BiblicalMastery Buddy's bible blog

 

Lesson 45

Celebration of Homecoming

Luke 15:20b-32

 

The greatest times of satisfaction have been when I have found myself in the company of God’s people. I look forward each week to participating with others in discipleship and worship.  For me that joy and security of was never clearer than when I was studying to be confirmed in the Episcopal Church.  Learning about the church I was about to join made me feel as if I was part of something much bigger than I.  What I was doing was very important in my mind.  There was a security in knowing that there were those around me who were encouraging me in my growth as a young follower of Christ.  Who knew that being accepted and guided as I was would lead to the opportunities that God has given me over these years.  If I had been rejected or marginalized in those early days one has to wonder if I would still be in church today.  That thought certainly does not minimize the work of the Holy Spirit but I know that He uses people to help us along the way.

Because I believe that I belong to a much larger family than even Bethany Place Baptist I can celebrate fellowship anywhere followers of Christ are found.  I must however understand that my joy is not totally dependent on a congregation as loving and friendly as it may be.  It is God who was and is seeking me to wrap His loving arms around me and tells me that He is glad I am His son.  He is the reason for celebration because He took a young boy and gave him purpose for life.  Has everything always gone smoothly in His earthly body?  Have I always felt a part of different groups? The answer to both of those questions is no.  That however is not as important as knowing that I am part of His forever family.

It should come as no surprise to any of us how diverse the church is.  It is amazing that God can bring together people that are so different and mold them in unified body to further the His kingdom. That statement itself is somewhat simplistic because not every church truly represents Christ as God would have it happen.  The great thing about any one given body there is a real likelihood that there are those who are like both the younger and older brother.  God however loves us in spite of our differences.  One of the tasks He has given us is to make sure we do not fall into the trap of consistently being like the younger brother.  We also all certainly struggle with not becoming like the older one.  How do we go about making sure that the body at Bethany Place becomes like Christ?  

Luke 15:20

In Luke 15:19 was seen a father waiting for a son who had rebelled against him in a way that would be devastating to any parent.  The young man had wanted his father dead yet he never lost hope that the young man would come to his senses and return home.

Now his hope and faith has been fulfilled.  As he looks down the road here comes his son.  He could not know for sure why the boy had returned but it made no difference.  The prodigal child with a confession on his lips was coming.  The very fact that he was returning would indicate that something dramatically had taken place. Maybe his very demeanor let the father know that he was a changed man.  Why else would he risk the humiliation of having to come home as a failure.

What he found instead of incrimination was the welcoming arms of a loving father. He received a kiss from father and much more.

1. Why did the father continually look down the road? (He had faith that the son would return.)
2. What would indicate that something had changed in his life? (He was willing to face the humiliation of returning home as a failure.
3. Has there ever been a time when you let pride get in the way of being reconciled to another person? Would you like to share what happened?
4. Instead of incrimination and condemnation what did he experience?
5. Why did the father respond as he did? (He could sense or just knew by the very fact the young man was returning that something had happened to change him.)

Luke 15:21-22

Even though the son tried to confess as he had determined to do. Then, as if he had not heard him, the father then issued some commands of his own to the very servants of whom the son had stated he would become one. They were told to do three which would symbolize that the son was to be reinstated into the family. The father ordered them to:

• Bring the best robe which would have been one worn by the father and put it on the son.
• Put the ring of authority on his finger.
• Put scandals on his feet that the children of slaves did not wear.

As far as the father was concerned everything done in the past was forgotten.  The man who returned was not the person who had rejected the restraints he felt were hindering who he wanted to be.  He was a different man who had been changed by the experiences that led him to repent of his ways.

1. Why did the father ignore what the son was trying to say? (He had already forgiven him before he arrived.)
2. What did the father do that showed that the son had been reinstated as a family member?
3. What did each of those things indicate about him?
4. How would you have felt if you had been that son?
5. How do you feel since God has done the same thing for you?
6. How do you think the Scribes and Pharisees would have responded at this point? (They would have had trouble with the fact that God forgave such a vile sinner represented by the son.)

Luke 15:23-24

The father did not stop there.  He did something that would have indicated that the return was a special occasion.  He had a fatten calf killed to celebrate.  Meat was not usually serve at a meal.  That day would have been one of those special events, for a son who had been lost and considered dead was alive and found. The father therefore celebrated the event with the very best he had to offer.  Like the two parables that proceeded this one many were invited to the feast by the father to be part of welcoming the wayward son back into the community.

 

1. What did the father do that showed his gratitude for the safe return of his son?
2. Who would have been invited?
3. Why was it important for others in the community to be present? (Evidence of the father’s forgiveness and acceptance of his son?
4. What are the things we need to celebrate in church?
5. What does those celebrations show about us?

Luke 15:25-27

While the celebration for the youngest son was going on the oldest son had been out in the fields taking care of running the business.  As he approached the house he heard the music and saw the people dancing.  He then turned to one of the servants to learn what was happening.  The servant informed him of his brother’s return. What triggered the brother’s response was the description by the servant of what the father had done for his son.  He told him that:

• The brother had returned.
• The father had killed the fattened calf.
• The youngest son had been received into the family safe and sound.

This was more than the older brother could take and was unwilling to join the party.  He would not accept his brother back under any circumstances.  There was no forgiveness on his part for the one who had returned from sinful living.

1. Where was the brother while the younger brother was being received back into the family?
2. Why did he not go to the father to find out what was going on? (Probably upset because a party was taking place while he was hard at work in the fields.)
3. What upset him about the servant’s description of the events taking place?
4. How do we respond when others make a great fuss over someone who is new in the church family?
5. Why are we not just willing to join into the celebrations?
6. Even at this point what does it say about the older brother? (He is willing to miss out on the celebration because of pride.)

Luke 15:28 

Once again the father reached out to one of his sons in a loving way.  He did not want him to miss out on the time of sweet fellowship.  He should be glad that his brother has come back to be a part of the family.  Because of his attitude he could not understand what had happened in his brother’s life. His younger had changed.  There seemed to be little love for the younger brother because the older one did not even want to be in his presence. 

1. Why did the father come out to the elder son?
2. What did he want the older brother to experience?
3. What did his refusal to attend the party say about his attitude towards his father? (Disrespect)
4. What did his refusal show about his attitude toward his younger brother?
5. What could he not know about him by staying outside?
6. What does it take for us to get to know what has happened in a person’s life?
7. What does our refusal say about us?

 

Luke 15:29-30

The answer of the older brother to the father’s invitation paints a picture of one who had served his father out of a sense of duty.  Through his tirade recounting all the short-comings of his brother he was using the opportunity of lashing out at his father.  He was no more grateful for what he had than the attitude the younger brother had possessed before he became a changed man.  Where the younger brother now understood what it meant to have the father’s love and forgiveness the older brother who had it all was a bitter and insecure man.  As far as he was concerned there was no place in the family for his brother because of all he had done. He had no more respect or love for his father than the younger brother but only remained looking forward to the day his father died and he would receive the inheritance.  He also knew that with the return of younger brother that his portion of the inheritance would be less because now his brother had stepped back into the picture with full rights as a son to his father. 

1. What was going on in the heart of the older brother?
2. What was his attitude toward his father?
3. Why did he not want his brother to become part of the family again? (It would cost him part of his inheritance and the love of his father.)
4. How do sometimes try to hurt someone by accusing them of treating others than you have them?
5. What did he not want the brother back home? (Everything was going fine until he showed up.)
6. How would a changed younger brother affect the older? (He would be constant reminder of his prideful and unforgiving nature?

Luke 15:31-32

The father listened to the older brother patiently as he vented,  Then he with all tenderness explained to him how fortunate he had been to share in everything the father had been doing throughout his life.  His son needed to understand how much the father had actually given to him.  The final words in this parable Jesus, through the father, called on the son to rejoice with him that the younger man had been lost but found a new life.  

The parable closes with one main question unanswered.  What did the future look like for the older brother?  At the beginning of the parable it was obvious that it was the younger brother who was lost.  He represented the tax collectors and sinners the Scribes and Pharisees had grumbled about.  Jesus openly declared that there was a place for them in God’s kingdom.  To prove His point He showed how a man who was a total reprobate could be transformed by confessing and repenting of his actions. But what can be said about the older brother.  In a way he was no different than his brother.  Although he stayed put he hated his father in the same way that the younger brother did.  He had accepted all the inheritance of his father was willing to give him.  He had it all except for the fact that he his heart was not in what he was doing. He was totally alienated from his father and did not want to celebrate with him over the return of the lost.  The hardness of heart and pride in his position would not allow him to forgive and accept the fact that   people can change. The Scribes and Pharisees and the older brother were all lost because they did not want to have a relationship with the father.

 

1. How did the father feel about each of his sons?
2. How could he love them equally? (Both of them had begun the story alienated from him.  He was beckoning them both to be a part of his family again.)
3. At the end of the story who was saved?
4. How do we know?
5. Who did the younger brother represent?
6. Who were those who came to Jesus with an open heart willing to listen to all Jesus had to say?
7. Who did the old brother represent?
8. How did Jesus leave him at the end of the story?
9. What does this said of those who have an attitude like that of the Scribes and Pharisees?

    

• Work on developing a heart of the father who was willing to forgive one who had caused him deep hurt.
• Learn to recognize those who have deep needs that come into the church.
• Search your heart to see if you are like the younger son full of misguided ideas of how to live life.
• Repent of any characteristics that keep you from enjoying true fellowship with the father.
• Be careful that you do not become self-righteous like the Scribes and Pharisees who set themselves above others and lack the ability to forgive those who fell short of their standards.
• Celebrate with those who have been lost and have now found Christ.

We have a unique opportunity in a godless world to continue look for those who find themselves separated from Christ.  We are to realize that at one point in our lives we were like the younger son.  We were rebellious and self-centered.  It took life experiences to help us come to the point when we could say that we had sinned against our fellow man and God.  At that point we found God waiting for us.  He then wrapped his arms around us and invited to become part of his family.

Over the years some of us have forgotten what it was like to find that peace and joy that came from making a decision to be a follower of Christ.  We begin to think that we have all the answers for all the people who are not part of our church.  It is easy to become Pharisaic in our attitudes and actions.  God loves us even then but He continually invites back to the place where we can celebrate with Him in humility and love for others.  This is the task of the church.  We are to become disciples with a tender heart who are willing to help others become disciples also.  All who come through the doors of Bethany Place are to be welcomed with open arms whether they are those who are lost and know it.  There are others who are lost and are so self-sufficient they do not believe they have no problems.  Both are lost and both need Christ.  Let us never leave anyone with the story unfinished.