Luke 15:18-24 (NKJV) I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’ “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
There has been much debate about God and His sovereignty. While some people may not deny the sovereignty of God, they will falsely assume that God can do whatever He likes, including what we deem as evil and basically anything that we can’t comprehend or explain. It conveys a very temperamental, unpredictable, and almost unstable God who is eager to witness the suffering of His creation, or a mean, merciless, and calculative God. The context of this parable, with regards to how both sons behaved, is probably the best illustration of how God extends grace to every one of us, whether we have an attitude like the older brother or have sinned against Him like the younger brother.
Often, the sovereignty of God seems to be the only way to help our friends or us to come to terms with the afflictions, tribulations and sufferings that prevail, but in doing so, it actually breeds resentment within us and others, and creates a distorted view of God, who is unapproachable, judgemental, ready to punish and torment. If we are not careful, we will also act and behave similarly to how we see God, out of our bitterness, resentment and entitlement. This is why today’s society lacks graciousness, love, compassion and mercy.
Therefore, we need to get an accurate view of God. Everything that Jesus has said as recorded in the Bible is exactly what God the Father wants us to know about Him, what He wants us to learn and to put into practice in our lives. Because the triune God is one, there is no conflict regarding who God is through the work and ministry of Jesus Christ found in the Gospel.
John 5:19 (NKJV) Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.
Sermon Series: Extending Grace
对上帝有正确的认知
路加福音15:18-24 我要起来，到我父亲那里去，向他说：父亲！我得罪了天，又得罪了你；从今以后，我不配称为你的儿子，把我当作一个雇工吧！』于是起来，往他父亲那里去。相离还远，他父亲看见，就动了慈心，跑去抱着他的颈项，连连与他亲嘴。儿子说：『父亲！我得罪了天，又得罪了你；从今以后，我不配称为你的儿子。』 父亲却吩咐仆人说：『把那上好的袍子快拿出来给他穿；把戒指戴在他指头上；把鞋穿在他脚上；把那肥牛犊牵来宰了，我们可以吃喝快乐； 因为我这个儿子是死而复活，失而又得的。』他们就快乐起来。
关于上帝和祂的主权有很多争议。虽然有些人可能不会否认上帝的主权，但他们会错误地认为上帝可以做任何祂喜欢的事情，包括我们所认为是邪恶的以及我们无法理解或解释的事情。它传达了一个喜怒无常、不可预测、几乎不稳定的上帝，祂迫不及待要见证祂的受造物经受苦难，是一个刻薄，无情，攻于心计的上帝。这个比喻的内容，关乎两个儿子的行为可能是最好的例证说明上帝如何向我们每个人施恩，无论我们的态度像大儿子，还是像小儿子一样均得罪了祂。
通常，上帝绝对的主权似乎是在帮助我们和我们的朋友去接受普遍存在的痛苦、忧患和苦难的唯一途径，但这样理解实际上会在我们和其他人心中滋生怨恨，并造成对上帝的扭曲看法，就好像上帝是不可接近的、审判的、准备惩罚和折磨人的。如果一不小心，出于我们的苦毒、怨恨和权利会导致我们的言行举止与我们看待上帝的方式相似。这就是为什么今天的社会缺乏仁慈、爱心、同情和怜悯。
因此，我们需要对上帝有一个正确的认识。耶稣在《圣经》中所说的一切，正是父神希望我们所了解并在生活中学习和实践的。因为祂是三位一体的上帝，所以在福音书中通过耶稣基督的工作和事奉，对上帝是谁是没有矛盾的。
约翰福音 5:19耶稣对他们说：「我实实在在地告诉你们，子凭着自己不能做什么，惟有看见父所做的，子才能做；父所做的事，子也照样做。
讲章系列：延伸恩典