Freedom is very much a positive word for many. A child looks forward to the holidays because they will be free from school. A teenager may look forward to university days because they will be free from home. Those in challenging relationships may look forward to when those relationships come to an end and they can be free at last! 

The story of the two sons is such a powerful one. Many begin to see that the ‘DIY Christianity’ they follow is so distant from what Jesus teaches. 

It is possible for us to put together a faith that is high on rules and regulations but fails to grasp the wonder of the welcome the Father gives us into His family as adopted children. 

The understanding that Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings and not a series of laws is especially important when we come to interpreting today’s verse. This verse has sadly been a source of great dismay for many Christians who assume that if their child strays away from God, especially later in life, then it must be due to the start they gave them. 

This is one of the best-known parables but is typically given an inaccurate name! It is true that ‘The Prodigal Son’ title does cover some elements of the story. The son calls for his inheritance to be given to him by his father, wastes it and returns home keen to make amends, only to be wonderfully restored to his position as son. 

There are some people who think that there are contradictions in the Bible. There do appear to be some, but often one or both passages that seem to contradict are being interpreted wrongly. One of the most obvious apparent contradictions is verses 4 and 5 of Proverbs 26. 

The apostle Paul had many who worked with him, but it wasn’t always smooth, and Luke records how Paul was convinced that John Mark was a liability because he hadn’t stayed with them on a previous trip. The text talks of a ‘sharp disagreement’ which caused them to part company. The word used implies ‘a provocation which literally jabs (cuts) someone so they must respond’! 

The second letter to the Corinthians is one of Paul’s most personal letters. He will later outline why the church could trust him as an apostle. But at the very start he shares how tough he has found Christian ministry and says that he and his companions were overwhelmed and despaired of life itself. 

The words in verse 16 of our passage for today are some of the most extraordinary words in the whole of the New Testament! They are abused by many who think they offer carte blanche to claim whatever we like. The key phrase to note is ‘in my name’. 

You may have heard the idea of ‘marginal gains’, often used when it comes to sporting endeavour, where a 1% improvement over a competitor can bring success. Christians too are looking for the ‘secret’ that will help them stay on track. 

Vines were, of course, very common within Israel, and it is possible that Jesus chose this metaphor because the disciples were passing by a vine as they were leaving the upper room (see 14:31). Jesus calls Himself ‘the true vine’, contrasted with the people of God in the Old Testament who were seen as ‘a vine’ (see Isa. 5:1–7).