"The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot." - Psalm 16:5.
One of the most timeless, well-loved stories in the scriptures is that of the "Prodigal Son". It could quite possibly be the most used story of sermons whose objective is that of restoration, redemption, and reconciliation. Nothing portrays God's willingness and desire as our Father to welcome home and restore a child who has "lost his/her way" than the parable found in Luke Chapter 15.
"And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found." - Luke 15:11-32.
This is a timeless story of God's forgiveness and restoration. God, portrayed as the father....watching fervently for the return of his younger son....longing for the day his son is home again....back in his arms. The younger son....on the brink of starvation....brought to his senses by a famine....and the realization that all he ever really needed was in his father's house....returns home to find his father....not only willing to forgive him....but to restore him to sonship.
But the story doesn't end there. As a matter of fact, the scriptures stated above don't contain the real beginning nor the real ending.....
This particular parable, told by our Lord Jesus, has been named the parable of the "Prodigal Son"; however, the word "Prodigal" is not found in the parable nor any where in scripture. If one were to look up the definition of the word Prodigal in the dictionary, he/she would find that it has two main meanings - 1) to be "driven" off or "driven" away, and 2) abundance of wealth. The story is aptly named "Prodigal Son" because the younger of the sons was "driven" away from the father's house by the abundance of wealth his father's house contained....or, more correctly, the desire to experience the abundance his father possessed.
The story actually begins in the heart of the younger son. This is always the case for anyone who leaves or "falls away" from the security and completeness of the father's house/presence. Before a sin/backsliding manifests itself in the physical act, it is always proceeded by a "falling away" of the heart first. Jesus described the real origin of sin and "falling away" in Matthew Chapter 5 -
"For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." - Matthew 5:20-28.
Jesus is teaching a valuable truth to us that, in order to truly overcome sin, one must combat it within the heart. If one waits to combat the enemy after the sin has become deed and action, the bondage to sin is already present and the battle almost impossible to win. It is within the heart of a person that Satan, through our sinful natures, begins the effort to take control. Once a person succumbs to temptation and the motives of the heart become works of the flesh, that person must be broken and brought to the end of himself/herself (a.k.a. "godly sorrow") before true restoration (a.k.a. "true repentance") is a possibility.
The younger son's true departure from his father's house/presence manifested itself in his heart long before he physically left. Consider the younger son's request - "Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. " First, let's establish something - the younger son was not asking for something that did not belong to him - the inheritance that his father possessed rightfully belonged to both the sons. It was the timing of the request that led to the "falling away" of the younger son. Instead of waiting for the time appointed - a time the Father would have determined that his sons were at a level of maturity and had demonstrated the worthiness of a faithful and wise steward - a time when the father would know his sons were able to handle the "true riches" of the inheritance responsibly and the possibility that the abundance of wealth would not corrupt his son's hearts was alleviated - the younger son asked for his inheritance now.
Actually, the younger son's request was more of a demand. This reveals the true condition of the younger son's heart. It is apparent the younger son understood the inheritance rightfully belonged to him; but he also felt and believed he was ready for it....deserved it....and wanted to enjoy the benefits of it....at the present time. His desire to experience the rewards of sonship superseded his father's desires and his dependence on his father's wisdom of timing and the father's knowledge of the true state of his younger son's heart. Amazingly, the father grants his son's request -"And he divided unto them his living." The evidence of the selfish condition of the younger son's heart is manifested in the physical shortly afterward because - "And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living."
Do you see the frightening truth? - not stated in the words - but there none the less - The younger son was "driven away" from his father's house - his father's presence - by the very thing that was meant to be his reward - what he would have been rightful owner of at the appointed time. Instead, his desire to experience the benefits of the inheritance/reward prematurely caused him to "fall away" - the "Prodigal Son" was "driven away by the abundance" of his father's house!
Did the father know? Know that his son was not ready for his inheritance? Know that his son would leave the safety of the father's home/presence shortly after receiving the inheritance? Oh, yes....the father knew. Then why would a father that appeared to love his son as this story describes grant his son's request and give him the rewards of sonship if he knew what the result would be? The reason is because the father also knew his son's heart. The father realized that, though his son may physically be present, if he truly wanted his son - heart, mind, and body - he must allow his son to be broken - to come to the end of himself - in order for the son to inherit the "true and secret" riches his father had to offer.
"I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." - Galatians 1:6-8.
Beloved, there is another frightening truth that these scriptures reveal - a terribly frightening similarity between this "prodigal son" and today's church. The Body of Christ is full of "prodigal" sons and daughters! Those who are still physically present within the house of God; but whose hearts have long ago "fallen away" from the father. And these sons and daughters fell victim to the same premature desire the younger son succumbed to - they are being "driven away by the abundance" of the father's house - or, rather, the desire to experience the rewards of sonship before the appointed time.
Sons and daughters of God - whose ears are being filled with a polluted gospel - a perversion of the truth - that entices the believer to "be all you can be", to "stick out your chest with pride that you are a child of God", with soothing, seductive words like "you are the apple of God's eye" and "you are joint-heirs with Jesus, so you deserve the best God has to offer", "you are never supposed to be sick", "you are never supposed to be in want or lack", "you are in charge of angels", "you will inherit the earth....so why not start NOW!"
These hybrid truths have just enough scripture to sound real, genuine, "spiritually-inspired" - but the core of this gospel is one of selfishness....humanistic - this "purpose driven" gospel whose real purpose is to drive the believer into a self-absorbed, "it's all about me" condition who hearts arrogantly proclaim, "Look at me, I am blessed of God!" instead of the true heart's cry, "Look upon me, God, and make me a blessing to You and others!" This modern-day "prosperity" Gospel is, in fact, a "Prodigal" Gospel - devoid of true humility, godliness and power!
"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." - 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
Beloved, although the popular message today sounds pleasant in the ears and is attracting the lost in crowds, it is not the gospel preached by the Apostle Paul! -
"Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel's sake...." - 1 Corinthian 9:14-23.
Beloved, there are rewards and benefits for obedience in the Lord....but those are not to be the motive of our hearts! We are to use the resources, blessings, and abundance that the Father sees fit to grant us to further the Kingdom of God....not "that ye may consume it upon your lusts." - James 4:3.
There is a difference in the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom of God is a Kingdom of Service. The Kingdom of Heaven is a Kingdom of Reward. The Kingdom of God is present. The Kingdom of Heaven is future. How you serve in the Kingdom of God will determine how you are rewarded in the Kingdom of Heaven. However, this "Prodigal" Gospel instructs the believer that, according to the "Lord's Prayer" which states "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven" is an invitation to demand of the Father, just has the younger son, "Give me my inheritance now!" And this gospel has caused the fulfillment of prophetic scripture! -
"That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition...." - 2 Thessalonians 2:2-3.
If you are still waiting for the "Great Apostasy" (a.k.a. "great falling away") as if it were still a future event....stop waiting! The hearts of the sons and daughters of God have been falling away from the Father long before Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential hit the bookshelves and best seller list. Beloved, the Kingdom of Heaven is coming......but it is not here yet!
"There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." - Hebrews 4:9-12
God, just as the loving father of the younger son, knows these "prodigal" sons and daughters must be broken....brought to the end of themselves....much like that of the younger son. Not many days hence, the famine will begin....
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