Lost Son (Luke 15:11-24)

Our Lord Jesus continues to teach how the Father in heaven sees and treats the lost people. The parable of the lost sheep is the overview of the Father’s handling the lost ones, leaving the ninety-nine sheep and going after one lost sheep until he finds the lost one. The parable of the lost coin zooms in the divine activity of God which tells how the loving and compassionate Father searches the lost one, lighting a lamp, sweeping the house, and searching carefully until he finds one lost coin. The parable of the lost sons zooms in the divine activity of God that how he draws the lost son in the midst of the unhappy and miserable circumstance and how he welcomes when the lost one repents and comes back to the Father’s house. Throughout the parables, the unchanging thing is that the Father in heaven is the main figure who is compassionately and mercifully reaching out and drawing the lost ones to him right through the heartaches and pains in the daily struggles of lives. The Father rejoices and delights the lost one who repents and shares his joy with all the hosts of heaven.

Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.” (Luke 15:11-16)

The young son did something rebellious and unacceptable to the father. Yet the father though he knew what was going to happen to him who requested his inheritance which wasn’t his gave what the rebellious son wanted to have. Sure enough, the son who left the father’s house and set off for a faraway country squandered his wealth in wild living. Soon the money he had quickly ran away and he became sheer broke. The worse thing was the severe famine struck the whole country and he went and hired himself to feed pigs. Desperately hungry he was he even longed to fill his empty stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating but no one gave him anything.

That’s the exact picture of the fallen race’s circumstance and condition. The younger son was deeply dismayed, demoralized, brokenhearted, and most of all far lost in touch with the father. Truly, he was lost without a way out. It was even difficult for him to wake up in the morning not only caused by the physical condition but by the psychological breakdown. All was gone like a wind and nothing left. Probably he might have said something Job did.

After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. He said: “May the day of my birth perish, and the night that said, ‘A boy is conceived!’ That day—may it turn to darkness; may God above not care about it; may no light shine on it. May gloom and utter darkness claim it once more; may a cloud settle over it; may blackness overwhelm it. That night—may thick darkness seize it; may it not be included among the days of the year nor be entered in any of the months. May that night be barren; may no shout of joy be heard in it. May those who curse days curse that day, those who are ready to rouse Leviathan. May its morning stars become dark; may it wait for daylight in vain and not see the first rays of dawn, for it did not shut the doors of the womb on me to hide trouble from my eyes.” (Job 3:1-10)

What’s happened to the younger son and why? Is it God’s fault to let it happen? Not at all. Although God let it happen such a thing which any human could hardly embrace it is not his fault, nor his mistake ever. Is it the son’s fault? Definitely it is his foolish misstep caused by the serious misunderstandings of life. Why then did God not stop him from falling? That’s millions of people, Christians and non-Christians alike, have been asking and questioning for God, if not for themselves. What is the answer for that? Is there an answer anyways?

Yes, everything is under control in God who made all things in mind and purpose. Even in the midst of dispiriting and depressing circumstance just like the younger son was put in, there is the straight and unshakable meaning and purpose in God. It’s hard and difficult to understand and figure it out. That’s true. At times, we’re puzzled and bewildered by the things developing and happening in history like the genocides, drug trafficking, human slaveries, mass killings, rapes, and all kinds of schemes and dirty deals in politics and every corner of our lives. It’s not necessary to wonder why the things difficult and hard are happening in our midst because our God knows what he is doing in all those seemingly mess-ups. Prophet Isaiah prophesied what our God thinks is different from what we do and his thoughts are higher than ours.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

What we see now is not all and everything but just part of it. But our God sees the whole spectrum of all things because he is the beginning and the end. The hurts, sorrows, bitterness, stresses and pressures, joyous and delightful moments, bits and pieces of achievements and failures are all working together in individual and corporate lives to reach the goal the Father has set even before the time began. There is not an iota of any mistake and error in God. Apostle Paul discovered the mystery of the works of God to those who are in Christ Jesus the Lord.

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:26-28)

What our God was doing in such a desperate circumstance for the son? He was drawing the younger son nearer to him. The son did not know what he ought to pray for in the terribly overwhelming and depressing conditions. A thousand and one different thoughts must have been bombarding and haunting the man who was lost and corned hard without a way out. But the Spirit interceded for him through wordless groans in accordance with the will of the Father. So, Apostle Paul confidently says, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” That’s how our God is working for the good of those who are depressed and cornered. God is telling the lost race, “You cannot live in your wits and intelligences. Are you at wits’ end corner? Come unto me, you who are weary and tired, and I will give you rest.”

“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.” (Luke 15:17-20a)

The younger son came to his senses and remembered the abundance of his father’s house. That’s not enough to remember the father’s house but he had to make a decision to set out and go back to his father and to do it. But he realized that he had no words to tell the father. So, he rehearsed the phrase while he was heading toward his father’s house over and over again, most likely with many tears. “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.” Antoinette Wilson wrote a poem called “Are You at Wits End Corner.”

Are you standing at “Wits End Corner” Christian, with troubled brow'
Are you thinking of what is before you, And all you are bearing now'
Does all the world seem against you, And you in the battle alone'
Remember at Wits End Corner Is where God’s power is shown.

Are you standing at “Wits End Corner” Blinded with wearying pain
Feeling you cannot endure it, You cannot bear the strain.
Bruised through the constant suffering Dizzy and dazed, and numb
Remember at Wits End Corner, Is where Jesus loves to come.

Are you standing at “Wits End Corner” Your work before you spread.
Or lying begun, unfinished And pressing on heart and head.
Longing for strength to do it. Stretching out trembling hands
Remember at “Wits End Corner” The burden bearer stand.

Are you standing at “Wits End Corner” Yearning for those you love,
Longing and praying and watching, Pleading their cause above,
Trying to lead them to Jesus Wondering if you’ve been true'
He whispers at “Wits End Corner” “I’ll win them as I won you.”

Are you standing at “Wits End Corner” Then you’re just in the very spot.
To learn the wondrous resources Of Him who faileth not!
No doubt to a brighter pathway Your footsteps will soon be moved
But only at Wits End Corner Is the God who is able, “proved.”

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.” (Luke 15:20b-24)

This is the most beautiful description of how the Father in heaven welcomes the lost one who repents. While still he was a long way off, the father saw him and was filled with compassion for him. Then he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him before the son presented the prepared statement of repentance. And even before he finished the statement, the father put the best robe on him and a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. The robe, ring, and sandals are the symbols of sonship. Immediately the father ordered to kill the fattened calf and prepared a fest and celebrated the homecoming of the lost son. What the father said was quite amazing, “This son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” God is saying that he was dead to sin and made alive to God.

There is nothing like any resentment and bitterness for the father against the son, not a bit. There is nothing like any hesitation even a moment and unwillingness for the father. There is only sheer full and bursting acceptance and approval for the son and a big celebration. It’s just because the son returned home in responding to the drawing loving kindness and mercy of the father. It’s the fulfillment of the faithful father’s promise. Prophet Isaiah cried out for his people who are thirsty to come to the waters and buy the food that satisfies without money and without cost.

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.” (Isaiah 55:1-3)

A new year, a new resolution, a new startup, a new mind, a new heart, a new relationship, a new life that we desire to be burning constantly. There is life in God. The is God in the scriptures. Our God is near, not far away from us. One condition he asks, “Come and you will enter into life and delight in the richest fare!” The eternal life of the Father is near in our heart and mouth. Moses gave the word of admonition to his people before they entered into the land of promise.

“Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, ‘Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?’ No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.” (Deuteronomy 30:11-14)

Prayer: Thank you once again Father in heaven for accepting us with the longsuffering patience and pouring out eternal life out of rivers of living water from within, the throne of grace. Thank you a new start in this new year which may be richly and more abundantly blessed by the fellowship with the words of truth. In Christ’s name. Amen.

December 23, 2015 

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