So often I hear Christians say, “Well, what this passage in the Bible means to me…†and then they go on to give an inaccurate analysis at best and heretical at worse. When reading the Bible it is not up to us to determine its meaning rather to discover it. We must keep in mind to whom the writer is writing, what the meaning was to them, how it applies to life today in general and to each of us specifically. To simplify that, an old way of saying it is:
What did it mean then?
What does it mean today?
What does it mean to me?
So what our opinion is on a passage of Scripture is in many cases irrelevant, however this morning I want to take a momentary detour from this principle and ask each of you a question about a passage in the New Testament. I am particularly interested in your opinions of the last two verses. Normally I remove all the verse numbers so you concentrate on the words and not the verses, but today I will present all of it.
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Luke 15:11-32
New King James Version (NKJV)
The Parable of the Lost Son
11 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. 13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.â€â€™
20 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring[a] out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23 And bring the fatted calf here 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 older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’
28 “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. 30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’
31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’â€
Why did Jesus end the Parable of the Lost Son the way He did? What does that mean to you?
I look forward to hearing from you…
In Christ
Dave
Ps. 37:4
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Copyright © 2012 David Jeffers
Tags
Aletheia, Apologetics, Bible, Christianity, Culture, Evangelism, Faith, Forgiveness, Grace, Guilt, Joy, Mercy, Revival, Sin, Truth, Wisdom