The Parable of the Prodigal Son:  Repent, Return, Revive

The Parable of the Prodigal Son:  Repent, Return, Revive

A certain man had two sons, and the younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.” So he divided to them his livelihood; and not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent  all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself, 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.’” So 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! Then 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 celebrate. * Now his older son was out working in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. The servant said to him, “Your brother has come home; and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.” But then the older brother was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, “Lo, these many years, I have been serving you faithfully and never transgressed your commandments at any time; and yet you never gave me even a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.” Then his father said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should be glad and make merry, for this brother of yours was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.” (Luke 15:11-31)

“I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. (John 12:47) “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Luke 5:32) “The Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” (Luke 9:56) “The Son of Man has come to seek and to  save those who were lost.” (Luke 19:10)

“So rend your hearts and not your garments! Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and he relents from doing harm.” (Joel 2:13) * “Return to Me,” says the Lord of Hosts, “and I will return to you.” (Zechariah 1:3)

“The sacrifice God desires is a broken and contrite heart.” (Psalm 51:17) (See also the Parable of the Widow’s Two Mites in Luke 21:1-4 & the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke 18:9-14 * Sincerity & whole-hearted devotion)

“If that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the  disaster that I thought to bring upon it.” (Jeremiah 18:8) * “Should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than 120,000 persons?” (Jonah 4:11)

“I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel. .. I will put my law in their minds and write it in their hearts .. and their sin I will remember no more.” (Jeremiah 31:31-34) * This promise of a New Covenant in the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New Testament at the Last Supper when Jesus takes the cup of wine, gives thanks, and says, “Drink ye all of this, for this is my blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matthew 26: 27-28, Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20) * [JHK Note: It is important to realize that God desires not only individual repentance and salvation, but also national repentance and salvation. The USA today faces a critical choice: Repentance & Revival or Doom & Destruction.]