Luke Chapter 15

Read Luke 15:1-10

Verses 6-8 - Notice the phrase "rejoice with me" and the references to "joy" in heaven. The recovery of the lost results in celebration - you will see this also in Luke 15:24 & 32

Verse 8 - One silver coin, a "drachma," was a day's wage (it had value.) In the same way, each individual person (each sinner) is valuable to God- but they are lost - Read Luke 19:10

Notice the use of the word "Repents"

Rom. 3:23 tells us that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Therefore, all need to repent. To repent is "to tum from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life; to feel regret; to change one's mind."

So - there's the "once in a lifetime" kind of repentance, when we ask God for forgiveness and profess our belief in the saving work of Jesus Christ. This is what these parables are addressing. There is joy in heaven over the sinner who repents. Read II Pet. 3:9

- And then there's also the ongoing kind of repentance when we confess and tum away from the sins we commit.

Read Luke 15:11-32

Verse 11 - Here begins the famous Parable of the Prodigal Son

Verse 12 - "give me the share of the estate that falls to me"  This was an unusual request, as the father was still alive

Verse 15 - "to feed swine"  He got as low as he could get- swine were considered by Jews to be unclean

Verse 17 - "Came to his senses"  Reality set in for this younger son and he realized his sinfulness, his foolishness.

Verse 19 - We all sin from time to time (we must watch that we don't begin to habitually sin)-but that does not mean that we are ever considered by God as unworthy of His grace.

Verse 20 - The father ran - This was deemed as "inappropriate" behavior in that time and culture - this shows how much love the father had for the son-he didn't care what people would have thought of him - Remember, this is just a parable, likely not a true story - Jesus put this in the story to demonstrate how much God loves us.

Verse 21 - The son confessed his sin to his father and proclaimed his unworthiness

BUT . . .

Verse 22- His father ignored the son's "planned and prepared" speech (see verses 18-19). Instead, he immediately showed his love toward him and treated him as special

- The son probably expected to be scolded, punished, put to shame, and he was willing to

accept that ( v .19 - "make me as one of your hired men")

- It wasn't so in this case, but sometimes we have to live with the consequences of our sin, even

though we have been forgiven. Like the younger son, we must accept that.

Verses 23-24 - Notice the celebration (like the other parables)

Verse 28 -  The older brother was not willing to celebrate

- Who does the older brother represent in this parable? The Pharisees

The Pharisees looked at the sinners and tax collectors who came to Jesus with contempt. They would not celebrate if they turned from their sin and lived a life that would please God. They thought only they themselves were entitled to enter God's kingdom.

Verse 29 - An expression of jealousy

Verse 30 - "this son of yours" The older son was disassociating himself from the younger son

Verse 32 - "this brother of yours" The father was reminding the older son of his connection and relationship to the younger son.