Sunday: More Valuable Than You Can Imagine
Daily Lesson for Sunday 12th of January 2025
As we saw in an earlier lesson, there is no one—even the worst sinner or worst evildoer—whom God does not love. And because God values people more than we could possibly imagine, He is displeased by sin because He loves us and knows what sin does to us, as well.
Read Luke 15:11-32. What does the parable of the prodigal son reveal about God’s compassion and love? What warning does it provide for those who, like the other son, remained home?
Image © Pacific Press at Goodsalt.com
In this story that Jesus tells, the man’s son requested his inheritance early, effectively rejecting his father and his father’s household. The prodigal son then goes on to squander his inheritance and is reduced to poverty and hunger, envying pigs that eat from a trough. Realizing that the servants in his father’s house have more than enough food, he decides to return home in hopes of becoming a servant.
What follows is powerful. Some fathers would turn such a son away upon his return. “You took your inheritance and cut yourself off from my house. You no longer have a home here.” That would be a logical, even reasonable, attitude, would it not? In the eyes of some human parents, the son had gone too far to be accepted back home, especially as a son.
But, in the parable, the father (representing God Himself) does not respond in any of these ways. Rather, “ ‘when [the prodigal son] was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him’ ” (Luke 15:20, NKJV). Even though it was considered less than dignified in such times for the master of the house to run out to meet someone, the father in his great compassion ran out to meet his son and, more astonishingly, restored him to his household, even throwing a celebration in his behalf, signifying the great compassion of God for each wayward person and the delight He takes in even a single person returning home. What a picture of God!
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Interesting is the reaction of the other son. Why was this reaction such a human reaction, based at least in part on fairness, and so understandable, as well? What, however, does his part of the story teach us about how human concepts of fairness don’t capture the depth of the gospel or of God’s love for us? |
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The story of the prodigal son is one that is filled with meaning about the value God places on us and I am sure that it will generate many meaningful comments. I want to take a little avian step (why is that not a surprise) sideways and mention another object lesson Jesus used to express his perception of our value.
More valuable than sparrows? They are so common and if one goes missing, so what? The contrast is so big that it is almost ludicrous. Yet, God knows each one, and if one of them falls to the ground, he notices it. (Matt 10: 29)
And if we wind forward to 2025, we find that there is a worldwide decline in the sparrow population. In my local area I know where I can find one small flock of about a dozen sparrows. While we may be annoyed at their invasive behaviour and their nest-building when they get into houses, the loss of sparrows from our habitat would leave a gap in our environment (Except in Western Australia - but that is another story)
Why am I telling you this? If God cares for us and loves us more than many sparrows, then maybe one of the ways we can respond to that love is by caring for our environment. We are selfish if we talk about and rejoice in God's love for us and do not pass it on to others and our environment and natural surroundings.
And now I will get back to the story of the Prodigal Son. The other son, also the recipient of the father's love, did not want to share that love with the returning son. He thought he held the title deeds on the father's love and had the right to say who should receive it. I will leave the reader to work out who Jesus was referring to in the second son.
Maurice, many years ago, when my wife was the assistant pathfinder director, I had the privilege of going to many camporee's, as her husband. We got to know a lady wife of a retired missionary. Well, she was also the mother of our pathfinder director. Anyway here is my brush with nature and our avian friends. This grandmother would be standing next to the campfire earily on the morning with my self and one or two of our early riser pathfinders warming our hands. She would say did you hear that yes grandma would than tell us the name of the avian friend we could not even see. Now that was defiantly talent in the study of ornithology.
The prodigal son had talent until he ran out of money and came home. His father put him back to work with the talents he had taught him.
"The special gifts of the Spirit are not the only talents represented in the parable. It includes all gifts and endowments, whether original or acquired, natural or spiritual. All are to be employed in Christ's service. In becoming His disciples, we surrender ourselves to Him with all that we are and have. These gifts He returns to us purified and ennobled, to be used for His glory in blessing our fellow men." Christ Object Lessons, 328.2
I like the last sentence. It makes surender worthwhile. Christ does not want us to necessarily be extraordinary talented. He uses what talents given us. If we are willing to be made willing.
OK, and now I have some issues about the parable of "The Prodigal Son." 1. How do we tell this story to our children without mentioning how the father placed "a ring" on the returning sons' finger without questioning why we push "No using of jewelry or even the wedding band"? 2. How do we tell it without telling about "The Fatted Calf" without questioning why we push the "No eating of even clean meats" as if all there is to good health is to just not eat meat?
I think that we need to present the story in it's cultural setting to bridge the cultural gap. In today's vegan society, the family credit card would be given to the Son, and the fatted soybean would be offered up for a banquet. 🤔😉😊
The son who stayed at home was also lost. We can be lost while in the church (home), he was unforgiving, proud, and selfish. He obeyed out of obligation. The story of the Prodigal son is packed with lessons and we many times only focus on the son who left.
All praises to the Lord Most High. Where can I go but to the Father. It's also a blessing to inherit the Father's love for others.
The Bible is explicitly loud and clear that mankind is the most valuable of all God’s creation. First and foremost, we were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Secondly, we were given dominion over God’s creation (Psalm 8:4-8). Thirdly, God Himself was intimately involved in bringing us into existence (Genesis 2:7). Fourthly, we are at the center of God’s care (Matthew 6:26, Matthew 10:29-31). Fifthly, we are the beneficiaries of God’s ultimate love and salvation (John 3:16). The Bible also reminds us that we are God’s masterpiece, created for a purpose and value (Ephesians 2:10).
Unfortunately, and sadly, circumstances at times make many feel that they are baseless, worthless, valueless, and good for nothing. This is the true condition of many people in the world today. Poverty has reduced the most valuable of God’s possessions to believe their existence is a terrible accident. Struggles, hardships, fear, and broken relationships take “value” away from life. There is a desire in every human being to have a “good” life free from poverty, disease, persecution, slavery, and fear. God’s original intent was for mankind to experience happiness, joy, and peace (Genesis 1:28, Genesis 2:8-9, Psalm 16:11, Revelation 21:4). A casual survey through the world’s media today, one will quickly catch a glimpse of millions who feel completely dejected from the love of God. Is there any value in a hopeless lot? Value is diminished in the face of hopelessness!
Who can possibly console the groaning masses from their sense of valuelessness and hopelessness? Can the United Nations (UN) do it? Can global economic prosperity do it? Can the “Remnant Church” do it? The Word of God (Bible) gives the answer of the One who has the ultimate power and authority to comfort the world from its sense of valuelessness and hopelessness. God (in Jesus Christ) is the only One who can bring hope, healing, and restoration to a broken world.
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory” – Isaiah 63:1-3 - NLT
While it speaks to the Father's love, it also speaks to His respect for human choices. If His child leaves in an attitude of rebellion, He will not chase after him or compel him to stay. He waits hopefully for his return. It is truly the remembrance of the Father's love that draws the prodigal back home.
I love the memory verse. Can any one say it from memory yet?
Well, I do know the reaction of the other son. It was not good. I do believe the other son was quite jealous. What ever the prodigal son's brother did or felt, the banquet carried on. That is how our Heavenly Father treats us.
Here is what Ellen White say's about God's love found in parables.
"The beautiful parable of the lost sheep Christ repeated. And He carried its lesson still farther, as He told of the lost piece of silver and the prodigal son. The force of these lessons the disciples could not then fully appreciate; but after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as they saw the ingathering of the Gentiles and the envious anger of the Jews, they better understood the lesson of the prodigal son, and could enter into the joy of Christ's words, "It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad;" "for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found."" Luke 15:32, Luke 15:24. The Desire of Ages page 495.4
Yes Your Love Oh God, how great and marvelous are You, Dear Father.
The parable of the "Prodigal Son," could just as easily been titled the "Prodigal Father" because of the way that the Father lavished his love upon his sons, even the rebellious one. I once preached a sermon titled, The Prodigal Father, based upon that lavish love of the Father.
Both sons had issues, one was just more bold. One had the heart of a Pharisee, the other, eventually, the heart of the Publican. When the wayward son came to his senses and returned home determined to settle for being another household servant, the Father was having none of it. He called for a celebration, and even put on his now repentent son, his own robe, sandals, and even gave him a new credit card (a scary thought). The other son was not pleased that his wasteful and wayward brother was being restored to sonship in the family.
How do we receive the "prodigals" when they return to our churches? Do we snub them or do we welcome them with open arms.
The truth be told we are all at one time or another "prodigals." Some just have never been bold enough to leave the comforts of "home". Where do we find ourselves in the story?
Luke 15:17 reminds us of the joy in heaven of just one sinner that repents. Are we part of the celebration, or are we sulking because we feel they don't deserve to be welcomed home? Which "prodigal" are we?
What actually is meant by "the inheritance" in the story ???
Most comment I came across termed it as the physical inheritance......ie, money.
Help me.
The explanation is that the man had two sons who would in normal circumatances inherit his estate. The younger son did not want to wait for his father to die in order to get it. So he asked for his part of the inheritance to be paid out in cash. The son spent his inheritance in riotous living and ended up destitute. His father did not owe him anything but welcomed him back. The story is not really about the inheritence or its value. It is about the love of the father for a rebellious son.
The Father represents God who resides in heaven. He could have said to his wasteful son: "First, show yourself worthy to have a place in my home. I want to see your perfection of character, before I am admitting you to my house. You have to climb up my heavenly ladder, set up on earth, so I can see you are prepared for communion with heaven."
But God, in Christ Jesus, came down the heavenly ladder (Philippians 2:5-8) embracing the wasteful son and restoring to him the former position, much to the dismay of his elder brother who had been trying hard to climb up the heavenly ladder all the time to show himself worthy of being a son of his father (Luke 15:29, Romans 9:30-31).
I think, we all need to reconsider the heavenly ladder, and why we do not need to climb it up. We do not need to, because Christ has already come down to us on that ladder (John 1:51).
He has come down to search for the lost coin in the dirt of the house and to look for the lost sheep to bring it back to the fold. While some are complaining about the goodness of God (Luke 15:2), heaven is shouting for joy (Luke 15:7). That joy could be reflected on our faces.
Winfried Stolpmann
Winfried Stolpmann