Sadly, when we pick up the newspaper or switch on
the news, our ears and eyes frequently witness the travesty of children, who
have murdered their parents, or the crazed individual, who has murdered their
partner, all for the pleasure of inheriting the pot of gold, their parent’s or
partner’s belongings, superannuation or large insurance payout. Of course, our
emotions are mixed, but the thoughts that rush through our minds play the tune
of, “How could they?” What sane person would do it, right?
Jesus tells us of the parable of two sons, who have
worked hard for their father most of their lives. One of the sons, which I’ll
call the ‘rebellious son’, approached his father and demanded his inheritance.
The father calculated each of his two son’s inheritances and gave them their
portion. The rebellious son, the following day, packed his bags in haste and
departed for the ‘big smoke’.
By demanding for his inheritance, which had been set
aside for him in the future, the rebellious son was essentially saying, “Father,
I wish you were dead!” A grand kick in the face for a loving father, wouldn’t
you agree? On one level, this replicates the travesties of our society, but on
another, I guess we can see this slyly weaved in our lives.
Returning to the story, the rebellious son arrived
at the ‘big smoke’ and participated in “wild living”. Not only had he wished
his father were dead, but now he was dishonouring his father’s name, something
prized in that time. Eventually, the rebellious son’s money ran out and a
famine struck the land, causing the rebellious son to plunge into poverty.
Jesus explained that the son was so hungry the he yearned to eat pig’s food. He
had fallen from high society to the very bottom of the barrel.
At this point, the rebellious son’s conscience returns
to him and pricks his memory of his father, whom he had proverbially punched in
the face and dishonoured. “Oh what a mistake I have made”, he says to himself.
After realising how horrible he was to his father, the rebellious son returns
to him and fearfully pleads for mercy. The father accepts his son back and
throws a huge party to celebrate.
This story can be found in the Gospel of Luke, chapter
15, verses 11 through 32. We pause for a moment to soak up the sheer loving
mercy of the father. How cruel and evil the son was to abandon and dishonour his
father and waste all his inheritance.
Yet, the father forgives him. Being the bible and a story of Jesus’, we
know the son is us and the father is God, who accepts us back through Jesus’
cross. But, it would be a grave mistake to stop reading now, for the punch line
is still yet to come.
Remember, there were two sons? The rebellious son,
who returned to his father, and there was the, we’ll call, the ‘faithful son’.
While the party raged into the night, the ‘faithful son’ heard the commotion in
the house and went to inspect. Upon arrival, he found his stupid brother being
held high by his father. This is the moment where we take a glimpse into the ‘faithful
sons’ heart. This is the crunch point; the point Jesus is trying to emphasise.
The ‘faithful son’ is repulsed and violently rejects
the situation. He pulls his father to the side, a dishonouring thing to do in
that time, and proceeds to tell his father what to do. He reasons with his
father, “I worked for you like a slave, I always obeyed you”, and so on. The
father responded, “Look, your brother is back!” But the ‘faithful son’ didn’t
care. His eyes were on the wealth; “You took the fattened calf for him and
served it”, a big and expensive thing in that time. The ‘faithful son’ wasn’t on-board
with his father. Why?
At first reading, it seems as though the ‘rebellious
son’ is the only one using his father for his wealth, but after his return and
the joyous celebration that ensues, it is revealed that the ‘faithful son’ is
no different. He too, sees his father as an opportunity for wealth and fame. “Where
was my fattened calf?” asked the ‘faithful son’. “I’ve worked hard for you;
where’s my payment”. Like his brother earlier in the story, he is essentially
saying where is my money? He wasn’t working hard because he loved his father,
but rather, was working simply to gain wealth and fame. But what was it that
the father desired? He desired that his two sons love him.
Where do you sit with God? He created you, sustains
you and provides for you. He, like the father in the story, loves you and
desires to have a relationship with you. Possibly, you, like the ‘faithful son’,
haven’t killed anyone or stolen anything, yet you use God for the treasures of
his creation. Perhaps, you store up your God given money and enjoy the God
given relationships given you by God. Yet, you never turn to listen or follow
him.
Some may say now, I follow God in my own way. But,
so did both sons in the story. God created us, yet we reject him. We live our
lives without honouring God. This is sin. Like the father in the story, God
yearns to have a relationship with you. He loves you so much that he sacrificed
himself on the cross to pay for all of your rejection.
There are so many travesties in the news, but there
is a greater travesty at play today, the travesty that you and I are a part of,
the rejection and ‘murder’ of our Father and creator, God. Turn now, and follow
his Son Jesus Christ. See your spiritual poverty and return to your loving Father,
who waits for you with open arms.
If you have questions, I would love to try to answer
them and guide you to Jesus Christ.
