Luke 15:1-3
Quote:
Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. 2 This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!
3 So Jesus told them this story:
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Leading into the Lost Son, we get "To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story..."
Jesus then, huddles them together and shares another story with the disciples (shrewd manager), but he's
not so secretive, the elder brothers hear him:
Quote:
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The Pharisees, who dearly loved their money, heard all this and scoffed at him. 15 Then he said to them, “You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.
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What Jesus brought to the Kingdom was something new. It didn't fit the old mold. He came to sinners, before they could ever get right with him. He humiliated himself as God to love those who were disobedient.
This isn't just about "backsliders." That's old-school Apo logic. As a matter of fact, it's not even about "backsliders" --- it's about God's grace to all who were lost but now are found, blind but now see.... who were wrecked but are now salvaged and redeemed. The elders brothers aren't just those who don't "love backsliders." The elder brothers are those who try to please the father by obeying rules, who feel they have twisted the Father's arm, earned salvation by doing what they are told, those who feel like God is the patron, who get mad when things don't go their way, because after all, God owes them for their "sacrifice." The elder brothers are those who attempt to gain the Father's favor by any means that doesn't include just letting him love on you... "this has been yours all along." Their works justify them. The father's house is about rules for them, not about a loving, playful, and yes, frivolous God!
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