The Gospel According to Luke - Luke 15:11-32

14 June 2026

The sermon reflects on Luke 15 by showing that the familiar story is really about two lost sons, not just one. The younger son represents open rebellion, chasing joy apart from the father and ending in emptiness, while the older son represents resentment, duty, and bitterness that also leave him outside the father’s joy. In both cases, the heart of the message is that true joy is not found in freedom without God or in moral performance, but in the Father himself, whose love is extravagant, compassionate, and eager to restore sinners.

The preacher emphasizes that the father does not make either son earn their way back. He runs toward the rebellious son and pleads with the resentful one, revealing a mercy greater than either expected. The sermon ultimately points to Jesus as the true Son who does what neither brother could do: he bears shame, secures forgiveness, and brings both rebellious and self-righteous people home. The call is to repent of whatever keeps a person outside the Father’s joy and to trust the love made known through Christ.

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