Prodigal Grace

As we have been studying Luke 15 and the parable of the Prodigal Son, there was an element that stood out to me. The son found himself destitute and came to himself. He tells himself, 'How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants." Listen to what the son is saying. He has a plan to work himself into the father’s presence. The son is willing to confess what he has done, but also has set the conditions of his acceptance into the household. If I serve you, you will provide for me again. I will earn my keep and have a place in your house. Maybe you will even forgive me someday. It’s a plan. See this young man in his soiled tatters walking along the path; rehearsing over and over the speech which he hopes will get him a place in the father’s house. When his father sees him and runs to embrace him, the son starts to give his rehearsed speech. "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. But, before the son can utter what he will do to fix this, how he will be a servant, his father embraces him and calls for a robe, sandals, and the symbol of his son ship, the ring. The father allowed the son to confess his transgression and repent, but prevents him from making it about what his child will do for him, but instead made it about the father’s forgiveness. This Prodigal had a debt too big to pay himself. It was forgiven at a cost to the father. Our debt is sin and it is a debt we cannot pay. But, our sins were forgiven at a cost. They were paid on a rough wooden cross. The blood of a sinless savior washed away our debt. Our salvation does not come from our work, but from grace. Jesus died to pay our debt so we could be in his father’s presence. We are restored by what Jesus has done and not because of what we have done. We give thanks for that gift of grace when we come together to worship around the Lord’s Table of communion.