Our Forgiving Father Celebrates with Us
In Luke 15:22-32, the greatest artist who ever lived readies His brush to paint the final scene in the greatest story ever told. It’s the scene depicting our celebration with our forgiving Father. Ten times in this one chapter we discover words for celebration. Tony Campolo is right when he proclaims that “the Kingdom of God is a party!”
The father is beside himself with glee. There’s music and there’s dancing. Jesus paints His Father’s portrait in vivid, living colors. Splashes of joy here. Gallons of cheer over there. Broad brush strokes of rejoicing all over the canvas. The father even tells the older son that they had to celebrate and be glad. There are few things our sovereign God has to do, but celebration is one of them. Our forgiving Father will not contain His joy!
We’re stunned at the thought that God has a good time. This party in Luke 15 stuns both sons. The younger son, the Prodigal as we know him, is a lot like us. We mess up, and then we rehearse our imaginary dialogue in our minds—a dialogue of shame. The prodigal practices his speech all the way home. Like a mantra, he repeats it slowly, robotically. “I’ve sinned against you and I’m unworthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” Over and over again.
The hired servants occupied the lowest rung on the relational totem poll of the day. The son is saying, “I am not only not worthy to be your son, I’m not worthy to be your slave, or your servant even. I am only worthy of being your temporary hired servant.”
So ingrained is his unworthiness in his soul, that he gives his entire speech to his father! His father has raced out to him, is kissing him and celebrating over him, and this guy is still droning on with his speech. “I—–am—–not—–worthy . . .”
Notice how the father responds in verses 22-24 “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate.” The father is saying, “Let’s party hardy! The guest of honor at my party is my son, not my hired servant.” Our heavenly Father prepares a celebration reserved for His most special of guests: you and me whenever we return home.
The Big Question: “Who Do I Have to Forgive Me?”
Marghanita Laski, secular humanist and novelist, wrote just before her death in 1988, “What I envy most about you Christians is your forgiveness; I have nobody to forgive me.”
As you wait for the other shoe to drop, realize it already dropped on Christ. As you wait for the hammer to fall, realize it already fell on Christ. Whenever we return home, we have Somebody to forgive us.
We’re all prodigal sons and daughters—runaways—and yet we’re not disinherited, not disowned, never forsaken. Because of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection for our sin, we have peace with God. We’re God’s children. Our Father forgives us, loves us, wants us, celebrates with us!
Like a constant magnet, the forgiving heart of our Father draws us home—home to celebrate. Put your ear to the chest of Christ to hear the heartbeat of God—the heartbeat of our Forgiving Father.
Join the Conversation
Do you hear your Father’s “Welcome home!” Do you hear His voice of forgiveness? Are you returning home to receive His grace and love today? Everyday? Every moment?
