The Gospel of Peace
The Heart of the Father
In Luke 15, Jesus was surrounded by publicans and sinners.
These people were unreachable by the Pharisees.
Their message of judgment and legalism had no appeal to these people who were captives of their sinful lifestyles.
Instead of rejoicing because someone was finally reaching these people, the religious leaders found this to be a reproach.
Luk 15:2 But the Pharisees and the scribes kept complaining, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
Jesus responded to their murmuring with a series of parables:
The one of the lost sheep:
- Showed the Father’s desire to reach those who had gone astray.
- Showed the Father’s concern and ultimate joy over repentance of one sinner.
Luk 15:7 In the same way, I tell you that there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don't need to repent."
In the third parable (Luke 15:11-32) – that of the Prodigal Son:
- Jesus clearly shows the heart to the forgiving Father.
- The fear of the one who fails.
- The criticism of the self-righteous.
The parable begins with the younger son taking his inheritance and going to the world.
It is noteworthy that this is a son; this is not a foreigner.
This is a child of God who has an inheritance.
He totally abuses the good things of God.
While he is in the world, a famine strikes and leaves the backslider in want.
Now, this famine is not the product of the Father.
God does not create this situation.
John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal, slaughter, and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
It is clear here that the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy.
Like most of us who fall:
- This young man did not turn immediately to his father.
- He joined himself to a citizen of that country.
- He went to the world for help.
- He did not have the confidence to return to his father.
What he thought he would receive and what he actually encountered when he eventually did return home were two different things.
Despite his credentials, he found himself feeding the swine of this citizen of the world.
There was nothing more contemptible to a Jew than swine.
That is the ultimate goal of the devil for you:
- Shame.
- Humiliation.
- Loss of identity.
However, the prodigal was still the son of a wealthy man.
He still had a home and identity.
The only thing that stood in his way was his improper thinking about his father.
Luk 15:17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
This man had to begin to deal with the truth.
Until this time:
- He was the product of wrong thinking about his father.
- He thought surely there could be no return for him.
- He thought his father would reject him.
- He thought many negative things that were not based on fact.
Most of our decisions are not based on fact.
They are based on our perception of the facts.
This is why the devil works so hard to establish religious perversion.
If he can promote error, he can keep you from freedom.
John 8:32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
The greatest error that permeates the church today is a carryover from the Dark Ages, when the Catholic Church used fear and judgment to control the masses.
They held the people in darkness and deception by perverting the truth about God.
The judgment message is a product of that era.
Until the church is free from that message, it cannot return to the Father.
Since most people assume God to be the source of their problems, they never “come to themselves” as the prodigal son did.
Fortunately, although persecution and affliction are works of the devil designed to steal the Word from us, many of us do come to our senses.
Mar 4:14 The farmer sows the word.
Mar 4:15 Some people are like the seeds along the path, where the word is sown. When they hear it, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.
Mar 4:16 Others are like the seeds sown on the stony ground. When they hear the word, at once they joyfully accept it,
Mar 4:17 but since they don't have any roots, they last for only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes along because of the word, they immediately fall away.
One thing the prodigal son had on his side was that he knew how good it was to be in his father’s household.
Unfortunately, many Christians have never fully realized or experienced the goodness of God.
I have heard many Christians make this statement: “I had it better before I got saved. At least then I didn’t have all these trials and testings.”
If you do not know the goodness of God, you cannot “come to yourself” as the prodigal son did.
You have to know the truth before you can remember it.
If you thoughts of God are negative, you will keep running away every time you fall.
Although the prodigal son did not understand the complete truth, he did remember how good it was to live in his father’s home.
“Even the hired servants have it better than this,” he reasoned.
Luk 15:17 “Then he came to his senses and said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more food than they can eat, and here I am starving to death!
Luk 15:18 I will get up, go to my father, and say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and you.
Luk 15:19 I don't deserve to be called your son anymore. Treat me like one of your hired men."
What a contrast between what he says and what the father says!
What a difference between what he expected and what he experienced!
When he returned to the father:
- He did not hear a list of his failures.
- The father had compassion, not judgment.
- The father did not hesitate for one moment.
- While the son returned with head hanging down, the father ran to meet him.
- Before a word of explanation was given, the father gave him a kiss of love and acceptance.
The son said:
Luk 15:21 Then his son told him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and you. I don't deserve to be called your son anymore.'
Luk 15:22 But the father told his servants, 'Hurry! Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Although repentance is absolutely necessary, we must know beyond all doubt that the Father will meet us with a kiss and restore us to His best.
When the father clothed the son in a robe and placed a ring on his hand, the son was clearly restored to the position he had held before squandering it all.
He did not return to a lower position.
The bringing forth of the calf and the feast shows a return to the father’s provision.
When we return to the Lord as our Shepherd, we leave the realm of lack.
Psa 23:1 A Davidic Psalm. The LORD is the one who is shepherding me; I lack nothing.
His provision can supersede the law of sowing and reaping.
The elder son represents:
- Those people who have never fallen.
- They do not know what it means to be taken captive by sin.
- They do not know the shame and heartache of living with the past.
- Often they even despise God’s goodness bestowed on the repentant sinner.
It is easy for those who have never fallen to lose the whole point of the Gospel.
Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost.
This included the backslidden Christians as well as the obstinate sinner.
Like the elder son:
- They are not receiving many of the blessings of the Father.
- Even though all He has is theirs, they do not experience it.
- They think the inheritance is a product of works.
- They serve God day and night, but not with joy.
- The idea of enjoying some of the blessings seems frivolous or beyond their reach.
For this reason:
- They desire to see the repentant sinner suffer and live in a state of want.
- They want to see him suffer as his sins obviously deserve.
- They do not mind his being forgiven; they just do not want him restored.
If you have fallen, return to the Father.
Let Him meet you with a kiss and restore you.
If you are an elder brother, enter into the joy of the Lord.
As you experience His goodness you may learn the power and peace of mercy.
Let God make you a real peacemaker, as you proclaim the Gospel of Peace to a world that believes He is an angry God.
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