Parables
“The Prodigal Son - Younger Son”
The Parable of the Prodigal Son
The Younger Brother
This morning we look at the parable of the Prodigal Son for the third and last time; but this time through the eyes of the Younger Brother.
And has we have previously, we will consider it as the third part of the Trilogy.
The first 2 parables continue to help us understand the third one.
And in considering the story of the Younger Son, two themes emerge.
• Identity
• Belonging
First identity.
I love the way that the NIV sets the scene for the telling of this parable.
In Luke 15:1 it is recorded: “Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear Him”.
The NIV puts “sinners” in speech marks.
It’s as if Luke is saying “That’s what the grumbling leaders were calling these people. Not me. Them. And certainly not Jesus. Sure they had the need to repent – but the way that others used the term “sinners” it was as if there was no hope of redemption. No hope of forgiveness. “Sinners” is used in a terminal way. It was the ultimate label of rejection”.
The end of the matter. There was nothing else to do but reject and distance them.
Jesus viewed it as the beginning of the matter. There was nothing else to do but present the Kingdom of God to them and offer forgiveness”.
And so into these three parables we plunge.
With each parable there is an immediate and obvious connection. Instinctively so.
First parable. “Let me tell you a story about a shepherd…”
Instinctively you would expect “sheep” to be involved.
Second parable. “Let me tell you a story about a woman in her home…”
Instinctively you would expect “valuables” to be involved (the coins are thought to possibly be family savings or a dowry).
Third parable. “Let me tell you a story about a father…”
Instinctively you would expect a “child” to be involved.
It is a very simple, and yet profound way which Jesus draws us in to the stories…
…and begins to enlighten our understanding.
On the one hand you have, shall we say, the senior or leading character in each story.
Shepherd, woman, father.
On the other hand we have a dependent character.
Sheep, coin, son.
Question – from the perspective of the leading character does the lost character lose any of its identity because it is lost?
Does the shepherd consider that the sheep is no longer a sheep because it is lost?
No.
Does the woman consider the coin any less valuable because it is lost?
No.
Does the father consider the son no longer a son because he is lost?
No.
This is the overriding message that Jesus is conveying in the telling of these three stories.
But remember – these are stories about the Kingdom of God. Helping us to understand the economy of the Kingdom.
What makes it tick.
What life is like in the Kingdom.
So these stories are to enlighten us and call us to a new way of living and understanding God and life.
So let’s take it one step further…
If Jesus tells a story about a shepherd – we would expect it to involve sheep.
If Jesus tells a story about a woman – we would expect it to involve valuables.
If Jesus tells a story about a father – we would expect it to involve children.
If Jesus tells a story about God – based on these parables - we would expect it to involve “you”.
And do we need to hear such a story! Why?
Taking the three parables into account again…
The message is:
In the eyes of the shepherd, the sheep was no less a sheep because it was lost.
In the eyes of the woman, the coin was no less valuable because it was lost.
In the eyes of the father, the son was no less his child because he was lost.
But…
Can it be said that the two brothers in the story of the Prodigal Son share this view?
No.
The Younger Son decides to return home but with the speech prepared “I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men” (Lk 15:19).
The Older Brother agrees.
He bitterly distances himself and dismisses the younger brother by referring to him to the father as “this son of yours” (v 30).
(Very much like Gen 3 – “The woman You gave to be with me”; and Gen 4 with Cain “Am I my brother’s keeper?”)
So they both believe that when someone is lost – they lose their identity.
They believe that they do become someone other than a child of the father.
The Pharisees and teachers of the law thought like this. That’s why Jesus told these stories.
So if Jesus tells a story about a shepherd – they would expect it to involve sheep.
If Jesus tells a story about a woman – they would expect it to involve valuables.
If Jesus tells a story about a father – they would expect it to involve children.
But If Jesus tells a story about God – they would expect it to involve “sinners” (in a merciless, condemning, beyond-hope kind of way)
…and it is a fair call to say that we can also believe this.
Especially when we are lost.
Especially when we are the Prodigal.
Any connection or sense that we are God’s – even so – is lost from our heart.
We cry out with the Prodigal – “I am no longer worthy!”
In Genesis 1-2 the creation of the world is described.
From these passages we derive what Biblical scholars refer to as “creation principles”.
Principles which were in place from the beginning.
For instance – “Sabbath rest” is a creation principle. Many simply see it as something that was “invented” in the Law of Moses and approach it from that angle.
But it was there from the first. And flows right through the Biblical story.
In terms of the parable before us – there is a creation principle…
…the fact that humanity is created in the “image of God” (Gen 1:27).
So it is impossible to be lost and attempt then to say to God “I am no longer worthy to be identified as being made in Your image; make me something less”.
The two brothers in the story tried that.
The Pharisees and the teachers of the law tried that.
When we are lost – we try that.
When others are lost – we “try to help them” try that.
Jesus is not interested in it in the least.
In Luke 7:36-50 Jesus is at a table eating and woman comes in and begins anointing His feet.
She was lost.
The Pharisee whose house Jesus was dining at says to himself:
“If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.” (Lk 7:39).
So right there – the Pharisee tries to redefine her identity.
Jesus responds and among other things talks about how much she loves because she was such a sinner and has been forgiven even so!
In Luke 19:1-10 we have the story of Zacchaeus.
Exactly the same thing.
Jesus says to him “I must stay at your house today”.
People mutter – “He has gone to be a guest of a ‘sinner’”.
(There it is again – NIV “sinner” is in quotation marks).
See – this wrong view of someone being lost and now less of a person.
Zacchaeus enjoys forgiveness and then Jesus says this:
“Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost” (Lk 19:10).
Again! That affirmation of his innate identity! Wonderful!
(And just to drive the point home – Zacchaeus is described as a “chief tax collector”. The only time the title appears in the Bible. In other words – this guy was really bad!).
Now at the beginning of this sermon – I mentioned there were two themes.
Identity and belonging.
Have you noticed in reading these parables and the examples from Jesus’ actual life how the theme of “belonging” is expressed?
Over a meal!
At a table.
The three parables have rejoicing and banquets.
The complaint at the beginning of Luke 15 is that Jesus eats with these sinners.
The story of the woman anointing Jesus happened over a meal.
Zacchaeus hosts Jesus, and while it does not expressly say he ate there, in that culture being a guest necessitated that you fed your guest.
An incident in Luke 5 brings all these themes together marvellously -
"Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house; and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others sitting at the table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance.”" (Luke 5:29-32, NRSV)
The image of a meal; the enjoyment of good food and company; the huge importance it had in that culture and the way such meals/banquets/dinners transcend any culture make this a very powerful picture.
Especially when you put God into that picture.
Especially when you understand that God considers someone lost as no less in His image.
No less His child.
No less worthy of forgiveness.
No less worthy to receive an invitation to His banquet.
No less “belonging” to Him.
Presented By: Rev. Geoff New