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Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 It would be helpful for you this morning during our sermon time if you’ll all take out a Bible and open up to our gospel lesson for today. Most of you probably didn’t bring your Bibles, but I know that there are some located in all of the pews. I’ll try to put the verses I’m talking about on the screen, but you might want to use an actual Bible to follow along this morning. Our gospel lesson is from Luke 15, and we’ll be looking primarily at verses 11-32. So I’ll give you a minute to find that and keep it open on your laps when you do. The parable that Jesus tells us this morning is one of his most famous, often called the story of the prodigal son or the story of the lost son. I’m sure most of you have heard it before and know it well. The story itself is such a clear and powerful demonstration of God’s abundant grace that any kind of story or illustration I might use this morning wouldn’t come close to holding the same power that the story by itself does. In fact, this story paints such a radical picture of God’s grace and its implications are so mindblowing that the earliest church fathers, the ones who actually put the Bible together, seriously debated over whether this story should even be included in the Bible. Many argued back then and many still argue that its just not fair for someone to completely deny their faith or leave the church and expect to be able to come back like nothing ever happened, in fact to be welcomed back, and in fact, to have a party thrown in their honor. Its just not fair and there is no way that God could be that unfair and that gracious…so, surely, Jesus meant something else and therefore this shouldn’t be in the Bible. That was the argument anyway. Well, I, for one, am glad that this made it into the Bible and I, for one, am glad that our God is so gracious and merciful and isn’t fair at all. Because I know that I need a lot more grace than some people and I’m thankful that God gives it to me as a need it, the same as there are probably people out there who need more grace than I do and I’m thankful that God gives it to them as they need it. Anyway, because this story is so great on its own, rather than offer you some parallel illustrations, I’d like to really sink into this story and help you understand a little more of the cultural context of this story and why it was so radical that it almost didn’t make it into the Bible. The story begins in verse 11 with two sons, and the younger son comes to the Father and asks him for his share of the inheritance. As remains the custom in today’s world, you typically don’t ask for your inheritance before your father has actually died. When the younger son does this, it is basically saying to dad, “Drop dead, Dad. You’re better to me dead than alive.” Quite an insult that must’ve broke the father’s heart. Right off the bat, there are signs that this is a dysfunctional family. Not only does the younger son have issues with dad, but in that culture, it was the older son’s responsibility to keep peace in the family. In this case, the older son should’ve taken his little brother aside and said, “You know, I’m not sure you understood what you just said to dad. You should probably take it back and go apologize.” And he should’ve gone to his father and said, “You know how he is, he’s young and foolish and didn’t really mean what he said.” But, you see, there is no mention of the older son playing that role in this family – there is no mediary – and this speaks the brokenness and dysfunction of this family. How many of us would classify our own families as dysfunctional, or at least have some extended relatives who might fall under this category? If God is the father in this parable, what does that say about God’s family – us, the church? More times than not, we act like these two sons – at times saying hurtful things to God and others, and at other times, not acting like the peacemakers we should or holding each other accountable for our behaviors. Nonetheless, despite the way the Father is treated, he gives the young son what he wants. In verse 12 there’s an interesting word there. It says, “So he divided his property between them.” The Greek word translated here for property however is BIOS. Anyone ever study biology, the study of life? A fuller meaning of that sentence is that the father gave his life away. And look what the younger son does with it – he squanders it. We like to think that he wasted it away in immoral living (because that’s what the older son thinks), but really, the Greek words don’t imply that at all. Rather the original words just say that he “scattered it recklessly.” His sin was really that of poor stewardship, not immoral living. So what does that say about us, if we are sometimes like this younger son? We are given the very life of God and we go about scattering it recklessly, wasting it away, not using it wisely. Most of us would classify ourselves as moral people, but how many of us would classify ourselves as good stewards of the gifts God has given to us – tithing 10% of our income, using our spiritual gifts, sharing our faith with others? Being good stewards is much more challenging than living a moral life. As we move through this story, notice that the Father doesn’t go searching for his child. How difficult that must’ve been! I know many of you parents out there have had to stand by and watch your children make poor decisions. That probably takes more strength than rescuing them at every turn. In this parable, the Father doesn’t search, instead he attracts. Think of a restaurant…not too many restaurants have sales people going about trying to drum up business, begging you to try their place out. Instead, most restaurants do their best to create a great atmosphere, present great food, and offer great service. In other words, they try to attract their clientele, not sell it. The father created a safe environment for his son to return and when his son was ready, he knew he could come back. What are we doing as a congregation to attract others here? We don’t necessarily have to be beating on doors begging people to come to church, but we do have a responsibility to make this a safe, comfortable place that attracts others. As the son returns home in verse 20, the father does what the church fathers thought was perhaps the most controversial – the father ran to greet him. To this day, it is undignified and humiliating for men in the Middle Eastern culture to run. Not only is running completely shameful, but to do so, he would’ve had to hike up his robe and show his ankles – another disgraceful act. As if giving up his life wasn’t enough, the father gives up his dignity also. Almost like Jesus suffering humiliation by going to the cross for us. So that leaves us with the older son, the “good” son, if you will. The one who stayed with dad through it all and is out working in the fields the whole time. Of course he’s upset and frustrated – his dad is throwing a party for his idiot brother – with his inheritance! To really understand older brother, you have to look at who Jesus is telling this parable to, which means you have to look at verses 1-3 of chapter 15. The tax collectors & sinners were all being attracted to Jesus and it’s the Pharisees & scribes who are grumbling. The older brother is the church folks, the folks are doing what they’re supposed to be doing, yet they aren’t guilt-free. Jealously, judgment, resentment, assumptions – these are self-righteous behaviors and father takes time to address older brother with the care and concern and correction that he needs. When we, as the church, get too focused on ourselves and how good we think we’re doing, those are the times we need to be careful, because God may just be throwing a party somewhere else and we’re missing it. I could really go on about this parable because there is so much here, but I’d like to give all of you a chance to talk about it also because you may have some unique perspectives on it. So, please, for a moment, find a group of two or three people like we did a couple weeks ago. I’m going to put three questions on the screen and give you five minutes to discuss them. Please watch the screen for the time.
1) Share a time when someone forgave you for something. 2) Share which character in the parable you identify with the most and why? 3) Share how you think God is like a loving father and has acted like a father toward you.
Throughout the season of Lent, our focus has been on God’s promises for us. While many call this parable the Prodigal Son, it’s probably better if you call it “The Loving Father” because its so full of God’s grace for us - promises of reconciliation, a safe homecoming, a loving father who will always be there for you. Reading from the Good News Bible, I’d like to close with a portion of our 2nd lesson, because I think Paul sums it up nicely in 2 Corinthians. “All this is done by God, who through Christ changed us from enemies into his friends and gave us the task of making others his friends also. Our message is that God is making all people his friends through Jesus.” Amen.
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