1. This younger son thought he was wiser than his father and wanted to manage his own affairs. So it is with men who think they can manage their own affairs without God. And as this young man wanted to get as far from his father's presence as possible (see verse 13, "into a far country") so the sinner, when he determines to give himself up to pleasure and sin, wants to get as far from God as possible. He does not want to hear about Him or even think about Him. Was not this so with you?
2. The father did not compel the son to stay at home. He allowed him to choose what he preferred. So it is with God. He does not compel us to obedience. For my part I wish He did. But he lets us go and pursue sin with all our hearts, if we choose that above the innocence and joy of dwelling with Him.
3. "He wasted his substance with riotous living," verse 13, and so it is with the sinner—in the service of sin and Satan he wastes and destroys his property, his health, his reputation, his intellect, his conscience—all.
"And he began to be in want."
That is what sin brings a man to—want, want, want and wretchedness, wretchedness, wretchedness. Has not sin done this for you?
4. And it was this very wretchedness which brought him to his senses—"he came to himself" (verse 17).
And when he does come to himself he can think of only one place where he can hope to find relief and he bravely determines to go straight to the very father he had so shamefully abandoned and to make a full confession of his sin and throw himself on that father's mercy with the hope of being taken back as a hired servant. He is willing to take the humblest and meanest place, if he can only get back to that home he was, a short time before, so eager to leave. Nor does he offer any excuse, he calls his sin by the right name and confesses it without trying to excuse it or justify it.
5. And how did his father receive him?
Why, he did not wait till his poor, ragged, worn and wasted boy got in and made his confession but he saw him a great way off (verse 20) and he knew what had passed in the poor boy's heart and life, and, moved with compassion toward him, he ran and fell on his neck and kissed him a glad welcome back to his heart and his home. But the son goes on to make his confession and his offer to be a hired servant anyhow, and yet the father says, "No! no! bring forth the best robe and put it on him." So, though we may go to God expecting to work as servants for Him and for His favor, He gives us far more than we ask and He makes us His own sons. And, poor wretched sinners, I come now with this message for you, bruised and sore and despairing and wretched as you are on account of your sins. May God help you believe it.