Answer:
The Prodigal Son
Luke 15:11-32
Summary:
A man had two sons. The younger son asked his father to give him the money that his father has promised him, and his father obliged. The younger son then left home and went to live in a ‘far country’. He soon went through all of the money his father had given him, through living in a ‘riotous’ and careless manner.
When all his money had gone, a famine spread across the land, and he found himself starving. To support himself, he went and found work in the fields, feeding the pigs. He was so hungry he would gladly have eaten the food the pigs ate.
One day he realised that his father’s servants had bread enough to eat, and yet he had none. So he resolved to go home and beg for his father’s forgiveness, and ask his father to take him in under his roof as one of his hired servants.
When the son returned home, his father saw him in the distance, and ran to him and kissed him. The son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son’. But his father ordered his servants to fetch his best robe, and put it on his son, and to put a ring on his hand and shoes on his son’s feet. He then ordered them to prepare a fatted calf for their meal, so they can eat and celebrate the prodigal son’s return, ‘For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found’
While all this merriment was going on indoors, the elder son was outside working in the field. He could hear the music and dancing and asked one of the servants what was going on. When he discovered his brother, who had run off, had returned, he grew angry and refused to go in and greet him.
His father came out and asked his son to come in and join them. But the elder son was still annoyed. He told his father that he had served him loyally and obeyed him all these years, yet he has never had a fatted calf, or a feast laid on for him and his friends to enjoy themselves. Yet as soon as the prodigal son returned, who had wasted his inheritance on carousing with women, his father had killed the fatted calf and, as it were, pulled out all the stops.
The father replies that he is glad to share everything he owns with his son, but on this day he had to rejoice and celebrate, because ‘this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found’
Luke 15:24
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. (KJV)
Luke 15:32
It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. (KJV)
Reflection:
Is your life messed up? Do you feel abandoned, discouraged or in despair and wonder if there is a way out? You may find it hard to get on with life because of some mistakes that you made in the past and feel it is beyond rectification. However, the parable of the lost son offers us hope that nothing is really lost, that God can still redeem our past and give us a hope for the future.
Luke 15:1-32 speaks of the parables of a lost sheep, a lost coin and a prodigal son. These parables emphasise the significance and value that God places on every lost sinner. He and His angels rejoice over any one soul who repents. And as a Christian who already repented, we must be glad that one soul had repented and was saved from the burning hell.
Explanation:
Hope this answer will help you! Blessed Evening!
