Sunday Word
Posted on August 3rd, 2008 by The Reformer into the Sermons categoryIn recognition of our growing on-line community/church I've decided to start some Sunday devotionals with a goal of creating dialog on various biblical verses and stories. Disclaimer: I never went to bible school and have a pure secular education (oh the horror) but I do read my bible and my focus here will be more then 5 points on how to break down a verse. I'm here to counter what many mainstream American churches have spent years preaching. Lets start with a basic one:
Luke 15:11-32: Almost everyone has heard the story of the prodigal son. It's right up there with the sermon on the mount and John 3:16. However, in my many years of sitting in church pews hearing this story I've often heard it preached from the standpoint of the prodigal son only. Preachers talk all about how we can come to God and He (as the prodigal sons father did) will accept us, clean us up and make us right. Of course I agree with this, however I don't think Jesus taught this story to only emphasize the prodigal son, but rather the response of the faithful one as well. You see when the the father welcomed the prodigal home the faithful son became angry (verse 28) and lashed out at his father for not rejoicing over his faithfulness the same way he had over the prodigals return. And how did the father respond? He said "son, all that I have is yours" (verse 31).
Today most people in church are a lot like the faithful son; highly religious, regularly attending to the Fathers purpose, going to church, paying their tithes and dedicating years of service to ministry. Like the older brother they are faithful and never stray far from God's people. They toil and labor for recognition and acceptance, climbing the spiritual ladder to gain a position of authority. They are so focused on living "good" that they never truly live in Him. The quest for money, position and power in the church dominates their weekly focus. And after years of living this way they become prideful and arrogant in how they've lived "proper" and "upright." The problem soon becomes that they don't want to see God openly accept someone who has lived a total train wreck of a life, unless that person conforms to their ways. This is why they tell you that once you become a Christian you have to stop doing this, avoid doing that, stay away from there, and begin to faithfully serve the church. They reason that because they have done it for so many years, now that person should to. This is why you see very little variation in these kind of churches. They are structured the same, with people who dress, act, talk and look the same. Eventually they all become mindless robots in a factory line of conformation.
But when we look to the story of the prodigal son, we find that God has a very different standard towards us then we often think. The truth is that God doesn't care where we came from or what we've been doing, and He doesn't ask us to change for the sake of changing or being good. This story tells me that the person who thinks his faithfulness makes him justified in Christ is just as wrong as the person who lives reckless in Christ. That's because there's no pecking order with Him. All of us our saved under His grace and are on the same level in the eyes of God. There's no spiritual ladder or preferential treatment. When He looks at us He just sees red because He's looking through the lens of Christ, who not only died in our place, but lived in it too! We have been wiped clean and are free to be whoever we want to be. Now that doesn't mean there are no consequences for destructive behavior but there is a difference between grace and mercy, and God's grace is given freely to all in spite of our actions. We just have to accept it. So lets not live like the faithful son thinking everything we do is giving us better standing with God. All that He has is already ours, there's nothing more to earn. He doesn't care how we live, as long as we live for Him.
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August 3rd, 2008 at 5:28 pm
I have always interpreted that scripture through the eyes of the fatted calf or the mom. It always gave me more freedom in interpretation.
The devotion idea is a good one. It assures some redemptive quality to the site. : )
August 3rd, 2008 at 8:16 pm
I think so too. Please email me any topics, scriptures, or ideas on stuff you would like to discuss. This is an open forum. Thanks.
reformer.for.change@gmail.com
August 3rd, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Interesting topic Reformer, also a good distraction from the personal attacks this blog has had lately.
Curious regarding you reformed ones, my experience with reformed Christians is this overly ‘false’ humility where God is SOOOO sovereign, they have no right to ask for anything, if you’re broke, sick, whatever, the prayers I heard were always so anemic - like “God thanks for not killing me today, and if it doesnt bother you too much, please help me make my mortgage payment this month, but only if it’s your will, I deserve nothing and have no rights, I’m a sinner who deserves to die, blah blah blah”
BS! I’m His child, God wants to give us all good things and with NO faith, it’s impossible to please Him.
In fact I had a conversation with one of my good reformed friends and talked about the older brother in this story and all the things he missed out on because he didnt ask and yet had rights to ALL his father owned - she agreed with me.
Yes ultimately God is sovereign, but I read alot of verses that say Ask, even IF you ask amiss God will guide you in your asking - this false humility crap bugs me. And no I dont ascribe to the prosperity gospel, but I do ask, not just for money but for all my desires to be fulfilled because it’s scriptural. I truly dont understand my reformed friends. they really piss me off sometimes.
do enlighten me…
August 3rd, 2008 at 10:55 pm
Seeing as though this is an open forum…
A Sunday word…
A blog that has the word ‘church’ in it…
3 self appointed leaders…
Where is the “parody” again?
Starting to look like a frustrated preacher who wants to do an online church.
August 4th, 2008 at 6:25 am
JM, you’re turning into a troll. Start saying something of substance, or I’m going to start deleting your comments.
August 4th, 2008 at 8:13 am
Only 2 of the leaders are self appointed…the others were all voted in by the congregation.
August 4th, 2008 at 8:45 am
Um, where in my post does it say don’t ask God for anything? I’ve never thought that or preached that. Maybe you’re just reaching for arguments sake, which is cool I guess. But yes I do believe that we need to pray and ask God to meet our daily needs. God is my best friend. I am in conversation with Him hourly. On the flip side I also believe that He is 100% sovereign, so if He doesn’t want me to have it, I’m not going to get it.
But to clarify, this post was meant to point out the wrong thinking that many MFI type churches preach…namely that we have to faithfully serve the church in order to receive good things from the Father. This parable shows us that is not true. Everything has already been given to us through Christ’s death and resurrection. There is nothing more to do or earn. It’s all already ours. All we have to do is ask for it.
Ahhhh, you’re never going to get it. And I know you are just trying to get under everyone’s skin and stir it up a bit. And that’s cool if you think you need to be the guy on the other shoulder keeping us in check. But as Cat said, do it with some substance or please don’t do it at all. This blog does not exist for you. You have no idea how many emails I’m getting from people who really like what we have to say and are being impacted by our focus here. Remember, there are too sides to every coin.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
JM is one of the many (legion).. need to say GET THEE BEHIND ME SATAN… vote him off the island
August 4th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
The Reformer said:
Um, where in my post does it say don’t ask God for anything? I’ve never thought that or preached that. Maybe you’re just reaching for arguments sake, which is cool I guess. But yes I do believe that we need to pray and ask God to meet our daily needs. God is my best friend. I am in conversation with Him hourly. On the flip side I also believe that He is 100% sovereign, so if He doesn’t want me to have it, I’m not going to get it.
ME:
Ok, I agree with that - it’s just not what I saw at Sovereign Grace - I hate to keep picking on them - BUT - from my discussions with reformed friends who have left SG, SG isnt necessarily the best example of the reformed doctrine. So I wasnt addressing your article per se, I guess I was trying to figure you reformed ones out.
At SG, I was taught to accept my lot whatever that may be because who am I but a lowly sinner who deserved God’s wrath. So anything I received this side of His wrath was His grace. We pretty much heard that every Sunday at SG. BSBSBSBSBSBS!!!!
As God’s Child, I reject that false humility crap - it’s not biblical. So yeah, no asking God for anything because you’re a worthless, pathetic sinner who deserves to rot in hell for eternity.
I also agree with your assessment of the MFI churches - Grace is unmerited favor = nothing we do will earn us anything from God.
And Reformer - keep up the good work, this is a great blog.
August 4th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
JAIAM,
BTW, just because the blog moderator’s use names like “Reformed Pope” and “Reformer” doesn’t mean they are Reformed or Calvinistic. I don’t think their name was spawned out of any particular theological camp. I think, (and you guys “RP/R” can correct me if I’m wrong) are trying to look at the theological underpinnings of what is taught in Christendom and challenge it biblically. JAIAM, as soon as you start aligning or pigeon holing people into a particular camp, i.e. “MFI, SGM, calvanism, arminianism, etc..” it’s too easy avoid bible biblical text that teach radical sovereignty and radical human freedom all at the same time!
August 4th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
JM said: Starting to look like a frustrated preacher who wants to do an online church.
Wherever two or more are gathered…….
August 5th, 2008 at 5:50 am
Good topic, Reformer. I’m also reminded of the parable of the workers in Matthew 20. The workers who started early in the day got paid the same as those who started in the afternoon. Of course the early birds were upset that they didn’t get more than the latecomers. Jesus’ point was that God chooses to give everyone complete Grace regardless of how hard we seem to work for it, and he doesn’t play favorites.
Most Christians have some weird & confusing ideas about the verse…
I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve heard pastors and teachers twist this verse into explaining some really odd behavior and favoritism in the church. In the context of this parable, the real meaning is that God sees everyone equally and no one gets ahead of anyone else in terms of some kind of spiritual pecking order. We all get the same Grace and no one is more deserving than anyone else.
August 5th, 2008 at 8:12 am
Ok, makes more sense to me now. I visited a SGM church for awhile and they had some good things going. They had a lot of questionable stuff too, that’s why we didn’t stick around.
Exactly. I have no theological alignments. I just serve Jesus. My reformation is not from any particular doctrine but from mainstream American Christianity. I’m tired of seeing people manipulated, lied to, and cheated out of their time and money all in the name of God. I’m just trying to be a voice against corruption.
Amen!
August 5th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Negrodamus said:
JAIAM, as soon as you start aligning or pigeon holing people into a particular camp, i.e. “MFI, SGM, calvanism, arminianism, etc..” it’s too easy avoid bible biblical text that teach radical sovereignty and radical human freedom all at the same time!
Me:
good point - I’ll take that to heart - I like anything radical! I’ll stop pigeon holing Christians, I personally dont fit ANY box so I’ll have to extend grace here.