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RODIGAL

ROBLEM

ARCH

14, 20104

UNDAY

ENT

UKE

15:1-3, 11

-32

Focus: In this parable, Jesus redefines what we think “sin” is, and offers up a new way of livingthat is neither licentious nor moralistic.

Introductory Comments

Before I begin, I want to share with you that this very familiar story has taken on new urgencyfor me as a result of a book I read in preparation to preach on this text. Based on my studies thisweek, I believe this story, commonly, and mistakenly, referred to as the “Parable of the ProdigalSon” gives us one of the clearest views of what it means to believe in the gospel.The book I’m referring to is by Tim Keller. Tim is the pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Churchin Manhattan, a church that is part of another Presbyterian denomination known as thePresbyterian Church in America.Misfits, sinners, people normally not considered “churchy” were especially attracted to the wordsand work of Jesus. The uncomfortable truth of scripture is that Jesus frequently was able toconnect with social outcasts and misfits, while those on the inside, who are considered“respectable,” generally did not.At one point, in Matthew 21:31, Jesus tells a group of religious leaders “the tax collectors andthe prostitutes enter the kingdom of before you.”Tim Keller writes:Jesus’s teaching consistently attracted the irreligious while offending the Bible-believing,religious people of his day. However, in the main, our churches today do not have thiseffect. The kind of outsiders Jesus attracted are not attracted to contemporary churches,even our most avant-garde ones. We tend to draw conservative, buttoned-down,moralistic people. The licentious and liberated and broken and marginal avoid church.That can only mean one thing. If the preaching of our ministers and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then we must not bedeclaring the same message that Jesus did. If our churches aren’t appealing to younger brothers, they must be more full of elder brothers than we’d like to think.

I think what Tim writes is true for many, many, mainline denominational churches. And as wework through this text together today, I invite you, even implore you, to consider carefully thequestion: Are we in this position here at First Presbyterian Church? Are we, or are we not, proclaiming the same message that Jesus did? This is a very serious question. We are notcharged to be innovators of some new message. We are charged with passing on the baton of faith to the generations that will follow us. Are we still holding the baton? Have we passed it

Keller, Timothy. The Prodigal God. Oxford Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, 2008. Amazon Kindle Ed. Locations 179-184.

on? Or have we dropped it?So it is my deep, deep concern that we, together, be dedicated to the proclamation of the gospelfor the salvation of humankind. That’s the first of the great ends of the church from our book of Order. Everything else we do together must flow from the gospel. And this parable gives us aview as to what that looks like when it is declared in truth and in love to a people who perceivethat they are lost, like the younger son of the parable.

Exposition

As we get into the text, a few more words. First, I would encourage you to not think of this textas “The Parable of the Prodigal Son.” The reason is that this is a parable about two sons. It’s likea play with two acts. The first act is about the lost younger brother. The second act is about thelost older brother. Both brothers are, as we will see, lost. They are both alienated from God.

Verses 11-12

[11] And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. [12] And the younger of themsaid to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And hedivided his property between them.Jesus begins the story with what would have been heard as a completely shocking request. Bydemanding his portion of the estate now, the younger son was basically telling his father, “I wishyou were dead.” He was not interested in his father, but only in what his father was able to dofor him, which in this case was provide a quick payoff so that he could be on his way,establishing his complete independence from his father, his family, and his people.Even more shocking is this fact: The father actually gives in to the request! According to thecustom of the time, the firstborn would have been entitled to a double portion of what the other children would receive. Because there are two sons, that would mean the younger one wouldreceive one third of the estate, and the older brother two-thirds. To divide the estate in this way, prior to the death of the father, would have meant public humiliation. The father would have tosell enough of his estate to satisfy the demand. Because the estate would primarily haveconsisted of real estate, the younger brother was basically demanding that the father to dismantlewhat he had to make the necessary payment. Notice what happens though: Instead of kicking theyounger brother out of the family, the father fulfills the request, suffering the shame andhumiliation of losing his dignity as the head of the family, a significant part of his livelihood, andthe love of his son.

Verses 13-19

[13] Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into afar country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. [14] And when hehad spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.[15] So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent himinto his fields to feed pigs. [16] And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigsCopyright © 2010 by Christopher Donald Drew

ate, and no one gave him anything.[17] “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servantshave more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! [18] I will arise and go tomy father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.[19] I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hiredservants.”’So, after humiliating his father and his family, the younger brother squanders all of the money in“reckless living.” The word prodigal means “spending money or resources freely and recklessly;wastefully extravagant.”

Suddenly, he finds himself in the pigpen, in the dirt and mud, feedingthe pigs. And he was hungry. The pigs were able to eat, but he was unable to do so. No onewould help him. “He came to himself.” He came to his senses, and devises a plan to restorehimself to his father. He will first repent. And he will ask to repay the debt he incurred byworking as a hired servant.It is important to note that, for all intents and purposes, the son would be considered

persona non grata

to the family. He would have been considered dead and gone for the disgrace done to thefamily and the community.But then this happens:

Verses 20-24

[20] And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. [21] And theson said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ [22] But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and a shoes on his feet. [23] And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. [24] For this my son wasdead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.To begin with, it would have been bizarre to see the patriarch of the family

run

anywhere. Tosee an older man run would have been an embarrassment of sorts. Now it’s the younger brother’s turn to be shocked. Before he can finish the plea to be restored to the household, thefather is adorning him with the best robe in the house, a ring for his hand, new shoes. He thenlavishes more affection by preparing a feast with

meat

, considered a luxury only for the best of occasions. The son is fully restored to the family. The shame he causes, overlooked andforgotten. His poverty and rages replaced with riches an honor.This is actually where we want this story to end. We want it to end on a note of unconditionallove, without the messiness of the atonement for the sin causes by the younger brother. TimKeller notes, I think accurately, that if that were the message Jesus was trying to send, he wouldhave ended the narrative right then and there. But he doesn’t, and we can’t. In this first act of the play, we see clearly the overwhelming generosity of God’s free grace, the free grace given

The New Oxford American Dictionary. “Prodigal.”