Kevin posed a question in his previous sermon from Luke 15... What do the three parables (the lost coin, missing sheep, and prodigal son) have in common, and what is the one aspect that is missing from the parable of the prodigal son?
He addressed that question in this morning's sermon, pointing out that in that culture, it was expected of the oldest son to do whatever he could to restore the honor of the family by looking for the younger son. Are we who follow Christ willing to do the same by seeking those who are lost?
We also saw how this parable doesn't really have an ending like the other two, leaving the hearers to wonder, did the older son join the party? John McArthur writes that even though Jesus left his hearers to ponder the ending, we who have the whole revelation of Scripture now know the ending to the story...
The older son (the Pharisees) did accept the father's invitation to join the party. Instead, he took it upon himself to see that one of the sources of the family's shame was ended, and he killed the father. They did not recognize Jesus's offer of salvation through grace, and they had him put to death on the cross.
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