The Prodigal WHO???
Sermon for March 14, 2010.
Pastor Michael Harman,
St. Peter LCMS - Newell, IA
vacancies at ...
Immanuel, Pomeroy
First Evangelical, Fonda
A little background. Deuteronomy 21. "If a man has a stubborn and rebellious
son who won't obey the voice of his father, and though he disciplines him, the
son will not listen, then his father shall take hold of him and bring him out
to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, and say to
the elders of his city, 'This son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey
my voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.' Then all the men of the city shall
stone the son to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your
midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear." There was no second-chance.
Disrespect was punished. The Pharisees knew this rule.
And the last bit of background... do you know what the word "prodigal"
means? It means extremely wasteful and very generous; usually with money. In
American slang we say "spend like there's no tomorrow" or maybe "money to burn"
Prodigal means to keep doing something even when there is no hope of any good
from it. Prodigal is giving money for a sandwich to a drug addict who is
standing next to a drug pusher.
"God is MY salvation" Isaiah 12 and every Christian confesses. We deserve
no good thing from Him, and we seldom appreciate all He has done and still does
for us. Still He calls us His own children and He continues to give to us
anyway out of mercy hoping we will have the same compassion toward His other
children.
This morning you need to confess you often act like both of the sons of
the parable. Do you waste God's possessions? Do you treat others, even
brothers and sisters in Christ, as unworthy by your standards who must earn
their place?
Think about the parable. Jesus told it for a reason. The Holy Spirit made
sure it was recorded for us. WHO is wasting the most; and WHAT is being
wasted?
The Prodigal WHO?
The biggest thing wasted by the younger son was not the lifetime
accumulation of his father's property or savings which were sold at fire-sale
prices so he could quickly leave or his saying his father was as-good-as-dead.
God created and owns the entire universe; every part; even you. Do you
see creation as His property - even your body and life? Or do you act as if
all creation is yours?
God also gives rain, sun, soil, wind, muscles, and savvy to farmers. He
gives eyes to see grandkids; ears to hear music; mobility to walk to a car then
to drive to shop; the senses to take in a morning's cool air; and more. And
don't you often act as if it is ALL yours for the taking? Maybe not totally
like the younger son, saying "God is dead so let's get on with what we REALLY
want to do!" BUT: THAT'S NOT THE BIGGEST WASTE HERE.
The horror story grinds on. The younger boy did not respect his father.
No doubt some would have felt horrified at any Jew living with pigs. He was
not stoned, but some felt he got what he deserved. The Gentiles didn't even
care if the boy got paid or got fed. Like an alcoholic hitting rock bottom,
the boy finally realized SOMETHING was wrong. But he does not come up with the
right answer.
The younger boy does not really repent. He is sorry about his empty
stomach; maybe the loss of money; but that's all. He does not change his mind
(repent) about his status as a son. He was certain his status as a son was
lost forever. He lost hope. Only a fool would wish to get anything after how
he treated his father. But he realized he had no where else to turn.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch. Dad waited. More than that: Dad watched!
(Zechariah 3). His father recognized his grubby son shuffling down the
road. The father raced to meet his son, called for a robe, put the family ring
on the finger, and demanded shoes to signify the boy wasn't a servant. He was
welcomed back AS HIS SON. The servants knew that, and readied a fiesta to
celebrate.
This is important: the older prodigal son did not understand what was
being wasted either. The same old man who ran out to the younger son also ran
out to the elder son with the very same message: you are part of my family.
Failing to greet that man properly should have earned the boy stoning.
The father should have disinherited the elder boy for lack of respect he showed
toward both his father and his younger brother (see first paragraph).
What did the elder son grumble? I've been your SERVANT for years; I'm not
really a son. I obey orders. What did the prodigal grumble? You didn't pay
for my service with a party-sized goat to feast with my friends - again,
implying his family means nothing. You WASTE my fattened calf on your son? He
is NOT my brother.
But do you act as if God should forgive you, or give you heaven because
you have served better than others? Do you search for an absent brother or
sister in Christ to invite them back? Or do you shun them since they did
something you didn't approve of; ignoring your church family prefer
non-Christian friends & activity?
Christ's parables here were told to the self-righteous Pharisees. Like
the older prodigal the Pharisees viewed their 'son' status with God as
something they earned. They wanted no part of God's forgiveness and compassion.
The great irony in the parable is verse 11. "There was a man who had two
sons." Actually, neither boy considered himself a son. One can be considered
prodigal since he wasted his inheritance on himself in luxury. But the other
boy is equally prodigal, wasting life on himself in self-righteousness for an
inheritance he could never earn. Both are prodigals.
But the GREATEST Prodigal is the father. He wasted love. He sold his
property and gave it to a son who wanted nothing to do with him. Then he ran
out to reclaim him as a valuable son when he had squandered his inheritance.
The GREAT Prodigal is the father. He wasted love. He acted kindly to his
rebellious, cold, and self-righteous boy out of love for him.
God the Father is the Ultimate Prodigal. He does not instantly condemn
those who hate Him and act like He is dead. He continues to love them. He
works in life's circumstances (in this case, a famine in a foreign land) to try
to bring people back to Him, where He welcomes us with open arms - UNworthy as
we all are.
Our Father is the prodigal for the other son. When Christians believe we
are better than others, do not celebrate repentance, refuse to invite or eat
with people we feel are sinners, God still comes to plead with us & change us.
In the extravagant, wasteful, excessive, prodigal love God our Father has
for sinners (both the wanderers and the self-righteous), He sent His only Son
Jesus Christ to live the only perfect life and do what we fail to do. Jesus
received sinners like you and me and eats with them. He also pleads with us
when we feel we are better than others, and tells us "all that is Mine is
yours" by grace. Then Christ went to the cross to suffer what we deserve for
all our evils. By His death, He created our inheritance of eternal life. By
His rising to live, we can be certain God the Father claims us as His beloved
children in Baptism. <Pause>.
As you hear the parable of the prodigal, you should get nervous. Unlike
other parables, this one isn't finished. Does the younger son ever realize
that he IS still a son and believe in his father's love? Does the older son
finally realize he has many wrong ideas about the relationship he has with his
father; and as a result - his brother? Does either boy ever truly repent of
their sins and realize they are his sons?
Jesus tells this parable to help us understand the prodigal love of God.
God works a relationship in us by means of Word and Sacraments. He claims us
as His own children, and gives us the inheritance of heaven. For all our
faults: acting like the younger OR the older brother, we are God's children
and He loves us deeply. We do not lose our status by our rebellion, nor do we
gain it by obedience. God continues His prodigal love to us by grace. Our
worth comes from the sacrifice of Christ for us: all debts paid in full. As
our Collect says, the result of our status as children of God, we acknowledge
His goodness, give thanks, and serve in obedience. But it is His prodigal love
that claims us as His sons and daughters, forgives when we fail, and turns us
in the power of Christ to faith and joyful compassion for others.
May our gracious Father continue to work His mercy in you and thru you:
for He has claimed you as His beloved child; in the Name of Jesus. Amen.
