Tag Franklin St church of Christ

All Spiritual Blessings are IN CHRIST

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“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph 1:3)

From this verse we learn that those who are “IN CHRIST” have been given spiritual blessings. There is a very important distinction being made by this verse; those “IN CHRIST” from those who are “OUTSIDE of CHRIST.”

Paul describes those who are (or were) outside of Christ: “…who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others” (Eph 2:1-3), and “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world” (Eph 2:12, emphasis added seb). There’s more going on in these chapters, but for our discussion we must recognize that there are NO SPIRITUAL blessings for anyone OUTSIDE OF CHRIST! This must serve as a warning for everyone. Living outside of Christ is like standing exposed in the open wilderness during a ferocious storm—far beyond the sturdy walls of a fortified city or the secure shelter of a stormproof refuge.

The winds howl, lightning cracks without mercy, torrents of rain lash, and unseen predators circle in the darkness. Every step is perilous: the ground shifts underfoot, thunder drowns out any cry for help, and the cold seeps into the bones with no warmth to counter it. There is no barrier against the elements, no refuge from judgment, no covering from the wrath to come. There’s only vulnerability, isolation, and inevitable ruin.

Jesus Himself described this danger vividly in the parable of the two builders (Matthew 7:24-27): The foolish man built his house upon the sand. When the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Outside of Christ, life is built on shifting, unstable ground. No matter how impressive the structure appears, the inevitable storms of life, temptation, trial, and final judgment will sweep it away completely.

In stark contrast, the wise man built his house upon the rock. The same rain fell, the same floods came, the same winds blew and beat upon that house—yet it stood: for it was founded upon a rock.

Do you remember what Jesus declared to Peter in Matthew 16:18? “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” That Rock is Christ!

ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS ARE IN CHRIST!

Agape
Spencer

who defines good fruit?

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“Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” (John 15:8)

The Bible uses agricultural metaphors to describe spiritual reality: some speak of fruitful branches connected to the true vine (Jesus), bringing glory to the Father and proving genuine discipleship (John 15:8), while others warn of land (or lives) that produce only thorns and briers—unfruitful, rejected, near cursing, and destined for burning (Heb 6:8).

Jesus teaches that true character is revealed by what we produce (e.g., Matthew 7:16–20, no grapes from thornbushes). The contrast is stark: fruitful lives reflect connection to Christ and yield good things (love, obedience, character, good works), while thorn-bearing lives show disconnection, barrenness, or harm.

Here’s a good question; who defines what is fruit and what are thorns? That’s the crucial question, isn’t it? In a world full of opinions, subjective morality, and cultural shifts, who gets to decide what counts as good fruit (fruitful, glorifying to God) versus thorns and briers (unfruitful, worthless, harmful, or rebellious)?

Before we look into bearing fruit, let’s answer the question. The Bible warns about human centered standards that lead astray, and produce unfruitful or harmful outcomes.

Who Doesn’t Define GOOD FRUIT?
TRADITIONS of men can never define good fruit (Mark 7:7). Traditions often elevate above or nullify God’s command. The danger is in the possibility of practicing vain worship that cannot honor nor glorify God.

HEART (“It feels right to me”) “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). The danger lies in self-deception; what “feels good” can justify sin or error, yielding thorns of pride and rebellion instead of humble submission to God’s revealed will. Our feelings never override God’s word.

OPINIONS of men or of the majority. Naaman is a perfect example of this. Despite his terrible condition, his opinion about how it was to be done turned him in a rage away from the cure. “I thought… Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage” (2Kings 5:11-12). The danger lies in following hapless & happy ignorant mobs into destruction, (Matt 7:13-14; 15:14).

RELIGIOUS performance to be seen of men. Jesus highlighted those who practiced their religion to “be seen of men” (Matt 23:5-7; 6:2,5,16). He went onto say, “Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.” The danger lies in that showmanship never produces lasting fruit. Kudos from men is a lousy reward (Galatians 1:10).

NICE in appearance masks the rotten fruit. Paul warned repeatedly about masquerade parties. “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (2Cor 11:14; 2Pet 2:1-3; Acts 20:29-30). The danger is in the subtle seduction of charming exteriors that hides the destructive heresies, leading souls astray.

SEASONAL TRENDS shift like winds. “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14). Fads come and go, but the word of the Lord endures forever (1Peter 1:24-25). Chasing novelties yields fleeting, unprofitable results rather than enduring fruit rooted in Christ’s truth. The danger is immaturity and instability.

Good fruit is defined solely by God’s revealed Word. Relying on unreliable sources risks producing thorns (worthless, harmful growth) that leads to rejection. Abide in the doctrine of Christ alone for fruit that glorifies the Father.

Agape
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WILL SILVER HIT $100?

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But there’s something better.

Since January of 2025 silver has skyrocketed from around $30 an ounce to over $90 as of this writing. Most of the gain happening in only the last 90 days.

The 1-year chart for silver prices, spanning from early 2025 to mid-January 2026, illustrates a classic pattern of gradual, persistent upward momentum that eventually culminates in dramatic gains. The metals prices have exhibited a slow, uneven climb through much of the year, with periods of consolidation, minor pullbacks, and steady accumulation. This incremental progress—often just a few percentage points month-over-month—built the foundation for an explosive breakout in late 2025 and early 2026, propelling silver to new all-time highs. The graph resembles many long-term growth phenomena: a compounding curve where small, consistent advances compound into life changing results, turning what seems modest & boring into something extraordinary.

The silver growth chart serves as a powerful metaphor for the value of small incremental growth in any domain—whether personal development, skill-building, financial habits, or spiritual disciplines. Just as silver didn’t surge overnight but accumulated value through persistent upward pressure over time, meaningful change rarely comes from flashy, one-time efforts; it emerges from daily, seemingly minor choices that compound relentlessly. A few minutes of reading Scripture each day may feel insignificant in the moment, yet over years, these habits forge profound transformation. The Bible echoes this principle in passages like Proverbs 13:11 “Wealth gained hastily dwindles, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it,” reminding us that lasting growth often stems from patient, incremental faithfulness rather than shortcuts.

But there’s more…
While people are frantically buying (or selling) to capitalize on this phenomenal growth, there is something far greater than silver and gold combined. The Scriptures repeatedly declare that the Word of God surpasses even the most glittering earthly treasures. As Proverbs 8:19 proclaims, wisdom of God is “better than gold, yea, than fine gold,” and its revenue exceeds choice silver. Psalm 119:72 echoes this, “the law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver,” while Psalm 19:10 describes God’s precepts as “more to be desired… than gold, yea, than much fine gold” and sweeter than honey. These verses remind us that no amount of precious metal—however explosive its appreciation—can match the eternal value, guidance, joy, and life-giving power found in God’s unchanging Word.

Putting it all together, as the markets frenzy over silver’s explosive growth, the Scriptures reveal an infinitely superior treasure that grows through small, faithful, daily habits of reading, meditating, and obedience to God’s word. Little by little we will gain great and precious gems that work in our hearts that compounds into spiritual riches eclipsing any earthly gain. The precious treasures of unshakable wisdom, lasting joy, eternal security, as we “…grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2Peter 3:18).

Agape
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Hero of Faith: Ebed-Melech

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EBED-MELECH

You may never have heard of Ebed-melech. His story is found in the book of Jeremiah. He is known for rescuing Jeremiah from the pit. As a foreigner and a eunuch, his actions reveal profound courage, compassion, and faith in the God of Israel. The prophet Jeremiah had been thrown into a muddy cistern by hostile officials who viewed his prophecies of Jerusalem’s fall as treasonous. Left to sink in the mire, Jeremiah faced certain death amid the city’s famine.

“Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin; Ebedmelech went forth out of the king’s house, and spake to the king, saying, My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he is like to die for hunger in the place where he is: for there is no more bread in the city.  Then the king commanded Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die. So Ebedmelech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old cast clouts and old rotten rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah. And Ebedmelech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes under the cords. And Jeremiah did so. So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.” (Jeremiah 38:7-13)

This rescue was no small feat. In a city gripped by fear and betrayal, Ebed-Melech stood alone as the one willing to defend God’s prophet when even the king wavered.

Before the final fall of Jerusalem, God sends a personal message to Ebedmelech through Jeremiah: “Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying, Go and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before thee.  But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the LORD: and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid. For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey (prize) unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the LORD.” (Jeremiah 39:15-18)

Ebedmelech trusted God, and God remembered his courage. By rescuing Jeremiah, he sided with God’s messenger against popular opposition. He didn’t lead an army; he just did what was right. Nothing more is said of him, but the scriptures record for all time this simple act of faith. Ebed-Melech’s story illustrates timeless truths: God notices those who trust Him. This outsider shone as a beacon of faith, reminding us that trusting God includes simple acts often while standing alone for what is right.

Agape

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Evidence for our Faith: the Virgin Birth

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In the fullness of time, the royal heir of David’s eternal throne was born—not in a palace, but in Bethlehem’s humble manger; not by natural means, but of a virgin—as God had promised centuries before. These four ancient prophecies, among dozens more surrounding His birth, converged in one miraculous moment, declaring with unbreakable certainty: Jesus is the promised Messiah, and heaven’s King has come to earth.

Jesus’ birth was not natural, it was miraculous.

One of the most distinctive and controversial assertions of Christianity is that Jesus of Nazareth was born of a virgin. The New Testament presents this as the deliberate fulfillment of an ancient Hebrew prophecy spoken 700 years earlier. “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)

New Testament Fulfillment Claims

Matthew’s Gospel opens with the clearest claim:

“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’” (Matthew 1:22–23). Luke 1:26–35 independently records the announcement to Mary, emphasizing that Mary was a virgin (Luke 1:27, 34), and the child would be conceived by the Holy Spirit.

The claim that Jesus of Nazareth is the literal fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14 (the virgin-born Immanuel) has profound, personal, and life-reorienting implications for anyone coming to Him. Here are some major takeaways:

God Keeps His Word, Perfectly and Literally: A prophecy given 700+ years earlier is fulfilled down to the detail of the virgin conception. This means every other promise God has made (about forgiveness, resurrection, judgment, eternal life, the restoration of all things) is equally reliable. You can stake your life on the Bible.

God Has Actually Entered the Human Story: “Immanuel” = “God with us.”

The virgin birth is not just a biological miracle; it is the miracle of the Incarnation. The eternal Son did not remain distant. He became one of us (flesh and blood) without ceasing to be God. The One who made the galaxies (John 1:3; Col 1:16) has come close enough to be held in a mother’s arms and, later, nailed to a cross for you.

Jesus Is Uniquely Qualified to Save: Because He is conceived by the Holy Spirit, He is the divine Son in human flesh (Luke 1:35). He can do what no mere prophet, priest, or good teacher can do; stand as the perfect mediator who is both sides of the covenant at once (Job 9:32-33). He can represent God to us and us to God.

Jesus Is Worthy of Worship, Not Just Admiration: Jesus is not merely a rabbi, moral genius, or martyr. He is the Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6) lying in a manger. The only fitting response is the response of the Magi; fall down and worship Him (Matthew 2:11).

History Has an Irreversible Turning Point: The virgin birth means the world is now divided into Before Christ and After Christ. The curse of Genesis 3:15 is being crushed by “the seed of the woman” has begun its defeat. The long exile of humanity from Eden is ending. Your life is not meaningless. You live on the fulfillment side of the greatest promise ever given.

You have a Future Hope: The same God who can raise the dead who brought life where no human seed existed can raise you with a glorified body when you die. The virgin womb and the empty tomb are bookends of the gospel.

In short, if the Bible is right (and it is) about the virgin-born Immanuel, then Jesus is exactly who He claimed to be. Therefore: Run to Him while there is time. Trust Him completely by obeying the Gospel—He can save to the uttermost. Worship Him exclusively—He is the Lord. Wait for Him expectantly—He is coming again.

Agape

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Evidence for our Faith: the Royal Birth

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The Royal Birth of the Humble King:

The New Testament opens with two royal genealogies for Jesus, boldly proclaiming Him as the long-awaited heir to David’s throne. Yet the circumstances of His birth could not be further from earthly expectations of royalty. Born not in a palace surrounded by courtiers, but in a stable and laid in an animal’s feeding trough; the conquering King of an eternal kingdom enters the world in poverty and lowliness.

Establishing the Royal Claim

Matthew 1:1–17 traces Jesus’ legal lineage through Joseph, His adoptive father, emphasizing His right to the throne of David: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham… So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.” (Matthew 1:1, 17)

Matthew structures the list in three sets of fourteen, highlighting Davidic kingship and fulfillment of covenant promises.

Luke 3:23–38 presents a different line, widely understood as tracing through Mary, Jesus’ biological mother, going backward all the way to “Adam, the son of God.” Both converge at David, but they diverge after David: Matthew follows Solomon’s royal line (the kings of Judah), while Luke follows Nathan’s line (another son of David). Together, they establish: Legal royal succession through Joseph. Bloodline descent from David through Mary. Ultimate humanity as Son of Adam and Son of God (Luke 1:32–33). Jesus is the promised eternal King (2 Samuel 7:12–16; Isaiah 9:6–7). The genealogies declare His right to rule.

The Stark Contrast: Born in Poverty, Not a Palace

While Herod the Great ruled from opulent palaces with theaters, frescoes, and Roman luxury, the true King arrived in obscurity. “And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7). No royal announcement in Jerusalem. No midwives from the court. No cradle of gold. Just a feeding trough in Bethlehem, surrounded by animals, visited first by shepherds (the lowest class of society). This was no accident. It was prophetic fulfillment.

Recognized as the Conquering King of an Eternal Kingdom

Though He began in a manger, Jesus would be hailed as King: The Magi sought “the king of the Jews” (Matthew 2:2). On His final entry into Jerusalem, crowds shouted, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Luke 19:38), fulfilling Zechariah 9:9: “Behold, your king is coming to you… humble and mounted on a donkey.” His conquest was not by sword but by the cross. He defeated sin, death, and Satan, rising victorious to ascend to His eternal throne where He reigns now!

Revelation portrays the final reality: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15)

Spencer

agape

Evidence for our Faith: Jesus, Right on Time

The Preacher 3 Comments

The birth of Jesus Christ stands as one of history’s most profound events, not merely because of who He is, but because of when He came. The Old Testament, written centuries before His arrival, contains precise prophecies about the timing of the Messiah’s appearance. These predictions, fulfilled in Jesus, provide compelling evidence that He is the promised Christ. As Paul declares in Galatians 4:4, “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law.” These prophecies build unbreakable confidence in the Gospel today and obeying the gospel of the Kingdom of Christ is the right path because Jesus arrived precisely as foretold.

One of the most astonishing prophecies is Daniel’s 70 weeks (Daniel 9:24-27). Given around 538 BC, this vision outlines “seventy weeks” (or “sevens”) determined for the Jewish people to finish transgression, to make an end of sins, and anoint the Most Holy. Scholars widely interpret these as weeks of years; totaling 490 years. The prophecy begins “from the going forth of the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem” until “Messiah the Prince.”

The clearest timing prophecy appears in Daniel 9:24–27. Daniel wrote during the Babylonian exile, yet he predicted the coming of “Messiah the Prince” with astonishing precision. He spoke of “seventy weeks” (symbolic weeks of years) counting from the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. Daniel declares that after the sixty-nine weeks, “shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself” (Daniel 9:26). This sets a specific window when the Messiah would appear and give His life as a sacrifice. History confirms that from the Persian decrees to rebuild Jerusalem to the first century AD fits Daniel’s prophetic timeline exactly; placing the arrival of the Messiah squarely at the time of Jesus of Nazareth. No other figure in history appears within that window fulfilling the works of the Messiah. That timing alone anchors our faith: God promised, and God delivered. Modern statisticians estimate 1 in 10^17 for Daniel’s Messianic prophecies alone.

Another key timing indicator is Genesis 49:10: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes.” Jacob prophesied that Judah’s tribal authority would endure until the Messiah (“Shiloh,” meaning “He whose right it is”). Judah retained self-governance, including the right to execute capital punishment, until around AD 6-7, when Rome stripped the Sanhedrin of this power under Archelaus’ deposition. Jesus, from Judah’s line (Matthew 1:1-16; Luke 3:23-33), was crucified shortly after; precisely when the “scepter departed.” Had the Messiah come later, Judah would have lost its authority too soon.

The period between Malachi (c. 430 BC) and Jesus also aligns prophetically. After Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, a 400-year prophetic silence ensued; no major prophets arose in Israel. This “silence” heightened anticipation, as Malachi promised Elijah’s return before the great day of the Lord (Malachi 4:5-6). John the Baptist fulfilled this as the forerunner (Matthew 11:13-14; Luke 1:17), announcing Jesus. The silence ended exactly when the Messiah appeared.

These timings were no coincidence. The Roman Empire (also a predicted kingdom Dan 2:44) provided roads and peace (Pax Romana) for Gospel spread; Greek language unified communication; Jewish synagogues worldwide prepared diaspora hearts. Jesus came in the “fullness of time;” politically, culturally, and spiritually ripe.

Today, this evidence strengthens faith. If God orchestrated history with such precision (down to years and events) then Jesus is undeniably the Christ. He fulfilled not just timing prophecies, but many, many more: born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14), from David’s line (2 Samuel 7:12-16). His life, death, and resurrection confirm the Old Testament’s promises.

Believer, take heart: Obeying the Gospel of the Kingdom of Christ is sound because history proves Jesus arrived at the predicted moment. The same God who timed the Messiah’s birth can be trusted for eternal life.

Agape

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Evidence for our Faith: O Little Town of Bethlehem

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Jesus Was Born in the Exact Town God Named 700 Years Earlier

Imagine you’re trying to prove to a friend that the Bible isn’t just a religious book, but something that actually predicts the future with crazy detail. One of the strongest pieces of evidence is the prophecy about where the Messiah would be born. It’s not vague like a horoscope; it’s specific, and it came true in a way nobody could have staged.

About 700 years before Jesus was born, a prophet named Micah stood up and said something wild: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” (Micah 5:2)

Notice three things that make this jaw-dropping:

It names a tiny, no-name village. Bethlehem wasn’t Jerusalem, the capital. It wasn’t even a big town. In Micah’s day there were thousands of villages in Judah; picking Bethlehem is like saying “the Savior of the world will be born in Mayberry or some random small town nobody’s heard of.” There were maybe a couple hundred people living there. The odds of guessing the exact birthplace centuries ahead are ridiculous.

It says this Ruler existed “from of old, from everlasting.” That phrase in Hebrew literally means “from ancient days” or “from eternity.” In plain English: this isn’t just some future king who starts existing when he’s born; He already existed forever. Christians look at that and immediately think of John 1:1; “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Same eternal person.

The prophecy says the promised Ruler will come out of Bethlehem. Not raised there, not crowned there; BORN THERE. Fast-forward 700 years. Mary and Joseph are living up north in Nazareth. Mary is nine months pregnant. There is zero reason for them to travel 90 miles south to Bethlehem. NONE. Except Caesar Augustus decides he wants a census and everybody has to go back to their ancestral hometown. Joseph’s family line goes back to King David… who is also from Bethlehem. So, a Roman emperor unknowingly forces a very pregnant woman to travel to the exact village Micah named centuries earlier. (Luke 2:1-7). God’s Son would be born in the precise delivery room He announced 700 years before.

Why is this one prophecy so powerful for our faith?

First, nobody could fake it. Joseph and Mary weren’t powerful people who could bribe officials or choose their birthplace. They were poor, ordinary, and obeying an inconvenient government order. The timing and location were completely out of their control.

Second, the Jewish leaders in Jesus’ day knew this prophecy very well. That’s why when the wise men showed up in Jerusalem asking, “Where is He who’s born King of the Jews?” the priests answered, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet” and quoted Micah 5:2 (Matthew 2:5-6). Even the people who rejected Jesus admitted the Messiah had to come from there.

Third, it shows Jesus is the Messiah promised of old. Seven centuries before it happened, God put the street address on record. Then His Son came into the world in that exact little town.

When you stack up details like this (tiny village named, eternal origin stated, Roman census forcing the trip), it’s not lucky guessing. It’s evidence that Someone outside of time knew the future and told us ahead of time so we’d recognize His Son when He showed up.

Bethlehem isn’t just a cute Christmas-card detail. It’s God saying, “I told you exactly where I was sending My Son; watch Me deliver.” And He did. That’s why this one prophecy still shuts down skeptics and strengthens believers two thousand years later. God kept His 700-year-old appointment to the very town He promised.

This is just one reason why the Bible can be trusted. The its fulfillment of this prophecy is just one rock in the mountain of evidence for our faith.

Agape

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Gratitude Rejoices at Repentance

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Gratitude; Rejoicing in Restoration.
(Luke 15:25–32)

The music was already swelling when the elder brother approached the house. Rejoicing drifted through the air along with the scent of roasted calf. Inside, the father had opened the storeroom of joy. A son once dead was alive, once lost was found. Yet one voice refused to join in the chorus: the brother who had never left.

Ingratitude begins as a whisper: “I’ve been overlooked.” The elder son could not restrain himself. “This son of yours came, who has devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf!” (v. 30). Notice the language: this son of yours. In one breath, ingratitude severed the tie of brotherhood. The repentant prodigal became a stranger, and the elder brother became judge.

Restoration requires rejoicing with those who rejoice (Romans 12:15), but ingratitude demands a ledger: What have I received? What has he lost? The father’s answer should have been enough: “Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine” (v. 31). But ingratitude counts deficits.

He overlooked existing blessings the way a man starves beside a banquet. Every day he had walked the fields that were already his, and had eaten from tables never denied him. Yet ingratitude rewrote history: “these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid…” (v. 29). The lie is breathtaking. He had not been a slave but a son. He had not been denied but entrusted. Ingratitude turned sonship into servitude and generosity into grudge.

The elder brother’s complaint was not about goats or calves; it was about merit. I stayed. I worked. I deserved. The prodigal’s return exposed the elder’s idolatry. Bitterness judges repentance and finds it wanting (cf. Hebrews 12:15). The father’s feast became an offense because it celebrated restoration without recognition for himself.

Worst of all, his ingratitude led to a self-imposed separation from the repentant. The prodigal had come home repentant, rehearsing confession. The father had run, embraced, restored. But the elder brother refused to cross the threshold. His ingratitude built a wall where none existed. The repentant son was inside, clothed in the best robe, ring on his finger, sandals on his feet. The unrepentant brother stood outside, arms crossed, heart closed. The father left the rejoicing to plead with him; a heartbreaking moment of reversal. His prodigal son was inside, but his faithful son was now outside.

We never learn if the elder brother ever softened, we’re left to examine ourselves. When someone returns, when someone repents, when someone is restored, will we stand outside, cataloging slights? Or will we hear the music, remember the blessings, and join the rejoicing (Luke 15:7)?

Agape
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Gratitude: God expects it

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Gratitude; God expects it.

November’s cozy gatherings and pumpkin-spiced moments spark a flicker of gratitude in many of us. Yet, as Black Friday ads flood our screens and holiday shopping takes over, thankfulness often gets trampled under a scramble for deals. God’s Word, however, doesn’t limit gratitude to a single day like Thanksgiving. Scripture reveals that God expects His people to live with thankful hearts every day.

Gratitude refocuses our hearts toward His goodness. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Paul writes, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” This is no suggestion; it’s God’s clear expectation.

A compelling example of His displeasure with ingratitude comes from Numbers 11:1-6, where the Israelites grumbled about their wilderness provisions, longing for Egypt’s food instead of praising God for their miraculous deliverance. Their complaints provoked God’s anger, and fire broke out in their camp as a consequence. This stark moment shows that ingratitude dismisses God’s provision, and brings on God’s anger.

Today, when we fixate on what we lack (especially amid our seasonal materialistic rush) we risk echoing the Israelites’ error. Ingratitude is among the conditions that invoke God’s anger, (Romans 1:21). Gratitude, as psychologist Robert Emmons notes in his studies, shifts our focus from scarcity to abundance, helping us see God’s hand in every detail, from daily bread to His unending grace. We don’t need science to tell us what scripture already reveals (Matt 6:25-34).

Gratitude in our worship will deepen our connection to God. Psalm 100:4 says, “enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.” God expects gratitude because it acknowledges His sovereignty and faithfulness. When we thank Him daily, whether for an answered prayer or strength in trials, we are acknowledging His blessings in our lives (James 1:17). This counters the fleeting gratitude of social media posts that fade as holiday sales dominate. By making thankfulness a habit, we fulfill God’s desire for a people who recognize His goodness, drawing closer to Him in a world that often pulls us away.

Finally, a grateful heart is essential to being the light of the world that we are showing others, meeting His expectation for us to live as His light. Colossians 3:15-17 urges us to “let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts” and act “with gratitude.” Thankfulness fuels the brightness of our light and allows us to pierce the shadows of darkness, drawing others to Christ. When we’re grateful, we’re less likely to look like the word (in judgment or envy), and more likely to be a blessing to others. Gratitude strengthens our connection to those around us. In a season tempting us to value “things” over people, gratitude keeps us grounded in what matters.

God expects our gratitude every day, not just on Thanksgiving Day. Start now; thank Him for one thing each morning, big or small. Let’s glorify Him, avoiding the Israelites’ mistake, and let a thankful heart shine His love daily.

agape

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