Lost and Found
Then his father said, ‘Son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad because this brother of yours was dead and is alive. He was lost and is found.’” - Luke 15:31-32 [CEB]
This past Sunday, I preached the third sermon of my preaching career
on the parable lovingly known as the Prodigal Son. Each time I’ve studied this special story
from Jesus, the heart of Luke’s Gospel, I stumble across something new to
ponder.
That’s one of the most wonderful things about reading God’s
Word… You can read the same story, the same passage, many times in your life,
and like the Father running towards the prodigal son to greet his long-lost
child, the Bible brings to you what you need to know in the moment.
For the first time I was struck by a thought:
Did the older brother get over himself and go to the party?
You probably know this story at this point, but a quick
refresher…
Little brother is full of himself. Asks for his inheritance in advance of his
father’s death. Effectively saying his
family is dead to him.
Little brother moves to a foreign land and squanders his
money. Ends up homeless and living in
pig pen. Wises up, decides to go home to
live as one of his father’s servants… If that’s ok with his dad.
Father runs to meet little bro, interrupting the prodigal son’s
repentant speech, to shout back to the house that it’s time to start a block
party - his son was lost, but now is found.
Big brother gets word of this. Won’t go to the party. Shouts to
his father at the injustice of all of this… but the father’s grace trumps worldly justice.
Jesus doesn’t finish the story - on purpose. He never tells us the decision of the older
brother. Does he sit on the
outside? As a prodigal himself? Or does he, like his little brother, come to
his senses and realize that the father’s grace is greater?
Jesus, Son of God, is describing the love of God the Father for
all of us. A love that knows no
boundaries, or manners, or decorum. A
love that permeates all of creation, is ever reaching out to all people as
beloved children, and calls to put others before ourselves.
Because, here’s the thing, we can all fall off the
living-like-Christ bandwagon. It’s
hard. It’s complicated. It’s tough to be grace-offering people, even
as we are filled by God’s grace.
The grace… the forgiveness… the love of God levels the
playing field.
Broken sinners as we are, God loves us and wants us to come
home. And bring others with us.
Have a blessed week and may you all know that you are found!
In Christ,
Pastor Jarrod
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