Lk 15:11-32
Then Jesus said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’ ” So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” And they began to celebrate.
‘Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.” Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, “Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!” Then the father said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.” ’
BLOG DISCUSSION QUESTION: We started with this parable, and we've examined this parable all through Lent. Anything stand out to you in this parable now?
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4 comments:
GRACE, is there to cover our shortfalls. No matter how far we wander. God is there, HOPE is there. And each time any person comes back to the place we have been invited to stay, it is a time to celebrate the lost has been found!
Through the study of this parable, i am reminded that the older son and the younger are from the same family. Each had their failings. Their failings never changed the relationship to the father.
"Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers" Hebrews 2:11
Why should we? (I recall one of the blog questions was "Who is your brother/neighbor?"
Today the stone has been rolled away. Not for Jesus to get out, but He rolled it away so we could see in.
Now we can see "The great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE!
HAPPY EASTER!
The eldest son is closest to the Father. Does he realy love his Father.Does he have love wanting obedience to the Father. Does he share joy with the Father because of a repentant sinner. The eldest son missed the boat.He is the one in eternal punishment forever saying Lord, Lord when didnt I not know you. We were closest. Why am I here? Why am I here. The Pharisees and the scribes were closest to God. They were the most learned. They were the teachers. They were the preachers. They knew the scriptures inside and outside. They were rightous, they were holy. They knew God. They killed Jesus.They thought He was the son of Satan. The youngest son had all the sin. A sin sick soul that had enough and went to the Father for his repentance. His Father saw him from afar. The sons reward was great and all of heaven filled with joy. Jesus what a freand of sinners.
WE have been examining this parable for 7 weeks, and each week we've seen that it is a parable of grace....grace beyond....
After spending this much time on one parable, I began to wonder if people were getting tired of this parable and the grace that it speaks of.
But then I wonder, can we ever hear too much about God's grace? Every day of the week we live in a world that lives without grace...a world that remembers our mistakes....a world that brings out the worst in us....a world that tells us there is no hope.....Can we ever hear too much about God's grace? Maybe if the world changed its tune we wouldn't need to hear God's word to us. But as long as we're in this world, and as long as we are honest with ourselves about who we are we need... we need...to hear of God's grace.
A seminary professor mine told me that when I preach if I only tell the people how they should live their lives and what kind of people they should be, then I haven't told them anything that they haven't heard any other day. But if I tell them of what kind of God has taken hold of them, and who they are because of God's claim on them....then I have given them something the world cannot give....hope, peace, joy, forgiveness and a future.
Isn't that the story in this parable?
Thanks for sharing the journey through all these parables....now on to David!
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