Thursday, September 3, 2009

Luke 15

These parables that Jesus tells are so good and so so convicting. The first couple of verses say that he tells these parables because the Pahrisees are grumbling behind Jesus’ back. They are saying that he is hanging out with the wrong type of people, but Jesus disagrees with them and he calls them out on it. He tells them a couple of stories to show them that he is right and they are wrong.
The final one, The Prodigal Son, hits home especially hard for me. I see myself in the older brother. He is the one who always does what he is told. He never screws up. He obeys his father like he should. But he’s got major issues. He gets all upset when his brother comes home and people celebrate. He is jealous of the attention because he wants it to be all about him, not his crazy little brother who never does anything right.
This story shows that the older brother’s heart is wicked even though he does the right things. The older brother is really selfish and wants all the attention. He has been working for his father for his own benefit, not out of joy for his father. And worst of all, he gets all upset at one little party for his brother, and he doesn’t realize that all that his father has will be his one day. Everything! Its all his, and yet he complains. What a spoiled brat. He needs to grow up and realize how blessed he is and what a privilege he has to be working for his father. He needs to realize all the great things that he has in life and that he doesn’t actually deserve any of it. He needs to realize how much the father loves him and how proud of him he is….wait a minute…are we talking about the older brother now, or are we talking about me?…