What is true power of godliness Why Elder son not know really loved by Father Artwork

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What is true power of godliness Why Elder son not know really loved by Father

October 12, 2022 • Nancy Teague • Episode 36

0:00 | 7:29

E36 The elder son had a false identity that was wrapped up in works. All his hard work blinded him from how really loved by his father. His works were like idols. Jesus trying to help us see what idols can be and was confronting the Pharisees with theirs as they listened to the Prodigal son parable. The kind father to his wayward son and judgmental son is a jaw-dropping picture of our heavenly Father. So many distractions blind us to our magnanimous generous Father.

36E TRANSCRIPT Elder son false identity Jesus reveals idols What is deny power of godliness Parable of two sons shows true heavenly Father

www.crazygoodgod.org

Nancy Teague

nancy@crazygoodgod.org

Oct 12, 2022

Hey, welcome to crazy Good God podcast. I'm Nancy Teague and thanks for listening.

Jesus’ parable about the father and his two sons is an eye opener. No matter what the father’s sons do or don't do, the father wants them close.

00:28 Let's look at the elder son. Hard worker, diligent, faithful in the jobs that he had to do. His works and ableness were his identity. Hard worker is positive, right? But Jesus reveals a judgmental, self- justifying fault-finding elder son. The elder son’s measure of success through work meant there's no time for real relationship.

00:56 What hit me about the elder son was he had made idols out of his lifestyle of works and performance. His whole energy and focus were on things and doing. No wonder he could fly off the handle about the father's lavish welcome home to the prodigal.

01:16 It also seems to me the elder son had a form of godliness. He was upright, worked hard, but denied its power. What does that mean - deny its power? Jesus shows us the real power of true godliness in the parable father - nonjudgmental, absolute acceptance, limitless generosity, valuing being not behavior, long-suffering, celebrating others who fail. The elder son wanted nothing of this kind of power.

01:53 Can you see how Jesus was smashing all the Pharisees idols as they were listening to this parable? Idols of good works, rules, laws, rituals, judging sinners, self-righteous indignation, self-justifying, being seen and thought well of. Jesus in effect was saying to them – ‘You do not know God.’

02:18 Now here's a shocker that I discovered in what the elder son said to his father after he learned about the prodigal being honored. He says, “Lo, these many years I have been serving you” (the Greek word for serving means to serve as a slave, to willingly give over the right to self govern.) The elder son saw himself as a servant, not a son. His works owned and enslaved him!

02:54 The elder son continued. “I never transgressed, never neglected, never disregarded your commandment.” Hmm, was he deceived in thinking there was a commandment? “And yet you never gave me a goat, he goes on to say, “that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours (And the word son here means descendant of yours) who devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.”

03:28 The father's response? “My son,( the Greek for that son is child), my child, you are always/at all times with me.” (The word ‘with’ in the Greek means a with that expects a change, it results from being with, it looks forward to the after effect.) In essence, the father believed change would happen because his son was with him.

03:54 The father then says, and this is a Greek phrase, so we really understand it, ‘and all that I have, all that is mine, yours I am.’ The father was saying, ‘All of me is yours, nothing is held back.’

04:11 The father continues, “It was right (that word right in the Greek means absolutely necessary, fitting, inevitable) that we should make merry.” (the Greek for that phrase ‘make merry’ is a merry outlook based on a triumph of victory.) “That we should make merry and be glad for your brother was dead (in the Greek - lifeless, unable, powerless, unresponsive to life-giving influence) and is alive!”

04:47 Jesus is saying about our Heavenly Father – ‘Son, daughter - you are always with me. And all that I have, all that I am is yours.

05:00 By the way, why do you think the father never gave the elder son a young goat? The son worked hard, took care of the farm. Wouldn't the father have noticed that and be proud of him? Well, I think it's because the father knew the elder son thought he earned and deserved it.

05:19 You know what? What God has for us is free. Free! All we do is receive. That's hard to get because we've been told you have to do something. That's a lie. Grace isn't earned or achieved. Grace is freely and joyfully given. In fact, the Greek root word for grace is joy.

05:44 One more thought - the father went to both of his sons. He didn't make them come to him. However, religious Christianity says you have to go and do something to get right with God. In the parable, Jesus is showing us the father going to us. Like he can't resist not going to us! He's always going to us.

06:07 The father running, grabbing, hugging, kissing profusely his wayward prodigal son. and then the elder son, who was distant and wayward because of his self-righteous ways - stayed outside the party. The father leaves the party, comes out to the elder son, standing there in all his judgmentalism, negativity and murmuring, critical of father and prodigal. But this gracious, kind father pleads with him to come into the party.

06:37 To join in the fun would mean the elder would have to die to his false identity and idols. He would have to die to lies that he believed. In the parable, Jesus doesn't tell us what the elder son decided. But, “Love never fails. God is faithful even when we are faithless.”

06:56 My goodness, what lies Jesus exposed and what truths he revealed about God, about our Heavenly Father in this parable. May He give you eyes to see His magnanimous acceptance and delight in you and everyone.

Until next Wednesday, Bliss to you and never forget God is absolutely crazy about you!

References: Lk 15:11-32 Lk 15:28-32 2Tim 3:5 Lk 15:2,3 2Tim 1:9 Eph 1:7-9 Lk 15:20