Luke 15

Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. 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. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there 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.Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 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.”’

“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put iton 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.

“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’

“But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, 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.’

“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 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.’”

How many sons did you see?

Two? Did you see the third son?

Interpreting Scripture – there are layers and context, look at the beginning word..."Then he said". Jesus is telling the parable but he is also the hero of the story being told by Luke. In Luke's gospel narrative he is the third son...the son telling a story about sons.

Luke tells a story about Jesus telling a story about...

• The son who ran away with his inheritance and returned as a servant
• The son who stayed at home as a servant and didn’t enter his inheritance
• Jesus is the son who tells the story, who came as a servant in his inheritance

First son’s mistake was infatuation with the product of relationship – his inheritance – this led to breakdown in relationship with the Father.

• Father said “he was dead”
• One of the inheritances he neglected was relationship with the Father, his role as a son
• It’s about what we can get sometimes-
  • Even his return home was self-serving, he was hungry
• It abuses the goodness of God the Father
• We can easily fall into this as Christians, especially those in ministry:- become infatuated with gifting, ministry, position etc. and neglect the source - the Father
• Ultimately, without connection with the Father the "inheritance" dwindles - this Christian's testimony is ancient history. There is nothing fresh from the Father.

Second son’s mistake – maintained a servant relationship with the Father, but he didn't enter into the Fathers goodness as a son, he could not see the Goodness of the Father, and begrudged the son who did. The Father told you could have had a fatted calf at anytime..."all I have is your's". Yet for some reason wasn't able to live that reality.

• This son is loyal, faithful and great at service but had missed something crucial about the Fathers nature
• That’s the religious tendency of people - we only accept what we believe we deserve. And apply that to others
• There is no room for a generous, gracious, loving Father
• It denies the goodness of God the Father
• This Christin resents the testimony of others

The first one was a son who needed to learn servant-hood
The second was in servant-hood, need to learn son-ship

The Third son – Jesus - walked in and ministered (served) from God’s goodness (inheritance).
He maintained relationship with the Father, and out of this reality power flowed.

As the son Jesus became the servant. He changed the world.

Saved => Servant / Son

As we grow in our faith we first encounter Christ as Saviour and soon learn He is Lord too. We go from sin awareness to becoming aware that there is a plan and purpose to our lives. We move from salvation focus to service and ministry. But the is a catch. We don't serve as servant - we serve as sons and daughters of the King.

This is a key distinction which cannot be emphasised enough... 

• A son can serve, but a servant cannot earn son-ship
• The rules are different. Consider a servant having a bad dream vs a child. There is different access to Dad.
• A servant earns wages - this is the nature of their relationship. The nature of a son or daughters relationship is their identity to Dad.

Our call is to walk in a relationship with God the Father, in the inheritance of Jesus Christ.

The silent years of Jesus

Jesus grew from childhood to adult ministry - What was happening in the in between years? Why so long a silence?
This period is framed between Jesus being “in My Father’s house”, and His baptism with Father speaking from heaven “This is my Son…”
His identity comes from God the Father

• Jesus was growing in “favour” with God – relationship between son and father
• Jesus disciples us in “son-ship”, to relate to God as Father – “Our Father in Heaven…”
• In service Jesus does what I see My Father do

Abiding with the father is the end goal of Jesus ministry. This is what He wants to teach us all. The destination of His ministry

He didn't just make this stuff up on the day or as part of his ministry. He didn't pull it out of thin air – He is describing a reality he lived in. A real relationship.
His offer is to prepare us for, and usher us into the reality He walked in. As sons and daughters in relationship with God the Father.

These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.

John 16

And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword;
In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me,
And made Me a polished shaft;
In His quiver He has hidden Me.

Isaiah 49:2 

There is a hidden-ness where God makes his arrows. Jesus was hidden for much of His life. There is a process of making, preparation we also go through. This is a large part of God's work in our lives...

• Arrows are bent, needs heat and a process to straighten them out
• There is a time where He draws the arrow out to shoot it
• Before Jesus walked in His inheritance he grew in son-ship. From Son-ship He entered servanthood.
• No matter how much you mow my lawns etc it doesn't make you family
• No matter if my child does or doesn't mow the lawns doesn't’t change the family reality
• A mature son will walk in the Fathers authority and have responsibility