As the prodigal son set off on his journey home, he kept rehearsing the little speech he had prepared.
“Dad, I’ve done you wrong and I’ve sinned against God too. I’m not worthy to be your son anymore, please take me back as one of your hired workers.”
Someone was looking out for him. His father sees him whilst he’s still a long way in the distance and runs to meet him. Before the lad can get the words of his instructions out of his mouth, his dad has embraced and kissed him and started giving instructions. He calls for new clothes for his son, a ring for his finger that will confirm his status as son and preparations for a party. His lost son is home, and he wants to celebrate.
One person isn’t happy, the older brother watching on refuses to come into the party. His dad goes out searching for him too. Just as the older brother was envious of his sibling’s welcome, so too, the religious leaders watching Jesus giving his time to tax-collectors and prostitutes were filled with envy and bitterness. They, like the older brother saw themselves as worthy of God’s love and kindness, they thought they had earnt it by their good deeds. The father’s response to his older son is to remind him that all that he has is his. I guess the key I that he needs to stop thinking as a hired worker too and start acting like a son.
The younger son has been welcomed back, not because he is worthy but because of his father’s underserved love and kindness. This is what we call grace. How is this possible? Well, the story doesn’t explicitly spell it out. However, we have been seeing the clues as we’ve realised that Jesus effectively lives the life of the disobedient son but faithful and obediently. If he stands in the place of the rebellious, ungrateful and shamed then when we come to our sense and realise our state, then there is a sense in which we are united to him. He dies our death so that we can live his life.
Just as the returning son is welcomed by his father and confirmed as son, the bible tells us that Jesus was identified as “Son of God in power” when he rose from the dead.[1]If we are reconciled to God and welcomed back as family then it is because we are with Jesus.
Joy to the world the Lord is come
Let earth receive her king
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and Heaven and nature sing
We will sing, sing, sing
Joy to the world
We will sing, sing, sing
Joy to the world the savior reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods rocks hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy
We will sing, sing, sing
Joy to the world
We will sing, sing, sing
He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders, wonders of His love
[1] See Romans 1:4.
Faithroots 