forgiveness

To teach us about forgiveness, Jesus told a story about two brothers: the oldest, a serious, hard working son, and the younger, a happy-go-lucky, fun-loving, ne'er-do-well son. The story unfolds in Luke 15:11-32.

The younger son wanted his inheritance now, so the father divided his property between his sons and gave the younger son his share of the inheritance.

Soon this son gathered his wealth and took a journey to a far country, where he spent all his money on wild living. After he had spent everything he had, there was a severe famine in the land, and the only work he could find was feeding pigs. He became hungry enough even to eat pig slop, but nobody gave him anything.

When he came to his senses, he began to realize how much better off he had been in his father's house. He thought, "Here I am starving to death. Even the pigs are eating better than I am. I'll go back home and ask for forgiveness from my father. Maybe he'll hire me as a servant."

This wayward son headed home, uncertain of how he would be received. While he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming and, filled with compassion, ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

The son said to his father, "I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. Hire me as one of your servants."

But the father said to his servants, "Put my best robe on him, a ring on his finger, and shoes on his feet. Let's kill the fatted calf and have a feast to celebrate the return of my son, for he was lost and is found."

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

1 John 1:9, NIV

"The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him."

Daniel 9:9, NIV

". . . he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace."

Ephesians 1: 6, 7, KJV

It was the father who ran to his son. He was waiting for him, and had already forgiven him with unconditional love:

* no questions about his failures,

* no requirement of a promise to keep the rules,

* no lectures or scoldings.

The father didn't make the repentance of his son the reason for his love. Love and pardon were never absent from his heart.

When the older son came in from the fields, he heard music and dancing. Discovering that his brother had returned home and his father was making a feast for him, he became angry and refused to go in. His father went out and pleaded with him to come in and join in the celebration, but he answered, "All these years I have worked hard for you and kept all the rules. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. This son of yours has squandered your wealth with prostitutes, and when he comes home you kill the fatted calf for him!"

Some call this story the parable of the prodigal son. It was really the story of two prodigals. The older son never really realized the love of the father. He was depending on his own works to win favor with his father; he didn't realize that his part of the inheritance was a gift also, as well as the gift that his brother had received. He had no love or forgiveness for his brother. By refusing to go in to the celebration, he was taking himself out from under the father's care, so he was just as much a prodigal as his brother. He didn't appreciate the love of his father. He thought he deserved everything because of his works.

The celebration feast was for everyone. No one could pay for it. It was free--a gift from the father.

Did the older brother ever go in to the feast? Jesus never finished the story. You see, the older brother represents us. It's up to us to finish the way it ends. Will we love and forgive and accept those who would like to come in to the celebration?

In a sense we are all prodigals. None of us has unconditional love and forgiveness for others. But when we see that God's love is a love with no strings attached, that He forgives us while we are sinners, that He accepts us as we are, then our hearts are broken and we want to follow His example.

When Jesus was being nailed to the cross, spit upon, reviled and bruised, he said of his tormenters, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34, KJV). We can live in the arms of the Father's embrace--our sins forgiven, just for the asking.

When Jesus taught the disciples the Lord's prayer, one of the phrases was, "Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us" (Luke 22:4, NIV). So we must be willing to forgive others as Jesus forgives us. Then we can be accepted in the Beloved, and right with God.