A father had two sons. The youngest one, as often happens, grew dissatisfied with home life and family, took his part of the inheritance, and “wasted it” on riotous living. When he saw himself in the pig sty, the Bible says he came to himself, and went back home in the hopes that his father would at least accept him back as a servant in the household. He couldn’t expect much better, considering how he wasted his father’s substance, and hurt his father’s heart. When he came home, his father ran to meet him, dressed him in fine robes of a son, put a ring on his finger (suggesting authority in the household) and had a feast. The son was immensely grateful, and would never doubt his father’s love and care for him. It was (is) all about the father’s love!

The other son, however, didn’t take the father’s love and compassion as well. When he found out his brother came back home, and what the father did for him, he would not come into the feast. He thought his brother should be punished, not rewarded (???), for what he did. Some like to attribute his actions in a “positive light?” by suggesting that he was only look out for his father’s honor. But Scripture tells us that it was not that, but his own selfishness and honor that were at stake. In Luke 15:28-30 you see his anger and his hurt because he was not treated as this son was, even though he had not wronged his father IN THE SAME WAY. No doubt, as the father bears the brunt of his oldest sons’ complaint, he hurt to hear the motive that the oldest son had in serving him – duty, not love. No doubt the father hurt when he sees the reaction of his oldest son to his brother.

However, our Heavenly Father, being perfect, never has to wonder if he failed his sons. He lets us live according to our free will, and we are the ones who make the mistakes and sins that hurt the relationship we have with him.

The older brother was lost, even though he was at home. In the context of the parable, Jesus emphasized that the older brothers were the Pharisees and scribes, who shut out the kingdom against the sinners, but who themselves were no better because of their prejudices and faults. They served God out of a sense of duty, not out of a sense of gratitude for what God had done for them. I believe that is why the parable ends with the older brother still outside – it was now his choice whether or not to come in and celebrate, or stay outside and lament his station in life.

This parable teaches so many lessons; we cannot begin to understand them all. The greatest, I think, is found in the fact that the Father loves both his sons, and even though they both disappoint him in ways beyond what we can begin to understand, he is patient with them and wants what is best for both of them. We have disappointed our Heavenly Father in so many ways – we have not kept the covenant we made with him at baptism; our obedience has been less than perfect; we say and do things that cause others who desire to enter the kingdom to think twice or three times before doing so; we have barred the door to the kingdom by our prejudices and fears, justifying our actions by “defending” the Father’s honor. And what does God want? He wants all of his children to come to him, realizing their sin and realizing that he is the only one that can do anything about it, and realizing that he has done what he can to bring them back. Love gives man the choice. Love demands that we serve our Heavenly Father out of gratitude, out of reverence (he is still THE FATHER), and out of loyalty to him. What he asks us to do is nothing compared to what he has done and is doing to help us.

Fathers today are portrayed as dunces who have no sense, and who cannot move without help from their wives. Our Heavenly Father sets the perfect example for every father to become what we can for the sake of the children. Don’t listen to the world – become like your Heavenly Father!

Tommy