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Devotional for week – 28 July 2008 Sermon Title: Who is the Prodigal? The parable of the Prodigal son is a very familiar parable of Jesus. What is commonly referred to as the “Parable of the Prodigal Son”. Often time, in the preaching of this parable, the younger son is associated to being the prodigal son. Let us reflect on this question, “Who is the Prodigal”? Is the younger son really the prodigal? Let us examine the characters in this parable. The Younger Son. The younger son demanded of his father his share of inheritance and departed from his father and duty, and engaged in decadent living. Reaping what he had sowed, he degenerated and descended to the most demeaning situation from an honored position of son to servant. We readily identify the younger son to be the “prodigal” if he chose to continue feeling condemned. However, the story did not end there. He repented from his foolishness. He regained his senses and reflected on his past on how his father’s servants were more fortunate and better treated compared to his present situation. He humbly returned to his father and was received and restored fully as the son in his father’s household. In this development, the younger son is not the “prodigal” because he repented, and returned and was received and restored fully. Who then is the “prodigal?” The Father. Let us look at the “Father” and note three things on the part of the father. He allowed the younger son to demand his part of heritance and let him go his way and do his own thing. However, the father had taught his sons the way of the Lord that convicted the younger son he had sinned against God and his father. Is the father the “prodigal”? The father accepted the younger son back and restored his position in the family when he repented and returned to him. Although the younger son had caused great grief to his father, and had squandered away his own share of the inheritance, in the father’s eye he is still his son. His position and worth in the family has not changed. The father appealed to his elder son who had refused to join in the celebration and accept his brother. The father had equally loved both sons. He knew the unique and different make up and frame of mind of each of his sons. He reached out to each son differently; to the younger son, he welcomed him to “come back” and to the elder son, he implored him to “come in”. The Elder Son. The elder son is responsible and hard working and returning he became angry and refused to go in and join in the celebration. We can compare this to the critical spirit of the Scribes and Pharisees when they witnessed Jesus in the company of tax collectors. Is the elder son the “prodigal”? The elder son remained obedient at home with his father. He was responsible to his duty as the son. Up to this point, the elder son is not “prodigal”. Nevertheless, he refused to join in the celebration because he was adamant and rejected his brother for his irresponsible acts even though his brother had repented and returned. If the elder son continues being critical he would be termed as the “prodigal”. Conclusion How then must we respond to this lesson, “Who is the prodigal”? Have we filled our heart with the Father’s unconditional love for us, that despite our faults and flaws, we can return to God and be restored as the younger son in the parable. Have we checked our inner self that we do not have the critical and unforgiving heart of the elder son? We need to renew our mind with the mind of Christ in the reading of His word daily, to walk in God’s love and feel for others, and to live freely without condemnation in the Power of God’s Spirit. Prayer Response Lord, may our daily reading of Your Word and daily walk with You strengthen us each day. We thank you Lord for teaching us our life situation in the illustration given us in each of the parables. We pray and thank you Lord of giving us your Spirit to understand you in our daily meditation of your word. Amen. Devotional based on the sermon by Rev Paul Nga
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