The Prodigal Son (Part 1)

Before I begin, let me explain what I am beginning. A while back, I read the parable of the prodigal son in Luke. Now that I'm out of school I've decided to do a more in depth study of the passage. Because it's a rather large chunk of scripture, this is going to be more than a one part blog. How many parts, I don't know. For tonight, we're gonna have sort of an introduction.

Here it is--

Luke 15:
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”3 So he told them this parable:4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
The Parable of the Lost Coin
8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The Parable of the Prodigal Son
11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons.12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them.13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him,29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’” (ESV)

I am aware of the fact that this is a huge passage. But please read the whole thing. The context is especially important to truly understanding what this parable is talking about. And yes, I am aware that all of you are capable of taking a reference and going to look it up yourself. But, on the other hand, if it were me, I would tell myself, "go look it up later," and later would probably never happen. So now you are all without excuse. I think just the passage is enough for tonight. After all, it is rather long, and I don't want you all to lose patience with me. More to come soon.

If you followed a link to get here, you're probably going to want to go here next:
Part 2

My Graduation Party

This last Saturday, I had my graduation party. It went pretty well with only a couple of mishaps, but it was a lot of fun and the mishaps weren't a big deal. Okay, a few. Anyway, thanks to everyone who was able to make it; thank you cards are on the way, so if you read this, you should feel privileged to receive 2 thank yous (just kidding, unless you do feel that way). Special thanks to all the people that showed up early for music and other preparation. Also, special thanks to mom and dad for all the organizing, set-up, and food prep. It couldn't have happened without you. Thanks.

So as for the mishaps:

Number 1: the cake.
We ordered two sheet cakes, both white and blue. The first round, they both came out neon yellow and purple. Needless to say, they got to redo the cakes. After redoing the cakes, one came out white and blue, and the other came out yellow and purple. We put the white and blue one out and hid the other one. on the positive side, the white and blue one was the chocolate cake. On the negative side, I didn't get a piece of my own chocolate graduation cake. We have a whole yellow and purple vanilla cake leftover. Anyway, it all worked out okay and I got a piece of chocolate cake today, so it's all good.

Number 2:
I claim full responsibility for this one. So we all decided to try out the long jump. Unfortunately, I was a bit of an overachiever and jumped over the long jump sand pit. In case you aren't keeping score, that's a bad thing. It means that instead of landing in the nice soft sand, I landed on the nice solid ground. My ankle still hurts a little bit, but the limp is just about gone. The dirt streak up the back of my shirt rubbed off fairly easily.

Number 3:
During the party, the weather was great. It was warm, but not too warm, and it was sunny. After the party, it started to rain. This wouldn't have been a problem, except for the sound equipment that we had to get home in the back of the truck. A quick trip over to Wal-Mart and the purchase of a jumbo sized tarp later, we were on our way home safe and dry (thanks mom).

To sum it up, it was a great party, and I wouldn't change a thing (except maybe the long jump incident; see Number 2).

Done, for Good

As of today, I am officially done. I am done with Spanish, done with high school, and done with South Puget Sound Community College; and it is amazing.

That will be all. Thank you.

Almost Free

Well, this month has turned out to be an extremely busy one. Thankfully, as of this coming Wednesday, I will be done with classes with my Spanish final. Tomorrow I have a piano final. Fortunately, my teacher's already heard me play Fur Elise, and it didn't make her scream in agony, so that should be okay. I have an astronomy final Tuesday, but since I have one "free" test for that class, I'm not too worried about it. The only one I'm really AT ALL worried about is the Spanish final Wed., but even that shouldn't be TOO bad.

Humble Pie

Luke 14:7-11
7 And He {began} speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor {at the table;} saying to them,8 "When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him,9 and he who invited you both shall come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place.10 "But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher'; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you.11 "For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted."(NAS)

This passage is actually closely related to my last blog. The message of this passage goes far beyond good manners at a banquet. If I do something for my own benefit, or my own glory, I am going to be fail-sauce (don't ask). In other words, the ending is not going to be good. Proverbs talks about the fate of a prideful man often. And I would say there's a major connection between those exalting themselves and those that are prideful.

Prov 11:22 When pride comes, then comes dishonor, but with the humble is wisdom.(NAS)
Prov 16:18 Pride {goes} before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling.(NAS)
Prov 29:23 A man's pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.(NAS)

All three of these verses are really saying similar things. And they all have similar messages to Jesus' parable in the passage from Luke. Pride and self-exaltation come before dishonor. The way to gain honor is to show humility, not seek honor. In human terms, it all seems a little backwards, but that's how it works.

Here is another passage from Proverbs with a slightly different emphasis:

Prov 8:13 "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way, and the perverted mouth, I hate.(NAS)

In this passage, the one speaking is wisdom (see Prov. 8:12). To be wise and fear God includes hating pride and arrogance.

The bottom line of this post: we all, especially me, need to eat some humble pie every once in a while. And if I may make a suggestion: learning about how amazingly awesome God is by reading His word is a great way to culture humility.