THE STORY OF THE COMPASSIONATE FATHER

( A DISCUSSION ON LUKE 15 : 11 - 32)

Roshan : Welcome to all for this discussion on Luke 15:11-32

All : Hi
Roshan : Have you read Luke 15:11-32 earlier
Rohit : I have read it many times.
Rahim : I have not read it, but I did read the Fathers Love Letter in the
link you had given when we met last time.
Pooja & Preeti : Why dont we read the story now
Roshan : O.K. We will read it. If you have your Bible please turn the
pages to the portion where Luke 15 : 11-32 is or else you can read from
this printout. Rohit will read it aloud for us. Others please listen &
follow carefully.
Rohit :
The story of the compassionate father & his two sons.
Luke Chapter 15 Verses 11 to 32

11. Then Jesus said, There was once a man who had two sons:
12. The younger one said to his father Father give me the share of
the property that will belong to me. So he divided his assets
between them.
13. Not many days later, the younger son packed his bags and went on
a journey to a distant country. There he wasted everything he had
in reckless living.
14. Then after he spent everything, a severe famine took place
throughout that country and he began to be in want.
15. So he went and attached himself to one of the citizens of the
country who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
16. He longed to fill his stomach with the husks that the pigs were
eating, but no one gave him anything.
17. But when he came to his senses he said How many of my fathers
hired workers have more than enough food to eat but here I am
dying from hunger!
18. I will arise and go to my father and say Father, I have sinned
against heaven and against you.
19. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of
your hired servants.
20. So, he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long
way his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and
embraced him and kissed him.
21. Then his son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven
and against you

22. But the Father said to his servants Hurry! Bring the best robe
and put it on him; and put a ring on his finger and sandals on his
feet
23. And bring the fattened calf and kill it; let us eat and celebrate
24. For this my son was dead and has come to life again; he was lost,
and has been found. Then they began to celebrate
25. Now the older son was out in the field and as he came and drew
near to the house, he heard music and dancing
26. And he called one of the servants and asked what was going on
27. The servant said Your brother has returned, and your father has
killed the fattened calf because he has received him safe and
sound
28. But he was angry and refused to enter the house ; His father came
out and pleaded with him
29. But he answered his father, Look! These many years I have
worked like a slave for you, and not once did I disobey your orders.
Yet you never gave me even a goat so that I could celebrate with
my friends!
30. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your
assets with prostitutes; you killed for him the fattened calf!
31. Then the father said to him, Son, you are always with me, and
everything that belongs to me is yours.
32. But now we must celebrate and be glad, because your brother was
dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.
Roshan : Before we continue, let us just say a small prayer.

 Our Loving Heavenly Father, we pray that you would open our eyes to
see the wonders in your word. Please speak to us. In Jesus Name we pray.
Amen
I think all of you would have understood the story that we read. Please
spend a few minutes reading silently.
Rohit : The story starts with Then which means it is a continuation to
an earlier portion.
Roshan : If you read the first three verses of Luke Chapter 15 then you
can understand the context.
Pooja : The 3rd verse says Jesus told a parable. What is a Parable?
Rohit : Parable is a short story which Jesus tells to teach some spiritual
truth
Roshan : We can see two groups of people with Jesus. The tax
collectors & sinners is one group. The other group consists of the
Pharisees & Scribes. The second group is murmuring that Jesus eats
with the tax collectors.
Preeti : Who are these people?
Roshan : The tax collectors, as the name says are people who collect
taxes. In those days Israel was ruled by the Romans. The tax collectors
were Jewish people who collected tax on behalf of the Romans. They
were notorious for collecting huge taxes & enriching themselves. They
probably had goondas & other social outcasts with them to help them in
their work.
Rohit : The Pharisees & Scribes are religious rulers who have read the
Bible thoroughly. These people had established many rules and
traditions and insisted that all the people should follow them. Many of
these people were filled with Hypocrisy.
Roshan : Jesus begins by telling the parable of the lost sheep, then the
lost coin & finally the lost son.

Rohit : I think Jesus is trying to emphasize that when we find something

that is lost, then we will feel happy. If something highly valuable is lost
& then found we would obviously celebrate.
Roshan : Can somebody tell the story in brief.
Rahim : A Father has two sons, the younger one demands his share of
inheritance & leaves the father. He loses all money in wild living, comes
to his senses & returns to father. The father runs, kisses, embraces &
welcomes him as a son. Elder son is angry with father for welcoming
the younger son & celebrating his coming.
Preeti : It is the story of two sons, no daughters are involved.
Roshan : Though daughters are not involved in the story, it is applicable
to them also. We must remember that this story is set in a village in
Israel about 2000 years ago. What do you think would have been the
social status of the father.
Rohit : He must have been wealthy. He had many servants working for
him.
Rahim : He had farms for cultivation. Probably he would have also
done a profitable business of rearing sheep, goat, cows etc.
Pooja : I think he must have hired artists with him, those who can sing,
dance, play music, entertain etc.
Preeti : He must have been a respectable citizen of the country.
Roshan : What did the younger son ask the father?
Rohit : He asked the father to divide the inheritance & give his portion.
Roshan : When does the property pass from the Father to the son.
Rahim : After the death of the Father, usually based on the Will.
Roshan : What does it mean to ask for the property when the father is
alive.

Rohit : It means that the Father is as good as dead to him.

Roshan : Why do you think the younger son would have done that?
Preeti : Probably he would have felt that the father is too restrictive.
There may have given been many dos & donts in the house.
Pooja : I think he wanted independence, he wanted to enjoy life.
Roshan : The father could have refused the sons request
Pooja : That is what I dont understand.
Rohit : I think the Father must have been a very gentle & generous
person. Maybe he would have told the son that what he is asking for is
not right. But the son may not have listened and would have stuck to
his demand.
Rahim: He could have also thought that the son may do something
good.
Roshan : Did the father give the property only to the younger son or to
both the sons?
Pooja : I think, he gave only to the younger son.
Roshan : Please read v12 carefully once again.
Rohit : It says he divided his assets between them. That means he gave
to both the sons. But I dont know in what proportion he would have
divided.
Roshan : According to the rule prevalent in those days, the elder son
gets 2/3 rd while the younger would get 1/3rd.
Rohit : He packed and left after some days. Why didnt he pack & go
immediately?

Rahim : He would have converted the assets into money. If he could sell
the property in a few days it meant that he would have sold it cheaply.
Roshan : Why did he go to a distant country? Why not somewhere near
by?
Rohit : I think he wanted to go to a place where his father cannot find
him. Probably to such a place were there would not be even one person
who had known his father there. His father should be as good as dead
& lost to him so that he could live as he pleases.
Roshan : How do you think he would wasted whatever he had with
him?
Pooja : Probably he would have spent on drinking, gambling,
prostitutes etc.
Preeti : Prostitutes is a derogatory word. The term used to refer them
these days is commercial sex workers.
Rahim : Earning money is difficult, spending is very easy.
Pooja : There is also the probability of money being stolen or he being
cheated. He could have lost money this way also.
Roshan : What happened next?
Rohit : Something unexpected. It was really unfortunate that a famine
occurred.
Rahim : How did the famine occur?
Preeti : There is nothing mentioned there, it could be either because of
lack of rain or because of some epidemic, pest or even war. These days
we do not have such famine but we do have economic depression.
Rohit : These could also be referred to as Acts of God. Isnt it?
Roshan : Yes. What do you think would have been his condition after he
lost everything?

Rohit : He may not have had any place to stay. He may have sold all his
personal belongings to survive. He was surrounded by many people who
had posed themselves as friends when he had money but none of them
are with him after everything is gone. He would have felt lonely and on
top of it he is not able to get any job.
Pooja : A desperate & pathetic situation.
Roshan : Like in our country, the pig is an unclean animal & no Jew
would even go near it.
Rohit : He has to do a job which he detests but even there it appears no
one is even giving him enough food. The condition of pigs there was
probably better than him.
Roshan : This situation brought him to his senses. Even the condition of
the hired workers with his father was better than him.
Rohit : Maybe his father had different types of workers like mangers,
supervisors, skilled workers /unskilled workers & daily contract
labourers. It appears that he is saying that the condition of the lowest
category of workers i.e the daily wage contract labourer was better than
him.
Roshan : He realizes that he has sinned and is not worthy to go to his
father hence he decides that he will ask his father to treat him like one
of his hired servants. What do you think of the fathers response?
Rahim : I am completely shocked at the response of the father.
Rohit : It appears he was missing him & he was eagerly waiting for him.
Pooja : I think his appearance would have been like a beggar. I dont
know how the father managed to identify him from such a far off place.
I can fully understand the fathers love for his son on reading v20.
Preeti : I think that the Father should have punished him for damaging
his reputation in the society.

Pooja : But he has realized his mistake and returned to his father why
should he be punished.
Preeti : After committing a murder if you realize that you have done a
great sin can you escape punishment under the Law?
Pooja : I was just thinking that the Fathers love is so big that he is
ready to forgive him when he realizes what he has done. After all, when
you do something wrong doesnt your Dad forgive you. I think the very
purpose of a fathers existence is to show his love to his children not his
ability to punish.
Roshan : Please dont argue. I think Pooja is trying to say that he
regretted all wrong that he did. He would have felt that the decision to
leave Fathers house and the immoral things that he did later were all
wrong. He obviously wanted to leave his past life behind. Lets continue
with what happened in the story.
Rohit : The father told the servants to put the best robe on him, a ring
& sandals and ordered for celebration.
Roshan : These things that he tells to put are not necessities for him but
luxuries. The father wants to make his son the Prince. He wants to
fully restore the rights of a son. He in fact cuts short the speech that
the son had rehearsed in his mind to say. He does not allow him to say
Treat me like one of the hired servants
Pooja : They have killed a calf for their celebration. There could have
been many other ways to celebrate. Why kill the poor calf?
Preeti : I think the calf has been reared for killing & eating. The broiler
chicken that we eat is raised up for the sole purpose of eating, so there is
nothing wrong with it.
Pooja : I feel sorry for the calf. I think vegetarian food is best for our
health.
Roshan : Lets come to our topic of discussion. Now the elder son while
coming back from his work hears music & dancing. He comes to know
from one of the servants that the celebration is for the safe return of his

younger brother and he becomes very angry. He refuses to enter the

house despite the fathers pleading.
Rahim : The elder son feels that the father is partial. He has been
always with him but there was never a celebration. I feel what he says is
right.
Roshan : Read verses 29,30 and observe very carefully what he said. He
says that he has worked like a slave.
Rohit : What is the need for working like a slave. He is after all
working in his fathers farm which is ultimately his farm.
Roshan : He was looking at his father as a boss. Now when the father is
pleading to him to come inside he is not obeying but he says he has
never disobeyed. He is blaming the father that he has not given even a
goat but in fact he has already divided and given his portion when the
younger son asked for it.
Preeti : The fact is he doesnt want to spend anything for celebration &
he is blaming the father for it.
Roshan : He absolutely has no consideration for his brother. He doesnt
call him his brother but refers to the father as this son of yours. He
has disowned him.
Pooja : It appears that the story ends there with the elder brother
outside.
Rohit : The story began with the younger brother going outside the
fathers house but finally ends with the elder brother outside.
Roshan : Just think how many groups of people were with Jesus and
how many sons did the father have
Preeti : I got the meaning, Jesus compares the Tax collectors & Sinners
to the younger son & the Pharisees & Scribes to the elder son & the
Father to himself.
Roshan : Do you know who killed Jesus?

Rohit : It was the Pharisees who plotted his death.

Pooja : If I had told the story, then I would added that the elder son
killed his father to take complete control of the assets.
Rohit : If the Father refers to Jesus, you may know that Jesus rose from
the dead on the third day, then you should probably plan to write a
sequel to the story.
Roshan : Can you identify yourself with any of the characters in the
story.
Preeti : I am not so bad as the younger son but I appreciate the fact that
he went back to his father. He needed a second chance to live a better
life & the father provided it to him.
Rahim : Initially I thought that what the father did was not right but I
have changed my opinion later. I would rather be like the younger son
than the older son. I know that I have done mistakes which I regret in
my life. I want to come to God & ask forgiveness.
Pooja : Except for the calf, I like everything about the story. It could be
made into an entertaining movie. I want to have a love relationship
with God. I dont want to do any mistakes in my life like the two sons.
Rohit : From v32 we can find that living our life away from the Father
is equal to being dead or being lost. I found life when I came to God.
Like a loving father Jesus leads me each day.
Roshan : From v32 we also infer that if we are dead, we can come to life
again. If we are lost we can be found. What is the one thing that we
have to do to live or to be found.
Rohit : Like the younger brother we need to repent of our sins & come
back to the father seeking his forgiveness.
Preeti : I have not done any grave sins like the younger son so I dont
feel the need to repent. You should not tell that we should repent of the
small mistakes that all humans do. After all To Err is Human

Roshan : Many of us fail to realize that we can sin even in our thoughts.
Jesus said if we had a lustful desire, it is adultery. If we honestly assess
ourselves we can never come to the conclusion that we have not done
any sin.
Rohit : Recently, I visited a website, www.theultimatetest.org . To know
how good you are I think you should take the test in the website.
Roshan : In conclusion I would say we need to repent of our sins &
experience Gods love in our lives. We need to show Gods kind of love
to all people irrespective of colour, caste or creed. If you want to live
again or be found by God, then you can say a prayer like this
Loving Heavenly Father, I believe that Jesus has died for my sins & his
risen. I want to accept his offer for forgiveness. Please forgive all my sins
and enter my name in the Lambs Book of Life. In Jesus Name I pray.
Amen
May all of us enjoy Gods love in our life and May he give grace so that
we could love others as he loves us. Bye to all. See you soon.