Tell Out My Soul

Luke 15:1-3 and 11-32

The prodigal son is probably Jesus’ most famous and well known parable. On the surface it can look like a simple story about forgiveness. But on deeper examination, it is so much more than that. It paints a picture of the nature of God’s love. To me what stands out the most is the father’s unbridled joy when his son returns.

In this story, the prodigal son leaves home, squanders his inheritance and falls on hard times. So he decides to return to his father’s house. He’s not sure what kind of reception he’s going to get. He’s guessing that his father’s going to be angry. So he rehearses beforehand what he’s going to say to his dad, just in case. When they meet he says ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

Well, it’s safe to say that he probably wasn’t really sorry for what he’d done and that he was just trying to get back into his father’s good books; he was desperate. But it’s like the dad isn’t even listening, he’s so happy to see his son back home. The son needn’t have bothered with the confession. The dad is so full of joy, it’s like he’s deaf. He goes straight to organising the party.

It’s the perfect let bygones be bygones situation. This is echoed in today’s reading from Joshua, the name Gilgal means rolling away, all the shame and transgressions of the Israelites during the 40 years in the desert were all wiped away by God. The dad doesn’t care about the wasted money and property at all. It’s like the joy and relief have pushed out any other emotion, there is no anger.

It’s not uncommon for our children to make a mistake or do something they shouldn’t have and they say “are you angry with me?”. Our answer in so many cases is almost a cliche. I’m not angry darling, just disappointed. And most of the time we’re disappointed for them, not especially for ourselves. God’s love is like a parent’s love, only so much more perfect. It is always 100% unconditional.

When the son comes back the father says… this son of mine was dead and is alive again. There was famine in the land and the father had been fearing the worst. It’s hard to imagine how he must have felt. But I’d like to share a story about an event in my family’s experience that comes very close to this. It’s the story about my Uncle Johnny.

My mother was a teenager in Italy during the second world war and her brother, my uncle Johnny (who was about 18 or 19) was in the army stationed in North Africa. And if that wasn’t a big enough worry for my mum and my grandparents, the message came through that he was declared missing in action. Well, that was that, the big fear was that he’d been killed, and as the months went by their fear only consolidated. I imagine that they went on from day to day as people do in this situation, you keep on keeping on, my grandmother prayed each day for her lost son.

And then one day, almost miraculously, he came home. As it turned out he’d been a prisoner of war all the time he’d been missing. Their joy at having him safely back home would have been incomprehensible. In that one reunion, every other worry, or concern or problem would have instantly been wiped away. I loved my uncle Johnny very much, and as a child, hearing this story from my mother, I totally understood what it meant to my mum and my grandparents to have him back safe and sound.

So what motivated Jesus to tell the parable of the prodigal son? Well, Jesus had been socialising with tax collectors and sinners and the scribes and the Pharisees questioned him about it. To them it was very inappropriate behaviour.

This parable was his answer to them, showing them that God’s love does not discriminate, God loves all people, whether they’re sinners or not, it emphasises the inclusivity of God’s love. And if we are to walk in Jesus’ footsteps, our love should be inclusive also. It’s not God’s will that we pick and choose who we love or care about.

The beauty of the father’s response in this parable is contrasted by the behaviour of the eldest son who stayed loyal. The older brother reacts with jealousy and indignation, dragging up all the things that his brother had done, like wasting all his money on prostitutes. He’s pretty mad… even though he’s done the right thing and stayed loyal, he wasn’t getting rewarded. The father even pleads with the older son to share in the joy of reunion.

The brother is just like the Pharisees and scribes, looking at relationships purely as a punishment or reward system. But that’s not how love works, especially the perfect love that God has for us.

So we need to get this idea of reward and punishment out of our heads all together. This is central to Jesus’ message. We love God for the sheer joy of loving God and God loves us for the same reason, for the joy our love gives him. There is no judgement involved.

Of course the dad loves the loyal son without fail and for always… unquestionably. No one is the favourite child in this picture. Sure there’s a part of us that understands the older brother’s feelings. But if we look at God’s relationship to us, this attitude is too small, too restrictive when we consider the broadness and vastness of God’s love. God loves all his children equally and with an infinite love.

So the message isn’t about reward and punishment it’s about repentance and joy.

Jesus uses the word repentance to mean turning back to God. He talks to us about repentance a lot in scripture. He also spoke the parable of the lost sheep. Jesus’ explained: “I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance”.

Repentance is actually about putting God back into our life, turning to God and going back home to him, just like the prodigal son and the found sheep. However, It’s necessary for bygones to be bygones; people need to have the freedom to turn their life around and turn to God. It’s way better for us to learn from past mistakes and negative actions than to be punished for them.

Repentance is not something we do occasionally, when we feel that we’ve done something wrong. Repentance is turning to God on a moment to moment basis, ever day. When a decision has to be made, or if we’re confused or sad about something, when a negative thought arises, all these are opportunities for us turn to God and thereby add to his joy.

There is great celebration in God’s kingdom when someone offers their heart and soul to God; God’s joy is indescribable. And isn’t this what it’s all about? What Jesus came to do? Jesus’ purpose was to draw us to God, especially those who have strayed. And it’s part of God’s plan that we also play our part in drawing lost sheep back to the flock. How wonderful it would be if we could bring people back to God. Jesus says in Matthew chapter 12 verse 13, if you’re not gathering, you’re scattering.

Individually and as a church, by attracting others towards God’s love, we can bring God joy, and naturally, in turn, our joy will also be complete.

Amen