Summary: The Bible records many reunions and they are deeply moving. A lot of them require parties forgiving each other. We look at 2 examples of reunions in the Bible to learn from them.

1. Reunion of the prodigal son and his father
   • Recognise our unworthiness
   • Be content that we have Christ, Christ is sufficient for us
2. Reunion of Israel and Judah during during Hezekiah’s reign
   • Preach to our unbelieving family members and reach out to those who haven’t come to church in a while

Hymn 438: For the Beauty of the Earth

Happy Lunar New Year! For that to be so, we need to be happy. To be happy, we should take some time to be thankful for the things we have; for the family members still around with us; for friends we still meet this year. This is the human love God has given to us. It is also a time for thanksgiving because we have been protected throughout the whole of last year.

The new year is also a time for us to be refreshed and renewed because it’s a new beginning. Things we didn’t do so well in the past can be aimed to be done better.

A special thing about the Lunar New Year is being able to have reunion dinners and meeting our families. That’s the real joy and meaning in the Lunar New Year. Sometimes when we are busy preparing food, whereby we put in so much thought and effort for our loved ones but they don’t seem to appreciate it, tempers may sometimes flare.

Even if there are times our relative is a bit nosy (e.g. asking about our current relationship status if you’re not married, or when the first kid is coming if you’re married, or when the second kid is coming if you already have a kid), they ask this more out of concern as they have no other question to us. Even though we may feel irritated by it, we should be thankful we have family members who care enough to ask such questions.

The Bible records many reunions and they are deeply moving. A lot of them require parties forgiving each other. We look at 2 examples of reunions in the Bible to learn from them.

1. Reunion of the prodigal son and his father

Luke 15:11-32
Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’
“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’
“But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’
“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”

This is the greatest reunion story to the speaker. It involves a certain realisation on one party’s side and forgiveness on the other. There is also love. The younger son is now reunited with the father.

When Jesus spoke this parable, it was in response to what the Scribes and Pharisees were accusing Him of - for spending time/dining with the tax collectors and sinners. In response, Jesus spoke 3 parables, this being the this. When Jesus spoke this, He had intended the Scribes and Pharisees to understand from the parables. The father would represent God while the younger son would represent the tax collectors and sinners. They were indeed sinners but realised their sin and so drew near to Jesus for forgiveness. The older son would represent the Scribes and Pharisees complaining why Jesus spent time with the tax collectors and sinners.

Lessons drawn from here:

1) Do we identify ourselves with the younger son?

While it’s clear at the beginning the way he treated his father was bad - asking for his inheritance in advance; it was equivalent to cursing his father to die; Jesus likely wanted the listeners to be repulsed by the younger son. But after meeting difficulties, the younger son came to a realisation. “I have sinned against heaven (and in a way, against his father). I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.”

Notice that when the father saw him, he hugged him even before he said anything. Even though there was a positive reaction from the father, the younger son didn’t just keep quiet and think: “Oh since there’s such a positive reaction. Maybe I don’t need to say anything.” He still said, “I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.”

This is the preciousness of the younger son. This is what we should emulate - realise we are sinful and unworthy. If we can constantly recognise this; that we were sinful in the past; that we were unworthy of being the son of God, then when God embraces us and says we are still His son, we would feel different. We would feel empowered to do more for God.

Luke 7:41-48
“There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”
Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”
And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”
Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Jesus wanted to show that a person who recognises his unworthiness would want to repay God more. We must have the recognition like the younger son that we are not worthy and sinful, and yet God still displays His great grace to call us His son/daughter,

Paul was such a person.

1 Cor 15:9-10
For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

The more we realise how unworthy we are, the more we will be driven to do more for God. The more we are constantly reminded we are unworthy and sinful in the past, the less likely we would become proud and say it’s by our hand we have achieved so much for God. Instead we would be more and more like Paul to acknowledge that it was the grace of God that enabled him to do great works for Him.

Unfortunately, for those born into the church (baptised as an infant), we may not feel our unworthiness and sinfulness as strongly. We have to realise that all humanity has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. It’s the great grace of God that allowed us to be born in a Christian family. We didn’t go through a period of struggle, we hence overlook the grace. Let’s not overlook the fact that we were sinful and unworthy.

The feeling of great unworthiness and sinfulness led to a great dispensation of love.

Luke 15:20
“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

Whatever hurt or insult the father felt when the younger son demanded of his possessions must already have been forgotten at this juncture. Not only did the father hug the son, we can notice the great joy the father felt because his son once lost was now found (v23).

When the father knew the older son had a problem with the younger son, not wanting to join in the celebration, the father went to plead with the older son.

We can see how great this father’s love was for the younger son. This represents God’s great love for us today, while we were without hope and destitute. God had it in His mind to come into the world in the form of flesh to fulfil our salvation. God saw us from afar off. God made the move to run to and hug us. God paid a heavy price to give us salvation.

If we recognise this, we would resonate with the Hymn: Beneath the Cross of Jesus. “From my smitten heart with tears two wonders I confess: The wonder of His glorious love and my unworthiness.”

The story of this great reunion of the younger son with his father, let’s remember our relationship with God, who has loved us so dearly despite all our faults. We hence need to resolve to do more for Him as we live our lives on earth. Let this thought be in us as we have our earthly reunions.

2) Learning from the reaction of the older brother

We learn from the reaction of the older brother. It soured the reunion. We know we shouldn’t react this way. Today, it’s seldom that we feel jealous of a new believer. So what lesson can we learn from the older brother?

Luke 15:29-31
So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’
“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.

This was a reminder to the older brother that he had always been in the father’s presence and had never departed.

The biggest problem with the oldest brother was this. He didn’t realise he already had the father and this was the greatest blessing in his life. Instead he started to compare his own situation to his brother. “Why does he get that treatment while I don’t get the same from my father?”

This comparison led to jealousy and discontentment.

As True Jesus Church members today, we already belong to the Lord Jesus. Do we recognise that this is the greatest treasure we are already blessed with? Is being in Christ not sufficient? Do we need something else which God must give to us? Because we are in Christ, salvation is given to us. However, we may start to compare ourselves to our brothers and sisters, how God seems to give them more blessings (e.g. how brother A is doing better in his career; how sister B’s family doesn’t seem to have many problems). On the other hand, we may wonder why God seems to keep putting obstacles in our path, why there is sickness in our families, why we have lost our job.

Our reminder: is Christ and the fact that we belong to Him not sufficient for us? Instead of comparing and being discontent, can we be content that we have Christ who can strengthen us in any situation?

This is what Paul experienced and also declared.

Phil 4:11-13
Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

This is Paul’s declaration and feeling that because he has Christ, he can go through any circumstance in his life.

Let’s learn not to be like the older brother to not realise what a great blessing it is to have the father.

We are reminded of the great love God has already demonstrated to us. More importantly, we should learn to have what the younger son realised: I’m sinful and unworthy. It’s by doing so and recognising this that we can better appreciate that we belong to God. And that is the greatest blessing.

2. Reunion of Israel and Judah

2 Chron 30:25-27
The whole assembly of Judah rejoiced, also the priests and Levites, all the assembly that came from Israel, the sojourners who came from the land of Israel, and those who dwelt in Judah. So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. Then the priests, the Levites, arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard; and their prayer came up to His holy dwelling place, to heaven.

This was a great reunion for the following reasons. There was a great assembly made out of people who came from the kingdom of Israel as well as Judah! It’s understandable for the people of Judah to be there since the location was Jerusalem. But the reunion is special because there had been nothing like this since the time of Solomon. Ever since Jeroboam, the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel, the people in the northern kingdom didn’t go down to Jerusalem in the south to worship. This was because Jeroboam had built a place of worship in the north because he feared the people would defect to the south after going down.

This was a reunion of the children of Israel - the sons of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob gathering in Jerusalem to worship. Not only do we have family members who have not met for a long time gathering, we also see there was great joy! Not only was there great joy, the prayers of the Levites also reached heaven (v27). God heard these prayers!

This was indeed a great reunion. But what was this reunion all about? What caused this to happen? What enabled the people in the northern kingdom of Israel to gather with the people from the southern Judah in Jerusalem?

2 Chron 30:1-5
And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to the LORD God of Israel. For the king and his leaders and all the assembly in Jerusalem had agreed to keep the Passover in the second month. For they could not keep it at the regular time, because a sufficient number of priests had not consecrated themselves, nor had the people gathered together at Jerusalem. And the matter pleased the king and all the assembly. So they resolved to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem, since they had not done it for a long time in the prescribed manner.

King Hezekiah led the leaders to keep the Passover in the second month. Usually it’s supposed to be kept in the first month but because the priests weren’t consecrated yet and the people had not gathered yet, they postponed it to the second month. But Hezekiah and the leaders didn’t just think about the people in the southern kingdom. They thought about their brethren in the northern kingdom too.

2 Chron 30:6-12
Then the runners went throughout all Israel and Judah with the letters from the king and his leaders, and spoke according to the command of the king: “Children of Israel, return to the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; then He will return to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. And do not be like your fathers and your brethren, who trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, so that He gave them up to desolation, as you see. Now do not be stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the LORD; and enter His sanctuary, which He has sanctified forever, and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of His wrath may turn away from you. For if you return to the LORD, your brethren and your children will be treated with compassion by those who lead them captive, so that they may come back to this land; for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you return to Him.”
So the runners passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun; but they laughed at them and mocked them. Nevertheless some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. Also the hand of God was on Judah to give them singleness of heart to obey the command of the king and the leaders, at the word of the LORD.

The northern kingdom of Israel had already been attacked various times by Assyria. They had sinned and did not turn back to God. Hence God allowed this. If this Passover is around the first year of Hezekiah, then the final attack that annihilated the kingdom of Israel had not occurred yet. This was hence like the final chance for the people to turn back to God. The messengers’ message was hence like a plea to their brethren to return to God and come worship in Jerusalem.

Were there people in the northern kingdom who heard the call to repent? Yes. But there were people who mocked the messengers. “What God?” But there were those who needed the warning, humbled themselves and set themselves to go to Jerusalem to keep the feast.

What’s the lesson we can learn from this particular great reunion?

Have we considered the salvation of our family members; our loved ones? Do we have family members who have yet to hear the voice of Jesus and the gospel of salvation? Or are there members who used to come to church but no longer do?

While we may be fearful our friends and family may mock our call just like some of the people of the northern kingdom of Israel, there were still some who heeded and returned. Do we truly love our family members? If they are so important to us, we won’t care about the potential outcome of being mocked or rejected. Instead we grasp the chance that they may hear, humble themselves and return. Those who returned heard, learnt and knew God.

When the final attack by Assyria came, those who returned were likely protected from the harsher punishments.

As we have our reunions today and treasure our earthly bonds, let’s think about the souls of our family members who have yet to be saved. Let’s give the message of hope and salvation. They’ve already experienced the calamity of COVID-19. Life is uncertain. The only time we can find a surety is in God. We who have found God have hope in eternal life. That is the most important thing.

As we enjoy reunions today, let’s remember that there will one day be a greatest reunion. This great reunion in heaven is one where there will be no more sorrow, no more fear, no more diseases that will separate us from a loved one, no more parting, but everlasting joy in the Kingdom of Heaven. May we live together to gather together in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Hymn 18: When We All Get to Heaven