A Father's Prodigal Love, Part 2 [2-22-26]

February 22, 2026

Luke 15:11-24

“A Father’s Prodigal Love, Part 2”

If this were a Leap Year, which it’s not - 2028 will be the next Leap Year – I would guarantee we’d complete Luke 15 in February. But, alas, it is not. So I can guarantee we’ll get to Luke 15:25-32 next Sunday, March 1. That’ll be our March Madness.

Today, let’s leap into, once again, Luke 15:11-24:

And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

We left off last week with an exploration of our sin and God’s forgiveness. That’s the simplest description of the parable of a Father’s prodigal love. Open, blatant, crushingly vile disobedience and extravagant love.

To gain a deeper appreciation for God’s joy over our repentance and forgiveness, let’s look at what the Bible says about our wickedness. Remember, the meaning of these parables is predicated on the fact that we are sinful, lost people. It’s our sin…which causes separation from God… which drives Jesus to Jerusalem and the cross. There he will die for us… because of our sin…so that we can be reconciled to God. God seeks and saves the lost so we can enjoy heaven. So, yeah, it’s important we talk about sin.

First, it’s important to remember that God doesn’t want us to be separated from Him. God doesn’t want us to suffer eternal separation from Him. God is the seeker who finds the sinner. As Puritan preacher Jonathan Edwards once observed:

“God’s single end in redemption is His own joy.”

In other words, God has a compelling interest in saving lost sinners. God

has joy in saving lost sinners.

Equally true is what the Bible says in Ezekiel 18:21-24:

“But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live. Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.”

God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. We see it alluded to in these three parables. God finds joy in the repentance and salvation of sinners.

Listen to Zephaniah 3:17:

The Lord your God is in your midst,

a mighty one who will save;

he will rejoice over you with gladness;

he will quiet you by his love;

he will exult over you with loud singing.

In one short verse we hear that God calms our anxiety…He gives us unconditional security…He comforts us with His love…and He has joyful affection for us. How wonderful is that? There’s so much beauty in the knowledge that God rejoices in finding lost sinners. Amen?

Establishing that firm Biblical truth, let’s now move on to the lost son’s movement home. He is returning to his senses. As we’ve already read:

But when he came to himself, he said, “How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.’” And he arose and came to his father.

Where has his sin put him? Not only in a far-away place living worse than

the pigs. But also in a place where people don’t care about you as a person. Even as a desperate, dying person. He is discardable. Perhaps past a point of no return.

Before it got to the point, the youngest son took a dramatic turn in attitude and action. As verse seventeen tells us, “He came to himself.” That is the beginning of a reality check. “He came to himself.” This is the beginning of repentance. “He came to himself,” is a huge clue about his state of mind. The turning point comes because the son remembers his father’s goodness, even to his hired hands. At least, under the shadow of his father’s love, he won’t live out his final days amongst the pigs.

This is a pivot for the son that carries the beginning of repentance. It is what starts him down the road to recovery and restoration. Here’s something else you might want to write down:

THE WORLD SAYS TO “LIVE YOUR TRUTH.” THE BIBLE SAYS TO “FOLLOW THE TRUTH.” HIS NAME IS JESUS.

Here’s where the rubber hits the road. In verses eighteen and nineteen, we

read again:

I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”

What do you hear here? Right…repentance. The son recognizes the errors of his ways. He knows he must change. His actions combine the two elements of true repentance…changes in behavior and thinking.

How much have his behavior and thinking changed? Remember, he knows that love is in the heart of his father. Just as we know there is love in the heart of God. As Zach Williams sings:

I know you're hurtin', I can see it in your eyes

So, pull back the curtain and take off your disguise

Whoever told you ain't worth the fight

The cross tells a story that'll change your mind

'Cause there's only love in the heart of God

No room for shame in His open arms

There's beauty from ashes, so come as you are

And there's only love in the heart of God

Come, prodigal children, it's never too late

Run home to the Father, let Him clothe you with grace

And bury your burdens, break free from the fear

Step out the shadows, there's no judgment here

The son’s misery is real. But he realizes it’s better to return in shame and work as a day laborer than be treated as he is now by his pagan master. In its historical context, a day laborer is in a worse position than a slave. A slave enjoys life in the house with the family. A slave is part of the ebb-and-flow of family life. Not so for a day laborer. A day laborer barely ekes out a day-to-day existence. The work could be here today, gone tomorrow. Proverbs 17:2 sums it up best:

A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully

and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.

That’s how far the younger son has fallen. He knows his uppance has

come. He knows he has shamed his family. He knows he belongs in the scrapheap of family history. It’s all too real for him.

But even realer for him…which is a blessed gift of grace and mercy…is the love of his father. Check out what doesn’t happen:

And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

What doesn’t happen first? Before he can utter his confession, the father has compassion for him. As the lyrics from another favorite song puts it:

I run to the Father

I fall into grace

I'm done with the hiding

No reason to wait

My heart needs a surgeon

My soul needs a friend

So I'll run to the Father

Again and again

And again and again

You saw my condition

Had a plan from the start

Your Son for redemption

The price for my heart

And I don't have a context

For that kind of love

I don't understand

I can't comprehend

All I know is I need You

My heart has been in Your sights

Long before my first breath

Running into Your arms

Is running to life from death

And I feel this rush deep in my chest

Your mercy is calling out

Just as I am You pull me in

And I know I need You now

I run to the Father

I fall into grace

I'm done with the hiding

No reason to wait

My heart needs a surgeon

My soul needs a friend

So I'll run to the Father

Again and again

Here’s what Jesus is telling us is happening. The father does not demand the son express his repentance before he showers his love upon him. I’m thinking here of 1 John 4:19, “We love because he first loved us.” Also Romans 5:6-8:

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person - though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die - but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The profound truth expressed here is that we don’t repent to earn God’s

love. We repent because Jesus’ death on the cross for our sin is an

expression of God’s love. You hear the difference.

The love of the father is overwhelming. It is beyond expectation. After that, the son confesses. “I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But before he can finish his prepared plea, what happens? His plea is cut short because it’s important for the father to let his son know he doesn’t have to work his way back into his favor. As the son is in the middle of confessing, the father then takes over the narrative. He showers surprising and exorbitant grace upon him. As Isaiah 65:24 promises:

Before they call I will answer;

while they are yet speaking I will hear.

That promise is a good place to end. Next week, we’ll wrap up the Parable of a Father’s Prodigal Love with a surprising twist. Until then, let’s join voices in an encouraging affirmation:

GOD REJOICES IN THE REPENTANCE AND SALVATION OF SINNERS.