Key insights from
The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith
Audio available
12 minute read
Published Oct 30, 2008
What you'll learn
Who do you resonate with most: the runaway sibling, so low he’s willing to languish in the company of pigs, or the well-behaved child, so tall on his high horse he can’t even see the pigs in their pen? Perhaps, you simply haven’t thought about it. The beloved “Parable of the Prodigal Son,” as told by Jesus in Luke 15, has been recast so frequently that it sounds far less poignant to our contemporary ears. Theologian Timothy Keller reasserts the urgency of this parable, proving that its epic pierces much deeper than a story of combative brothers. Rather, its tale portrays how we often mischaracterize God and how we might learn to recognize his grace once again—regardless of how sinful (or sinless) we think we are.
Key insights
- • What you'll learn
- 1 There’s another side to the Prodigal tale—the so-called “praiseworthy” son has his own stake to claim.
- 2 God is a guiding Father, not a useful prop.
- 3 The parable’s storyteller is reality’s completion—Jesus is every prodigal’s stand-in.
- 4 Our earthly trek might seem pointless, but one day, our compass will discover its true north.
- 5 The Bible is filled with metaphorical and literal “feasts” that help us to perceive the plenty of God’s grace.
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