We are invited to a joyous celebration but in a different way. That is what is called for today.
This Sunday was to be our big kickoff party with a barbecue and back to church events. We have been forced to put off such activities, but the celebration and beginning of a joyous life of service to our Lord Jesus Christ continues.
We will be starting to look closely at the parable of the prodigal son assisted by the book The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith, by Timothy Keller beginning this week.
This examination and the resulting message is clear: we are to celebrate! We are to enjoy life. We are to be thankful and praise God all the time and every day.
The lost is found, the found is lost. In this parable we hear two messages loud and clear according to Keller. We hear the redemption and salvation story of the wayward (lost) son. We also hear the redemption and invitation to salvation being given to the righteous (elder) son.
This makes me think of the many words that Jesus gives where he ends with the statements. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear;” and so also, he says: “the last will be first and the first last.” (Matthew 11:15; 20:16)
We are being told something important in this parable. We are being told that we are to live life differently than those others who have no faith. We are to live lives of joy and hope. In the middle of everyday life, as we do what we do, say what we say, think what we think, we are to give glory to God. We are to be grateful for this day, this hour, this moment which is before us. And we are to include God, invite God, expect God to be present to us right here right now.
If you don’t have a copy of the book, or haven’t read it recently I invite you to get it and read it with us these next few weeks.
I know we will be blessed by this and I pray we too will be a blessing to those around us as we gain the wisdom and truth that is being shared in this parable.
We will be having a class a time to listen and respond to the insights and wisdom being shared in this book each Wednesday at 7pm being led by John O'Brien. This is going to be offered in the Library in person (masked.)
Likewise, Join us in person (masked) or online through our website for Sunday Worship. Let us therefore, grow and discover anew from God what is being shared in the parable of the lost son(s).