The parable of the Prodigal Son reveals to us the heart of God as a Father who is filled with joy and compassion in receiving sinners. It is a story about a lost son, a bitter and self-righteous brother, and a father who loved them both.
In this parable Christ tells His hearers about a God who loves lost mankind but at the same time reveals the tendency of our hearts toward a self-righteous legalism.
This brief exposition will enable us to understand this well-known and loved parable in a fresh way, the context in which it was told, and its important message for us today.