Post by Maggie on Sept 15, 2013 17:05:58 GMT -6
The reading today was Luke, chapter 15. It begins thus:
This is followed immediately by the parable of the woman who loses a coin and doesn't stop hunting for it until she finds it. Then she calls her friends together to rejoice with her. Jesus says, "In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” In each of these the lesson is clear enough--when the lost are found, there is rejoicing. In each parable, it is not the lost who return but they are, rather, sought and found. These two parables are leading us to the third which is the one that almost everyone is familiar with-- the prodigal son.
In it a younger son asks his father to give him his share of the inheritance that will one day be his anyway. He then goes far away and spends it all on women, drink, and other unedifying fare. As luck would have it, he runs out of money, just as a terrible famine descends on the country and he is forced to work as a pig keeper. On the brink of starvation, he comes to his senses and decides to return to his father and ask for forgiveness in the hope that his father will take him on as a hired hand which will ensure him enough to eat.
But what happens? As he approaches his home, his father sees him in the distance and goes wild with joy. He runs to him, embraces and kisses him and will hardly listen to his son's plea for forgiveness. He is too busy ordering the servants to put together the welcome home celebration. Upon learning of these events, the older son has a fit of temper. All he can see is that his years of faithful service have never gotten him a party. He will not even acknowledge his brother-- "But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
"This son of yours". Not, "my brother". The brother is incapable of rejoicing that his brother has returned. In those words we should hear the words Luke wrote at the beginning of the chapter: But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Yes. This man welcomes sinners and eats with them! The Prodigal's father welcomed his repentant child. He ran out to meet him. He did not punish him or scold him. He received him with joy. This is the the lesson Jesus has for us and it is one of mercy so great that it surpasses all understanding.
In the words of the old hymn:
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
This is followed immediately by the parable of the woman who loses a coin and doesn't stop hunting for it until she finds it. Then she calls her friends together to rejoice with her. Jesus says, "In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” In each of these the lesson is clear enough--when the lost are found, there is rejoicing. In each parable, it is not the lost who return but they are, rather, sought and found. These two parables are leading us to the third which is the one that almost everyone is familiar with-- the prodigal son.
In it a younger son asks his father to give him his share of the inheritance that will one day be his anyway. He then goes far away and spends it all on women, drink, and other unedifying fare. As luck would have it, he runs out of money, just as a terrible famine descends on the country and he is forced to work as a pig keeper. On the brink of starvation, he comes to his senses and decides to return to his father and ask for forgiveness in the hope that his father will take him on as a hired hand which will ensure him enough to eat.
But what happens? As he approaches his home, his father sees him in the distance and goes wild with joy. He runs to him, embraces and kisses him and will hardly listen to his son's plea for forgiveness. He is too busy ordering the servants to put together the welcome home celebration. Upon learning of these events, the older son has a fit of temper. All he can see is that his years of faithful service have never gotten him a party. He will not even acknowledge his brother-- "But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
"This son of yours". Not, "my brother". The brother is incapable of rejoicing that his brother has returned. In those words we should hear the words Luke wrote at the beginning of the chapter: But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Yes. This man welcomes sinners and eats with them! The Prodigal's father welcomed his repentant child. He ran out to meet him. He did not punish him or scold him. He received him with joy. This is the the lesson Jesus has for us and it is one of mercy so great that it surpasses all understanding.
In the words of the old hymn:
Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of Heav’n to earth come down;
Fix in us thy humble dwelling;
All thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
Pure unbounded love Thou art;
Visit us with Thy salvation;
Enter every trembling heart.
Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit,
Into every troubled breast!
Let us all in Thee inherit;
Let us find that second rest.
Take away our bent to sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
End of faith, as its beginning,
Set our hearts at liberty.
Finish, then, Thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee;
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in Heav’n we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before Thee,
Lost in wonder, love and praise!
Joy of Heav’n to earth come down;
Fix in us thy humble dwelling;
All thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
Pure unbounded love Thou art;
Visit us with Thy salvation;
Enter every trembling heart.
Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit,
Into every troubled breast!
Let us all in Thee inherit;
Let us find that second rest.
Take away our bent to sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
End of faith, as its beginning,
Set our hearts at liberty.
Finish, then, Thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee;
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in Heav’n we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before Thee,
Lost in wonder, love and praise!