Prodigal God- Tim Keller

RECOMMENDED

Tim Keller is a Presbyterian church planter in New York City. He has made a major impact in his mission field and has been able to successfully engage his urban and postmodern constituency. I have been hearing about him for the past couple of years, but never got around to reading any of his books. I figured it was about time to break down and jump right in.

Prodigal God is somewhat of an extended sermon. Keller takes the parable of “the prodigal son” and provides some keen insight. He actually refers to the parable as “the two lost sons”. Most preachers have taken this parable and focused on the younger son who squandered his inheritance and returned home. Keller does not ignore this aspect of the parable, but makes the point that the intended audience was the Pharisees. Keller goes into great detail about the elder brother.

Keller emphasizes that both sons were lost. Both sons treated their father as a resource to be exploited rather than a loving father. They missed out on the relationship because they were concerned about getting what was theirs. The younger brother mistreated his father by asking for his inheritance (something that was unheard of in that culture) so he could go away. The elder brother stayed and obeyed not out of love but out of manipulation. He believed that if he acted the part of the dutiful son that he would get material benefits. Keller points out that the churches are full of “elder son” types and that many younger son types have been put off from churches because of them. He notes that both were called to repentance.

This book is a good introduction to Keller’s pastoral heart. He shows a keen insight into the Bible and how to apply it. Prodigal God is a very easy read and made me think about my own attitudes and thoughts. It encourages the reader to consider if he is truly in love with God for himself or if he serves out of a sense of what he can get for himself. While this isn’t really a groundbreaking book, it does encourage.