Understanding the Heart of God – The Prodigal Son #5 of 5

The Forgiver has been challenged by those who should understand His heart, challenged by those who should be with Him at the table reaching out to the sinners, the lost. They have missed the point. They have missed His heart. The Forgiver has turned His attention to grumblers, not in rebuke, but in hope they will understand.

He tells them a third story, the story of two sons. It cannot be dismissed. These are fathers with children of their own. The story about the fate of two sons cannot be ignored.

Luke 15:11-32
11 Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.

13 "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

17 "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20 So he got up and went to his father.

"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

21 "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

22 "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

25 "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'

28 "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'

31 "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'" NIV

The Prodigal, wastes his inheritance, squanders it on sinful living. Destroys his life, sinking lower and lower until there is no hope for a future. Perhaps if he returns home he could be a second class son, like a hired hand, not a real son.

But the father. . . .

Don’t miss this. The father never criticizes, the father shows no sign of rejection, of judgment. The father never says, I told you son, look how horribly you messed up. Instead the father dresses the prodigal in a new robe, kills the fattened calf and celebrates his return. The only thing that mattered to the father was the son that was lost had returned.

The older son feels slighted. The older son wants to point the finger of accusation, the finger of judgment at the younger. After all look what he has done, he has been faithful, where was his reward.

The father’s response is critical. Yes, the older son would be rewarded, the father recognized his faithfulness. His faithfulness did matter, but the return of the prodigal was cause for even immediate and great celebration.

Yes, the Father notes and rewards faithfulness, all He has will one day be ours, but the Father celebrates when one who has been lost is found.

What happened to me at council? I was reminded; no perhaps I understood for the first time, that God has a passionate, frantic love for the lost. A love that led Him to do everything He could do to ensure that a lost person could be saved. His heart breaks over the lost. He desperately reaching out to them, and as they are found, He welcomes them back into fellowship with Himself. And every time it occurs it sets His heart to rejoicing.

One of the many differences between the disciples and the Pharisees concerns the heart of God. The disciples would eventually understand His heart and spend their lives reaching out to the lost. The Pharisees would see the efforts to save the lost as a threat to their established religiosity, and do their best to oppose it.

The Forgiver came to seek and save the lost. At Norwalk Alliance Church we’re Living the Call Together. More than ever before, I am convinced that the key to Living the Call is having a heart like God.