Bible Study: The Parables of Jesus Christ - The Meaning of The Parable of The Prodigal Son10/11/2015 Bible Study: The Parables of Jesus Christ - The Meaning of The Parable of The Prodigal SonIf you like this original Bible study, you can also check out my Patreon for more exclusive Bible studies, sermon notes, devotionals and eBooks that are not posted anywhere else. This is the Parable of the Prodigal Son: “Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me. ’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’ “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry. “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’ “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ” (Luke 15:11-32 NKJV) The Context of the Parable of the Prodigal Son: "Then drew near unto him all the tax collectors and sinners to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receives sinners, and eats with them." (Luke 15:1-2) Jesus spoke the parables recorded in Luke 15 as a response to the self-righteous comments that the Pharisees' and scribes' made, saying that Jesus associated Himself with sinners as if it was a bad thing. In the three parables which Jesus spoke, all three showed how God pursues and seeks out sinners to save. It is not that we seek to be saved, but that God in His love, seeks to save us! Hallelujah! The Merriam-Webster Dictionary's definition of the word "parable" is this: a usually short fictitious story that illustrates a moral attitude or a religious principle. So we must first understand that the characters in Jesus' Parable of the Prodigal Son are fictitious and not to be taken literally as though they are historical figures, but they represent other Persons/persons/beings which really do exist. In this parable... the father represents our Heavenly Father. The older son represents believers who have a servant-mentality and believe that they have to earn their own righteousness. The younger son represents us while we were still sinners and when we got saved by grace. Finally, the servants represents the angels of God. Alright, here we go! Let's begin to analyse the Parable of the Prodigal Son in a linear way. In this parable...the father represents our Heavenly Father. The older son represents believers who have a servant-mentality and believe that they have to earn their own righteousness. The younger son represents us while we were still sinners and when we got saved by Grace. Finally, the servants represents the angels of God. 1) God wants to teach us lessons through referencing two different kinds of people! “Then He said: “A certain man had two sons.". 2) The younger son sinned against his father by demanding for the inheritance that was willed to him, while his father was still alive! This was extremely offensive behavior! The younger son then went on to live a sinful lifestyle in a Gentile country. The younger son represents all of us who have sinned greatly against our Heavenly Father (Romans 3:23), and depicts how we were influenced by the sinful practices of the world and trapped in our sinful lifestyles. "And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me. ’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living." 3) The younger son hit rock-bottom in his life. God does not abandon us in the deep valleys in our lives, but He often uses them as great opportunities to reconcile us back to Himself! (Psalms 23:4) "But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything." 4) The younger son did not really repent of his ways and of how he treated his father. He said the following words because he wanted to fill his stomach. He was motivated by the wrong reason. He also felt that his father would never forgive him for what he did, and was content if he could be accepted back into his father's house as a hired servant. He had a bad opinion of his father's love for him. "“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’" 5) His father ran towards him, not the other way around - this shows that he still loves his son and already forgave him. God pursues us while we are still sinners, so that we can be brought back into right standing with him (Romans 5:8)! Great news - even when we seek God for with our own ulterior motives, He wants to use it as an opportunity to save us! He is always looking for a reason to bless, help and save you! (2 Chronicles 16:9, Isaiah 30:18) His father did five actions: a) His father saw him, b) His father had compassion on him, c) His father ran towards him, d) His father fell on his neck, e) His father kissed him. Based on the Hebrew numbers, Five is the number of grace. God shows us grace even when we have failed Him! "“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him." 6) The father stopped his son before he could say "make me like one of your hired servants". God's heart for us is not to be hired servants to Him, but to be sons and daughters to Him (II Corinthians 6:18)! His father gave five commands to his servants: a) bring out the best robe and put it on him, - represents clothing us with robes of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10). b) put a ring on his hand, - represents giving us the authority of the King of Kings (Daniel 2:37, I Timothy 6:15, Revelation 19:16) , in Jesus's name (Genesis 41:42, Daniel 6:17, Esther 8:8). c) put sandals on his feet, - represents Jesus, our Kinsman-Redeemer, redeeming us, as well as confirming the new covenant that we have with our Heavenly Father - the New Covenant of Grace. (Ruth 4:7) d) bring the fatted calf here and kill it, - represents God's generous provision and supply for us. Also represents that our sin debt has been paid - with the shedding of Jesus' blood, we are forgiven (Hebrews 10:14). e) let us eat and be merry, - represents the supernatural joy, peace and wholeness that God has given to us through the Holy Spirit inside us. Also represents us being granted access into Heaven, and also to be partakers of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Matthew 22:4, Revelation 19:9). Again, the number five which represents Grace appears. God shows how He treats us with His super-abounding Grace - He showers unmerited, unearned and undeserved favor upon us despite our failures. When we are born into this world, we are all automatically spiritually-dead in our sin, receiving the same sinful nature as Adam after he sinned (Colossians 2:13). The only Person who was born without sinful blood is Jesus because He received His blood directly from the Holy Spirit (I John 3:5). Our Heavenly Father loves to celebrate and see us being happy and joyful (Zephaniah 3:17). "And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry." 7) God loves music and dancing! He's not a stern, boring God at all (Psalms 40:3, Chronicles 13:7-8, Colossians 3:16, Ephesians 5:19)! When we are angry, even when we are angry at God, He still loves us and wants to restore us. He is such a loving God (Romans 8:31-39)! The older son has a servant-mentality, despite him being a son. He feels as though he needs to earn his own righteousness. The older son represents believers who are saved by Grace but think that they need to justify themselves by obeying the Law. They adopt a demand-conscious attitude, trying to earn their blessings, instead of restfully-receiving the gift of God's Grace through faith. Such believers think that it is possible to perfectly obey the Law. This is self-righteousness, and it is great foolishness (Galatians 2:21)! As seen in the verses below, having a servant-mentality leads to competitiveness and comparison, resulting in jealousy. This stems from an insecurity about one's own righteous standing before God. We should celebrate and rejoice at other people's blessings and be happy for them! Whatever blessings that others have, we can have too, just by asking our Heavenly Father who freely gives good gifts to those who keep asking Him in faith (Matthew 7:7-11). We should adopt a sonship-mentality, knowing that we are forever secure, beloved and righteous in God's eyes (John 10:28) When we have a sonship-mentality, we will also have an abundance mindset, knowing that whatever belongs to our Heavenly Father also belongs to us who are in Christ! It is our birthright and inheritance as children of God (Romans 8:15-17)! "“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’ “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”” Understand the Four Gospels Through the Lens of Grace (4 eBooks bundle)
$24.00
$19.00
This bundle contains 4 ebooks: - Understand the Gospel of Matthew Through the Lens of Grace - Understand the Gospel of Mark Through the Lens of Grace - Understand the Gospel of Luke Through the Lens of Grace - Understand the Gospel of John Through the Lens of Grace In these books, you’ll learn all the meanings of Jesus’ parables, prophecies, and teachings, as revealed by the Holy Spirit — every single one! You’ll also understand which parts of the Four Gospels are for the dispensation of the Law but written for our learning, which ones are for us to apply as New Covenant commandments today, and which ones are to be looked forward to in the future! No passage in the Four Gospels will remain a mystery to you after reading these ebooks. Faith, hope and love will blossom in your innermost being because these crucial books of the Bible are unlocked for you. I believe with all my soul that this resource will be a great blessing to you, and it will add priceless treasures of God’s word into your heart! As a bonus gift, you will also receive my Bible Study eBook "Understand the Book of Acts Through the Lens of Grace" (worth US$9.99) as a free bonus gift when you purchase this bundle. Some testimonials of my writing: "Great writer and theologian. I love your work. You are in tune with the Holy Spirit." - Pastor Dave Hammond, Faith Baptist Church of Myra, USA "Milton Goh my brother, your insight on Grace has set me free from 20 yrs of addiction. I was a 7 time felon but by the GRACE of God I am now an ordained minister. Here is some of my story: I was saved in Dec 2016 and started evangelizing in July of 2017 as soon as I was released. My ministry has led over 800 to Jesus. I go to jails, rehabs, homeless shelters plus numerous churches! Your notes and sermons allowed me to find rest in Jesus. I was getting tired trying to perform what I thought God needed from me. You have made me realize it's 100% the CROSS and now I go constantly for Jesus but never get tired. Thanks for your wisdom and love for Jesus. May God bless you and your family!" - Evangelist Michael Clark from Cumberland, Kentucky, USA "Milton Goh gives common sense insight on often confusing scripture, which is much appreciated in these troubled times." - Mike Garrett, first Editor/ Publisher for Stephen King and Author of Christian Novel "Innocence Denied", from USA The "Everything" Bundle
$129.99
$89.99
When you purchase this bundle, you'll get all my eBooks, even the special ones that are not for sale and you also receive an exclusive bonus: 6 months access to the archive of my "God Every Morning" (GEM) devotionals which are usually only for my patrons on Patreon--there are currently more than 600 devotionals there and 20 new ones added every month. Here's a list of what you will receive when you get this bundle:
In addition, you will also receive every new ebook that I release in the future. All you have to do is message me with your order confirmation email when I release a new ebook and ask for it--this means that the value of your one-time purchase keeps on growing! I hope you will enjoy the ebooks and devotionals--that they will accompany you as wonderful reads throughout every season. Thank you for being such a blessing to my family by reading my Christian content and purchasing my products. I write freelance full-time and am the main caretaker to my 4 year old daughter, so your seed sown allows me to keep writing content for Jesus' glory, to build up the body of Christ and for the Gospel to reach unbelievers who are yet to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. My website receives hundreds of thousands of page views a year, and my Facebook page's posts reach millions of users a year. Every view is a precious seed of the Gospel sown in a person's heart, and knowing that keeps me going, even on days where it feels like what i'm doing seems insignificant or a waste of time. All these labors to study God's word and reach the world for Jesus takes both time and money, so thank you once again for being a co-partner in this mission. All My Sermon Notes eBooks
$79.00
$39.00
Some people don't buy any sermons because of 'choice paralysis'. There's so many messages to choose from, but they don't know which one they want to get. Even if they bought all the sermons, few people have the time to watch 300 hours worth of sermons to see which messages they like.
If you were to buy each sermon at $10, you'd have to spend approximately $3000 or more to get all the sermons in this collection. Get all my 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 sermon notes in a downloadable and printable eBook format for only US$39 (limited time sale price). That's 7 books in total! They were meticulously compiled and they are the precious fruit of many hundreds of hours of work since 2014. If you knew exactly how much work and heart went into it, you would say that it's too reasonably priced! These sermon notes eBooks are easy to read. You can finish reading the points of each sermon in under 10 mins. They can act as a catalogue for you to browse through the sermons and see which ones you want to purchase. After reading the points, you may want to buy the sermon so you can hear exactly how the point was delivered by the speaker. You can enjoy these sermon notes eBooks even without internet connection and if you're like me who likes reading physical books, you can print them out and even make your own annotations on them during your personal Bible study time with God. *New sermon notes ebooks beyond 2021 are not guaranteed as there is no leading to continue at the moment. If there are any new ones, you will receive them for free if you are a customer who bought this product before. Just show me the email confirmation receipt as proof for redemption of the new ebooks. Testimonial about Milton's sermon notes: "Milton Goh my brother, your insight on Grace has set me free from 20 yrs of addiction. I was a 7 time felon but by the GRACE of God I am now an ordained minister. Here is some of my story: I was saved in Dec 2016 and started evangelizing in July of 2017 as soon as I was released. My ministry has led over 800 to Jesus. I go to jails, rehabs, homeless shelters plus numerous churches! Your notes and sermons allowed me to find rest in Jesus. I was getting tired trying to perform what I thought God needed from me. You have made me realize it's 100% the CROSS and now I go constantly for Jesus but never get tired. Thanks for your wisdom and love for Jesus. May God bless you and your family!" - Michael from Cumberland, Kentucky, USA "Very encouraging simplified sermons. Needed it especially when I cannot attend church due to family commitments. They heighten my knowledge of God. God is good all the time! Thanks for sharing this Milton. May the Lord bless you." - Nicole Ng, Singapore "I write with heartfelt thanks to the man of God (Milton Goh) for having developed the idea of giving a chance to a people you didn't know but thought that they needed this wonderful and amazing message of GRACE. Indeed I Moreen (Ugandan) plus my other fellow brethren from different countries and continents are being blessed. Our hopes are raised high, the guilt and condemnation disappear, our fears and insecurities go despite the surrounding circumstances when we reach out to your blog." - Mukyala Moreen, Uganda "Hi Mr. Milton Goh, first of all I would like to say “Praise God and thank you so much Mr. Milton. You are such an answered prayer for me. I was really blessed by your blog. It opened my mind to the reality that there is still more than I can do for my Savior. Your blog melted my heart so much for God and pushed me to desire Jesus more. Your powerful notes anointed by the Lord through the Holy Spirit that you have shared will greatly help me for the expansion and growth of my ministry as well as my relationship with my God. I pray that God will continue to use you to inspire, motivate and uplift dying souls. I pray and I believe some day in the future I will be given a chance to encounter a (real encounter) with a servant of Jesus like you. Be richly blessed by God Mr. Milton and your family as well." - Christine from Makati City, Philippines "Yours are the best I have ever seen! They should be the official church sermon notes! ... I need to share again. This is written by a young man at NCC Pastor Prince epic amazing sermon notes! This should be in an official publication, it's so professional...! I love your sermon notes! Would like to eventually meet you and give you a gift!" - Michelle from New York City, USA Sandcastles Don't Last Forever
$14.99
$9.99
This is the eBook version. If you prefer to get the Paperback version (physical copy), you can get it on Amazon here for US$15. About the Book: One day when I was singing praises to God, an image floated up in my spirit: a big and beautiful sandcastle being washed away by the waves from the sea. God was teaching me the futility of holding tightly onto worldly possessions because like the sandcastle, they won't last, and one day will cease to exist. He taught me from His word to focus on Him and by doing so, I would reap great eternal rewards before Jesus' throne at the start of the Millennium. These rewards will last forever and can't be destroyed or stolen. It is my prayer that the revelations in this book will help you to live with a focus on the things above where God is, fulfill your God-given calling in life, be happier and to accumulate more eternal rewards to your account. In this Book, you will learn about: - Heavenly investment advice and the futility of worldly pursuits from a trillionaire in the Bible - Why God has to reward us in order to be righteous - When and how God will destroy the current earth and sky to make way for new ones - The types of fireproof works that earn eternal rewards at the end of time - The abundant rewards of doing good works while abiding by the non-disclosure agreement between God and you - The difference between the temporary places of torment: Sheol and Abaddon - Who is the Antichrist and his name revealed in the Bible - What is the Mark of the Beast and why it disqualifies its recipients from receiving salvation - The different judgments at the throne of Jesus Christ and what it means for you as a believer - How to fulfill your calling and maximize your gifts to receive the best eternal rewards Testimonials about the contents of this book: "Sandcastles Don't Last Forever is very well written, its message loud and clear. Milton Goh gives common-sense insight on often confusing Scripture, which is much appreciated in these troubled times. My understanding of the Bible has definitely improved." - Mike Garrett, first Editor/ Publisher for Stephen King and Author of Christian Novel "Innocence Denied", from USA "This book is absolutely breathtaking. We don't work to be saved but were created to do good works. I am so energized and excited to know God values our works and we will be rewarded. This is all Glory to Jesus... I cant wait to throw my crowns at his feet and thank him for saving my life!" - Evangelist Michael Clark from USA "Dear Milton Goh, I truly thank our Abba, Father for the revelations in this book. It is so amazing how I begin to discover important verses in the Bible that I have never read. That instead of following riches, with sleepless nights, and actually shortening our lives, we are just to 'Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ', and 'Love one another'. How beautiful to find out that actually in the Bible there is both 'Earthly or Worldly Investment Wisdom' and 'Eternal Investment Wisdom' according to the revelations here from Ecclesiastes 5:14-17 WEB)!; “It seems like Solomon was not only wise at earning material riches but also at earning eternal riches.” All the glory to our Lord Jesus Christ! God bless you Milton Goh for such a wonderful book!" - Nitta Nierra from Belgium “Thank you Milton. I have just finished reading “Sandcastles Don’t Last Forever”. It’s such a good book that's filled with God's word. I love it very much. Might read again if I have the time. Thanks so much!” - Mally Chai from Singapore "I'm reading this book and loving it! The revelations of the Gospel truth shared and it's life applications are absolutely amazing! I give glory to the Lord Jesus for my dear brother Milton for this exceptional resource. I'm gonna keep feeding on its contents and believe God for supernatural breakthroughs as my mind is renewed in Christ!" - Terence from Tombel, Cameroon “Excellent book!! I enjoyed reading it so much and definitely recommend it! Milton is so gifted and all his teachings have blessed me tremendously! I thank God for people like him. Get this book, it will be worth it!” - Madeleine from SA, “Unmerited Favor” tier patron * The PDF file of this eBook will be sent to you via email manually after your purchase is confirmed. Look out for a separate email from the order confirmation email, within the next 24 hours. Beautiful, Healthy and Strong Like Jesus
$14.99
$9.99
Physical beauty, youth, health and fitness. So many of us desire these blessings that Jesus has and try all sorts of ways to attain them: plastic surgery, nutritional supplements, skincare products, exercise, dieting and more. I know one thing though - God’s word is much more powerful and effective - when the revelations in this book drop into your heart, you can’t help but become a more beautiful, younger, healthier and stronger version of you - it’s a transformation that everyone can see! Instead of spending thousands of dollars to buy beauty, health and strength, why not receive them supernaturally as a gift since Jesus' death on the cross has paid the price for you to have them! Take a peek at the Chapter Titles: Chapter 1: God Finds this Attractive Chapter 2: Will God bless me with Physical Beauty? Chapter 3: Jesus’ Body: A Masterpiece Knitted with Love Chapter 4: Is Suffering Death, Poverty and Sickness a Godly Way of Living? Chapter 5: Be Blessed as you Rest Chapter 6: Your Physical Body can be Renewed Chapter 7: The Best Surgeon Of All Chapter 8: Eat from the Tree of Life to be Healthy Chapter 9: Tame your Tongue to Remain in Health Chapter 10: Transformed through Mountaintop Fellowship with Abba Father Chapter 11: Moses’ Secret to Youth, Health and Strength at 120 Years Old Chapter 12: God’s Purpose in Keeping you Young Bonus gift included: An MP3 file of my "Eternal Youth Audio Declarations" sermon (approx. 10 mins long) which is full of youth renewal teachings and declarations to help you in your youth renewal journey. Listen to it as much as you wantand I believe it will help you have faith for youth renewal! We should adopt a sonship-mentality, knowing that we are forever secure, beloved and righteous in God's eyes (John 10:28) When we have a sonship-mentality, we will also have an abundance mindset, knowing that whatever belongs to our Heavenly Father also belongs to us! It is our birthright and inheritance as children of God I hope that you have been blessed by reading this post on "Bible Study: The Parables of Jesus Christ - The Meaning of The Parable of The Prodigal Son". Do any of the suggested articles below interest you?
Want to receive Jesus into your life, be saved from your sins and inherit unmerited favor and eternal life as a child of God? Go this link and simply pray the prayer aloud! Welcome to God's big, happy family - You are now a child of God! Would you like to help to keep this blog alive and get exclusive rewards (including ALL my sermon notes in a downloadable e-Book format)? Visit my Patreon page for more details now! Please Like, Share and Comment on this post if you were blessed by reading these sermon notes! Be blessed and walk in divine favor, Milton Goh ---------------------------------------------- Follow me on Instagram @miltongohblog Connect with me on FaceBook here. Watch my videos on YouTube here. Many blessings and thanks to Terence Koh and Shanice Ng for supporting this blog as our Superabundant Grace tier patrons!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Love this Blog?Milton Goh's Blog Archives
January 2024
AuthorHi I’m Milton Goh, I'm 31 years old and i'm a blogger who writes about Christianity, Parenting, Life Lessons that I learn from Movies/Shows, and Lifestyle. |