PRODIGAL: Pt 4--A Prodigal God?

I confess that I have never read Timothy Keller’s book, “The Prodigal God” (though I also confess that I stole the title from him)—but after preparing and preaching these messages I went back to read some online excerpts…I think we were both coming from the same place (though his work was probably MUCH better).

The more I read and re-read the story of the “prodigal” it became clear that the concept of grace was at the center of what Jesus was trying to communicate. In the process, I re-read Yancy’s excellent work “What’s so Amazing about Grace?” After re-reading, I was reminded of just how AMAZING grace is…I became convinced that I was on the right track.

I have often heard grace defined as “God’s unmerited favor.” Well...isn’t that special!! But what does it really mean? I am undeserving and I get something anyway…still not clear (I confess I am a little dense at times—so it takes me awhile).

What if the father in the story of the prodigal son is somehow key to understanding the concept of grace?  For if any being could afford to be “wastefully extravagant” (prodigal) it would be God because he has limitless supply of…well, everything! Don’t misunderstand, I am not saying that the father in the story has a limitless supply of everything…BUT what if his response is a metaphor for how God responds to lost things that “get found?”

It is interesting to note that the “prodigal son” takes a portion of the father’s wealth with him and then squanders it—though the father would have bequeathed it to him when he died—he concedes to give it to him when he is young—which only goes to show that the father is willing to allow freedom (risk) even if it means disaster (I could not serve a God who would not allow free will)—this in itself shows the love of the father.

However, it is upon the return of the son that we see how the father becomes the “prodigal” in the story:

• The robe
• The ring
• The sandals
• The fatted calf

(Remember that I told you that these were important…but you didn’t look them up for yourself did you?)

In response to his “prodigal” son, the father himself becomes a “prodigal.”  He shows mercy and grace where none is warranted…he is extravagantly wasteful with his resources because the son who was “lost” has come home.

This is the kind of God we serve…an extravagant God:  A God who promises “immeasurably more” than we can ask or imagine, a God who is quick to bless, even when we don’t deserve it. This is our PRODIGAL GOD!!

Lest you think I am espousing a “health and wealth” gospel…I’m not…I’m simply focusing on the lavish generosity in the grace of our God. I’m certainly NOT the first to notice:

See what love the Father has LAVISHED on us that we should be called His children, and that is what we are (1 Jn 3:1)

Lavish is a word only a prodigal God could provide, and a prodigal son could understand.

It is interesting, at this point, to speculate how the hearers of Jesus’ words might respond to such a view of God. The legalistic Jews might grumble and chafe at the very notion of giving grace to one who clearly could not uphold the Law of his people (legalism), the “sinners” might find a “light at the end of the tunnel” in his message…one thing seems clear—God rejoices when the lost are found!

We are SO undeserving and yet we have received ALL that we need and more from the hand of our prodigal God…it is a good reminder that God is good, and God is great…all the time.

I believe, help me in my unbelief.