A MAN HAD TWO SONS

Luke 15:11
He said, “A certain man had two sons. (WEB)

You might read today's Bible reading and say 'What does that mean? So a certain man had two sons. What is the big deal with that?' If that is your response to today's Bible verse, I would encourage you to read the verses right after this one in a story that is loved by many, that we call The Prodigal Son.

The reason why I chose to just include the first line in the Prodigal Son story is because often when we think of this story, we think of the younger son who left home to spend his father's inheritance. But the first line in the story that Jesus told us really reveals who the story is about. While there are two sons that play a role in the parable, the story is about the father.

You see, if we focus on the love that the father had equally for both the son who left home and the son who chose to stay home, we would have a better understanding that the father in the story is really telling us about our heavenly Father. No matter what kind of pigpen we get ourselves into (younger brother), our Father is waiting for us. No matter how legalistic and religious we become (older brother), our Father invites us to come join the party.

My prayer today is that we would all know that we have a Father in heaven who is waiting and watching for us to come home. Whether steeped in sin or legalism, there is always a place in our Father's house. Now let's read the rest of the story...

Luke 15:11-32 The Prodigal Son Story
11 He said, “A certain man had two sons.12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ He divided his livelihood between them.13 Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living.14 When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need.15 He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs.16 He wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any.17 But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying with hunger!18 I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. 19 I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”’20 “He arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.23 Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat, and celebrate; 24 for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’ They began to celebrate. 25 “Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing.26 He called one of the servants to him, and asked what was going on.27 He said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.’28 But he was angry, and would not go in. Therefore his father came out, and begged him.29 But he answered his father, ‘Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this, your son, came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ 31 “He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’” (WEB)