Our 21st Birthday - a Reflection on the Parable of the "Prodigal Son" - 'This is our Story' (Luke 15:11-32)

Most of you have heard the story about when I lost my DVD movie camera. There was a real sense of loss for those four or so hours while it was missing. The loss of a camera I really loved, and had spent so much time learning how to use well … I’d even shock horror read the instruction book! Then there was the disc inside with the last part of our Hawaii holiday. I’d in some way felt that I had lost something that was so much a part of me. It had been my constant companion the past couple of weeks. Then the joy when it was returned … after the initial sense of relief, it was certainly time to celebrate!

Now I’ve lost my little brown leather covered notebook, with all sorts of bits and pieces written in it – another sense of loss, not just the notebook, but this new tendency I’ve got to lose things.

God suffers feelings of loss when someone goes astray, but ever more so rejoices when someone is found. Let’s look briefly at Jesus’ story of the prodigal son … for in one way or another – this is also our story!

The younger son of this loving father wanted to do things his own way, and do so with his share of the valuable resources that his father had nurtured over so many years. For a son to ask for his inheritance ahead of time and before his father had died, in the world of Jesus’ time, was a gross violation of the required respect and honour. This was like saying, “Dad, I wish you were dead (so I can have what is coming to me)”. So this was an act of complete rejection of his father. Yet, despite certain disappointment, we don’t hear any thought of the father refusing this request, for his son had been given freewill to make his own decisions in life.

To hear that the son then gathered all his things together, suggests that he was intending to leave permanently. We should not be surprised that things went really badly for this son. Although we are not given the reason behind his wander lust, it seems that the son had an over-confident go-it-alone type attitude reflected in what Jesus described as “wild living”. This also reflects a live-for-today and a don’t-worry-about-tomorrow attitude, which might provide some initial pleasure, but will soon come up short. This sort of wasteful living often seeks to quell or relieve a lot of pain, and we can compassionately understand where the prodigal son might have been coming from.

This younger son had distanced himself from his father and family, and really began to waste his life. He did really hit rock bottom ... even envying the food that the pigs were eating. He had sold himself into slavery, perhaps to a rich pig producer. The independence that he had so much sought had been so brief, before turning in a really bad direction. All the vast resources of the father had been wasted. And as a Jew caring for pigs as a slave of a Gentile … culturally it can’t get any worse than this! Even the pigs were better off!

Yet it is clear that the father had never given up on this son. There was the real hope, even the expectation, that one day the son would come to his senses and return to the family home. The father loved the son wholeheartedly, completely and passionately. We hear in this story that indeed this prodigal son ‘came to himself’! This is to say that he had a good hard look at himself, and also considered again the relationship that had always been on offer with his father; and he headed for home looking for mercy.

This prodigal son had a real sense of regret for his wild and wasteful living, and for the hurt and concern that he had caused his father. He was so repentant and so desirous of home, that he was willing to exchange his slavery to a pig farmer to take up a role with his father’s “hired labourers” … who even had a lower status than slaves. He was now, having been failed by his quest for independence, prepared to forget that he was a son and take on a position of a hired worker. After all, in effect he had divorced his family by his previous actions, and he had no right to even think he would be accepted back on the property.

Yet, when the father found out that the son was returning, this loving father would have nothing of that! He would not reject his son from his family, and the son would not even have to slip quietly unnoticed in the back door. An expression of regret (as seen in his ‘about turn’ home) would be enough for the son to be fully forgiven and restored to his former glory.

There was the father awaiting, looking out, anticipating, and even willing the son’s return. And when this father caught a glimpse of his son in the distance, he did something very unusual for an eastern gentleman ... he threw out all convention concerning dignified action, and ran out to meet his son in full public view; you can just imagine him dancing for joy and calling out, “My son has returned”! He grabbed his son and hugged him and kissed him. This was a time for a party!

In one way or another – this is our story. We are the younger son who has been invited to party with God. Everyone who has been a part of this church has experienced God's love like this. God has forgiven our selfish behaviours and poor decisions and drawn us back into his family. In the midst of all our pain and sorrow, God welcomes us back into his kingdom, and accepts us afresh to where we belong. This is certainly something to celebrate!

Not only was the younger son gifted with forgiveness, but also with the best long robe, a beautiful ring, and really great sandals – denoting his return to honour within the family. Not only are we gifted with forgiveness, but we are given everything that we truly need when we need it. I’m thinking here mainly of the gifts of Holy Spirit given for the broad community good – so that we can be effective in our church, local community and world. And so our celebration we have is not just about ourselves … far from it. This is a celebration that embraces any and all others who may be prepared to listen to the good news.

We would not like to be like the party-pooper older brother, so full of his own self-importance, and so jealous, that he couldn’t see any point to such a party; in fact he completely refused to take any part in it. The older brother, even though he had been mightily blessed himself and lacked for nothing, was inflexible to these changing circumstances and the change of heart in his brother. He showed a hard-hearted attitude as he referred to his younger brother as his father’s son (“this son of yours”) rather than as his own brother (v.30).

We, on the other hand, want to be open to God outworking his love far and wide. God is on mission in the world and calls us to continue to partner with him. How many people have experienced God's love here through this church over 21 years? A good many … no doubt a real good many! But more to the point, how many people will experience the love and grace of God through this church in the next few years?? Are we expectant, anticipating all sorts of surprises and homecomings!?!

We can truly celebrate today this gathering of prodigals who are committed to connecting with other prodigals in Jesus' name.

“Let us celebrate and party away, [for] we have purpose with God every day”.

And by the way, has anyone seen my lost brown notebook – it needs to be found!?!