The parable of the prodigal son

wise seeker · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2003 12:38 pm Post subject: Sons of God? So What?

JN 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

JN 14:13 "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

JN 15:16 "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

JN 16:23 "And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.

Being a son or daughter of a very rich parent gives you some special rights and privileges including access to all that belongs to your parent? We see this in the parable of the prodigal son that Jesus told us about where the son took all his possession and spend it on frivolous things. But at least this son had some brains unlike other sons and daughters? When there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want, he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. He would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, but no one gave him anything.

However he came to his senses he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 'I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, "and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants." '"And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. "And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.' "But the father said to his servants, '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 fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 'for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry (Matthew 15:17-23).

Now the real tragedy of life the way I see it that most of the so called sons and daughters of God are poor, sick, desolate, destitute and living below the poverty line and are not availing of all that belongs to their Heavenly Father? As the father of the prodigal son told the other good son 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours’ (Mathew 15:31)

What good is having a rich heavenly father whose resources and richest are unlimited and living like a bum? None!

MT 13:58 Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

MT 17:20 So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.