Jump Start # 204

Luke 15:11 “And He said, ‘A certain man had two sons’”

  With these simple words Jesus begins the greatest parable of all time, the story of the prodigal son. This is my favorite lesson that Jesus taught. I never get tired of looking at this wonderful illustration of the grace and love of God. Jesus is giving us a snapshot, made in words, of God. This is what God looks like. And what a picture it is. The prodigal messed up big time. He wasted, ruined and shamed not only himself but the family. He put himself in a hopeless situation. In many ways he deserved to be where he was, the pig pen.

  But he came to his senses (sin is senseless). He remembered how his father was. His father was fair and generous, even to servants. Oh, to be just a servant would be better than he was at the present time. He returned. He was sorry. His father embraced, accepted and celebrated his return. His father, our Father, forgave him, accepted him and gave him a second chance. God is good. God wants us back home with him. We were not made for life with pigs. God has so much better awaiting us, but we have to come home. You’ll remember that the father didn’t go out to the pig pen and drag the boy home. The prodigal came. He returned changed. He was bankrupt emotionally and spiritually.

  What a great story! So many profound lessons! The call of the far country. The young who think they know it all. The father who let him go. The long road back home. The powerful lesson of forgiveness. Grace! Thinking about each of these makes us a better people. Each of us have been on that road that leads away from God. We thought we knew better. There were times when we just didn’t think we needed God around so much. How wrong we were. For many of us, it took living among the pigs to wake us up and to rattle our senses spiritually. Thanks be to God for sparing our lives during those wayward years.

  This parable begins with the simple statement, “A certain man had two sons…” Biblical scholars have read much into what this family represents. All agree that the father is God. Some see the sons representing the Jews and the Gentiles, possibly. Contextually, the prodigal represents the sinners, especially the tax collectors, that found a friend in Jesus. The Lord had been accused of hanging around “those” kind of people at the start of this chapter. The parable of the lost sheep, lost coin and lost boys are an answer to that accusation. The other boy, the older son who stayed home, represents the Pharisees who were jealous and had an attitude toward “those” sinners. The father wanted both boys home. All fathers do.

  But what an interesting picture of this family—dysfunctional as it was. Older son, who is diligent to do things right, but has a sorry attitude about everything, especially his younger brother. He is miserable yet faithful. The younger one, the prodigal, is the free spirit. He reminds many of us of our college years. Wild, irresponsible, looking for a good time and not seeing beyond the weekend. While he is reckless, law breaking and sinful, he seems to have a good attitude, especially about his father. These two boys are like some homes, but more so, like many folks at church. You have the strict, diligent kind who are so focused on doing everything right. They have great intentions. But they seem miserable. Everyone who is not doing things the way they think it should be done are viewed as wrong. Wrong is a popular word with these folks. There are things wrong in the society. There are things wrong at work. Some members are wrong at church. Some families are wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Then there are those like the younger son. They don’t seem to concerned about rules and what is wrong. They say things in Bible classes that makes some snicker and whisper. They are teetering on the edge of moral right and wrong. The leadership is especially concerned about these folks. They wonder if they will ever get it. But what a delightful, refreshing and honest spirit they have about them. They are fun to be around because they enjoy God’s blessings.

  Two boys in one family…two kinds of members in one church. Which is better? Obedient but miserable or loose but joyous? Do we have to pick? God loved them both. I find myself walking in both boys shoes from time to time…strictly following that primitive pattern of Scripture but seeing everyone as wrong and other times, messing up here and there but realizing what a great God we have and just wanting to shout that from the rooftop. Both boys were welcomed at God’s table. The older son needed to lighten up some and realize that he is not as perfect as he thinks he is and learn to accept others, even after they have sinned. The young son needs to learn that pleasing his father comes about by doing what he says. Obedience is important.

  God’s family has both, doesn’t it? It helps to realize this and to know that I need to work more on myself and point fingers less. Honesty tells me that I have been both boys. That’s easy to do. Now, I must work on being more like the father. That’s the trick and that’s when we are really getting the lesson of Jesus. It doesn’t matter which son I am more like, I need to be like the father. “O to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer…”

Roger