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About-Him.Com Devotional 02-26-2005
Http://About-Him.Com/ My Thoughts on the Life of Christ, from His Baptism to His Ascension. 167: Parable of the Prodigal (Lost) Son - Lu 15:11-32 Jesus related The Parable of the Prodigal Son which is the third in a group that reveal the heart of God in relation to the lost sinner. In this story the father perfectly illustrates the our loving heavenly Father. The son demonstrates that which we all know perfectly well; which is going our own willful way until events cause us to come to our senses and cry out for forgiveness. The elder son paints a perfect picture of the Pharasaic rigidity and legalism. A certain man had two sons. The younger went to his father and demanded instant payment of his inheritance. This was lawful, but he was expected to care for the father in his old age. However, the son fled from this and all other responsibility and journeyed into a far country. While the money lasted, he had a lot of friends and a lot of good times. Eventually the money ran out and his friends departed.. He had come to the point that no one would even give him a loan. When things couldn't possibly get any worse, a famine came upon the land. The only job that he could find was as a keeper of swine. He was ragged, hungry and dirty. He desired to eat the swine's food which would have been the ultimate indignity. At this point he came to himself. He remembered his father's house where the lowliest servant was well cared for and had more than enough to eat. He said, I will arise and go to my father's house. I will confess my sin and express my willingness to simply be a servant. Luke 15:17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. Next we see a picture of our heavenly Father. As the son journeyed towards home, his father was looking down the road hoping that he would see his son returning. He was not disappointed. He saw the son approaching while he was still a great distance away. He was moved with compassion and ran to the son. In a display of great emotion he embraced his son and began to kiss him upon the neck. As the son was confessing his sin, the father ordered the servants to put a ring on the son's finger and shoes on his feet. The fatted calf was killed and a banquet was held in honor of his return. There was much merriment with music and dancing. Luke 15:20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. The elder son returned from working in the field. He heard music and dancing and enquired of a servant as to it's meaning. He was enraged when told that his wastrel brother had returned and that the father had ordered the fatted calf killed and a banquet in the younger son's honor. He expressed his outrage to the father and reminding him that although he had been faithful in all things, the father had never seen fit to kill the fatted calf for him to have a party with his friends. I believe it grieved the father's heart as he reminded the elder son that all that the father owned was his. He should be happy and rejoice at the return of his lost brother. Conclusion and Application: These three parables, of The Lost Sheep,The Lost Coin and The Lost Son, paint a picture of a loving Father who is not willing that any man should perish (Matthew 18:14; John 3:16, 10:28; II Peter 3:9). He is grieved when we are separated from Him and is actively waiting for us to come to our senses and return home. He is not vindictive and does not hold our past sins against us. As soon as we repent and confess our sin He forgives us and cast our sins into the sea of forgetfulness (Hebrews 8:12, 10:17). He could have refused the son request to return home. He could have denied him to even work as a servant. Instead he ordered a ring to beplaced on his finger, which was a sign of status and signified that he had been restored to the family. Shoes on the son's feet showed that he was not a servant. Servants did not wear shoes. The elder son paints a sad picture of the Pharisees to whom Jesus was speaking. He had no forgiveness in his heart. All he could think about was himself. He had lived a good live and had kept all the rules. He could not be moved by the plight of his brother. This parable perfectly illustrates repentance. It is coming to ourselves, confessing our sin and determining to make an about face and do the right thing. Jesus preached, "repent and believe the gospel"and "except you repent you will likewise perish." (Mark 1:15; Luke 13:3,5). Throughout the book of Acts, repentance is the first order of business for those seeking salvation (Acts 2:38, 3:19, 8:22, 17:30, 26:20). Questions: 1. How well do we identify with the younger son? The elder son? 2: Do we comprehend the heart of God towards us, his wayward children?
In
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Humor
A six-year-old ran up and down the supermarket aisles shouting frantically, "Marian,
Marian!"
Finally reunited with his mother, he was chided by her, "You shouldn't call me 'Marian.' I'm your mother, you know." "I know," said the child, "but the store is full of mothers."
Somebody Has Said
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way; you are a fruitless tree standing where a fruitful tree might grow."- Charles
Spurgeon
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