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The Three Faces of Being Lost
In Luke 15, Jesus masterfully weaves together three interconnected parables about being lost - the lost sheep, the lost coin, and what's traditionally called the prodigal son. These stories reveal different ways we can become separated from God's presence and purpose for our lives.
Discontentment: The Root of Wandering
The younger son's story begins with a heart of discontentment. Weary of his father's righteous household, he grew jaded with the routines of faithful living - family prayers, scripture readings, and moral boundaries. Rather than seeing these as privileges, he viewed them as constraints holding him back from experiencing life.
This restless son didn't approach his father with maturity, acknowledging the advantages of his upbringing. Instead, he essentially declared, "I want to be free from this stale place. The exciting world is calling me." He demanded his inheritance early - seeking freedom through someone else's provision, while planning to misuse those very gifts.
The Price of Self-Will
The son exercised his will to leave, gathering his inheritance and quickly departing to a "far country." The further from his father's influence, the better, he thought. This reveals an important truth: when someone chooses to sin, they accelerate their departure from God's presence and memory. They seek distance, hoping their actions won't reach their Father's ears.
While the world's pleasures may shine briefly, they ultimately grind the soul to dust. The son spent everything he had until severe famine struck. Unlike the imperishable inheritance of God's saints described in 1 Peter 1:4, everything he possessed was temporary and consumable.
His supposed friends disappeared when his money ran dry. As Scripture notes, "No one gave him anything" (Luke 15:16). The one who sought freedom through rebellion found himself enslaved - hired out to feed pigs, a position of ultimate shame in Jewish culture.
Coming to His Senses
The turning point comes in Luke 15:17 - "When he came to himself." This profound phrase suggests that sin is a form of insanity, leaving us not truly ourselves. Only when the incessant sinning left him utterly bankrupt did clear thinking begin to emerge.
The son's return demonstrates true repentance. Rather than claiming rights, he acknowledges his unworthiness: "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son" (Luke 15:21). This attitude - acknowledging our sin and abandoning self-will - marks the path to genuine salvation.
The Father's Welcome
While the son was still far off, his father saw and ran to him, embracing him before any confession was made. No grievances were aired, no sharp words spoken. Instead, the father called for the best robe (representing restored character), a ring (symbolizing status and honor), and shoes (marking him as a son, not a servant).
The celebration that followed, complete with the fatted calf, represents the heavenly feast awaiting those who return home to God. As the father declared, "This my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found" (Luke 15:24).
The sweetness of coming home to God surpasses all earthly pleasures. While we deserve eternal separation, Jesus made a way for our return through His substitutionary death. True freedom isn't found in casting off restraints, but in surrendering our will to the Father who runs to welcome us home.