You don’t cozy up to rattlers without getting bit.”
–Ralph Compton (The Goodnight Trail)
“If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.”
“If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.”
–2 John 10-11 (NKJV)
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I read the other day that our lives should be parables displaying God, His character and attributes. That means, according to Gary Inrig, “They help us know who God is. They not only expose our condition, but also point to a divine remedy.” If that is the case, then are we looking deep enough into the parables of our Lord? This morning, I want to look at two verses and see if they relate to us in any way.
Then He said, “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.
–Luke 15:11-13 (NKJV)
He also said: “A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets to them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living.”
–Luke 15:11-13 (HCSB)
The younger of the two sons said to his father, “Father, give me my share of the estate [before you die] that rightfully belongs to me.”…. [After the younger son had sold the property he inherited] and not long afterward–(that is, just a few days later) he gathered together all his profits and everything else he owned and left for a distant country, and there wasted his inherited money on wild and reckless living.”
–Luke 15:12-23 (Henry A. Harbuck)
To get some insight, look at this Parable of the Prodigal Son (or better, Wayward Son, or Presumptuous Son). Have you ever been somewhere and lost track of your child? Perhaps in a store, a playground, or any crowd? Panic is probably the first thing that hits; but do we feel the same anguish when the child wanders away spiritually? Some may cast it off saying that they have to “sow their wild oats.” In this situation there is actually more serious danger. We can visibly see the person, but know that they are lost.
Look at the brazenness of this youth. He doesn’t go to his father for a loan, or for a handout, but for his total inheritance. “This young man’s request is a dagger in his father’s heart.” (Gary Inrig) It went totally against the societal norms of the day. The father, in his graciousness, does as the young man requested to the point of giving away his livelihood. Greg A. Lanes points out that, “You can be living in the Father’s House and be dissatisfied and discontented to the point where you think you’re missing out on something and want to leave.” Or maybe it was like the children of Israel, wanting to leave the provisions of God (the Father) to go back to the slavery of Egypt and die there.
Notice the words, “give me.” Isn’t that so indicative of many youth? “Give me” for you owe me. “Give me,” I want it now. “Give me” before you die, pay off my loans, my debts. There is something within this lad who wants to break the shackles of his home. He feels tied down, perhaps to his “mother’s apron strings,” or he may feel that he has no freedom. The world, and its glamor and allurement, was calling and drawing him away from the security of home. He didn’t want to miss what it had to offer. “Give me,” is not asking the father for advice or consulting his wishes. George Morrison states, “It is the selfish cry of thoughtless youth, claiming its own to use just as it will: ‘Father, give me what is mine.'”
The father did not hold him back; he let the young man go to follow a meaningless pursuit. “When you leave the Father’s House you leave His presence. His presence is ‘where He is.'” (Lane) Can you feel the father’s pain? “Sometimes a parent is helpless to prevent a course of life leading to destruction. There comes a time to let the prodigal go.” (Inrig) I have seen this over and over. One of the reasons I went into Christian education was to try to prevent such courses of action. “Don’t, here is why,” I would cry in one way or another. The Bible shows us the result of such actions. Can’t you see it, or more likely, like the Wayward Son, they only see what they want to see. The allure, the glamor, the excitement of the world. It’s like the liquor and beer commercials–never is shown the man in the gutter, the broken homes, the abuses that take place.
Beckoning is the devil’s call. Come, enjoy the fun. Look at your peers, look at society, look at what is out here for you. Take your inheritance ( or sell it like Esau) and join in the festivities of “wild and reckless living.” Go for the “gusto,” remember you only live once. The lad doesn’t heed his teaching, he goes. “What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?” (2 Corinthians 6:15, HCSB)
——————————
I read the other day that our lives should be parables displaying God, His character and attributes. That means, according to Gary Inrig, “They help us know who God is. They not only expose our condition, but also point to a divine remedy.” If that is the case, then are we looking deep enough into the parables of our Lord? This morning, I want to look at two verses and see if they relate to us in any way.
Then He said, “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.
–Luke 15:11-13 (NKJV)
He also said: “A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets to them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living.”
–Luke 15:11-13 (HCSB)
The younger of the two sons said to his father, “Father, give me my share of the estate [before you die] that rightfully belongs to me.”…. [After the younger son had sold the property he inherited] and not long afterward–(that is, just a few days later) he gathered together all his profits and everything else he owned and left for a distant country, and there wasted his inherited money on wild and reckless living.”
–Luke 15:12-23 (Henry A. Harbuck)
To get some insight, look at this Parable of the Prodigal Son (or better, Wayward Son, or Presumptuous Son). Have you ever been somewhere and lost track of your child? Perhaps in a store, a playground, or any crowd? Panic is probably the first thing that hits; but do we feel the same anguish when the child wanders away spiritually? Some may cast it off saying that they have to “sow their wild oats.” In this situation there is actually more serious danger. We can visibly see the person, but know that they are lost.
Look at the brazenness of this youth. He doesn’t go to his father for a loan, or for a handout, but for his total inheritance. “This young man’s request is a dagger in his father’s heart.” (Gary Inrig) It went totally against the societal norms of the day. The father, in his graciousness, does as the young man requested to the point of giving away his livelihood. Greg A. Lanes points out that, “You can be living in the Father’s House and be dissatisfied and discontented to the point where you think you’re missing out on something and want to leave.” Or maybe it was like the children of Israel, wanting to leave the provisions of God (the Father) to go back to the slavery of Egypt and die there.
Notice the words, “give me.” Isn’t that so indicative of many youth? “Give me” for you owe me. “Give me,” I want it now. “Give me” before you die, pay off my loans, my debts. There is something within this lad who wants to break the shackles of his home. He feels tied down, perhaps to his “mother’s apron strings,” or he may feel that he has no freedom. The world, and its glamor and allurement, was calling and drawing him away from the security of home. He didn’t want to miss what it had to offer. “Give me,” is not asking the father for advice or consulting his wishes. George Morrison states, “It is the selfish cry of thoughtless youth, claiming its own to use just as it will: ‘Father, give me what is mine.'”
The father did not hold him back; he let the young man go to follow a meaningless pursuit. “When you leave the Father’s House you leave His presence. His presence is ‘where He is.'” (Lane) Can you feel the father’s pain? “Sometimes a parent is helpless to prevent a course of life leading to destruction. There comes a time to let the prodigal go.” (Inrig) I have seen this over and over. One of the reasons I went into Christian education was to try to prevent such courses of action. “Don’t, here is why,” I would cry in one way or another. The Bible shows us the result of such actions. Can’t you see it, or more likely, like the Wayward Son, they only see what they want to see. The allure, the glamor, the excitement of the world. It’s like the liquor and beer commercials–never is shown the man in the gutter, the broken homes, the abuses that take place.
Beckoning is the devil’s call. Come, enjoy the fun. Look at your peers, look at society, look at what is out here for you. Take your inheritance ( or sell it like Esau) and join in the festivities of “wild and reckless living.” Go for the “gusto,” remember you only live once. The lad doesn’t heed his teaching, he goes. “What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?” (2 Corinthians 6:15, HCSB)