The Prodigal Son

by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2014, all rights reserved.

Chapter 1

Jesus told us about the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11—32.

11 And 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 will be mine.  And he divided to them his living.

13 And not many days later the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and wasted his substance with riotous living there.

14 And when he had spent all, a mighty famine arose in that land, and he began to lack the things he needed.

15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs.

16 And he would preferably have filled his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, and no man gave to him.

17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I'm dying of hunger!

18 I'll get up and go to my father, and will say to him, father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you,

19 And am no more worthy to be called your son, make me like one of your hired servants.

20 And he got up, and went to his father.  But when he was yet a long way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

21 And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight, and am no more worthy to be called your son.

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 shoes on his feet,

23 And bring here the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and be merry,

24 For this son of mine was dead, and is alive again, he was lost, and is found.  And they began to be merry.

25 Now his elder son was in the field, and as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.

26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

27 And he said to him, Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.

28 And he was angry, and wouldn't go in, so his father came out, and reasoned with him.

29 And he answered his father, See, these many years I've served you.  I never disobeyed your orders, and yet you never gave me a young goat so I could party with my friends,

30 But as soon as this son of yours has come, who has consumed your living with prostitutes, you've killed for him the fatted calf.

31 And he said to him, Son, you're always with me, and all that I have is yours.

32 It was right that we should make merry, and be glad, for this brother of yours was dead, but is alive again, and was lost, and is found."

The young man asked for his inheritance early.  It seems to me that the father made a bad decision.  He should have said, “No, you don’t inherit now, you inherit later.”

Sometimes you have to say no to your children.

So, the young man got the money.

Did he buy himself a nice business that he could operate at a profit, and provide for himself and his future family?  No.

Did he buy a flock of sheep and become a shepherd?  No.

Did he use the money wisely?  No, he went to a far country and squandered the money on riotous living.  Riotous living is never a good thing.  It is always a bad thing.

Chapter 2

His older brother thought the Prodigal Son spent money on prostitutes.  I guess the young man didn’t know that the Bible says, “A whore is a deep ditch.”

I quoted that to a man once, and he laughed.  There’s no humor in that statement.  If someone falls into a deep ditch, they could get badly hurt, or die.

It tells in Proverbs about another young man, lacking wisdom, who got involved with a prostitute.

The expression is used, “Until a dart strikes through his liver.  Like a bird hurries toward the trap, and doesn’t know that it is for his life.”

“Many strong men have been killed by her.”

And the prostitute could easily have a dozen different sexually transmitted diseases to pass on to the customer.

Some people talk about “safe sex,” meaning that a condom was used.  A condom might offer a little protection, but some diseases can be passed even if a condom was used.

In Navy boot camp, a Chief medic gave a class on sex.  He said if you touch the disease with your thumb, you get it on your thumb, etc.

The safest sex is, don’t have sex except with your wife, after you marry.  And if you’re a Christian, Corinthians says, “Don’t be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.  Don’t marry an unbeliever.

A famine arose in the place where the young man had gone to.  He began to lack the things he needed.

He got a job feeding pigs, and wondered whether he could fill his stomach with the husks that the pigs were eating.

Then it dawned on him that his father’s hired hands were doing well, while he was dying of hunger.

So he went back to ask his father’s forgiveness and to ask his father to make him like one of the hired hands.

The father was glad to see him, and they had a celebration.

The older brother was angry that the younger brother would be rewarded that way.

The father explained, “You are always with me, and all that I have is yours.  It was right that we should make merry because your brother was like dead, but now he’s alive.  He was lost but has been found.”

The Bible says the angels rejoice in heaven when a sinner gets saved on earth.

The Prodigal Son’s return is like a sinner getting saved.  But he was probably a poor man for the rest of his life.

The Bible says we should be diligent in business.  The Prodigal Son was the opposite of that.

The Book of Proverbs, right after the Psalms, gives us instruction on wisdom.  And we should ask the Lord for wisdom.  “When you pray, believe that you receive the things you ask for, and you shall have them.” (Mark 11:24)

The Prodigal Son was not a student of the Proverbs of Solomon, who was the wisest and richest king of Israel.

But even Solomon went astray with unbelieving women, so much so that God had to split the nation of Israel into two kingdoms:  Judah, and Israel.

It seems that the Prodigal Son was in the thorns category of the Parable of the Planter.  The thorns are the cares of this life, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in.

But possibly he finally made it to heaven.  The Bible doesn’t tell us.  We’ll find out later.

Jesus said, “If any man wants to follow me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

We must sometimes say no to the flesh so that we can please the Lord, and so we can stay on the straight and narrow road to heaven.

Christians are not supposed to be living for pleasure, but serving the Lord.

There is even something called, “A Fasted Life.”  I heard about it from Kenneth E. Hagin.  Hagin said he fasted religiously for twenty four hours every Tuesday and Thursday.

After a while, the Lord told him that rather than doing that, “I’d rather you just lived a fasted life.”

Hagin said, “What is that, Lord, a fasted life?”

The Lord said, “Just never eat all that you feel like eating.

___James chapter 1

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are dispersed around, greetings.

2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations,

3 Knowing this, that the testing of your faith works patience.

4 But let patience have its perfect work, so you'll be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally, and won't find fault, and it shall be given to him.

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.  For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.

7 For let that man not think that he'll receive anything from the Lord.

8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted,

10 But the rich, in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he'll pass away.

11 For the sun has no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower of it falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for after he's been tested, he'll receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man,

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.

15 Then when lust has conceived, it produces sin, and sin when it's finished, produces death.

16 Do not err, my beloved brothers.

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning.

18 He chose to father us with the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

19 So, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,

20 For the anger of man doesn't accomplish the righteousness of God.

21 So, lay apart all filthiness and the unnecessary naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man seeing his natural face in a mirror,

24 For he sees himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is for nothing.

27 Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

___James chapter 2

1 My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

2 For if a man with a gold ring comes to your assembly in fancy clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes comes in also,

3 And you have respect to him that wears the fancy clothes, and say to him, "Sit here in a good place," and say to the poor, "Stand there, or sit here under my footstool,"

4 Aren't you then partial in yourselves, and have become judges with evil thoughts?

5 Listen, my beloved brothers, hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?

6 But you have despised the poor.  Don't rich men oppress you, and bring you before the judgment seats?

7 Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you're called?

8 If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor like yourself," you do well,

9 But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as sinners.

10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

11 For he that said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not kill."  Now if you don't commit adultery, yet if you kill, you've become a breaker of the law.

12 Speak in such a way, and do, as those who'll be judged by the law of liberty.

13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment.

14 What does it profit, my brothers, though a man says he has faith, and doesn't have works?  Can faith save him?

15 If a brother or sister needs clothes, and lacks daily food,

16 And one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you don't give them the things that are needed for the body, what good is that?

17 Even so faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yes, a man could say, "You have faith, and I have works, show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works."

19 You believe that there is one God, you do well, the devils also believe, and tremble.

20 But don't you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar?

22 Do you see how faith worked with his deeds, and by works faith was made perfect?

23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God."

24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise also wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

26 For like the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

___James chapter 3

1 My brothers, don't be many masters, knowing that we'll receive the greater condemnation.

2 For in many things we offend all.  If any man doesn't offend in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

3 See, we put bits in the horses' mouths, so they'll obey us, and we turn around their whole bodies.

4 Look also at the ships, which though they're so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet they're turned around by a very small helm, wherever the captain wants.

5 Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things.  See how great a matter a little fire kindles!

6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of sin, so is the tongue among our members that it makes dirty the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell.

7 For every kind of animals, and of birds, and of snakes, and of things in the sea, gets tamed, and has been tamed by mankind,

8 But no man can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

9 With it we bless God, the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God.

10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.  My brothers, these things ought not to be.

11 Does a fountain send out at the same place sweet water and bitter?

12 Can the fig tree, my brothers, produce olive berries?  Or a vine, figs?  So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh.

13 Who is a wise man, possessing knowledge among you?  Let him show out of a good lifestyle his works with meekness of wisdom.

14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, don't glory, and don't lie against the truth.

15 This wisdom doesn't descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be reasoned with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those who make peace.

___James chapter 4

1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from?  Don't they come from your lusts that war in your members?

2 You lust, and don't have, you kill, and desire to have, and can't obtain, you fight and war, yet you don't have, because you don't ask.

3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask wrongly, so you can consume it on your lusts.

4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God?  Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God.

5 Do you think that the scripture says for nothing, "The spirit that lives in us lusts to envy?"

6 But he gives more grace.  So he says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he'll run away from you.

8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded.

9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and cry, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he'll lift you up.

11 Don't speak evil about each other, brothers.  He that speaks evil about his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil about the law, and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law, but a judge.

12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, who are you that judges someone else?

13 Go on now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we'll go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit,"

14 Actually, you don't know what will happen tomorrow.  For what is your life?  It is a puff of steam, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.

15 For you ought to say, "Lord willing, we'll live, and do this, or that."

16 But now you rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil.

17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin.

___James chapter 5

1 Go on now, you rich men, cry and howl for your miseries that shall come on you.

2 Your riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth eaten.

3 Your gold and silver are rusted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire.  You've heaped treasure together for the last days.

4 See, the wages of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which you've kept back by fraud, shouts, and the shouts of those who've reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath.

5 You've lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, you've nourished your hearts, like in a day of slaughter.

6 You've condemned and killed the just, and he doesn't resist you.

7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord.  See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain.

8 You also be patient.  Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is getting near.

9 Don't grudge against each other, brothers, so you won't be condemned, see, the judge stands at the door.

10 Take, my brothers, the prophets, who've spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

11 See, we count them happy that endure.  You've heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

12 But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, not by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath, but let your yes be yes, and your no, no, so that you don't fall into condemnation.

13 Is anyone among you afflicted?  Let him pray.  Is anyone merry?  Let him sing psalms.

14 Is anyone sick among you?  Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord,

15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he'll be forgiven.

16 Confess your faults to each other, and pray for each other so you'll be healed.  The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man is does a lot of good.

17 Elijah was a man subject to the same kind of passions that we are, and he prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't rain on the earth for three years and six months.

18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

19 Brothers, if any of you strays from the truth, and someone converts him,

20 Let him know, that he that converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.