Luke 15:21

Luke 15:21 says, And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.  When the father got to the son, the son confessed his sin. When the heavenly Father comes to us today, either calling us to salvation or calling us back to Him after we have strayed away, all we can do is confess our sins and ask for His forgiveness. Verse twenty-two adds, But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:  The son felt unworthy, but his father put great value on Him, just as our heavenly Father puts great value on us, even though we are unworty.  Verse twenty-three continues, And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:  After telling his servants to get his son dressed properly, the father then told them to get things ready for a celebration, and we are told that the angels celebrate in heaven when a sinner comes to the heavenly Father through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.  Verse twenty-four concludes, For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.  The father said his son who had been dead to him was alive again, and he had been lost but now was found.  That describes us perfectly today until we come to God by faith, or until we return to Him if we have strayed away.  Verse twenty-five states, Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.  When the elder son, who had not left to go his own way, came home from the field where he had been working, he heard music and dancing.  If we have been faithfully working for God and return home to hear a celebration going on, we might be curious why we didn't know what the celebration was about.  Verse twenty-six adds, And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.  He called the servants to ask what was going on, but a better course of action would have been to go to his father and ask.  That is also our best course of action with our heavenly Father if we have questions about anything.  Verse twenty-seven continues, And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.  The servant told him that his brother had come home and his father had prepared a feast in celebration.  This should have been good news to the older brother, just as it should be good news to us today when a sinner comes home to God.  Verse twenty-eight says, And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.  Instead of being happy for his brothers safe return, he was angry.  Sometimes, it seems that Christians are more upset than being in the mood to celebrate when a sinner comes home, especialif they somehow feel that the one being that the celebration is for is unworthy.  Verse twenty-nine adds, And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:  The elder son did go to his father to complain, saying he had been mistreated.  If we are basing salvation on our worthiness instead of on God's abounding grace, we may feel the same way, but salvation and even restoration to God is not based on our works or worthiness.  Verse thirty continues, But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.  The older son then gave the reason he felt that the younger son did not deserve a celebration held in his honor.  Sometimes, we can almost feel the same way, more deserving of salvation and forgiveness than someone we feel is a greater sinner.  Verse thirty-one states, And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.  The father told his oldest son that he had always been with him, and all that he had was the older son's.  As long as we remain true to God, all that He has is ours when we need it.  Someone else coming to salvation does not decrease what God has blessed us with.  Verse thirty-two adds, It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.  The father said the celebration was warranted, because the son and brother who had been dead and lost to them had come home.  We really aren't told how the older brother responded, but we can only hope that he began to celebrate with them, and this is what we should do anytime someone who is separated from God for whatever reason comes home to Him.