Beyond the Weekend: Parables
The stories Jesus told and what they mean for your life today.
Why did Jesus teach in stories? Because the deepest truths about God are often found in the ordinary moments of life.
In the parables, Jesus takes everyday things, a lost sheep, a dinner party, a farmer planting seeds and uses them to show us what God is really like and what it means to follow him.
This summer, we’re spending seven weeks in the parables from Luke’s gospel. Whether you’ve heard these stories a hundred times or this is your first time, you’re invited to come and hear them fresh.
June 27/28–August 8/9
The Father’s Heart
Read: Luke 15:11-32 | Listen: Luke 15
But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15:20b
Jesus uses parables to teach people about God and the human heart. In the parable of the prodigal son, Jesus tells of two sons—one who openly rebels and one who carefully follows the rules. The younger son demands his inheritance, leaves home, and wastes everything. This would bring great shame upon the family, and people would expect the father to reject his son if he returns. Instead, the father watches and waits. While his son is still far away, he sees him, feels deep compassion, runs to him, hugs him, and welcomes him home. The father does not wait for an apology before showing love. His first response is compassion.
This is the heart of God. God’s love is not earned by our good behavior or lost because of our failures. He is holy and just, yet he is also full of mercy and compassion. He patiently calls us back to himself and delights when we return. Jesus came to show us exactly what the Father’s love is like. Through him, we see a God who welcomes the rebel and the rule follower, restores the broken, and never stops loving us. His love is steady because it is based on who he is, not on what we do. God’s love is never coerced. Rather, it is constant, patient, and welcoming.
TODAY: Read Luke 15:20 again. Spend a few quiet minutes picturing the father running to his son. Thank God for his compassion, and ask him to help you trust his love and show that same compassion to someone else today.
