30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 15 11-32 To seek and the save the lost - The prodigal son 02 We are here by His grace and grace alone
📖 Luke 15:11-32
13Feb2020 - *We are here by His grace and grace alone* - _Luke 15:11-32_ - Bible reading: _Deuteronomy 21:16-17_
_Luke 15:11-12 Then 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 falls to me.' So he divided to them his livelihood._
We must keep in mind that the Lord is giving these three parables in Luke 15 to the Pharisees and teachers of the law, who thought that they had no need for repentance. Friends, there is just one way to come into a relationship with God. All of us, whoever we may be, have to enter through that door of repentance from our ‘self’ and by surrendering to the lordship of Christ, over us. We have to come to the place of total dependence and trust in Jesus. If we don’t, we cannot enter into eternal life.
The Father divided to *them* his livelihood. This means that the elder brother knew what was happening and he knew that his father had been fair in the dividing of the property, for he received his share of the wealth of his father as well at this time.
We can be sure that the father divided the wealth on the basis of the norms that were in place, in such matters. _Deuteronomy 21:16-17 then it shall be, on the day he bequeaths his possessions to his sons, that he must not bestow firstborn status on the son of the loved wife in preference to the son of the unloved, the true firstborn. (17) But he shall acknowledge the son of the unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his._ We will not get into the matter of the wives, for we know that in the beginning, God instituted marriage for a man and his wife, not wives. It was sin that caused this depravity. Nevertheless, in the matter of passing on of parental legacy to the children, the first born gets a double portion. What we can understand is that the elder brother not only has received his portion but he received a double portion. We will keep this thought in mind, when we come to the end of the parable.
Now, let’s consider the younger brother. We know in the story that he came back after wasting his possessions. When he came back, can he claim anything anymore? No...he has already taken his share. He comes back to only be cast entirely on his father’s grace. This is what the younger son came back to. He returns only to be dependent on the grace of the father.
Friends, let us understand that this is how it has to be for us, from the beginning, in our relationship with God. We can claim nothing before God. We are here to live our lives with gratitude and thanksgiving to God, for His grace by which He has given His all to us.
_Psalm 24:1 A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD's, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein._ The world is the Lord’s and all who dwell in it. Today, we have people, who question and mock at the existence of God. They claim to be so knowledgeable that they think that believing in God and trusting Him is a sign of weakness. The Bible says, _Psalm 14:1 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good._
_Psalm 100:3 Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture._ We are here by His grace and grace alone.
*Thought to ponder*
```How wonderful it is to be cast upon Him.```