Soft Hearts

This week we will reflect on soft-heartedness and hard-heartedness in the story of Jonah. We’ll see a picture of turning to God, fleeing from God, repenting before God and being angry with God. As we study, we will ask God to soften our hearts toward Him and toward others.

STUDY THE SCRIPTURE

Click here to access the reading from Luke 15:11-32

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View today’s sermon after 12 p.m. here 

Use these Sermon Notes for your family and/or small group discussions.

REFLECTION

What’s Fair After All?

by Elaine Pierce

  

“’My son,’” the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”  Luke 15:31-32

“It’s not fair. It’s MY turn!!”

 

Did your children ever say this when referring to their siblings? Did you ever say this as a child? Of course you did! As mature adults, we’ve put such immature, selfish behaviors behind us, haven’t we? We wouldn’t dream of crying “not fair” to a spouse, a friend, a work colleague. Would we?

Of course not, at least not out loud, or so blatantly.  But deep down, this selfish sin of “me first” is rooted deeply in all of us. Today’s passage is commonly known as the Parable of the Prodigal Son, and the younger son indeed is guilty of squandering his father’s fortune on sinful living. He repents and begs his father to forgive him. But what does the older brother think of this? The older brother (somewhat justifiably, we think) is furious. The younger brother has messed up – he deserves to be punished.

 

But what does the Father do? He has a party for him! He runs down the lane to greet his long-lost son! He welcomes him home with rings on his fingers and all the best foods and music. How unfair! He doesn’t deserve this.

 

No, he doesn’t. And neither do we deserve any of the good gifts our Father so freely bestows on us. 

You may not be a prodigal. You may have lived a good Christian life from the time you could recite the Lord’s prayer. You may have never missed a day of church or Sunday School. You may tithe and you may serve the poor. You may lead others to Christ. But all your good works aren’t the reason you will be in heaven. You will be there because Jesus, the son of the Holy God, paid the price for you once and for all. In fact, there will be lots of surprises in heaven – who knows, you may find yourself greeting the prodigal son – welcoming him into the kingdom. 

Before we say “It’s not fair,” let’s remember to thank God that he doesn’t judge us on our good works, but on our love for the savior and our willingness to ask for forgiveness and ask him to take charge of our lives.

UALC’S CAMPAIGN OF PRAYER - SUNDAY 

SCRIPTURES - Pray the Scriptures. Some examples are Psalm 91:1-15 / Psalm 121:5-8 / John 14:27 / Philippians 4:6-7 / 2 Timothy 1:7