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This week we are continuing our study of Luke Chapter 15. Please read verses 20-32 every day this week and, if possible, use a different translation each day, asking God to open your eyes to fresh revelation from His Word.
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Luke 15:28-32 (NLT)
‘His father came out and begged him, but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf! His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’
Yesterday we explored the attitude of the older brother toward his younger sibling. Today, we’re going to finish off our weekly studies by taking a further look at the older brother and in particular we’re going to discuss his relationship with his father.
As we talked about a few weeks ago, this series of parables is very well known and the climax of today’s parable is perhaps the greatest example of God’s Fatherhood. Therefore, we’re going to summarise all that at the close of today’s devotion.
Firstly, we have to note that the older son refused to go into the party but the father graciously leaves the room in order to speak with him. The son’s place was inside the house with the father and with his brother but he remains at the door. I’m reminded of the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis chapter 4. Cain is angry because of God’s acceptance of Abel. God says to him that ‘sin is crouching at your door and desires to have you, but you must rule over it’. The implication of course is that we have a choice to make as sin comes crouching at our particular door. We have authority over sin and even when we are put in difficult positions or if things happen that we don’t like, we are taught to rule over that desire and to take our place alongside the Father and our brothers. Don’t remain at the door, come inside!
Secondly, note the attitude of the son toward his father. “I’ve been slaving for you”. No wonder he was unhappy if this was what he thought of his work and his father. He also goes on to say that “I’ve never refused to do a single thing you told me to”. I’d like to say that obedience to someone is not necessarily an indication of a good relationship. The son is basically equating his position to that of a servant. He has not understood the concept of a loving relationship between a father and son. Yes, the son is required to obey the will of the father but the greatest ingredient of that relationship is love. We don’t see any evidence of love being shown by the son. It is there in abundance in the father but is completely absent in the son.
Also, we see something quite revealing in the next phrase that the son makes: “All that time you never gave me…”. Here is an attitude of giving in order to receive. He felt that in reward for all his labour, he should have received something in return.
The father’s response is wonderful – “dear son”. Even in the face of such awful statements, the father’s love is never diminished. He was treating both sons equally but the elder son could not grasp it. We’re not told what happened to the sons so we have to draw our own conclusions and apply the lessons appropriately. The central theme of the three parables is ‘God’s love for the lost’. Within that we see so many wonderful strands of His grace, His forgiveness and His long-suffering. We have an amazing God who loves us conditionally and longs for us to live the best lives possible as His sons, walking in authority exhibiting all that He is wherever we go.
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