WE ARE AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY WITH A LOVE FOR ALL
BELIEVE IN THE LOVE OF GOD
The Prodigal Son
The Prodigal Son
The story of the prodigal son is found in Luke 15:11-32 in the New Testament of the Bible. It is a parable that Jesus told to illustrate the nature of God's love and forgiveness.
The story is about a father who had two sons. The younger son asked for his inheritance early and went off to a faraway country where he squandered all his money on wild living. When he had nothing left, a famine struck the land and he was forced to take a job feeding pigs. He was so desperate that he longed to eat the pig's food.
At this point, the younger son realized that even his father's servants had more than enough to eat, so he decided to return home and ask for forgiveness. When he was still a long way off, his father saw him and ran to him, throwing his arms around him and welcoming him back with open arms.
The older son, who had stayed with his father, was angry when he heard about his younger brother's return. He refused to join in the celebration, saying that his brother did not deserve to be welcomed back.
Here are some important teachings we can learn from this story:
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God's love is unconditional. The father's love for his younger son did not change, even though he had squandered his inheritance and lived a wild life. This is a picture of how God's love for us is not based on what we do or don't do, but is based on who we are as his children.
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God is always ready to forgive. The father forgave his younger son and welcomed him back with open arms. This is a picture of how God is always ready to forgive us when we turn back to him.
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We must humble ourselves to receive forgiveness. The younger son had to humble himself and admit that he had made a mistake in order to receive his father's forgiveness. Similarly, we must humble ourselves before God and admit our mistakes in order to receive his forgiveness.
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We should not judge others. The older son judged his younger brother and refused to join in the celebration of his return. This is a reminder that we should not judge others, but should welcome them back with open arms, just as God welcomes us.
In conclusion, the story of the prodigal son teaches us about God's unconditional love and forgiveness, the need for humility in seeking forgiveness, and the importance of not judging others.