Luke 15:25-32

(Luke 15:25-32)

 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.  And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.  And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.  And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. 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.  It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. 』

 

 This is the last word in the parable of the prodigal son. This is what I say about my younger brother and my eldest son. Here, there are no words of repentance for sin. Only the father's love is mentioned. This verse is famous as an illustration of the God of love. Like the prayer of reception, many parables of the prodigal son are mentioned.

The reason for the parable of the prodigal son is in Luke 15:1, 『Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. 』Tax collectors and sinners are those who are condemned by all people. They came to Jesus. And in 15:2, ``And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. 』They accused Jesus. So, because the Pharisees criticized Jesus, Jesus said verses 3-4, saying, "And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave. the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? If you find it, you call your neighbors and friends to have a party. So, in verse 7 of this story, say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. It is mentioned here about repentance.

Then the parable of finding the lost drachma comes from verses 8-10, which means that it was lost inside the house, not outside. I found 『Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. 』. Again, repentance is mentioned.

What is repentance? Today, the meaning of repentance has changed from repent to receive. It changed from turning back to accepting. In the above parable, looking at the lost sheep and the lost drachma, the parable of finding the lost sheep is the parable that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is coming to this world. There are many who think that salvation is our return to the Lord. But it is not. The Lord came to this earth in the form of a son. There is no righteous man, so there is no one. No one is looking for God.

In the parable of the second drachma, the drachma is dead. In Ephesians 2:1, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; "The Bible says that all people are dead. It means that all people are dead by spirit. In chapter 2 verse 2, 『Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 』 They are dead to God because they follow the customs of the world. All those who are not Lord Jesus are dead. Even if you attend church, if you follow the world, the owner is the devil. Ephesians 2:3 says, “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 』

 These words say that they were not children of love, but children of wrath. However, since the parable of the prodigal son refers to the love of the father, he thinks of the God of love. The parable of the prodigal son is that the prodigal son returns to his father. Here in "This four brother died and alive, and I lost and gained", we have to think about what it means to be dead. The Lord does not love everyone, but loves those who have died and those who return alive. Those who die and return to life are those who are born again.

In the Bible, the tower suddenly collapsed at the tower of Siloam, and more than ten people passed by there died. It was so sad. Even today, many people die unjustly while passing by construction sites. But the disciples said to Jesus, "The dead are very sad because of the tower of Siloam." They said, "If you do not repent, you will die like that." It is wrong to say that God loves everyone.

It means that I am not saying that I love people who have not repented. People may think that receiving God's love makes them perfect. However, God's righteousness comes first. Those who do not have the righteousness of God do not deserve love. Those who have the righteousness of God only those who have died with Jesus Christ first have the righteousness of God. So what the sinner needs is not love, but righteousness. Because God is angry with those who do not have righteousness. That all men are by nature children of wrath

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It is said in Romans 1:17-18. 『For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; And Romans 2:5 says, "But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 』
This is what all humans are. Those who are not born again have their father the devil, and sinners become servants of the devil. That is why the Lord is angry. This is the righteousness of God. Those who do not preach the God of righteousness but only the God of love are Satan who disguises themselves as a bright angel. The Lord will destroy with fire.

Now the times are similar to those of Noah and Lot. People's thinking is evil since childhood, and they live in a time when they do not know the righteousness of God at all. Even in the church, it is difficult to find a person who has repentance that the physical self must die. It is said that they believe in Jesus by mouth, but very few are associated with Jesus' death. It is not the life in which the Lord is the master, but the false church members who live the life in which they are the Lord are gaining.

God is angry, but people are singing only the God of love. The book of Revelation says that those who do not wear the white clothes of righteousness will erase their name from the book of life. Jesus said, "Remember Lot's wife." But the church people may remember Lot's wife. Lot's wife loved the world, so she looked back and turned into a pillar of salt. We must look to the Lord to the end. Only those who look to the end will be able to cry out to repentance in search of the lost soul. Just as Noah shouts for righteousness, only those who shout for righteousness will look to the Lord to the end.