Kettle & the Pot – Part 2
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; but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.” [Luke 15:29-30]
Jesus told three parables to teach an important spiritual truth to those listening to Him. In the parable of the lost sheep Jesus made the point that there were 100 sheep and one was lost. In response the shepherd left the 99 in the sheepfold and went searching for the one lost sheep until he found it.
In the parable of the lost coin there were 10 coins and one was lost. The owner of the coins lit the lamps in the house and swept through the entire dwelling, not giving up until she found it. In both cases the shepherd and the woman rejoiced ecstatically over recovering the one lost piece of property.
In the parable of the prodigal son the same lesson was taught. This father had two sons. The younger insisted his father give him his inheritance now. After receiving it, the younger son went off to a far country because he wanted to live contrary to the way his father raised him. So he went far away where his father wouldn’t witness it.
To make a long story short, he squandered all his inheritance and needed a job. The only job offer he received was to feed some pigs. This son was so impoverished and destitute, that he actually wanted to eat the pig food!
Suddenly he remembered good old dad and life as it once was. Living for the devil lost its appeal. Living for dad jumped to the forefront of his desire. So he headed back home, intent on begging his father just to let him be one of the servants. He wasn’t fit to be dad’s son anymore, he reasoned.
That, by the way, is the definition of true Biblical repentance. More often than I care to remember, I’ve heard apologies that went like this, “If I’ve ever done anything to hurt you, I’m sorry.” That’s fine and good, dear friends, but that’s not real repentance! What is being repented of? The person speaking in such a fashion isn’t even aware of what he/she did wrong, so how can the person ask forgiveness for doing it?
Anyway, the father saw the son coming way off yonder because he was watching expectantly for his son’s return. He wanted him back and wanted to forgive him, you see. So he ran down the road and, before his son could even repent, he threw his arms around the lad and gave him a bear hug. Then he had the servants put a ring on his finger and a robe around his torso. He followed this up with an order to kill the fatted calf and prepare a feast for his once-lost son.
The message is the same as that of the first two parables. Something was lost and the owner wouldn’t give up until he retrieved it. Of course the owner is God, and the lost items are sinful men and women. The tax collectors and sinners flocked to Jesus and He gladly received them. They had been lost, but now they were found.
Next up where the twist occurs in the parable of the prodigal son. Oh, but it is time to stop once more. We will finish the saga tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Jesus told three parables to teach an important spiritual truth to those listening to Him. In the parable of the lost sheep Jesus made the point that there were 100 sheep and one was lost. In response the shepherd left the 99 in the sheepfold and went searching for the one lost sheep until he found it.
In the parable of the lost coin there were 10 coins and one was lost. The owner of the coins lit the lamps in the house and swept through the entire dwelling, not giving up until she found it. In both cases the shepherd and the woman rejoiced ecstatically over recovering the one lost piece of property.
In the parable of the prodigal son the same lesson was taught. This father had two sons. The younger insisted his father give him his inheritance now. After receiving it, the younger son went off to a far country because he wanted to live contrary to the way his father raised him. So he went far away where his father wouldn’t witness it.
To make a long story short, he squandered all his inheritance and needed a job. The only job offer he received was to feed some pigs. This son was so impoverished and destitute, that he actually wanted to eat the pig food!
Suddenly he remembered good old dad and life as it once was. Living for the devil lost its appeal. Living for dad jumped to the forefront of his desire. So he headed back home, intent on begging his father just to let him be one of the servants. He wasn’t fit to be dad’s son anymore, he reasoned.
That, by the way, is the definition of true Biblical repentance. More often than I care to remember, I’ve heard apologies that went like this, “If I’ve ever done anything to hurt you, I’m sorry.” That’s fine and good, dear friends, but that’s not real repentance! What is being repented of? The person speaking in such a fashion isn’t even aware of what he/she did wrong, so how can the person ask forgiveness for doing it?
Anyway, the father saw the son coming way off yonder because he was watching expectantly for his son’s return. He wanted him back and wanted to forgive him, you see. So he ran down the road and, before his son could even repent, he threw his arms around the lad and gave him a bear hug. Then he had the servants put a ring on his finger and a robe around his torso. He followed this up with an order to kill the fatted calf and prepare a feast for his once-lost son.
The message is the same as that of the first two parables. Something was lost and the owner wouldn’t give up until he retrieved it. Of course the owner is God, and the lost items are sinful men and women. The tax collectors and sinners flocked to Jesus and He gladly received them. They had been lost, but now they were found.
Next up where the twist occurs in the parable of the prodigal son. Oh, but it is time to stop once more. We will finish the saga tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
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