The Prodigal Son revisited

      I heard a message taught this last weekend that has really got me thinking and re-evaluating the way I think about the story of the prodigal son. Even if we don't know the bible well, most of us are aware of the story of the prodigal son and how it's always told. The story always focuses on the "evil" son who took all his inheritance and left his family to live it up in the world, at least that's how most of us have heard it taught. Most preachers/teachers stop at the son returning home and the father forgiving him and welcoming him back into the family. Yeah awesome, hallelujah and amen cause that's how most of us have been accepted into the kingdom of God rite? but what if we focused on the whole story rather then just the first part? There are two sons in this story remember? When we read this story Jesus meant for us to take into account both sons and their reactions but mostly the fathers reaction to his sons.
      When Jesus was telling this story he was telling it to a crowd which included the pharisees who were nothing but religious men who didn't understand the heart of the Father. You could say that the second son had a similar attitude. This is what has me rethinking things and evaluating my own heart. The second son was faithful to his Father, working hard, "slaving away and never disobeyed his orders." (Luke 15:29) This is why the son refused to celebrate his little brothers return. This son didn't have the heart of the father after all. Faithfulness alone, is just faithfulness. While it's a noble way of living, it's not what gets us what we think we are entitled to. God's grace alone and forgiveness is what gets us what we are entitled to...entitled isn't even the rite word...it's more what God wants to give us; our inheritance in Christ.
      I myself have falsely believed and have seen several other believers believe the same way, that if we are just simply faithful that God will celebrate us the way we should be celebrated! Many believers think they are entitled to something that they are not getting simply because they served faithfully. See the thing is we already have what we think we are entitled to...everything that is God's is ours, so why do we act in jealousy or with a religious attitude when someone who has been lost finds their way back home? why do we respond like the elder son and throw all their sins/faults in God's face or even their face? The last verse of this story really sums up what I am trying to say here, "My son, the father said, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found." (Luke 15:31-32) Jesus came to save the sinners, the lost the dead...he didn't come to save the religious. This is the Father's heart that the lost will be found the dead will rise and the blind will see. So which son are you more alike at this moment? Which son would you rather be? I know I don't want to be the religious one!