Today’s text is one of the most well known texts in the New Testament. It is so well known that it is utilized outside of the Christian church to describe wayward children. Of course, it is the story of the prodigal son. But the prodigal’s story is preceded by two brief parables involving sheep and coins. These two parables actually tell us more about the intent of the prodigal story then the story itself.
As we study, I want you to try to keep in mind what we have been talking about for the last 5 or 6 weeks. Over and over we have discussed attitude. We’ve talked about self-righteousness and pride. We have talked about humility and submission. So much of what separates the proverbial sheep from the goats is in some way tied to attitude. Ask yourself, “What is my attitude toward God, his Word, and my purpose for being created – which is to please him?”