"...proving that this is very Christ." _ Acts 9:22
"...proving that this is very Christ." _ Acts 9:22

September 4th
RETURN OF THE LOST SON (Continued)

 

Scripture Reading:  Luke 15:22-32
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

 

      Having arisen from his situation that speaks to us as a life apart from our heavenly father, the younger son was now safely back with his father.  Before he could ask his rehearsed statement, "Make me as one of the hired servants," his father acted.  As the Apostle Paul informed us, “Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ (Galatians 4:7).”   Now emerges a picture of the father’s will being done as the servants, speaking to the fellow servants of Christ in His Kingdom, spring into action by the Spirit.  Only the best robe, a ring and shoes all symbolic of a noble man and one fully free in the image of Christ. 


      His new image emerged clearly as of a resurrected son. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.   What a difference from Luke 15:3 when he began to be in want but now began to be merry!  Bring the fatted calf!  The root meaning of the word fatted is wheat which is a symbol of resurrection.  How beautifully redemptions comes through this parable!  Such merriment comes about only with a sacrifice.  Christ Jesus our Passover was sacrificed for us (First Corinthians 5:7).   To anyone who would take issue with the celebration of joy when a son returns home, our Father’s words are the same as the father in this parable.  “It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.”

 

 

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