Family Values: Part 3 - 'A Church of the Father's Love'

Luke 15:11 -21
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So, he divided his property between them.
“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. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.
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.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 
I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’  So, he 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.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But 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. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So, they began to celebrate.
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So, he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 
‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So, his father went out and pleaded with him. 
But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 
But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours

Prayer and Reflection:
Father God, we thank you that you placed such great value on each one of us, your community, that you gave us your one and only son Jesus Christ to die in our place. Consequently, the sin that separates us from you was defeated, the price was paid in full.
And we thank you that during that momentous 3-day period, death was also defeated for all of us who believe in Jesus as our saviour and now our destination is eternal life with you
We pray that the power of the Holy Spirit will enable us to stay on the ‘narrow road’ moving forward in the direction that leads to life everlasting. And that power will also help us to remain a caring, committed, community, celebrating and communicating effectively the love of God in Jesus Christ.  
AMEN!


Questions to Consider

1.What is the connection between purpose, mission, vision and values?
2. If you were accused of not being a ‘caring person’, what evidence would you/could you provide to counter the accusation?
3. What are you 100% committed to? Again, what evidence can you provide?
4. We are told that a person can belong to more than one community. What communities are you part of and are you ‘all-in’ for each one?
5. Are you a person who regularly celebrates? If you are, what was the last thing that you celebrated? If you don’t, what could you celebrate? (Surely, the fact that you can read this, is cause for celebration!)
6. Think about what you have said and done (and not said and done) over the past 2 weeks. What does that communicate about your values? Be honest!
7. Jesus encouraged us to ‘stay on the narrow road that leads to life’. What are you doing/could you do to make sure that you’re not blown off course?