For those of you that don’t know what a parable is…it’s basically a story that teaches a moral or spiritual lesson. Throughout the New Testament, Jesus uses parables as a teaching technique. They were a great way to illustrate a point to His listeners and followers. Sometimes He even used three different parables to illustrate the same thing. You can find the story of the Prodigal Son in the book of Luke, Chapeter15, verses 11-32.
Prodigal describes someone who is wasteful or reckless with their money, resources and even their life. The prodigal son in essence can represent any of us. People who have sinned and turned away from God, the Father. People who are lost and trapped in some sort of bondage…like addiction, depression, loneliness, greed. They are the sheep who have gone astray. Those who feel utterly alone, desperate and hopeless with nowhere to turn. They are those who are distracted by the world and can’t see God working in their lives.
The Parable of the Lost Son
11 “Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The 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. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He 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! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. “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. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For 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. 26 So 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. 29 But 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. 30 But 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. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” NIV
I love this story because it is humanity’s story of redemption. It illustrates God’s mercy, grace and unconditional love for us. How he welcomes those who repent and turn to Him no matter what we’ve done or how shameful or unworthy we feel. And it reminds us that we are never alone; that there is always a place in his arms for us to run to.” NIV
Check out this video performed to Lighthouse’s Everything that captures the essence of The Prodigal!