“On Prodigals and Pride”

March 16th, 2010 Posted in Sermons

Fourth Sunday in Lent (Series C)

“On Prodigals and Pride”

Sunday March 14, 2010

 

Text: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 [show]Luke 15:1-3 [15:1]Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them." So he told them this parable: (ESV) Luke 15:11-32 And he said, "There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.' And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. "But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants."' And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to celebrate. "Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.' But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, 'Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'" (ESV)

 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

 

Jesus told a parable to those who grumbled at His eating with tax collectors and sinners. The grumbling of the grumblers was a symptom of a deeper problem, like a cough is to a chest cold. There is something deeper at work here. Sin, yes certainly that, but more specifically it can be diagnosed as pride and haughtiness. It permeated the hearts of the Pharisees, and now it comes out as grumbling.

 

It is that same sin of pride and haughtiness that permeates the congregations of Christ’s church. Pride, in the Pharisees’ case as well as in our case always deals with measuring up. It is us determining our place in life as high and secure, and this at the expense of others.

 

The prideful always determine their pride based on those around them. They see the poor and think themselves rich. They see the weak and think themselves strong. They see the sinner, and think themselves righteous.

 

The Pharisees see the tax-collectors and sinners as those who have not kept the mosaic law as they themselves have. They measure the reputations of these men of ill repute against their own reputations. That is where they get their perception of the tax-collectors and sinners and their high view of themselves.

 

And then they see Jesus, this man of good reputation. A popular guy in certain respects. He is one who has been claimed to be a great prophet and a holy man. And now this holy man spends time in the company of the sinful.

 

The Pharisees pride is hurt by this. It takes them down a peg that Christ would spend His time in such a way. He is not doing things their way. Perhaps they are even jealous that He isn’t eating with them. And so they grumble at what our Lord is doing.

 

But what is Jesus really doing? He is doing more than having a meal; He is calling these people to Himself. He is teaching them the truths of God. He is showing His great love for them at the banquet table. He is showing His love for the sinners and those who are far-off.

 

He does this because He desires mercy and not sacrifice. Moreover, He desires to give mercy, and mercy is for those who are far-off. Mercy is for the sinner. Our Lord has come not to call the righteous, but sinners.

 

For the sake of the sinners and the Pharisees, our Lord tells a parable. In this parable we get a picture of who a sinner really is. For it is only when we understand who a sinner really is that we can truly understand the mercy shown to a sinner. So our Lord tells a couple of shorter parables, but He ends with this one, one about two brothers and a father.

 

And it is the younger brother who gives us the picture of the sinner. His intentions and actions exemplify for us what a true sinner is. We see that a sinner is wasteful. That is where we get the phrase so often associated with this parable: “Prodigal Son.” Prodigal means wasteful and this Son takes what has been given to him and wastes it on extravagancies.

 

We confess that all we have is a gift from God. God grants daily bread even to all evil people. But the sinner does not receive these things from God with thanksgiving and praise, but rather, feeling self-entitled, wastes what has been given to him in a worldly manner, seeking after those things that do not last. In the end he is left empty, hungry, and lacking

 

The younger son also shows us about this hunger of a sinner. After being prodigal and wasting all he had been given on perishable things, he is left destitute. This is manifested by his physical hunger and his longing to eat pig feed. That is the hunger of a sinner who has wasted all he had on that which is temporal and is left with an empty stomach.

 

Anyone can tell you that one who hungers long enough will die. This parable also shows us how the sinner, like the son, is both lost and dead. The father confesses this about his son, and Scripture declares this about the sinful man. He is lost and cannot find his way; he is dead and cannot make himself alive.

 

Death is more than mere symbolism for the state of the sinful man. It is the reality. Sin leads to death. It has caused physical death in the world since the Fall and it will continue to cause sickness and death till our Lord comes again. What is worse is that separation from God causes eternal death for those who are lost. That would have been the reality of the prodigal son, had he remained in the pig-pen.

 

The parable does not leave us in the pig-pen. Our Lord does not end with simply describing a sinner. He shows us much more. He offers the solution to sin; offers the Gospel message of salvation for those who are dead and lost. He teaches what mercy is all about.

 

The son longs for mercy. He sees his situation in the pig-pen and longs now for his father’s house. He confesses that he has sinned and desires to have the life he had before. But notice also that he realizes that this is not a feasible option. He confesses that he can no longer be called a son, but can only be reckoned as a hired-hand. Perhaps he can work his way back up to a son, over time, but the father would be merciful to allow him to start out as a hired-hand.

 

The repentance of the son has with it a hint of works righteousness. He understands his state, but also confesses that he can make it better. He can co-operate and bargain with his father to achieve the place of a son. He believes that this is the only way to appease a certainly angry father.

 

Once again the son depicts the sinful man very well. Even when he turns from his sins and desires to do better, the Old Adam feels that he has to achieve something or do something for his salvation. But this false deception only serves to diminish the sole-work of Christ, and to put the reward, in part, upon man. It is false because it does not and cannot work that way. Remember sinful man is dead.

 

What is more, this view underestimates the love of the Father. He does not expect the son to work his way back to being a son. Rather, our text says, “While he [the Son] was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” The father goes to the son with a compassionate heart.

 

And that compassionate heart will not let the son bargain for His place as a son, but will give the son back his place for free. Additionally there is now a great celebration and feast given for this hungry son, that he may be fed and strengthened once more, and that all may rejoice in this event.

 

That is what mercy is. It is given for free and shown to those who cannot help themselves. It is bestowed upon the undeserving. It is the love of the father for the son, and it is the love your Father has shown to you. He receives you not with bargaining, but with compassion and love that knows no end.

 

But remember that there are two sons in this story. Often we ignore this parable’s ending, but the ending speaks to the Pharisees and to you and me. For though this elder son has not forsaken his father’s inheritance or wasted what has been given to him, though he is still called a son, he is still sinful. He has pride and jealousy and he grumbles.

 

He grumbles at the actions of his father. These actions are unfair. The older son had stayed with his father and served him. He had earned his place as a son through his loyalty and his pride is hurt by this unfair situation. He exemplifies the Pharisees and all those who are God’s children and yet who are tainted by pride and haughtiness.

 

When pride infects the church it can have disastrous results and lead to schisms. This all comes about from measuring ourselves up to others and feeling a sense of entitlement at having earned our place and God’s favor. This too is sin, and will leave the sinner empty.

 

But that is not the way mercy works. Mercy is for those who do not deserve the favor of God. It is for them who have not and cannot help themselves, make themselves righteous, or bargain with God. It is shown to the tax-collectors and the sinners. But it is also shown to those who ooze with self-righteousness and pride. The father in the parable has compassion on both sons. He goes to both sons. For He loves and has mercy on both sons.

 

This parable ends with no real conclusion. We do not know the outcome of the older son. We do not know if he accepted the mercy of his father and the situation with the younger son or if he could not handle the situation and forsook his father. He stands at the crossroads that we so often face when our pride is at stake. Dear brothers and sisters, know God’s mercy, understand its great depth. Know that it is for all people. Christ died for the whole world, not just for Lutherans. He died for the sinners, not for the self-righteous. His death makes us righteous and not even your pride can stop the mercy of God.

 

This mercy is not abstract, but is found in the person and work of Christ. It is Christ who tells this parable, but it is also Christ who demonstrates and shows mercy to those who are far-off, the tax collectors and sinners. It is Christ who also loves the Pharisees and tells them this parable, not to embarrass them, but that they may see their pride and the effects of that pride. It is Christ who speaks these things to you, showing you who you are in your life.

 

It is Christ who demonstrates the greatest act of mercy toward sinful and prideful man. When he goes to the cross He becomes like the prodigal son, leaving His Father to come into this pig-pen of a world. And He comes here to draw all men to Himself. That you and I may not be hungry, but share in the celebratory feast. A feast of rejoicing and a feast of victory. A feast for all those prodigal sons, who though they were dead are now alive and though they were lost, are now found

 

 

May the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting. Amen.