Embracing Prodigal Grace: The Heart of Forgiveness

Devotional

Day 1: Forgiveness Is Not Earned—It Is Freely Given

Many of us live as if we have a spiritual fitness tracker, believing that if we check enough religious boxes—praying, reading the Bible, being kind—we can earn God’s forgiveness. But this mindset distorts our relationship with God, leaving us either crushed when we fail or prideful when we succeed. True forgiveness is not something we achieve by our own efforts; it is a gift that God gives freely, regardless of our performance. We are invited to lay down our striving and receive the grace that is already ours in Christ. [02:29]

Luke 15:11-24 (ESV)
And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not 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 reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.”

Reflection: In what ways have you tried to “earn” God’s forgiveness or approval this week, and how can you intentionally lay down that striving today to simply receive His grace?

Day 2: Both Rebellion and Self-Righteousness Leave Us Empty

The parable of the prodigal son shows that both the younger son’s reckless living and the older son’s prideful obedience led them away from their father’s heart. Whether we seek fulfillment in self-indulgence or in moral achievement, both paths can leave us distant from God and empty inside. The story invites us to recognize these tendencies in ourselves and to see that true belonging is not found in what we do, but in returning to the Father who loves us. [07:53]

Luke 15:25-32 (ESV)
“Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

Reflection: Which “brother” do you most identify with right now—the one who ran away or the one who stayed but grew resentful—and what is one step you can take to move closer to the Father’s heart today?

Day 3: The Father’s Prodigal Love—Giving All for His Children

The true prodigal in the story is the father, who spends extravagantly—not just his possessions, but his dignity and reputation—to restore his children. He divides his life, runs to meet the lost son, and leaves the party to seek the resentful son, showing that nothing is too costly when it comes to bringing his children home. This is a picture of God’s love for us: a love that gives everything, even when it looks reckless or wasteful to the world, because we are worth everything to Him. [13:19]

Romans 5:6-8 (ESV)
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Reflection: How does knowing that God has given everything for you—regardless of your past or present—change the way you see yourself and others today?

Day 4: Forgiveness Means the Cost Is Paid—Not Ignored

Forgiveness is not God ignoring or minimizing our sin; it is God absorbing the real cost of our wrongs in Himself. Through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, God pays the debt we could never pay, offering us a restored relationship instead of a contract. This forgiveness humbles us, lifts us up, and assures us that we are welcomed home—not as servants, but as beloved children. [15:04]

Colossians 2:13-14 (ESV)
And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

Reflection: Is there a debt—something you or someone else has done—that you have struggled to believe God could truly pay for? What would it look like to trust that Jesus has paid it in full?

Day 5: Forgiveness Is Personal, Certain, and Free

God’s forgiveness is not a vague, general offer—it is personal, certain, and free for you. No matter how far you feel from God, whether you are in the “pig pen” of regret or on the “porch” of resentment, the Father’s arms are open wide. You do not have to earn your way back or prove your worth; you simply need to come home and receive the love that is already yours in Jesus. [18:34]

Isaiah 43:1 (ESV)
But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”

Reflection: Where do you most need to hear and believe today that God’s forgiveness is for you—personally, certainly, and freely—and how can you respond to His invitation to “come home”?

Sermon Summary

Grace and peace to you from God our Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Today, we explored the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15, reflecting on what it truly means to receive forgiveness. Many of us live with a spiritual “fitness tracker,” measuring our worth before God by our spiritual achievements—prayer, Bible reading, church attendance, kindness. While these are good things, we can fall into the trap of believing that God’s grace is something we earn, and when we fail, we feel crushed or, when we succeed, we become proud. Both responses distort our relationship with God and our understanding of forgiveness.

The parable reveals two ways we can be “prodigal” in a bad sense: the younger son, who spends everything in pursuit of freedom and ends up empty, and the older son, who spends everything on obedience and self-righteousness, yet also ends up outside the celebration. Both sons are far from their father, both are empty, and both misunderstand the heart of God. We often find ourselves in both roles—sometimes running from God in self-indulgence, other times standing outside in resentment, thinking we deserve more.

But the story takes a surprising turn when we look at the father. He is prodigal in the best sense—recklessly extravagant in his love and generosity. He divides his life, gives away his dignity, and spares no expense to restore his sons. The father’s actions point us to the heart of God, who in Christ spent everything to bring us home. Forgiveness is not God ignoring our sin or demanding we pay the cost; it is God himself absorbing the cost in Jesus, who was stripped, shamed, and cast out so we could be welcomed, clothed, and celebrated.

This forgiveness is deeply personal, certain, and free. It is not based on our performance or our failures, but on the finished work of Jesus. Whether we feel far away in the “pig pen” or resentful on the “porch,” the Father’s arms are open. We are invited to come home, to rest in the assurance that we belong, and to let this forgiveness shape our lives. Only when we receive this grace can we begin to extend it to others.

Key Takeaways

1. The “spiritual fitness tracker” mentality distorts our relationship with God. When we measure our worth by spiritual achievements, we either become crushed by failure or puffed up by success, missing the heart of grace. True forgiveness is not earned by closing spiritual rings, but received as a gift from God. [02:29]
2. Both self-indulgence and self-righteousness can leave us far from God. The younger son’s pursuit of freedom and the older son’s pursuit of moral achievement both end in emptiness and distance from the Father. We must recognize these patterns in ourselves and see that neither path leads to true belonging. [07:53]
3. The Father’s prodigal love redefines what it means to give everything. God’s willingness to spend, risk, and even lose for the sake of restoring relationship shows us the true nature of forgiveness. What looks reckless to the world is, in God’s eyes, the only way to bring his children home. [13:19]
4. Forgiveness is costly, but God pays the price himself. Sin creates a real debt, and forgiveness is not God ignoring the cost, but God absorbing it in Christ. Jesus is stripped, shamed, and cast out so that we can be welcomed, clothed, and celebrated—this is the heart of the gospel. [15:04]
5. Forgiveness is personal, certain, and free. No matter how far we have wandered or how resentful we have become, the Father comes out to meet us. Our belonging is not based on our performance, but on the finished work of Jesus. We are invited to come home and rest in his open arms. [18:34]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:38] - The Spiritual Fitness Tracker
[01:39] - Measuring Spiritual Worth
[02:29] - The Problem with Earning Forgiveness
[03:19] - Introducing the Forgiveness Series
[04:24] - What Does “Prodigal” Really Mean?
[05:17] - The Younger Son’s Pursuit of Freedom
[06:23] - The Older Son’s Pursuit of Obedience
[07:53] - Both Sons Far from the Father
[09:14] - Wanting Blessings Without Relationship
[10:47] - Prodigal in a Good Way: The Father’s Love
[11:31] - The Father’s Extravagant Giving
[12:23] - The Father’s Risk and Reputation
[13:19] - The Cost and Nature of Forgiveness
[15:04] - Jesus Pays the Price
[16:11] - Is Forgiveness Really for Me?
[18:34] - Forgiveness Is Personal, Certain, and Free
[19:43] - Looking Ahead: Living Out Forgiveness
[20:26] - Closing Prayer
[21:03] - Benediction

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Luke 15:11-32 (ESV) — [Read the parable of the prodigal son together as a group.]

Observation Questions

In the parable, what did the younger son ask for, and what did he do with it? What was the result of his choices? ([05:17])
How did the older son respond when his brother returned home and the father threw a celebration? What does this reveal about his heart? ([07:01])
What actions did the father take toward each of his sons, both when the younger returned and when the older refused to join the celebration? ([11:31])
According to the sermon, what does the word “prodigal” actually mean, and how does it apply to both the sons and the father in the story? ([04:24])

Interpretation Questions

Why do both the younger and older sons end up “far from their father,” even though their actions are so different? What does this say about the dangers of both self-indulgence and self-righteousness? ([07:53])
The sermon compares the father’s actions to “reckless” or “extravagant” love. Why might the father’s behavior seem wasteful or foolish to others, and what does this teach us about God’s heart? ([13:19])
The pastor described a “spiritual fitness tracker” mentality. How can measuring our worth by spiritual achievements distort our relationship with God? ([02:29])
The sermon says forgiveness is “costly, but God pays the price himself.” How does Jesus’ sacrifice fulfill this idea in the parable and in our lives? ([15:04])

Application Questions

The “spiritual fitness tracker” mindset can make us feel crushed by failure or proud of our success. Which side do you tend to fall on, and how does this affect your relationship with God? ([02:29])
Can you identify times in your life when you’ve acted like the younger son—seeking freedom apart from God—or like the older son—resentful or self-righteous? How did those choices leave you feeling? ([08:37])
The father in the parable runs to both sons, offering forgiveness before they “deserve” it. Is there an area in your life where you struggle to believe God’s forgiveness is really for you? What holds you back from accepting it? ([16:11])
The sermon says, “Forgiveness is personal, certain, and free.” What would it look like for you to rest in that truth this week, instead of trying to earn God’s love or running from Him? ([18:34])
Think about someone in your life who has hurt you or whom you find hard to forgive. How might receiving God’s extravagant forgiveness for yourself help you begin to extend forgiveness to them? ([19:43])
The father’s love was “recklessly extravagant”—he risked his dignity and reputation to restore his children. Is there a relationship in your life where God might be calling you to take a risk for the sake of reconciliation? What would that look like? ([12:23])
The sermon ends with an invitation: “Come home.” What is one practical step you can take this week to move closer to God—whether you feel far away in the “pig pen” or standing outside on the “porch”? ([18:34])

Sermon Clips

I'm just curious if deep down we carry a spiritual fitness tracker. You know what I mean? Maybe it's, I prayed today. Ding. I read a chapter of the Bible. Ding. I'm at church today. Ding. I was nice to that difficult person. Ding. All really good things. Right? But deep down do we start to believe that that's how grace, that's how forgiveness works. That we kind of got to earn it. I wonder if that's how we think forgiveness works. [00:01:46]

If in a day I don't feel like I close my spiritual rings, I'm crushed. What's my relationship with God? On days where I feel like, man, I really got all those rings closed, then I say, look at God, look how good I am, I've earned this. And either way, it just distorts our idea of forgiveness, our relationship with God. [00:02:39]

I really believe that forgiveness comes with a lot of baggage. We have all these distorted ideas of forgiveness when it comes to God and us, and then it flows into forgiveness for each other. How does that even work? [00:03:04]

Before we can live forgiveness, before we can give forgiveness to people who have hurt us, we have to receive forgiveness. And I think that's what, one of the things that Luke 15 is all about. [00:03:30]

He wanted to live life on his terms. No dad over me. No brother beside me to compare with. No religious culture to shape me. In his mind, freedom, real life, was breaking free from all those things. And so he spent everything, all his time, all his resources, on those things. And do you remember where he ended up? In a pig pen. Empty. Hungry. Alone. Far from a father who loved him dearly. [00:05:44]

So for this older brother, he did all this because he wanted to earn his share. He wanted everything to be built on hard work and obedience because to him, meaning and fulfillment was moral integrity. Sounds really good, right? So he spent his whole life building on these things. He spent everything, his time, his resources on these things. And where did he end up at the end of the story? On the porch. Outside the party. Distanced himself from his father who loved him dearly. [00:07:01]

I think if you're honest, I know if I'm honest, we can see both of these brothers in ourselves. I know there are plenty of younger brother chapters that I'd rather not reread in my life. How about you? Paths that we've taken in the name of freedom. Living life to its fullest and ended up in the pig pen. I also know there are plenty of older brother moments that I'd rather not admit. Paths that we've taken that have led to resentment toward others and towards God's grace. Because I feel like I deserve a little bit more. And where has that brought me? On the porch outside the celebration. [00:08:26]

We use God and His blessings. Either to fund our freedom. Right? Oh, God's love. He's compassion. He's going to forgive. I can do whatever I want. Or we use it to secure our standing. Oh, look at what I've done. I've obeyed God. What's in it for me? But both leave us empty. Far away. Prodigal in a bad way. We spend everything on those things and end up with nothing. [00:09:32]

But now when you look at the child in his arms, it looks like a child with a new name and belonging. Right? What a difference. Gave everything and ended up with even more. Can prodigal be used in a good way? [00:10:57]

We don't always think about it, but there's another in the story who spent and spent and gave and gave. It's the Father. I got a whole list here. Verse 12. The father divided his property between the two sons. Now, in Boulder, we know how expensive property is, right? That seems expensive enough, but actually the inspired word here is bios. Literally, he divided his life between them, it says. His life savings. Wow. Everything. [00:11:22]

So look at all the father did. Look at all he gave. Look at all he spent. You can look at it and say, this is reckless. What a waste. Why would he do that? Why would he do that? It's because what mattered to him was not the ledger. It wasn't the bottom line. He was getting his children back. That's prodigal in a good way. He gave all he had for something worth even more to him. [00:12:53]

When someone sins against another, there is literally a debt incurred, a cost that is created. Right? We see it with the sons and the father. We see it with our sins to God. And so because there's an actual cost, God can't just say, no big deal. He can't just wink at it. There's a cost. You got to pay it. And so there's two options. Either the offender pays it. Right? That would be vengeance. You're going to pay. That's not forgiveness. Or the offended just has to absorb it. And that's not really forgiveness either because that's just victim. Jesus gives us a third option. And man is it good news. With God, God took that cost and he put it in his own heart and carried it to the cross in the person of Jesus where he paid it in full. [00:13:56]

So for self -righteous older brothers and self -indulging younger brothers, Jesus paid the entire cost. Do you see that in the story of Jesus? Jesus, on the way to the cross, was stripped of his robes and his dignity so that we could be clothed with a dignity and a standing before God that we don't deserve. On the cross, Jesus was treated like an outsider, even from God, so that we can be welcomed into God's family by grace. On the cross, Jesus drank of the cup of eternal justice so that we can enjoy the cup of the Father's love and joy. That's forgiveness. Not God winking at our sin, not God brushing it aside and saying, no big deal, God paying for it. that's forgiveness. [00:15:00]

Maybe you think, I have gone too far. Yeah, this is all great, but I got this thing that I'm thinking about. I've gone too far. Well, didn't the younger brother feel that way? In fact, he had this whole speech rehearsed where he was going to tell his father, well, you don't even have to treat me as a son anymore. At least let me be a servant. In other words, he thought he could pay the cost. The father wasn't having any of it. It's impossible, right? The father went out to him. [00:16:24]

Maybe you're thinking, I've obeyed pretty good. Why doesn't God notice how much I love him and what I do for him? Didn't the older brother feel that way? He felt like he had kind of absorbed any kind of cost to his father and he was owed. But the father wasn't having any of that. Impossible. The father went out to him too. And what we see is that it is God who does the moving. It is God who seeks. God is not negotiating a contract. he is restoring a relationship. And that makes all the difference in the world. That's how amazing forgiveness is. [00:16:58]

Forgiveness humbles the younger and the older inside of us but it also lifts us up because it reminds us Jesus paid it. The father's arms are open. [00:17:45]

Forgiveness it is personal. God isn't just saying all of you he is but he's also saying you. You personally. You belong. Your story your ledger your shame. Forgiveness is certain. It's not based on how many rings you close today. It's not based on your mood today. It is anchored in the finished work of Jesus. Paid is paid. And forgiveness then is free. You don't have to try to keep performing to earn God's forgiveness. And you don't have to try to keep running so that you feel alive. Forgiveness is yours in Jesus. You belong. [00:17:57]

So wherever you're at today I don't know if you have felt far away from God and ended up in the pig pen doesn't matter. Come home. I don't know if you have felt angry at God or resentful of his grace in some way and you feel like you're outside on the porch away from the celebration doesn't matter. Come home. Maybe you don't know where you are. If that's the case then just stop and listen for your father's footsteps running toward you with open arms. Forgiveness is for you. It's personal. It's certain. It's free. [00:18:50]

I want you to sit with that this week and then in the following weeks we'll be ready to talk about how we forgive others. And we're going to talk about what forgiveness is and isn't. There are boundaries to forgiveness. How does that all work? We're going to talk about specific applications of how to forgive others who have really hurt us. And then finally we're going to talk about how forgiveness becomes the hallmark of our life together as Christians. [00:19:43]

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