Sermon - March 14. 2010

Year C | The Year of Luke - Lent 4

Today’s parable is the longest in the Bible – and the most quoted. The parable of the Prodigal Son has preoccupied and perplexed the thoughts and works of countless religious and secular scholars, writers, and even artists for centuries.

Why is that? What is it about this story that draws so much attention?

The story does not seem so complex. The meaning does not seem so obscure on the face of it. The domestic scene it describes may even be familiar to some of us: the return to the fold of a beloved family member who seems to have veered off course. He is greeted with joy at his return, and relief that he is safe. Clearly, this parable is like the story of the lost sheep or lost coin where there is rejoicing in heaven over a sinner who repents. There is joy when we "turn around" and stop walking against God and walk with him.

This parable has caught the imaginations of people for centuries because in so many ways it is so familiar. At the same time, the parable is complex and not quite so simple. The meaning does not lie so obviously on the surface of the narrative.

The first question I have when looking at this parable is a person who is often forgotten when we read it - the older brother. What is it about the older brother? At the end of the parable he cannot go in and join the party; he is offended and outraged at the extravagance shown to the younger brother. He feels jealousy that all seems forgiven and even forgotten; it feels unfair that he is not celebrated for staying and remaining faithful to the family obligations.

Think about it - who among us would not take the older brother’s view to something that seems so obviously unfair?

To understand this parable, we take our cue from Paul’s admonition to the Corinthians where, in today's epistle, the apostle says, "In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them."

To the older brother, the Prodigal Son’s return to his father’s favor seems just too easy. From the older brother's standpoint, the younger son returns after running out on his father and responsibilities and the response is essentially, “Hi, Dad. I’m Home!” Presto - all is forgiven. Let us have a party!

Even though we understand how the return to the faithful flock of any one strayed sheep, even just one formerly lost soul, is always the occasion for joy in the family of God. Even though we understand how the call to “repent and return” is one that we all should heed, How can the consequences for behaving so badly be so apparently light?

If we look through the older brother's eyes, we cannot help but feel that the situation described in this parable smacks of what we might call “cheap grace.” It conflicts with our instinctive and very human notion that some are more deserving as a proper yardstick for measuring out someone’s portion of forgiveness.

However, what we fail to see in this parable is that we are both the Prodigal Son and the older brother. We are both brothers at the same time.

We are always people of two minds. Like the older brother, we can see the sin in another. However, like the Prodigal Son, we are all in need of God's extravagant forgiveness. We are people of two minds who need to be reconciled.

To be reconciled is what is important. The Prodigal Son needed to be reconciled to his father. The older brother needed to be reconciled to his younger brother who just returned.

During this time of Lent, when we are meant to prepare ourselves spiritually for reliving the story of Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection, we need to keep Paul’s words in focus – that through Jesus, “God was reconciling the world to himself.” He was not just reconciling one or two people who deserved to be reconciled. In Christ God was reconciling us. He was reconciling us who fail to see God's greatness and our sins.

In Christ, in his death and resurrection, God was reconciling the world, and us, to himself. There was no greater redemption for one group than for another, no fuller restoration of a chosen few over the vast hordes of sinners. God was reconciling the whole world to himself - Prodigal Son and brother, and sons to their father.

Paul tells us that we have been entrusted with spreading the message of this kind of absolute reconciliation. The reconciliation lies at the heart of the story of the Return of the Prodigal Son.

Reconciliation does not weigh our merits. It holds nothing back. It harbors no recriminations and nurtures no resentments. It is the kind of reconciliation that demands nothing in return –nothing except surrender to God’s mercy.

The kind of reconciliation that starts with a heartfelt confession like the one the Prodigal Son makes to his father: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am not worthy of your favor.”

Today is the Fourth Sunday in Lent, Laetare Sunday, or as it called “Rejoice Sunday,” referring to the opening words of the Introit for this day: “Rejoice, O Jerusalem.” It is a Sunday that rests upon the words of the father in today's parable, “Let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.

On this Sunday, in the middle of Lent we are told to rejoice casting our eyes toward Easter and anticipate the joy of Christ’s resurrection and the fulfillment of God’s promise of redemption given long ago by God to his people.

It is a promise given to Moses when he led the people out of Egypt and across the Red Sea.

It is a promise renewed with Joshua at Gilgal, redeeming all Israel from their forty years of wandering in the wilderness.

It is a promise renewed as Solomon built the temple.

Repeatedly, scripture recounts one story after another of redemption, restoration, and renewal of God’s people until the promise is finally fulfilled in Christ. Jesus Christ died once for all of us. That includes you and me who are often both the Prodigal Son and the older brother at the same time. We are people who too easily see the sin in others even as we sin and need to be reconciled in our lives and faith.

On this Sunday rejoicing and reconciliation, we hear the words of the psalmist, “Mercy embraces those who trust in the Lord. Be glad and rejoice in the Lord.” Amen.