“It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ” Luke 15:32 NKJV
You might be familiar with the Parable of the Lost Son (Luke 15:11-32). A certain man had two sons. The younger asked for his livelihood, gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and then 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. But when he came to himself - sometimes a severe famine is needed to make us come to ourselves - he realizes that in his father‘s house there is plenty of food and he resolves to go back to repent and ask to be at least one of his father‘s servants.
“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.” Luke 15:18-19 NKJV (emphasis added)
But when he gets there, his father rejoices and receives him with a huge fest, like nothing happened. And that makes the older son to get jealous.
“So he answered and said to his father, ‘Look!, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry 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.’” Luke 15:29-30 NKJV (emphasis added)
Here are two sons, one is living in the house of the father and complies with all his law but lives like a servant. And a second one that blurred by the pleasures of this world, expended all and then have to live also, as a servant. Let me say this, and this is my personal opinion, we all tend to be servants. It is so very difficult for us to know and live like sons. But, this is what Jesus came to this world to change. He was criticized and even crucified because he lived and declared himself son of God, a son of the Father (John 5:17, Matthew 17:25-27, Luke 22:70). But this was the Father‘s will, so the rest of us could also live and declare ourselves “sons of God“.
“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:29 NKJV
I believe this parable represents the jews and the gentiles. The jews are the older son that have a hard time to let go their ceremonies and care about the things that the Father truly cares. And the younger son are the gentiles, that are lost and living in the blurriness of this world (II Cor 4:4), but as soon as this world gets to fails them, they’ll go back to the Fathers house. Please notice that they haven’t stopped being sons just because they are lost.
But, nowadays, there is a third character coming into the scene. The one that I call, “the third son”. Jesus church (Rom 11:17, Gal 4:5, Eph 1:5).
How do you think this story will continue? I imagine the second son waking up the next day after the huge festive, and since he acknowledge and see himself as a son, starts thinking about how to help his father business in the best way (Luke 2:49). Filled by a huge gratitud sentiment and sense of ownership, resolves to himself to care deeply about what the father cares. So he dresses all up and starts taking action about his father most pressing longings (I John 2:6). Imagine that he goes and have a chat with his father, asking him what he cares most, and then the father tells him there are another sons like him in far countries. Lost and living as he did. What do you think he would do? I believe he would get out from that meeting and promptly packs their things, takes a couple of servants with him and starts his journey to find them all. To bring them back to his father’s house.
“He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” I Joh 2:6 NKJV
Unfortunately this is not what is happening today. Our churches are filled with ex-prodigal sons, comfortably living in the house of the Father, not willing to get out to look for what is lost. Not willing to remember what they were before being cleaned up and dress up by the Father. Hiding scared about what is out there, not truly caring about the business of the Father, not at the point of getting out of comfort zones.
“So let’s go outside, where Jesus is, where the action is—not trying to be privileged insiders, but taking our share in the abuse of Jesus. This “insider world” is not our home. We have our eyes peeled for the City about to come. Let’s take our place outside with Jesus, no longer pouring out the sacrificial blood of animals but pouring out sacrificial praises from our lips to God in Jesus’ name.” Hebrews 13:13-15 MSG
And perhaps that’s the reason why God allows His church to be closed, so we can be spread out by force, and start bringing back what belongs to Him. Because the time has come, when is arising a severe famine in the land, and they will begin to be in want.
“Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Luke 10:2 NKJV