Coming To Our Senses Luke 15:11-32 Rev. Dr. Rhonda Abbott Blevins January 18, 2026

Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his

father, ‘Father, give me the share of the wealth that will belong to me.’ So he divided his

assets between them. 13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled

to a distant region, and there he squandered his wealth in dissolute living. 14 When he had

spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that region, and he began to be in

need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that region, who sent him

to his fields to feed the pigs. 16 He would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that

the pigs were eating, and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to his senses he

said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am

dying of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have

sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat

me like one of your hired hands.” ‘ 20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he was

still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms

around him and kissed him. 21 Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against

heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to

his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his

finger and sandals on his feet. 23 And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and

celebrate, 24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And

they began to celebrate. 25 ”Now his elder son was in the field, and as he came and

approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the slaves and asked

what was going on. 27 He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the

fatted calf because he has got him back safe and sound.’ 28 Then he became angry and

refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29 But he answered his

father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never

disobeyed your command, yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might

celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your

assets with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ 31 Then the father said to him,

‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and

rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has

been found.’ “

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Today we continue our series I’m calling “Forever Beginning: Stories of Fresh Starts.” We’re

looking at stories from scripture in which people were given a second chance, or an

opportunity to do something completely out of their comfort zones. We began the series

with a look at those first disciples Jesus called—they “left everything” when they were

“Called Beyond Comfort” to follow Jesus—leaving, perhaps, even the biggest catch of their

lives—fish left flopping around in two filled up boats. Last week we explored the story of

Nicodemus, who didn’t quite get it when Jesus told him that he had to be “born again” in

order to enter the kingdom of heaven. We discovered, through his story, that it’s “Never Too

Late” to begin again.teachers of the law, when they complained that Jesus was hanging out with “tax collectors

and sinners.”

Most often we hear this story called the “story of the prodigal son.” But this story might

better be called the “story of the loving father,” because at its core, this story is a story

about grace: grace offered, grace received, grace denied.

As the Pharisees complain about Jesus spending time with tax collectors and sinners, Jesus

crafts a story about a son who goes to his father and demands his inheritance, basically

telling dear old dad that he wishes he was dead. The father divides the property between

this younger “prodigal” and his dutiful older brother. Then the younger brother goes off

and lives like a Kardashian. In due time (this is the predictable part of the story) he

squanders his entire inheritance in “dissolute living.” So he finds a job feeding pigs (an

unfortunate turn for a Jewish boy) and becomes so hungry that he longs to eat the pig slop.

He comes to his senses and realizes he would have a better life as a hired hand on his

father’s estate. So he makes his way home.

My favorite part of the story is what comes next: “while he was still far off” his father sees

him, runs to him, and throws his arms around his prodigal son. Despite the emotional pain

the father has experienced—despite the rejection—despite the hardship the father

experiences because of his son’s reckless behavior—none of that matters in the moment.

The father runs to the son—he doesn’t walk, he doesn’t saunter, he doesn’t wait with arms

folded demanding the son to grovel. The father runs to the son.

What self-respecting man would run to greet a son who has treated him the way the

“prodigal” has? Yet there were no questions asked. No apologies demanded. Just pure,

unadulterated welcome upon seeing the lost son come home. “Kill the fatted calf! Bring out

the best robe! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! Today we celebrate! My son

who was lost has been found!”

A pastor was doing the children’s moment in the church service one Sunday when he called

all of the kids to the front and asked them this question: “Boys and girls, in the Parable of

the Prodigal Son, who was the saddest of all to see the younger brother come back home

from the far country?” Before the Pastor could tell them the real answer, one little boy

jumped up and yelled, “The FATTED CALF!!!”

Let’s look at each character in this story Jesus tells, and see what we can learn

The Younger Son

The turning point for the younger son comes in verse 17: “He came to his senses.” There in

the pig pen, hungry and humiliated, something shifts. He wakes up. He realizes that even

his father’s hired hands have it better than this.Coming to our senses means recognizing our true condition—seeing clearly where we are

and admitting we need help. It takes courage to turn around and go back, to admit we were

wrong, to return to the place we left in such dramatic fashion. But that moment of clarity,

painful as it is, becomes the doorway to grace.

Where are we eating pig slop in our own lives? What would it mean for us to come to our

senses? Maybe it’s recognizing a relationship we need to repair, an addiction we need to

address, a path we need to abandon. Coming to our senses is that moment when we stop

pretending everything’s fine and admit we’re hungry for home.

The Father

But here’s what astonishes me about this story: the father was watching. “While he was still

far off, his father saw him.” Perhaps the father had been looking down that road, day after

day, watching for his son’s return. And when he finally sees him, he doesn’t wait. He runs.

In that culture, dignified men didn’t run. But this father hitches up his robes and sprints

down the road. He doesn’t wait for the son’s carefully rehearsed apology. He doesn’t

require groveling or penance. He just embraces him and throws a party.

This is who God is—always watching, always ready to run toward us. Grace that doesn’t

wait for us to get our act together. Grace that celebrates our return before we even get the

words of apology out. The party, the robe, the ring, the sandals—these are acts of radical

acceptance, of complete restoration.

Can we believe we’re this loved? Can we receive this kind of grace?

The Older Brother

But then there’s the older brother. He hears the music and dancing and asks what’s going

on. When he learns his father has thrown a party for his wayward brother, he’s furious. He

won’t even go in. Notice how he talks about his brother in verse 30: “this son of yours.” Not

“my brother.” He’s so angry he can’t even claim the relationship.

“All these years I’ve been slaving for you,” he says to his father. “I never disobeyed your

command. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.

But when this son of yours comes back after squandering your property, you kill the

fattened calf for him!”

The older brother stayed home, but his heart was far away. He’d been keeping score,

tallying up his obedience, resenting his father’s generosity. He couldn’t celebrate because

he’d never understood grace.

And here’s the heartbreaking beauty: the father comes out to plead with him too. Grace is

extended to both sons. “My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But

we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again;

he was lost and is found.”

Jesus’ Hope: That the Pharisees Would Come to Their Senses

This is the whole point of the parable. Jesus is telling this story to Pharisees who are

grumbling because he eats with tax collectors and sinners. They are the older brother.

They’ve kept all the rules, stayed home, done everything right—and they’re angry that

Jesus is throwing parties for the wrong people.

Jesus tells this story hoping they’ll see themselves and come to their senses. That they’ll

realize their resentment and judgment are keeping them out of the kingdom. That they’ll

understand God’s joy over one sinner who repents. That they’ll stop keeping score and

start celebrating.

Coming to their senses would mean joining the party, welcoming the lost, choosing grace

over judgment. The tragedy is we don’t know if the older brother ever went inside. The

story ends with the invitation hanging in the air.

Jesus’ Hope for Us

And that’s where we come in. Jesus’ hope for us is that we would continually come to our

senses toward radical acceptance of others.

Sometimes we’re the younger son, needing to come home. Sometimes we’re the older

brother, needing to examine our resentment and our exclusion of others. “Forever

Beginning” means repeatedly waking up to grace—receiving it and extending it.

Who are the “tax collectors and sinners” we exclude today? Who are we refusing to

celebrate? The immigrant? The person whose politics we despise? The family member who

embarrassed us? The person whose lifestyle we don’t approve of? What would it mean to

come to our senses about them?

The Invitation: Join the Party

God is throwing a party for everyone—the lost, the found, the wanderers, the stay-athomes.

The question is: will we join it?

Will we come to our senses about God’s radical, scandalous, abundant grace? Will we stop

judging and start celebrating? The fatted calf has already been killed. The music is playing.

The party is happening. Will we go in?

Coming to our senses isn’t a one-time event. It’s a forever beginning. Again and again we

wake up to grace. Again and again we’re invited to stop judging and start loving. Again and

again we’re called to join the party God is throwing for all of God’s children—every single

one.

So let’s come to our senses, friends. And let’s celebrate together at God’s big grace party