TEXT: LUKE 15: 12;29-31
"And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give
me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided
unto them his living. . .And he answering said to his father,
Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed
I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest
me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as
soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living
with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he
said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have
is thine."
In this part of our brief comments on this parable, our attention shall be turned on the elder son of this great man: it should be noted that, though the elder brother is not the main focus in this parable, yet there are lessons to be learn from his presence in this whole divine drama. To start with as a foundation for our thoughts in this segment of our meditation, we take the liberty to restate again that this man is a rightful son of his father: for scripture says, in b.s. 11 that "A certain man had two sons..." he was therefore a son indeed! Another thing is that, by the request made by his brother, the portion of his father's estate that accrues to him, is consequently placed at his disposal, "...And he divided unto them his living."
So, this minister of God's word can boldly say that after the above division of this estate, half fell to the elder son and the other half became the younger's. These two sons became practically richer from this momment: for they legally had access to a definite portion of goods or estate now. I hope we are clear to this point? We believe that if this young man understands what happened in vs 12, there wound not have been vs 29. Watch this: vs 12 says "...and he divided unto them his living." While vs 29 says of this young man: "...thou never gravest me a kid..." so said he to the father. The question is, is he not aware of the fact that the father's estate has been divided between him and his brother? The answer is actually in the affirmative. All his life he has been craving for just a kid from his father to make merriment with his friends, yet a large estate has been given to him...this total ignorant! A kid is a child goat, which has not fully matured.
Here we see a picture of saints who are totally ignorant of their estate in Christ...always eyeing small things, lacking the ability and capacity for great things. When his brother same back, his father had to deep his hand into what belonged to him in otdet to celebrate the return og the younger brother. This younger brother did not ask for the robe nor the ring: he never requested for the shows neither the fattened and fatted cow but his father gave him all of these: simply because he returned. This act was an expression of the father's joy, not a response to any prayer. If the father could do this to a prodigal son, who has wasted his father's goods on harlots and riotous living unasked, imagine what he would do to a son which van boldly tell his father: "... father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment..."? If the fattened and fatted cow can be given to the disobedient, why doubt the given of a kid to the obedient? There is a fattened and fatted cow for asking! Dare to ask Him!
Note should be taken, that the robe, ring, shoes and the fatted cow belong to the elder brother in the light of the wordings of the last part of vs 12, which says, "...And he divided unto them his living." It looks as if whenever a man is ignorant of his right in God, such right may be placed on those who knowledge same. No gift in God is meant to be dormant: if the original alotee is oblivion or ignorant of his allotments, others may be called upon to take advantage of the gift and use it to the glory of God...take heed that no man take your crown...his place let another take! Many blessing are in wrong hands because of the ignorance of the original owners.
Moreover, when his younger brother collected his portion of the father's estate, he went away into a far and foreign land to spend them...while the elder son went to farm for his father. Here we see two extremes: independent and disengagement from the father, and on the other extreme, we see ignorant and slavery to the father. A son is neither meant to be inadventely independent of the father nor is he meant to slave for him: he is just meant to be a type of the father not a slave to him. Slavery and sonship are not compatible. We are sons not slave...our services to God are just an extension of what God is doing here on earth, for He works in and through us.
The younger son went to spend his inheritance but the elder ignored his and went to serve his father for a kid. So the father needed to open his eyes to something. This would answer every question on his mind. He surmised that he was a slave and must work before he enjoy the favour of his father. Look at the light that laid every puzzle on his mind to rest: see vs 31 "... and all that I have is thine." Amen! Until we hear this from the possessor of heaven and earth, poverty remains with us. Paul told the Corinthians, "All things are yours!" All include, the shoes, the robe and the ring wore by his brother. All the servants and everything in the house. Actually, he needed not to ask his father for a kid any more...he van go ahead and make merriment as he want with his friends.
What a vast of wealth and privileges before us! All things are ours! May we hear the Spirit in our innermost being telling us, "All things are yours!" Friends, the Father has divided His estate already: for "..unto every one of is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ." And "The grace that brings salvation(wholeness, alertness, soundness of the mind, body and spirit; freedom from fear and agitation) has appeared to all men..." And am sure, we "...know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, though He was rich, Jesus became poor that, we, through His poverty might be made rich." This is out story, this is our song...what an echoes of mercy and whispers of love! To be continued.