(Part 2)
“I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”-Luke 15:18-19
Luke 15:11-19 gives us a pretty good overview of what the prodigal’s life was like upon leaving the Father’s house and his attitude when he finally comes to the end of himself.
Listening to the younger brother reaffirms what we discussed last week: How the father loved his son as he left, paved the way for his coming home. If the father had been harsh with him as he left, the son may have never even considered the possibility of returning home. Even though most of the passage is dedicated to the younger brother we also get a glimpse into the older brother’s life after the exodus of his younger sibling:
“Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.”- Luke 15:25-29
After the younger brother abandons him, the older brother simply went back to working the fields and serving his father faithfully. He, obviously, gave little thought to reconciling with his brother and had never forgiven him or done anything to deal with his own hurt; this we can gather from his response to his brother’s return and to his father’s response.
However, nothing is really told to us about the father’s feelings. Our only indication about the father’s heart and attitude toward his son and what the father had spent his time doing during his son’s absence; we must glean from his response to his son’s return:
“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’ “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’”-Luke 15:20-24
It is obvious from the father’s response that he had prepared his heart for this moment. He had prepared himself for the prodigal’s return. We see no “I told you so’s”, no resentment in his voice, no guilt ridden speeches, no hoops to jump through. Whatever pain he may have felt at the son’s exit, he no longer carried.
Scott Burr
Dayspring Community Church
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