1. W E L C O M E T O T H E
J A C K S O N S T R E E T C H U R C H O F C H R I S T
P L E A S E T U R N O F F C E L L P H O N E S

2. Luke 15:11-13 Then He said: "A
certain man had two sons. 12 And the
younger of them said to his father,
'Father, give me the portion of goods
that falls to me.' So he divided to
them his livelihood. 13 And not many
days after, the younger son gathered
all together, journeyed to a far
country, and there wasted his
possessions with prodigal living.

3. A FATHER WHO MAKES
YOU WANT TO GO HOME

4. THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL?
A.The Parable of the Prodigal Son or The
Parable of the Loving Father.
B.Often, we spend our time talking about the
son going away. However, the Parable is
really about the son coming home.
C.The chapter is not about getting lost, but
rather, about being found.
1. The coin, the sheep, and the son were all
found.
2. Coins and sheep don’t come home on
their own. However, prodigal sons
sometimes do.

5. D. What was it about the prodigal son’s home that
drew him back? What were the recollections of
the Father that paved the way for him to return?
1. The text makes clear that the attitude of the
son changed. Luke records, “And when he
came to himself…” (Lk. 15:17). He left saying,
“Give me…” and he returned saying, “Make
me…” He left feeling entitled, and returned,
feeling indebted. “I am no more worthy…”
This was the turning point of this young’s
man’s life.
2. The prodigal son remembered that even the
servants in his father’s house had bread and to
spare (Lk. 15:17).
THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL?

6. E. Hopefully, our children will never go
astray.
F. However, if they do, and they certainly
can, we want their recollections of
home to be such that they will want to
come home.
G. As fathers, we want them to
remember us in a positive way.
THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL?

7. I. A FATHER WHO
WILL ALLOW YOU
TO MAKE CHOICES
FOR YOUR LIFE.

8. I. ALLOW YOU TO MAKE CHOICES
A.The prodigal son requested his inheritance.
The father could have refused.
1. Distribution of the inheritance was
usually made at the death of the father. If
made earlier, it should have been at the
father’s suggestion and not at the son’s
request.
2. The prodigal son’s request shows
ingratitude and disrespect. It was as if he
couldn’t wait for his father to die.

9. I. ALLOW YOU TO MAKE CHOICES
B. The purpose of parenting is to train our children
to make good choices in their lives.
1. Parenting is a job that if it is done right you are
no longer needed in that job.
2. We are not told so, but surely the father tried to
talk his son out of the bad choices he was
making.
3. But in the end he allowed him to make his
choice and he lived with the consequences of
his choice.
C. If the father had not allowed the son to have his
choice, he would have become like his older
brother, unthankful and ungrateful for the
blessing he had.

10. II. A FATHER WHO
WILL GIVE YOU A
WARM EMBRACE
RATHER THAN A
COLD SHOULDER.

11. II. GIVE YOU A WARM EMBRACE
A.Although the prodigal son showed
ingratitude and disrespect for the father in
requesting his inheritance and wasting it in
the far country, the father showed great
love for the son when he returned.
B.Rather than a cold shoulder, the son
received a warm embrace. Luke records,
“And he arose, and came to his father. But
when he was yet a great way off, his father
saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and
fell on his neck, and kissed him” (Lk.
15:20).

12. II. GIVE YOU A WARM EMBRACE
1. The father was watching for his son to
come home. He had not given up on him.
2. The father had compassion, and not
contempt, in his heart for his son.
3. The father ran to meet his son. He was
ready to forgive.
4. The father fell on his neck or embraced
his son. He didn’t keep his son at arm’s
length.
5. The father kissed his son.

13. II. GIVE YOU A WARM EMBRACE
C. Some have pictured the prodigal son as
knocking on the pig farmer’s door in the far
country and handing him back the slop
bucket. As the son handed the bucket
back, he declared, “I’m going home.” The
farmer answered, “When your father sees
and smells you, he’ll send you back.”
“Mister,” the prodigal said, “You don’t
know my father.”

14. III. A FATHER WHO
WILL GIVE YOU A
SON’S ROBE
WHEN YOU ASK
FOR A SERVANT’S
TOWEL.

15. III. A SON’S ROBE WHEN YOU ASK
FOR A SERVANT’S TOWEL.
A.The prodigal son headed home with the
intention of declaring that he was no longer
worthy of being called the father’s son. He
was asking merely to be as one of his
servants (Lk. 15:18-19).
B.After the son confessed his sin, and before
he could request to be a servant, the father
called for the best robe, a ring, and sandals
to be brought to his son (Lk. 15:22). He was
received not as a servant, but rather, as a
son.

16. III. A SON’S ROBE WHEN YOU ASK
FOR A SERVANT’S TOWEL.
C. Reminds us of Paul’s plea to Philemon
regarding Onesimus. Philemon 1:15-16 15 For
perhaps he departed for a while for this
purpose, that you might receive him forever, 16
no longer as a slave but more than a slave--a
beloved brother, especially to me but how
much more to you, both in the flesh and in the
Lord.
D. John 15:15 No longer do I call you servants,
for a servant does not know what his master is
doing; but I have called you friends, for all
things that I heard from My Father I have made
known to you.

17. IV. A FATHER WHO
WILL GIVE YOU A
PLACE AT THE
TABLE INSTEAD OF
A SEAT IN THE
CORNER.

18. IV. A PLACE AT THE TABLE INSTEAD
OF A SEAT IN THE CORNER.
A.The elder brother thought that his brother
should be punished, not pitied. He thought
that he should be rejected, not received. He
thought that he should be flogged, not fed.
1. The elder brother was angry and wouldn’t
go in to the feast (Lk. 15:25-28).
2. The elder brother wouldn’t even speak of
the prodigal as his brother. He said to his
father, “Thy son” (Lk. 15:30).
3. The elder brother rejected the reasoning of
his father (Lk. 15:28) and charged his father
with favoritism (Lk. 15:29-30). His attitude
must have dampened the father’s joy.

19. IV. A PLACE AT THE TABLE INSTEAD
OF A SEAT IN THE CORNER.
B. Unlike the elder brother, the loving father
would in no wise cast his penitent child out
C. John 6:37 All that the Father gives Me will
come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I
will by no means cast out.
D. The father commanded the fatted calf to be
killed and for there to be a celebration at his
son’s return (Lk. 15:23).
E. The father understood the significance of the
occasion. His son, who was dead, was now
alive. His son, who was lost, was now found
(Lk. 15:24).

20. A FATHER YOU WANT TO COME
HOME TO
A.This story gives us an example of how we
should be fathers who a child would want
to come home to.
B.But it also gives us an example of how our
heavenly Father will welcome his prodigal
children home if we will return to him.
C.Do you need to come home to your loving
Father. He is waiting for you to return.

22. TONIGHT’S SERMON
GOD’S LEADERS