I love Sundays! I love worshipping with and listening to God’s Word with other believers. There so much encourgement in being a part of something bigger than ourselves. This Sunday was convicting. I feel like God is preaching to me for weeks and months before He allowing me to share things outloud. My greatest fear is getting in the way of God’s message. I am just a vessel that He is pouring through, and I don’t want to say something stupid would jeopardize people hearing His message. “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.” Ephesians 6:19
Why does coming home from a lustful escapade seem easier than coming home from cold anger? The older son seems to have a greater struggle in recognizing his need for grace. He could see his brother needed grace, although he believed his brother did not deserve it. His anger and jealousy caused him to miss the thing that he needed the most. He did not deserve grace either. How sad! Anger is a reaction when we have been hurt. Anger is a belief that someone owes us something. We use anger against someone to try to contol them to give it back. The longer anger lingers the more and more it becomes our personality. Well Jesus did not finish the story. He left the tension for the Pharisees and the Teachers of law to struggle toward their need for grace. We don’t know who spiritually woke up.
Yesterday, Jesus left the same tension for us. We saw many people in all three services declaring to God that they needed to let go of anger. They did not know how. They simply knew the time was now so they could be brought into reality of the Father’s love again. What about you?
- Are you angry?
- Did someone take something from you?
- Who do you believe owes you?
- How long have you felt that way?
It is time to let go! Will you trust God enough with your hurt, your pain, your resentment, with your anger? The father loves you!
Is it possible that the older son was angry (a secondary emotion) because he was hurt? Did he perceive an INJUSTICE in the way his father treated him? Did he really feel his father’s love or was he uncertain/insecure with his relationship with his father? Whose problem is that? What has the father done to demonstrate his love to his older son?
Despite your good words, Todd, I still can identify with the older son’s reaction. Was he selfish or was he hurt by his perception of an injustice (“Father, you never celebrated my presence and he comes back to celebrations and jubulation…..”)
The analogy of the father in this parable is clearly of the FATHER, but something is missing in the relationship of the older son and his father.
….Struggling to understand…..
Joe…
Sometimes I think the perception of injustice emerges from the sense of entitlement, itself.
I can understand where the son would feel that way! I’ve experienced the same sort of feeling at times, too, as I believe we all probably have.
In the end, though, the love of the Father is sufficient (party or no party) and I feel your mention of uncertainty and insecurity is an excellent observation, since it brings up a lack of faith in the Father’s love. In those moments of weaker faith, sometimes we may feel entitled to the proof of another’s love (or God’s), as the son may have.
Perhaps this helps?
The love of the Father was enough to meet both son’s right where they were at in their seperation of relationship. To me, this parable highlights that love and forgiveness gives others the opportunity to come back into proper relationship however, the choice to do so is an individual decision.
Sorry for the delay, Joe. I think from the Older son’s perspective he did perceive an injustice. He felt some slight or in some way unappreciated. Was he trying hard for the approval of his father? Did he feel looked over? All we know are the words that Jesus used to share this story. Jesus shows this father making an appeal to both sons. It was much more dramatic with the younger son, but he had been a way for some time. The father does leave the party to make plea with his Older son to come into the celebration. We do see that he believes both sons matter.
In fear of getting too far away from the original intent, I think we have to go back to Luke 15:1-2 to be reminded of who Jesus was addressing through this story. He was speaking more to the Pharisees and the teachers of the law since they were the ones muttering in the scene. With that in mind it is easy to see that they too saw a great injustice in how Jesus was receiving and forgiving these tax collectors and “sinners”. Jesus was trying to reveal to them that giving grace to people is up to the Father (God). Why should the father giving grace to the younger son (the one who sinned greater, right?) affect the heart of the Older one unless the Older son thought he was earning something from the father.
Is it possible that the Older son had overlooked the most important aspect of living in the Father’s house–having access to a fulfilling relationship with the father. Where his younger brother has missed so much in begin away in the distant land that cannot be made up in one party, the older son has had full access to the father and to the father’s abundance? Is it safe to say that he did not even realize what he had?
The other missing part of the story, what was the future days of the younger son? We know he was received back, but more than likely he did not receive another inheritance. He will still have consequences to the life of sin he chose.
The hard part is I find myself as the younger son and older son? Very convicting! God’s grace is beautiful.
Check out Matthew 20:1-16
“Jesus was trying to reveal to them that giving grace to people is up to the Father (God).”
Thanks! This actually touches on some things that I find myself contemplating today, some of which are from or spin off from the sermon…
All perception of a wrong to oneself stems from a sense of entitlement. (touched on)
Lack of forgiveness not only creates barriers and baggage in our relationships and lives, but places oneself as judge over that perceived infringement on entitlement.
Forgiveness, at its core, is surrendering that judgment to God, restoring faith in His judgment’s sovereignty. In humility, we remember that God’s will is perfect. We are imperfect judges, not knowing others’ hearts as He does.
All acts are recorded and subject to God’s judgment. Is there a necessity to add our own?
Please forgive the spin-off from topic! Todd’s mention of what is “up to the Father” just coincided with the thoughts and I thought it wouldn’t hurt to share. Hey, it’s also something we all deal with at times.
Hope everyone’s having a great day!
These sermons have been awesome. They speak to me for the lost Christain and the not lost Christain. The son coming home tells me that no matter what we do God will always rejoice that we have come home. The older son shows, the Christain who has not lost his way, to be patient. God has a season for everyone and maybe his season has not yet come. It is amazing how God speaks to everyone in his stories. They are never one sided.
Can not wait until Sunday to continue this!!!!