Love Opened Heaven’s Door

The “affectionate” Uncle Screwtape, in C. S. Lewis’ workThe Screwtape Letters, is horrified when Christian enters the home of his girlfriend fearing the influence of a love-filled Christian home. Jesus used a home in His early ministry.

In John’s Gospel Andrew asked Jesus, “Teacher, where are you staying?” Jesus begins His ministry by inviting Andrew and John to “Come and you shall see.” The result of this open-door, at-home experience with Jesus, a transformed Andrew sought out his brother Simon. “We have found the Messiah!” He then brought Simon to Jesus.

The experience of a “spiritual walk in the open air” finds its best hope when nurtured in a Christian home. Dr. Francis S. Collins has written, as we will see later on in this book, the quality of life is not all in the DNA. Rather, nurture in the home and environment account for 55% of behavioral traits. Home is a place where we experience table-talk centered on daily experiences and also on God’s word. Our hearts are warmed by the hearth as loved ones relate to one another.

Watchman Nee, in his book Sit, Walk, Stand, wrote, “Christianity does not begin with walking: it begins with sitting.”1 The home is a place to sit, listen and learn. In this chapter, we will look at the home Jesus describes in the parable of the prodigal son. We will see forgiveness, generosity and acceptance, qualities that will help us to meet the demands of the 21st Century.

Dr. Merrill C. Tenney of Wheaton College, believes the parable might better be called the “Parable of the Wonderful Father.”2 The father of the prodigal son worshiped and believed in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Joseph. He would read of the tender heart of God described in Isaiah, “A bruised reed God will not break” (Isa. 42:3). This father would be a thankful person knowing the praises of David in Psalms. 118:1. “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” As the parable unfolds we will see the father show thankfulness and will not break his bruised son.

The Lord Jesus in telling the parable of the lost son (Luke 15:11-32), is also revealing the heart of our Heavenly Father and the security of having an abiding place. Jesus gives us a beautiful picture of the spiritual home for the Christian where our heavenly Father watches for the return of a wayward son or daughter. As the parable unfolds we will see the love of our Father in heaven for you and me in Christ. The importance a father is seen in this quote by Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost, “the emphasis of the parable is on the father who is mentioned twelve times in the story.”3

The younger son forsakes his home, and journeys to a far country, probably Rome or Antioch, “to sow his wild oats” in a big city. He wastes his possessions and when he had spent all his money, he joined himself to a citizen of this foreign land who sent him to feed swine. Down among the pigs the prodigal son comes to himself, and says, “How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father” (Luke 15:17-18). How will his father receive him and will he find an open door, compassion, forgiveness, acceptance, provision and restoration?

In Matthew 23:37 we see a picture of the mercy and willingness to forgive in the heart of our Jesus, God’s only begotten Son. He cries out, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem . . . How often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!”

As we continue this story of the lost son, we find his father full of mercy and forgiveness, standing in an open door and revealing this same heart of Jesus. “When the son, was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him” (Luke 15:20). The wonderful father correctly read the heart of his son. With great joy the father said to the older son, “Your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.” With this belief and understanding the father readily received his son. Love opened the door for his son. It is important also to recognize that the son turned his heart to the father. This turning of the heart is an important step for reconciliation. There is a great verse in 2 Corinthians 3:16, “When one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.”

The father interrupted his son’s prepared confession by saying, “Bring out the best robe and put it on him.” This book begins and ends with interrupted confessions, the prodigal son and the Apostle Peter. The best robe typifies garments of white and righteousness that clothed the forgiven Christian. In Revelation 3:5 we read, “He who overcomes the wicked one shall be clothed in white garments.” Again in Romans 3:22 we read, “Even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all that believe.” These are the privileged garments of the sons and daughters of God having been “justified freely by His grace.” So the “best robe” was put on the son.

The son is now clothed in the best robe, sandals on his feet and “a ring on his hand.” The ring is a sign of a full-grown son: one, who has received his majority. This recognition of the son is akin to the Christian’s adoption as “sons by Jesus Christ" (Gal 4:5-6) There is something more to add to restoration, and that is acceptance.

Acceptance was not to be shown by the older son toward his brother. The wayward son was loved by his father and found forgiveness, acceptance and abundant provisions. We also should be looking and watching expectantly for the restoration of our loved ones, ready to forgive them. Lewis writes:

“The crude picture of penitence as something like an apology or even placation has for me, the value of making penitence an act.”4 The result of penitent acts, however faulty, should be followed with forgiveness, and forgiveness followed by acceptance. We will see this in the following story of a father and son.