Luke 15

Luke 15 is known for the Parable of the Prodigal Son. This is one of the most famous parables in the Bible.

It is the parable of two sons and their father. The youngest son asks his father to give him his inheritance early. The father does, and his son moves to a foreign land. While there, he blows all his inheritance and when a famine comes, he has nothing to eat. He decides to go home and beg his father for a job on his land.

When his father sees him coming, he runs to meet him and throws a huge party to celebrate his son’s return.

I have heard this parable referenced when someone is trying to explain God’s love and forgiveness, because we have all been the younger son.

But I don’t think that is what the parable is about.

The chapter starts with some Pharisees complaining that Jesus spends time with sinners. So Jesus tells this story loud enough for the Pharisees can hear. The ending of the story is the important part.

The older brother is angered upon hearing that his younger brother has returned. He can’t believe that his father threw his ungrateful brother a party and refuses to go.  

The Pharisees could not believe that Jesus was hanging out with sinners. They could not believe that God would care about sinners. They thought they knew who God loved and who God despised.

Have you ever been invited to a party, and upon hearing someone was invited, decided not to go? Is there anyone that would make you stay home?

We have all thought that there are people on this earth who God can’t love, right? Bin Laden and Hitler are the first names that come to my mind.  

When God throws a party, He alone decides who gets invited. When we get there, I’m sure we will be surprised by who is there with us, maybe even angered.

We have all been the younger brother.

And we have all been the older brother.