When I was in seminary, I was part of a cohort or group of students that began our coursework together and, in every class, our professors would invite us to introduce ourselves. It didn’t take long before we knew each other’s introductions well enough that we could introduce each other. Chris from Ames, Iowa was a painter, a retired nurse, a wife and a mother of 3 grown children; Aaron from Eau Claire, Wisconsin had been a PK – a pastor’s kid – and he was married and expecting their first child, and so on and so on. We knew each other’s stories so well that eventually we stopped listening carefully.
I would guess that many of us when we hear Jesus say, “There was a man with two sons…” do the very same thing. The parable we have in today’s Gospel is one of the most familiar stories in Scripture and, because it’s so familiar, we may stop listening carefully when it’s told.
The other thing that often happens with parables – the stories that Jesus tells to illustrate the Good News – is that we start trying to figure out who the characters are. If the father is God, then who are the sons? Is this a morality tale?
But treating this parable as an allegory with a hidden meaning or a puzzle to be solved distracts us from hearing what Jesus is saying.
Because in Scripture –God’s story – God is always the actor – the main character – and the text is telling us something about who God is.
So, the first thing we need to do is listen attentively to the gospel, as if we haven’t heard the story before, as if it were completely new.
Luke begins by explaining that the religious experts were criticizing Jesus. Now that in itself is not new, but this time, they’re complaining because he is drawing crowds that include known troublemakers. They don’t want those people in their spaces, listening to Jesus.
And Jesus doesn’t just say “all are welcome”. He goes a step further, giving them seats at the table and eating with them.
It’s scandalous. Doesn’t he know better? After all, where are his standards?
Well, when Jesus hears them grumbling, he tells them three stories.
The first two aren’t in our gospel text this morning. First Jesus tells them about a lost sheep and the shepherd who went after him and found him and rejoices. And then he tells the story of a lost coin and the woman who searches carefully until she finds it and then she calls her neighbors to celebrate with her.
And finally he tells the story we just heard, the one of the man with two sons.
But instead of asking who does each of the characters represent, what is the moral of the story or the solution to the puzzle, the second thing I want to invite you to do is to ask a different question. This time, let’s ask, “Where do you see yourself in this story?”
Because I would guess that we are never only one of the characters in this story.
When we meet the younger son, he isn’t merely wasteful and reckless. He basically tells his father “You’re dead to me.” And leaves, taking what he can. When he realizes the hole that he’s dug for himself, he comes up with a new plan and heads back to his father. Sometimes he’s described as repentant, but a skeptic might wonder how honest he was being. It’s possible he even deceived himself, thinking, “If only I can return, I’ll do better.”
In contrast, the older son models responsibility, but with each furrow he digs, the chip on his shoulder increases and his resentment both toward the brother who left and toward his father becomes more and more entrenched.
Both sons betrayed the love of their father. The younger with careless arrogance and the older with unresolved anger and bitterness.
Jesus doesn’t tell this story so that we’ll take sides or champion one over the other; maybe he just wants us to see how we all have a little of both sons in us.
So back to the question we’re asking,
“Where do you see yourself in this story?”
And I’ll add,
“When have you turned your back on your identity, on who you are?”
“When have you squandered the grace and love that’s offered to you?”
And then, of course, there is a third character, the father of the two
sons.
The father who doesn’t shun the son who asks for his inheritance. The
one who lets him go.
Who watches for his return, yearning and waiting.
And when the father sees the son returning, he runs out to meet him, to restore him and to rejoice at his homecoming. You can picture how brightly the father’s face beamed and how his eyes shone with thankfulness at finding the one who had been lost. You can hear his joy in his words.
While at the very same time, the older son is overcome with jealousy and resentment. But the father is steadfast. He tells his older son that he has always had all that belongs to the father, and that while he felt disregarded and disappointed, the father’s love was constant even when the older son doubted it.
I asked how we may be like the two sons, but have there been times in your life when you can see yourself as the father?
The one who responds with joy and love and refrains from judgment? The one who welcomes lavishly and without restraint?
This is the God who we worship and know in the person of Jesus Christ who gives us everything that is his and takes all that is ours that we may be restored to relationship with God.
This is the God who tells the criminal beside him at the crucifixion that he will be with him in heaven.
This is the God who loves Peter even after he denies him as Messiah and Lord three times.
We worship a God who loves lavishly and without restraint and Jesus
invites us to love others the same way. God invites us to the banquet and the
only question left to answer is,
if there’s a party being thrown, will you go to it?
Because God is watching, yearning and waiting, for you to return and
join in.
Let us pray…
Good and gracious God,
Thank you for your Son Jesus,
for redeeming us and giving us new life.
Thank you for your lavish love and mercy, for your abundant grace,
especially when we turn away from you or turn in on ourselves in sin.
May we always remember you are watching for us, yearning for us to
return to you.
With the help of your Spirit, teach us love others as we are loved,
rejoicing with you and making space at the table for all.
We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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