Luke (2)

     Jesus came to seek and save the lost.  Luke chapter 15 records three parables based on the theme of lost things that are found.
     The first talks about lost sheep, while the second deals with lost coins.  The third parable, which begins in verse 11 and continues to the end of the chapter, involves a lost son.
     "A certain man had two sons," Jesus explains, "and the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.'  And he divided his wealth between them.
     "And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living."
     What we have so far is an immature, selfish young man who wants to get something before it is time for him to have it.  Inheritances are not generally distributed while the parents are still living.
     "Now when he had spent everything," Jesus continues, "a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be in need.  So he went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
     "And he was longing to fill his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him."
     Now the young man has fallen about as low as he can go.  Feeding pigs was one of the worst jobs a Jew could have.  And it must have been hard to live in a situation where pigs were being treated better than a Jew.
     "But when he came to his senses," Jesus notes starting in verse 17, "he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!  I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me one of your hired men."'
     Along with immaturity and selfishness, the son possesses a little bit of humility.  What would many people do in the same situation?  They would blame everything on others, including God.  "I would have made it just fine," they would complain, "if that famine would not have come.  I could have gotten back on my feet by myself..."  But the son does not have this attitude.  He does not allow pride to blind reality.
     Notice what this passage teaches us about repentance.  The first thing the young man does is look around him and recognize his terrible state.  Then he lifts his eyes toward his father and changes his attitude.  Sometimes we have to be really down before we feel the need to look up.
     After changing his attitude, he makes plans to change his actions and do whatever is required to make things right.
     "And he got up and came to his father," Jesus goes on with verse 20.  "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him, and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him, and kissed him."
     What does this tell us about the father?  Would he have seen the son from far off if he would not have been looking for him?  Did the father wait until the son walked up to him before receiving him?
     In verse 21 the son tells the father his decision to return as a servant.  But the first thing that he says is that he has sinned against heaven and against the father.  How many of us are able to analyze things this well?  We usually operate on the basis of whether or not we get caught, don't we?  But this young man realizes that, first of all, he has sinned against God.
     "But the father said to his slave," Jesus continues in verse 22, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.'"
     While the party is going on, however, the older son hears the noise and comes to investigate.  When he learns what has happened he becomes angry and refuses to enter.
     "Look!" he says to his father.  "For so many years I have been serving you, and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a kid, that I might be merry with my friends; but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with harlots, you killed the fattened calf for him."
     What can we say about the attitude of this older son?  Notice all the "I's", "me's" and "my's" in his short speech.  Does he care about his brother?  Does he care about the father?  Or does he care only for himself?
     If we are in the condition of the younger son, what should we do?  Was he alive or dead while he was feeding the pigs?  Oh, he was breathing, but for all practical purposes he was dead.  The father even stated that he had been dead as far as he was concerned.
     Was the son alive as soon as he recognized his condition?  No, he still had to make the trip back to the father.
     As long as we identify with this son there is a great deal of hope for us.  But what if we have the attitude of the older son?  What if we refuse to love and forgive?

     We have been discussing a couple of the parables of Jesus.  Remember that a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.  Although the parables are not accounts of actual events, every element is factual.  That is, no one can look at a parable and say, "That could never happen."
     Since the parables are not accounts of actual events, the story recorded in Luke 16:19-31 should probably not be classified with this group.  The story of the rich man and Lazarus, told in this passage, is different in that a specific name is used.  This would indicate that what is given here is an account of something that actually happened.
     But, since the method of teaching used here by Jesus is similar to that employed with the parables, we'll go ahead and take a look at it.
     "Now there was a certain rich man," the Lord recounts in Luke 16:19-21, "and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, gaily living in splendor every day.
     "And a certain poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man's table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores."
     What a familiar setting this is.  Some have so much.  And some have so little.  This rich man, who according to the context must be a Jew, is apparently not aware of God's instructions about dealing with the poor.  Or maybe he knows but just doesn't care.  What about us?  Can we defend ourselves before God by claiming there were not any poor people on the earth when we were living?
     "Now it came about that the poor man died and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.  And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom."
     The rich man cries out to Abraham to send Lazarus with water to cool his tongue.
     "No," Abraham replies.  "During your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony."
     "And, besides all this," Abraham adds, "between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, in order that those who wish to come over from here to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us."
     This gives us a picture of what it will be like after death.  Do we cease to exist or are we conscious?  What does this story say?  Remember, Jesus in His teaching NEVER invents a situation that is not realistic.
     Is there an intermediate area where we can work our way out of one place and into another?  If there is, then either Jesus and Abraham are uninformed or they are liars, because Jesus quotes Abraham as saying it is impossible to move from one place to the other.  And Jesus does not correct Abraham's statement.
     This may sound strong, but do we ever stop to think about what we are doing when we accept a doctrine that disagrees with the clear teaching of the Bible?  If we feel comfortable claiming that Jesus is mistaken or that He has lied about something, then we should go right ahead and accept the doctrines of men.  If we don't feel comfortable making this claim, then we had better do some serious looking at what we believe.
     "In vain do they worship Me," God says in Matthew 15:9, "teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men."
     The rich man's next request is that Abraham send Lazarus to warn his brothers about the place of torment.
     "No," Abraham answers, "They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them."
     According to Abraham, what is the source of the faith that leads to salvation?  It is the Bible.
     "But these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God;" John 20:31 claims, "and that believing you may have life in His name."
     "For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God," Paul instructs in 1 Corinthians 1:21, "God was well pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe."
     "So faith comes by hearing," Paul teaches in Romans 10:17, "and hearing by the word of Christ."
     And the list goes on and on.  But the point is that the way of salvation is revealed in the Bible.  Beware of anyone who tries to teach differently.
     But the rich man wants to argue this one with Abraham.
     "No, Father Abraham," he disagrees, "but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!"
     Is Abraham convinced?
     "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets," Abraham informs the rich man, "neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead."
     There are those who teach that salvation is experienced through some supernatural activity.  According to this doctrine we simply "invite Jesus into our hearts" and we are overcome by some tremendous feeling.
     In Acts chapter 10 a man named Cornelius is praying when an angel appears.  Does the angel say, "Accept Jesus as your personal Savior," or does he say to send for someone to teach him the word of God?
     In Acts chapter nine Saul is on the way to Damascus when Jesus Himself appears and talks with him.  Does the Lord say, "accept Me as your personal Savior," or does He say to go and wait for someone to teach him the word of God?
     Let's open our eyes.  We have been lead to believe that we can enjoy our riches and close our eyes to the needs of those around us.  God says it just isn't so.  Who are we going to believe?
     The religious world would have us think that it is all right to believe whatever we want to, regardless of what the Bible says.  God says it just isn't so.  Who are we going to believe?
     Many falsely promise us heaven and deliver us to hell.  Only the truth will set us free.

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission." (www.lockman.org)