Sermon Index
March 10, 2013 Lent 4C
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GOSPEL LESSON: Luke 15:1–3a, 11–32 [The two sons of the Father] Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ ”‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” |
This is one of most famous of Jesus’ Parables. I think everyone knows it well because we first heard it when we were in Sunday school. Depending on the age of the child or adult, we bring out different aspects of this parable and make it meaningful to them.
When it comes to little kids, naughty children fear being spanked by their parents and so run and hid in their room like the Prodigal Son. So when we teach this story to small children, we emphasize the love and forgiveness of the father, that is the love and forgiveness of God, who would not punish a naughty child who comes home and confesses their guilt. It takes away the fear of God. God loves you even if you are naughty. But it is better to stay home and obey your parents.
For older children and youth who might actually run away from home, who might live a wild life like the Prodigal Son – we leave the details to your imagination – for young people who might sink to the bottom of their life and be in despair like the Prodigal Son who was out of money and friends and food, we have a similar message. Do not give up hope, realize the pit you are in, seek help. Like the Prodigal Son, remember the good times at home. Like the Prodigal Son, have hope that your parents will take you back in. And like the Prodigal Son, confess your sin to both your father on earth and your Father in Heaven. Trust that God will forgive you and will rejoice when you repent and return. That is the power of forgiveness that will lift us out of the pig-pen messes that we find ourselves in.
For parents who have lost children to the sin of the world, we point out the hope of the father in the parable. Many parents can relate to how he stood at the window everyday looking up the road hoping and waiting for his son to come home. One part of him might have wanted to beat the living tar out of the child, the other part of him wanted to hug and kiss and never let go. There would be time later for lectures and feelings of anger and worry to be expressed. Now is the time for clean clothes and shoes and a ring on the finger. Now is the time to have a feast and celebrate. For the son that was dead is alive again, he was lost and is found.
Christian parents, who know the love of God their Heavenly Father, can know how to love their children. Parents who had been like the Prodigal Son when they were younger, can remember the love that their parents gave them and they can love their children in return. We live the words of the Lord’s Prayer, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” Christians who have known the forgiveness of God in their lives, in humility and thankfulness forgive others. And so, when the lost child comes home, it is time for a band-aid, a bath, and a big hug. The lecture and punishment and rehabilitation can wait for tomorrow. In other words, before the Prodigal Son takes off, parents need to make a home and family worth coming back to.
For those of us who are like the elder brother, this parable has warning and advice. How do we greet the Prodigal Brother who has come home? In the family there can be jealousy and anger and hurt. We feel that is neither fair nor right that the father should treat that sibling better than me. It seems like the father does not love me. The elder brother and sister must also learn the love and forgiveness of God.
You can also apply this to the elder brothers and sisters in the family of the church. We grew up in the church and have always been faithful in many ways. We have a nice fellowship here. We are basically good people. It becomes hard for us to accept people into the church who are like the Prodigal Son. Jesus spoke of tax collectors and prostitutes and sinners. How about drug addicts and the homeless and people with mental problems and other various sinners? Sometimes they wander into our church, and we are so glad when they do not come back the next week. Rather Jesus would have us invite them to the pot-luck feast. This person too is a child of God, a child for whom Jesus died on the cross to save. Christ took upon himself the sins of the world, their sins and our sins, too. God our Father speaks to us, gently saying, “My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. [The Kingdom is yours. Salvation is yours.] But we had to [have to] celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”
There are other people in this parable that we could criticize: There are the so-called “friends” who left when the money was gone. There was the farmer who took advantage of this foreigner in a distant country and did not even pay him minimum wage so he could eat. I hope and pray that none of you in the congregation this morning are like these folks.
But there is one more character in the parable that we can be like. This is the servant who told the good news to the elder brother. He said, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.” This servant is like the person who gives the Gospel invitation. “Come to church. We are celebrating that Christ was dead but now is alive. He was like lost but is found. Or rather, we were dead but made alive in Christ. We were lost in our sin, but Christ has found us.” We are children of God through forgiveness. Baptism is like a ring on our finger and new, clean clothes. It is right to celebrate salvation.
Amen.
Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church