TEXT: LUKE 15: 1- 32 1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.

2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying,

4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?

9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.

10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

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 falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

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

14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

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

16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto 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 perish with hunger!

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

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

22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

24 For this my son 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 and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

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

27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him.

29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. (KJV)

Today I would like to deliver a message entitled “THE PARABLE OF THE LOST SON.” We would like to learn what this story says about the end time. Let’ s look at the text.

1 “Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.”

Here come the publicans and sinners. This has some meaning. For, they are actually those who are likened in the parable of the lost son. If we think which brother they correspond to, they of course correspond to the younger who wasted his substance with riotous living.

2 “And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.”

Well, there are the Pharisees and scribes who complain about Jesus’ action. They are the very elder brother of the story of the lost son. They have worked in the fields (to sow the Word) and served Father God. But, they could not bless that the publicans and sinners, the younger brother, who wasted his substance with riotous living, came back to the presence of Father God. And they complained, saying, “eateth with them.”

This corresponds to that the elder brother was angry, and would not go in.

And if we solve the parable of the feast, it is about to eat and to drink, and to partake the Word of bread of life and water of the Holy Spirit. It shows them receiving the bread of life in the feast, “Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.” But the Pharisees and scribes could not accept this or agree with this feast.

3 “And he spake this parable unto them, saying,

4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”

As is written, “Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance,” the heart of God is for a sinner to repent. We know that we should contact a sinner with His heart.

8 “Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?

9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.

10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

Here, likewise, it is told, “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

11 “And he said, A certain man had two sons.”

These two sons mean the elder God’s people and the younger the Gentiles, unbelievers now.

12 “And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

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

The younger son “took his journey into a far country,” that is, he went to the country far away from Father God. And, he spent all his health and wealth in vain.

14 “And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.”

He began to be in spiritual want. The day will come when the people of this world who are far away from God despair of life in this world and are in want for heart in the end time.

15 “And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.”

A citizen may be possibly god of this world, Satan. And, swine is related to the Gentile. He became to have relation with the people of this world.

16 “And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.”

He liked to fill his belly with “the husks that the swine did eat,” that is, the food of this world, but he could not fill with it. There was nobody who could give to fill his belly, want for heart.

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 perish with hunger!”

His heart began to seek Father God. The day will come when the people of this world will seek God in the end time.

18 “I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.”

At this time, he, unbeliever, repented for the first time and turned around.

20 “And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.”

Father found him.

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

22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.”

It is written, “the best robe.” The robe may have relation to righteousness. Unbelievers will be filled with righteousness on the day. A ring may have relation to covenant. This day they will be in wonderful covenant with God. And, shoes have relation to walk. They will be given good walk and work as Christians.

23 “And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry.”

It is the similar expression as “the Lamb that was slain,” “the fatted calf, and kill it.” Redemption of sin is made. And, they will be merry, eating true food, the Word of true bread.

24 “For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.”

The Gentiles, unbelievers now, are dead in sin. But, they are alive again. And, they are lost, but are found.

It is written, “they began to be merry (in the feast).” The feast has of course relation to eating and drinking. The Word will be opened and the true revival of the Holy Spirit will come. Yes, this is the day of the revival of the end time that is equal to Pentecost.

25 “Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.”

Well, another important theme of this story is about the elder son.

This son was in the fields. Fields are related to seed. So, he might be serving for the Word. He heard the music and dancing.

He hears noisy sound of the feast. It will be the day of noisy sound and great revival when many unbelievers are saved.

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

27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.”

The younger son, unbelievers, will come back to God this day.

28 “And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him.”

The elder son would not go in this time. It is written naturally, “would not go in (to the house).” But, it may have some great meaning to suggest the Christian Church of the end time. The house is the metaphor of a church. And that the elder son would not go in seems to suggest that straight Christians will not go in or have relation to the church where the younger son is welcomed and many unbelievers are saved in the end time.

It is written, “therefore came his father out, and entreated him.” So, the explanation about the end time revival and restoration of the Church will be done to Christians according to God’s will. But, they will reject it, saying, “They do not want to be concerned in such sects or cults.”

29 “And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.”

The elder son did not understand his father’s attitude toward his brother. Many Christians will not understand God’s dealing with the unbelievers in the end time, too.

31 “And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.”

The feast of God, the revival will be caused, as is written, “It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad.” But, Christians who are represented by the elder son will reject to join in it.

As I repeat, it seems that many God’s people, Christians, will not join in and reject the revival in the end time, as is told in the parable of the lost son. The Bible warns it not only through this parable but in various ways.

Let’s pray to be kept away from deception so that we will be able to judge properly.

Let’s do the will of the Lord in the end time.

End.