My whole life I have always been told I am good. Whether it was teachers, friends, or just random people that I encountered. As a child I was VERY crazy, but I still have been regarded as a good kid. This surprisingly has gotten me in more trouble! Let me explain!
The other day I listened to podcast that was talking about the prodigal son.(Luke 15: 11-32) He asked if we were typically rule followers, or a rule breakers? (Go ahead and answer in your head) So the story starts with this, "Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man (Jesus) receives sinners and eats with them.” (Luke 15:1-2) When the pastor asked the question I really couldn't decide what I was, so I chose to sit in the middle. I know I look good and play nice but I know my thoughts and motives. And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. Wow!! What a beautiful story! It should end right there!! But, it doesn't. Read on! “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’” This story ends so abruptly. There is no redemption at the end for the older brother..? It just ends with the younger brother in the midst of an awesome party. The older brother is left outside pouting. So there a couple of things I would like to point out in this story! The Young Son. So jump back a bit to the younger son. He is just done, and decides to leave the father's house. He takes his money and runs! Things did not work out for this guy. He ends up out of money and in the midst of a famine. But, he remembers his father and chooses to go back and ask to just be a servant to his father. He was making some poor decisions but he sees the wake of his decisions and goes back to his father, not knowing what will happen. The Father. His youngest son had left and taken what wasn't his yet. His father let him go and didn't hold it against him! One day the father was at his home and in the distance he sees a filthy, tired, and poor representation of what was once his son. It says the son was far off and the father RUNS to him! He ran all out to embrace his loved child. The father goes on to kill one of his most prized possessions, the fattened calf. The whole community would have been invited to this special occasion! The Older Son. If the whole community knew.. Why didn't he?? It says he was in the field. He was working. This shows that you can be connected to the father's rules and not be connected to father. You see the older son is the rule follower, he is the "good" kid. He stayed and through working for his dad he attempted to manipulate the father. He tells his dad all that he has done and believes he has earned some sort of special ranking. The Father can not be manipulated! This story really sunk in for me this week. You see, I have always been "good".. I have been told I was good and I followed the rules in order to earn something. But this story is told by Jesus to the Pharisees, to the "good" guys. I have played the good role on the outside but my inner thoughts and motives have rotted away the interior. You see the Father in this story is obviously God. We must admit that we are not good. We never will be and never have been. Only God is good!! The story ends with the younger son partying and the older son on the outside.. The father didn't choose favorites. The older son had everything he needed, but he let himself believe he had earned something with his father. The other son just saw the mess he had made and made a change in his life to go back. Just like the younger son, I am broken and I will run back to my father for I know He is my only hope. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." Matthew 23: 27-28 Yes Lord, that is me. I admit that I am not good. But you alone are! Through the life of Jesus I can now run home! Thank you!!
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AuthorMy name is Andrew Berry! I am just living my life chasing after Jesus and trying to point others to Him. Archives
January 2017
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