The Prodigal Son Pt.4- The Fatted Calf

Celebrating is not really celebrating if a feast isn’t involved.  Are not most of your fondest memories of your family and friends taking place around a dinner table telling stories; enjoying one another and mom’s cooking?  The same has been true for most every culture on earth throughout history.  The same is also true for the Father’s celebration over his estranged child.  He tells his servants to kill the fatted calf.  A goat would feed anywhere from 5-7 people- but a calf is a different story and a fatted calf at that.  A fatted calf would anywhere from 150 to 200 people!  Thats like renting out an entire restaurant and filling it with people…  A huge celebration for the whole village!

Because sin does not only effect our relationship with God but also our relationship with and among our communities, the celebration of one returning home from a life of sin isn’t primarily a  private party but a communal celebration including the entire town.  Sin at its core divides, separates, and alienates loved ones from each other- Sin is Anti-love.  When we are saved from sin we are saved from it’s effects also, which is separation, estrangement, and isolation.  This is why the bible stresses the importance of God’s family.  Salvation is not a renewed personal relationship with God alone, but with the entire family.  In short, Salvation is being saved from sin into a family- where God is the Father and the church is our brothers and sisters.

Do you let other people celebrate over you?  Do you allow others to enjoy and by enjoying, love you?  Most of us have been too hurt to trust another to love us- But the Great Shepherd is calling us again to trust Him and open ourselves to others to enjoy and be enjoyed in His flock.  Would you let others enjoy you?  Would you take time to enjoy things about yourself?  Remember, every time you make your way back to the Father’s house, all of the families in heaven are rejoicing over you (Luke 15:7).