Prodigal God

No doubt many of us have read — even studied — the three stories in Luke 15. Artists have been inspired by the stories especially the last of them.

We generally think of them this way — 1. Lost Sheep; 2. Lost Coin; and 3. Prodigal Son. You might think being prodigal is the same as being lost. It isn’t. Prodigal means spendthrift or reckless living. The younger son spent his money on self-discovery and came up short. But is God prodigal?

Is God reckless or a spendthrift? Absolutely and unequivocally not! Is God lavish in his giving? Does he exuberantly and abundantly bless his people? Without a doubt. ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.’ He lavishes grace on us in his Son.

The Son eats and sits at table with sinners because he incarnates the unconditional love of God. In Luke 15, you’ll see both the younger and older brother are alienated from their Father. Acceptance comes from the Father not what we do. This lavish love produces repentance in us.

Come home to the Father who loves you.

You can find the small group guide here (Word Made Flesh for 09/03/17). You can also download the Message 2017 Bible Reading Guide here (The Message).

PS : If you read this message each week, your feedback would be appreciated.