Discover The Word

Monday, November 9, 2009, Part 3

“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’ But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found’ ” (Luke 15:25-32).

IDEA: It is possible to serve God as slaves when He wants us to relate to Him as sons and daughters.

PURPOSE: For listeners to appreciate that obedience and “acting good” are not enough to satisfy God’s desire for us to have a relationship with Him.

What is the best-known hymn in the English language? Why do you think it is so popular? What are the lyrics? Do you think everyone singing that hymn really knows what they are singing about?

There’s no such thing as “grace.” It doesn’t exist in a box in heaven. You can’t buy a pound of it.

There’s only someone being gracious and someone receiving grace.

Listen to the concluding scene in Jesus’ story of the prodigal son, found in Luke 15:25-28:

“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’ But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.”

Here is a picture of a father showing “amazing grace” to his resentful son who is making a scene.
What did the boy deserve? What did he get?

The boy had already insulted his father with his actions (Luke 15:28), and now he insults him with his answer to his father’s plea. How?

He omits his title—he doesn’t call him “father.”

He implies in public that his father’s friends are not his friends.

He accuses his father of being unfair and of failing to reward him for his obedience: “I have never disobeyed your commandments.”

He has made himself a slave instead of a son: “All these years I have been serving you and I have never disobeyed your orders” (Luke 15:29).

The younger brother had become a slave in the far country and would have been satisfied to be a hired man. He was astonished to be welcomed as a son.

The older brother had all of the privileges of a son but talked like a slave.

Not everyone singing “Amazing Grace” realizes how amazing it is.

Is it possible that “keeping the rules” can keep us from recognizing God’s “amazing grace”? How?

We can think that God “owes” us and forget that He owns us.