CHAPTER 4

PRODIGO’S RESPONSE TO GOD’S AMAZING GIFT – MAKARIOS AND THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

“It is of the nature of desire not to be satisfied, and most men live only for the gratification of it.” ― Aristotle

It would be terrible of Jesus to tell Prodigo how he is supposed to be if it was not possible that he could become this. Well, Jesus not only tells Prodigo who he can become but He makes the way for Prodigo to become the person Jesus tells him he is supposed to be. This is why when Jesus teaches it is not a sermon. His words are life and not just syllables. They possess the very power to transform someone from brokenness to restoration, from sickness to health and from death to life. This is why it is absolutely imperative for Prodigo to understand the gospel of the kingdom. For it is only when he clearly understands this message will he be able to believe what Jesus said.

“In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation–having also believed you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.” (Ephesians 1:13, 14)

The word translated listening means more than just hearing something with your ear. It means Prodigo must perceive and understand clearly what he heard. That is an enormous difference from just listening to Jesus’ words. Prodigo must understand them to the degree that he is able to perceive the meaning of what is said. Only then can he respond to truth the way he needs to.

There are two words used back and forth throughout the Bible as the only way to please God and receive His promises. These two words are faith and believe. The Greek word translated faith is a noun while the Greek word translated believe, is a verb. They originate from the same word but there is an obvious difference between a verb and a noun. The noun faith names the way to please God and receive His promises. The verb, believe is an action that is seen in the response a person must have toward the promises of God. Once again, any promise of God must be more than just heard. It must be understood or Prodigo will not respond to it accordingly.

Let’s look at how Prodigo should respond to the promises Jesus makes in the gospel of the kingdom. He has just heard Jesus promise the kingdom and the life of makarios to those who become poor in spirit. Prodigo has spent hardly any time during his life reading the Bible, attending church or pursuing God. His knowledge of religion consists mostly of comments from television shows, news reports or religious organizations. He does believe in God but he knows very little about Him. So when Prodigo hears Jesus say, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” he needs to process this in his nephesh so he can respond (believe) with his mind and his emotions. This is why Prodigo needs to fully understand the meaning of what was said so he can respond as the Psalmist said, “with all his heart, soul and might.”

Once he is aware of what it means to be poor in spirit Prodigo can then decide if he agrees with Jesus. This is exactly why Prodigo has freewill, so he can choose for himself what he believes and what he does not. God will never force Prodigo to love Him, follow Him or agree with Him. He allows Prodigo’s freewill to make that choice. When Prodigo hears and understands these words of Jesus he is now faced with this dilemma; will he surrender to God’s way of dealing with his transgression and sin or will he cast it to the wind and go another way? If Prodigo surrenders to God’s way this would mean Jesus is now to be the sovereign king and ruler of his life.

Every time Jesus spoke, those listening and understanding what He said were faced with this same choice. This is the purpose of freewill. It puts the responsibility of how someone responds to God directly in their lap, where it should be. This is the choice that is facing Prodigo.

Jesus doesn’t just tell Prodigo he needs to become poor in spirit. He also offers him the way to restore his distorted nephesh back into the image of God, a restoration that puts his life under the sovereign, righteous rule of God where it is meant to be.It is only when God rules that the makarios life is possible.

When Prodigo heard Jesus preach the gospel of the kingdom he would have been fully aware of the power of Jesus’ rule over demons and sickness and death. If he had not seen Jesus perform miracles, he certainly would have heard all about them. He would know that nothing could resist Jesus, therefore Prodigo must respond appropriately to the authoritative rule of Jesus, which is what the kingdom rule is all about. There is only one way Prodigo should respond to the kingdom rule and that is by completely surrendering to God’s way of doing things. And the best way to do this is with the words, “As You wish my King.”

Although Jesus has the power to force His way on Prodigo, He will not do that. God is so concerned with Prodigo retaining his freedom of choice that He will give him an extraordinary amount of grace and leeway to surrender on his own accord. God wants Prodigo to love and serve Him with his whole heart and a willing mind. If he is forced to do this, then it is not something that flows naturally from his nephesh therefore it would never be with his whole heart and willing mind. It would simply be an expression based on coercion or fear. Giving us humans the freedom to choose has been God’s way since the beginning of creation. Look what David told his son Solomon who was the heir of his throne just before David died.

“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.” (1 Chronicles 28:9)

Making our own decision to know God and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind is God’s way. The gauntlet has been thrown down before Prodigo and now he must make a choice. Does he willingly acknowledge and believe he is a transgressor/sinner incapable of restoring himself back into the image of God? Will he surrender to God’s assessment of his condition with his whole heart and a willing mind placing himself under the sovereign, righteous rule of Jesus? If he does the reward for doing so is beyond measure. Prodigo has a lot to consider.

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