____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ March 25, 2001 ____________________________________________________ The Father of the Prodigal Son by Tom Edwards There is a parable in the book of Luke that deals with an individual who took his share of his father's wealth, went into a distant country, lived an unrestrained and wasteful life, and wound up broke. We call it "The Parable of the Prodigal Son." The term "prodigal" has been defined as "very wasteful" or "extravagant." It describes one who spends his money recklessly or carelessly. Though this parable is often used to speak about the son, this article will emphasize the father; for he, no doubt, is representing God the Father in heaven. Generous We note first of all that the father was generous (Luke 15:11,12). He willingly gave at his son's request. Notice, too, what he said later to the jealous brother: "...all that is mine is yours" (v. 31). How can we even begin to put a price tag on God's generosity to the world? When He gave Jesus, who died for our sins, He provided us each with something that far exceeds the wealth of the universe--if we will but avail ourselves of it. Christ gave His very life. What more could He have given? The Bible tells us that "...though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich" (2 Cor. 8:9). Christ's generosity involved great sacrifice: in leaving heaven, in enduring hostility and other difficulties on earth, and in ultimately being tortured to death. Generosity is a quality that every Christian must also develop. Jesus Himself taught, "It is more blessed to give than to receive"; and as children of God, we must learn to be generous with not just our money, but also with our time and our talents. Consider, for example, the good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37. He gave of his time, his talents, and his money to help the poor, unfortunate man who had been attacked by robbers and left half dead. Jesus implied that what the Samaritan did was show mercy--which is also necessary for us to do, as well, if we want to receive mercy ourselves in the Judgment Day: "For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment" (Jms. 2:13). Furthermore, the apostle John shows that true love can abide in those who have the world's goods only if they are generous to their brethren whom they know to be in need. Love must be manifest in deed and truth (1 Jn. 3:17,18). And the Christian's generosity should not be limited to only Christians: "So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith" (Gal. 6:10). This verse is directed toward the individual Christian, rather than the church as a whole. Kind The father treated his son with kindness. There is no mention that the son left because his father had been mean and cruel; to the contrary, the context shows his father to have been an agreeable, kind person. The son left, therefore, without one bad thing to say about his father. In similar fashion, fathers are instructed in Ephesians 6:4: "...do not provoke your children to anger; but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." This, of course, does not mean that parents should never use necessary punishment, for fear of driving their children away. For the principle of "sparing not the rod" is found in many places throughout the Bible. Consider also Hebrew 12:5-11, where reproving, discipline, and even scourging is seen in relation to God's love for His children. Nehemiah knew of the Lord's character: "...But Thou art a God of forgiveness, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness; and Thou didst not forsake them" (Neh. 9:17). How great is that lovingkindness? "'In an outburst of anger I hid My face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,' says the Lord your Redeemer" (Isa. 54:8). We learn elsewhere that it is "the kindness of God" that leads one to repentance (Rom. 2:4), and that we have the responsibility to "continue in His kindness" in order to keep enjoying His blessings and not miss out (Rom. 11:21,22). Good to All The father was good to not only his sons, but also to his servants as well (Luke 15:17-19). The son knew that it would certainly be much better to live as one of his father's servants than to continue in his present distress. In like manner, God has always been concerned for all humanity; and we can see this demonstrated with Jonah and the heathen city of Nineveh, with the woman at the well (who happened to be a Samaritan--Jn. 4), and with many others--whether Jews or non-Jews. His promise to Abraham was that "...in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed..." (Gen. 22:18), which has reference to Jesus and the salvation that is made possible by Him for "whosoever will" (Gal. 3:16,19; Rev. 22:17). So even the selecting of one nation (Israel) to be God's chosen race, during Old Testament times, was for the ultimate benefit of all mankind. Even now, the Lord "...causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" (Matt. 5:45). So there are many physical blessings that the unrighteous receive, along with the righteous; but, of course, the unrighteous cannot receive the spiritual blessings that God would like them to have. For He has also--and especially--been good to all by sending Jesus Christ to die for every sinner--since the Lord wants none to perish, but all to come to repentance and salvation (2 Pet. 3:9; 1 Tim. 2:4). People, however, must be willing to accept this extremely kind offering by their faith and obedience. Recognizes Freewill The father recognized the free moral agency of his son and didn't try to force him to stay nor return. Rather, the son had to make up his own mind (Luke 15:17,18). Similarly, God commands people to repent (Acts 17:30) and shows them how to live in the New Testament, but He doesn't force anyone to go against his or her will to do so. The prodigal son was wise in realizing the bad situation he had fallen into and the remedy for it. He "came to his senses" and did something about it (Luke 15:17,18). This is also necessary for sinners today. We must first "come to our senses" by reasoning together with the Lord (Isa. 1:18) and then, being convinced of what is best, decide to follow in the way of the Lord. It was Joshua who urged his people to "...choose for yourselves today whom you will serve" (Josh. 24:51). And Jesus points out that there are only two ways from which to choose: the broad road that leads to destruction, which many are traveling, or the narrow road that leads to eternal life, which only a few will find (Matt. 7:13,14). We know the choice God wants us to make (2 Pet. 3:9), but we must make that choice by our own free will. Forgiving The father had a heart that was ready to forgive. While his son was still a long way off, "his father saw him, and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him, and kissed him" (Luke 15:20). The father certainly did not need to be coaxed to do this. As a result, the son--whom the father formerly viewed as being "dead"--was now received back gladly and restored to full sonship, after he had humbly acknowledged his sin and unworthiness (Luke 15:21-24). God will restore us, likewise, if we meet the necessary conditions: Backslidden Christians need to "repent and pray" for forgiveness (Acts 8:13-22; see also 1 John 1:9). Alien sinners can receive sonship when they obey the truth, which involves hearing the word, believing in Christ, confessing faith in the Lord, and being baptized in water so that their sins will be forgiven (Rom. 10:17; Acts 2:36,38; Rom. 10:9,10). Yes, God desires the return of all who have gone astray: "Say to them, `As I live!' declares the Lord, `I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?'" (Ezek. 33:11). It is the lost whom Jesus came for: as He says in Luke 5:32, "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." As Christians, we must also learn to be forgiving as our heavenly Father is and desire to see the salvation of every lost soul. Rejoices in Others' Salvation The son's return brought great joy: "...And they began to be merry" (Luke 15:24). In similar fashion, the Bible tells us that "...there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents" (Luke 15:10). As glad as the father was to receive his son back, even more so is God's desire and joy toward seeing every lost soul return to Him in a saved state. How about you? Have you been a prodigal child who needs to return to your loving heavenly Father? If so, why not come back today and cause great rejoicing in heaven and among the redeemed here on earth? Remember, these qualities we see in the father of the prodigal son are but a small reflection of those even more abundant qualities in God Himself. For the Lord is truly the most generous, the most kind, the most impartial in doing good for all--and doing more good than any other; and He is definitely the most forgiving--and the one from whom forgiveness leads to a change of life, a harmonious relationship with God, and heaven itself. What a difference in our lives He can make, if we will simply yield ourselves to Him by our faith and by our obedience! ___________________________________________ God's "Only Forgotten Son" by Tom Edwards A young girl who was once quoting John 3:16, said, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only forgotten Son...." Though her mistake sounds amusing, what's not amusing is the reality that to too many people today, Jesus is a "forgotten" Son. How soon one can forget--and even after having received blessings from God. In Psalm 106 (one of the "historical psalms"), God "...rebuked the Red Sea and it dried up; and He led them through...He saved...and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. And the waters covered their adversaries; Not one of them was left. Then they believed His word; They sang His praise" (vv. 9-12). Yes, Israel certainly had much to praise God for; but how long did this thanksgiving last? The very next verse tells us that "They quickly forgot His works; They did not wait for His counsel, But craved intensely in the wilderness, And tempted God in the desert" (vv. 13,14). While Moses had been on the mount, receiving the Ten Commandments from the Lord, the people were down below, engaging in sinful activities--even making a molten image to worship. The Bible says that "They forgot God their Savior" (v. 21)--and all this took place just days after their deliverance from Egyptian bondage and the miraculous parting of the Red Sea. Shortly before he died, Moses admonished Israel to "...watch yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which He made with you, and make for yourselves a graven image in the form of anything against which the Lord your God has commanded you" (Deut. 4:23). Sometimes when all is going well, one has a tendency to forget about the Lord. This is what Israel had done numerous times. When Moses spoke of the blessings of the Promised Land--"a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land where you shall eat food without scarcity, in which you shall not lack anything...."--he also went on to say, "Beware lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments..." (Deut. 8:8-11). Is not the same true of us today? If we forget the commandments of the Lord, we have forgotten God. It's true that we are to take the Lord's supper in remembrance of Jesus; but that is only part of the way in which we are to remember Him. For our very lives--our thoughts, our actions, and our reactions--also reflect on just how much we remember Christ. May it never be that Jesus to us will be a "forgotten" Son, but rather one whom we will remember daily--above all others--and show that we do by the way in which we live. ___________________________________________ News & Notes Congratulations to Pramod and Maria Joshi in their third daughter, Tina Robin, who was born March 19! We are also glad that she and Maria are now both home from the hospital and doing well. Being the last Sunday of the month, John Thompson will be our special speaker for this morning. This coming Wednesday (March 28) will be our "Sing Night." A list has recently been passed out for you to write down as many sermon topics as you would like to hear preached. If you don't have the form, there are some extras on the table near the door. I will try to preach on at least one of these requests each week. We welcome those of you who are visiting today and hope you'll feel free to come again. We are glad for your presence! ________________________________________ Avondale CHURCH OF CHRIST (For postal service: P.O. Box 421) 1606 Glen Willow Rd., Avondale, PA 19311 (610) 268-2088 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 11:00 A.M. Worship 6:00 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:00 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (610) 925-3567 e-mail: tedwards@onemain.com web site: http://www.mypage.onemain.com/tedwards/avondale ________________________________________