“Father or Bother?” Pr. David Hewitt - March 13 & 14
Ah, the Parable of the Prodigal Son [Luke 15:11-32): Charles Dickens called it “the greatest story ever told.” Some say it’s the finest short story in literature. Famous poet Robert Bridges called it “a flawless piece of art.” The story Jesus tells to us today has inspired the brush of the artist Rembrandt, the music of Debussy, and the poetry of countless others. The famed preacher George Buttrick, has said that this parable captures “the essence of the Christian faith.” Certainly everyone would agree that the first and most obvious part of the parable – the departure, failure, and return of the younger, or “prodigal” son to his father – seems to give us a vivid image of what it means to depart from God’s presence and God’s ways, sin and sin and sin away from God the Father, and then return to him, repentant, and, due to the Father’s reaction, forgiven forever.
We like to look at that part of the parable. We like to call it “the Prodigal Son.” But there’s much, much more to this parable. Jesus has much more to tell you and me and the whole world in this great parable about what it means to be a disciple, a child of God, a steward.
Wait a minute, pastor! What word did you just say? “Steward”? How did fundraising get into this sermon? What does giving money have to do with the Prodigal Son? Well, first of all, being a steward – which is the same thing as being a disciple and a true child of God – is a lot more than giving money to the church. It’s a lot more than giving 10 percent or whatever percent of income you put in the offering plate. It’s about giving 100 percent to the God who gives 100 percent to you. That’s true “stewardship.” That’s living what Jesus elsewhere calls “the abundant life.” That’s living according to the purpose for which God made you and me.
So what does “stewardship” have to do with this parable? Well, in the story both of the sons were raised by their father to be a help to him – to work to raise crops – to steward the land God had given them. Their father had taken care of them all of their lives, but their father also did not allow either of his sons to feel that, just because they were taken care of, that they didn’t have to get up off of their keisters and help him with this farming adventure. The older of the two sons understood that fact, to some extant, and worked hard every day for his father. The younger son, instead of working, asked for his half of the inheritance ahead of time, went on his merry way, wasted all the money the father had given him, was starving in the fields while feeding pigs that were eating better than him, and finally decided that being one of his father’s servants was better than this sorry state of affairs.
The younger son had begun to understand the depths of his father’s kindness, at least. He thought that if he acknowledged his selfish sinfulness, and asked for a menial job to survive, that his father would be caring enough at least to hire him. Jesus described this process this way: the younger son “came to himself.” Compared to his past, the younger son was becoming more mature; he had now graduated to a kind of enlightened self-interest. But is he all that he could be? Does he really understand the depth of his father’s love for him? Does he truly understand what being a true son to his father is all about? We shall see.
In re-reading this parable, one can’t help but feel that when the younger son approaches the ranch, and the father runs to him (and in the middle east, this is a sign of weakness, showing the son an overabundance of love and mercy), hugs and kisses him and throws him a great “welcome home” party, that the younger son is a bit confused. He had been prepared to say this: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you (phrase one). I am no longer worthy to be called your son (phrase 2); treat me like one of your hired hands (phrase 3).” Three phrases. After the hugs & kisses are over, he voices the first two, but leaves the third one OUT: “Treat me like one of your hired hands.” Uh-oh!
Now my regard for this parable – and for my Lord, who spoke it and put it together – knows no bounds. There is not a word out of place here. Every word, every phrase is deep with meaning. Anything unexpected about the story should be put under the microscope, and illumined under the magnification of the Holy Spirit. What is unexpected is this: why did the son not say the final phrase that he had rehearsed? Perhaps the father interrupted him, telling the servants to prepare the feast. But perhaps, along with that, there is still something more at issue between the younger son and his father, reflected in that missing statement. Coincidentally enough, it is the same issue that the older son also has with this father, just in a different form: the issue of being a servant, being a disciple, being a steward, while still being a son.
Do you remember the comic strip “Calvin and Hobbes”? Calvin was this wiseacre young boy. One day he was mad at his parents. It’s bedtime, and they have the gall to make him go to bed earlier than they. “Why can’t I stay up late? You guys can!” he yells. “It’s not fair!” he screams, his mouth so big it covers almost an entire panel. “Well,” his father says, calmly, “the world isn’t fair, Calvin.” As Calvin stalks off, he grumbles, “I know. But why isn’t it ever unfair in my favor?”
This, at first glance, seems to be the elder son’s main beef, why he won’t come in and join in the celebration. When his father comes out to see what’s wrong with him, he snidely calls his younger brother “this son of yours” who “devoured YOUR property with prostitutes.” He can’t believe that his father was forgiving him, and worse, giving him a big, big welcome home party. It just doesn’t seem fair. After all, he says, “All these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends!”
Ironically, the elder son has the same problem that the younger son was having…if you go deep enough. The elder son might not buy that if I told him, but, by the way Jesus is structuring this story, I know it’s true. What “same problem” do the two brothers have? Well, they have the same problem, and the problem is spelled F-A-T-H-E-R. Their father. The problem is that their father is not just a loving man. He’s also in charge. And, in that respect, their father…is a bother. A great big bother. So big that they might agree with Calvin when he came up to his father another time and said, “Dad, what assurance to I have that your parenting isn’t screwing me up?”
Neither the older son nor the younger son enjoyed working for their father. So the younger son, instead of working for him any longer, took his inheritance, treated the father as if he were dead, and left him. You know, we can do that sometimes. We can ignore our God, go our own way for a while…maybe even for a long time, until we screw up, and then it’s “Oh Father God, help me! Help me get out of this mess and I’ll be true to you from now on!”
The older son thought he had behaved better than that, but…not really. He simply was working out a less risky strategy for getting what he wanted. Someday Dad will croak and I will get what I always wanted – not only my half of the property, but the ranch as well – my heaven on earth. You see, the return of the younger son did not “make” the elder son resentful – only more so. It’s clear, from what he said to his father, that his resentment had already been in his heart for a long time: “You’ve never – ever! – given me even a GOAT to eat that I may celebrate (not with you, father, but) with my friends.”
Significantly, unlike almost all the other parables of Jesus, this one leaves us hanging. There is no ending. The father has spoken. What will happen next? Will the elder son join the party? That’s one obvious question here. But for both sons, there is another, and more crucial question – a question for us, as well – a question of stewardship, of discipleship, of love: when the party is over, what will the sons do? How will they “steward” their time on the ranch, their talents in service to their father, & connect, loving or not, with him? How will they – and their father – interact with each other? Now that they have seen the depths of their father’s love for each of THEM – the younger, through forgiveness and hugs & kisses and the party – the elder, through the father saying to him, “all that I have is yours” – now that they have seen how MUCH their father loves them, what will they do from here on? And what will WE do from here on?
Will they take that love for granted yet again, or will they respond to their father with gratitude, with understanding, and with a more selfless love in action? And will they love each other more? Will they take up their father’s cause, and not only do the work, the ministry, their father gives them, but will they see how much JOY that work can give them, as they dedicate themselves to others, like their father does, and not be so concerned with themselves?
You see, the two sons had been missing out on so much! They had seen their life with their Father only in very NARROW terms: “Do this because I have to obey my father…do that because I have to obey my father…got to get away from my father…want to celebrate with my friends and not with my father.” They had neglected to see how RICH, yes, how rich and full their lives could be if they began to love and trust their father with all their heart, and began to join with their father on this great adventure of stewarding the land that God had given them! To understand that it is not a bad thing, but a good thing, that their father is not only their father, but also their Lord!
By the way, ever notice the 4th person in this parable? It’s the slave, and he seems quite content with his station in life. He can teach the sons a thing or two. He seems to understand – and approve – of whatever the father is doing. When the elder son asks him what’s going on, the slave just says, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.” How simple yet profound is this servant’s faith in his master! How willingly & joyfully he sets about doing his Lord’s business! He trusts his master will take care of his needs! He’s not afraid to “slave away,” to sacrifice joyfully! He loves his master as a father more than his own sons do! As Jesus once said, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is so pleased to give you the kingdom! So provide treasure for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven can never be exhausted, where no thief comes in and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”(Lk.12:32-34)
We are like the 2 sons. We who are God’s children are being given the enormous privilege of giving our lives, giving our everything, to our Father – just as God, in Christ Jesus, gave everything for us – and, by our words and deeds, acclaiming Him as Lord of our lives. Why? Because HE is our treasure! He is our delight! What we need, He gives us. We don’t need many material things, or even a long life. What we really need, He is already giving to us: love, joy peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22), as well as forgiveness, spiritual insight, maturity, and abundant life with Him, now & forever! That’s where our treasure is – in the Father! In so many ways He has already shown us His big, generous heart!
I just mentioned that one of the fruits of the Spirit is generosity; how generous we can be with what we have: with what time we have, what talents we have, what love we have, what financial resources we have in super-abundance! Oh yes we have!! As St. Paul told the Corinthians today, “As we work together with God, we urge you not to accept the grace of God in vain.” Let’s not blow this opportunity! Paul adds, “Now is the right time to do things! Now is the day of salvation!” (2 Corinthians 6:2) Now is the time in your everyday life! Now is the time for King of Glory! Now is the time – as Pastor Paul said last week – to take our fig tree, our mission as this Body of Christ, and fertilize it with our hearts and all we have, and give to it and take care of it and nurture it, that it may live and sprout and provide the shelter of God’s love for many, many, many others around us! Rise up, children of God! Rise up, disciples of Jesus! Rise up, Stewards of God! For your time has come!
