Are You a Servant?

Since Jesus included an elder brother in  the parable of the Prodigal Son, we can be confident that he plays a important and significant role in this allegory.  Luke 15. 25-32 gives a very clear picture of his position in his father’s home (vs 31) and his attitude towards it (vs 29).

 

When  he realized his worthless brother had returned home in disgrace and his father had received him with open arms, all his pent up bitterness, envy and anger towards his father and brother surfaced. When he refused to enter his home, his father come out and pleaded with him to rejoice with his father’s joy. (Do we always rejoice in the things that give our Father joy?)

 

Though the eldest, with all its added privileges, his bitter words to his father reveals his servant spirit. A son, yet a servant, how pitiable. His words (slaving for you) and actions (became angry and refused to go in) reveal that he served his father not out of love but of compulsion.

 

Though sons, we serve our God willingly, for His love constraints us to express our love and gratitude in service to Him. But if as years pass by, our love weaken then everything we do in the name of the Lord, becomes a burden. Are you a son sitting at the feet of your Father or are you a servant toiling for a tyrant?

 

Are You a Son?

In the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15.11-32), the younger son sinned gravely against his Father. He willfully left the love and protection of his Father’s home and threw his lot in with the wicked.

 

The Father patiently continued to love him and kept up a constant vigil for his return.

 

One day, repentant, the son returned to his Father. He did not expect to be received as a son, but he hoped for a opportunity to serve as a servant in his Father’s home.

 

While the penitent son was still afar, the Father recognized his son and ran forward to embrace him.

 

The son continued to feel unworthy of being a son to such a Father, and begged to be taken on as a servant.

 

The Father however, had been waiting for his son’s return. With a heart full of compassion, he clothed the son with the best robe in his house. He placed a ring on the son’s finger and gave him sandals to wear. A feast was declared to celebrate the return of his once unrepentant  but now repentant son. There was much music and rejoicing in the house of the Father.

 

Here in this story of the prodigal son, we see a person who knew and enjoyed the love of God turning his back to all that is good in search of worldly pleasures. Amazingly, God does not write him off. Instead, He patiently waits for the profligate to return. When he  returned in true repentance, he was eagerly welcomed back to the Kingdom of God. (This is made possible through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross.) Like the prodigal son, the repentant is then clothed with the robe of righteousness. (Washed by Jesus blood.) The ring represents authority the repentant sinner has over all principalities and powers of darkness and the sandal his position in the Kingdom of God. Every blood washed sinner is transformed into the Bride of Christ to be ushered into the wedding feast at the end of the ages.

 

In the above parable one of the sons despised his position and ran away. Later when he returned remorsefully, instead of being demoted and tolerated as a servant, found himself accepted as a son. In Bible times, an adult son held a highly esteemed position. A son enjoyed the same rights, authorities and privileges his father had. So it was no mean matter for the prodigal to be received back as his Father’s son. What is your position: Are you a prodigal? or Are you a son?