1116 - Understanding God's Love and Blessings#
1116 - Understanding God's Love and Blessings
(JP Text Group - Organized by Yun Dan Feng Qing)
Luke 15:11-32: The passage is quite long, so we will only read verses 31-32:
31 The father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours; 32 but we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’
Let’s pray together:
Loving Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you for your grace, and we thank you for allowing us to gather here to worship and praise you. You are the Lord who blesses us, and you are willing to give us your blessings, so we can live a victorious life with you. At this time, please help us to know you more. We are willing to take root in your word and understand your love more, and recognize the beauty of Christ. May the Holy Spirit fill each of our hearts, renew our minds, and help us build correct faith in your word. Bless this time, we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!
The topic we are sharing: Understanding God's Love and Blessings
In Luke 15:11, it mentions: A man had two sons. We will start sharing about the Father's love from this verse. This man is our Heavenly Father, but who are these two sons? What are their names?
I have named these two sons, the elder son is called Law, although his name is not actually Law; he simply lives under the law; the younger son is named Grace. Of course, he did not initially understand the Father's grace. It was only after going through suffering that he came to know grace.
Both of these sons did not recognize their father's grace. Because they did not recognize it, they were unwilling to live according to their father's wishes. Today, there are many people who, although they are called children of God, do not understand the grace of Jesus and do not recognize the heart of the Father. This is truly unfortunate. God reveals Jesus Christ to us, hoping that we will know Jesus Christ more, recognize His beauty, and follow Him.
The first point of sharing: Leaving God is the worst decision
Let’s first talk about the younger son. The younger son knew that his father loved him, but he did not respect his father while at home and indulged in grace. Ultimately, he left his father with his inheritance. In reality, he left the source of grace. John 15:5 specifically mentions: I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
The younger son dared to ask his father for things, which is a good thing. Because he knew he was a son. He also knew that what belonged to his father was his. But he fell from grace. He only wanted blessings, not the father.
In verse 12: The younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
Today, many people do not dare to ask the Father God, feeling that their behavior is not good enough, or when they ask, they are afraid that God will not give, and they fear that it is a vain request! This is not the heart of a son, but the heart of a servant. Since we call out Abba Father, we should believe that He loves you and is willing to bless you.
One good thing about the younger son is that he never asked his father based on his behavior, simply because he knew he was a son. So he confidently said, “Give me my share of the estate.” If he were under the law, he probably wouldn’t even dare to say this.
In Israel, inheritance is usually divided after the father dies, according to the father's will, with the firstborn receiving a double portion and the other sons receiving equal shares. The younger son said, “Please give me my share of the estate.” But this violated the law. Because saying this while the father is still alive is equivalent to wishing for the father to die soon. According to the law at that time, the father had the authority to hand this unruly son over to the elders at the city gate, and this son would undoubtedly die.
Although the son disrespected him, the father loved this son and still divided the property for them.
When you pray to the Father God, you only need to have faith to ask. The reason is simple: because you are His children, He is your Father, and this is a relationship of love. He is willing to give you good things. But at the same time, we should not learn from the younger son to lack reverence for the father. We must be cautious in this regard.
In verse 13: Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.
When the father divided the inheritance for the younger son, he already knew the son’s thoughts, but why did the father still give it to him? Because the father loved him! Because the father’s love never left this son, he gave this son the right to choose freely, so he divided the estate for him. When this son left home, the father did not stop him because the father loved him. He respected his choice. He gave him freedom, just like the freedom we have in Jesus Christ. The younger son’s problem was that he did not recognize the father’s love and blessings, so he chose the wrong path, leaving his father and losing continuous supply. Failure was inevitable; at least up to this point, the younger son had not learned how to manage the estate. It is the same for people who live on earth away from God.
The younger son left his father and went to a distant country, and the result was that his life deteriorated, and he gradually lost everything, ultimately his life dried up. If the grapevine branch remains on the vine, the root continuously supplies water and nutrients, the branch remains lush and continuously supplied. When the grapevine branch leaves the vine, it is cut off; for a while, it may still be green, but after a few days, it will slowly wither and eventually dry up. The younger son, because he did not recognize the father’s love, left the source of blessings and ended up with nothing.
I want to ask the brothers and sisters, what can you boast about? Some say I am very beautiful, but in fifty or sixty years, can you still boast about your beauty? Some say my family is very wealthy, but if an economic crisis suddenly strikes and wealth disappears, what can you boast about?
When we leave the Lord Jesus, everything we can boast about becomes nothing. The world is built on an unstable foundation and will shake; if all of this is taken away, what can you still boast about? Christians are different; children of God are different. Even if everything in the world is lost—appearance, wealth, fame, etc.—we are still God’s beloved children, perfect and without blemish in His sight. He loves us forever. Because God is with us, what He gives us is eternal blessings.
When the younger son first left his father, he felt great; no one was binding him anymore, no one was nagging him, and no one was telling him to read the Bible, to pray, or to gather. He could finally do as he pleased and live freely.
Many people think that freedom means doing whatever they want, just like this younger son, living recklessly. To put it in today’s terms: being willful! No longer bound by anything, it seems he has truly gained freedom. He squandered his wealth, made many so-called friends, and everyone praised him, but the younger son discovered that all of this was temporary.
In verse 14: After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.
Soon, he ran out of money. Those “friends” who had sworn loyalty to him were nowhere to be found. Natural disasters and calamities gathered around the younger son. There was a great famine in that land, and he became poor. His life was worse than before.
Many people, after believing in Jesus, often ask: Why do hardships come upon me? I have already believed in Jesus; how can there be such misfortunes? Why do I often encounter setbacks?
Proverbs 29:1 A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.
If similar things keep failing, we should not persist; instead, we should turn to God and let Him give us a new path. Perhaps this path is wrong; if we have deviated from God’s word, we should turn back in time.
When bad things happen to you, what should you do? Should you choose to continue to endure? Or should you choose to turn back and return to Jesus Christ? Brothers and sisters who are listening to the sermon, if you are facing an environment like the younger son, it is better to turn back to God’s word and live according to God’s word. This is repentance.
For example, the Bible tells us not to stop gathering together. This is not a law for us, but a blessing! It is a blessing God gives us. God wants to strengthen us through gathering, give us revelation, and let us comfort and build each other up. If someone thinks that under grace, it doesn’t matter whether we gather or not, or whether we listen to the sermon or not, this is to walk the path of the younger son. Everyone must not follow this.
The younger son encountered a famine. This was a test of his life skills. Previously, the wealth he spent was given to him by his father. How would he get through this crisis? It is clear that the younger son’s life transitioned from grace to self-effort under the law. He had to be responsible for his own life.
Verses 15-16: So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
Having left the father’s supply, he could do nothing on his own. In a foreign land, there is no grace; one can only exchange hard work for food. That man had no compassion, no love for him.
Verse 17 mentions that he came to his senses. In the midst of life’s despair, he suddenly remembered how good life used to be. Many brothers and sisters, after leaving God and wandering in the world for years, when they think back to the time in the church, the love and encouragement they received from one another, this is the Holy Spirit guiding people back. The younger son came to his senses and said, “How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death?” He remembered his father.
Brothers and sisters, encountering difficulties is not scary; you should remember Jesus Christ. You should know that He is your salvation and repent, turning to God.
Verse 18 says: I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
At this point, the younger son did not truly repent; he could not bear the environment. He actually wanted to gain his father’s favor through his own efforts. But regardless of how he returned to God, even if he had requests or other motives in his heart, when he returned to the church, the Father God still accepted us. From verses 20-23, it is when the younger son truly recognizes the father’s love; when he sees his father in verse 20, that is when his heart truly turns back. The younger son recognizes grace when the father bestows grace upon him.
We share the second point: Recognize God’s grace towards you
From the moment a person is born until the end of life, God’s love has never left us; it is just that many times, people are unwilling to be under the protection of the Father, just like the Israelites in the Old Testament. God was particularly willing to be with them and bless them. However, they were unwilling.
The Bible mentions: I longed to gather you as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.
Matthew 23:37-39
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
This is what happens when people do not recognize the grace of the Father; they prefer to rely on their own efforts to do something, which is truly unfortunate.
After verse 20, the younger son got up and went to his father. 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.
Why did the father see the younger son when he returned? His father had been waiting for him to come back. We are the same; no matter when we turn back, the Heavenly Father has always been waiting for you to return. At the beginning, we talked about freedom; God gives you the freedom to choose. When you want to do something on your own, do not let the Heavenly Father control you; He cannot do anything with you.
Just like Jesus, when He returned to His hometown of Nazareth, He wanted to heal the people in the village, but the locals rejected Him, so He could not perform any miracles there. God does not force you to do anything; He can only move your heart. As long as you turn back, He is willing to heal you.
When we read the entire Old Testament, we find that when the Israelites sinned and left God, God did not directly kill them but sent prophets to urge them to turn back. However, the Israelites killed these prophets; they preferred to rely on their own efforts to live in poverty rather than live according to God’s word. Through the failures of the Israelites, we can learn. Today, we are the same; the Heavenly Father has always been waiting for you to turn back. He does not need you to do anything for Him; He just wants you to come back. He delights in you, and it has nothing to do with your actions.
When the younger son returned, he prepared a speech to say to his father: From now on, I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants. Although he had a speech ready, when he was still far away, the father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran to him, hugged him, and kissed him repeatedly. At this moment, the younger son took out the speech he had memorized, but the father did not listen to what he had to say.
The father said to his servants: ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.’ Hallelujah! When you return to the embrace of the Heavenly Father, God does not look at how you pray; as long as you are willing to come back and live according to His way, He will continuously bless you. Therefore, you must recognize the Heavenly Father’s love for you. You must recognize the love of Jesus Christ; He is willing to bless you. Thank the Lord!
When you are in your father’s house, there may be famine outside, but your father will shield you from all the storms. When you are in your father’s house, there may be environmental challenges, but your father can always provide you with satisfaction. He will never give you pods. He wants to give you the best and finest things.
‘Bring the fattened calf and kill it.’ God gives us the best. He gave us the best Jesus from the Kingdom of Heaven, not just any angel to die for us. He gave you the best Jesus from the Kingdom of Heaven. When a person accepts Jesus, it is mentioned here: ‘Bring the best robe and put it on him.’ Not giving the hired servant’s clothes, but the best robe, putting a ring on his finger, restoring his identity and status. Thank and praise the Lord!
So the younger son recognized his father’s love after being accepted by him. In fact, the father had always blessed him; it was just that the blessings were so abundant that the younger son could not see them and took them for granted. When we read Exodus, we find that God supplied the Israelites every day with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, which was a very clear sign of God’s presence.
If that is not enough, the manna in the morning further shows that this is the blessing sent down by God. When such blessings come day after day, many times, people will become like the Israelites, despising this good blessing. In the end, the Israelites thought that what God provided was bland food; they wanted meat and did not want the blessings from heaven, wanting earthly food. This is because they did not recognize grace and did not understand that this was the best God had given them.
If there were a kind of food in the world that allowed you to eat just one type of food for a lifetime without suffering from malnutrition, why would you need to think of various nutrients to supplement every day? If there really were such a simple method, it would be wonderful. However, the Israelites, living in blessings, did not know the blessings; they ate that simple food for many years without suffering from malnutrition or illness because God’s blessings were always upon them. If they thought this was not a blessing, the Bible mentions: Their clothes lasted for decades, and their shoes lasted for decades without wearing out. Is that not a blessing?
God supplies and blesses every day; it is just that many times, people’s eyes cannot see it. One day, when we lose all of this, we will realize how gracious God has been to us. Thank the Lord! When Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden, they realized how beautiful it was in the Garden.
When the Israelites lost their homeland, they realized God’s blessings and grace. We should not be like that; I hope the brothers and sisters can all be in blessings, thanking the Heavenly Father every day, for this is the blessing the Heavenly Father wants to give us.
The younger son’s repentance occurred when he truly recognized his father’s love and was accepted by his father. The Heavenly Father’s acceptance is eternal; as long as we are willing to return to His embrace, this is our Heavenly Father’s love. I hope the brothers and sisters, no matter how busy your work and life are, do not forget to gather and receive the Heavenly Father’s love. Do not leave your local church; enjoy being in God’s presence here. No matter how tired you are or how many problems you have, when you return to the church and in fellowship, God will heal you, comfort you, and give you strength.
He has also put a ring on your finger and sandals on your feet, allowing you to stand up and walk again. Thank and praise the Lord!
When the younger son returned to his father’s house, the house was filled with fragrance; the calf was killed, and they celebrated together with the father. When we close our eyes and meditate on this passage, it is a very harmonious scene; the father is very happy, and this son is also very happy. We are all under grace, not because you have good behavior that the Heavenly Father delights in you, but because of the good behavior of Jesus Christ, God delights in you.
It is not because of what you have done that the Heavenly Father delights in you, but because the Lord Jesus has done everything you should have done for you, so the Heavenly Father wants to bless you. That fattened calf is not yours; it is the father’s, but He is willing to bring it out and rejoice with you. As long as you are willing to return to His embrace, you must recognize His love for you and understand that this is His blessing, which you cannot obtain as a hired servant, but because you are a son, you receive it. Thank the Lord! If you are in disappointment and failure, return to Jesus Christ, return to His embrace, and there will surely be joy.
I named the elder son Law; in fact, he is not called that; he simply does everything under the law. The elder son’s characteristic is that he has never left grace but has never enjoyed grace. He is clearly a son but has always lived like a servant.
Who does the elder son represent? These people have not left the church, have not distanced themselves from God, and have always been in the church, yet they live like servants, often burdened. Their lives have not changed at all because they are in grace but do not recognize grace; this is the greatest regret.
In verse 25: Meanwhile, the elder son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.
The elder son was actually very hardworking; as the world says, he is definitely a good son, working diligently, but what is in his heart? Some sisters say, “I really can’t share the gospel with others; they lack nothing, they are richer than me, they have cars and houses. What can I say to them about Jesus? I don’t have the confidence to speak.” Compared to the younger son, who has nothing, the elder son has everything.
However, what the elder son lacks is a deep need for God’s love and comfort. Although he appears enviable, with a wealthy father and a large estate, he lacks Jesus Christ in his heart; he needs our Lord. The elder son returned from working in the field, which in itself is not a problem. When he was not far from home, he heard music and dancing.
When you hear music from a place, your heart should be very happy. The elder son asked a servant what was going on, and the servant said, “Your brother has come home. He is back safe and sound, and your father is very happy about this.” In verse 28, the elder son became angry. Why did he become angry? His jealousy flared up.
For example, you will understand if I give you an example. When there is a brother or sister in the church who was once very enthusiastic but left the church, and after two years, he or she returns and says, “These two years have been very difficult, but I am willing to come back. I know that God has always blessed me.” At this time, the whole church rejoices, saying, “Thank the Lord, you have returned! We are so happy!”
But if the church sees a brother or sister returning and says, “Why are you back?” Do you think this is still a church? The elder son did exactly this; people under the law are truly frightening. Do you remember the Pharisees? When Jesus healed a man with a shriveled hand on the Sabbath, this man had been shriveled for a long time. After Jesus healed him, the Pharisees became very angry and began to question Jesus, “Why are you doing this on the Sabbath?” They should have been thanking the Lord and rejoicing, but they were very angry. When they saw Lazarus raised from the dead, everyone present should have been thanking God, but those Pharisees conspired to kill Jesus. This is the law. The law does not tolerate even the slightest mistake and does not allow the loss of even a little benefit.
The elder son became angry because he felt that the younger son’s return would divide the inheritance again, and his own interests would be harmed. He was very angry and unwilling to go in to see this brother. This is the law; you see people around you often speaking in a condemning manner, often angry and dissatisfied. Or they often talk about what problems the church has, what you should do, and give others condemnation, seeing only the negative. In reality, they are all under the law.
We are no longer under the law but under grace. It is very sad for people under grace not to recognize grace. Continuing to look further, knowing that the elder son refused to go in, the father came out to persuade him. Do you know? Our Heavenly Father does not want us to be under the law; He wants us to love one another. This son said to his father: I have been serving you for many years and have never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
People under the law always boast about themselves: “I have done so much for the Lord; I have believed for so many years. I can tell you that I have read the Bible more times than you can memorize. I have preached for over ten years; what do you understand?” When you see people like this, you should be cautious because he is the elder son, a person under the law.
The elder son said, “I have served you for so many years and have never disobeyed your commands.” He treated his father’s words as commands to obey, but God’s words are beneficial to us. This is not law but grace.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
The elder son thought his father was very stingy and had no compassion. He had many complaints, feeling that his father did not treat him well at all. I don’t know how many people complain to God like this: “I have believed in you for so many years; why don’t you bless me? I have been praying for so long; why hasn’t God healed me?” In fact, these thoughts are not quite correct. We cannot exchange good behavior or the number of prayers for God’s mercy.
The elder son was in his father’s house but did not recognize grace because he never dared to ask his father. People under the law, when they ask God, are always fearful and anxious. They have too many fears. People under the law usually want to exchange good behavior for blessings. Because they do not recognize the grace of Jesus, what Jesus Christ has done for them, they do not understand how much love the Heavenly Father has for them, nor do they understand how much they have been forgiven by God.
He does not know that the father will not be displeased with him for missing one day of work. When our Jesus had not performed any miracles or done anything, God had already said: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” This is our God; when you have done nothing, simply believing in Jesus Christ, God is already pleased with you. You do not need to strive to make God pleased with you because God is already pleased with you. You do not need to strive to make God bless you because God is particularly willing to bless you. Thank and praise the Lord!
So you do not need to use your efforts to exchange for God’s blessings. If you, like the elder son, want the father to bless you but do not dare to ask, it is truly unfortunate.
As the firstborn son, the elder son could receive a double portion of the inheritance. He always thought that everything belonged to the father and did not dare to express his true needs to the father. This is a person under the law, wanting but not daring to ask. I hope the brothers and sisters who are listening to the sermon do not limit God’s blessings.
Finally, his father said: ‘My son, you are always with me.’ This is a blessing; you are always with me. This was the greatest blessing God gave to people in the Old Testament. Jacob deceived his father and brother, and when he left, he had nothing but a staff in his hand. But God said: “I will be with you and bless you.” Later, Jacob received thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and a hundredfold blessings.
When Gideon was afraid, God said: ‘Mighty warrior, the Lord is with you.’ When Joshua was afraid, God said: ‘Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.’ This is one of our greatest blessings: God is with you; He is your protection and your supply. The father was always with this son, but the elder son did not know that this was the best blessing. God not only wants us to enter the Kingdom of Heaven but also wants to give you the abundant blessings of life.
The father then said to the son: ‘Everything I have is yours.’ The younger brother now knows that everything the father has is yours. But the elder brother does not know. The father still needs to explain to the elder son, saying, ‘Everything I have is yours.’ Brothers and sisters, everything that belongs to Jesus is yours; everything in the Kingdom of Heaven is yours. This is the love the Heavenly Father gives you; this is the blessing God gives you. You must apply the blessings to yourself, boldly ask God, and pray to God because all of this is yours. Thank and praise the Lord!
Jesus Christ has already reclaimed all authority in heaven, on earth, and under the earth for us. You also have the authority to heal yourself and those around you, to heal in the name of the Lord Jesus, and to bless those around you, your family, and your children. You must know that all of this is yours. You must recognize that the Heavenly Father has placed all His love upon you and has given it to you through Jesus Christ. This is not something you have to ask for; it has already been given to you, and you must take it and use it.
Just like the elder son, if you need a goat to celebrate with friends, go directly to the sheepfold and pick the best one to celebrate with your friends. There is no need to complain to the father. You can take it directly; this is your blessing, the Heavenly Father’s love for you. When you have a sickness in your body, extend your healing hand and lay hands on the afflicted area to pray; do not plead with God anymore. Use the authority given to you by Jesus Christ to overcome your circumstances.
Our prayers are to establish an intimate relationship with God. You must recognize the Heavenly Father’s love and know what God has given you so that you are willing to draw near to Jesus and willing to be with Jesus every day because you know He is the source of blessings, the source of grace; everything comes from Him. I cannot be without Him because if I leave Him, just like a grapevine branch leaving the vine, I will wither and gradually dry up.
When you recognize the Heavenly Father’s love and blessings, you will be willing to obey His words and live according to them. Now, the younger son at the feast has understood the father’s love. Therefore, he will no longer run away from home. His life will be completely different.
Our Heavenly Father is loving; He no longer remembers your sins. You should not rely on your own actions to exchange for God’s blessings. Just believe in what Jesus Christ has done on the cross; everything Jesus has done is yours. You must correctly recognize God’s love and His blessings. When you realize God’s grace, you can live a different life and exhibit good behavior through God’s word.
When you wake up in the morning, pray: “Lord, I truly know that you are always with me today. Everything you have is mine. I want to rejoice with you, joyfully work, joyfully go to work, and joyfully interact with others.”
Let’s pray together:
Loving Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you for your grace. All my blessings come from you. You are the source of my blessings. Through your word, I know your love and blessings. I am willing to receive your grace and live out a life of grace. Please continuously renew me with your word, so I can understand more and experience your goodness in life. As the new week begins, I believe I am a channel of blessings. No matter where I go, you will be with me, guiding my path ahead. Thank you, and I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus, Amen!