Sermon - 2016-03-06

Today, we hear of the rather familiar parable known as the Prodigal Son.  Now just because it is a familiar parable does not mean that we fully understand it, or that we have taken that meaning and are living out that meaning.  So today, we look at this parable once again.

Within the parable, it is important to note that when the son comes and asks for his half of the inheritance, the son is truly desiring the death of his father, and that his father would have no influence upon his life anymore.  The son, wanting all the wealth that would be given to him at a future date at the death of his father, is informing his dad I don’t want you in my life anymore.  My life would be better without you in it.  However, in a heart breaking act, the father does give the inheritance to the son. Gathering money and wealth all so that this son could go off and live his life the way that he would want and with complete disregard for what the father had learned within his own life.

Now I want you to stop and think for a moment.  The father within the parable is God and we are considered the sons.  Yes, we either leave God or we stay close to God.  However, note how the father reacts, he allows the son to go and live out his life as the son would see fit.  The father does not beg or punish or anything negative.  The father does not give advice.  The father allows the son to experience and learn.  

The son sets off on his own.  However, in the midst of that life, he finds himself losing money and soon finds himself without a penny to his name.  Thinking back to his father and the days of his youth, he longs to return to those moments.  However, he knows that because of his actions, he will not be able to return as the son. Maybe if he goes back, he can experience some of the love and goodness that others had received from his father.  

Returning to the farm, the son is welcomed as a true and full son.  In fact, the father has been looking, longing, and waiting for the son to return to him.   A celebration takes place in honor of the son who has returned.  However, upon hearing this, the elder son reacts.  He becomes angry and is so upset that the father has welcomed this son who has betrayed the father while he has not betrayed him at all.  He wants to be rewarded for his loyalty.  However, he is only focused on the grace that the other son is given, and not at the inheritance that everything on the farm is his.  He has forgotten all the lessons that the father has taught him about business, about operation, and about life.  This lesson about grace and mercy, this elder son has completely missed.  

Now I draw your attention back to a few weeks ago when we talked about the Confession and Forgiveness.  Remember when we talked through each of the familiar steps.  Words that we have spoken over and over again.  For many of us, we may feel like one of the sons.  Perhaps we have left because we did not feel or understand how God’s Word was truly at work within our life.  So we wanted to go off on our own and live life the way that we wanted to.  Perhaps we have never left the church, we know the history, the lessons but we are still striving to learn them.  Perhaps this is our confession, our mirror that we need to understand and realize.  

Today, as we find ourselves in the journey of Lent, may you reflect upon your own faith journey.  How are you living it? How close do you feel to God?  What lessons are you still understanding? In the midst of all, may you continue to realize the blessing and love of God among, in and for you now and forever.  Amen.