Rev. David Holwick W FATHER'S DAY First Baptist Church Ledgewood, New Jersey June 21, 1992 Luke 15:11-32 "OUR LOVING FATHER" I. The most beautiful story ever told. A. Younger son addresses father respectfully. "Father" B. Wants inheritance early. 1) Inheritances usually don't come early. Grandma Holwick showed my Mom some cherished heirlooms. "Someday, these will all be yours." My Mom slobbered over them, imagining where she would put each one. Grandma managed to live another 40 years. Mom insists it was out of spite. 2) In Israel, early inheritance was legal but not polite. a) In effect, it's like asking dad to drop dead. II. First sign of father's love: he lets his son go. A. In Romans 1, Paul calls this "letting go" the wrath of God. 1) Here, Luke seems to describe it as part of love of God. 2) God gives us freedom. 3) If we want to go, he lets us. B. The son goes, as soon as possible and as far as possible. 1) Instead of "sin" or "grace" Jesus uses image of "far country." 2) It is a classic picture of human rebellion. III. Three things give out. A. His resources give out. 15:14 1) He squanders (or wastes) his inheritance. a) Expression "he got wasted" is still used. 2) People waste minds, bodies, opportunities. B. His environment gives out. 15:14 1) Perhaps natural disaster was God's way of bringing him home. a) Without disaster, son may not have turned back. b) Sometimes we can interpret our own catastrophes and famines through the love of God, rather than his wrath. 2) He shows some initiative in getting a job. a) Feeding pigs degrading for an Orthodox Jew. b) He was so bad off he wanted their feed. c) Longings of people in "far countries" are about this high and noble. C. His "friends" give out. 15:16 1) His last illusion may have been that people are basically good. "The poor are shunned even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends." Proverbs 14:20 2) Humans don't come through in the clutch. a) Even Christians can fail you. b) Only God never lets you down. IV. Turnaround. A. Son "comes to himself." 15:17 1) Theological debate over how we return to God. a) Pelagius said it was people who take the initiative in returning to God. 1> We have to decide to return to God. 2> Son had to come to his own senses first. b) Augustine says God's grace comes first, then our response. 1> Note that it is memory of a generous father ("hired hands have plenty", 15:17) that motivates son. 2> The father, through this memory, beckons the son. 2) Augustine wins, according to this parable. a) Without grace, we don't have the will, the power, nor even the desire to go after the Father. B. When a person says "I am dying" they are not far from God. 15:17 1) He is straight-forward and doesn't blame environment, friends, etc. a) Confession has power. 1 John 1:9 2) His motives are selfish - he is starving. a) God takes us no matter how we come. b) He uses secular, material, and physical motives. C. The son turns home. 15:20 1) (Verse helped Dale Brunner when he felt like a failure after 10 unfruitful years as a missionary in Philippines.) 2) "Just start back. The Father does all the rest." V. Acceptance. The second sign of love is the greatest. A. Face the Father and he will do the rest. 15:20 1) Father sees him a "long ways off" - same word as "far" country. 2) Father must have scanned horizon every day. 3) He runs to his son, which was considered very undignified. B. Unfair and unchristian? 1) No cross or justice, too sentimental. a) OK to run away? Wink at consequences of our choices? 2) But there's a hint of Jesus' run to the cross. a) Someone has to pay a price, but the Father pays it. C. The father wants the son. 1) He doesn't wait for an apology or confession, but embraces him. 2) The confession is interrupted. 15:21 3) He doesn't speak to the son, but the servants. D. Robe, ring and sandals. 15:22 1) Signifies authority and full acceptance. a) Once again, he will be a son and not a servant. b) Slaves didn't have shoes, only sons. 1> Negro spiritual: "All God's children got shoes." 2) The son is rich once again. VI. Presbyterian son. (from Greek) A. He was dutifully working in field. 15:25 1) The sound of music and dancing was suspicious. 2) H. L. Mencken on Puritans: a person with a haunting fear that someone, somewhere is happy. 3) Unlike the prodigal, he refuses to go home. 15:28 B. The son gives a speech. 15:29 1) It is not respectful, omitting "Father." a) Describes his relationship as that of a slave. 15:29 b) Treats father as stupid. 15:30 2) Never broken commandment (what about one of love?). 15:29 a) "This son of yours" - he distances himself from his brother. 15:30 b) You are weak. Why give him a party? 1> Dads are often more conditional in love than moms. 2> This father is very unusual. C. Third act of love by father: he goes and pleads with older son. 1) God also loves Christians, even self-righteous ones. 2) The father replies gently. 15:31 a) "My child" (teknon). b) Present tense verbs. 1> You are constantly with me. 2> Everything I have is yours. 3> Your brother is found. Rejoice! 15:32 VII. Message of the parable. A. To all prodigals: Come home, the father is good. B. To elder brothers: Come into the house, enjoy the feast - the father is good.