Lenten “In and Out” Series – Part 4“Can I Get Back In?”

Luke 15:11–24 | March 15, 2026

Part 4 of our Lenten sermon series, “In and Out.” In this series, we are looking at groups of people and individuals who were all in with Jesus, and then they decided to get out, and some decided to get back in.

So far, we have John the Baptist: he was all in, but he started to have doubts when his circumstances changed after being arrested and incarcerated. He wants to know if anyone else was coming other than Jesus.

We also have a big crowd of people – thousands – who were all in with Jesus, but Jesus said some strange things to them about eating His flesh and drinking His blood, so they (almost all) of them decided to get out. Last week was a guy that the bible refers to as the rich young ruler. He wanted in but decided not to because Jesus told him he would have to leave his old lifestyle.

This is one of the most preached on, one of the most recognized stories in the entire Bible. The parable of the Prodigal Son. He was In but decided he wanted out; he got out for a while and then he decided he wanted back in.

Will God let you back in when you willfully walk away, when you willfully live in sin, when you willfully disobey His Word? Will your Heavenly Father let you back in?

In the context of our story, Jesus is in a large and diverse group of people. There are sinners, there are tax collectors, there are Pharisees, there are scribes altogether. Think about it!

The tax collectors are hated by everyone, the Pharisees hate the sinners, the sinners don’t like the scribes or Pharisees, and the scribes and the Pharisees can’t stand Jesus. But they are all there to listen to Jesus! And Jesus shares three parables with them: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. Listen carefully, the primary purpose of all three parables is to reveal and correct a right view of God the Father.

This is what you must know about this story!

1. You Have Free Will to Live as You Choose

The prodigal son comes to his father and says to him, “Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me. So, he divided his livelihood.”

In essence, the younger son was saying to his father, “I wish you were dead so that I can have my share of the stuff you have worked for.” Can you imagine what the Pharisees, the scribes, and the people must have thought? This guy has just broken one of the Ten Commandments.

Exodus 20:12 (NKJV): “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.”

This song is done! Baked toast. How could he?

Have you ever brought dishonor upon your father or Mother? I guess we are all just a little guilty of breaking this commandment. Why do you think the father went ahead and gave his son the inheritance?

This son gets his inheritance and leaves the family! He gets out! Decides to live life as he wants to. He goes from one party to the next, living it up, sowing his oats. He lived a loose life. He left home, went way off, and lived a reckless life of partying, drinking, and sleeping around.

This is our point! You have free will to live as you choose (or how you think you want to live). In Genesis, Adam and Eve had free will to choose the forbidden fruit.

This guy did as he pleased. Nowhere in the text does it indicate that the father tried to stop him, nor his brother! God gives us free will. But know this truth!

2. There Are Always Consequences To Live As You Choose

“But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.”Luke 15:14–16 (NKJV)

Why has he lost everything? Why is he homeless? Why is he hungry? Where are his friends? Sin, rebellion, and disobedience will always leave one in a state of desperation. It’s designed that way.

When you choose to live in open rebellion, open sin, open disobedience against God’s Word, you are choosing your way rather than God’s way! What do you think the end results will be? Blessing? Or curse?

When you choose to live in open rebellion, you are choosing a hog trough rather than heaven’s table. You are choosing to serve the swine rather than serving the Savior. You are choosing a foreign land rather than the Father’s property. You are choosing a field of survival rather than a field of abundance. You are choosing living in a land of want rather than the land of plenty.

There are always consequences to living as you choose. This son was in a physical pigpen, but you must know there is also a spiritual pigpen. You can have a nice home, food on the table, clothes on your back, and money in your pocket, but still be living in a pigpen!

The pigpen of sin!The pigpen of regret!The pigpen of shame!The pigpen of anger, unforgiveness, and the pigpen of addictions. So, so, so many times, people will make the remark, “I know it’s not right,” referring to the sin they are living in. Let’s be clear this morning: it has nothing to do with what is right or not; it has everything to do with sin! If you would trust God and follow His road, it will save you lots of consequences and keep you out of a hog trough.

Look again at verse 16, “and no one gave him anything.” He’s all alone. There is no way possible this guy can return home; he is too far gone. He is out! He is staying out! He did it to himself! You reap what you sow! He’s DONE!

Let me bring you back to those who are listening. Everyone understands up to this point that this young man has self-destructed beyond redemption! He is too far gone! He can’t get back in! He is what we say in the recovery ministry, “He has hit rock bottom!” But know this!

3. Rock Bottom’s Purpose is Not Punishment but Repentance

Verse 17:

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger. I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”

We must say this again.

Rock bottom’s purpose is not punishment, but repentance.

This guy had had enough; he wanted to go home. The very moment he started back to his father’s house, at that moment, he was forgiven!

Repentance is a state of the mind and heart as much as it is with of the mouth. Repentance is way more than a prayer. “I am sorry.” Repentance is when you stop going in the direction you are going and you turn and go the other way.

I wonder what was going through his mind on the journey home? Will he hire me? What will he think of me? What will the family think of me? Will he even let me in the front yard? How could I have been so selfish? How could I have ever been so hurtful to my family? The entire trip must have been a trip of repentance and remorse!

Let me give you Truth Number Four.

4. When You Return Home, There is No Condemnation, Only Celebration!

Can I Get Back In?

Verse 20 (NKJV):

“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.”

His father saw him! Why did his father see him while he was still a great way off? Because he was looking for him! Looking for him not to reject him, but to accept him. Not to condemn him, but to celebrate with him. Not to punish him, but to provide for him. Not to scream at him with words of anger, but to shower him with words of acceptance. Not to boss him, but to bless him.

It is the nature of God the Father to receive. No matter what you have done, how bad you have been, how far away you have gone, how you have disgraced and dishonored your Father, He will receive you back. Jesus said,

“Him that cometh unto Me, I will in no wise cast out.”John 6:37 (KJV)

And again the Bible says, “Whosoever will may come.”— Adrian Rogers

The son confessed to his father, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.”

But the father said to his servants,

“Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet, and bring the fatted calf here, kill it, and let us eat and be merry.”Luke 15:21–23 (NKJV)

The son was hoping for some clean clothes, but he got the best robe. The son was hoping for a servant’s job, but he got the best seat at the table. The son was hoping for some better shoes, but he got new sandals on his feet. The son was hoping for forgiveness, but he got restored to sonship.

How much does God love you? He loves you enough to let you go. He loves you enough to let you hit bottom. He loves you enough to let you come back. He loves you so much that He will run to meet you. “For this, my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”

Let the celebration begin!

Jesus lets us know that even when we want out and we get out, the Father is always on the lookout for us to come back in!

When you return home, there is no condemnation, only celebration!

What part of your life do you know that God is calling you to leave behind and come to Him? Maybe you have been wondering, would a holy and righteous God allow me back in?

Well, you know the answer now.

When you return home, there is no condemnation, only celebration!

The lost are welcomed home. The guilty are forgiven and set free. The broken are restored.

How do you think the Pharisees and scribes responded? How do you think the sinners and tax collectors responded?

I guess a better question would be:

How will you respond to such love and grace?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=decF3NF2TVw