Luke 15:11-32 (CEB)
11 Jesus said, “A certain man had two sons. 12 The younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the inheritance.’ Then the father divided his estate between them. 13 Soon afterward, the younger son gathered everything together and took a trip to a land far away. There, he wasted his wealth through extravagant living.
14 “When he had used up his resources, a severe food shortage arose in that country and he began to be in need. 15 He hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to eat his fill from what the pigs ate, but no one gave him anything. 17 When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have more than enough food, but I’m starving to death! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I no longer deserve to be called your son. Take me on as one of your hired hands.” ’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion. His father ran to him, hugged him, and kissed him. 21 Then his son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly, bring out the best robe and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! 23 Fetch the fattened calf and slaughter it. We must celebrate with feasting 24 because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life! He was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his older son was in the field. Coming in from the field, he approached the house and heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the servants and asked what was going on. 27 The servant replied, ‘Your brother has arrived, and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he received his son back safe and sound.’28 Then the older son was furious and didn’t want to enter in, but his father came out and begged him. 29 He answered his father, ‘Look, I’ve served you all these years, and I never disobeyed your instruction. Yet you’ve never given me as much as a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours returned, after gobbling up your estate on prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’ 31 Then his father said, ‘Son, 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. He was lost and is found.’”
This story focuses on the relationship of the father and the two sons, and we see the two brothers through the father’s eyes.
The son who took an early inheritance comes to understand his dilemma when he is at his lowest. He is without money or possessions and realizes that he is worse off than the hired hands on his father’s farm. Squandering his inheritance that he received from his father is a sin against his father. So, he returns home not expecting to be reinstated as a son, but as a hired hand. It’s a hard lesson to recognize that inheritance without relationship is not all that great.
When the son arrives home, he sees that his father has been waiting and watching for him to return. He is greeted with mercy and treated with love and given possessions and a celebration that he did not deserve. The entire household is called upon to celebrate his return.
The second son, who has been faithfully by his father’s side the whole time, is understandably angry. We can reason that if the younger’s son’s inheritance was already given to him, the possessions his father now has would one day belong to the older son. I can understand why the older son felt that his father was squandering his inheritance on his younger brother. Isn’t it human nature to want what is rightly ours to have?
This parable is complex and full of layers. It’s about individualism and materialism. It’s about relationships. In the end, it is the story of a father who once again has two sons at home. Relationships are reconciled with the father, although it is unclear what will happen to the brothers. We understand that the father, waiting and watching, is God.
At times in our lives we can imagine ourselves as one or the other son. Things seem fair and right when we have enough food or clothes for our family. Or if all our families get along. But what about the other family? Do we care and celebrate when we see reconciliation? Do we throw a party for our neighbors when their son or daughter who was lost comes home? The good news of hope for the world today is that no one is excluded from God’s grace! God desires reconciliation to all people and is eagerly watching for children to come home. Can we celebrate the entire family of God? How willing are we to offer forgiveness and grace to others?
Consider
- What does coming to oneself require?
- Do we build relationships based on money, merit, or mercy?
- Does reconciliation with God require reconciliation with each other?
- What does reconciliation look like?
- As a believer, what do we understand our inheritance to be?
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