We can be as close to the Lord as we want but it can’t be done our own way. We can’t be a Christian according to our terms. We must meet God’s conditions. We must accept what Jesus did for us and him as Savior to be born again into the household of God. We are children of God. We have blessings now, but we have an inheritance to come. The story of the prodigal son is in Luke 15. It’s illustrative of an actual event that was probably typical time and time again in many generations.
We have been the prodigal, lost before we accepted Jesus. What a wreck of a life we had until we came to ourselves and saw there was a place to go. By calling on the Lord, we came home. Since we’ve been saved, that prodigal spirit can have its way if we let it.
The first question the prodigal asked is what I want to talk about. Why don’t we have heaven now? How much would we give for a glimpse? How often we long for a glorified body and to be out of this place of human existence. We learn the hard way why we don’t have it now. This father didn’t intend for his sons to have their inheritance at that time, but the son wanted it anyway.
Luke 15: 11 And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12 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.13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 29 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:30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.32 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.
Why no inheritance now? Why not heaven now? We’d all like to have heaven in this life. It doesn’t work that way. God knows best. As the heavenly Father we need to trust his judgment because he never lets us down. Even in the roughest moments with my dad and being aggravated with him, I never gave it a thought that he felt that way too. I’m sure my ingratitude cut him to the heart. We can and should change how we treat God and do better than we are. He’s good to us. Through our adoption into the family, we are his children and joint heirs with Christ.
We are like this prodigal and his older brother. What we have now is more than we realize. We read about the blessings but sometimes feel we need more. That can make us not appreciate what we have. The younger son made the mistake in asking for his inheritance. It belonged to him and would have been released upon his father’s death or at his father choosing. He had this big idea that how he had it was not enough. The father taught both his sons a lesson. Sometimes we have to learn the hard way because of our carnal self-will. The father divided the portion to his sons and not many days after that the younger son left home. He went where he shouldn’t have and wasted his portion. The wicked of the world drained him dry. He got a job feeding swine for strangers. The older brother received his part but stayed home. He let it go to his head. He became rebellious and angry at his father.
Every blessing is timed just right. When you get saved, you are fully saved. As far as getting what God promises for the future, you don’t get it now. Both sons had more than enough to keep them happy. Many accuse God of being slack, but he always comes through and is willing to if we let him. Regardless of how rough this life is, as a child of God, we are in his household and surrounded by enough good, enough safety to get us through. This man let his sons learn a hard lesson. They had bread enough and to spare. They had a responsibility as sons just as we do as children of God. We are not to live the way we used to. Realize what you have and who made you what you are in Christ.
Beware of what others seem to enjoy. It’s a work of the devil to make you feel restrained, like you’re not having a good time. I thought I was having a good time but found after I got saved that I didn’t know what that was until salvation. The more I lived it up, the more dead I felt. The world offers to help you find yourself. It offers to put you in control, but you just get farther from God. This son was bored with what he had. It wasn’t the father’s fault. I’d rather be in God’s house on any given day than in the world. Be an insider with God.
Many things were forbidden to me by my parents. It was for my own good. The father knew best, but the son still took off. As happened to him, it will happen to you. The world will tear you apart, away from the Father’s house. Having his total inheritance was not necessary because of what he already had. He was a son, not a servant. As children of God, let’s act like it and look like it in every way. Reflect the Father. It is far better to be a child of God. We have far more than by being whatever you think you want. You’ll end up alone, lost, and without hope.
Regardless of how you have misused God in the past, be thankful that you can come home. This prodigal decided to give it a try. In our natural state we fail. God knows we’d waste it or get proud like these two sons did. Never leave the Father. Stay within the perimeters of family and the house. Be thankful for a God like our God. He’s a good father. If you need correction, let him do it. What we have now and what we have to come is worth it. The Bible asks us what it would profit us to gain the whole world and lose our soul. Your position with God is more valuable than anything else.
Let’s not make the mistake the prodigal made. He was selfish. He didn’t enjoy what the father was doing for him in the present. He left and came back ragged and dirty. He said Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. The father told them to get the beef ready and cook up the beans and taters for a feast. His son that was dead was home. He was lost but now he was found. Clean him up. Put a robe on him.
Stop now. Don’t make the mistake. Don’t think about what you might be missing out on but what you are in on. It’s good now and can only get better.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 