Repentance and Faith
Study: Luke 15:11 – 24; Acts 2:38 – 39
Background: Isaiah 1:1-20, Isaiah 42:1-3, Luke 15: 1 – 32
Devotional: Mark 1:14-20 Psalm 28
Lesson 6 January 10, 2026
Key Verse:
“For this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found”. And they began to celebrate. Luke 15: 24
INTRODUCTION
How would like to be a child who grew up in a loving and caring household but who wanted your freedom to do what you wanted to do so very badly that you wished your parents were dead so that you could get the money they intended to give to you as your inheritance?
Do you think you could ever get to that stage where you wanted to throw off all restraint and get as far away from your parents and family as you could?
Do you think your parents, family, and the community in which you lived would not look at you in horror and wished you would never come back to be near them no matter what problems you met in your future lfe that you had chosen?
In our Study today we will look at how such a child behaved.
The reasons for that kind of thinking and behaviour is difficult to understand and everyone has to think about this problem posed very carefully.
This parable in our Study Text has always been regarded as giving us an insight in the self-giving, unselfish quality of Divine Love. It has always been felt that the father in this parable is a picture of God the Father and how He thinks, the extent of His love for His children, and how He behaves toward them no matter what they do.
Believers have always held that the Divine Love was shown in what God has done in, as one writer notes what God the Father did:
“taking the initiative in creating the basis of salvation by sending Jesus Christ, but it also continually seeks us out.”
‘…. God is love’ (1 John 4:8-10) is a profound statement that identifies one aspect of God’s character that is the cause of the salvation of sinners, (John 3:16).
But here we see, if we learn about how God the Father acts from this parable, “although the father of the prodigal son did not go into the far country to look for him, he kept constant watch for the son’s return. He took initiative in welcoming him back as his son, giving him the best of care and even ordering a celebration.”
We now learn how heaven rejoices when a sinner repents and is welcomed into the family of God.
Note all people are ‘lost’ and in need of salvation. (Romans 3:23)
If one accepts that this parable as being a significant one it gives us insight in the nature of man, it is clear that though all have a desperate need for Jesus Christ for they all are lost and in need.
It is telling us that there are two kinds of Christians. One kind is struggling and one is not. But they simply look different to us.
This matter of repentance and faith is therefore brought into sharp focus by this parable.
This is a powerful passage in teaching believers about evangelism for we might meet persons and not even know whether him or her will become a follower of Jesus Christ.
We must try to understand that God has chosen the weak and foolish things of the world and so we cannot safely predict how life will unfold for persons just by looking at what they are doing.
There is some truth to the saying that one cannot tell a book by its cover. Here we have one son who is considered as a prodigal son whose behaviour and attitude is despicable, and another son who is dutiful, obeying all the rules but who has a deep sense of entitlement that he deserves the “salvation by grace” that believers in the family of God have been given. Sometime, we do want to admit our deep sense of injustice that the “wicked”, and the “crazies” will get something good from God.
But we should be very careful about how we regard those people who reject our message and keep on doing things that which will only bring them disaster and tragedy.
If believers feel that way and therefore have an undeclared anger at God and His plan for saving sinners who might repent at some time in their future, instead of sending them to Hell for their intransigence when we speak the Gospel message to them, they are really showing their failure to grasp the grace of God.
We might feel happy to be forgiven by God for God loves “us” but we must be careful not to harbour bitterness and a sense of injustice at how God treats disparaging and rebellious sinners. If we believe we are following the rules and others are not, our hearts will not be in the kind of evangelism that the Lord Jesus Christ expects of us.
Sadly some will rebel against the grace of God extended to the awful people of Nineveh to whom God sent the prophet Jonah (who He knew hated the people of Nineveh and wanted God to destroy them), to call them to repent of their gross sinning. While some others will not do outwardly what Jonah the prophet did, we will subtly not offer the grace of God we should have to give to those in need and suffering. The teacher James in his Book calls for us to think and behave properly. He attacked the hypocrisy in mind and behaviour some have even though they claim to love God.
We note that the demands and the ethical standards posed to believers by this Book of James led to many in the early church feeling that it was not as inspired as the rest of the other Books of Scripture they had accepted. But when they thought about it they changed their tune and they declared in a unanimous agreement that it should be in the Canon of Scripture.
Note that sin is much more deceptive in its nature than we like to realize. Sin provides us with the life we really want to live for we suppress any warning that the pleasures of sin are short term. We feel the pleasures will last for a long time. But one writer warns us that
‘the fine dining we get with sin will soon turn to swine dining’.
This parable then speaks of deep spiritual truth we ignore at our peril.
Today’s Study is the last of three connected parables dealing with a lost sheep, a lost coin and two lost brothers. God’s response in the parables is portrayed as ‘seeking’ and ‘waiting’ and in all instances rejoicing follows ‘recovery’.
This Text is commonly known as the Parable of the Prodigal Son and everyone, whether they go to church or not, knows this parable. It is also known as the Parable of Loving Father, The Parable of the Forgiving Father, The Parable of the Lost Son, The Parable of the Two Sons, The Son Who Came Home Again.
The parable clearly lends itself to various emphases and interpretations. A careful look however at the context in which it was told, the occasion, audience, culture, attitudes… will be helpful in understanding its primary teaching.
A couple of definitions at the outset are helpful:
Parable…. (a) short allegorical story designed to illustrate or teach some truth, religious principle, or moral lesson.
(b) a statement or comment that conveys a meaning indirectly by the use of comparison, analogy, or the like.
Prodigal…. (adj.) recklessly wastefully or extravagant;
(noun) a person who spends, or has spent, his or her money or substance with
wasteful extravagance; spendthrift.
Luke’s Gospel gives much place to Jesus’ ministry to the poor and outcasts. He appeared to have had a special interest in these groups, probably because he wrote his Gospel for Gentiles and many of them fell into these categories.
Luke has just recorded that Jesus called a would-be disciple to pay attention to what He said (14:35). Now he noted that many ‘tax collectors’ and ‘sinners’ were doing precisely that and so presented that group of needy, spiritual outcasts as responding to Jesus’ ministry.
Luke also noted the reaction of the Pharisees and scribes to Jesus’ reception of publicans and sinners. The Pharisees were a religious party that started out well-intentioned to protect Judaism and preserve its traditions and teachings from the times of the Maccabees. The scribes were their scholars that gave ‘legal’ interpretations of the Scriptures and justified their innovations and man-made traditions with its emphasis on the externals of religion, while largely ignoring the ‘heart’. They were typically rich and influential, looked down on common folk but were nonetheless admired by the people, (John 7:45-49).
The Pharisees and scribes opposed Jesus from very early in His ministry. They took issue with His teaching, authority and claims, particularly to do with Him being Messiah and God. These pious leaders were critical and disdained Jesus for among other things, His reception and table-fellowship with ‘publicans and sinners’; groups they regarded as traitors and the most outwardly immoral in Jewish society. They saw themselves as the ‘gate-keepers’ of Judaism. But despite that hatred of Jesus we read:
“Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near Jesus to listen to Him. And both the Pharisees and the scribes began to complain, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
And so He told them this parable, saying ..”. (Luke 15:1-3).
These verses provide the immediate backdrop to Jesus’ teaching on this occasion.
Evidently then, Jesus told these parables in response to criticism from Pharisees and scribes. Throughout His ministry, He associated with people whom the religious leaders considered unclean.
These people included “publicans” (Luke 5:30; 15:1), Jews who collected taxes for the ruling powers. Tax collectors were hated and regarded as having betrayed their people because they assisted the Roman Empire and acted corruptly (3:12–13).
Another group that Jesus frequently associated with was “sinners” (Matthew 9:11; Luke 7:34; 15:2). This title applied particularly to those who lived publicly, immoral lives (eg. prostitutes) or other professions that rendered one defiled and unfit for synagogue attendance. Jesus’ association with these people was not limited to public gatherings. He shared meals with them before they sought the proper means of forgiveness and restitution as prescribed by the law.
Of course, His association with them was critical to His mission to seek and save those who are lost (Luke 19:10) and bring repentance and salvation (Luke 5:29–31).
“And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. 30 The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling to His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and [a]sinners?” 31 And Jesus answered and said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick”.
Chapter 15 divides into three different and distinct parables: namely, The Lost Sheep in verses 1-7, The Lost Silver Coin in verses 8-10, The Lost Son in verses 11-32. All three parables include similar themes:
(1) Something valuable is lost,
(2) The lost thing is found, and
(3) Celebration ensues.
Jesus seems to be teaching that the sheep, the coin, and the son were all lost and that all of them were worth saving.
One writer comments that “It was serious to lose a sheep, worse to lose money and worse of all to lose a son. A sheep is valuable, money more valuable, but man is the most valuable of all”.
Jesus’ parables show that some people were very concerned about the loss of material possessions and showed great joy when the thing lost was recovered. On the other hand, the restoration of “lost human beings” seems to bring resentment to others.
The build-up in the parables was to the case of a son who was lost and found and also to reveal God’s attitude towards a repentant sinner regardless of how far that person had fallen. Hard to miss the stark contrast between differing attitudes towards ‘sinners’ in this parable and there is much to learn here for the scribes, Pharisees and other like-minded sorts.
Looking at the parables we see that people become lost in a variety of ways. The sheep wandered away from the flock. Then coin was lost through no apparent fault of the owner but through the inability or maybe carelessness of the woman. The prodigal son was lost as one writer said by overt and willful disobedience. The elder brother’s situation arose through pride, selfishness and self-righteousness. In all instances there was a response of deep concern resulting in a risky search, a diligent search, an anxious wait and an ardent plea.
The parables of the ‘lost sheep’ and ‘lost coin’ are set in peasant, village life whereas the Study Text has a patrician setting; a country estate with a rich landowner, property, heirs and servants.
Jesus’ parables and teaching were always real to life and calls for a response from His audience.
Let us thoughtfully consider the Text for personal application and note God’s loving and caring acceptance of repentant sinners.
THE TEXT
11. And He said, “A man had two sons. The Text begins with ‘a man had two sons’; it’s a parable; we immediately expect opposites here. This was something taken from real life; something to which everyone listening could relate.
Verse 12. … ‘Father, give me the share of the estate … And so he divided his wealth between them”.
The younger son takes center stage at the beginning, while the obedient older son and his attitude, will close the parable.
The young son breaks a cherished and established custom. He approached the father and asked for his inheritance. Since the inheritance is only given when the father dies, the young man was being very disrespectful. He was treating the father as though he wished he was dead. This highly insulting move would cause disquiet among the listening Pharisees and others. The young man could have been disinherited, disowned and ejected from family circles.
Each son would have inherited a part of the father’s property at his death. Jesus does not describe the measures by which the father divided the inheritance. Based on the Law of Moses, the oldest son would have received a double portion (Deuteronomy 21:15–17). Either son’s portion could have included land (Genesis 48:21–22), a house (Proverbs 19:14) and other items of wealth (2 Chronicles 21:3).
… he divided … the most surprising element, however, is the father’s response: he agreed to give the son what he asks, with no strings attached! Note, he did not have to!
Very likely this was not a simple transaction. It could mean:
– the land had to be surveyed, divided and sold.
– the Father lost the earnings from that parcel.
– the land was inheritance and should be kept in the family now a portion was gone!
The son’s request was a tremendous dishonor to the father and exhibited a rebellious attitude and disregard for the family.
The Law of Moses prescribed harsh consequences for a son who displayed stubbornness and rebellion toward his family (Deuteronomy 21:18–21).
– Rather than respond according to the letter of the law, this father responded with mercy and grace. The father sought no retribution, despite his son’s vile and dishonorable request.
No note of grief here on the part of the father, there seemed to have been only resignation. The father gave him his share.
Verse 13. … not many days after… he was eager to be away from the constraints of family and culture; now he could really indulge the flesh!
“… went on a journey to a distant country …” It was one thing for the younger son to demand his portion of the inheritance. However, for him to gather all that he had and leave the land of his family added insult to injury.
– By leaving nothing behind as he left for his journey implied that he did not intend to return.
– The world was at his feet; he could go north to the cities of Asia Minor, south to Egypt, east to Babylon or west to Rome.
He had severed relationships and left behind all the values he had had and the moral universe that had shaped him. What had sustained him he considered valueless. Boundaries were all ignored and broken..
… he squandered his estate in wild living… if the father’s actions seem surprising, the outcome does not! Lacking a clear sense of direction and foresight, the son quickly burns through his money. This is something that happens in every culture. Often children who inherit a lot of money when their parents died waste a lot or even all of it.
This verse also gives the story its familiar name: the parable of the prodigal son. While the word prodigal is often associated with the son’s decision to rebel against parental oversight and leave home prematurely, the word actually means “recklessly wasteful of one’s property or means.”
The son piled shame on top of shame; he brought further disgrace to his father and family name, all for gluttonous, riotous living (Proverbs 28:7).
The Pharisees would have recognized this young man as representing sinners whom they despised.
Verse 14. … a severe famine occurred in that country… famines were frequent in biblical times, just as they are in parts of the world today.
These famines would occur when crops failed because of drought
(1 Kings 18:1–2; Jeremiah 14:1–6) or
– an infestation of insects (Joel 1:2–10).
– Famine also resulted when fields went unharvested because of warfare
(2 Kings 6:24–25; 25:1–3).
– The effect of the mighty famine, not its cause, was most important for the teaching point of the parable.
During a famine, people relied on the generosity of their relatives, neighbors, and leaders (Genesis 41:56–42:2; 45:9–11; 2 Kings 8:1–2; Ruth 1:1).
This ‘stranger’ had no such social network to provide care during the crisis.
Not only did he lack social support, but he had spent all his money. Those resources would have sheltered him from experiencing much of the effects of the famine. His survival now would depend on his savvy actions, not his wealth.
Verse 15. …hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, … the son’s desperation led him to take degrading work as the hired hand of a citizen of the famine-inflicted country.
Swine (pigs) were considered unclean by the Law of Moses (Leviticus 11:7–8). Jesus’ Jewish audience would have considered this job to be humiliating. Because the citizen owned swine, he was likely a Gentile (a non-Jew). The son’s work would remind him the extent of his abandonment of his family and their heritage.
… and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs… The son suffered three levels of shame: he wasted his wealth, became a servant, and took a job feeding swine. For Jesus’ audience, and the approving scribes and Pharisees who had previously grumbles at Jesus’ teachings, the son received the appropriate consequences for his dishonorable acts. He brought shame to his father and household and now multiple levels of shame were heaped on him.
The parable seemed to fulfill an ancient proverb: “The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall want” (Prov. 13:25; 13:18).
One who diligently seeks good seeks favor, But one who seeks evil, evil will come to him. (Prov. 11:27).
Note these instruction and warning in the Book of Proverbs.
Jewish rabbis called for ‘a curse to come upon the man who cares for swine’.
Verse 16. And he longed to have his fill of the carob pods that the pigs were eating, … as the famine lingered and prices climbed beyond a point where the meager wages of a day laborer could not even provide basic sustenance; our boy hit rock bottom!
Any food provided (if at all) was so unappealing, that it made swine food seem desirable. The exact nature of the husks is unknown, but students have proposed that they came from the pods of a carob tree. The swine received better care than the son. He was without support or hope. The son had lived up to (or down to) the designation ‘prodigal’.
Verse 17. … when he came to his senses … the young man had to come to the point of desiring pig’s food to realize his foolishness; he had wasted the material blessings he received. Though he had yet to repent, the statement he came to himself implied the first step of repentance. He recognized the faulty direction of his life and felt sorrow as a result.
“For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation”, (2 Corinthians 7:10).
… ‘How many of my father’s hired laborers have more than enough bread, … abandoned by fair-weather friends and living as a stranger in a foreign land, his thoughts turned to home, or specifically to his father.
Whatever he previously found to be objectionable about that earlier lifestyle suddenly did not seem so bad!
“For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.” (Psalm 84:10).
The son’s sorrow and regret were based on his firsthand knowledge of his father’s generosity. While the son desired pig food, he remembered that his father provided lavishly. All in that house had more than enough to eat. The son now viewed his father’s generosity from the perspective of the hired servants.
Some however looks at the prodigal’s son decision as based on scheming and his lust for survival.
You decide and see if you agree with the father’s assessment or with the older brother for this assessment.
Consider also what you think of today’s “sinners” whether they be strangers or family members.
Because he had demanded his share of the inheritance, he had forfeited his position as a son. If he were to receive generosity from his father, it would not be as a privileged son.
Instead, he could only imagine receiving the same level of generosity that a hired worker received (Luke 12:35–38).
Verse 18. … go to my father, and will say to him, … the son planned his way forward, based on his knowledge of his father’s generosity and his own unworthy and shameful status.
– The first step would be to leave the foreign land where he had squandered his wealth. He was not just going home; he was going to his Father!
The father for his part, seemed to have done nothing to cut ties. This is seen in the fact that the son did not expect that his return would be resisted. With the door seemingly left open, the prodigal assumed he could return, but with no expectation other than that of becoming one of the hired servants
… sinned against heaven… Sin is first and foremost against God. The son realized the magnitude of what he had done. He made no excuses, no holding back, owned his actions and prepared a confession.
“And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens”. Ezra 9:6. (See Psalm 51:4).
The next step involved showing repentance for the way that he had sinned. Recognizing sin and confessing guilt are the first steps of repentance (Leviticus 5:5).
The change of mind must show evidence of a drastic change in outlook!
The son acknowledged his sin: he had rebelled against his father, thus breaking the fifth commandment (Exodus 20:12).
– The son’s rebellion was also directed against God since heaven is the place where God resides.
By confessing his sin, the son hoped to receive mercy from his father
“One who conceals his wrongdoings will not prosper,But one who confesses and abandons them will find compassion”. (Proverbs 28:13).
However, that response was not certain, given his stubborn and rebellious actions. (Deuteronomy 21:18–21).
The young man used ‘heaven’ as a euphemism (representative symbol) for God (vv. 18, 21). The Jews frequently did this in order to avoid using God’s name in vain, and there are many examples of this in Luke. The young man meant that he viewed his actions as sin against his father and against God (Ps. 51:4).
The son’s proposal to his father, as well as his planned speech, showed the genuineness of his humility and repentance.
Verse 19. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; … his self-assessment to be no more worthy as a son is quite true in a legal sense: in accepting an early cash settlement on the estate, the son removed himself from any obligation on his father’s part to support him.
– He could not appeal to any rights he formerly enjoyed as an heir to his father’s estate. At best, he could appeal to his father’s love and ask for a job as a laborer; this would at least keep him alive.
The young man’s assessment of his situation was realistic and his remorse seemed genuine. He had no one to blame but himself, and he knew it.
Verse 20. But when he was still a long way off, , and ran and [n]embraced him and kissed him.
The fact the son was seen while he was still a great way off indicates that at the very least his father had been scanning the horizon. Maybe the bedraggled, unkempt, tired looking, dirty and dusty figures fitted what the father expected to see as he looked toward the road.
I wonder if this matches how God looked at us when we are coming to Him in repentance!
Despite the disrespect that the father endured, he hoped that his lost and prodigal son would return. That return was an act of repentance, even before the son could express such repentance in words.
The father disregarded any perceived indignity as he ran toward his son. Old men were not to run; undignified. Reunion was immediate! Physical displays of affection, such as the father wrapped his arms around his son’s neck and kissed him, were not uncommon at the time.
Family members exhibited such affection regularly (Genesis 27:26–27; 48:10), even toward those members previously estranged (33:4; 45:14–15).
The father’s response revealed his heart of grace, mercy and forgiveness.
… his father saw him and felt compassion for him … Jesus intended that the father’s forgiveness would remind his audience of God’scompassion. When God’s people rebel, He can respond with mercy. (Nehemiah 9:17–18; Daniel 9:9).
His compassion is like that of a loving father toward his children
“Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the Lord has compassion on those who [a]fear Him”. (Psalm 103:13).
But we realize at the same time that God’s mercy has limits; He will not tolerate unrepentant, unending rebellion (2 Kings 22:10–17; 24:2–4).
The father’s welcome was without conditions, (Gen. 45:14-15; 33:4; 2 Sam. 14:33; Acts 20:37). This attitude contrasted with that of the elder brother and the Pharisees. The father initiated the restoration of fellowship before the son could articulate his confession. This would be another point of surprise for those listening to the story.
They knew that the emotions of family conflicts can take years to heal. Perhaps they expected the father to reject the son outright. Perhaps they imagined the father would ask for an accounting of the money and demand restitution for the shame the son has brought to his family. None of this happened however!
Verse 21. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned … the son was determined to make his speech of repentance. He did not expect this kind of treatment after his audacious and insulting behavior. He got as far as saying to his father that he had sinned against heaven and against his father, and that he was not worthy to be called his son.
The son remained committed to his plan of repentance and humility
(Luke 15:18–19). Despite the affection that he received, he maintained his intentions to surrender his position in his father’s house and offer himself as a hired servant.
But before the son could say the third part of his speech that the father should treat him only as a hired servant, the father cut him off.
Verse 22. ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, … if we accept as many scholars do that the parable was intended to show the love and mercy of the Lord God Almighty and we know that our Father in Heaven has unlimited ability, wealth and power to help us in our need.
When combined with His incredible mercy, compassion, pity and His grace, we know that when we are accepted in the beloved; we are on firm ground with magnificent eternal blessings in store for us. We will be given a robe, a ring, new shoes and we will be given a new name which only He and us know, (Rev. 2:17).
Fine clothing and rings were signs of authority and power (Genesis 41:41–43; Esther 3:10–12; compare and contrast James 2:2–4).
By receiving the best robe and a ring, the once-shamed son now belonged again and shared in his father’s wealth and authority.
The sandals meant the boy was not a slave or servant and so he could not go barefooted as slaves and servants. He was received back as a beloved son. The father was interested in restoration. He wanted his son to be restored to son-ship and be a respected member of the community.
The picture of the father is a picture of God’s love and grace and the fact that God the Father condescends to be with us though we were His enemies. He is full of compassion for His children and He welcomes the returning sinner with joyous celebration.
Verse 23. and bring the fattened calf, … And they began to celebrate. … slaughtering a fatted calf was not a frequent occurrence in Jesus’ time; this animal was kept for very special occasions. It was enough that neighbors could join the family and celebrate the return of the lost son (Genesis 18:6–8).
The other parables in Luke fifteen depict celebrations that occurred after the recovery of something lost (Luke 15:5–6, 9). These celebrations were intended to teach Jesus’ audience of heavenly celebrations that follow repentance of sinners (15:7, 10).
Verse 24. … is alive again; he was lost, and is found… the son previously treated his father as if he were dead to him (vs.12). By abandoning his family, he effectively become dead to his father. Despite the son’s previous selfish actions, he was restored and considered alive to the father, a reason for the father to be merry and celebrate.
Jesus’ audience of publicans, sinners, Pharisees and scribes (Luke 15:1–2) heard echoes of God’s promise. To obey God leads to life, but to rebel against Him leads to destruction (Deut. 30:15–18).
The implications are profound. For the publicans and sinners, the promise is one of renewed acceptance upon their repentance. For the Pharisees and scribes, the promise is one of warning, a warning made more explicit in Matthew 21:28–32, another parable about two sons.
God promised to be generous and patient; celebration with joy and gladness would come when His people returned to Him (Isaiah 35:9–10).
– God’s people have confidence that He will show mercy and provide spiritual life, even when they are dead in their sin (Ephesians 2:1–10).
The parable, however, does not end with the father’s display of generosity and mercy. In its second part, Jesus focused on the anger of the older brother regarding the father’s treatment of the younger brother (Luke 15:25–30). The parable’s focus on mercy and generosity can be summarized by the father’s response to the older brother: “We should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found” (15:32).
Acts 2:37 – 40
Verses 32-36. Peter referred to the messianic Psalm 16 concluding that this psalm could not be referring to the writer David for he had died, was in the grave and his tomb was in Jerusalem. He had not ascended to heaven.
The prophecy in fact refers to the Son of David who ascended to heaven and who God the Father has seated at His right hand until the Father makes His enemies His footstool.
The house of Israel should know for certain that Jesus was crucified according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God and now that He was risen and ascended to the ‘right hand’ of the Father He was now both Lord (kyrios) the word which was sometimes used of Yahweh, and (Christos)the Greek word for Messiah, the Anointed One.
Death had no effect on Jesus Christ; His flesh did not see corruption. He was raised up from the dead and ascended to God the Father. Peter and the other disciples were witnesses to the resurrection. The tomb was empty and they knew that for sure.
David had also testified a thousand years before to the fact that the tomb of His son the Messiah would be empty.
The apostles and disciples knew that Jesus was crucified but they also saw that He was resurrected and their witness was strong and credible. Peter reminded the crowd that in Psalm 110 David called the crucified and ascended Jesus the Messiah and Lord.
Note the word “Lord” means ruler of the entire world and all things. Lord is the one that has the key to life and death, is over heaven and hell and there is no authority over Him or can give Him direction.
The word “Christ” is a title and means Messiah, the Promised One, the Deliverer, and the only hope of mankind. In verse thirty-six Peter bluntly stated that it was this Jesus, the Messiah and the Deliverer, the nation had crucified.
Verse 37. The Spirit of God was at work and the crowd listening to Peter were convicted by the Spirit and given a sense of personal involvement in the crucifixion. Their eyes were opened and they now realize that behind what had appeared as normal events was a disastrous activity. The Deliverer was no other than the man they had nailed to the Cross some days earlier and so they cried out in fear and despair, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
They knew now that there was no greater sin than that of murdering God’s anointed Saviour. They were in peril. They knew that God punished people severely for doing much less. They were hoping that there was something that could undo their guilt.
Verse 38. Peter acknowledged that there was something that they could do and that was to repent, to think again, to change their minds, to link themselves with reality and turn completely away from their rebellion. Peter knew that God would offer people a second chance. The second chance meant that they would naturally change their actions or beliefs.
They would have to do an about-face and then be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. The “name” expressed all about a person. To be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ signified that they had received something of Christ and so they would become a new person in the likeness of Christ.
Their sins would be pardoned and they would no longer be enslaved to their sin but would be delivered and forgiven.
Note that Peter told each one of his listeners individually that they should repent and be baptized for repentance can only be made one person at a time.
One cannot use another person’s repentance to their benefit.
Repentance meant for each individual that they turn away from something and that they were saying “no” to what they once were and what they once believed”.
The promise from God was that each member of the crowd once they repented and were baptized became members of the community of faith and as promised by God would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Verse 39. In His initiative God made a promise to many generations that they would be forgiven and would receive gifts from the Holy Spirit. This promise was to them, for all their children, and for all those that were far-off.
One can imagine the praises that went up to God from that crowd. Their guilt could be cleansed. There was immense rejoicing over even one sinner that repented. One can imagine the joy and praises uttered in Heaven when over three thousand people repented!
Note however that it is God the Father who is working. It is God that finds and saves us. One writer comment: “If you have in your heart right now a hunger to know God, and you think it is a desire you have to find answers to your questions, or to seek a new relationship, and you think that started with you, it did not. It started with God. God the father is working on you, drawing you, calling you. Jesus said on one occasion, “No man can come unto me except my Father draw Him”.
CONCLUSION
God offers and desires reunion for broken relationships. We may feel shamefully unworthy, as the parable’s younger son felt. However, like the parable’s father, God is generous and merciful. His generosity has been displayed for centuries (Numbers 14:8; Deuteronomy 28:11; Ephesians 3:16; James 1:5; etc.).
Like a shepherd who cares for his flock, God cares for His people and provides for their needs (Psalm 23:1; 1 Timothy 6:17). Such actions give testimony to all people of God’s generosity and faithfulness (Acts 14:17).
God welcomes all people to become His beloved children in His family. He desires His people to feel hope and not shame (Romans 5:5; 1 John 3:1). “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming” (1 John 2:28).
Jesus’ parables, teachings are always real to life and calls for a response from His audience. Publicans and sinners were to react in light of God seeking the lost; – the Pharisees and scribes need to adjust their sinful, judgmental attitudes towards those that God loved,
– the prodigal must understand that true joy and contentment are in the Father’s house and
– the older brother must understand that blessings and inheritance do not come by works but by the fact he is a son!
Let us read what one experienced Pastor thought about this Study Text:
“The people who want to see Jesus—people like us who want our hearts changed by what’s here—will find our gaze steady on the father.
What an extraordinary person who gives up everything to have back in his embrace someone who has mistreated him.
Both sons are unworthy and unloving yet he loves them. His suffering and humiliation—his patient waiting, looking down the road for the one who has yet not returned.
The father overcomes the younger son’s degradation, anger, and despair, and he insists on a celebration.
The far country is not too far away.
The hard heart and self-brewed bitterness of the older son are not too much for him.
Relentlessly he pursues his sons whether or not they are sinner or Pharisee; he will have them at his table”.
“Let us hear his voice. Let us eat and celebrate “for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost and is found”.
Let us repent of our sins and rejoice in God’s love and forgiveness in Jesus Christ.
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