THE LOST SON RECEIVED (2)
Luke 15:11-32

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We observed in the preceding message the character we commonly know as “The Prodigal Son” (vv.11-20a). When last we saw him, it was said of him, “And he arose and came to his father” with the intent of begging his forgiveness. We now will observe the father, and later observe his other son.

II. This “father” represents Jesus Christ (vv.20b-24). As the shepherd in the first parable represented Christ in His humanity (vv.1-7), so does this father represent Christ in His deity. While Christ is not God the Father, the first person of the Holy Trinity, He is indeed God as Father (as in 1 Corinthians 8:6; note also that prayers to “our Father in heaven [Matthew 6:9] may be addressed also to “Lord Jesus” [Acts 7:59]).

1. Search for lost son (v.20b): “... But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him ....”

Some may ask, “How can you speak of this father searching for his lost son? We are not explicitly told of such a search in the passage.” There is no need of an explicit mention. It is implicit in the very nature of the affair. It also corresponds to what we read in the two preceding parables. As the shepherd searches all the mountain for his lost sheep (vv.4-7), and the woman searches all the house for her lost coin (vv.8-10), so will a loving father search for his lost son.

My wife and I here speak from personal experience. Both our son and our daughter in their high school years expressed their youthful rebellion against their parents by running away from home. Their father spent many hours searching streets and the places they were known to frequent in the hope of finding them. Their mother, remaining home in the hope that they would return, and not wanting them to find the house empty, spent many hours searching out the front window for them.

Likewise this father, earnestly loving his son, impudent deserter though he was (as in vv.11-13), diligently searched the horizon for him, and undoubtedly went into the highways and hedges looking for him. And likewise Christ will search the whole earth for His lost sons, willful sinners though they be, “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

This father saw his returning son “when he was still a great way off”. Christ has done the same in two regards, in regard to both time and distance. First, He saw His sons returning in eternity past, before the foundation of the world, when He saw them in God’s decree as already called, justified, and glorified (Romans 8:28-30). Second, He saw His sons returning from a long distance, when they were as far from Him as they could be, in the sty of their sin, for it was there that He found them.

2. Compassion for returning son (v.20c): “... and had compassion, ...” The father who loves his rebellious son, upon seeing him returning, even in filth and rags, is moved not with wrathful vengeance, but with loving compassion.

“As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:13f). Not only does Christ have compassion for returning sinners, but He is repeatedly said to be “full of compassion” (e.g., Psalm 86:15). A mother may cease to have compassion for the son of her womb (Isaiah 49:15), but “His compassions [note the plural] fail not. They are new every morning” (Lamentation 3:22f). He will with compassion receive His wayward children every time they stray from Him, regardless how far from Him they roamed or how deep into sin they sank. No man’s sin is greater than His compassion (Romans 5:20).

3. Grace to returning son (v.20d): “... and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.” Here is swift grace: he “ran” to him, so desirous was he of receiving his son, being not content to merely wait for him. Here is condescending grace: He “fell on his neck”, being unashamed to come into contact with the filth with which his son was surely covered, and not requiring him to first bathe. Here is forgiving grace: he “kissed him”, by which act the son knew he was forgiven and received even before he could pray for forgiveness and reception.

Likewise, Christ in His grace is swift in receiving sinners, for He is ever “ready to forgive” (Psalm 86:5), and gives the assurance “that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24). Christ loves these sinners before they love Him (1 John 4:19), and is found by these sinners before they seek Him (Romans 10:20). And He is condescending in receiving them, for He receives them just as they are, and none are too filthy to be received by Him. And He is forgiving in receiving them, greeting them with pardoning kisses rather than punishing slaps. In so doing, He is saying, “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more” (Hebrews 8:12).

Matthew Henry in his usual insightfulness rightly sees in verses 20-21 the mercy of this father and of God under the symbols of various parts of the human anatomy. “[1.] Here were eyes of mercy, and those eyes quick-sighted: When he was yet a great way off his father saw him .... [2.] Here were bowels of mercy, and those bowels turning within him, and yearning at the sight of his son: He had compassion. ... [3.] Here were feet of mercy, and those feet quick-paced: He ran. ... [4.] Here were arms of mercy, and those arms stretched out to embrace him: He fell on his neck. ... [5.] Here were lips of mercy, and those lips dropping as a honey-comb: He kissed him. ... And this intimates how ready, and free, and forward the Lord Jesus is to receive and entertain poor returning sinners, according to his Father’s will.”

4. Deliverance from servitude (vv.21-22a): “And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ...” This son had intended to say also, “Make me like one of your hired servants” (v.19). But his father interrupted him before he could do so. This father received his repentant son into his house as a son, not a servant.

Likewise, the heavenly Father assures returning sinners that “you are no longer a slave but a son” (Galatians 4:7): no longer “in bondage under the elements of the world” (v.3), having “receive[d] the adoption as sons” (v.5), for which we reason He would have us address Him as “Abba, Father” (v.6). He therefore will receive us into His house as sons, not send us to servants’ quarters. The service of God’s sons to Him is voluntary and glad (Psalm 100:2).

5. Restoration to sonship (v.22): “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.’” Here note three things. First, his filthy rags were removed from him and replaced with the “first” or “principal” robe in the house (the Greek word translated “best” being protos, “first in rank or quality”). Second, he was restored to a place of authority through the placing of the ring on his finger. Such a signet ring among the ancients was a symbol of authority (as in Genesis 41:41-43; Esther 3:10). Third, his bare and sore feet were shod in shoes. To walk barefoot was a sign of shame and servitude (2 Samuel 15:30; Isaiah 20:1-4).

Christ in the same manner does the same for His returning sons. First, the “filthy rags” of their self-righteousness (Isaiah 64:6) are removed from them, and they are clothed with “the garments of salvation, ... the robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10). This robe is the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ – surely “the best robe” (Philippians 3:9)! Second, they are given God’s signet, the symbol of His authority, for they are to represent Him in this world. Third, their feet are “shod ... with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15), for they are to preach Christ in all the world. Note also that all these deeds are done to sinners, not required of them. Christ deals with returning sinners in grace.

6. Feast for restored son (v.23): “And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry.” He who just a short time earlier “would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate” (v.16), and who lamented that his father’s servants had more than enough bread while he starved (v.17), now finds his father has killed the fatted calf in his honor and calls for all to feast with him.

Likewise, returning sinners will forever feast on Christ, who is all the meat they will ever need or desire, for He Himself declares that “My flesh is food indeed” (John 6:55).

7. Declaration regarding restored son (v.24): “for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” Likewise, repentant sinners were dead in Adam (Romans 5:12) but quickened by Christ (John 5:21). And they were lost in sins but now found and saved by Christ (Luke 19:10).

“And they began to be merry.” Why? Because “This Man receives sinners and eats with them” (v.2).

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