What do you think of when you hear the word “prodigal”?
Most of us immediately think of the rebellious son in Luke 15. The guy who blew his inheritance, hit rock bottom, and wasted absolutely everything.
The Macquarie Dictionary actually defines prodigal with two primary core meanings:
1. Wasteful or Extravagant (Adjective/Noun)
Adjective: Recklessly or wastefully extravagant with money, resources, or time.
Noun: A person who spends money or uses resources with wasteful extravagance.
2. Lavish or Abundant (Adjective)
Adjective: Characterised by profuse, generous, or lavish giving (e.g., “prodigal of praise” or “prodigal with advice”).
Sometimes we view God as a cosmic accountant keeping score, standing there with his arms crossed, waiting for us to prove we’ve cleaned up our act before he takes us back. But it’s actually Him who is the prodigal one.
When you look at Luke 15, the most shocking character isn’t the reckless son… it’s the lavish, extravagant love of the Father who runs to meet him!
At Salt Church, we want to be a community completely captivated by who God actually is. So over the next two Sundays (12 & 19 July) we’re opening up Luke 15 to get to the heart of this.
We want to be a church family that truly grasps the overwhelming, scandalous grace of God, because understanding His extravagance is what changes us forever. This short, two-week series will give us fresh eyes to see a God who doesn’t just tolerate us when we come back, He throws a party for us! He is profusely, excessively generous with His mercy.
We’d love for you to join us for this series. It is sure to be a beautiful reminder of the kind of Heavenly Father we have.