The time after World War 2 has seen the
greatest number of people leaving Church in history. But I believe that the
first harvest of the second rain will bring millions of these prodigal sons and
daughters back to God.
For hundreds of years, the state church
system in Europe kept people within the influence of Christianity, and most
people believed in God and Jesus as the Savior of the world. Their lives didn't
always reflect that belief, but neither do our lives always reflect our belief.
But, today's Western world is full of
people who used to go to church—many years ago. Perhaps their parents or
grandparents were church regulars, but they dropped the church after they left
school.
But God sees these people still as part of
His family—His lost sheep. They might not see themselves as His children, but
God has promised to love everyone that loves Him to a thousand generations!
Unfortunately, many churches today are
managed by the 'older brother' of the Prodigal Son story— the one that stayed
behind to look after the family business, the one that never quite grasped the
Father's love.
Many people have criticized the Toronto
Blessing, or the Father's Blessing, as an ineffective movement. Why should we
spend so much time in experiencing God's love?
Put perhaps it has all been about healing the older brother's heart so
that he would be able to receive the prodigal son.
Let's look at the story about the prodigal
son in Luke 15:11-32 again.
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 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. 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.’”
The older brother had never understood that
the Father loved him. And that's the biggest stumbling block in churches. Most Christians have never understood how much
God loves them; hence they are unable to extend that love to others.
In most churches, the Father isn't there at
the door, welcoming the prodigal son, but the entrance there is blocked by the
older brother who won't make the welcome of the prodigal son comfortable.
In the last few years, God has given me the
opportunity to work with many people who have in some stage of their lives
'fallen from grace' in ministry. This has really taught me to understand the
Father's love for all people.
To me, disgraced ministers are perhaps the
most fitting version of the prodigal son story today. And yes, some of them
have done terrible things, but so had the younger son in Jesus' story. And so
have we!
It seems that Jesus was trying to create a
son the Jews of His time would have perceived as the most reprehensible person
on earth. Not only had he left the chosen nation of Israel; he had also wasted
his fortune with prostitutes, and was so low that he didn't even get the food
eaten by pigs that consumed refuse created by humans. The Jews weren't allowed
to eat pork, and Jesus said that here's someone who wasn't even allowed to eat
what the pigs ate!
God never stops hoping that even the most
disgraced minister or former believe would come back to Him. He wants to
restore both the abused and the abuser.
Make
space for the prodigal children
I believe that the next move of God in
Europe won't start with the coming of the un-churched to the churches, but with
the return of the prodigal children to churches. And later on these people will
bring their friends along, as they will see their life transformation.
Many of these prodigal children have a lot
of issues that we might find reprehensible, unless our hearts have been
transformed by the Father's love. Unless we let God's love transform our hearts
our church won't be a welcoming place for these people.
And, unless your church is a welcoming
place for the prodigal children, God will have to look for another church to care
for them. And trust me, if He can't find a suitable church in your town, He
will start another one! And then your church will be full of miserable,
unforgiving people, and the other church will be full of thankful, merciful and
compassionate people who understand the Father's love. And even you would
rather be in that other church.
It is time to pray that we would be ready
the return of God's prodigal children. When the first drops of the second rain will
begin to land on earth, they will begin to come to their senses, and consider
return to home. Please make sure that they will be welcomed with the love of
the Father rather than the older brother's indignation.
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