"And He said, "A man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them. And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate living recklessly. Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he was desiring to be fed with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! I will rise up and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.’" So he rose up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet, and bring the fattened calf, slaughter it, and let us eat and celebrate, for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.
"Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. And summoning one of the servants, he began inquiring what these things could be. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he became angry and was not wanting to go in, and his father came out and began pleading with him. But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and never have I neglected a command of yours. And yet never have you given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ And he said to him, ‘Child, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and is alive, and was lost and has been found.’"
Good Morning my beloved,
We welcome you to worship today in the name of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for joining us today. If you haven't recently received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, could I encourage you consider crying out to Him today? While there's still time. If you have recently received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please reach out and let us know. We would love to pray for you as you begin your new journey and rejoice in joyful, exuberant celebration. We have seen a tremendous increase in areas once believed to be impossible to reach, evidence of just how critically important your prayers are in shining the Light of God's love into some of the most dangerous places in the world to be a Christian. And, still, these people are desperately craving the True Gospel. Forgive me if I don't mention the locations for the protection of those families involved. Thank you for helping to make this amazing breakthrough possible to reach those in need with the Good News and eternal life.
The lordship of Jesus Christ has faced suppression, subtly undermining His divine lordship and authority, not merely in the church today, but for centuries. Frankly, He has been all but obscured. Let me be very, very clear, Jesus Christ is not a person of human invention or imagination to be re-invented to become a new user friendly Jesus. Regrettably, this is being largely overlooked by those who profess to know Him, and the staggering reality of what He did, and who He was. Scripture affirms that the lordship of Jesus Christ is not an optional aspect of the Christian faith, but its very foundation to receiving salvation. Romans 10:9, Paul affirms that confessing "Jesus is Lord" is not just verbal acknowledgement but a recognition of His sovereign authority over every area of life.
Prominent early church figures like Origen of Alexandria, also known as Origen Adamantius and later historians such as Thallus, an early historian who wrote a three-volume history of the Mediterranean world, whose works are considered important by some Christians as confirming the historicity of Jesus and providing non-Christian validation of the Gospel accounts. Unfortunately, most of his work has been all but lost, although some of his writings were quoted by the Christian author Sextus Julius Africanus in his History of the World, who acknowledged extraordinary supernatural signs at Christ’s crucifixion—like the three-hour darkness—not as natural phenomena, but as supernatural divine acts confirming Christ’s supreme authority over creation. Yet, early Greek philosophers such as Thales of Miletus (c. 624–546 BC, Anaximander, a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher (c. 610–c. 546 BC), and Anaximenes of Miletus, in Anatolia, which is modern-day Turkey, (c. 586/585 BC–c. 526/525 BC) who began to shift explanations of supernatural signs to naturalistic explanations through regularity and order in nature, envisioning a kosmos governed by rational laws rather than divine caprice, which is seen as a departure from steadfastness and consistency, traits that are found in Scripture, underscoring the need for doctrinal stability and maturity. If you take it upon yourself not to believe what the Bible says, you have ordained yourself a greater authority than the God of Scripture.
A.W. Tozer observed a major theological shift occurred with teachings that separated salvation from submission to Christ’s authority, saying "The Lordship of Jesus Christ is not quite forgotten among Christians, but it has been relegated to the hymnal," where emotional affirmation has all but replaced practical obedience, reflecting an even broader trend where Christ is accepted as Savior, but not acknowledged as Lord in salvation or daily living. This "savior-only" gospel gained momentum in certain branches of evangelical theology through dispensationalist views like those of Lewis Sperry Chafer, who contended that calling sinners to surrender to Christ's lordship was an "unreasonable" addition to the gospel. I can't help but to be reminded of what Paul boldly conveyed to the Galatian church in chapter 1 about distorting the Gospel, "I marvel that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ for a different gospel, which is really not another, only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to the gospel we have proclaimed to you, let him be accursed!" Unitarians and Jehovah’s Witnesses believe Jesus is the Son of God but not co-equal or co-eternal with the Father. Belief in biblical inerrancy shapes how one handles apparent contradictions. Therefore, I find it hard to believe, if not absolutely impossible, that if you’ve studied the Bible carefully, reading it from front to back, cover to cover, analyzing it thoroughly all the way through, how anyone come to any other conclusion than Jesus is God, though the Trinity is not explicitly stated in Scripture, it's more than obvious it is implied. Passages like Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 44:6; and 1 Corinthians 8:4 affirm there is only one God. In John 6:27; Romans 1:7, the Father is called God. Then, in Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8, is called God and in John 8:58, Jesus claims the divine title "I am," saying "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am", which is identical to God’s name in Exodus 3:14. Yet, the three are shown as distinct individuals in personhood who relate to one another. In Matthew 3:17, the Father speaks to the Son. In John 11:41, the Son prays to the Father. In John 15:26, the Holy Spirit is sent by the Father and the Son and in John 16:14 glorifies Jesus. If you’re going to stand as the authority on the veracity of Scripture, maybe it would be a tremendous benefit to you to actually read it. How can anybody claim to be the authority of something they've never read? What could possibly be more ridiculous than that? Yet, more often than not, that is the case. Let's not forget Matthew 28:19-20, in the Great Commission, where "baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you" — uses a singular "name," affirming unity while listing all three as distinct individual Persons. Any other view effectively eviscerates repentance and discipleship from the call to salvation making the promise of eternal life without the necessity of transformation, something which Scripture knows nothing about. As 1 John 5:11-12 states, eternal life is in the Son, and those who have Him must walk in Him, which requires active participation and transformation. Don't take my word for it, search the Scriptures for yourself. And, I believe if you do it with an open heart and an open mind, you’re going to find the Truth. The key is not just reading, but searching—examining the texts carefully, humbly, and with a sincere willingness to be transformed by what is found. True faith manifests in obedience to God's commands is not a means to earn salvation, but is the natural response to it. In John 14:15, Jesus emphasized "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." If we're going to know anything about the Person of Christ, where else can we go but to the Holy Scriptures, the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John in particular, known as the Synoptic Gospels - while sharing many of the same stories, parables, and events, each has a distinct emphasis on His birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension and three of which even anticipate His future return in glory, where as John focuses primarily on Christ’s divinity rather than His return. And, if we're not careful, that day will soon close in on us suddenly like a trap.
There are all kinds of people in the church today, many of who are utterly devoid of the righteousness of God through Christ. People are horribly deceived about their true spiritual condition, while thinking everything is well. However, there are, I believe, some that aren't deceived, they know they are religious phonies, playing church, just going through the motions, imagining that if they do enough religious "good deeds," they'll wind up in heaven. In Luke 6, Jesus said "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil. For his mouth speaks from the abundance of his heart. Now why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?" In Matthew 25, in the parable of the ten virgins, Jesus tells us a story of ten virgins, who outwardly appeared to be ready to the bridegroom, but when he arrived unexpectedly in the middle of the night, 5 of them found themselves unprepared. Their profession of faith was merely verbal; they claim to belong in the kingdom of God, they say they know Christ, they heard the message, they claimed to understand it, but they did not do what Christ said. Scripture remains clear: "If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15). Many are sitting in church, week after week, just keep going through the motions and saying they belong to Christ because they know so much about Christ and the Bible that they convince themselves that they're Christians even though there’s no biblical evidence of salvation. If you are wondering why it is that I’m so concerned about who is really a Christian, it’s because it's very personal to me. It’s not just hypothetical speculation. My concern is not how difficult it is for unsaved people to embrace the Truth of God’s Word, but how easily those who profess to know Christ personally are deceived, following Satan's lies straight to hell. It is entirely possible to be religiously active, and even influential in the church without being truly regenerate. There must be a life increasingly conformed to Christ.
I don't want anyone within my reach to hear those tragic words from our Lord, "‘I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’" Jesus ministered to people because He loved them. He ministered to people because He understood that men will die, and after that, the judgment, He knew the consequence of Hell. Jesus ministered to people because He loved them. He ministered to people because He understood that men will die, and after that, the judgment comes, He knew the consequence of Hell. If you're a pastor and the driving force for your preaching for popularity, or prioritizing attendance over genuine shepherding or for any other reason than the salvation of those entrusted in your care, your vision has become skewed, you've lost sight of the heart of the Gospel. I beg you to examine your heart and your motives, because the stakes are too high, ungodly motives stem from pride.
And if the fire has dimmed, get on your knees, confess any misplaced motives, any wrong desires, than ask Him set ablaze that fiery passion that once burned so brightly for Christ. And allow the Holy Spirit recalibrate your vision to proclaim the Gospel of Salvation with Authority and Compassion and love for the souls within your reach and reverence for their eternal destiny. The remedy is the same for each and every one of us, genuine repentance and returning to the presence of God in humility.
Let's pray
Heavenly Father,
Father, we humbly thank You for Your Word, and as we contemplate these tremendous truths, I pray that we all might honestly examine our own hearts, that we might know we are in the faith. Lord, I pray that You might do a mighty work in every heart with us today and those around the world who are reading this message, that they might truly embrace Christ, both as Lord and Savior. O Lord, by Your grace, may there be genuine repentance and evidence of transformation. Thank You for loving us enough to warn us. Your Word is alive and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. You know our hearts. Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way. And may You teach me to lead those whose hearts are deceived to become those who lives are built on obedience to You. For those who are on the fence, may they count the cost of following Christ all the way to that narrow gate, that leads to life. Come to glory. We ask and pray these things for Your glory and for Christ's sake in His precious name.
Amen.
Today's Message: You Gotta Gave Grace - Part 3
Open your Bibles with me to the Gospel of Luke, Luke chapter 15. Luke chapter 15, verses eleven through thirty-two. I encourage you to follow along with me as I read these twenty-one verses with an open heart to set the text in minds. Luke 15:11-32.
"And He said, "A man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them. And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate living recklessly. Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he was desiring to be fed with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! I will rise up and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.’" So he rose up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet, and bring the fattened calf, slaughter it, and let us eat and celebrate, for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.
"Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. And summoning one of the servants, he began inquiring what these things could be. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he became angry and was not wanting to go in, and his father came out and began pleading with him. But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and never have I neglected a command of yours. And yet never have you given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ And he said to him, ‘Child, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and is alive, and was lost and has been found.’"
Let's pickup where we left off with verse 25, "Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing." If there’s anything true about Jewish faith, I'd have to say that it endures, with a deep down confidence, holding onto God. I'd say endurance probably is one of Judaism's most defining characteristics. Their resilience isn't based on ease, but on a deep, persistent trust, or "bitachon," a Hebrew term meaning trust, confidence, or security, particularly in God, with a reliance that transcends external circumstances, but an inner assurance that God is divinely directing all events, even when the future is unclear. This is character trait exemplified in biblical figures like Abraham, who left his homeland without knowing his destination and King David, who faced numerous overwhelming challenges yet consistently placed his trust in God. In Jewish thought, confidence in God is distinct from mere belief, which is considered to be more intellectual. There is nobody more difficult to reach than the religious, self-righteous, moral people who are under the illusion and self-deception that because of their goodness, everything is just fine between them and God. That's why self-righteousness is so damning. You see, that was the religious leaders in Jesus' day; because they recognized no sin in themselves, they had no need of a Savior. They created the damning illusion of righteousness by adhering to a strict legal and moral code. That's danger of self-righteousness, it is the self-deception that leaves a person appearing righteous on the outside with an empty inside and no real sense of their spiritually corrupt condition so they reject the Truth, to the point they actually become unforgivable. Rather than serving God out of love, they did it for reward. We see that same character trait in many evangelical Christians today, those who believe themselves to be "holier than thou." Such was the case with the scribes and Pharisees. They had become so moral, so self-righteous that they accused Jesus, the perfect, sinless Son of God, of being aligned with Beelzebul, the prince of demons.
Blinded by their self-righteous pride, they misjudged both His actions and His mission—such as healing on the Sabbath and associating with sinners—as violations of religious law, failing to see that He was fulfilling God’s redemptive plan. In Matthew 12:22–32, Jesus directly confronted their hypocrisy, ultimately exposing their spiritual blindness that led them to reject their Messiah, the One who was truly righteous, by highlighting the illogical nature of their argument, that if Satan were casting out demons, he would be undermining his own kingdom. And, in Matthew 23:27, He compared them to whitewashed tombs that appear clean and beautiful on the outside but were inwardly filled with impurity and all uncleanness. Jesus was emphasizing the danger of outward religiosity without inner transformation. We know the story of the younger son, the shameful request for his inheritance, preceding the shameful rebellion, followed by genuine repentance, leading to complete restoration and celebration.
"Now his older son," this the first born, I'd like to draw your attention to his location, "he was in the field" dutifully overseeing the land, most likely resting under a shade tree, making sure everybody else is doing what they needed to be doing. Being the first born son of a nobleman, it would be beneath him to physically labor in the field. Why is that significant? He's lost in plain sight, unaware of the celebration because he shares no intimacy with his father. Jesus is emphasizing what He said in Matthew 15:8, "‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me." Religious performance, "working for God" without really ever knowing Him. Notice that the father didn't send anyone out to the field to call him home to join in the celebration, when the entire village came together to celebrate with the family. The older son came home when the work day was done, and as he "approached the house, he heard music and dancing." The significance here is that even though this son remained at home, he had no relationship with his father, his brother or anyone in the family. Rather than rejoicing over his brother's return, these sounds were actually offensive, representing a celebration initiated by grace rather than merit, extended to someone he deems unworthy.
Verse 26, "And summoning one of the servants, he began inquiring what these things could be." Notice the older son turns to a servant, a figure of lower status and limited insight rather than his father, the source of all joy and authority. Jesus pulled his audience right into the story. The scribes and Pharisees were experts at making moral and ethical judgments, finally they have somebody they can identify with, this is their guy. They understand nothing about the saving heart of God, divine grace, mercy, compassion or sacrificial love. He has become legalistic, transactional, and emotionally distant from his father, he's just like them. The servant is unable to convey the depth of the father’s love for his younger son or the significance of the celebration, just the facts, not the joy that defines the moment.
Had he had a relationship with his younger brother, he would have sought to restore him. In Galatians 5:25–6:3, Paul instructs us that "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another. Brethren, even if anyone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he’s something when he is nothing, he deceives himself." He's self-deceived by his religiosity.
Many Christians today are diligent in church attendance, service, but remain spiritually disconnected from God. They can quote chapter and verse, yet remain spiritually ignorant to the heart behind its meaning, which arises when believers focus on memorizing verses rather than cultivating a deep, personal understanding of Scripture true meaning. Hosea 4:6, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Quoting Scripture without internalizing the meaning of its Truth can lead to a false sense of assurance, believing that one is redeemed when in fact, they are not. In 2 Peter 3:16, our beloved Peter warns us against the danger of knowing the Bible without being transformed by it will lead to one's won destruction. False teachers and pseudo Christians can quote Scripture from memory, yet they continue to live day after day in rebellion to God's Word. Then, in verse 18, we are called to "grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" to be prepared for His glorious return—not just in recitation of His Word. This comes immediately after verse 17, where he warns us of the danger of being "carried away by the error of lawless men." Serving as both a command and a doxology, ending with "To him be glory both now and forever! Amen." Not all "social connections" are spiritually neutral. That's why Proverbs 12:20 warns against us to be cautious the influence of our "friends" as they may compromise our values or spiritual focus. Not every one who names the name of Christ holds fast to the same spiritual values. As Paul states in 1 Corinthians 15:33, "Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals."
Self-deception often occurs when we overestimate our true spiritual condition.
The bottomline is that your relationship with Jesus Christ is of no eternal value if it doesn't change your life. in the present. Beloved, spiritual stagnation occurs when we become content with surface-level familiarity of the Word in order to avoid deeper study with a hunger for understanding, when God’s Word is accessible to us every day. True freedom from the bondage of sin, its power, and its consequences begins when we move from the familiar to revelation. Jesus said in John 8:31-32, "If you abide in My word— continually obeying, following, and living according to His word—then you are truly My disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free," free to live a life of righteousness, peace, and purpose in alignment with God’s will. But, we must "be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless," more than merely a verse worthy of repetitious quote but a logical imperative deeply rooted in our new identity.
Therefore, "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit" to the glory of God the Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ." When Christ calls a person to "come and die," it is the death of the "old sinful self" initiated by a genuine encounter with Christ. By the way, this willing surrender occurs at the very beginning of our relationship with Christ, not at its end. Much in the same way we are expected to willing give up pursuing other relationships upon marriage to a spouse. That's why the church is referred to as the "bride of Christ," representing a sacred covenantal, and eternal relationship between Jesus Christ and His followers, with Christ as the Bridegroom and the Church as His beloved bride, personally chosen "having not spot or wrinkle, holy and blameless" meaning a life set apart for God, free from sin, moral corruption by a complete spiritual cleansing through the washing by the Word a process initiated by His sacrificial love and death on the cross and the transformative work of the Holy Spirit. How's your walk? Are you living daily to the glory of God the Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?
A verbal confession and religious activity are not enough for entrance into the kingdom of heaven. The key distinction is between your profession and your possession of salvation, is intimacy with Christ, which begins with our willing surrender to His Lordship in every area of our lives. The one who rules your life holds ultimate authority over your choices and decisions—Who governs how you spend your time, financial resources, relationships, your thoughts, speech and desires? It is you or Christ? It doesn’t do any good to profess to be a Christian, if there’s no fruit. That only qualifies you to be is a goat. If you're going to live a lie, you're damned.
Verse 27, "And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’" The older brother returns from the fields, confused by the activity going on, music and dancing, confused, he asks a servant what is happening and the servant delivers the Good News, "Your brother has come." I'd like you to notice the phrase "your brother" because it is significant. Jesus is emphasizing that reinforcing that identity is not lost, even in temporary rebellion. Restoration over condemnation. Despite the younger son’s disgraceful actions of demanding inheritance early, squandering wealth, and living immorally—he is still recognized as family, still a son the of the father. Beloved, that should alone have been enough to fill his heart with overwhelming joy, he was well aware that his father's heart was broken when his younger brother left, the point is he had no love for his father or his brother. Then, the servant says "and your father has killed the fattened calf" symbolizes the father's extravagant grace and overwhelming joy over his son’s return, a lavish celebration mirroring the "Marriage Supper of the Lamb" in Revelation 19, where God and all of heaven rejoices over the redeemed.
This joyful reception of the wayward son is not without cost. I believe this foreshadows Christ's sacrificial atonement, Who left the Father’s presence to pursue the lost. This is God giving a sinner His best, so can be welcomed home with the Father, clothed in the finest robe and celebrated with a feast. And then, he tells him why. "Your father has received him back safe and sound." His worst fears have come true, his brother came back, and his father received him in peace, forever. Now that he's come back, he'll be depleting more of the families resources, which rightfully go to the older brother. Remember, the younger brother already received his share before squandering it. It doesn't get any worse than this. This is more than this older brother can bear.
Verse 28, "But he became angry and was not wanting to go in, and his father came out and began pleading with him." This is a pivotal moment in Jesus' story, shifting the focus from the younger son's rebellion, which often captures the hearers attention, to the older son's rebellion, revealing a different kind of spiritual danger, inward pride. This is much more than a temporary outburst of righteous indignation, this hidden wrath, it's the Greek verb "orgízō" meaning settled opposition focusing on punishing the offender. This is wrath wrapped in self-righteous entitlement, deep-seated anger, resentment, bitterness, and exclusion, which surfaces when he learns that his father has killed the fatted calf, refusing to go in and take part in the celebration. Mirroring the Pharisees near to God but from in heart (cf. Mark 7:6). And, his father came out pleading with him to come in and celebrate his brother's safe return. In ancient Near Eastern culture, a father never pleaded with his son, especially in public, it was undignified. Yet, that's exactly what the father does—not for the younger son, who has already been restored, but for the angry, self-righteous elder son who was filled with bitterness and resentment. I believe this underscores how our Heavenly Father pursues the secretly self-righteous legalist, who is obediently towing the line without joy, just as urgently and lovingly as He does the openly rebellious sinner.
There are some in the church, who imagine that because they have been freed from the penalty of sin, they can live anyway they like, sin as much as they like without fear of Hell, it is a distortion of the gospel. In Romans 6, Paul emphatically rejects the idea that grace allows for continued sinning, saying "May it never be!" Being "free from sin" means being free from sin master, free from sin's dominion, not its presence.
If one is truly a "slave to righteousness," the desire to obey God grows stronger, and the desire sin and live as we once lived grows less and less, because it doesn't offer the same euphoric feeling it once did, and the thought of breaking the heart of the One we profess to love, more than our family, more than our own life, is too much to bear, so we resist the temptation to sin. Yet, the battle within rages on, between the desire to do what we know is good and the pull of sin to do what we know we must not. So, we resist sin, we press onward and upward toward the prize which is Christ and walk in newness of life through the power of the Holy Spirit. Do you have a growing desire to obey God and walk in His ways? True faith produces a desire to obey His Word, not a desire to sin. We are commanded over and over and over again to be vigilant, not to be caught off guard because we don't know the day or the hour of our Lord's Return. Are waiting? Are you watching? Are you ready should He unexpectedly show up tonight? Examine yourself to be sure that indeed are in the faith lest you fail the test.
Verse 29, "But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and never have I neglected a command of yours. And yet never have you given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends." Initially, this sounds like a reasonable complaint, after all, he has worked diligently and faithfully, remained loyal, obeying his father’s commands and has never rebelled. In contrast, his younger brother squandered his inheritance and lived recklessly, yet is welcomed back with a lavish celebration. However, his emotional outburst exposes a fundamentally transactional view of his relationship with father, in expectation of a performance-based reward, rather than a genuine relationship based on service out of mutual love, and respect. A works based religious system holds to the view that good performance leads to rewards, while poor performance may result in withheld rewards, as well as corrective actions. His language, "‘Look!" This is where the crowd would've gasped, you just don't address your father with disrespect. He goes on to say "For so many years I have been serving you " that's slave language, revealing a lack of sonship but sees his relationship with his father as one defined by labor and obligation. The phrase "so many years" implies weariness and exhaustion, as if his obedience to his father has felt burdensome. Then he says "And yet never have you given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends." This statement reflect his unmistakable sense of injustice and unappreciated loyalty. In ancient Israel, a goat was common livestock, they were also economically valuable and meaningful gift, one of gratitude and appreciation. Consider clean animals they were suitable for Israelite religious practice, particularly in sacrificial rituals, and for family feasts, as seen in Genesis 37:31; 1 Samuel 25:18.
Verse 30, "But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’" This is the climax, the most powerful moment in the story, you can cut the tension with a knife. The older brother uses the phrase "this son of yours" rather than my brother, emphasizing disdain for his father by assaulting his character, implying this man, his father has lived as low as low gets while simultaneously alienating himself from his brother. Then, he contrasts his years of faithful service with the younger brother's reckless behavior and sudden reward. The facade has finally crumbled—his feigned respect and hollow honor are now laid open and bare, his true spiritual condition exposed. The charade is over, all of his false respect and phony honor is now exposed. Then, he says, "who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes," highlighting the illicit behavior that lead to the younger son's downfall." Devoured is the Greek verb "diēlōsen"
Deuteronomy 21:18-21, states "If any man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or his mother, and when they discipline him, he will not even listen to them, then his father and mother shall seize him and bring him out to the elders of his city [a]at the gateway of his hometown. Then they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he will not listen to our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ Then all the men of his city shall stone him, and he will die; so you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel will hear of it and fear." He's not dead, you killed the fattened calf for him,’" emphasizing the injustice of the father's actions! You should have stoned him to death but instead you killed the fattened calf for him. I'd like to point out something here the fattened calf was not merely killed for the celebration of the son’s return, but for the father, celebrating his desire to not only forgive the son, but to fully restore the relationship, demonstrating God’s heart for love and restoration. In heaven, the direction of our praise isn't going to be toward the sinners. It's going to be toward the Savior. The killing of the fatted calf was symbolic, reflecting God’s disproportionate joy over repentance. Friends, restoration comes at a cost, a life sacrificed, so that joy and unity could be restored. Though salvation is secure, the joy of salvation can be lost through disobedience and must be restored through repentance, confession, and renewed commitment to surrender all and forsaking all for the sake of Christ, prioritizing His will above every other desire. Both loving acts are graciously initiated by God, Who desires to reconcile man to Himself.
Verse 31, "And he said to him, ‘Child, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours." In ancient Near Eastern culture, according to Deuteronomy 21, the firstborn son held a privileged position, being entitled to a double portion. The term "Child" is a term of endearment that implies more than sonship, the father is emphasizing a personal relationship over legal status, correcting the older son’s alienating language. All in Christ are brothers and sisters, sharing the same Father. What a tender loving response from a father who neither dismisses nor rejects his son, even in the midst of his outburst but instead offers not merely an inheritance, but true intimacy — a precious gift the elder son had long taken for granted. Unlike your younger brother who was physically absent from my presence, you were always with me. This is a staggering, the father knows he's just as estranged as the younger son, but in a different way. I’ll admit, it’s often easier for me to show patience toward a prodigal than toward hypocrite. It’s truly sad that we don’t celebrate a converted hypocrite with the same celebratory enthusiasm and joy as we show a repentant sinner, when they both are a massive win for the Kingdom of God.
That brings us to verse 32, "But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and is alive, and was lost and has been found.’" Here we reach the theological conclusion of Jesus' story, a profound declaration about the nature of God's divine grace and restoration, the proper response to genuine repentance. Notice He says "But we had to celebrate and rejoice," celebration is not optional in the kingdom of God, it's obligatory; it can't be restrained it is what brings joy to God. Then, he says "for this brother of yours was dead and is alive." Spiritual death is not metaphorical—it is existential. It is implied that if the elder son returns to the father, we will celebrate for you too. I have lost track of the number of times I've been asked, "What did the elder son do?" To which I respond with a crooked-smile, What does your Bible tell you? Then, I usually hear, "It doesn't say anything, it just stops!! How does it end?" I would like to think that it ends with the older son fell on his knees before his father saying, "Father, I have sinned against You and Heaven. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Forgive me, Father, make me a true son, take hold of my hand and lead me to the feast. There is truly cause for celebration!" At which point the father embraced and kissed him, receiving him back safe and sound. But, I didn't get to write the end, the Pharisees did, they humiliated Him, mocked Him, beat Him and spat of Him congratulated themselves on their righteous act of sending the sinless Son of God to die naked on a cross in public. Isn't is ironic, that the Father Who should've beaten the son, is beaten by the son and put to death in the greatest act of evil the world has ever seen before or since. Little did they know, they were perfectly fulfilling God's plan of redemption, so that you and I could fall on our knees before our Father, saying, "Father, I have sinned against You and Heaven. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Forgive me, Father, make me a true son, take hold of my hand and lead me to the feast. Today, there is truly cause for celebration!" I pray that YOU will take the Savior's hand and join us in the glorious lavish celebration of Life, for the one who was once spiritually dead but now is alive.
May it be so..
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
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