The story of the prodigal son is not a warning story. It is a love story. And when it is read through the finished work of Jesus, it becomes one of the clearest revelations of the Father’s heart in all of Scripture. This parable is not primarily about a rebellious son. It is about a good Father.

Jesus tells this story to people who believed God related to them based on behaviour, effort, and moral performance. And in one story, He dismantles that entire mindset. You could spend a lifetime unpacking this parable and still not reach the bottom of it. Because the prodigal son is not just a story Jesus told. It is the story Jesus came to live…

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