This morning's Gospel with Luke's familiar story of the Prodigal Son has contained within it the Reason for the Season. I know we are used to hearing that cliché for the Christmas Season, but I believe that the Parable of the Prodigal Son has contained within it the Reason for the Season of Lent. Not only that, but the Epistle reading from Paul's 2nd letter to the Corinthian's has as Paul Harvey used to say --"The Rest of the Story".
I would like to take a few minutes this morning and look at that Reason and also follow up with the rest of the story. And just what is the reason for the season in lent? Well, I call this sermon THE INTENT OF LENT, meaning that the intent of God in this season of inward reflection and repentance is the other "R" word-RECONCILIATION which is the intent of God for his people.
The parable of the Prodigal Son should be retitled the Parable of the Forgiving Father. In fact, the story is really centered around the Father. Anytime we encounter an authority figure in one of Jesus' parables it’s intended to refer to God. The father in the parable is definitely an authority figure and besides that he is a prodigal himself. Since prodigal means spendthrift, this father is a prodigal with his love and forgiveness. It is no mere coincidence that this parable is one of the two meditations that will opens our Kairos weekend on Thursday nights. This parable is used specifically because we want to convey to the inmates that God is in fact a Forgiving Father. This morning we will look at this parable and the relationships and attitudes displayed by the principal players, the interaction between them and see what it means for us and how we are affected by it, and then we will look how the rest of the story is applicable in all this. But let's not forget that:
RECONCILIATION IS THE INTENT OF LENT
Let's examine this story a little more closely: Read Luke 15: 11-16.
“Jesus continued: "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.”
Does that story of self-centeredness sound familiar? It should. We all have probably lived through it at some time, in our lives. Sometimes we have been so wrapped up in our own needs and desires that absolutely nothing else matters. There is this need to satisfy our own desires. It did not matter if someone else will suffer, in fact, we probably don't even think about it; that's how little it matters. In other words, what is in this for us. This son in the story cannot even wait for his father to die, he wants what is his, right now. In effect, he is telling his father "I wish you were dead so I could get what is mine!!" But his father knows how to handle the situation, he's cool, he does not even try to talk him out of it. Do you remember how hard it was to listen to your parents when they were trying to talk to you, but it didn't do any good, and in fact they wasted their breath. The father in the story lets his son have his own way and lets him go. After I graduated from High School I went on active duty in the Army. My intent was to get out of East Orange, NJ and do what I wanted to do. One thing you usually learn in trying to satisfy your own desires is it’s like trying to fill a bottomless pit - you can never, never, ever get enough. When we try to fulfill our own desires, we cut ourselves off from our friends and family. It is no wonder that the son in the story found himself in a pig sty, it was the lowest point and place that a Jewish man could sink to.
Read Luke 15: 17-20.
"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.”
Sometimes God permits us to fall in order to bring us to our senses. There is no point in regretting the past; it is over and done with. We need to learn from our mistakes and rise above them. The first step on the road back to God is not easy. It requires being humble enough to acknowledge our sinful condition. But the difficulty arises only because we forget the mercy of the Father. The moment we decide; “I will leave this place or condition and go to my Father." He receives us back. Humbling yourself is one of the most important things we must do in this life. Because it is exactly that - humbling the self - the ego. The self tells you that you could not possibly have done anything wrong because you are a good person. It is really a marvel when you think back over your life and realize how far you had gotten from God, our Father. When you are moving farther and farther away from Him you do not realize it until you have been brought to your knees. You look back for that support and find that there is none because you are way, way out on the fringe. It is like being on a picnic at the beach or in the woods and you run off to see what you can see. You get farther and farther away and you finally turn around and look back to see how far you have come. You then realize that WOW!! I have to get back to the family, so you turn around and head back. But before you can turn around you have to have an awareness of just where you are and what you are doing. The son in the parable also had to have an awareness of his situation before he came to himself. You know being knee-deep in pig poop and slop and having to eat what the pigs left behind will do it.
Read Luke 15: 21-24.
"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.”
What we learn from this is God looks for us and awaits our return: "While he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him." He kisses him, pig poop and all. God's forgiveness is complete ─ the sin is forgotten, and we are restored to full membership in His family. The father in parable would not hear of his son being one of his servants. God rejoices in our return; "And they began to celebrate." When you've run into the woods or down the beach and as you’re on the way back to the family you look up and see your dad running up to meet you and bring you back, WOW!! What a glorious feeling! You see he missed you and was out looking for you and is so happy to find you. Now we see just how prodigal the father in the parable is because he puts the BEST ROBE on the son, he puts a ring on his finger; probably a signet ring which gave the son power of attorney; he put shoes on his feet which meant he was free, because slaves did not wear shoes; then finally the father threw a party serving the best food. No celebration is complete without a feast.
Read Luke 15: 25-30.
"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!'
To demonstrate the greatness of Our Father's mercy, Jesus shows us by contrast the usual human reaction to the sinner. The older son represents those of us who call ourselves "good." He reacts the way even good human beings tend to react. He refuses to forgive. He is jealous and bitter about his father's mercy. It is evident that his devotion to his father has been motivated, in part, by his own self-interest. He also is
self-centered; he cannot forgive and forget the sin of his younger brother. He even disowns his brother when he says "this son of yours..." He probably is jealous of his brother for having the guts to go off and do what he would like to have done but didn't have the courage to do. Then he sees that his brother is welcomed back after doing all the things he didn't have the guts to do. Can you imagine the reaction of the neighbors when they see George Stephanopoulos and a camera crew from “Good Morning America” on your door step? You will probably be like a leper to them until they find out what the story is. No one wants to associate with someone who is in trouble, lest what you had rubbed off on them.
Read Luke 15: 31-32.
"'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.'" (NIV)
Our Father is waiting for the first sign from us that we want to return -that we want to be fully members of His family. He wants to make our return easy. He comes to meet us. He wants to rid us of the burden of sin. He wants to share in our unending celebration of peace and joy. All we have to do is to be willing to say: "I will leave this place and return to my Father."
RECONCILIATION IS THE INTENT OF LENT
Now for the rest of the story! What happens when we have returned? We have been welcomed back, the party is over, and the dust has settled. Now what! Paul's letter to the Corinthian's is the answer. "If anyone is IN Christ, there is a new creation; everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who RECONCILED US IN HIMSELF through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation." We do not hold on to the blessing of the reconciliation with God to our own selfish selves, we pass it on! We maintain that reconciled relationship with God, through Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Just as the Israelites celebrated their arrival in the Promised Land with a feast we celebrate our arrival IN Christ, in the context of the Eucharistic feast, every Sunday. Through this Eucharist, we have Christ IN us, and we are IN him, as we will say in the Prayer of Humble Access just before we take Communion. A woman from the Shenandoah Valley was painting at her easel in the woods one day when she was struck by rifle shots. When she came to in the hospital she was suspended above the bed in a sling. She was in such a bad way and had lost so much blood that the doctors were afraid to operate right away. They waited almost a week to see if she would stabilize. During that time, she hovered between life and death, people from the church she belonged to - but did not attend regularly - cared for her. They came in shifts and sat in the room and prayed for her.
She could not speak and they did not know that she was aware of their presence. Later she said that she felt she was in a cocoon of love. It did not matter if I lived or died. I was part of a beloved community. To be reconciled to God and be a part of the Body of Christ. That is the rest of the story because:
RECONCILIATION IS THE INTENT OF LENT
A. BACKGROUND NOTES: RECONCILIATION
1. The process by which God and man are brought together again. The Bible teaches
that God and man are alienated from one another because of God's holiness and man's sinfulness. Although God loves the sinner [Rom. 5:8], it is impossible for Him not to judge sin [Heb. 10:27]. Therefore, in biblical reconciliation, both parties are affected. Through the sacrifice of Christ, man's sin is atoned, and God's wrath is appeased. Thus, a relationship of hostility and alienation is changed into one of peace and fellowship.
2. The initiative in reconciliation was taken by God-- while we were still sinners and
"enemies," Christ died for us [Rom. 5:8, 10; Col. 1:21]. Reconciliation is thus God's own completed act, something that takes place before human actions such as confession, repentance, and restitution. God Himself "has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ" [2 Cor. 5:18].
2. Paul regarded the gospel as "the word of reconciliation" [2 Cor. 5:19]. And knowing
"the terror of the Lord," Paul pleaded, implored, and persuaded men: "Be reconciled to God" [2 Cor. 5:20]. (From Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary)
B. DOCTRINAL POINTS
1. BROKEN RELATIONSHIP MAY BE OUR FAULT: The younger son is
depicted as feeding swine and longing to eat their food, which is as low as a Jew could go. He knows that his pitiable state is the result of his own wrongdoing. By squandering his money and ignoring his obligation to his father, he is no longer fit to called son.
2. RECONCILIATION REQUIRES INITIATIVE: Willing to be treated as a hired hand, he returns contrite to his father’s house. But the father takes the initiative in welcoming - not a hired hand- but his son. The father’s unconditional love and mercy [mirroring God’s outreach to the repentant sinner] restore the broken relationship. This is manifested in the robe, ring and shoes.
3. RECONCILIATION IS A TWO-WAY STREET: The father takes the initiative again in approaching the older brother. His complaint against the father’s acceptance and reception of the younger brother echoes the murmuring of the Pharisees’ against Jesus’ associating with sinners. He has misunderstood his relationship with his father, referring to himself as a slave. Until he can accept his forgiven brother, he is outside the joy of sinners who are forgiven and loved without limit in the kingdom of God.
C. APPLICATION/DISCUSSION:
1. Whatever is best for us is what God desires for us. Whatever brings us ultimate fulfillment and happiness lies securely in God's plan. We see this in the way the father handled his two sons in the parable. Both are stunned by the father's reaction to the return of the younger son. They didn't expect the father to rush out and welcome back the prodigal; they both received the totality of God's love and concern. The father went out to both of them and brings them back into the house.
2. The Parent [God] in the story loved and gave without condition in three very
powerful ways.
a. First, the gift of his love was freely given. He never controlled the gift. The
Prodigal experienced this in two ways. He was given his portion of the inheritance when he asked for it, with no strings attached. Then when he returned home, he was restored and reclothed, with no conditions.
b. The second way that the Parent loved was in creating an environment of love
and acceptance in the home. When the Prodigal came to himself he knew he could go home. The Older brother knew he could speak his mind to the Parent and not hold back how he felt. These are signs of a remarkable environment of love.
c. The third way the Parent loved was by giving. He gave the Prodigal a robe, a
ring, some shoes, an embrace, and a celebration. He gave the Older Brother “all I have…” It is impossible to love without giving. This lavish giving of love is primary evidence of God’s presence.
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