Come Home for Christmas
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, I confess today that sometimes I am “the younger brother.” I run away from responsibility and want freedom to be and do anything I want. Forgive me for the sins of irresponsibility and hedonism and restore me to the joy of Your salvation in and through Jesus, whose blood I claim as the payment of the penalty for my sins. Amen.
God’s Word Today
Luke 15:11-32
11To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. 12The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now, instead of waiting until you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.
13“A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and took a trip to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money on wild living. 14About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. 15He persuaded a local farmer to hire him to feed his pigs. 16The boy became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.
17“When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired men have food enough to spare, and here I am, dying of hunger! 18I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired man.”’
20“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long distance away, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’
22“But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger, and sandals for his feet. 23And kill the calf we have been fattening in the pen. We must celebrate with a feast, 24for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.
25“Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the calf we were fattening and has prepared a great feast. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’
28“The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 29but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve worked hard 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. 30Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the finest calf we have.’
31“His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you and I are very close, and everything I have is yours. 32We 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!’”
Reflecting on God’s Word
Have you ever found yourself in the position of the younger brother? If so, what caused you to come to your senses?
A Deeper Exploration of God’s Word
Read Luke 15:1-10, the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin. How do they fit in with the parable of the “lost son”? (Or how does it fit in with them?)
What is the “punchline” or point of the younger brother’s life choices?
Understanding God’s Purpose for Us
According to Luke 15:11-16 what is God’s purpose for us? (Or maybe we should ask, “What is NOT God’s purpose for us???)
Applying God’s Word to Our Purpose
Look at the younger brother’s decisions in Luke 15:11-16. What do we learn about good decision making from his process? (Remember: we can always learn from the mistakes and sins of others—that way we don’t have to commit them all ourselves! Write any thoughts or reflections you gain below:
Thoughts—“Drop Dead!”
The younger son in our parable was not subtle. He wanted his inheritance—he wanted it NOW—so he walked up to his dad and said, “Drop dead!” Of course, he didn’t literally do that, but the effect of asking for his inheritance while his father was still alive was the same. The younger son believed that freedom and happiness in life were the result of wealth. Many in our day believe the same lie. Money does not bring happiness. Money brings the opportunity to indulge our desires. Many assume that indulging our desires is the stuff of which happiness is made. The younger son found out quickly that such happiness is fleeting. When the funds run out, so does the happiness. So how can one make happiness last? By not making it the pursuit of our lives! Happiness is the result of our circumstances. In fact happiness and happenstance come from the same root. That warm feeling we have when all is going well around us is happiness. Thus, happiness isn’t even a goal for followers of Jesus. Jesus offered us joy in life. Joy is a deep and abiding sense that all is well REGARDLESS of our circumstances. It comes from a relationship with God, and is reflected in our relationships with others. The younger son could have known joy in a relationship with his father, but instead chose happiness. As we see through the remainder of the parable, the happiness didn’t last, but the father saved the day, by extending relationship—and joy to him. Thank God that when we tell Him to “drop dead,” He is patient with us, and exchanges our striving for happiness with joy!