Today we read Luke 15 versus 11 to 32 together in our Bible reading the

parable of the prodigal son or the parable of the prodigal sons, plural, is a famous story about a father, a blameless

father, and his two sons who are anything but blameless, each of them entrapped by their

own sin in very different ways.

And for parents of prodigal sons and daughters,

the story resonates deep in offering hope

like it does for Heather, a mom in Birmingham, Alabama.

Pastor John, hello, I'm the mother of a prodigal son in his early 20s.

I read Luke 15 over and over.

I have studied it a hundred times. I was wondering if you were to talk to the

parent of a prodigal son or daughter, how would you give hope to them from this

text? I want my life to reflect the life of the father in this story as I wait on the porch.

It really is an amazingly encouraging parable for parents and prodigals.

It's got so many layers of encouragement in it.

I don't think we've ever or anybody has ever gotten to the bottom of it and its amazing portrait of the

gracious heart of God. We could talk for hours about the implications of this

parable but we don't have hours so let me perhaps

mention I think I see seven that I could do within the time frame, seven encouragement from this

parable first.

This is one of the three parables in Luke 15, which are told by Jesus in response to being criticized

in verses 1 and 2 because of eating with tax collectors and sinners when the Pharisees and scribes grumble,

saying, this man receives sinners and eats with him,

...