June 16, 2024
The Costly Love of God
- Matt Nickoson
Sermon Notes
Luke 15:11-12 NIV
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
Luke 15:13 NIV
”Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.”
wild living =
loose living (NASB 95)
riotous living (KJV)
reckless living (ESV)
prodigal living (NKJV)
Luke 15:14-15 NIV
“After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.”
Luke 15:16 NIV
“He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.”
Luke 15:17 NIV
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!”
Luke 15:18-19 NIV
“I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’”
Luke 15:20a NIV
“So he got up and went to his father.”
“He tells us his motives… he tell us what he thinks is the problem, and he tells us how he thinks he is going to solve the problem. He doesn’t say ‘I broke my mother’s heart.’, he doesn’t say ‘I caused my father the agony of rejected love’, he doesn’t say ‘I’m sorry I lost the money’, he doesn’t say ‘my entire extended family has suffered economic loss because of my irresponsible behavior’, he doesn’t say any of this! All he says is, ‘I’d like to get back on the gravy train.’” – Dr. Kenneth Bailey, The Prodigal Son
Luke 15:20b NIV
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”
Luke 15:21 NIV
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’”
At some point, you have to stop trying to save yourself and accept the love of your Heavenly Father!
Luke 15:22-24 NIV
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.”
They are celebrating the costly love of the Father who has found and restored his son!
Luke 15:28 NIV
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.”
Luke 15:29-30 NIV
“But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’”
“(The older brother) is raging out of control and shouting all kinds of irresponsible nonsense. The father has every right, and in fact is expected, to put up his hands and say ‘ENOUGH! I don’t have to put up with this. Lock him up, I will deal with him later!” – Dr. Kenneth Bailey, The Prodigal Son
Luke 15:31-32 NIV
“ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”