There’s two ways to be lost. One is more dangerous than the other. The first way to be lost is to break all the rules, but the second way to be lost is to keep all the rules! Which is more dangerous? The first way seems more dangerous and the second is certainly more respectable, but Jesus tells us the parable of the two sons to help the religious respectable to see they are dangerously lost.
The younger son is outrageous, he basically tells his dad he wants his stuff rather than him, and then goes and blows all the money! But then he knows he’s lost.
The older son stays at home, but like the younger he is more interested in the father’s stuff than the father. He just thinks he can earn the father’s stuff by keeping the rules. The tragedy is, he doesn’t realise how lost he is. We see his lostness when he refuses to come in to the party that his dad throws when the younger son returns. But for both of them, we see the father’s heart, for the younger he literally runs out to meet him as he catches a glimpse of him on the return. And to the older son, he leaves the party to come out and beg him to come in.
Jesus told this parable because the pharisees were grumbling at him welcoming the “sinners”. Jesus is doing what the older brother should have done, he’s out looking for the younger brother and at great cost to himself, welcoming them home.
Where do you see yourself? Have you wandered from God in reckless disobedience? See the Lord’s heart, Jesus is so willing to welcome you.
Have you sought to control God to get His stuff through obedience? Do you see how lost you are? God pleads with you to repent of empty religion and seek Him for who He is, not for what you can gain from using Him to make you look good.
The parable ends on a cliff hanger, Jesus is inviting the religious to come to him just as the rebellious have, for we are all in need of his saving grace.
Light and Momentary Troubles 
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