The Way of Forgiveness
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering round to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, ‘This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.’ Then Jesus told them this parable:
‘There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, “Father, give me my share of the estate.” So, he divided his property between them.
‘Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So, he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
‘When he came to his senses, he said, “How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.” So, he got up and went to his father.
‘But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms round him and kissed him. ‘The son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”
‘But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” So, they began to celebrate.
‘Meanwhile, the elder son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So, he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. “Your brother has come,” he replied, “and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.”
‘The elder brother became angry and refused to go in. So, his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, “Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!”
‘“My son,” the father said, “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.”’
Luke 15:1–3,11b–32
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our journey through The Way of the Cross has shown us that following Jesus is not easy, but it is the only way that leads to life.
We began with The Way of Trust, seeing how Jesus relied completely on the Father’s provision, protection, and Word in the face of temptation.
We then walked The Way of Suffering, where Jesus moved toward the cross, knowing that salvation comes through suffering, not by avoiding it.
Last week, we explored The Way of Repentance, recognising that true life begins when we turn away from sin and back to God. But repentance is only half the story.
Today, we see that The Way of the Cross is also The Way of Forgiveness—not only receiving God’s mercy but learning to extend it to others. The parable of the prodigal son teaches us about forgiveness from three perspectives: the one who needs it, the one who struggles to give it, and the Father who offers it freely.
1. The Younger Son: The Need for Forgiveness
You often can’t tell when an apple is rotten until you bite into it. A house can look sturdy and in good condition, but then a sudden collapse reveals the damage of termites that have eaten the structure away. A car can seem mechanically sound, but only until you try to start it and realise that the battery is dead.
The younger son’s story reminds us that we a’’ have a deep need for forgiveness, and also that we don’t always recognise it. He only realised how lost he was when he had nothing left. As he sat starving in a foreign land, feeding pigs and longing for their food, he finally saw the truth: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.” (Luke 15:21). His suffering stripped away his illusions of self-sufficiency, leaving him with only one option—to return home and throw himself on his father’s mercy.
We often struggle to admit our own need for God’s forgiveness. When life is comfortable, we convince ourselves that we’re doing just fine.
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:19, “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.” Our sin separates us from God, but He longs to restore us. So, everything might look fine from the outside, and we might even be convinced of that ourselves, but inside is a heart that’s completely corrupt and rotten.
For the younger son, it took his whole life to collapse around him to realise that he had abused his father’s love.
Martin Luther taught that true repentance begins when we see our utter helplessness before God. In the Heidelberg Disputation, he wrote, “The love of God does not find, but creates, that which is pleasing to it.” God doesn’t love us because we are pleasing, because we have our life in order. Rather, His love makes us pleasing to Him. His love gives us everything we strive so hard for: approval, meaning, purpose, clarity, and real joy.
Isaiah 12:2 declares, “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.” Just as the father in Jesus’ parable ran to embrace his lost son, God eagerly receives us when we turn to Him. His forgiveness is not reluctant—it is abundant and free. And don’t we need it.
2. The Older Son: The Struggle to Forgive
Grace, by definition, does not make sense. Grace is when we are given what we do not deserve. The older son can’t comprehend the grace his father is showing and, therefore, resents both the giver and receiver of this grace. He feels like he’s been sold short, having worked diligently and faithfully while the other son has wasted it all.
Of course, this struggle is not unique to him. The prophet Jonah displayed the same attitude when God forgave the Ninevites (Jonah 4:1-3). Instead of rejoicing in God’s mercy, he was angry that such wicked people were spared judgment.
Similarly, the Pharisees were outraged when Jesus welcomed sinners (Luke 15:1-2). The older son’s response reflects this same self-righteous mindset: “I deserve better.”
Martin Luther taught that we are all beggars before God, utterly dependent on His grace. He says that Christians are just beggars telling other beggars where to find bread. Yet, like the older son, we normally think in terms of merit—who is deserving and who is not. But forgiveness is not about fairness; it is about grace.
Like the older son, we struggle with grace. It is hard to forgive, especially when we feel wronged. Like the older son, we might compare ourselves to others and think, Why should they be forgiven after all they’ve done?
But if we demand fairness, we forget that we, too, stand in need of grace. True forgiveness comes not from counting wrongs, but from both receiving and sharing the limitless grace of God. Grace, by definition, is unfair.
3. The Father: The Heart of Forgiveness
The father’s response in this parable is breathtaking: “We had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” (Luke 15:32). He doesn’t wait for the younger son to arrive in shame—the father runs out to meet him, embracing him before the son can even finish the apology he’d planned.
This is no reluctant forgiveness; it is a joyful, overwhelming celebration of a lost son coming home. The father could not care less about whether his son has earned his place back—he is simply overjoyed that he has returned.
This is the heart of God. In Ezekiel 33:11, the Lord declares, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.” God’s desire is not to punish, but to restore. This is why Jesus ate with sinners and why He prayed from the cross, “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34). His forgiveness is not reluctant—it is abundant, costly, and freely given.
Yet forgiveness is not cheap. The father’s love is costly—someone had to bear the cost of the younger son’s reckless living. In the same way, God’s forgiveness comes at a price. It is not that our sin doesn’t matter, but that Jesus bore it for us. The cross is where the Father’s love and justice meet. As Paul writes, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Ephesians 1:7).
Yet the father’s love does not stop with the younger son. He does also plead with the older son, urging him to share in the joy of forgiveness. The invitation is offered to both the rebellious and the self-righteous.
Forgiveness is not a feeling—it is a choice. Just as God forgives us, He calls us to forgive others. We do not forgive because people deserve it, but because we have been forgiven beyond measure. To withhold forgiveness is to misunderstand grace. To forgive is to reflect the heart of the Father—who forgives us not because we are worthy, but because Christ took our place.
Conclusion: Walking The Way of Forgiveness
The Way of the Cross is The Way of Forgiveness. Jesus didn’t just talk about forgiveness—He secured it for us at the cross. Through His sacrifice, our sins are wiped away, and we are welcomed home by the Father, not as servants, but as dearly loved children.
As we continue our Lenten journey, we are called to live in that forgiveness—both receiving it and extending it.
Like the younger son, we must recognise our need for God’s mercy. Like the older son, we must lay aside resentment and embrace grace, even though it isn’t fair. And we are called to forgive in the same way as the Father did, just as we have been forgiven by Him.
Who in your life needs forgiveness? Who do you need to forgive you? Forgiveness is not always easy, but it is the way of Christ—the way of life, restoration, and peace. Because He first forgave us, we can walk the same path, reflecting the love of our Father.
May you find grace, mercy, and forgiveness in His name today. Amen.
