The Lost Son Part 2

In Luke 15:21-32, Jesus continues on with his story of the prodigal son. The son who went away and squandered his father's wealth has returned home. He admits his sins to his father and the father immediately accepts his son. The father made his son feel the ultimate welcome.

What an amazing feeling the son must have had! He had no idea how his father would react to him coming home. The son didn't know if his father was going to ask questions about what he had been doing with the wealth he graciously gave him or if all would be forgotten.

I think the fact that there was no delay in the father's welcome to his son speaks volumes to how God welcomes us into his loving arms if we give him the opportunity.

The father also asked his servants to prepare the fattened calf so they could celebrate. I wonder if they were saving this calf for such an occasion?

The father said that his son was dead, but now is alive again. Whether we are alive or dead, truly being alive is living out God's and having a deep relationship with Jesus Christ.

The story doesn't end there. The other son came back from the field and hears music and dancing. He asks a servant what was going on and the servant told him that his brother had returned.

I wonder why this son wasn't invited sooner? He was a part of the family and I feel like he should have been sent for when his brother returned. No one likes to not be invited to the party or come upon a party that is in progress.

The son became angry and refused to go in to the party. The father went out to plead with his son to come in. The son argued that his brother had squandered the wealth on prostitutes. How did the son know his brother had squandered his wealth on prostitutes? One idea shared with me was maybe the son heard about his brother through word of mouth. Bad news can travel fast.

The father told the son who wouldn't go into the party to be glad and rejoice that his brother was home. His brother was found.

How hard it is to accept and believe some people's conversion to the faith? Especially if we've seen/heard them do wrong. I think our own sinful nature lends us to be skeptical. This is a slippery slope because only God knows people's hearts and God will be the ultimate judge. If God rejoices when unbelievers turn to him, believers can too.