The most important part of the famous parable of the prodigal son is the last part about the big brother. It is this part of the story that was most relevant to those who were listening. And it may also be what is most relevant to us. The religious leaders were concerned about Jesus’ orientation towards the lost. Should he not be keeping himself to the religious people? No, Jesus is always oriented towards the lost, and so should his church be. How easily churches turn into inaccessible Christian enclaves! We treat Christian worship as a party for ‘big brothers’. When we start to take it for granted that our weekend services will only consist of seasoned Christians, then we may have lost the point. When we only ever share our message amongst ourselves, it morphs into a religious dialect that is unintelligible to outsiders. But our message is for the world! Let’s do what we do with all the depth and without compromise, but let’s do it in an outward facing way. Don’t forget that this party we are putting on every weekend isn’t just for us, it’s a celebration of new life in Jesus. It’s a party for the prodigals! If there is no new life in the church, then we should be very concerned. We are in danger of becoming like the big brother in this parable. This ‘party’ is not about you. If you are a Christian, I hope your weekly routine involves going to church. But, even more, I hope your weekly routine also involves inviting others to go with you. That’s the point.
Thank God for his love and grace for you.
Read Luke 15:25-32
