GS13 The Prodigal Son

The Prodigal Son Luke 15.11-32
Sermon at St Peter’s Wellington, 30.3.25
Bishop Richard Randerson
richardrandersonnz [at] gmail.com

Best known of Jesus’ parables? Known as the prodigal son, also the lost son and the waiting father.
Three characters – father, elder and younger brothers (But think more
inclusively of parents and siblings).
KEY QUESTION: With whom do we
identify?

Prodigal Son– lavish, wild spending. wine, women and song. Deserted by friends.

Do we identify with him, past or present??

Lost son – types of “lost”

• Wild and profligate living
• Illness, grief, bereavement
• Unemployed, homeless, poor
• Being lost to family member or friend
• Lost our way, purpose in living
• For me — as curate vocational crisis

Most of us could identify with some loss, past or present.

The Waiting Father (or mother)

• Grief-stricken, but always hoping
• Dashes out to meet his boy
• Waves aside the apology
• Lavish clothing, ring, shoes, party

Do we identify with the father?

• Yes, we can remember when God’s love embraced us. Brought us home when we were lost.
• Yes, we can aspire to be equally lavish with love and generosity to those who are lost. (But how far does it go?)

The elder brother (or sister)

• Would not join the party
• Remrandt painting – son in background. (see online)
• V30-brother to father –“your son”.
  • father to son – “your brother”.
• St Peter’s study group- most identified with older brother
• Worked hard, achieving, no rewards.
• Not realising richness of what we have
• Translate this into national politics and see why we have entrenched poverty. “We worked hard, so should they”.

We can identify with all three characters

• We all know lostness
• We can all know the bitterness of missing out
• We can all know the fullness of God’s love and share it with
  others.

Rewards? = Parties good but ultimately

31  “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 

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