Hong Kong City Hall in Central｜North Point Methodist Children's Choir the 43rd Annual Concert

Description

Jesus told the story of the prodigal son to illustrate the heavenly Father's boundless love and mercy for sinners. There was a younger son who rebelliously demanded his share of the estate from his father, then squandered his wealth in a distant country, only to find himself feeding pigs and longing for their food. He finally came to his senses and returned home. When his father saw him while he was still a long way off, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. Before the son could finish confessing his mistakes and asking for forgiveness, the father restored his son's identity by giving him a robe, a ring, and sandals, and threw a lavish feast with a fattened calf to celebrate his son who was 'lost but now found, dead but now alive.' Meanwhile, the story also points to another hidden 'prodigal' — the elder son, who outwardly obeyed and never left home, but in his heart, was distant from his father, regarding him as a taskmaster, exchanging good behavior for love, being self-righteous, and jealous of his brother's reception of mercy. This parable teaches us that God's greatest joy is in the repentance and return of the lost, and that the Father's love remains unchanged despite our sins or self-righteousness, for He alone is unchanging. True repentance is not only for the obvious sinners but also for those who think they are 'very good' and do not acknowledge their need for mercy or rejoice in the grace shown to others.