The Two Sons

Then, Jesus tells another story about a family: a father, and two sons. One son was a rebel, who had no love for his family. The other son was a do-gooder, dutiful, and hardworking.

The rebel son wanted whatever property, or money, he would receive when his father died now! The only value his father, and his father’s work, had for him was how big of a party he could throw.

Amazingly, even the son practically yelled at the top of his lungs “I hate you! I hate it here! I can’t wait to get out of here!” his father gave him his inheritance. He turned it into cash, left the area, and started one long continuous party, for as long as the money lasted.

And he does run out of money … right in the middle of a famine. He can’t provide for himself. And he can’t get a job that can provide what he needs.

Suddenly, a light turns on. He remembers his father, and life back home. He knows not one of the people, who work for his father, are going hungry, or are lacking anything.

So, he packs up, goes home, and prepares to eat humble pie. He meets his father, confesses he screwed up, and all he is looking for now is a job.

But his father is so glad he is home, safe, and well, that he throws a party to celebrate.

The do-gooder son worked hard, and did everything his was supposed to do. And he gets angry when he finds out that his brother – the selfish, self-centered, brat! – has returned, and his father is celebrating.

The do-gooder son does not have the father’s heart. The father realizes that life is not all play. The father realizes that the rebel son has made decisions that have hurt his life, and negatively affected his life in all areas.

But the father loves both his sons. And the rebel son has made a vital decision: he chose to move back into relationship with his father.

The story is about God’s heart. God is serious about how people live. Their behavior, and lifestyles, affect themselves, their destiny, and how God is represented. Optimum living is derived from how close one keeps to how one is designed.

But God loves everyone. Those who walk away from him. And those who walk with him.

And because the number one, foremost item that brings wholeness, and completion, to people in life is a relationship with Father, he celebrates each, and every, one who chooses to return, and walk with him, no matter where they are coming from.

The Neighbor

Jesus challenged the expectations of what a life that pleased God looked like. One man asked him how someone achieved right standing with God.

Jesus flipped it around. “You read the Scriptures. What do you think God says?”

The man responded: “Love God first. Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus answered: “You’re correct.”

Scripture says the man sought to justify himself. “Who is my neighbor?”

So, Jesus told a story about a man who was beaten, and robbed. The robbers left the man bleeding, and unconscious by the side of the road.

Two leaders of the community passed by the man, pretending not to notice him. These two men were regarded by the community as ones who followed God the best, and were, therefore, ones to emulate. But they failed to show love to someone in need. They lacked compassion, and didn’t want to get involved in something messy.

Another man passed by, and had a different response. He provided care, food, and shelter … and paid for it.

This man was from a group of people view with contempt by the Jewish nation. Yet, he obeyed God’s command to “love your neighbor,” where the men, who should be God’s best, failed.

Life in God is not talking, or teaching, about how we should live. Life in God is about obeying God.

Jesus did not command us to make converts, or church attenders. He commanded us to make disciples. That is, persuade people to give allegiance to Jesus, and have a lifestyle that does what Jesus said, and does what Jesus did.

The Woman at the Well

Jesus was in Jerusalem. He and the disciples bean to travel back to Galilee. To do that, they had to travel through Samaria.

Samaria had at one time been part of Israel. It was part of the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh. When the Kingdom was divided after the death of Solomon, it became part of Israel, which walked away from God, and followed other Gods. So, the inhabitants had varying degrees of Jewishness, and followed lots of religious practices. And the Jews generally looked down on them, and held them in contempt.

So, the disciples prepared to camp outside one of the cities. They went into a town to get food, and Jesus waited by a well outside the town.

A woman came out of the town to get water from the well. And Jesus asked her for a drink of water. Given the contempt the Jews held for the Samaritans, as well as the commonly held Jewish belief that he would be spiritually polluting himself by drinking from her jar, speaking to the woman was astounding.

So, she began a discussion of religious practices, comparing the Jews and the Samaritans. Like the Jews, she was waiting for the Messiah, who would deliver the people, and set all things right.

And Jesus told her three important things:

• Worship would change. It would not be associated with a building, or a place. It would be connected to truth, and a heart linkage with the Father.
• The Messiah would come and set things right. He did not tell that at this time, putting things right would involve a sacrifice for sin, and a creation of a new family for God.
• And he said he had water that would quench her thirst forever. I don’t know if she realized he was speaking figuratively, but when she asked for some of this water, he revealed he knew about her home life, and marital status. (That she was not married, but was living with her boyfriend. Which means she was also held in contempt by her neighbors.)

These three things stirred her heart, and she went back into town and told her neighbors. And that stirred up her neighbors, so that the whole town walked out to the well, to see and hear Jesus. And Scripture says the whole town believed Jesus, that he was the Messiah, that worship would change, and that people would receive something from God that would quench the thirst in their hearts.

And it was not just for the Jews. It was for all people.

The Paralytic

Jesus is teaching a large group of people in a house. Many houses at that time were built around an open courtyard. The court often had a lattice over it to provide shade. (That’s what it sounded like to me. I might be wrong though.)

Jesus is probably standing in the courtyard. It could accommodate the most people in the house. And Scripture points out that there are Pharisees, and other religious leaders, in the crowd.

Some men carry a paralytic to the house, to be healed by Jesus. But it is too crowded. They can’t get near the door. So, they climb to the roof, remove some of the lattice work, and lower the man down in front of Jesus.

And Jesus, observing the men’s faith, proclaimed that the man’s sin was forgiven.

The Pharisees, immediately, got into an uproar. No one could forgive sin, but God alone. Jesus was a man, and had no such authority.

So, Jesus asked: which is easier? You’re forgiven? Or rise and walk? And the obvious answer is: you’re forgiven, because no visible, tangible response is expected. Rise, and walk, expects a paralyzed man to move.

So, Jesus responded: To demonstrate that I have the authority to forgive sins, … And he commands the man to rise, and walk. And the man gets up and goes home.

Jesus’ miracles were a demonstration of his love, and kindness, toward people. But, they were also a demonstration of his God-given authority. Authority to change the world. Authority to be the forgiver of mankind’s sin. By faith in what he did, and giving him our allegiance, we take up what he gives, and we walk in a new way of life.