Luke 15:11-32 (BBE)
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me that part of your property which will be mine. And he made division of his goods between them.
13 And not long after, the younger son got together everything which was his and took a journey into a far-away country, and there all his money went in foolish living.
14 And when everything was gone, there was no food to be had in that country, and he was in need.
15 And he went and put himself into the hands of one of the people of that country, and he sent him into his fields to give the pigs their food.
16 And so great was his need that he would have been glad to take the pigs’ food, and no one gave him anything.
17 But when he came to his senses, he said, What numbers of my father’s servants have bread enough, and more, while I am near to death here through need of food!
18 I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have done wrong, against heaven and in your eyes:
19 I am no longer good enough to be named your son: make me like one of your servants.
20 And he got up and went to his father. But while he was still far away, his father saw him and was moved with pity for him and went quickly and took him in his arms and gave him a kiss.
21 And his son said to him, Father, I have done wrong, against heaven and in your eyes: I am no longer good enough to be named your son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Get out the first robe quickly, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet:
23 And get the fat young ox and put it to death, and let us have a feast, and be glad.
24 For this, my son, who was dead, is living again; he had gone away from me, and has come back. And they were full of joy.
25 Now the older son was in the field: and when he came near the house, the sounds of music and dancing came to his ears.
26 And he sent for one of the servants, questioning him about what it might be.
27 And he said to him, Your brother has come; and your father has had the young ox put to death because he has come back safely.
28 But he was angry and would not go in; and his father came out and made a request to him to come in.
29 But he made answer and said to his father, See, all these years I have been your servant, doing your orders in everything: and you never gave me even a young goat so that I might have a feast with my friends:
30 But when this your son came, who has been wasting your property with bad women, you put to death the fat young ox for him.
31 And he said to him, Son, you are with me at all times, and all I have is yours.
32 But it was right to be glad and to have a feast; for this your brother, who was dead, is living again; he had gone away and has come back.
God’s loving arms are always open in welcome to us. Like the father in our text, the Lord is desperate for every wandering child to return home safely.

Typically, a child receives their inheritance at the death of a parent not before. The fact that the younger brother instigated the early division of the family estate shows a rebellious and proud disregard for his father’s authority, not to mention a selfish and immature attitude.
The son’s lack of love and apostasy of heart shown in his demand is soon followed by the apostasy of life, he gathers all together, deliberately resolving to devote his fortune and all his powers to the pursuit of pleasure, and journeys into a far country. Disregarding the family’s piety and respectability, for the extravagance and debauchery of life.
Am I lost? We are all lost in sin but our Heavenly Father, God waits patiently, with loving compassion to restore us when we return to him with humble hearts. He offers us everything in his kingdom, restoring a full relationship with joyful celebration.
Unfortunately, like a lot of us, bitterness and resentment kept the older son from forgiving his younger brother. It blinds him to the treasure he freely enjoys through a constant relationship with the father. Jesus loved hanging out with sinners because he knew they would see the need for salvation and respond, flooding heaven with joy.
The day of trouble always comes and it came as expected for this lost son in the form of farming and when he could no longer find pleasure or satisfaction in his sinful life, and the hunger of his soul remaining still unappeased, he determined to return to his father to acknowledge his sin and need.
The son did not get the chance to say make me as one of thy hired servants, because he saw that God wishes to restore him to his full privileges like he wants to do for us. Then the father says to his servants, Bring forth the former robe, and put it on him (i.e. restore him to his former privileges as my child by the ministry of reconciliation, 2 Corinthians 5:18), and put a ring on his hand (a symbol of rank and honour), and shoes on his feet (symbolising spiritual freedom, for slaves went barefoot), and bring the fatted calf and kill it (signifying the joy there is on earth and in heaven over a repentant sinner, perhaps also the spiritual nourishment which the hungry soul will find in the ordinances of religion which have been so long neglected); for this my son was dead (in sin) and is alive again (by repentance). And they begin to be merry, i.e., to rejoice over the repentant, and to treat him with as much honour as if he had never sinned. The elder brother was busy in his regular, but loveless, religiosity. he was angry and jealous, and despite the affectionate entreaties of his father, and invites to the festivities, showing him equal honour and love vs 28. He shows himself, quite unconscious of his own failings.
Questions for Reflection: Who are you in this story? Are you the rebellious son, lost and far from God? Are you the self-righteous pharisee, no longer capable of rejoicing when a sinner returns to God? Are you the prodigal, a lost sinner seeking salvation and finding the father’s love? You decide.
Shalom