The prodigal son

There is probably no parable in the Gospels more widely known than that of the Prodigal Son. There is a reason for this: the parable sets forth the fall of man, his condition in the land of Sin, and his return to God. I call it The Grand Old Story. It is “grand” because it covers everything that needs to be known about human nature and what God has done to make reconciliation possible.
       In the beginning there was . . . God, nothing else. But God decided to create and spoke into existence an extensive universe. However, one thing was still lacking, so God spoke again and there was man, and once more and there was a “helper suitable for him” (Gen. 2:15). Then Satan tricked man into doing the one thing he was not to do, and as a result he and his helper were removed from the garden. At first, living apart from responsibility had a certain lure, but almost over night man faced the cost of his rebellion. Living without resources in Satan’s  pigsty, was a poor substitute for home and happiness so man returned and was met by a loving father who prepared a great banquet for his prodigal son.
       The theology of this narrative is extremely rich and deserving of extended discussion, but we will touch on only a few points that illustrate our condition in that distant land and now God made it possible for us to come back home. The first is the deceptive nature of sin. The inheritance was ours and available for the asking. Life out there looked so good and we longed for immediate satisfaction. Certainly God wouldn’t care if we had just a bit of that intoxicating drink. So we sinned and God did what he said he would.
       That this world has a number of attractions is obvious. Our old nature is attracted by that which is here for the moment, but soon gone.  God said, ”Don’t take of that tree?” but we did it anyway and discovered that we had been put out of the garden and in a land that, having a certain appeal, turned out to be a place of misery. The alternative to hanging around with Satan is to get out of Sin-city as quickly as possible. He is incredibly cunning as he invites everyone to his home in a forbidden territory, but for us, we’d rather be home where God put us for his own purpose.
       Life in a pigsty encourages us to listen to that still small voice calling from deep within. You can try your best to put it out but that simply won’t work. Rather, the voice keeps calling you back to where you really belong. The current moments of passing pleasure are becoming fewer and your heart begins to beat a bit faster with the news that you are now thinking seriously about repenting for having left home. Isn’t God good for having placed that longing in your heart!
       So, from the parable we learn (1) that sin has consequences, (2) that God’s call to return is deeply engraved on man’s heart, and (3) that repentance issues in a joyful reunion with all that really counts. We were meant for Him and no amount of denial can excise that longing. The Story for each of us awaits our recognition that the life Satan promises turns into a pigsty and that our father can hardly wait for us to get up and come home. I can still remember how good it was to go “home” at the age of 12. And they have a celebration planned for each of you as well. Don’t miss out on the fabulous celebration that’s waiting for you.