All Sermons

The Prodigal Son By Rob Nicholson

 where Luke records then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to
hear him and the Pharisees and scribes murmured saying this man receives
sinners and eats with them and we know from the reading of the chapter that we
have there recorded for us Christ's response to the murmuring of the
Pharisees and it takes up in three parts the parable of the lost sheep
parable of the lost coin and what is called normally the parable of the
prodigal son or the parable of the lost son so just before we go diving into
Christ's response to them there are certain things that we have to note and
that's first of all the use of this term Pharisee Pharisee Pharisees and scribes
now it is what we in general see today used as without getting too technical a
pejorative term you have often probably heard people described various types of
people as being Pharisees and a particular way of rolls off the tongue
the word Pharisee man's a Pharisee and the word sees a great deal of rather
vicious misuse nowadays particularly against those who were termed ultra
conservatives and I have myself have oftentimes been called a Pharisee and
without getting into the level of self-defense I think rather unjustly
it's an unjust thing to say look at a group like the free Presbyterians who
are doctrinally very straight and fixed and lead very ordered and structured
church lives and describe that as an aspect of Pharisaism or legalism not
that they can't degenerate into that but that is not a true or a faithful use of
the word Pharisee because a Pharisee was not a man who believed that by grace you
were saved through faith and that not of yourselves the Pharisee and the scribe
was a man who went about being ignorant of the righteousness of God and
attempting to establish his own so when you hear the word Pharisee used rather
unintelligently of those evangelical Christians who are ultra conservative you
may justly throw that term back in their face because that's not what a Pharisee
is Pharisee didn't believe in grace and believed in law and we have to be
careful how we use that term we look perhaps at some fundamentalist groups
who have very strict rules of membership and attendance and certain even
unspoken rules about how you should and shouldn't dress and it once again it
would be an illegitimate use of the term to call these people Pharisees or to say
they were Pharisaical in spite of their legalism in some areas they yet believe
in the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith not of yourselves so that's
not the spirit of the Pharisee that animates those people it is rather the
spirit of excessive and legalistic zeal so apart from these vicious misuse of
this term Pharisee in our day and there are Pharisees with us there are people
today who believe that you must have full obedience to ordinances and laws
and commandments even of the Old Testament to be accepted by God we read
there in Ephesians to have the Apostle Paul said that Christ had abolished that
barrier and joined together both Jews and Greeks in the in his body upon the
cross whereby he reconciled us all to God and put to death those things that
stood against us in our conscience there are still people who accept the teaching
that you must obey certain commandments they don't really believe in the
doctrine of grace no need for me to go on about those people they spring
immediately to mind whether they be Mormons strict Roman Catholics or
seventh-day Adventists they fall into that category now how or what is the
best way of seeing what the essence of Pharisaism was and I'm not talking about
the external manifestation because that could be confused you see those external
things the way that a Pharisee would dress his attitude towards the
tabernacle and the temple it could be construed as as mere as zealousness as
genuine interest in spiritual things it's very hard to tell a Pharisee
externally it's a confusing thing but you can see this concept of works
righteousness certainly and what they say and what they do but there is this
inner spirit that the Lord brings out here about Pharisaism that tells us it's
the spirit that animates and it helps us to understand the nature of this era
now both of the first two parables the one of the of the sheep the second of
the coin have a particular theme and a central contrast there are the different
to the third one you see in both those first two parables you have a primary
theme and the primary theme in response to the Pharisees attitude of murmuring
is that of an anxiety of an individual or a concern for a certain object in the
first case it is a matter of a shepherd with anxiety and concern over sheep or
one particular sheep and in the second one you have this anxiety or concern
over a particular coin it moves and enforces this idea that this person
these individuals about whom he's speaking in the story have an interest
in the determination concerning these objects it's based upon the certainty of
course that a sheep will not return of its own will it has to be sought out and
retrieved the coin does not find itself it has by anxiety concern and interest
and determination to be discovered and retrieved and the central contrast of
course is a very simple one an exposition that he gives the contrast
between the joy in heaven over one sinner who repents and the murmuring of
the scribes and the Pharisees because he is receiving sinners and this is the
attitude of the contrast between that of Christ and his response towards them and
the attitude of the Pharisees you get perhaps a stark picture I suppose in
Matthew 9 36 which I'll just look up for you and read so you don't have to do it
yourselves Matthew 9 36 speaks of Christ and says but when he saw the multitudes
he was moved with compassion for them because they were weary and scattered
like sheep having no shepherd you have a very similar statement again in mark
6 verse 34 where you have that recorded for us when Jesus came out and saw a
great multitude and was moved with compassion for them because they were
like sheep not having a shepherd so he began to teach the many things now that
was not how the Pharisees saw the multitude the multitude to the Pharisees
were an ignorant mob of hopeless cases among whom they would not mix for fear
of contracting some form of ceremonial defilement the Pharisee would be afraid
that if he walked through that ignorant and gross mold that if some individual
who had contracted a form of ceremonial defilement by a failure to wash their
hands in cleansing or by touching a dead body he believed that he could pick it
up just by having his robes touched so they tended to separate themselves in
this sense of calling themselves holier than thou from the mob for that reason
and it was a question of how they saw them you see they saw them in their
ignorance they saw them in their uncleanness but there was no compassion
within the Pharisee towards them that's contrasted very starkly by Christ's
testimony about God's willingness to receive those who are sinners and he sets
that personal example but that's rather obvious there's no need to go into an
extended exposition of those first two parables but the third one is of course
famous and well-known the parable of the prodigal son or a parable of the
lost son and in fact that's probably the wrong name for it we really should not
call this the parable of the prodigal son because it is not about the prodigal
son primarily if you look at the context you'll discover carefully that Christ is
still responding to the murmuring attitude of the scribes and Pharisees it
would be more correctly called the parable of the elder brother because
that's the whole punch line you'll notice that it's one of the elements of
the parable that it has an introduction a story and it has a punch line and the
punch line of that parable is of course the response of the elder brother to the
coming home of the son of the younger son now many excellent books and
expositions of testimonies of the love of God have been expounded from the
parable of the prodigal son I'm not saying that any of them are illegitimate
but I'm saying it is possible when you come to a parable to fail to note the
particular context and miss the main aiming point of Christ speaking it and
he goes on in this parable he's unmasked the external in the first two parables
but he goes on to reveal the inner animating spirit of the Pharisee and
what we have to do to understand this is remember that the Pharisees and the
scribes are standing there listening to him listening to all the words as they
hit his ear their ears and what we've got to do is sort of hand out all our
Pharisee robes and I throw you out all the robe and we can put on our our
Pharisee robes and we listen we listen to what he's saying we adopt the
position and the attitude of the Pharisee and you have a look at verse
13 where it says not many days after the younger son gathered all together he
journeyed to a far country and there wasted his possessions with prodigal
living and this concept of prodigal living of course being so totally
opposed to the attitude of the Pharisee in his outward form of righteousness
what would be your response your natural response would be as a Pharisee to say
within yourself this well what a stupid wicked ungrateful wretch in taking his
inheritance in the impatience and then going off from his father and wasting it
in a far country in verse 14 when he had spent all there arose a severe famine in
that land and he began to be in one now the Pharisee listening would adopt this
attitude well God's just judgment has fallen down upon it so well and good
Amen Lord let it be but the Lord goes on with the story in verses 15 and 16 it
has he went and joined himself to a citizen of the country he sent him into
his fields to feed swine well that's exactly what he deserved he would have
gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate and no one gave him
anything well that's the attitude and that's what the Pharisees are thinking
in their hearts as we're going along here goes on in verses 17 to 19 about
all that he deserved and in verse 20 and 27 you have this statement this
recording of him coming to himself and saying now I no longer deserve to be a
son I'll return to my father and ask that I would be as one of his hired
servants and the Pharisee thinks that's quite reasonable that's what you're
thinking that's quite a reasonable assumption he's wasted his inheritance
he's lived a life spent morally worthless existence in wasting himself
upon prostitutes and all kinds of unclean activities and he comes and says
I will be as one of the hired servants so the Pharisee thinks that's quite
quite reasonable because that's exactly what he views religion as the Pharisee
is the one who acts as God's hired servant you see you get down here to
this reaction and you have to put yourself in this position prodigal comes
down the road father rushes out throws himself upon his neck kisses him puts
upon him a ring and robes and use sandals and brings him into the house
as Christ is telling this story the Pharisees are looking one toward another
and they're increasingly becoming angry at this silly sentimental action of the
Father whereby he's not appreciated the penance of the Sun and put himself in
this position where the Sun is freely received you see it's against the
essence of the religion of the Pharisee and it's at this point that the listeners
these Pharisees would be getting quite word up worked up and Christ exposes
their spirit of course in the discourse between the elder brother and the father
further on where he speaks and says in response to the elder brothers selfish
and self-centered attitude it was right but we should make merry and be glad for
your brother was dead and is alive again and was lost in his found now here comes
the punchline that's just a basic summary of what it is punchline is this
what's the essence of Pharisee is as described in this response of the elder
brother the oldest son was in the field he came he drew near to the house he
heard music and dancing he called one of the servants and asked what these things
meant and he said to him your brother has come because he has received him
safe and sound your father has killed the fatted calf he's angry he wouldn't
go in and he comes up with this response to his father he says lo these many
years I have been serving you I never transgressed your commandment at any
time yet you never gave me a young girl that I might make merry with my friends
here's the essence the spirit of Pharisaism standing out before us what
is preventing this elder brother from appreciating the coming of his younger
brother home and notice how he speaks I mean this is bitterness this is a heart
that's wounded in the center of its pride look how he speaks in verse third
but as soon as this son of yours comes he's not even prepared to recognize him
as a brother you see that as soon as this son of yours comes that's a
terrible thing what an insight into the spirit of the Pharisee that he would not
even consider that which was his natural connection by blood even as a matter of
relation you see this jealousy and this bitterness was raging unchecked within
these Pharisees towards these tax collectors and sinners that were drawing
near to Christ because of the stench of their own self-righteousness to bring an
experience of the the Lord Jesus Christ moving amongst sinners would be rather
like planting daisies next to a cesspit you could plant all the daisies you wish
next to it lovely perfume flowers but that that sewer that cesspit would
constantly overpower the sweet-smelling perfume of the flowers and here's the
issue with these Pharisees with them it was a question of inheritance by right
of birth they had this concept of of works righteousness that expresses
itself here here is a son who for so many years is faithfully serving his
father never transgressing the commandments not putting a foot out of
line and when he sees this this profligate attitude towards this son and
the grand reception that he receives he's heard internally because it totally
undermines his own sense of self-acceptance and this is the issue
the contrast between the religion of the Pharisee and the religion of grace the
Pharisees concept is that acceptance with God is something that is earned it
is something that he is entitled to and he works his way into God's affection
but this religion of the fatted calf this religion of restoration that's a
matter of grace whereby a sinner is received and he's given a robe and a
ring and sandals this fatted calf feast is something of no common map it's born
of something that the Pharisee does not understand that of compassion and loving
kindness now you'll notice early in the chapter I would say the Pharisees and
the angels have at least one thing in common partly by experience it would be
this where you read there I say that likewise there will be more joy in
heaven over one sinner or further on where it says likewise I say to you
there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who
repents now the Pharisees and the angels have this in common there was a
time when the angels themselves prior to creation knew nothing of God other than
he was as a burning fire in his holiness occupying the heavenlies in this
glorious vision of justice and goodness now that was the Pharisees vision of God
also they had a concept of God that was indeed exalted above the views of the
heathen that was round about them but there was this great element of mystery
to the Pharisees that they couldn't understand in the coming of their
Messiah and which was something that the angels themselves for a period of time
in their existence did not know and it was this see the Pharisees thought they
knew God and he compared them with the angels those who dwell near the throne
and ask yourself why does Christ bring out this reaction why does he speak of
this joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents back
before the earth was created we know not how many unnumbered years these seraphim
and these cherubim stood around serving the God of heaven and he saw some
holiness and they knew God in that sense of just judgment of holiness of
burning fire how they could not lift their eyes up to look upon him and you
get this vision of understanding of the angels surprise of their astonishment at
the reaction towards this this incredible act of God it's rather like a
comparison between ourselves and Moses Moses prayed that prayer Lord I would
ask to see thy goodness and God told him that he would make all his goodness
past before him and Moses saw the back parts well prior to the actings of God's
grace that was somewhat like the position the angels were in the angels
though they stood so close to the throne yet did not have a full vision of God it
was reserved for this offer of grace and love and understanding that was to come
in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ towards his elect that was to be the
full manifestation of God you see what we have here is this by comparison
there is no way that any human language could set together the reaction of the
angels of God in heaven at an act of mercy for untold ions they had seen and
appreciated God in this awesome spotlessness but then with this vision
of the coming of the land they observed this infinite depth of gentleness in God
not as it is a contrast but in total harmony with the being of God in all his
perfection and it's this that causes them to come break forth with this song
it's a surprise to the angels it's a revelation it's something that they did
not know and you see you yourselves as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are
in this superior position the angels can see mercy in its effect but we who are
redeemed sinners know it you think of this superiority you have as a redeemed
sinner to the angels they see they observe they praise they glorify God but
they cannot experience it as one sinner who has been brought home has and you
see in the difference between knowing and experience is a great one because
you have here this demonstrated extravagance of the divine mercy in that
it pours out its own life towards the sinners angels themselves when they
looked upon that transgressor Adam from heaven or even when they saw Satan and
his minions cast out of the heavenlies could only reply yea thy judgment was
just o Lord but to see this act that breaks down that barrier of separation
between God and his creatures is a matter of astonishment and the new
blessedness of vision that was before unknown we have some intimation of it
there in Ephesians 2 verse 7 where in speaking of the purpose of God of his
richness of mercy of bringing his elect who were dead in trespasses and sins in
the union with Christ that tells us that purpose that in the ages to come he
might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ
Jesus and you see here is the nakedness of anyone who thinks or even imagines
that he knows anything about God by experience of a legal religious life you
know we talk about people having relative and varying degrees of
knowledge about God but you see the essence of it all is this the Roman
Catholic knows nothing about God the Mormon knows nothing the seventh-day
Adventist I speak of them in their purest doctrinal sense they are in a
worst position than those angels who have seen God's holiness but those who
come through the Lord Jesus Christ have seen this gentleness in God this
extravagance of his love in the pouring out of himself in the person of the Lord
Jesus Christ towards those who are sinners now this may not seem to be a
terribly rapturous or extravagant way of expounding this particular passage but
it's a brilliant picture the Lord sets before them when he puts those simple
words in response of the Father in his own lips son he says to the elder
brother you are always with me and of all that I have is yours and he uses
these words it was right it was right that we should like marry and be glad
it is the right thing why because it is the character of God he is the
misunderstanding of the Pharisees the insult of Pharisaism to God's person it
was right that we should marry and be glad it was not something that was wrong
why should we be upset if sinners and tax collectors drawn in here of the
mercy of God it's right that they should come that is the very essence
that is why John speaks and he writes he says God is love it's not that love is
God but God is love it's this pouring out of himself towards those who are
undeserving and unmerciful the Lord says there in that rather profound statement
where he gives I say to you likewise there will be more joy in heaven over
one sinner who repents than over 99 just persons who need no repentance now the
Pharisees of course may have mistaken that they may have thought that they
would have been in the position of not needing any repentance but we know all
of sin all are in need of this spiritual repentance this life giving from above
we can't afford to take that statement merely on its face value what it tells
us is this there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents you see it's
it's telling us that grace is a higher thing it is a more excellent thing than
the experience of law it tells us that Adam in his pristine state before the
fall however long that was as he was serving under that covenant of the two
trees was in an inferior position to those who are redeemed by faith in the
Lord Jesus you see this is what we call the fatted calf celebration the feast of
no common matter that's born of a compassion and a loving kindness that
those who exist under that covenant of law cannot understand and you see it's
not a matter of man's wisdom being able to explain it it's a matter of God's
revelation when he opens up and gives that vision of himself and those angels
as they stood around the throne at that time passed when we have no real
scripture of insight we have some hints every now and then vaguely in the Old
Testament and in the Psalms and how astonished the angels in heaven would
have been when they saw the fall of man and when God's judgment is about to fall
upon God himself stands forth as the fatted calf to be slain on their behalf
to be the means of the reception of the joy of these believers into his own
presence is any religion that thinks that can approach to an understanding of
God's goodness by mere human obedience it's literally a rape of all right
doctrine to think that we can add anything to the perfect work of the Lord
Jesus Christ so you see there is the murmuring and the Pharisees murmuring is
contrasted with the joy of the angels it's explained and expounded by our Lord
and this awful reaction of this son where at its most evil depths that
speaks and says as soon as this son of yours came soon as this son of yours
thinking himself so separated but remember this by way of application that
here you have in this 15th chapter an exposition well not so much an
exposition let's say an insight it's like flicking on a light it's like
Christ acting as the revealer of God in whom all this goodness is seen bodily
this light flicked on into the heart of God this insight into his character that
shows this extravagance this incredible generosity that stuns the angels in glory
itself and the Pharisees himself being blinded by this sin could not see the
greatness of the light so I'm not saying that we should replace the title of the
parable of the prodigal son but I'm saying take this as an emphasis and read
it well into its context it's not about a lost son however great and true the
story may be and the pictures that are given of the greatness of the father's
love it's about the sour demeanor the evil character and the wicked murmuring
of those who think that they themselves are God's friends when they are not let
us pray Lord we ask that we may profit by meditation upon this word that we may
truly gain that insight into that evil that lies within all of us Lord we are
ever measuring ourselves one against another we ask and pray for thy
forgiveness and grant Lord that we may be animated by that spirit of eternal
love towards all those who stand outside thy kingdom whether they be Pharisees or
whether they appear as sinners or tax collectors let thy love shine through
thy people o Lord that those whom you have called from all eternity may be
happily and joyfully bought into this great communion o Lord into the Church
of the Lord Jesus Christ we pray for his glory sake and Lord as we go and have
our meal together let our communion and knowledge of one another be sweet and
let it behold that it may please thee grant us courage o Lord and forgiveness
as we go each day