On The Prodigal Son…

I have heard many say that ‘the prodigal son’ returned to his Father’s house because he was sorry and repentant for his sins! Hmm…

Now listen carefully: the prodigal son did NOT return to his Father’s house because he REPENTED from his sins!!! No! This is what the Bible said:

‘…and when he came to himself…’ (Luke 15:17)

Hmm… Many conclude that this phrase means he repented from his sins. NO! That phrase meant that he ‘remembered’ something!!! Now the question arises: what did he remember? Let’s find out!

‘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!!!

Hmm… What he remembered was the RICHES of his Father’s house! He had spent up all he had and by this time there was no food for him to eat! This was what prompted him to devise a means to ‘scheme’ his Father with sweet words in order to be accepted back as a SERVANT! Hmm… This was NOT a genuine repentance yet!

Oh how we need a brand of teachers that will ‘remind’ believers of the RICHES of their Father’s house! That will teach them undiluted GRACE!  Peter explained that when you see a believer living in sin, it is simply because… he has FORGOTTEN that all his sins has been ‘forgiven’!!! (2Peter 1:9) Hmm…

The solution begins with a REMINDER that God does not condemn him anymore for Christ’s sake! (1John 2:12) But the story of the prodigal son did not end there. Keep following carefully! So, he rehearsed the words he was going to relay to his Father:

‘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’! (Luke 15:18-19)

I want you to follow very attentively here. He was NOT returning home because he ‘hated’ sin! NO! He was returning home because he was HUNGRY and he remembered that his FATHER had MORE THAN ENOUGH! But something happened which made this prodigal son eventually REPENT! This thing made him never to thirst for worldly things anymore! What could it be (you may ask)? Let’s read the next verse!

‘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 (the sinner who has not even confessed his sins yet)!!! (vs 20)

Wow! This was NOT what the prodigal son expected to experience! He must have thought he would be scolded to an extent that he wouldn’t be accepted as a son anymore! That was why he had a plan to beg his Father to become as a HIRED SERVANT (a man under law)! (vs 19)

Many believers today also have a very wrong perspective about God! They hear teachings that tell them God will make them suffer for their every sin! They are exposed to teachings that make them afraid of God and put them under a compulsion to OBEY every of God’s commandment or else…!!! What picture does this bring to your mind? A HIRED SERVANT! Hmm…Let’s go on.

Now the prodigal son tried to relay his ‘pre-rehearsed’ confession to his Father. What marvelled me is that the Father allowed him to say all he planned but cut him short when he was about getting to the point of asking to be as a HIRED SERVANT!!! Just pick your Bible and compare what he planned to say (vs 18-19) and what the Father allowed him to say (vs21)! Hmm…

You are NOT a servant! Even your sins DOES NOT have the power to turn you into a SERVANT before God! You are forever a SON before God! Jesus died to take away your condemnation!!! Therefore, you can NO LONGER be condemned anymore! (Rom 8:1) Hmm….

Now let’s conclude this post! While this ‘loved sinner’ was still rehearsing his confession to his Father, 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 …the FEET of this run-away SINNER!!! (Luke 15:22)

Aba! It did not end there! In fact, the Father killed the FATTED cow and threw a ‘get together’ party for this sinner! (vs 23)

The truth is this: When the prodigal son was planning to confess to his Father, it was NOT a genuine repentance! But when he was saying it to his Father… it was a GENUINE repentance!

But why? Because he was marvelled at the LOVE his Father lavished on him even seeing him from afar! I bet you… if you were the one, would you ever think of going to the ‘world’ again? Now that is the TRUE REVIVAL!!! This is the revival that converts the heart of a sinner into a zealous son of God!

I will like you to know that it is NOT the ‘punishments’ of God that leads to REPENTANCE!!! …hmmm… NO!!!

Romans 2:4 it is the GOODNESS OF GOD THAT LEADS TO REPENTANCE!!!

I really wonder why people call this parable, ‘the parable of the prodigal son’! No! It’s not! The prodigal son was not the hero in this parable! It was the Father! This parable should be called, the parable of an EVER-LOVING FATHER!!!

Hmmm… I hope you have been greatly blessed and lavished with the Father’s love just by going through ‘Luke 15’ with me.

Hallelujah! Never forget… GREAT revivals are GRACE revivals!!!

Remain in His Grace.

Amen.