“Now his older son
was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and
dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And
he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened
calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and
refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his
father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your
command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my
friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with
prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son,
you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to
celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was
lost, and is found’” (Luke 15:25-32).
The heart of the prodigal’s father overflowed
with joy because of the repentant heart and return of his wayward son. His
heart could not contain his excitement and he wanted to share his joy with
everyone that was near and dear to him. He threw a great party and was caught
up in rejoicing with family, servants, neighbors, and friends when the
celebration was interrupted with a report that his older son was outside and
refusing to join the celebration. He immediately left the party to go to his
older son whose hardened and hurting heart needed immediate attention. In the
father’s response to the hardened heart of his older son we get a glimpse of our
Heavenly Father’s approach to our own heart that from time to time needs His
personal attention and care. He knows that our hearts are sensitive and
vulnerable and must be kept and protected diligently… “Keep your heart
with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23).
Jesus used this part of the parable to exhort maturing disciples in every age
to keep our hearts healthy and set apart for Him by keeping them immersed in
the truth from His Word that is the salve for a sanctified heart.
God’s Word is a salve for the self-righteous
heart. The older son presented a long list of accomplishments that he
believed entitled him to some big time rewards. But his inheritance was
supposed to be a gift that recognized the special relationship between a father
and his son, not a reward for loyalty or obedience. In the same way the gift of
salvation and our inheritance in Heaven is a reflection of our Father’s grace
and the relationship He wants to have with His children… “According to
his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is
imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter
1:3-4). The sanctified heart acknowledges that our salvation and eternal
inheritance are gifts received through the grace of our loving Father.
God’s Word is a salve for the selfish
heart. The older son’s heart was consumed with what his undeserving brother
received. He lost sight of all that he himself had because of his relationship
with his father. This has been our adversary Satan’s primary strategy from the
beginning when he got Eve’s focus off of all she had and fixed on the one thing
that was not hers… “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for
food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be
desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate” (Genesis 3:6).
As God’s children we have everything we need to live for Him now and forever… “Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3). The
sanctified heart is not distracted by worldly enticements but is fixed on
heavenly blessings in Christ.
God’s Word is a salve for the skeptical
heart. The older son’s heart doubted his father’s wisdom in so quickly
forgiving and restoring his wayward son. This may be the most important part of
the parable because with this insight Jesus exhorted His disciples to be
steadfast in trusting the sovereignty of God… “He is before all things,
and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17). The sanctified
heart is growing in trusting and being part of God’s sovereign will as revealed
in His Son Jesus Christ.
As we grow up into Christ, we stay set
apart to Him by immersing our hearts in His Word…
The Salve for a Sanctified Heart.
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