March 31st, Luke

SERMON: MARCH 31, 2019
LUKE 15: 1-13, 11B -32

This morning our Gospel lesson contains three separate parables. Yet when we look closely, we can see that they are connected and intertwined. In fact, the first two parables, that of the Shepherd and the lost sheep and the woman and the lost coin are so parallel that they complement each other.

In the first parable, it is only natural that the lost sheep would get the undivided attention of the shepherd, and of course, when they are found, would be the source of great joy to the owner. Most of us recognize that this parable is telling us that God’s lost sheep, the sinners and tax collectors, who have strayed are of upmost importance. God loves them unconditionally, although He does not like their behavior, and wants to bring them back into the fold, for God does not want anyone to perish.

Then we have the story of the woman and the lost coin. She knew that the coin had to be in the house somewhere, and that it could not have rolled far because drachmas were not truly circular. We also need to remember that the houses of that day were very poorly lit. No electricity and most of the light would have come from letting the door stand open during the day. Even lighting a lamp would not have given the type of light we are used to, and so she sweeps the floor hoping the coin will make a clink when her broom hits it or that it will be found in the dust she sweeps up. Eventually she finds the coin and rejoices, “and when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ ¹⁰ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Again, the point of this story is that God rejoices when a sinner is restored to the flock.

By now most of you know that I grew up with four younger brothers, and you can bet that I knew when one of them got away with something that I didn’t. Being the oldest, I was given more responsibility and held to what I determined to be a stricter standard, and I realized that with each younger brother, the new sibling seemed to get away with more that the one before him. At times we would all grumble to our mother that it just wasn’t fair. Most of the time, however, it fell on deaf ears and we learned to live with the injustices. In fact, when I look back, the situation actually prepared me to live as an adult in this world; for there are many things in life that are not fair. Dealing with them is just part of being an adult. Unfortunately, we probably all know someone who has never gotten over feeling that their siblings got more than they did, and often these feelings last for a lifetime.

At first the story of the prodigal son seems pretty straight forward and the wayward son seems to be the center of the story. However, often the key to understanding one of Jesus’ parables is to try and determine which character does not conform to the expected behavior of Jesus’ time. So, I ask you this, who do you think is not conforming to the expected behavior in this story?

If you guessed that it was the father, you would be correct. Let’s take a look at the story. The youngest son asks for his inheritance so that he can leave home. This is the equivalent of saying that he can not wait for his father to die, he wants what he sees as due to him now, and that he is rejecting his home and his family’s way of life. Beneath all of this we can see the son’s rebellion, the same type of rebellion that many have when it concerns God and the church. Just look at the number of young people who grow up in the church, and once they are on their own never attend church again. And we can’t just blame the young, for in certain ways we all rebel against God and the life that we know we should be living.

In the case of the prodigal son, many fathers would refuse to give him the money that was not his due at this time. Yet, his father gives him his inheritance and wishes him well despite the insulting circumstance of the situation. As a parent, we can be sure that he was hoping that his son would eventually return; just like God who has given us free will to pick and choose what we want to do, is looking for us, his lost sheep, to return to him once again.

Eventually the prodigal son returns in total disgrace.   He has wasted and spent all of his inheritance and has fallen on hard times. Times so hard that he is reduced to taking the menial job of tending the swine. Here we need to remember that the Jewish people had utter repugnance for swine. So, we can see that he has hit the lowest of lows. Yet, when he goes back to his home and family, his father welcomes him with open arms and great joy. In fact, the father throws a welcome back party for him, with a roast calf that would have been reserved for only very important guests.

Like the prodigal son, there is often dark voices trying to pull us away from God, and at times it is hard to resist. Yet, like the father of the prodigal son, God is always there to welcome us back with open arms. Like the father for his son, God has unconditional love for each of us. For us it is a challenge to come back to God when we stray, asking for forgiveness for we know that returning means that we have to break away from all we are rebelling against and begin to live a new way of life.

There is also much we can learn from the older son who is angry and hurt when he learns that his younger brother has returned and that his father is welcoming him and honoring him at a party. My guess is that if we admitted it to ourselves, we might have acted in the same manner. Who has not felt the sting of being honorable but not honored while someone who is dishonorable receives honor? Yet the father responds to the elder son’s anger, calmly and with love. He points out that the son has not been displaced in any way, and his claim on the family inheritance has in no way been changed.

The message clear, those who are needy, sinful, and rebellious are still loved by God and compassionately welcomed back into the fold with great rejoicing.

As we leave here today, let us realize that we are in the midst of a great spiritual battle, and instead of wallowing in anger and resentment when things do not go our way, God’s invitation to return to the fold is always there. God’s love, forgiveness, and mercy are always there, all we need to do is decide to repent and accept his love.   God is there waiting with open arms, for those who are lost are of upmost importance.

AMEN