God's Glorious Grace

Zephyr United Methodist Church

Early First United Methodist Church

 March 18, 2007

Rev. Eddie Smart

Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 (NIV)

Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. ²But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

³Then Jesus told them this parable: ¹¹Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. ¹²The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.

¹³"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. ¹⁴After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

¹⁷"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! ¹⁸I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' ²⁰So he got up and went to his father.

"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.

²¹"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

²²"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. ²³Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

²⁵"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ²⁷'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'

²⁸"The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹But 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. ³⁰But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'

³¹" 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³²But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' "

      Saddam Hussein was a cold hearted, murderous dictator of Iraq. Would Jesus eat with Saddam Hussein?

      During the holocaust, millions of Jews were massacred. Would Jesus eat with Adolf Hitler?

      Our prisons are full of killers, rapist, and child molesters. Would Jesus eat with them?

      He eats with sinners, you know. The Pharisees were grumbling, "This man eats with sinners." Jesus replied with three parables. The last we know as the parable of the Prodigal Son.

      There was this Texas rancher who had two sons. The younger son came to his father and said he wanted his half of the inheritance so he could enjoy life. The rancher gave the young son his inheritance and the young man went off to Lost Wages to see if he could double his money and have a little fun in the process.

      You know the story. He manages to lose all he had on gambling, show girls, and bar bills. He ends up cleaning stalls at the horse track and decides that his father's hired hands were better off than him and that he will go home.

      Before the boy gets even close to the ranch house, his father sees him coming. The father meets his son on the road and greets him with a big Texas bear hug. The boy says I am no longer worthy to be called your son, please make me one of your hired hands and put me to work mending fences.

      What does the Father do? He says go get some freshly starched Levis, my finest Stetson, and a pair of Tony Lama boots for this son of mine. Put a big diamond ring on his finger. Go kill that calf I bought at the Fort Worth Live Stock show. We're goin' a have a Barbecue!

      Now the rich rancher had an older son. A son who faithfully helped his father run the ranch. A son who did not fall into the wasteful ways of his brother. What does the eldest son think about all this? Well, its not exaggerating to say He is unhappy!

      He can't believe his eyes and ear. His father has gone crazy. Some have said it might have been the music and dancing that offended the brother. A Banquet -- music -- and dancing.

      It's OK to welcome a penitent son home. But with Bread and water -- not a fatted calf, sack cloth -- not new Levis and a Stetson, heaped in ashes -- not a new ring. Tears -- not with merriment. Kneeling -- not with dancing.

      Under Jewish law the first-born son received a double share of the inheritance. The younger son in this case was entitled to 1/3 of the estate, and the division of property would ordinarily be at father's death. By demanding his share, the younger son is saying to his father, “I wish you were dead.” By leaving, the younger brother was cutting ties with his family.

      He takes with him all that is his. There is no reasonable hope that he will be seen again. Leaving with 1/3 of the estate represents a great loss for the father & brother. No wonder the brother was so angry.

      This wayward son wakes up to the error of his ways. He decides to return home. He knows that he can no longer be called son, but decides he can be one of his father's servants. So he returns hoping to be a hired servant. He practices his humble request to come home.

      But how does the father respond. The father sees him coming down the road. He runs to greet his long, lost son. They are still some distance from the house. The son begs for mercy and a job. The father places a robe on him -- a symbol of honor; a ring on his finger -- a symbol of authority; shoes on his feet -- a sign of freedom; and throws a party -- table fellowship for the closest of family. 

      But while the party is going on, where is the older son. He's sitting out on the porch pouting. He refuses to join the party. He is mad. He is jealous. Then the father enters the picture again. He goes to his oldest son.

      "I have worked hard for you all these years, and you have never given me even the smallest of goats that my friends and I could party. But this good for nothing brother of mine comes back and you celebrate with a fatted calf."

      "My son, my son -- all I have is yours. Yes you have remained with me. But this brother of yours was dead, but now he is alive -- he was lost but now he is found.

      This is the Parable of the Prodigal Son. The word prodigal – what does it mean? It means excessive or extravagant. Is this story about a son who was exceedingly wasteful? Is this story about a brother who was excessively hateful? Or is this story about a father who was extravagantly loving?

      Why did Jesus tell this parable? To understand the reason for this parable, we need to look at its context – where is it located in Luke’s gospel? What leads up to the telling of the parable? Who are the first to hear this parable?

      Luke, right before he shares this parable, tells us that all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. Then he tells us that the Pharisees & scribes were grumbling & saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them."

      So he told them this parable. He told THEM this parable. It could have been a story for the tax collectors and sinners. It could have been for the Pharisees & scribes. When the parable is ended, Luke writes: “Then Jesus said to the disciples.” Maybe the story was for his disciples.

      Today, I believe this parable is for those of us who act like tax collectors and sinners, those of us who act like Pharisees & scribes, those of us who call ourselves disciples of Jesus Christ.

      To those who call themselves leaders of the church and to those who think of themselves as disciples, Jesus tells us that our Heavenly Father gets more than a little excited when the lost–those who have rejected God’s love–return, come to love the God who created them. As the children who have remained faithful we are called to get as excited as the Father.

      But to those who have rejected God’s love the Father says, “You who are weary come home.”

      J. Wilbur Chapman often told of the testimony given by a certain man in one of his meetings:

      "I got off at the Pennsylvania depot as a tramp, and for a year I begged on the streets for a living. One day I touched a man on the shoulder and said, "Hey, mister, can you give me a dime?" As soon as I saw his face, I was shocked to see that it was my own father.

      I said, "Father, Father, do you know me?"

      Throwing his arms around me and with tears in his eyes, he said, "Oh my son, at last I've found you! I've found you. You want a dime? Everything I have is yours."

      “Think of it. I was a tramp. I stood begging my own father for ten cents, when for 18 years he had been looking for me to give me all that he had."

      God wants us to have life and have it abundantly. God wants you and me to live our lives in close relationship to this Heavenly Father. God wants us to experience the richness of eternal life, today. Sometimes we make dumb choices. Sometimes we run away from a God who is love. Sometimes we do those things that place a barrier between us & our God. In other words we sin and fall short of the life God intends for us. BUT God never stops desiring the richest, most abundant life of Grace for each of us. God never stops rooting for us. God never stops loving us.

      God wants the lost to have life and have it abundantly. God wants the lost to live their lives in close relationship to their Heavenly Father. God wants the lost to experience the richness of eternal life, today. Sometimes the lost make dumb choices. The lost run away from a God who is love. The lost do those things that place a barrier between them & their God. In other words the lost sin and fall short of the life God intends for them. BUT God never stops desiring the richest, most abundant life of Grace for each of them. God never stops rooting for them. God never stops loving them.

      God never stops wanting us to feel the same about those who are lost–those who have rejected God’s love.