Text: Luke 15:11-32
I can’t think of a better example of confession and repentance than one Jesus Himself used to give us insight into turning from our sin. It even starts out with a sin issue that isn’t light or easy to resolve. He was a beloved son, a reckless decision maker, who ended up in the worst possible situation. And I’m grateful that Jesus doesn’t give us an example of someone caught up in prayer and worship, all of a sudden finding themselves in a state of confession. It’s beautiful when we choose to be honest with the Lord and give Him free reign to call out our sin, but that’s not always how it works – is it? We often find ourselves face down in pig food before we choose confession.
I love the wording of the ESV here, “But when he came to himself…” This is where confession begins, when our minds and hearts catch up to the reality of our sin and where it has led us – we must first come to ourselves so that we can go back home.
The son didn’t stay gone or stay away. He didn’t bury his head in the pig food and give up. He knew the reality of the situation was that he was busted, and stubbornly sitting in his busted-ness would do no one any good. He went straight to his dad and told him the details. Admitting that our fault is against our heavenly Father and the people who have suffered from our sin is such an important step. Complete repentance usually involves both being honest before the Lord and being honest with others.
Lastly, he hid himself in the Lord the only way he knew how – by offering himself up as a servant. When we come to the Lord with something to confess and some sin to repent from, do we come with a preconceived notion of how our Father should respond? Do we expect restoration to look a certain way or do we acknowledge that He knows best and wants best for us? When we submit to people or the Lord, we should just come – truly sorry, covered in the blood of Jesus, with a desire to want to love them better.
Does this example of confession jar anything in you? Does it seem familiar or look terribly different from the way you view repentance? Remember the most important part of this story: the Father’s response. That’s what Jesus wanted us to hear the most, I believe. Wherever you are, wherever you’ve been – He celebrates when you come home.
None of us are perfect. All have fallen short of the glory of God. God accepts us as we are. I do think he expects us to learn from our past mistakes. Of course, if we slip he will always forgive. Angels rejoice in heaven when just one prodigal son comes home. I wasn't raised in a Christian home. It took me years to accept the Lord; and more years to realize that certain behaviors are not ok. He is so patient; and never gives up on us.
I couldn’t help but think of my one of my priests homilies on Sunday…if you take time to read the whole passage it becomes clear the story is not so much about the confessor and the forgiveness of the father but of the son. The Pharisees were upset and astonished that Jesus would be eating with and welcoming the “sinners”. Just as the brother whines to his father that he has done good yet his sinful brother gets all the glory. It is us that have sinned and have come humbly before God that need the most love and rejoicing!
I love that in this parable, the Father saw him, even when he was a long way off! The Father never gave up on his son, even when he thought he could be dead. He was always watching, always waiting. Our Father never gives up on us! I have made considerable mistakes in my life. Earthly friends have given up on me, but my Father never will. He waits for me, waiting to embrace me and celebrate with me! If that is not the most encouraging thing, I don't know what is!
@ibukun hi and I receive your big bear hug in Jesus name! I love you all my sisters in christ thanks candace jo for the song:-)
I also love the part where it said he came to himself and i agree that where confession and repentance. I am glad that the son realised his mistakes. People find it hard to do that these days
I have experienced the same scenario in that I have 2 grown children. One has found her way pretty well- just a few bumps in the road . My youngest however was reckless and extremely week when it came to life decisions. After a few years of trying to “love” him to his senses, things went from bad to worse. So, I had to learn the “tough love” way. One of the most difficult things a mother has to do when her child , even at 20, is headed on a path of destruction. So he went into drug rehab and I attended some classes. Oh he already had 3 children. Talk about tearing your heart out.long story short. He did rehab and lived in a halfway house while continuing.classes. He met a nice girl at work. They began a relationship. They were married and child #4 arrives. But until this very day she owns my heart. She looks like me and she depends on me. Now we slide downhill again the marriage goes really bad for both parents..A divorce happens, my grandchild who owns me really suffers, so I am angry at my son forever. In that marriage. It was doomed from the start and I didn’t see it. So we move on again and I haven’t mentioned it but in between the tears there were a lot of prayers going up. So we meet wife #4 . She has changed my son’s life so much through the saving grace of Jesus Christ. I am so amazed, grateful and happy. I just never thought I would live to see it happen! And baby #5 has arrived. Please all who read this , I ask for your prayers to help my son find his place in life. He always thanks me for the tough love because he knows that he can’t live without his mama and most of all the loving, forgiving precious love of God.please lift not only him but those 5 children up for God to work in their life.
Deborah, I am praying for you, your son, his wife and those precious grandchildren.
I know your pain. My son is 27 now, and thankfully by God's grace is with us today. He was 14 when things started going south. Because of his age, there were a lot of safety nets that wouldn't have been there had he been older.We dealt with some of the same issues you are now, thankfully no children or wife's included, but still so much pain and heartache.
For me personally, one of the greatest blessings, besides him getting his life turned around, was my faith deepened and I became a constant prayer warrior. Most of that time I felt like I was in a fog…just trying to get through the day, but I was very clear and purposeful in my prayers. I completely recognized God's will for my son's life, and at the same time it was kind of scary because I wasn't quite sure what that could mean. Possibly him overdosing and dying? What I knew to be true was that God had it handled and when I 100% gave it up to The Lord I felt a peace I hadn't for a long time.
Be encouraged, sister. God does have His hand in all of this. His time is not "our" time. My prayer for you is that you will find strength and peace. Take one day at a time. Know that I will be praying for you as I know other SRT sister that read your post will also.
I have been so blessed by all of your comments these past few days. I am so grateful to have found this community. God bless you all!
Getting late here but I have really been blessed by today's lesson and discussion. A few years ago I did a study of this passage for a group I was in. Today, thanks to all of you, new aspects of the story have been revealed and I have been reminded of other aspects. At the time I did the study, I was working with a group who easily identified with and sympathized with the older brother…I was really the only one who could identify with the younger brother.
It was then I discovered a line of the parable I had never paid much attention to, "And the younger of them said to his father, "Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me." And he divided his property between them. "(Luke 15:12 ESV)
The father divided the property between the two brothers and according to Jewish law the older son got the lion's share. Consider then the response of the older brother to his Father's welcome to his wandering brother. "You never gave me anything." Not true, the Father divided the inheritance between them.
The older brother for whatever reason had chosen to live without benefit of his inheritance. Did he think by doing this he would win his father's love? Why did he doubt the father's love? What really angered him so much that he would rather sulk in the darkness than enter the banquet and bestow grace on his long lost brother?
The discussion that day included confessions of hoarding God's grace, refusing to forgive close friends and family members because their sins reflected badly on some of them, failure to live the abundant life choosing instead to cast oneself as a martyr…always in the kitchen.
The word, prodigal means wasteful. Suddenly it became apparent that both brothers had been wasteful just in different ways. But according to the parable only one "came to his senses." God help all the "older brother" times we all have so we can see our need for forgiveness and so we can live as children of the inheritance.
Awesome! Never thought about it that way.
NEW insight! Thank you for this, Carolyn!