A Long-Anticipated Message by Visionary Leader Kirbyjon Caldwell
This Sunday, Visionary Leader Kirbyjon Caldwell brought a long-awaited word from Luke 15 — The Prodigal Son.
But in the middle of this familiar story, he pointed out something that stopped us in our tracks:
Why did the father kiss him?
Key Scripture Highlights
- Luke 15:15 — “He went to feed the swine…” Nobody even gave him swine food.
- Luke 15:17 — “But when he came to himself…” Come to yourself today. Self-awareness is the beginning of change.
- “He said to himself…” — It’s okay to talk to yourself; meditation means to mutter the truth of God to your own heart.
- The son decided, “I will arise and go to my father…” (Luke 15:18).
- Even while far away, “his father saw him and ran… and kissed him on the neck” (Luke 15:20).
The Prodigal’s Journey
- The younger son essentially told his father, “Die, daddy, die” when asking for his inheritance (Luke 15:12) — a shocking dishonor in that culture.
- He took what wasn’t truly his, squandered it, and a famine deepened his ruin (Luke 15:13–14).
- His interior life was broken, and the environment around him was equally broken.
Our Visionary Leader reminded us: When your interior life is intact, the hellhounds can circle you, but you can still stand as more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37).
The SEM Card
To keep that interior life strong, our Visionary Leader teaches the need to keep your SEM Card intact:
- S – Spiritual: How and what do you believe?
- E – Emotional: How and what do you feel?
- M – Mental: How and what do you think?
When these three work in tandem, “the gates of hell shall not prevail against you” (Matthew 16:18).
The Pig Predicament
The son’s decline followed a chain:
- Pig principles → Pig practices → Pig predicament
Sometimes, pig principles slip into our priesthood. But the prodigal wasn’t in denial — he knew “This isn’t what God has for me.”
The Road Back
Our Visionary Leader shared five steps to restoration:
- Acknowledge your wrong
- Accept responsibility
- Apologize for what happened
- Arise from your situation
- Action — move forward
Even in the deepest pit, there is hope in hell. God’s mercy can reach you no matter how far you’ve fallen.
The Father’s Response
Exodus 34:7 — “The Lord is merciful, gracious, and abounding in goodness.”
When the son was still far away (Luke 15:20), the father was already looking for him.
He did three things outside of Jewish custom:
- Lifted his robe — “If I be lifted up, I’ll draw all men to me” (John 12:32).
- Ran toward his son — just as blood ran down Jesus on the cross (1 Peter 2:24).
- Fell down where his son was — just as angels fall to worship God (Revelation 7:11).
The Answer to the Question
Why did the father kiss him?
Because when the son was at his lowest, the father gave his highest.
It was a Kingdom Kiss — the ultimate sign of mercy, restoration, and love.
