The Prodigal Son
return to the main player
Return to the Main Player

The Prodigal Son

 (ID: 0534)

Every parent knows that children sometimes act in willful disobedience. Even when such willfulness wrecks relationships, though, parents often long for reconciliation. In His parable of the prodigal son, Jesus depicted God’s similarly lavish love for His separated children. From this story, Alistair Begg teaches us that the greatness of our sin is far outweighed by our Father’s compassion. When His wayward children return to Him in repentance, God welcomes each one in joyful celebration.


The Parable of the Prodigal Son

11And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me mthe share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided nhis property between them. 13Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in oreckless living. 14And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to2 one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16And he pwas longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

17“But qwhen he rcame to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, sI have sinned against theaven and before you. 19uI am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and vran and wembraced him and xkissed him. 21And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. uI am no longer worthy to be called your son.’3 22But the father said to his servants,4 ‘Bring quickly ythe best robe, and put it on him, and put za ring on his hand, and ashoes on his feet. 23And bring bthe fattened calf and kill it, and clet us eat and celebrate. 24For this my son dwas dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

Copyright © 2024, Alistair Begg. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.

Alistair Begg
Alistair Begg is Senior Pastor at Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio, and the Bible teacher on Truth For Life, which is heard on the radio and online around the world.