“Then He said: ‘A certain man had two sons. 12) And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood.” (Luke 15:11-12 NKJV).
*“Let me give you one final example: the prodigal son.
I believe the prodigal came home because of the history with his father. This young man knew his father’s character, and apparently he had received great love from him. Otherwise, why would he return to a man who would have been angry and vengeful, who would beat him and make him pay back every cent he squandered?
The prodigal surely knew that if he returned he wouldn’t be upbraided or condemned for his sins. He probably thought, ‘I know my father loves me. He’ll take me back.’ When you have that kind of history, you can always go back home.
Notice how the prodigal’s father ‘met’ him with blessings of goodness. The young man was intent on offering a heartfelt confession to his dad, because he rehearsed it all the way home. Yet when he faced his father, he didn’t even get a chance to fully confess. His father interrupted him by running up to him and embracing him.
‘When he was a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.’ (Luke 15:20). The father was so happy his son was back, he covered him with kisses, saying, ‘I love you son. Come home and be restored.’
The father did all of this BEFORE his son could complete his confession. The young man was only able to blurt out the beginning of his speech, saying, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight, and am no more worthy to be called your son.’ (Luke 15:2).
But his father didn’t wait for him to finish. To him, the young man’s sin had already been settled. The father’s only response was to issue an order to his servants: ‘Put a robe on my son and rings on his fingers. Prepare a feast, because we’re going to celebrate. Everyone rejoice, for my son is home!’
At what point was the prodigal forgiven? It happened back when he was still groveling for food in the pigpen. His sin was wiped away the moment he first thought, ‘I’m going back home. I’ve got to confess to my father that I have sinned.’
He was forgiven by his father before he could even voice his confession – before he could do penance, weep tears of grief, or try to pay him back. And his father showered him with blessings and goodness way ahead of schedule.
Sin wasn’t the issue to his father. The only issue on his mind was love. He wanted his boy to know he was accepted, even before he cold utter a confession. And that is the point God wants to make to us all: His love is greater than all of our sins. ‘The goodness of God leads to repentance’ (Romans 2:4b).
Of course, it is possible to ‘despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads to repentance’ (Romans 2:4 NKJV). Those who think they can continue in sin, testing God’s grace over and over, become hardened by their repetitious sinning. They believe they can continue to sin against his goodness without being harmed.
But gradually, their hearts become impenitent, so they no longer desire to repent. They end up with hardened hearts, storing up wrath against themselves. They can’t blame God; He has faithfully tried to meet them with blessings and goodness, yet they have rejected it all. That is the greatest sin anyone can commit.
Here is the way to cleansing and restoration: Receive the Lord’s promise. He tells us, ‘I will cause you to walk in my ways. And I will plant my fear (reverence) in your heart. I know you can’t do this for yourself. I will do it for you, with your cooperation. This work is accomplished only by faith in the finished work of the Cross. All I ask is that you trust my promise to you. The work has already been accomplished by Me. It is your work to accept it by faith. That is My love for you.”*
This concludes this session of teaching. I pray it has been a blessing to you. CHRIS
*This teaching is paraphrased from the World Challenge Pulpit Series. This message was delivered by David Wilkerson at the Times Square Church in New York City, February 26, 2007. “The Preventing Love of the Lord, An Encouraging Message for Those In Need of Hope”
Covenant Chronicles with Chris Lovett 