Talk Together

Family conversations with God’s Word.

Have you ever been left out of something? Maybe your friends played a game together but didn’t include you. What did that feel like? 

Nobody wants to be left out or forgotten. It makes us feel hurt and rejected. Thankfully, that’s not how God works. He wants everyone to be on His team! When Jesus came to Earth, He came to pay the price for the sins of you, me and ANYONE who calls on Him.

Some people think their sin is too horrible for God to forgive. The good news is that’s not true. There is no one like our God. He forgives anyone who calls on Him.

In the Bible, Jesus taught His followers about forgiveness. One time, He told a story about a man with two sons. The older son followed the rules and helped out his dad, but the younger son did not. He left home and spent his money on bad things. When he ran out of money, he was forced to care for pigs. Hunger made him want to eat what the pigs were eating! The young son decided he needed to go home and ask his father for forgiveness. Let’s find out what happened in the New Testament book of John. Can you help me find Luke 15:17-24.

ESV

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.”

Everyone should have been happy when the young brother returned, but somebody wasn’t.   The older son who stayed home didn’t think his brother should be forgiven. He was angry their father threw a party, and he refused to go. He didn’t understand why their father was celebrating his younger brother’s return!

The older son failed to realize he needed forgiveness too. No one is perfect, and we all mess up. But our great God offers complete forgiveness! We should be excited when anyone asks Jesus for forgiveness of their sins and accepts Him as their Savior.

You see, when Jesus died on the cross He died for the whole world, including thieves, murderers, cheaters, liars and more. His forgiveness is available to anyone who calls on Him because His sacrifice on the cross was perfect and complete.

There will be days when people make us feel rejected or left out. Thankfully, God doesn’t play favorites. Despite the bad decisions we sometimes make, we know that anyone who puts their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior will be completely forgiven. What a great God we serve!