Sunday, 31 January 2010

The Prodigal God

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.

(Possibly) Related Posts:

  • Making Sense of God This was a great book. To cut to the chase, if you are a Christian, sceptic, atheist, cultural critic or someone who wants a consistent worldview that provides freedom, meaning, purpose, morals, and satisfaction than r… Read More
  • The Meaning of Marriage Last year two marriage books came out around the same time. Based on these two reviews that should be read back to back, pretty much convinced me that if I was going to get one marriage book it would be Tim and Kathy Keller… Read More
  • Keller on Suffering and GodI found myself twice in the last two weeks trying to paraphrase something Tim Keller said in The Reason for God about the problem of theodicy (the problem of evil). Below is the quote I was referring to. Philosopher J. L. M… Read More
  • Counterfeit Gods are Idols The last book that I read over my summer holiday was Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller. In this book Keller expounds an idea that I have heard by Driscoll and Stephen Um speak on (who both attribute their stuff from … Read More
  • Generous Justice This is the last book that I read over January (when I normally do most of my reading for the year). I know its July and this post is only going up now. I didn't want to just forget about this book because I had to (wait fo… Read More

1 comment:

  1. MumWednesday, December 08, 2010

    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.

    It 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.

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