What do you celebrate?

Luke 15 The story of the prodigal son is very familiar but lest we only read that part of this chapter we are most negilent to the truth Jesus is teaching. He wants the audience to see what brings God glory and what causes men to celebrate. So what do you celebrate?  Do you celebrate the salvation of one God calls wicked and unrepentant who comes back to the fold?

The first part of this chapter is teaching that which is lost and then found we are to celebrate. The lost son is the capstone of all of this chapter. Yet, again we see two sons, one is obviously uncaring and unrepentant at the first. It took a major event to bring him to his knees. The father watches lovingly for his unrepentant son to return to the fold. Because he was faithful in the little, that is his prayer,  the son did indeed repent and the father called for a celebration. But what about the other son who had stayed home, was faithful to do what was commanded? Had he been praying for his brother? How did he respond to the arrival of his “wicked” brother? Did he celebrate? We see he did not so what is the lesson we can glean from him? You may have all the blessings God pours out but if you do not celebrate the unrepentant who comes to the Lord and is saved, you are worse for you had the blessings but only cared about yourself not  your brother. 

What about the father? How does he fit in this story? His life is one of celebration for both boys but was blindsided by the elder son’s response. How often is that us as well. Pray that God open your eyes to see the truth of those who are closest to you. 

How often does one celebrate our own life but we fail to honor that celebration of another family member who returns?