Text: Luke 15:11-32
Focus: Mercy
Function: to celebrate mercy
11Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the wealth that will belong to me.’ So he divided his assets between them. 13A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant region, and there he squandered his wealth in dissolute living. 14When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that region, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that region, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16He would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, and no one gave him anything. 17But when he came to his senses he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.” ’ 20So he set off and went to his father. But 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. 21Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate, 24for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.
25“Now his elder son was in the field, and as he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf because he has got him back safe and sound.’ 28Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command, yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ 31Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’ ”
Good morning to the beloved of God.
I love this story.
And it is important that while we see a tremendous picture of mercy given by the father to the wayward son, and we focus on forgiveness, we can’t forget that the main point of the story has to do with the elder brother’s poor attitude. And we’ll focus on that during this sermon, but let us first look at the amazing story of grace and mercy presented here by Christ.
I did a tour of England back in 2006 where we tried to learn how churches were adapting to a post-Christian society since Europe went through it long before us.
And while we were there, we attended this Mega-Church and I was really impressed with the architecture and symbols. It was Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Brompton and it was this huge, ornate, alabaster cathedral with all the Medieval stone carvings and statues.
But what impressed me the most was this robust wooden statue carved out of the base of a large tree. It was a statue of the father embracing the prodigal son.
I thought to myself, of the myriad of images they could have portrayed up there from the scriptures, they chose this iconic symbol of mercy to depict the the central theme to their purpose. Their purpose is to promote God’s mercy.
In my experience, God’s mercy is universal.
But there is a dynamic to this story that is important and that is the way the prodigal son changed his mind.
He refused to be stubborn. He let his mind be changed. He gave up his error and returned to his community and to his people.
We use this story the first night of Kairos to ask the men to examine where they have gone and if they are willing to come back.
In theological circles, we call this choice to come back repentance. It means to allow our minds to be changed. And that is part of the function of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Not only does she empower us to succeed, but the Spirit’s baptism is also with a cleansing fire that draws us away from destructive behaviors and attitudes toward those that bring God’s peace.
There is a key aspect to allowing our minds to be changed. It can be a stumbling block that many are not willing to get over: Humility.
It takes humility to walk with God. It takes a willingness to be open to the Spirit’s leading and direction which has a completely different set of values than the values of the world around us.
We are set apart as believers to a different way of living. It takes humility to for go our pride.
The text says the prodigal son “came to his senses” and realized that a slave in his father’s house was better off than him, so he decided to return and take his rightful place as just a servant since he squandered his inheritance.
He owned up to his mistake and admitted it.
That takes humility. Remember, there are three things required of us, Do justice, Love Mercy and walk Humbly with God. Micah 6:8
Humility helps us to listen to and hear from God. On the other hand, pride makes us stubborn. Pride is what took Satan down.
I find beauty of the story in the father watching the road and longing for the return of his child. At this point, his child was dead to him, or at least the child had cut off the parent.
The father embraces the child. The child admits his error and accepts his punishment.
But the father will have none of that. None of the punishment, I mean. The father has his child back and this is all that matters. Reconciliation is the primary purpose of this story.
And that moves us to the elder brother who refused to participate. He refused to call him his own brother and he condemns his actions.
Notice something: the father places the child back in his position as child, but all that the father has still goes to the elder brother. The father is fair to the elder brother but doesn't get the credit. The elder brother’s pride destroys another relationship.
The parable, as I mentioned, is about reconciliation. We are first reconciled to God and then to others.
Pride caused the elder brother to resent mercy. Jesus, I believe, want us to stop being resentful of mercy. God wants us to celebrate mercy when it’s given.
So, let us finish by looking again at the father. At first, he validates the elder brother’s frustration, but then he reminds him of what is important:
He was lost and is found, we was dead to me and is now alive again.
The father sees restoration as the primary goal.
May we be restored as well.