This past Sunday our pastor Michael Smith preached on Luke 15:11-32, the parable we usually refer to as “the prodigal son” or “the loving father.” He referred to it as “the indispensable parable.” Mike’s approach was that this text tells us a lot about the family of God and provides a lens for us to use as we read all of scripture. This is a good insight. Although it may be unconscious, I think that most of us tend to look at scripture through the point of view of a particular scripture text or texts. For example, if you read the Bible through the lens of John 3:16, you see the unfolding thread of God’s plan of salvation from Genesis to Revelation. If you read it though the texts dealing with the Lord’s supper, you probably are more sensitive to passages about the formation of the people of God throughout the Old and New Testaments, and God’s desire for unity, sharing, and love in that community of faith. If you read the Bible from the pe...
Comments from a Christ-follower on things that matter to him