The Elder Brother has accepted the Father’s invitation and gone in to the party celebrating his younger brother’s return. This is my imagining:
IMMEDIATELY I notice this is a REALLY FESTIVE party. You can not imagine the feast that our Father has prepared. Really HUGE! My younger brother is the center of attention. He looks totally transformed by what my Father has done for him. I’ve got to rush over to him and let him know that I love him. But just as Esau rushed to fearful Jacob, my brother notices me and runs to me! All those years I looked down at him, and now he is running to me! He used to run away from my disdainful stares.
What a reunion. It was like we were small boys again! We both were sobbing, hugging, kissing. The merriment stopped as all eyes were upon us. Everyone knew that we did not get along. They probably were in awe of the scene. We stood there, embracing and the tears began flowing freely from our eyes. Then our Father joined in, and it seemed the dam broke. Such a reunion, all because of our Father’s love.
I wonder how long we will feast and hug and cry and kiss when we get to heaven. If this is any indication, what a truly amazing place it must be. I can’t believe I almost let my foolish pride keep me from accepting my Father’s invitation. I take a moment to look at the faces around us. Many of these people I would never have given the time of day.I certainly would not have invited them into MY HOUSE! But now I am hugging them, shaking their hands, REJOICING with them! Some of these folk are barely presentable, clothed in rags, dirty, stinky, but it doesn’t matter, we are CELEBRATING because of our Father’s Love and Provisions!
This Elder Brother thinks we will be amazed at the people we see at the Father’s Feast in Heaven. We will probably be even more amazed at who we do not see. One thing has been brought home to my heart: Jesus is a friend of sinners. Only sinners can realize how much He did for them. Elder Brother Types can let their pride and self-righteousness blind their heart to the Love of Jesus and prevent them from the “Sinners Relationship” with the Father!
Yes, Jesus and the Father are FRIENDS of SINNERS! The Self Righteous, those who are working for heaven are not welcome. As an Elder Brother Type I have often let my pride and self righteousness get in the way of this amazing relationship with God. Sinners who hold on to their sins miss out too. That is why Elder Brother Types must see Jesus Christ as a Friend of Sinners and start letting it impact the way we relate to people.
Watchman Nee wrote that when he saw Jesus as a Friend of Sinnershe started to see some unusual and even difficult people come to Jesus.
Once a young woman came up to him and started hitting him, saying she did not want to be “saved” by this Jesus. She was young and wanted to have a good time, and had no desire to leave her sinful ways. After she had exhausted her rantings, he said “Let’s pray”. “What on earth could I possibly pray?” she replied. Watchman Nee said: “I can’t be responsible for your prayer, but I will pray first, and then you tell the Lord Jesus all that you have been saying to me.”
“Oh, I couldn’t do that!” she exclaimed.
“Yes, you can. Don’t you know Jesus is the Friend of Sinners?”
She was touched and indeed did pray – a very non-typical prayer – but from that hour the Lord began to work in her heart.
Within a few days Nee says she was gloriously saved.
I’m with my younger brother now, and I’m on the look out for some more Friends for Jesus. Anyone want to Pray? Your language will not offend him. Your clothes will not offend him. Your behavior will not offend Him. He wants you to know that He is Your Friend. He wants to talk with you. He wants to feast with you!
Loving the Word with the MudPreacher 