|
"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!'"
(Luke 15:17)
Returning to God is our emphasis this week. For some, you have strayed a bit and need to turn back, repent, and return to the Lord who loves you and has not moved away from you but you from Him. Like the prodigal son in Jesus' parable, you too need to come to yourself and head home.
I believe this is the most memorable and recognizable of all the parables of Jesus, and I would say it is my favorite of them all. Many books, sermons, and even paintings have been inspired by these words of Jesus. Tim Keller's book The Prodigal God is based on this story. Prodigal means lavish, and the one who displays this lavishness in the positive sense of the word is the father who represents the Heavenly Father. The son is prodigal in that he lavished his wealth and energies on things that were sinful and harmful and led to his demise. We all know about that because we too have been the prodigals, walking away from God's plan and pursuing our own only for it to blow up on us.
Luke 15:1-2 provides the context of the parable: "Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, 'This Man receives sinners and eats with them.'" Jesus spoke many parables, earthly stories with spiritual or moral meanings where what is true in one realm is also true in the next. In Luke 15, He shares a trilogy of stories: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and finally, the lost son. The key figure in the Parable of the Prodigal Son is truly the father who represents the Heavenly Father. The younger son who left and sinned refers to the sinners gathered around Jesus to hear Him teach. The elder brother who sinned with his anger and unforgiveness represents the Pharisees who were also present when Jesus told this story.
I invite you to interact with the facts and truths within the story. Allow God to speak to you of His great love and compassion toward sinners, both sinners who stray and sinners who stay home. Both were equally separated from the father, one just a little more conspicuous than the other.
There are sinners who stray and those who stay
But sinners we all are at the end of the day
The Father pleads with all near and far
Sons and daughters who travel to distant lands
As well as those at home connected only by brittle strands
Jesus invites us all to look closely in the story
Are you the younger or elder brother?
Or are you more like the Father in beautiful glory?
I have been both figures, with swift feet running from God
And defiant feet angry with God
But now I am ever so grateful for grace
That God would me embrace
So, my heart is strangely warmed by the Father's compassion
For me, now is time to embrace
Prodigals near and far with much grace
(This is a story/poem I wrote years ago.)
Do you see yourself in the characters? With whom do you relate to the most: the father, the elder son, or the younger son?
|
Apple
Spotify
Deezer
YouTube
