Luke
15:1-3,11b-32
The
Forgiving Father
I have to start this morning’s
sermon wondering how this parable made it into the collection of writings so
highly treasured by the Judeo-Christian tradition. There are at least two glaring transgressions
committed here. There are undeniable
violations of the laws which are to govern God’s people. And yet, there are no consequences! There is no punishment! In fact, the guilty party comes out smelling
like a rose.
This particular parable does only occur in Luke. The 15th chapter contains other parables;
and those parables are also in the Gospel written by Matthew. But this story about inheritance and pigs and
fatted calves only gets told in Luke.
Maybe Luke didn’t know any better.
We are reasonably sure that Luke was Greek, not Jewish. The tradition tells us he was a physician,
not a trained teacher of The Law of Moses.
Maybe he was not as aware as Matthew or Mark of the Ten Commandments and
their instructions regarding moral living and honoring one’s father.
Look at the story again. And let’s point out those flagrant violations
of the moral code so carefully taught in the scriptures. First, there is this dis-respect by the
younger son toward his father. We all do
know the 4th commandment – right?
“Honor your father and your mother”.
How can anyone think that the 4th commandment is being
observed when this wayward son approaches his father and asks for his
inheritance? Some of us might help our
children with college tuition. Or maybe a
car. Or possibly the down-payment for a
house. But to come and ask for the whole
share of the property that “will belong to me”?
That would certainly push me over the line. Any child who would do such a thing is surely
not to be pitied if the future doesn’t work out well for them.
And the future doesn’t work out
well for this child. He goes off to a
distant land. And after a period of time
he finds himself working for a pig farmer.
He is hungry, so hungry that he considers the food being given to the
swine.
How did he come to such a low
estate? Well, the story gives us
opportunity to understand exactly how he ended up there. In the story, there is talk of other
violations of those 10 commandments. We
are told in the 13th verse that he had “squandered his property
in dissolute living.” For the sake
of the children in the room, I am glad the writer left out the details. But we all know what “dissolute living”
means, don’t we? How many of those
commandments of God’s do you think this whipper-snapper transgressed? I would say a fair number of them.
“Leave him with the pigs!” That
is hardly punishment enough for all that he hath done!
The text tells us that after a
while “he came to himself”. Of course he
came to himself – he came to see what he had done and how wrong it was. Let’s be grateful that he came to himself,
because that means he will realize that he is getting what he deserves, that he
had not right to dis-obey God’s word, and that he is really no better than all
those hired hands whom he had looked down on in the days of his youth.
This is a great story. It identifies all the reasons why so many
folks find themselves in a world of hurt.
They just don’t listen. They just
won’t learn. And they refuse to obey
what they have been carefully and clearly taught.
This boy seems to have finally
learned his lesson. So the boy sticks
his pride in his tinny-tiny breast pocket and heads back to the home which he
had previously abandoned.
Enough of the sarcasm. I can tell you are sick of it; and I don’t
think I could keep it up much longer myself.
But you do see my point, don’t you?
This parable would be a great moral lesson if it simply ended here. If the story were over at this point, it
would reinforce the reasons why God’s law has endured for 4,000 years and ought
to be obeyed in our day and time. But
the story does not end there. It
continues. And what happens next challenges
everyone who wants think or say, “This is what God expects of us.”
What the father says and what the
father does in this parable turns on its head every teaching about the rewards
or consequences of living a clean life and honoring those to whom honor is
due. None of that happens in this
parable. Everything that one could do to
go against the father is done by this child.
Every possible transgression is committed by this child. Some will point out “He repented and
turned his life around.” And this is
true. But what of the consequences for
his actions? Is there to be no mark
placed upon him or lowering of his status in the family, as a constant reminder
of his offence and as a teaching tool to others?
Well, no, there isn’t.
Let’s all at least agree that the
elder brother is totally and completely justified in his response. He has every right to be angry and
upset. The elder brother has no choice
other than to point out to the father the ways in which his actions are unjust
and unfair.
But the father will not be
moved. He remains firm in his joy at the
return of his son. He will not let his
previous pious proclamations stand in the way of rejoicing at the return of one
whom he loves and will always love.
I really do dislike this
story. I realize it is told to me and
about me, as much as it is told to and about those Pharisees and scribes who
grumbled about Jesus’ associations. I attempt
to live a moral life and I spend my whole work-week encouraging others to
“honor their fathers and mothers.” Then
this story comes along. And I sort of
look like a fool.
The problem we have, is that we are
too inclined assume and hope that the Bible will re-inforce what we think is
right. We are too quick to find in any
lesson a reinforcement of our own version of a “just-world.” There is much about the way of God which does
support such living and encourage such thinking. But the exceptions are really big ones. And the exceptions smack us in the face.
God surely wants us to live good
lives. But there is one thing more
important to God than our living proper lives.
God wants every day of our lives to be lived in the undeniable assurance
that we are loved; that we are always welcome in his house; and that nothing
will prevent God from rejoicing when he sees us limping home with our
tinny-tiny hearts bursting.
The purpose of the Christian Church
is not to be the enforcer of some ancient moral code. The only reason for the Church to continue is
to make known the unfathomable depth of God’s love.
Too often we lose our purpose and
we forsake our mission. We think “there
has to be consequences!” We worry about
answering the follow-up questions. But
that is not our job. That is not our
role.
The purpose of the Christian Church
is not to be the enforcer of some ancient moral code. The only reason for the Church to continue is
to make known the unfathomable depth of God’s love.
Amen.
