A guy named Luke chose to put three similar stories together in what we today call Luke Chapter 15. Of course the Bible had no chapters when it was written but still these stories were closely connected so Luke, as a good author, put them back-to-back-to-back.
The first is about a lost coin being found.
The second is about a lost sheep being found.
And the final is about a lost son (well two) being found.
All three stories tell of the greatness of God but for now I will focus my attention on the third of the three stories.
You might have heard of this story (or parable) as the "Parable of the Prodigal Son"
The word "Prodigal" means "spending money or resources freely and recklessly." Others have called this story the "Parable of the Lost Son." but that just doesn't sound as cool.
This story was told as two groups listened:
1) The Pharisees. The religious. The law keepers. Those who believed they were right with God based on their merit and looked down on those who could not or would not abide to God's and their systems.
and on the other side.....
2) The sinners. The tax collectors. Those that have either separated themselves or been separated from the Jewish community. They believed they have done too much to be welcomed back and honestly why would they want to follow the God that the Pharisees believed in????
So that's the OG (original) audience. Yes, we can hear the words and we can learn but what was he teaching them first? We will come back to this question.....
Summary of the Parable
A king had two sons.
One day the younger son told his father that he wanted his share of the estate. Of course he couldnt go to the bank because his property and livestock was his money.
What an ask!???
But the shocking part of the story is the Father does it. He gives his younger son his inheritance and watches him leave.
This prodigal son has the time of his life in which Luke calls "wild living." One can only imagine. Drugs, sex, and rock and roll (okay maybe not rock and roll) but you get the picture. And he had friends to enjoy this money with him..... but......
One day the money ran out and so did his "friends."
This nameless son begins to grow hungry and needs to find a job. The only job he could find was involved feeding pigs on his hands and knees in the mud..... but.....
He comes to "his senses." Luke tells us that he comes up with a plan to go back and work for his father "After all his father's slaves eat better than this!!!!" So he gets ready to go back. He makes the hike and he prepares his speech.
But while he was a while off he sees his Father running. Men didn't run in this culture. Women ran. Kids ran. But men, especially kings, did not run. Was he mad? "Of course, he was" thought the son.
"I am dead"
Yet that's not how this story goes..... The Father in a remarkable, unpredictable move..... welcomes the son back into the family. Furthermore, he decides to throw a feast for his son "because he was lost but is now found."
Don't forget: there is an older son.
The Son who had been working for his father ALL THESE YEARS.
In fact, when the party starts the older son is still in the field WORKING! The father notices that his older son is not at the party so he LEAVES the party.... and asks his son to come back in.
And just like the Sopranos, we are left without an answer.
Back to the OG audience
Who was Jesus telling this story to. Before we can across the bridge into our culture we must understand with whom Jesus is speaking.
Do you remember the sinners, the tax collectors, those excluded from the community of faith...... They are represented by the younger son.
Do you remember the Pharisees, the religious, those in but are only in because they did the right things..... They are represented by the older son...
Jesus: The great story teller
We like to focus on the younger son because its obvious sin. Its obvious rebellion. Running away from the Father but both those on his left and those on his right were "lost" in God's sight.
What do I mean by lost? I mean they don't know who they are. They don't know they are truly loved by a God who doesn't need their love. But a God who is like the King in this story. This King reckless or a Prodigal-like fashion gives his love expecting NOTHING in return.
But we don't like this kind of God. He doesn't fit within our system and it is hard to CONTROL people when you love them.
What if the Son had a different brother....
The more I study this story the more I get mad at the older brother...... Are you kidding me? Why didn't he go after him?
If you have a moment read the first two stories in this chapter (The Lost coin and the lost sheep). In both of those chapters..... SOMEONE goes after them.
Of course a coin is not looking but can a coin find itself? No
Can a sheep? no. They are not much smarter than a coin.
Yet the woman looks and rejoices when she finds her lost coin.
And the Shepherd was willing to leave 99 to find his 1 lost sheep.
But who goes after this son..........
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE OLDER BROTHER!!!!! But unfortunately for this younger son he didn't receive a good older brother.
This story is meant to make us long for a good older brother..... of course we know we have one. His name is Jesus.
He left the comfort of Heaven to welcome us in our rebellious nature back home.
Our choice
Do you find yourself rebelling, acting out? Like the younger son?---- You are welcomed home.
You are welcomed into God's family. He loves you.
Do you find yourself obeying, toeing the line, doing good so you are accepting? Like the older son?- You are welcomed too! Join the party! You are loved by God and you don't have to obey to be loved by him because you are already FULLY accepted.
I don't know where you find yourself in this season of life but I hope you know that Jesus is the best OLDER SON ever and that he loved and loves you fully. Because when we dont have the pressure to act out or the pressure to toe the line we can truly live in the moment as children of God.
0 comments:
Post a Comment