Sermon:
I think that it says a lot about who we are by the titles that we pick for these parables that Jesus tells us today.
It wasn’t the original author Luke who put chapter titles in ... or numbers... or even even chapters at all... these are all later additions
The original manuscripts are written in greek as one long flowing text. It’s a story to be told from beginning to end and... it’s only in our need to categorize things that we divide it up into chapters. It was in trying to make sure we actually had all the versus that numbers were assigned to each verse.
So... it says a lot about us when we call these parables what we do. The title that we put on the parables brings a certain influence to the meaning that we will find. When we only read portions it colours the whole. So this is why I read the extended version today.
We heard about sheep.
We call it the parable of the lost sheep. But why not call it the parable of the sheep that was found? Or maybe... the Parable of the obsessive compulsive shepherd who isn’t going to keep his job very long after 99 sheep go missing...
Nobody would leave 99 sheep to wander off by themselves... they will get killed... It doesn’t make good economic sense to abandon 99 to reclaim the one... so... any shepherds out there... this isn’t good shepherding advice. And yet... this shepherd will do anything to bring that one sheep home. Bad shepherding advice... but perhaps we can learn something about God in the story...
We also heard about coins.
We call it the parable of the lost coin... but why not call it the parable of the coin that was found? Or... the parable of the woman who just had to find that coin....
Do we really think that it makes sense to stop all of life and turn the whole house upside down to find one coin?...How many hours could any of us really afford to give to the search for a lost coin? It doesn’t make sense to lose hours of labour so that one coin can be found... and yet... this woman will do anything to find the one lost coin. And she rejoices when she does... I think that she might flunk a time management seminar but... perhaps we can learn something about God in the story...
We heard a story about a family.
It begins with “There was a man who had 2 sons...” and... somehow we call this “The Prodigal son story...” of sometimes... “The Prodigal Son and his brother...”
Why not call it “The Parable of the loving Father?” This is what the Eastern Orthodox does. The Father seems to be the main character and yet, we seem to so easily relate to and love the story of the younger son going off and partying till it’s all the money is gone... the story of the older brother is often forgotten and left out as if it’s part of another story.
It says something about us that we like to put the weight of the story on the prodigal son and his adventure of leaving and returning.
The first question is then... what does prodigal mean anyway? I had too look it up because I had a guess at the meaning but I wanted to be sure... this is what I found:
prodigal |ˈprädigəl|
adjective
1 spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant :
2 having or giving something on a lavish scale : the dessert was crunchy with brown sugar and prodigal with whipped cream.
The part of the story where the son has nothing left to lose and realizes that he has made a mistake is not so revolutionary... nobody would remember a story about a guy who mades some mistakes and then tries to make the best of it by returning to pay for the sins of the past slowly over time... most traditions allow for repentance if the person is willing to pay for the damages...
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magine this phone conversation:
Hello Jim... did you hear the news?
Yeah... Greg left... he walked right up to his father on main street. He had the new truck and the 5th wheel attached and walked right up to his Dad and said he was taking the truck and leaving....
He didn’t say how long or if he would be back... but get this... he tell’s his Dad that he wants his half of the inheritance now so do you know what his Dad did?...
No... I would have punched him out too... uh huh... yeah... that’s what I would have told my son too... but no... His Dad looks at him and then walks into the Royal bank and then comes out, with a big piece of paper and Greg takes it, jumps in the truck and drives away... His dad just sat there looking down the highway towards Edmonton crying...
Well do you know what was on that paper?.. it was a cheque for $400,000... half of everything he owns... he just gave it away... it’s unbelievable... yeah well... let’s hope that kind of thing doesn’t catch on around here... ok Bye.
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I would propose that we try on this title for the story... “The Prodigal Father.”
It is the father who is truly the lavish and wasteful and extravagant one. Both in the freedom he gives the younger son to just leave, and handing over of a pile of cash knowing that he wouldn’t see it again. Is there any wonder why the Pharisee's and scribe’s were offended by Jesus Parables? Doesn’t this sort of unequal foolish love grate against all logic? What sort of story would this be to model our lives after?
But Jesus has a deeper meaning involved in the stories he tells...
Hold this in you mind...
We have the lavish and wasteful Prodigal Woman who wastes time and energy in the hopes of finding 1 coin.
We have the lavish and wasteful Prodigal Shepherd who risks 99 sheep for the chance at regain 1.
And a lavish and wasteful Prodigal father who’s foolishness seems to have no end...
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imagine again the phone call that comes 6 months later.
Hello Jim,
Wanna hear something crazy?
I was coming home from the IGA and guess who was getting off the Grey Hound? It’s Greg... he’s back in town... he doesn’t good... he was dirty and skinny and I didn’t really recognize him at first... so I swung over and picked him up. He said he was trying to go home...
I know... it’s crazy... what kind of fool comes home after pulling a stunt like he did? ... especially without even the truck... Yeah well... I was thinking if his Dad didn’t kill him his brother probably would...
So I pull up at the house... as soon as Greg is out of truck the door on the house slams open and his Dad is charging right at him... and I’m worried for Greg... and Greg just sort of winced as his Dad grabbed him and picked him... and then they’re hugging... and his Dad is crying... and Greg is trying to say something but his Dad isn’t listening... he’s shouting for the family to come out... and then they go in the house... and...
well anyway, the reason I’m calling is I’m supposed to invite everyone to a party... they’re going down to Mountain Pizza and Greg’s dad is gonna pay for everyone... Said they needed to stop at the store to get Greg some new clothes... and then we’re gonna have party in Greg’s honor... so... you’re invited... uh huh
I don’t know if I will go... it’s strange... I don’t know if I want to celebrate for Greg... I don’t know if he deserves it... It’s one thing to maybe let him come back start paying for what he did... he turned his back on all of us and if his Father wants to play the fool then that is his right... I don’t know if I want to be a part of it... Greg doesn’t deserve it... and I wouldn’t want anyone else thinking they could just go and do something like that and have a party thrown for them...
Yeah... I dunno... maybe I’ll see you there then... I don’t think I’m going to go...
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So the question is... Would you go to that party?
Could Greg’s Father show his face around town with pride ever again? Does he seem like the kind of man that you would elect to any position of respect in the community? Would anyone want to celebrate the return of this son?
Mountain Pizza for free is hard to turn down... but... what does it mean to go and feast in honor of the one who has severely hurt a family... to throw a party that publicly restores that person to a place of honor in the family without demanding repayment...
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And in all this, Jesus shows us the Prodigal God... the wasteful and lavish God who rushes out to grab ahold of those who least expect it... who in fact don’t deserve it...
God is the God who waits by the door... and sprints out to claim those who come near.
God is throwing a party... a feast... a communion of bread and wine... a ceremony of naming and claiming everyone with a new baptismal identity... we don’t give rings and robes... but we wash with water... we mark with oil and say “child of God, you have marked with the cross of Christ forever...” Claimed and made new by the Father who’s foolish and lavish forgiveness longs to gather all in.
Those who feel unworthy need only look at the Prodigal son to see that the Prodigal God is welcoming all people to the table.
Amen.
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