March 20, 2024 – Prodigal Grace

“It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?” Hebrews 12

“You do not have to live in fear of God’s anger. On your very worst, most rebellious, and most faithless day, you can run into the holy presence of your heavenly Father and he will not turn you away. Your acceptance has not been, nor will it ever be, based on your performance. You have not been welcomed into an eternal relationship with God because you have kept the law, but because Jesus did. If you obey God for a thousand years, you will not have earned more of his acceptance than you were granted the very first moment you believed. Here’s how radical the gospel of grace really is—you do not have to be something before God because Jesus accomplished everything on your behalf.” (“New Morning Mercies”, March 19; Paul David Tripp)

The story of the Prodigal Son is most likely the best story that highlights the human condition – one son separates himself from the loving father while the other has always been faithful to the father. We know the sins of the youngest son – while the oldest son believes that he has never sinned against his father.

The youngest son, once he recognizes the depth of his sin runs to the father with a contrite heart, and is welcomed home by the compassionate father. The oldest son sits outside the story stewing in his self-righteousness. This is why the presence of the oldest son is so important to this story. Jesus could have stopped with the father running to welcome home his prodigal son – but then Jesus could not address a central problem within religion in his day – and in our day as well – that of the self-righteous who believe they are less sinners than others.

On our worst days, we still can run to the father and will receive grace upon grace. If we stray seven times, and seven times come running to the father, we will be welcomed. It may feel like discipline once in a while – for the sins we commit have their consequences. But in the end, when we run to the father, we are welcomed home again and again.

Pastor Dave