1. 1 "But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. "Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.' " 'But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.' "

2. 2 Many people fail to realize that the third parable of Jesus recorded in Luke chapter 15 is nowhere, in the inspired text, called “the Parable of the Prodigal Son.”

3. 3 In fact, the parable is given no name either by Jesus or by Luke. A more accurate designation would be “the Parable of the Two Sons,” since there are two sons in the parable.

4. 4 Notice, also, the back­ground for the three parables in Luke chapter 15.

5. 5 Luke 15:1-2 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them."

6. 6 The parables pictured the “joy in heaven” over each “sinner who repents.” Notice what Jesus said after the parable of the lost sheep.

7. 7 Luke 15:7 "I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance."

8. 8 The parables pictured the “joy in heaven” over each “sinner who repents.” Notice what Jesus said after the parable of the lost sheep. He made a similar statement after the parable of the lost coin.

9. 9 Luke 15:10 "Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

10. 10 Jesus spoke these parables in order to illustrate the difference in attitude between the sinners who had repented and the Phari­ sees and scribes who refused to accept the sin­ners who had re­pented.

11. 11 The prodigal, or wasteful, son represents the sinners who were repenting at the preaching of Jesus. The father represents God. And the elder son represents the Pharisees and scribes.

12. 12 The younger son had left home and had wasted his inheritance. But he had returned home with a humble and contrite heart. The father forgave him and treated him as though he had never left.

13. 13 But the elder son was self-willed. He “would not go in” to celebrate his younger brother's return.

14. 14 Luke 15:28 "But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him."

15. 15 But the elder son was self-willed. He “would not go in” to celebrate his younger brother's return. The Bible clearly condemns this attitude.

16. 16 2 Peter 2:9-10 Then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed.

17. 17 He was self-righteous, in that he claimed never to have transgressed his father’s commandment “at any time.”

18. 18 Luke 15:29 "So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time;

19. 19 Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

20. 20 He was self-righteous, in that he claimed never to have transgressed his father’s commandment “at any time.” Such an attitude is the result of pride and arrogance, and is also condemned in the Bible.

21. 21 Luke 18:10-12 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men- -extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'

22. 22 Luke 18:13-14 "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

23. 23 Romans 10:1-3 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

24. 24 1 John 1:8-10 Brethren, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

25. 25 He was self-centered. He complained about his father not having killed a young goat for him.

26. 26 Luke 15:29 "So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time;

27. 27 Luke 15:29 and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.' " "So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.' "

28. 28 He was self-centered. He complained about his father not having killed a young goat for him. The Bible teaches that we should not be centered on self but on others.

29. 29 Philippians 2:1-2 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

30. 30 Philippians 2:3-4 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

31. 31 Romans 12:3 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

32. 32 He was just plain selfish. He did not want to share his material possessions with his brother.

33. 33 Luke 15:31 "And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours."

34. 34 He was just plain selfish. He did not want to share his material possessions with his brother. Those who are centered on others will share their possessions with them.

35. 35 Luke 3:11 He answered and said to them, "He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise."

36. 36 Acts 2:44-45 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

37. 37 1 John 3:17 But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

38. 38 He was was self-willed, self-righteous, self- centered and just plain selfish.

39. 39 He was was self-willed, self-righteous, self- centered and just plain selfish. In short, he had all the wrong attitudes toward self, which resulted in the wrong at­ titudes toward his brother and material possessions.

40. 40 If you have sinned, won’t you be like the younger brother who came to himself and repented, rather than the older brother who was basically in denial?