given. He was made “right” – righteous. -          The Ring - Restoring his Privileges. Full authority of sonship restored. -          The Shoes - Restoring his Position. Not as slave but as son.	“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” (Rom 8:15)
V23-24	Rejoicing	Always having trust in God and giving thanks to God with gratitude, no matter what the situation and circumstances. -          No keeping it secret or “low key”.  Notice how public the father made it known that the son has returned – no embarrassment, no ego to guard. The son “who was dead and is alive, and who was lost but is found” is the only thing that matters.	Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:4-7)
V25-32	Reconciling	Being a peacemaker between two parties in conflict, helping to reconcile broken relationships (with myself and with others) -          Both sons were “lost” in their own way. The older son valued his inheritance more than he valued the presence of his father, and envious of his father’s acceptance of the outcast brother. (Subtle reference to the Jews?)	All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. (2Cor 5:18-19)