What happens when we shift from being the grateful recipient of grace to becoming its gatekeeper? In this profound exploration of Jesus' parable of the father with two sons, we discover that this isn't simply a story about a prodigal returning home—it's about two different ways we can miss the heart of God.
The religious leaders criticized Jesus for welcoming "notorious sinners" to his teachings. In response, Jesus tells three parables about God's pursuit of the lost, culminating in this story of a father with two sons. We witness the younger son's journey from rebellion to "coming to himself" in humility, and the father's extraordinary response—running to meet him, restoring his sonship, and throwing a celebration.
But the story doesn't end with this beautiful reconciliation. The older son, dutiful and obedient, refuses to join the celebration. His complaint reveals a heart that has reduced relationship to transaction, sonship to servitude. The father's response is just as gracious to him: "Everything I have is yours"—yet the invitation to join the feast remains open-ended.
This challenges us to examine where we stand. Many of us begin our faith journey grateful for grace like the younger son, only to gradually transform into the older brother—judging those we deem less worthy of God's favor. During Lent, we're invited to replace grumbling with gratitude, judgment with joy, and to recognize that God's grace extends beyond our comfort zones.
The question Jesus leaves unanswered becomes ours to answer with our lives: Will you join the celebration? Will you allow the father's love to center you? The hope of the world depends on our willingness to enter the feast where there's music and dancing, celebrating every time someone finds their way home.
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In the service of LOVE,
Pastors Dennis and Heather Drake