During the last few months at Harehills Lane Baptist Church in Leeds and God's Garage Dewsbury UK we have been studying in Luke 15 where we find the parable of the father with two sons. Often we have misquoted this parable as the parable of the prodigal son. Jesus is very clear that this father had "TWO" sons.
Jesus begins this parable to counter act the accusation that he spends time with Tax collectors and "Sinners" (The social outcasts of his day) He tells a parable in response to this. "A certain man had two sons" The parable is told in order to show what being in a relationship with God is all about. The two groups of people that are gathering around Jesus at the beginning of Luke 15 are tax colectors and sinners and pharisees and religious rulers.
Jesus shows in the parable that both Tax collectors and sinners and the pharisees and religious rulers are in need of a relationship with God. In the parable both sons need a restored relationship with their father. Jesus shows that one son needs to repent of the bad things he has done to get that restored relationship for the other son Jesus shows that he needs to repent of the good things he has done in order to get that restored relationship. We get the point!! God is holding out a second chance at a real relationship with himself. A second chance to both groups of people.
It seems to me that within the parable we have a offer of the "SECOND CHANCE". A second chance for the wayward son to come home and be part of the life of the family and to have a restored relationship with his father. A second chance for the older son who stays at home to have a restored relationship with the father.
So what is Jesus getting at?....... Simple!!
Whether you are wayward or stuck in religious endevour ......God is giving you a second chance at relationship with himself.
He is God of the second chance.........and we are called to be people of the second chance..
