30 Days - an Overview of the Bible in Just Thirty Daysનમૂનો

The Drama of Life

Luke 15:11 - 32

The parable of the lost son has been called ‘the greatest short story ever told’.

Jesus chose to tell it to a group of people who had yet to make up their minds about God. In the story the father represents God and the two sons represent you and me. It applies to those who have drifted away from God as well as to those who have never known such a relationship. We can think of it as the drama of life in three acts.

Act I – The search for fulfilment (vv.11–12)

Scene I – The ‘give me’ mentality (v.12)

The younger son asks to see his father. He already has a share of the estate (v.12). and the use of the income. He will inherit the capital when his father dies, but the son goes to his Father and says, ‘I want my inheritance now.’ He is saying in effect: ‘I don’t want anyone else telling me what to do’ and so he breaks the relationship with his father. Christianity is about a relationship with God. When we say, ‘I can live my life without God. I don’t need you. I don’t want you’, we break that relationship. The father lets him go just as God lets us go.

Scene II – Fleeting pleasures (v.13)

He collects ‘all he had’ (v.13). Life can never have seemed better. He sees the potential and the opportunities and with a tremor of excitement, he sets off for the Las Vegas of the ancient world with its nightclubs, brothels and gambling dens. He leads a ‘wild’ life (v.13), but his pleasure is very temporary. He is wasting his life and he ‘squandered his wealth’ (v.13).

Scene III – Life without God (vv.14–16)

When the initial thrill is over, reality sets in, and he begins to experience:

• A sense of emptiness

He has ‘spent everything’ (v.14). He begins to ‘be in need’ (v.14). He longs to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs eat (v.16). This is a picture of the hunger deep in our hearts, which can only be satisfied by a relationship with God.

• Then, the loss of freedom

He looked for freedom but has found slavery (v.15). He has ended up feeding pigs – an occupation forbidden to the Jews since pigs were regarded as ‘unclean’.

• And he experienced loneliness

When he had money, he had friends and was surrounded by people. But they deserted him when he was broke. They didn’t really care about him as a true friend. When he had money to spend he was all right, but now ‘no one gives him anything’ (v.16b).

Act II – In the valley of decision (vv.17–20a)

He starts to do some thinking

Luke 15:17 says, ‘He came to his senses’. He uses his mind. Christianity is not an irrational leap of faith. It is the most rational thing that you can do. Running away from the facts is irrational. It‘s escapism.

But he comes to his senses, and then he does something about it.

He doesn’t worry about his motives; he wants food. We will never get all our motives right. What matters is doing the right thing.

So, he plans to turn right round

‘He got up and went to his father’. Faith involves a decision. It is an act of the will based on what we know.

When he left home, he said, ‘Give me’. Now he says, ‘Forgive me’ (vv. 18–19). It is very hard to admit that we are wrong – we all fear losing face.

Act III – Coming home (vv.20b–24)

The son had forgotten about his father but the father had not forgotten about his son (v.20b). Every day he watched, waited and hoped for his son to return. Then, when he sees his son at a distance, he is ‘filled with compassion ‘ (v.20b). It breaks his heart to see the mess his son has made of his life. ‘He runs’ to greet him (v.20b). For an elderly person, it was not considered dignified to run, but he is not worried about his dignity. He throws his arms around him and kisses him many times.

The son starts his confession (v.21) but the father interrupts. There is no rebuke or reproach, no ‘I told you so’, no conditions. He says, ‘Quick!’ (v.22). He gives him the best robe reserved for the honoured guests and a ring, a sign of confidence and distinction. He gives him shoes. Slaves and even guests did not wear shoes, only the master and his sons. They are a sign of forgiveness and reinstatement. He kills the ‘fattened calf’. He throws a party, a feast, a celebration with music and dancing (v.25). This is a picture of the Christian life.

But there is another character in this story. The elder brother. And he is angry (v.28). He has always been around the home but never really seems to have fully enjoyed his relationship. He can’t understand what all the fuss is about and thinks it is all excessive, but he is invited to the party as well. He too could enjoy the benefits of total forgiveness, restored relationships, solid joy and fullness of life.

Don’t miss out on the party. Whether you feel more like the younger or the older brother, the key is to get back into a right relationship with the Father and join in the celebrations. If you are not in this relationship you can come home today. Don’t worry about your motives. If you like, you can pray this prayer with me:

Prayer

Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. Thank you that you love me so much and, when I mess up, you don’t reject me. The moment I repent and come back to you, you accept me and say, ‘Let’s have a feast and celebrate’ (v.23).

References

© Nicky Gumbel, 2024

This reading plan is adapted from the book 30 Days by Nicky Gumbel. It is published by Hodder and Stoughton in the UK, and by HarperCollins Christian Publishing in the USA.