Message 03-18-07
Series: Lectionary [Lent]
Scripture: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
Title: Finding the Father
Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." The attitude of the Pharisees and teachers [the righteous]
Then Jesus told them this parable:
"There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' Essentially, “father, you’re as good as dead to me. Just give me what’s coming to me after you’re gone and I’ll be on my way.” People would have been offended by this thought – particularly the “righteous” folks.
So he divided his property between them. And this would have amazed them. But the father gives the younger son what he would inherit. The older son would have retained at least twice as much in value as the younger son – in other words between the two – one third to the younger and two thirds to the older. Although odd it was not unheard of and the property was still completely usable by the father. For example, if it included a piece of land the son might sell it but the new owner could not use it until after the father had died.
"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.
So, the kid leaves and goes off to a country away from his Jewish roots. There he blows through his inheritance.
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.
It’s all gone and when the money is gone so are his “friends.” He has to become a hired man and he is sent out to feed the pigs – again an affront to the Jewish listeners.
He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
He is hungry [which is probably an overstating of his situation]. He is “hired” so he would have been paid, but obviously not living as he was and so he is at minimal wage and not getting “enough”. The affront of wanting to eat what the pigs are eating is again an example of Jesus the storyteller laying it on so his audience is right with him. Again, there is no one, no friend, who is willing to help him out.
"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.
He “comes to himself.” Takes a good look at himself and realizes that the people his father hires are probably better off than he is. So, he heads back to his father and gets a little speech prepared. He is admitting that his sin is in how he treated the father. So far there is nothing that suggests that he did something that was morally wrong. But what he did was relationally wrong.
"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.
His father sees him whether he was looking for him or not. He sees him and sees him a “long way off”. The real striking aspect of this moment is that the father runs to his son. The image of the older man running out with his “skirts” lifted is an embarrassing one. It suggests the guy did not care what the community thought of him.
"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.
Before the kid can even do his speech, the father is calling out orders in response.
"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!'
“'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.' "
