5/26/2021
Luke 15:11-24 The prodigal son is someone who runs away or leaves the family and leads a wasteful and reckless life. In this parable the prodigal son returns home when life hits bottom.
Perhaps you were (are) a prodigal in the sense you lived apart from God. You made poor selfish choices, you hurt people and had no time for God. You didn’t even think God cared about you or loved you. But you came to the end of your rope and took a chance to ask for God’s forgiveness and see if He would receive the likes of you, and He did. If you are still a prodigal know that God does love you and cares about.
The Son in the parable took his inheritance, ran away, ate with pigs in a heathen land – a big no-no for any Jewish boy. When he hit bottom, he came home hoping his father would receive him as a slave. Jewish law, not biblical law at that time, stated any Jewish person that did that should upon returning to his community be apprehended and stoned.
What did his father do? He sat on the porch waiting and looking for his son to return. Some parents today would reject such a child if they came back and slam the door in their face. The prodigal’s father when he saw him a long way off got up from his chair and ran to greet and welcome him home as his son. The son confessed his wrongs, admitted he made poor choices (sinned) against his father and God and was received with great love and mercy. Is that the image of an angry God? God wants to receive each of us back when we go astray as well as friends or family you may have that are running from God. There isn’t anything God will not forgive except the refusal to believe and follow him. God loves you as you are.
Pr. Bob Snitzer
By the Way:
Sunday 30, 9:00 Morning worship. Sermon: The Trinity.
