Jump Start # 3799

Luke 15:29 “But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends.”

Our verse today comes from that compelling story of the prodigal son. Wayward and without direction, he spent all. Helpless, friendless and hopeless, he comes home a changed person. The father runs and embraces the broken son. There is a celebration and much to rejoice. He was dead but now he is alive again.

The older brother doesn’t have the same reaction. When he finds out that the prodigal is home and there is a party being held in his honor, anger and resentment boils to the top. Our verse are his words he speaks to the father who came out to compel him to enjoy the happy celebration. The older brother will have no part in that.

As he speaks to the father, he does not even address him as “father.” The prodigal did when he returned home. It seems that the older brother is angry with the father. He views his role and relationship as a servant. I’ve served you for years, he proclaims. You command and I obey, is how he sees the relationship. And, through all those years, he does not find joy and happiness in being with his father. It’s all duty. It’s all work. It’s master and slave relationship.

And, I am seeing more and more Christians viewing themselves right beside that older brother. They don’t see it and they’d never admit to it, but from what I hear, it sure seems like many have a salvation based upon works and not grace. And, when we have such thinking, we will find more guilt than we can handle. For so many, guilt is like their shadow. It’s always right behind them. There is no getting away from it.

Rather than enjoying our journey with the Lord, guilt will constantly and always remind us that we didn’t do something right. We shouldn’t have said what we said. We could have gone to services, but just didn’t feel like it. We’ve talked too much about other people. Guilt. Guilt. Guilt.

A bad thought. More guilt. Not paying attention in worship. More guilt. Avoiding someone we don’t like. Even more guilt. There is so much guilt that we shuffle through life trying to carry such a heavy burden. And, all this burden draws the joy out of our lives. We try to keep every command of God. We see it as our duty. And, when we fail, we feel that God is so disappointed in us that He will barely have anything to do with us.

Oh, this is the image that so many carry in their hearts. They would deny that we are saved by works, but their guilt says the opposite. How can we have joy, when we haven’t kept all the commands of the Father? Why do we view service to God as something we have to do? Someone is not at worship services and a few days later they die. At their funeral, some wonder if he really made it, “because he wasn’t at church last week.” It seems that I’m having more and more conversations about these things.

Here are a few thoughts from this:

First, I believe we need to really do a deep dive into understanding and knowing our God. This is at the core of the problem that the older brother had in the prodigal story. He really didn’t know his father. He had been with him for years, and still, he did not know him or understand him. Reward comes from what I do, is how he saw things. His relationship was work based not love based.

This is where we must begin if we are ever going to get any distance from our guilt. God loves. God’s lovingkindness is new every day. God seeks those who seek Him. An incorrect view of God is going to color our theology. It will distort how we view salvation and fellowship. It’s time we moved beyond God 101 and really lowered the nets into how He describes and defines Himself.

Second, beyond that, we need to really grasp the concept of grace. We say we believe in grace, but many are afraid of it. They are afraid if they speak of that too much, some will accuse them of being denominational. So, we keep a lid on grace. We mention it briefly but not strongly. When we read, Ephesians 2, “saved by grace through faith,” we feel compelled to say, “that includes baptism.” In that sentence, God didn’t feel compelled to say it.

Grace is not having a casual attitude toward sin. Grace is not looking the other way and thinking, “It’s ok.” It’s not ok. It’s sin. Grace is God’s choice. He doesn’t owe it to us. He doesn’t have to forgive us. It’s His choice. Because we live with grace and love, there isn’t much room for guilt anymore. Yes, I sin. So do you. Some days are pretty good. Some days are not so hot. God understands. God loves. And, God wants me to keep walking with Him.

Sometimes I take the little ones in our family for a walk. Sometimes they hold my hand. Sometimes they want to take the lead and I’ll have to help them watch for traffic. Sometimes they want to stop and pick things up. Sometimes they want to go another direction. I’m patient. I guide them. As we walk, I point out things for their little eyes to see. I know things about trees and flowers and bugs that they don’t understand. They’ll ask questions. It doesn’t take much information to be beyond their little thinking. Sometimes they want to run. I tell them to be careful. Occasionally, they might stumble and fall. We’ve had cut knees and tears flowing down their cheeks. I remind them that they need to listen. Hugs, kisses and we are headed back to the house.

And, in many ways that’s how I see our walk with the Lord. He is thrilled and I am thrilled to walk along side of the Lord. Sometimes I want to stop. He’s patient. Sometimes I want to run and His word tells me to be careful. I fall and scrape my soul. He’s there to wipe my tears, hold my hand and help me along the way. I don’t know all that He knows. But I know He cares for me and loves me. And, as I walk near Him, we eventually reach home, His home.

God and grace. With those two there isn’t much room for guilt. The angry, jealous older brother never understood his father. He never understood grace. I wonder if I do…

Roger