Sunday 28 June
Theme: - When the Father’s child comes home.
Luke chapter 15 verses 11 - 32 The Prodigal Son
Ephesians chapter 1 verse 5
Let's begin by unpacking the story of the Prodigal Son a bit.
The younger son would be entitled to half of all his father had upon his father’s death and not before. His request then is, in effect, him wishing his father were dead. His father's love for him is so great he takes the insult and ignores it, then gives his son what he asks for.
If we think for a moment about this, we see that for any family, to have enough disposable wealth to cover the value of giving away half of everything and still have enough left to keep his farm, the house, the livestock and some money too, would make the father a very wealthy man to begin with.
Then there is the older son, hardworking, honouring his father in all he does. He sees himself as a slave, ‘Look! All these years, I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. His anger also shows when he refers to the younger son with the words, "But when this son of yours " and not "my brother", I get the feeling he would have told his brother to go away in no uncertain terms. After all, everything he should have had there in his childhood home, is gone. He squandered it! Yet how was the prodigal son treated? Even after the insult, squandering it on wine, women and song, becoming bankrupt, becoming a pig keeper, and then ultimately even thinking of eating the pea pods for the pigs. He comes home to beg to become his father's servant and instead there is a party in his honour!
When we give our lives to Christ, we become citizens of Heaven. Living on Earth but Citizens of Heaven none the less.
Ephesians 1: 5 tells us “We are adopted as sons and daughters of God”. We become the son in our reading, who has always been there and all the father has is ours.
It is a bit like when I went South Africa, which I had the privilege of visiting in 2006, I was there to plant vegetables etc. in the townships where people have so little. They were desperate to even have our empty plastic water bottles. By comparison we were treated like Royalty. We were perceived as having power, wealth and status.
It made me wonder how do we often see ourselves?
Ephesians 1:5 is quite clear we are princes and princesses of Heaven living here on earth, for now anyway.
What then, when a good and faithful servant, a citizen of heaven, a prodigal son or daughter, like you or I go home? When an earthly father, as in our reading throws a party! What will the party be like then in Heaven? If you had boundless wealth, how would you celebrate a loved one returning home? That is what happens when our loved ones die and go home to Heaven!
There is of course, our loss, a loss that is horrendous and at times can feel unbearable.
There is also “the hope” of resurrection, that many ministers talk about at funerals.
Whilst, for all of us, through Christ Jesus, Ephesians 1:5 means we will see our loved ones again and sooner than we can imagine, when God sees fit to call us home to himself.
Then there will be the biggest and best party that your heart can conjure up in celebration.
Luke chapter 15 verses 11 - 32 The Prodigal Son
Ephesians chapter 1 verse 5
Let's begin by unpacking the story of the Prodigal Son a bit.
The younger son would be entitled to half of all his father had upon his father’s death and not before. His request then is, in effect, him wishing his father were dead. His father's love for him is so great he takes the insult and ignores it, then gives his son what he asks for.
If we think for a moment about this, we see that for any family, to have enough disposable wealth to cover the value of giving away half of everything and still have enough left to keep his farm, the house, the livestock and some money too, would make the father a very wealthy man to begin with.
Then there is the older son, hardworking, honouring his father in all he does. He sees himself as a slave, ‘Look! All these years, I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. His anger also shows when he refers to the younger son with the words, "But when this son of yours " and not "my brother", I get the feeling he would have told his brother to go away in no uncertain terms. After all, everything he should have had there in his childhood home, is gone. He squandered it! Yet how was the prodigal son treated? Even after the insult, squandering it on wine, women and song, becoming bankrupt, becoming a pig keeper, and then ultimately even thinking of eating the pea pods for the pigs. He comes home to beg to become his father's servant and instead there is a party in his honour!
When we give our lives to Christ, we become citizens of Heaven. Living on Earth but Citizens of Heaven none the less.
Ephesians 1: 5 tells us “We are adopted as sons and daughters of God”. We become the son in our reading, who has always been there and all the father has is ours.
It is a bit like when I went South Africa, which I had the privilege of visiting in 2006, I was there to plant vegetables etc. in the townships where people have so little. They were desperate to even have our empty plastic water bottles. By comparison we were treated like Royalty. We were perceived as having power, wealth and status.
It made me wonder how do we often see ourselves?
Ephesians 1:5 is quite clear we are princes and princesses of Heaven living here on earth, for now anyway.
What then, when a good and faithful servant, a citizen of heaven, a prodigal son or daughter, like you or I go home? When an earthly father, as in our reading throws a party! What will the party be like then in Heaven? If you had boundless wealth, how would you celebrate a loved one returning home? That is what happens when our loved ones die and go home to Heaven!
There is of course, our loss, a loss that is horrendous and at times can feel unbearable.
There is also “the hope” of resurrection, that many ministers talk about at funerals.
Whilst, for all of us, through Christ Jesus, Ephesians 1:5 means we will see our loved ones again and sooner than we can imagine, when God sees fit to call us home to himself.
Then there will be the biggest and best party that your heart can conjure up in celebration.