The Prodigal

Luke 15:1-3,13-32 Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. ² But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." ³ Then Jesus told them this parable: "There was a man who had two sons. 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. ¹⁴ After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 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! ¹⁸ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' ²⁰ So 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. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. ²⁵ "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So 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. ²⁹ 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. ³⁰ But 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. ³² 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.'"

“The Prodigal”

This story of Jesus is often called the Parable of the Prodigal Son. But I wonder if it is misnamed. Wouldn’t it be better named the Parable of the Prodigal Father? Because I don’t think that the younger son was the most “prodigal” in this parable! (Even though he’s the one we tend to focus on the most.) This is the story of the prodigal son who went away. It is the story of the prodigal son who stayed home. But this morning I want you focus on the most prodigal of all – the father.

We don’t really use the word “prodigal” anymore, except for this story. You probably think you know what this word means, but do you really?

“Prodigal” can mean wasteful, recklessly extravagant, uncontrolled. It can also mean lavishly abundant, giving excessively, or just plain large – prodigious. Those definitions certainly fit the younger son. They also fit the father. He may have seemed wasteful in giving so many blessings to his son whom he knew was just going to waste it all. He may have seemed recklessly extravagant waiting for his son to come home and then showering him with hugs and kisses. He may have seemed uncontrolled in his unbridled joy to have his son home again so he lavishly threw a party eating the fattened calf.

Clearly the younger son was prodigal. One of those people who seems to go overboard with everything he does. He, in essence, says to his father, “Dad, I wish you were dead, because if you were dead I’d have some money. Can I have that money now? Love you lots. Later.” He is young, he has wild oats to sow, he doesn’t have time to wait, he wants to see the country. He lives recklessly – living a 21^st century lifestyle already in the 1^st century. Living for today, living for the moment, with no thought of tomorrow. So that when tomorrow comes, he does not have what he needs. He has taken the good gift of his father, and wasted it on wild living, parties and prostitutes. Yes, clearly, the younger son was prodigal. He was excessive, reckless, uncontrolled, living large ... until he can’t anymore. He is the representative of the tax collectors and “sinners” in the crowd listening to Jesus.

But what about the older son? Was he not prodigal also? Not in the same sense, of course. Perhaps we could call him prodigiously prideful. Or prodigiously self-righteous. Or for the audience Jesus was speaking to, prodigiously Pharisaical. For he was the “good son.” He stayed at home. He was careful and thrifty. He would never think to do what his useless, no good, spoiled, over-indulged, poor-excuse-for-a-human-being, brother did! And his father should be grateful! He, in essence, says to his father, “Yes sir! At least one of your sons turned out good! Not a sinner like my little brother.” The older brother was excessive in his pride, reckless in his self-righteousness, uncontrolled in his bitterness toward his gullible, naïve father, living large on looking down on his baby brother. He is the representative of the Pharisees in the crowd.

Or perhaps instead of prodigious, we should call these two sons pig-headed! The younger pig-headed in his vice; the older pig-headed in his virtue. The younger insisting on his sin; the older insisting on his goodness. The younger eagerly bellying up to the trough, and wallowing in the sin of the world; the older prudishly insisting there’s no mud on him! Two brothers who couldn’t be more different. Two brothers who couldn’t be more alike.

And two brothers who could not be more like us. Which brother are you?

Are you like the younger brother? Pig-headed in your sin, wallowing in worldly ways, returning to the same old troughs. Turning away from your Father; wasting His gifts, or taking them for granted. Pursuing only a full stomach, a full house, or a full life. Perhaps physically squandering your wealth on the latest tech, wasting your time with too many social networks, prostituting yourself with internet images or inappropriate talk on buses or in workplaces. Or perhaps spiritually wasting the good gift of your Father’s Word that stays unread all week; wasting the gift of His forgiveness that you refuse to give to another; wasting the gift of His mercy which you hoard and do not share. Not wanting to wait for your inheritance, but wanting heaven on earth right now. We are very much the younger son.

Or are you like the older brother? Pig-headed in pride and self-righteousness for being better sons. Choosing not to see your sin or insisting that at least I haven’t wallowed as much as the next guy! Proud of the few times a day you manage to resist temptation, and thinking what great progress you’re making when you do. Looking down on others and thinking that you’re deserving of praise. Thinking you are more deserving of the inheritance of heaven than the repentant murders, thieves, rapists, and prostitutes – those sinners. We are very much the older son.

What must our Father think of us!

Well, we don’t have to wonder – just turn to the father in this parable. The father who is the most prodigal of all – the most generous, most extravagant, most excessive, the most reckless in his giving.

The excesses of the prodigal younger son are exceeded by the excesses of the prodigal father’s love. What he does is amazing! He has been watching at the picture window every day, waiting for his son to run out of money, to realize that love is not found in sex, to return from a world that had rejected him to a father who would always accept him. The father runs out to meet his son … which men don’t do in their culture. He is degrading himself to be seen as in a hurry. He lifts up his robe above the knees to actually run. Showing the knees in public was totally embarrassing. (Still is guys, wear those shorts below the knees. Those of you with teenage daughters, clothes that cover their knees is good, too, but for different reasons.)

The father embraces his son. He kisses him. But notice what he does not do. He doesn’t lecture him. He doesn’t ground him. He doesn’t give him a curfew or take away his donkey riding privileges.

This son who once was lost but now is found is the joy of his father. The father showers his son with kisses, replacing rags with royal robes, placing the ring of sonship on his hand and inviting the community to a welcome home party. He accepts him back fully as his son.

The father also loves his older son, even when this son thinks he is stupid and gullible and unfair. When this son doesn’t want his father’s love either – but wants to see his righteous anger and wrath!

The father is not what either of his sons wants. He is a prodigal father! Overflowing in love, forgiveness, mercy, patience and kindness. Whose very nature it is to give. Even to pig-headed sons prodigal in sin. Even to sons who do not deserve it. Even to us.

And this prodigal father, Jesus wants you to know, is your Father. Your Father who is prodigal in His love for you! Even to the point of giving His own Son for you. His own Son to jump into the pig sty of our sin, and the pig sty of our self-righteous pride, to rescue us. To go to the slaughterhouse for us, that we who rightly deserve to be the devil’s bacon, might instead return and receive a hero’s welcome – the hugs and kisses and gifts and forgiveness of our Heavenly Father.

Our Father who even throws a feast for us here, as we return every week. Giving us forgiveness in the body and blood of His Son. Inviting us to turn from the world’s deadly slop, and to feast on our Father’s life-giving food. The Father celebrates those He finds, inviting the whole community of angels to rejoice over one sinner who repents. Putting the white robe of Christ’s righteousness upon us. Putting the ring of sonship upon our finger. Placing His name on us in our baptism. Granting us an inheritance that will never perish, spoil or fade.

All so that we are not like the younger son or the older son, but like the only Son.

And so Jesus came. He hung out in the sty with tax collectors, prostitutes and sinners and younger sons like us. He hung out in the sty with the scribes, Pharisees, the self-righteous and older sons like us. He hung out on the cross for us all. To show us our Father’s prodigal love. That we might return, repent, and receive.

It is good for us to realize that we can repeat the Father’s love to our children. Perhaps you are grieving over a “lost” child – a hormonal teenager who only wants to be left alone, a college student who wants to exert independence, an adult who is living totally contrary to your Christian values, a child who wants no part of maternal or paternal nurturing, a child who insists that he or she doesn’t need you anymore. The end result can be conflict that brings the entire family to the brink of daily emotional exhaustion.

So what do you do with that prodigal child? Be even more prodigal! The first thing to do may seem a bit silly, but check your child for pulse and respiration. If they are alive, there is hope. Eventually, even angry rebels burn out, because every force that is not from God sooner or later turns destructive. Every force that is not from God will cause brokenness and fear, not contentment.

Be patient with your child, just as God the Father is patient with you. God is always waiting and watching for an opportunity. He is always ready to welcome you back without a word of scolding but with only an embrace of love. Do the same for your child. Reach out. Visit. Call. Text. Invite. Best of all, speak face-to-face. Wait and watch for an opportunity. Then be ready to welcome your child back with a warm embrace and a parent’s love.

Do what you can and then leave the remainder of the situation in God’s capable hands. Ask the Lord to watch over your “lost” child and allow love to heal any wounds – for both of you. Where we may fail, God can succeed.

Allow your children to repent and return, so you can then receive them. In Jesus’ parable of the prodigals, there is hope for all the prodigals in our family – parents and children included. Jesus’ forgiveness is big enough to cover every one of the sins of youthful rebels. Jesus’ love is big enough to allow hurt parents to welcome home their rebellious children.

While our children are alive, as long as they have a pulse and are breathing, there is time and there is hope: “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities” (Psalm 103:8,10).

Brothers and sisters, as prodigal as you and I are, our heavenly Father is even more so. As great as your sin, the blood of Jesus, shed for you, is even greater. Whether you are a tax collector or a Pharisee, whether you are the younger son or the older son, whether you are the rebellious child or the stubborn parent, you cannot out-sin your Father’s forgiveness. You cannot out-prodigal the prodigal! Amen.