The Other Prodigal Son
GOD’S WAY BIBLE STUDY
The Other Prodigal Son
Tuesday August 13, 2024
Luke 15:11-32 (NLT) 11 To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. 12 The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. 13 “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. 14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. 15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16 The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything. 17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’ 20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’ 22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began. 25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’ 28 “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 29 but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’ 31 “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”
To be prodigal is to be wasteful.
The prodigal son spent his inheritance, not his father’s wealth, WASTEFULLY. He, not his father, was the victim of his own foolish wastefulness.
The other son was even more prodigal.
His younger prodigal wasted a finite amount of money.
The older prodigal brother wasted time which is even more precious than money.
Luke 15:28-32 (NLT) 28 “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 29 but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’ 31 “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”
The younger prodigal was selfish and was moved by the lust of the flesh.
The older prodigal was bound by ignorance. He did not know the Father’s heart, so he labored as a slave, and not as a son.
Hebrews 3:5-6 (NLT) 5 Moses was certainly faithful in God’s house as a servant. His work was an illustration of the truths God would reveal later. 6 But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:12 (NLT) And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.
The greater prodigal lives like a slave, even though he is a son.
Galatians 4:1-7 (NLT) 1 Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had. 2 They have to obey their guardians until they reach whatever age their father set. 3 And that’s the way it was with us before Christ came. We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world. 4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.
Luke 15:28-32 (NLT) 28 “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 29 but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’ 31 “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”
Talent, time and treasure.
Prodigality is the waste of time, talent and treasure.
Luke 19:12-13 (NLT) 12 He said, “A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return. 13 Before he left, he called together ten of his servants and divided among them ten pounds of silver, saying, ‘Invest this for me while I am gone.’
Everything we have is talent, even money.
We are expected to invest time in the use of our talents.
What we produce by the investment is treasure.
Luke 19:20-23 (NLT) 20 “But the third servant brought back only the original amount of money and said, ‘Master, I hid your money and kept it safe. 21 I was afraid because you are a hard man to deal with, taking what isn’t yours and harvesting crops you didn’t plant.’ 22 “‘You wicked servant!’ the king roared. ‘Your own words condemn you. If you knew that I’m a hard man who takes what isn’t mine and harvests crops I didn’t plant, 23 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’
God gives us talents and time to produce for Him.
Luke 19:12-13 (NLT) 12 He said, “A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return. 13 Before he left, he called together ten of his servants and divided among them ten pounds of silver, saying, ‘Invest this for me while I am gone.’
God is the owner of true TREASURE
Luke 16:11 ESV If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?
God rewards us with our own treasure after we have invested talent and time.
Luke 16:12 (ESV) 12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?
Time and Eternity
The treasures of this world are great but they are not worth comparing with eternal treasure.
Luke 16:9 (NLT) Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your earthly possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.
The greater prodigal lacks an eternal perspective.
Luke 12:21 (NLT) “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
Romans 12:11 (NLT) Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.
Proverbs 19:17 (NLT) If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD-- and he will repay you!
The prodigal wastes earthly goods but the greater prodigal wastes the opportunity to build eternal wealth.
Romans 8:18 (NLT) Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.
Opportunities to build eternal treasure come looking like suffering and sacrifice.
Romans 8:16-18 (KJV) 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time [are] not worthy [to be compared] with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Romans 8:17 (NLT) And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
Prayer
Lord, I repent of every prodigal attitude and action.
2. Lord, help me redeem the time, years and decades I have lost. Ephesians 5:15-17 (KJV) 15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord [is].
3. Lord, please give me an eternal perspective in everything I do. 2 Corinthians 4:18 (KJV) While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen [are] temporal; but the things which are not seen [are] eternal.
4. Lord, as I study Your word, may I grow daily in my knowledge of You.
1 Corinthians 2:12 (NLT) And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.
Romans 8:32 (KJV) He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
5. Lord, may my love for You never wax cold.
Matthew 24:12 (KJV) And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
6. May I never grow weary in my service to you and to people.
