Lost in Found

Luke 15:25-32

I hope you have noticed that each day this week we have tried to keep both halves of Jesus's audience in view. That hasn't been by accident. It was leading us to today when we get to look at Jesus direct rebuke of the religious teachers. Most people know the final parable in this chapter as, "The Prodigal Son". While this is not an inaccurate description, it is a little misleading. This title gives the false idea that the parable is only about the younger wayward son. The full length of the parable includes a final section about the older stubborn and selfish brother. That is part I would like us to review today. After the younger son is restored to his father, the older son hears about the celebration and responds with anger and jealousy. (Remember, this group is the religious teachers who claim they know the heart of God.) The older brother refuses to go in and join the celebration for his younger brother. For this, the Father must "go out" to find him just as he did to meet and restore the younger brother. The older brother is so distracted by his own importance and value, which he feels is being ignored by the father, that he can not even see his brother has come home. Look at the text, he refers to his younger brother as "this son of yours". In the older brother's mind, his younger brother isn't even related to him anymore! How deep is the self-righteous depravity of this brother's heart! Jesus rebukes the Pharisees and teachers of the Law for being so callous and sinful in their hearts that they have completely forgotten their relationship with their fellow Jews who are lost and struggling with sin. I pray we would never get that "lost" in our own "found-ness".

Prayer: 
My God and King, please help me to remain humble before You and loving towards my fellow man. Whether saved or sinner, help me to love the way You do. Use me as Your emissary of to tell of Your truth and speak of Your love and grace. Amen. 

Reflection: 
How can you keep from being "lost" in the "found"?