The Prodigal God

Introduction

I would like to start by asking you a question but before asking you, here is first a little story. A good 10 years ago now, I had a discussion with my best friend who you probably know, Joël Hirschy. He was pastor of Action Biblique de Meinier and is now in Valais on a missionary project. What animated our discussion was the notion of grace. We found that there was a potential risk regarding grace of misusing it and being able to justify committing sins because in the end, God forgave us. We came to the conclusion that it was better to be more legalistic than under this grace with this fear of living as Dietrich Bonhöffer very well recalled, in his book “living as a disciple”, cheap grace . So I ask you the question: what do you think is the best position to adopt? Are we more inclined to set strict moral rules or live under a grace that ultimately allows us to live as we wish?

 To answer this question, I invite you to read chapter 15 of the Gospel of Luke, but before that I invite you to prayer.

Luke 15

All the tax collectors and sinners came to Jesus to listen. ²  But the Pharisees and the lawyers murmured, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
³  Then he told them this parable:  ⁴  “If one of you has 100 sheep and loses one, does he not leave the other 99 in the wilderness and go in search of the lost one? until he finds her? ⁵  When he found her, he put her on his shoulders with joy  ⁶  and when he returned home, he called his friends and neighbors and said to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ ⁷  Likewise, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who do not need to change their ways. 
⁸  « Or if a woman has ten pieces of silver and loses one, will she not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹  When she found it, she called her friends and neighbors and said, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ ¹⁰  Even so I tell you, there is joy among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” 
¹¹  He said again: “A man had two sons. ¹²  The youngest said to his father, ‘My father, give me my share of the inheritance.’ The father then shared his property with them. ¹³  A few days later, the youngest son picked up everything and left for a distant country, where he wasted his wealth by living in debauchery. ¹⁴  When he had spent everything, a severe famine came in that land and he began to be in need. ¹⁵  He went to serve one of the inhabitants of the country, who sent him into his fields to tend the swine. ¹⁶  He would have liked to eat the carobs that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any. ¹⁷  He began to think and said to himself: ‘How many of my father’s workers have bread in abundance, and here I am dying of hunger! ¹⁸  I will return to my father and say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you,  ¹⁹  I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your workers.’ 
²⁰  “He got up and went to his father. While he was still far away, his father saw him and was filled with compassion, and ran and threw himself around his neck and kissed him. ²¹ The son said to him: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you, I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²²  But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring [quickly] the best garment and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and put sandals on his feet. ²³  Bring the fattened calf and kill it! Let us eat and be merry,  ²⁴  for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they started to party.
²⁵  “Now the eldest son was in the field. When he returned and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶  He called one of the servants and asked him what was happening. ²⁷  The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he found it healthy.’ ²⁸  The eldest son became angry and would not go in. His father went out and begged him to come in,  ²⁹  but he said to his father, ‘I have served you for so many years and never disobeyed your orders, and you never gave me a kid to do partying with my friends. ³⁰  But when your son came, who ate your goods with prostitutes, for him you killed the fattened calf!’ ³¹  ‘My child,’ said the father to him, ‘you are always with me and all that I have is yours,  ³²  but we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has returned to life he was lost and is found.’”

The title of the parable 

We are going to look at Jesus’ third parable, which is generally known as the parable of the prodigal son. However, I don’t really like this title. It’s not wrong, but it’s not right either. That is to say, he pushes us to put all the attention on the younger son when that was not Jesus’ intention, as we will see later. There are other titles that would seem more appropriate to me. We could have called this parable: The Two Lost Sons or A Man Had Two Sons, the words with which Jesus begins his story. Personally, I chose the following title: The Prodigal God. With a question: What is grace, really?

Let us render to Caesar what is Caesar’s. This sermon was strongly inspired by an author that I greatly appreciate, in fact he is even my favorite author, sorry Titou, it’s not you (!), but you still keep a special place in my heart ! I find him very relevant in what he writes. It turns out that he wrote a little book on this famous parable. Reading this book made me discover facets of this story of Jesus that I had never heard anywhere and which deeply touched and challenged me. The author I’m telling you about is Timothy Keller, who joined our Lord and Savior a few months ago, founder and former pastor of the Manhattan Presbyterian Church. The work I am talking about has the same name as the title of my sermon. The Prodigal God: Returning to the heart of the Christian faith. You will see that I did not rack my brains too much to find a twist for my preaching. But if I chose this title it’s because I think it puts the right emphasis on the right person.

Before continuing, I suggest you learn a little French. Indeed, I don’t know if you know what the term “prodigal” means. Personally, for a long time I didn’t know what this word meant. The definition given to us by Larousse is as follows: “who spends without measure, madly”. It is true that the younger son squandered his inheritance wildly, but we will also see that another person spent lavishly on things other than money.

Context

We have three main characters in this parable. As Jesus indicates at the beginning of it: a father had two sons. This parable is very rich and there is so much to discover that we could spend the day there. So I hope you have reserved your Sunday because we will have it for a while… Enough jokes, if you are interested in being able to discover all the pearls that this parable conceals, I strongly invite you to read Tim Keller’s book « The Prodigal God.” As far as we are concerned, we will not be able to be interested in all the people in this story and we will, through this preaching, focus particularly on the eldest son and the father.

You have certainly already heard several preachings about the prodigal son. And it is true that it is quite easy to identify with the latter. We were dead and here we come back to life like him. But if I leave it aside, beyond the fact that you have probably already heard very good preaching on this one, it is that Jesus’ objective was not to emphasize the little brother . In fact, it would even be wrong to think that Jesus, through this parable, was seeking to persuade people who were in the same spiritual situation as the little brother, of his unconditional love. Rather, Jesus seeks to reveal our prejudices, to challenge our way of thinking about God, sin and salvation. In fact, the two brothers represent a different way of being estranged from God and seeking to be received into his kingdom.

If we have read the entire chapter, it is to fully understand the context which provides us with the keys to reading this parable. I am sure that with Patrice as Shepherd of this church, sorry for the bad play on words, who also teaches hermeneutics, at the IBG, that is to say the way of interpreting the biblical texts and more precisely the different literary genres, you are certainly in the right school to know that the context is very important.

The first element of this context that interests us is that of Jesus’ listeners. The first verses tell us that the triggering of the three parables that Jesus will tell is due to the murmuring of the Pharisees and specialists in the law. In short, Jesus will respond to them with these three parables, the last of which is the climax.

We quickly understand that the little brother corresponds to sinners and tax collectors. Just as the little brother turned his back on home, they turned their back on traditional morality. The big brother represents the Pharisees and the specialists of the law and it is to them that this parable is intended. Jesus tells this story because of their attitude because it particularly draws attention to the soul of the big brother. Jesus wants to show the Pharisees and lawyers their blindness, their narrow-mindedness, their self-righteousness and how it destroys their souls and the lives of those around them.

Jesus wants to demonstrate that a religious person is no less spiritually lost than an outcast. He uses the two brothers to highlight the two main paths used by men to experience happiness and fulfillment: moral conformity and personal fulfillment.

The father

I told you, we are not going to dwell on the person of the little brother or younger son, but to understand and better grasp the reactions of the father, we still need to highlight certain points of this character. The first shocking fact is the request of the youngest son. He asks for his share of the inheritance. He totally lacks respect for his father. He does not like to submit to paternal authority and seeks to free himself from it. Some commentators go so far as to say that we can understand from this that he wanted him to die.

The father’s reaction is even more shocking than the son’s request. Indeed, for a listener of the time, we can expect the father to put him in his place or, given the affront and humiliation he suffers, to simply banish him. But that’s not what the father does. He shares his possessions. He is a father who does not want to keep his children jealously at home, he wants them free: free to go away…, to be free to come back… At this time, during the sharing of the « pater familias » property , the head of the family, the eldest was entitled to two-thirds. It is interesting to note that the Greek term used for the word “good” is “bios” which also means “life”. Luke could have used more precise terms, but why didn’t he?

To share his property, which consists mainly of land and livestock, the father is obliged to sell everything or, in any case, part of it, and then give the share to the younger son. In the past, identity was closely tied to place. To understand this, you just need to see the names of the people (Saul of Tarsus, Jesus of Nazareth, etc.). Selling part of your property meant taking both a part of yourself and your social prestige. In addition to suffering the pain of his younger son’s rejection, the father patiently endures a tremendous loss of honor out of love for his son. His son’s request turns his father’s life upside down. The latter’s love makes him endure this situation, while maintaining his affection for his son.

The listeners were not to believe it and they were certainly to wonder who could be such a father. The son leaves with his inheritance. He squanders everything. He who sought freedom and pleasure found slavery. Interesting, isn’t it? When we want to get by without God, slavery often hangs over our noses. Fortunately, the parable does not end there and the son realizes what he has done. He hatches a plan to return.

And that’s when a new brilliance appears. When the son returns to the father, the latter greatly surprises us by his way of acting towards his son. The father starts running. This was never done at that time. Women and children could run but not the paterfamilias, not the head of the family. And yet, the father, running wild, openly shows his emotions. The father had let his son go out of love and it is this same authentic expression of tenderness and love that he feels for his son that pushes him to run to meet him!

But the father’s unusual reaction doesn’t stop there. We can expect the father to say: “Promise me not to do it again” or “I welcome you, but you will have to return what you took” or worse…

Reading from Deuteronomy 21.18-21:

Suppose a man has a disobedient and rebellious son, who does not listen to his father or mother and does not obey them, even after they have punished him. ¹⁹  The father and mother will take him and bring him to the elders of his city, to the gate of the place where he dwells. ²⁰  They will say to the elders of his city, ‘This is our son, who is disobedient and rebellious, who will not listen to us and who is a licentious and drunken person.’ ²¹  All the men of his city shall stone him; he shall be put to death. 

End of reading.

The father could have ordered his son to be put to death for what he did but instead he orders his servants to dress his son, probably in one of his tunics, because it was the clan chief who must have had the most beautiful clothes. And this constitutes an irrefutable sign of reintegration into the family. The father implicitly declares: “I am not going to wait until you have paid your debt. I won’t make you grovel in front of me! You should not earn your return to the family. I’ll just give it to you. » To this is then added the party that the father organizes for the return of the son who was lost and has been found.

You will have understood, the figure of the father represents God. This father figure teaches us that God’s love and forgiveness can absolve and restore people, regardless of their sins and faults. The younger son knew that there was plenty of bread in his father’s house. He now discovers that there is grace in abundance. The Father’s love can forgive and erase the worst wrongdoings, and no sin is too daunting to benefit from his grace.

This first part of the parable demonstrates to us the incredible prodigality of divine grace. Jesus shows a father rushing to his son before the son has even had time to purify his life and prove that he has changed, before he can even recite his speech of repentance.

The eldest son

The first part of Jesus’ story showed us that divine grace is free and the second part reveals to us that it comes at a cost. This is the climax of the story.

The older brother’s reaction is interesting. He refuses to enter the party and forces his father to leave. Which is humiliating for the latter and rude on the part of a host of a house, during a big party. The son is furious at the cost of the party. His fury pushes him to insult his father further, by not addressing him in a respectful manner. He makes accusations against his brother, whom he no longer considers as such, probably partly justified but no doubt also out of backbiting. He talks about prostitutes, but the parable never tells us that the younger brother went to see such people.

The father could also have repudiated his eldest son for his behavior but he again shows great tenderness: “My son, although you insulted me publicly, I still want you to come to the party. I will not chase away your brother or you. I would like you to swallow your pride and join us. The choice is yours. Do you want to come, yes or no? » It is a call of great kindness.

Jesus stops at this moment while all his listeners are hanging on his lips. He does this because this story, remember, is primarily aimed at the Pharisees. They are the older brothers. He waits for them to react. This is not a polemical intention, but on the contrary to ask them indirectly if they should not also convert in order to enter the Kingdom of God.

Two lost sons

It is easy to be able to understand and relate to the young son. The father represents God, as we have seen. The big brother scrupulously obeys the Father, therefore by analogy with the commandments of God. There is a bad son and a good one. But both are cut off from their father. He has to go out to invite them to the party. There are two lost threads in this parable…

Jesus demonstrates that we can rebel against the Lord by transgressing His laws, but also by scrupulously respecting them.

Through this parable, Jesus allows us to have a deeper understanding of sin. Most people think that sin is when we fail to follow God’s rules of conduct. But Jesus goes further.

Let me read you a quote from Flannery O’Connor, American writer and devout Catholic, from her novel, where one of her characters, Hazel Motes says the following: « There was in him a deep, dark, implicit belief that to avoid Jesus, one had to avoid sin. »

We are able to observe all moral laws to avoid relying on Jesus as Savior. Therefore, we believe we have rights. God must bless us, He must answer our prayers. He must grant us a place in heaven. We don’t need a Savior, we saved ourselves. This is the attitude of the older brother.

The older brother’s categorical refusal reveals the intentions of his heart. He thinks, just like his brother, that it is riches that will make him happy and fulfilled and not paternal love. He also does not like to submit to paternal authority and wants to be able to free himself from it.

If, like the eldest son, we seek to influence the Lord through our obedience, it is because our morality is only a means of using him to get him to give us the earthly goods we desire.

This parable shows us that sin is not only the transgression of laws but also putting oneself in the place of God, the only Savior, Lord and Judge.

There are two ways to be our own Savior and Lord: to transgress all moral rules and do what we want or to respect all moral rules and behave perfectly.

Small aside: be careful!! Jesus, when speaking of the older brother, is not saying that there are people who are without fault. He wants to tell us through this story that we should not only focus on bad behavior.

But did Jesus really want to stop there? Let’s take a step back from this parable by going through the entire chapter.

Jesus told three parables. The parable of the lost sheep, that of the lost coin and our parable of the lost sons. The similarities are striking. Something is lost, the person who lost this thing ends up finding it and a big party is organized once what was lost is found.

But the third parable stands out from the other two in a blatant way. In the first two, someone took action to find what was lost without being distracted or stopped by anything. The listeners, as they discover the plight of the lost son, expect someone to go looking for him but no one does. It’s striking and Jesus wanted it to be that way…

By putting these three parables together, Jesus wants the listeners to wonder who should have gone looking for the lost son!?!

The older brother should have gone and picked up his little brother at his own expense! Because it was only with the latter’s money that the youngest brother could have returned. The father having divided his property between them, before the departure of the younger brother.  

The first part of the parable showed free fatherly forgiveness and the second part what it costs. The father cannot simply forgive the young son. Someone has to pay the bill. The reinstatement of the young son is done by harming the elder. It is the only way.

Jesus does not bring in a real older brother who would be willing to pay any price to seek and save what is lost. The older brother here is a Pharisee.

Jesus, by placing an unworthy older brother, invites us to imagine a better one. This parable emphasizes that forgiveness always has a price, someone must pay…

Our true older brother paid our debt on the cross, in our place. How can we transform our fearful and irritable heart into one filled with love, joy and gratitude? We must be moved to think of what it cost our Savior to bring us home. The difference between a Pharisee and a true believer is the motivation of the heart. For the Pharisees, God is a demanding boss and not a loving Father.

Jesus Christ, who held absolute power over the world, saw that we were enslaved to what we thought should have set us free. So He stripped Himself of His glory to become a servant (Philippians 2:7).

When we contemplate Jesus’ work on the cross on our behalf, our heart is drawn to Him. We realize that the love, the greatness, the consolation and the honor that we have sought elsewhere are found there. The beauty of this sacrifice also abolishes our fear.

Personal application

So what does all this mean for us today? Let us first ask ourselves this question: am I not at risk of belonging alternately or at the same time to both categories, by confessing before God that I am a sinner because I experience it, but by judging harshly the conduct of others?

Yes, unfortunately we sometimes live like a little or a big brother! Identifying ourselves when we are in the shoes of the little brother is easier, but knowing if we have a big brother mentality is more complicated. Here are four signs of an older brother mentality:

1. When something goes wrong, we are not just sad, but angry and bitter with God, like the son in the parable. God must make our path straight. Still, I go to church every Sunday, I pray every day and read my Bible daily. I even invited this person I can’t stand over for coffee. God must bless me and answer my prayer. Or if we have transgressed a law, we are furious with ourselves and experience guilt of great intensity.
2. The older brother feels great superiority. He bases his self-image on his hard work, his morality, his belonging to an elite or his refinement and his common sense.
3. He lives a submission devoid of joy and based on fear. The older brothers uphold ethical standards and scrupulously fulfill their responsibilities, but they perceive them as chores. If they lead a righteous life, it is not out of joy or love but out of fear.
4. The final sign of an older brother mentality has to do with uncertainty about God’s love. As long as we try to earn salvation by controlling God through our goodness, we cannot be sure we are good enough for Him.

So, have you taken the test? Are you diagnosed with older brother mentality? More seriously, we really need to understand that this path is just as harmful as that of the younger son. This mentality destroys the Church of Christ and has nothing to do with the Gospel that Jesus preached and lived. We can be obstacles, even walls, for younger brothers when we have an older brother mentality.

Statistical example, young evangelical having slept before marriage (85%) —> creation of a generation of liars. Another example: in our parish when a parishioner criticized the hat of a person who had just arrived.

But then how can we fight both the little and big brother mentality? The answer is both simple and complicated. It’s the Gospel. Jesus, the true big brother, showed us the way and explained it to us. We must understand what the true grace of God is. It is free to us but it had an enormous cost for Him.

To survive, we must eat and drink regularly. We must also do this with the gospel of divine grace. We must appropriate it personally, allowing it to increasingly condition everything we see, think and feel. This is how we will grow spiritually in wisdom, love, joy and peace.

But if we don’t stay focused on the Gospel, then we will tend to return to our old habits. We will only succeed in definitive change by better understanding the Gospel with our intellect and our heart.

The Gospel is not the ABC of Christian life, but rather the alpha and omega.