The Prodigal Son

The Prodigal Son  

Luke 15:11-32

The two sons mentioned here grew up together.
When they were little, I can imagine their father
getting the servants
to set up many play equipment on the farmyard
including a ‘seesaw’!
If you have two sons or two daughters or more,
you will realise that each child has his or her own personality.

The older son was on the legalistic end of the scale
while the younger son was on the lawless end of the scale.

See saw, up and down..
Legalism is prone to pride and is the up end.

Lawlessness is prone to rebellion and is the down end.

Both need to slide towards the centre
to become humbly lawful to keep the balance!

True experience of GOD’S grace
enables us to walk in this balance.
Because of this amazing grace of GOD,
I love Him and I desire to walk in absolute obedience to Him.
Yet, I recognize that I fall short and nothing I do
can match GOD’S standard to sufficiently justify myself.

 For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and that not of yourselves;

it is the gift of God,

not of works, lest anyone should boast.

For we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus for good works,

which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:8-10

The attitude of one
who has understood the grace of GOD would be:

I don’t deserve what I receive.

I am grateful.

I love GOD.

I want to serve Him in obedience.

Therefore he would obediently serve GOD.

The older boy served the father, but not as a son.

The younger boy was a son who did not want to serve the father.

We should be children who love and serve our Heavenly Father.

The older son did right with the wrong attitude.

When we serve GOD with the attitude
‘I deserve all I receive and more’,
what we receive is counted as wages.
Then we will be angry about what we do not get.

We will be angry about what others receive through grace.

We will be angry with GOD; we will be angry with our brethren.

We will not have love nor joy in our service for the LORD.

Ultimately, like the older son, we will refuse to go into heaven
because it is a place of celebration of the grace of GOD!
If you are not comfortable to joyously celebrate
the evidence of abounding grace on an ungodly sinner
that is drawing him to GOD, you will not fit into heaven.

Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound.

But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,

Romans 5:20

GOD freely releases His grace to us first.

Having experienced His grace,
we willingly serve Him because we love Him.

GOD does not expect us to serve Him first
so that He might pay us wages.

Now to him who works,

the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.

But to him who does not work

but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly,

his faith is accounted for righteousness, Romans 4:4-5

The younger son’s attitude was, ‘I have the right to have it now’.

But when he came to himself, his attitude was, ‘I am not worthy’.

How often do we say to ourselves

“If only this matter is completely settled, I will be at peace”

Or “When I get my Permanent Residency, I will be happy”

or “I will have faith in GOD when my medical test results are clear”

or “when my bank account is built up, I can serve the LORD”.

Does your prayer sound like that of the prodigal son?

“Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.”

Often it is a need that keeps us depending on GOD
and in relationship with Him.

Such a situation is better than being self sufficient
and independent of GOD.

This was the apostle Paul’s experience regarding an illness.

And lest I should be exalted above measure

by the abundance of the revelations,

a thorn in the flesh was given to me,

a messenger of Satan to buffet me,

lest I be exalted above measure.

Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times

that it might depart from me.

And He said to me,

"My grace is sufficient for you,

for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities,

that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2 Corinthians 12:7-9

Don’t let the very things you expect to receive from GOD,

disconnect you from Him like the younger son.

Don’t let your diligent service and ministry for Him,

disconnect you from His Father heart
like the situation of the older son.

We should have faith before we see a matter settled.

We should experience peace and rest in CHRIST,

in the midst of unresolved problems and difficult situations.

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High

Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 91:1

Both sons did not completely understand
the privileges of living with the father in relationship with him.
The love, the constant flow of provision, the protection
and the grace available to ask for and receive ‘extra blessings’!
The fatted calf and party with friends
would have been their enjoyment under their father’s roof
if only they had asked!
If they did, they would have lovingly and joyously
served their father!

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you,

you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

John 15:7

And in that day you will ask Me nothing.

Most assuredly, I say to you,

whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.

Until now you have asked nothing in My name.

Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

John 16:23-24

In a sense, all of us as mankind are like prodigals in this world.

All we like sheep have gone astray;

We have turned, every one, to his own way;

And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:6

It takes various experiences through which
each of us ‘Comes to himself’.
It is at that point that we turn towards the LORD.

From then on, every appointment we have with the LORD
-  our personal devotion time,
discussion of Scripture with other Christians,
Church service, listening to messages
- enables us to steer our thoughts
towards our eternal home on the highway of holiness.

Let us continue to steer our thoughts
towards our Father by responding to His grace,
with all our heart, and progress on this path
by loving one another.

This is My commandment,

that you love one another as I have loved you. John 15:12

The best is yet to be for us in our Father’s home!
It will be a party in the Presence of the Father
and in perfect relationships with others!

I can imagine the angels in heaven busy
arranging a specifically customised
‘Welcome Home’ party for the arrival of each child of GOD!!