Luke 15 | The Prodigal Son

In Part III of the Hunger Pains series, Pastor Doug unpacked the powerful parable of the prodigal son and revealed that this story is not just about one lost son — it’s about all of us. Whether we relate to the younger brother running from God or the older brother standing outside angry and self-righteous, the message is the same: the Father’s heart is always calling us home.

Key Takeaways:

• Sin always promises freedom but delivers famine.

• The far country may look exciting at first, but eventually every “pigpen” leaves us empty, hungry, and searching for something only God can satisfy.

• Hunger pains are often God’s mercy in disguise.

• That ache you can’t shake, the emptiness, restlessness, and exhaustion from trying to do life apart from God may actually be His loving invitation to come home.

• Nobody gets away with sin.

• Sin comes prepackaged with consequences, regret, and brokenness — not because God hates people, but because He hates anything that destroys His children.

• The Father’s agenda is restoration, not payback.

• Before the son could clean himself up, explain himself, or prove himself, the father ran toward him. God’s grace meets us while we’re still messy, broken, and ashamed.

• The older brother was lost too.

• The younger brother was lost in rebellion, but the older brother was lost in pride, anger, and self-righteousness. Jesus reminds us that staying near the house doesn’t always mean our hearts are close to the Father.

God is not waiting to shame you, reject you, or “get even” with you. He is watching the road, waiting for you to come home. Whether you’ve wandered far away or stayed close while your heart drifted cold, the invitation is the same: Come Home.