Luke 15 contains the short story that is commonly known as the The Prodigal Son. How many times can you look at this short parable? Well Tim Keller gave six sermons on this passage at his church in New York and has now turned them into a book called The Prodigal God.Although the sermons are slightly different to the book, it still rams home the idea that all other things in this life should not be held up as high as God, especially religion. When dealing with the parable much time has been focused on the younger son who squanders all of his inheritance, but we must remember that there was an older son in the story that needed just as much saving. Even the context of the story has sinners and tax collectors (younger brother types) and Pharisees and teachers of the law (older brother types) both listening to the story that was aimed at each of them.
The book spends a lot of time hammering the older brother types, who see religion as a means for their own justification. I was challenged to follow God for who He is, and not seen Him as a means to my own end.
It was a short book and worth the two or so hours it takes to read.
The book has a website with a stack of resources, including the six sermons that the book was based off.
Have nearly finished the book and it was great to see Keller tackle not only the tradition "lost son" but the religious church. Both sons were lost and had their own idea of salvation. In the end the younger turned to God and the elder (religious) one turned away.
ReplyDeleteIt is a good lesson and one that has relevance to the church today. Who is the church most like today? The younger or the older brother. Sadly I think it is the latter. Noone can save themself.