Read: Luke 14-15
Marked: Luke 15:22-24, “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put [it] on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on [his] feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill [it,] and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.”
People struggle to understand how anyone convicted of a heinous crime, say murder, could ever be forgiven by God. The story of the Prodigal Son explains why.
Committing a heinous crime confirms the sinfulness of a person. We see murder, rape, or genocide as unforgivable. But lying, stealing, and lust as lesser sins. But the penalty for all sin is death and these lesser sins confirm we are sinners as much as anyone else.
The Bible says we are dead in sins and trespasses, but when we receive Jesus Christ we are made alive in Jesus (Ephesians 2:1). The father of the prodigal said of his son, “For this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found (V24). And 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” (V32).
Hear the words of Jesus, “Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The Bible Blog 