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“If believers’ eyes are turned to the
power of the resurrection,
in their hearts the cross
of Christ will at last triumph over the
devil, flesh, sin, and wicked men.”
John Calvin
God’s love for us is in place before we ever do anything to deserve it. God loves us when we are unlovable. In this last of my sermons on the Parable of the Father and his Two Sons, we see what that love looks like. Here we look at the last scene of the story, the Father’s embrace of the older son. Here in this potentially tragic scene, the older son seems determined to assert his status as a faithful servant, while his father pleads with him to receive instead the status as beloved son. This upright and hardworking young man seems almost unable to comprehend what his father wants for him. This father demonstrates that he loves his sons — both of his sons — simply and solely because they are his sons. Yet, the older son seems determined to demand that his father remunerate him properly as a deserving servant.
How many of us good church people seem determined to stand before God and win his approval by our good behavior. We want to be treated like a servant, and God loves us instead like precious sons and daughters.
God loved you before you ever did a thing — good or bad. Luxuriate in his embrace.
Read: Luke 15:11-32.
Then, listen to “Our Pilgrimage to Grace: Father’s Running Embrace.”
© 2013 Gary A. Chorpenning; all rights reserved.
Related articles
- Sermon #43 – Our Pilgrimage to Grace: Itching for Something Else – Luke 15:11-32 (gachorpenning.wordpress.com)
- Sermon #44 – Our Pilgrimage to Grace: Into the Place of Emptiness – Luke 15:11-32, Pt. 2 (gachorpenning.wordpress.com)
- Sermon #45 – Our Pilgrimage to Grace: In the Valley of Despair – Luke 15:11-32, Pt. 3 (gachorpenning.wordpress.com)
- Sermon #46 – “Our Pilgrimage to Grace: Looking for Home” – Luke 15:11-32, Pt. 4 (gachorpenning.wordpress.com)
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