Easter

                                                      The first day of the week.

                                                                 Luke 24:1-12.

Luke 24.1-12 (NRSV)

The Resurrection of Jesus

¹But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. ²They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³but when they went in, they did not find the body. ⁴While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. ⁵The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. ⁶Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, ⁷that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’ ⁸Then they remembered his words, ⁹and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. ¹⁰Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. ¹¹But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. ¹²But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.

My text is written in Luke 24.12:

¹²But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.

Verses 1-12 describe what happened on that first Easter morning in the garden of the tomb where Jesus had been laid to rest. When the women arrived at the tomb, they found that the stone that had been placed in front of the entrance had been rolled away. They were worried about what this meant and were frightened by what they saw - two men whose appearance shone greeted them with the news that Jesus had risen from death:

⁴While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. ⁵The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen (vs 4-5).

For them, this was the straw that broke the camel's back - they never understood Jesus' betrayal, his crucifixion, nor this resurrection - everything was equally perplexing to them. But the angels reminded them of what Jesus had taught them:

⁶Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, ⁷that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’ ⁸Then they remembered his words ... (vs 6-8)

Jesus had warned them that he would be delivered into the hands of evil people and would be crucified and that he would rise again on the third day. Luke adds in verse 8: ‘Then they remembered what Jesus had said.’

Nothing that ever happened to Jesus did so without his prior explanation to the disciples - but the disciples - like all humans - forgot and needed to be reminded. In the world today, the words of Jesus are freely available through the Bible which has been translated into just about every language and dialect in the world, but many tend to forget and so it becomes vital that the church reminds the world of our Lord's teachings, and show how they remain relevant for all generations.

Another significant lesson we learn from this passage is the fact that, like the disciples, our ignorance of our Lord's teachings often leads to unnecessary confusion. The first step in our salvation is to realise and acknowledge that life does not make sense unless we accept Jesus and his teachings as the central feature of our lives. In the midst of unnecessary suffering, Christians need to spread Christ's teachings and remind people in the same way that the angels reminded these women: "Remember, Jesus told you ..."

McBride reminds us that none of the Gospel narratives actually recounts the rising of Jesus because no one was actually there to witness it. All the Gospel narratives can do is register the fact of the empty tomb and the resurrection appearances. The empty tomb by itself does not make for adequate evidence for the resurrection because all it can do is bear witness – like an empty room – that no one was there. And there can be a number of explanations as people have tried to explain over the thousands of years since then: the disciples could have stolen the body and hid it somewhere so that they could ­claim that Jesus has risen; dogs might have eaten the body etc. There have been many others which I am sure you have been reminded of over the years. But none of them can withstand historical scrutiny. What matters is that over 500 credible witnesses experienced the risen Christ over a period of 40 days and more importantly, we experience Christ even now in the power of the Holy Spirit, as our lives and the lives of millions of other credible people, are transformed as we are touched by the power of his love.

But the empty tomb is important, because it is filled with symbolism. The worst place – the place of death and darkness, becomes the best place, a symbol of life and hope – it shows how tragedy can be transformed into the best news of all, especially is one remembers what Jesus had said. This is why being steeped in the Scriptures is so important, because it reminds us of the Gospel; it reminds us that even the dark places in our lives can be transformed into something beautiful when touched by the love of God in Jesus Christ, and especially so when we remember what God has taught us.

At first the women are not believed and their message is dismissed – Luke uses the word leros which implies demented ramblings. It is almost as if the men think that the women are so stricken with their grief that they are not making any sense at all. Peter runs to the tomb to see for himself and he too finds it empty, this does not make him believe either, but it does make him wonder – which is always a preface to belief (McBride). Barclay reminds us that the presence of Peter in the group is of great significance as it says much about his character. The story of his denial of Jesus must have been well-known ‘... and yet he had the moral courage to face those who knew his shame ...’ Barclay continues:

           

‘There was something of the hero in Peter, as well as something of the coward. The man who was a fluttering dove is on the way to becoming a rock.’

We need to wonder more. Evidence matters, as does the testimony of reliable witnesses, but nothing can replace experiencing things for ourselves, first hand. This does not mean that we fly in the face of evidence and blindly believe – not at all – it does mean that it is good to doubt, it is good to search, it is good to find things out – all for ourselves – to experience first-hand the love of God in the risen Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

This is also a story of faithfulness, as John Wesley advised his preachers who were going through times of difficulty – ‘Preach faith until you have faith’. The women in their doubt were given the reliable testimony of the two men in dazzling clothes. We are given reliable testimony through scholarship and faithful preaching.

But it always comes down to the same thing again – all the evidence can only take us part of the way; we still need to experience first-hand the reality of the loving presence of God in our lives, and this becomes real for us as we are prompted to respond to others in the same way as our Lord responds to us – with love and forgiveness and acceptance.

There is so much here for our blessing and edification, and I close with some thoughts given by William Barclay when he reflected on this passage himself. He explains that one of the problems for people is that they continue to look for Jesus among the dead; so many people are willing to acknowledge that he was one of the greatest men of all time, perhaps even the noblest hero ever to have lived. It is easy to see that he lived one of the loveliest lives ever seen on earth – but then he died. But this is not the end of the story, because Jesus is not dead; he is alive. ‘He is not merely a hero of the past; he is a living reality of the present’.

There are others who claim that it is worthwhile to study the life and teachings of Jesus. And I agree, it is important to study, but Jesus is more than someone to be studied, he is someone who is meant to be met and lived with every day – he is a living presence.

Barclay continues: There are still others who see in Jesus the perfect pattern and example. And this is also true, but trying to follow the perfect example can also be the most heart-breaking thing in the world, because as we sincerely try to model our lives on the perfect example all it ever does is show up how far short we fall from the ideal. But Jesus does more. Just as a teacher will come alongside a pupil and help them to improve, so our Lord is with us to forgive, renew, encourage – as Barclay puts it ‘... he is not simply a model for life; he is a living presence to help us to live ...’

We need to be like Peter and experience it all first hand for ourselves and be amazed by the Love God has for us. As Luke records:

... Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.

Palm Sunday

Luke 19.28-40 (NRSV)
Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
28 After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30saying, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, “Why are you untying it?” just say this: “The Lord needs it.” ’ 32So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, ‘Why are you untying the colt?’ 34They said, ‘The Lord needs it.’ 35Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen,38saying,‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!’  39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, order your disciples to stop.’ 40He answered, ‘I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.’

I have chosen to reflect on the Psalm Sunday Gospel instead of the Passion readings which are also suggested for this day, because of time and space. (The Passion is a wonderful exercise to read in itself, and when we used to celebrate Easter in Scotland, it was often a joy and privilege to be asked to read this important lesson.)
When reading the incident where the disciples collected the donkey in verses 28-35, modern people feel comfortable with the idea that Jesus had made prior arrangements about the donkey with friends in Bethpage, who on hearing the correct password, would release the animal to his disciples. The tenor of Luke's writing suggests rather that this was evidence that Jesus was all knowing. Whatever view we chose is not important. What is of significance is the fact that Jesus was fulfilling the prophecy of Zachariah 9:9-10:
Rejoice, rejoice, people of Zion! Shout for joy, you people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you! He comes triumphant and victorious, but humble and riding on a donkey - on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Verse 38 records how the disciples, plus a number of other supporters were happy and praised God because of all the miracles they had seen. Verse 39 describes the disciples as heralding in the new messianic era by shouting: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory to God.” Here Luke has taken the words of Psalm 118:26 and inserted the word ‘King’ ‘… so as to leave no doubt that the crowd believed themselves to be taking part in the coronation procession of the Messiah' (Caird).
This prophecy originally referred to ‘peace on earth’. Luke now makes it refer to ‘Peace in heaven ...' Through Jesus, God had achieved victory over Satan and the forces of evil (see Luke 10:17) and now all that remained was for the reality of this peace in heaven to become real for people on earth. In this, Luke is explaining a point that was of crucial significance for the people of Christ's day and remains eternally true. The people of Jerusalem wanted to see the Messiah claim His kingdom ‘… and their delighted delirium arose from the fact that they saw him as doing this ...'(Morris) But the people were mistaken and did not fully understand. Luke reminds us that peace only becomes real for people on earth when they are at peace with God in heaven. The fact remains that there will be no real peace on earth until people make peace with God and this is only possible through accepting Jesus Christ as one's personal saviour. The only way a person can love, accept and live at peace with others is when they can love, accept and live at peace with themselves. Individual peace begins with God. Paul explains in Romans 5:1: “By faith we have been made acceptable to God. And now, because of our Lord Jesus Christ, we live at peace with God.”
When we realise that we are loved and accepted by God, even though we do not deserve God's kindness - we learn to love and accept ourselves because God loves and accepts us - and we learn to love and accept others because they too are precious. Christ died to redeem all those who are willing to accept his free gift of salvation. Remember John 3:16: “God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life.”
In verses 39-40 the Pharisees tried to make Jesus stop the crowd from declaring his praises. The commentator in the Life Application Bible explains:
“[The Pharisees] didn't want someone challenging their power and authority, and they didn't want a revolt that would bring the Roman army down upon them, so they asked Jesus to keep his people quiet.” Jesus responds in verse 40 by echoing the words of the prophet Habbakuk 2:11: "If they keep quiet, these stones will start shouting."
Miller writes:
“He was saying in effect: The Messiah is here, and somebody must herald his coming. It could not be that there would take place a momentous event toward which the entire Old Testament, even the entire history of mankind, had been moving, without some recognition of its happening. Should men not herald it, the very stones would cry out. The secret of Jesus' Messiahship, which heretofore he had kept to himself and had not permitted either demons or disciples to proclaim (4:35, 41; 9:21,36), must be revealed before his death. The issue is clear. Israel must either accept or reject her Messiah.”
Jesus knew what lay before him, so did Luke and so do we. From Jesus’ point of view it is appropriate because he is about to something momentous – he is coming to bring God’s salvation to the world (as Wright explains) ‘… through his own Passover action on the Cross …’
As we journey with Jesus this Palm Sunday are we ready to celebrate – like the crowd – only as long as Jesus seems to be doing what we want? Wright concludes:
“Are we ready not only to spread our cloaks on the road in front of him, to do the showy flamboyant thing, but also now to follow him into trouble, controversy, trial and death?’
Easy in theory – difficult in practice – especially when one has a family to consider!
Something indeed worth pondering …
Jesus deliberately planned his entry to Jerusalem; he made it a royal procession of such a kind in order to beg the question: “Is this Israel’s Messiah?” He is proclaimed king but will eventually only be given a mock coronation. Matthew in his Gospel seems to suggest that this is a deliberate dramatization by Jesus of Zecharaiah 9.9; in Luke the crowd shouts out Peace in heaven, glory to God in the highest heaven reminding us of what the angels had sung at his birth. Tinsley writes:
“Jesus is so intensely aware what is really happening that he suggests men would have to be more insensitive that stone not to have some idea of what is taking place.”
This whole episode strikes me as so strikingly unlike the general tenor of our Lord’s life (as J C Ryle points out). Generally Jesus withdrew from the public glare wanting not to draw any attention to himself at all. What has changed? Ryle suggests that this is because Jesus was at the crisis point of his ministry: he knew that his time had come to bring his ministry to fruition, his time as the greatest Prophet was almost finished. It was therefore important for people to take note that something significant was happening. Jesus was about to offer himself up as the ultimate sacrifice and so (as Ryle puts it) “… This great thing was not to be done in a corner …”
Whatever people might think of the atonement, they can never deny that Jesus died – it was a public event in the glare of publicity: his entry into Jerusalem, he was seen and heard in the city, brought before the High Priests and Pilate and condemned. He was publically nailed to a cross.
Just as Jesus entered Jerusalem amidst cries of joy, there will be joy when Jesus returns, but this time without any pain and disappointment. Paul captures the sentiment of the second coming in Philippians 2.11: “Before Him, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” But we know this already, because we have already experienced the deepest joy when Jesus entered our lives when we came to faith.

John 12.1-8 (NRSV)

Mary Anoints Jesus

¹Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. ²There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. ³Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. ⁴But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, ⁵‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?’ ⁶(He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) ⁷Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. ⁸You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.’

Marsh reminds us that the woman in the similar incident described in Mark’s Gospel is in fact unnamed. In Mark’s account the woman anoints Jesus head with costly ointment. Luke also records an incident that has similarities, i.e. a woman bathing Jesus feet with her tears and wiping them with her hair. Marsh suggests that John was acquainted with all these synoptic traditions and seems to follow the Marcan account, but gives it its theological intention because, as always in John’s case, he wants to give his readers the meaning of the event. Placing the event after the death and Resurrection of Lazarus and before the entry into Jerusalem sets the scene for the death and Resurrection of Jesus himself. When greeting Mary at the tomb of Lazarus earlier, Jesus had comforted her by saying: “‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’” Mary does believe this and so (possibly) recalling the earlier incident when Jesus’ feet had been anointed with the sinner woman’s tears, decides to do something similar, but this time with costly perfume. Marsh suggests that John sees this and ‘… skilfully blended [all this] into an act which marks Jesus as, at once the triumphant Messiah and yet one who is about to die for the sins of men …’ I believe Mary made this link herself before John! (Mary would have known about the earlier incident because the sinful woman who bathed Jesus’ feet with her tears took place at the home of Simon the Leper who also lived at Bethany, which was a small village within walking distance of Jerusalem. The news of this significant incident would certainly have been known in the area – and beyond).

Jesus arrived in Bethany on the Sabbath before the last Passover in which he was to share.  This, in itself, was a brave thing to do because it was Lazarus being raised from the dead that was the final straw and (as 11.53 records) ‘… from that day on [the Jewish authorities] planned to put him to death.’

It is assumed by the translators of the NRSV and NIV that this dinner took place at the home of Lazarus, but Marsh suggests (and I checked the Greek text) the exact location is not clear; it could have been at the home of Simon the Leper where everyone had gathered. The RSV follows the Greek text more closely and states:

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. There they made him a supper …

It is not absolutely clear, and for John, the precise location is not of significance. But for me it is, because it can mean justifying my earlier assumption that Mary’s action hearkened back to the earlier incident at Simon’s house.

Martha is being typically Martha, practical, busy, preparing food and serving at table. This is a wonderful thing to do. It is always a privilege to be invited for a meal and to see the care and love that goes into the preparation even of the simplest fare. Mary (as is typically Mary) needs to express her love and devotion differently, especially as a result of her new-found understanding. Both sisters are serving the Lord in the best way they know how. Martha seems to have come to terms with the fact that Mary is different, and that that it is fine for her not to be doing the traditionally domestic thing which caused the earlier ill-feeling between the sisters, that is recorded in Luke 10 when Martha had complained that Mary was not doing her bit.

Mary takes a large quantity of expensive ointment and anoints Jesus’ feet. Anointing in the Ancient Middle East, was a great honour, but this usually meant anointing a person’s head; Mary is not so presumptuous, she anoints Jesus’ feet. Could this be because she has learnt something profound and significant from the sinner who had bathed Jesus’ feet with her tears? In fact, William Temple suggests that it was the Mary Magdalene who had done this first act with her tears and now with expensive nard, and not the sister of Lazarus at all. Mary Magdalene had  been forgiven so much and wanted to do something costly and special for her Lord while there was still time … a simple extravagance for someone special … I do not think it matters who did it.

Because of this beautiful act the whole Church is filled with the scent of Mary’s deed. Brother Mark, as you have written:

“A lovely deed becomes the possession of the whole world. It adds something to the beauty of life in general. A lovely deed brings into the world something permanently precious, which time cannot ever take away. The love stories are the immortal stories of the world.”

William Temple writes: “So should every Church and every home be filled with the fragrance of devoted love. May this be daily more true.”

This act was criticised by ‘some’ in Mark, the ‘disciples’ in Matthew or ‘Judas’ in John. This is not untypical. And on the surface there seems to be a really significant point being made here. “Why was not the perfume sold for a relative fortune, and the proceeds given to the poor?” There can be no doubt that the sale of this perfume would have raised a significant sum! But as J C Ryle points out, many of those who object to expense being incurred for extravagances for the Gospel never really give anything of significance for the poor anyway. He writes:

“They never give a farthing to such objects as these, and count as fools who do. Worst of all, they often cover over their own backwardness to help purely Christian objects, by a pretending concern for the poor at home. Yet they find it convenient to forget the notorious fact that those who do most for the cause of Christ, are precisely those who do most for the poor.”

Ryle continues to suggest that we should not be put off by those who are unkind to us when we show extravagance for our Lord. Jesus himself exhorts: “Leave her alone …”

What matters is that what we do, in worship, in study, in relationships – in all we do and are – is beautiful for the Lord – as Mother Teresa of Calcutta used to say “Do something beautiful for God …” and this is a fitting conclusion because her example meant linking the two together as we find Jesus in each other and especially the least – the poor, the hungry, the cold, the weak – for in these we find our Lord.

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-end (NRSV)

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-end (NRSV)

¹Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. ²And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ ³ So he told them this parable:

The Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother

¹¹ Then Jesus said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. ¹²The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So he divided his property between them. ¹³A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. ¹⁴When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. ¹⁶He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything.¹⁷But when he came to himself he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger!¹⁸I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; ¹⁹I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’ ” ²⁰So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. ²¹Then the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” ²²But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; ²⁴for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” And they began to celebrate.

²⁵ ‘Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. ²⁷He replied, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.” ²⁸Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. ²⁹But he answered his father, “Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends.³⁰But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!” ³¹Then the father said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. ³²But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.”

My text is Luke 15.20:

²⁰So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.

I love the way that William Barclay breaks with convention in his heading and changes the focus from prodigal son to loving father. It is not without reason that this is one of the greatest short stories in the world. McBride suggests that this is ‘… one of the most touching and exquisite short stories in the pages of world literature … a story that speaks of the boundless mercy and understanding of God.’

Under Jewish law, a father could not leave his property as he wished; the elder son got two thirds and the younger one-third (Deut 21.17). It was also not uncommon for a father to divide up his estate before he died if he wanted to retire. But there is nevertheless a certain heartlessness in the request of the younger son in this story as we read in verse 12: “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me …” because, in effect he is saying: “Give me now the part of the estate I will get anyway when you are dead, and let me get out of here!” The father did not argue, probably because he did know that if the son was going to learn anything, it was going to be the hard way – so he gave him what he requested. In no time, he had squandered it all and was reduced to feeding pigs – a task that was strictly forbidden to any Jew because their law stated: “Cursed is he who feeds swine.”

Verse 17 is wonderfully unselfconscious and easily missed but a wonderful blessing – “When he came to himself …” Barclay, in his typically insightful manner comments:

“… Jesus paid sinning mankind the greatest compliment it has ever been paid … Jesus believed that so long as a person is away from God, they are not truly themselves; they are only truly themselves when they are on the way home …” (adapted)

Contrary to my earlier theological thinking, it seems as though Jesus did not believe in total depravity; he never believed that such a thought could do true justice to our uniqueness and specialness in the sight of God. There is always something there even though it is heavily shrouded when we are found in sin.

The son decided to return home and plead to be taken back even as one of the lowest ranks in his father’s household, one of the hired servants. And he prepared an eloquent speech he was going to give to his father.

This is so important. Barclay explains: It is all too easy to gloss over the need for acknowledging sin and true repentance. It is clear that repentance was integral to our Lord’s message. Not to challenge sin is to do humankind a great disservice. To let people think  that the way they are living – if it is contrary to the ways of Christ – is okay – it to leave them in a state when they are not truly themselves; it clouds the path to ‘home’ and people are not given a fair chance to reach their fullest potential, because they remain lost.

The father could not wait to receive him and broke in before the son could even request to be a servant. The gifts the father gave the son are rich in symbolism: cloak – status; ring – authority; shoes – freedom (remember the spiritual: “… all God’s chillen got shoes  …”).

This parable should never have had the title The Prodigal Son, for the son is not the hero; it should be called the Parable of the Loving Father because it tells of a father’s love much more than a son’s sin. MacBride reminds us of how the father was so consumed with love for his younger son that he did not even need to hear the well-prepared speech – he just wanted to forgive and accept and affirm and welcome his son home. What a beautiful picture of God and the way he relates to all people. He is not happy with our sin and he does not want us to sin, not because he is offended by it – but because he knows that it destroys us and alienates us from true fulfilment and happiness.  In ancient times, it was not considered dignified for an older man to run, but the father is not interested in protocol or even dignity – just the joy and the love for those who come home.

It tells us much of the forgiveness of God. According to the parable, the father must have been watching, hoping and waiting for the son to return, because verse 20 tells how the father saw the son ‘… while he was still far off ...” When they met, the son was forgiven – without question.

There are many different ways of forgiveness. Barclay explains: (i) when it is given begrudgingly; (ii) as a ‘favour’ (iii) worst of all when there is always some doubt, no matter how small, that it was not given wholeheartedly and with sincerity. God forgives us unconditionally! He tells of how Abraham Lincoln was asked how he was going to treat the defeated southerners, expecting to be told of punishment and vengeance, but instead he replied: “I will treat them as if they had never been away.”

God treats us even better. When we turn away and sin, He, like the Father in the parable, looks out for us and longs for our return. This is so amazing that I have to confess that I struggle to accept it while knowing it is true. Can the Creator and Sustainer of all that there is feel this way about me? Yes – because this is the message of Jesus as recorded in the Scriptures.

It is important to be reminded of one of the constituents Jesus was addressing – the Pharisees – who are portrayed as the older brother, because they, in their self-righteousness would rather see a sinner destroyed than saved. Barclay points out that there are certain things about him that stands out:

·         His obedience to his father had probably been out of s sense of duty rather than love;

·         His attitude was one of lack of sympathy: he refers to the prodigal as “… your son …” rather than as “… my brother …”. ;

·         He has a particularly nasty mind: - there is no mention of prostitutes until he mentions them. Barclay suggests that “… he suspected his brother of the sins he himself would have liked to commit …”

Yet – as LeVerdiere reminds us – the Father relates to the older son in as generous a way as he does to the younger son. Luke uses the word the father uses when addressing the older son as teknon – my dear son. McBride explains how this is a parable of a Father who has lost both his sons: the younger to a far off country, the older to the ‘… wilderness of his own hostility’; the younger thought he would find happiness in the new and unfamiliar, only to realize that it was in the heart of the familiar. The older one remained with the ‘familiar’, but he was ‘… such a stranger to the love and joy that surrounded him that he might as well have been in a strange and alien land …’ The younger son experienced a krisis that led him to a kairos, the older son remained unmoved and so unchanged and lost in his selfishness. The younger son returned home; the older son remained far from ‘home’. The father wants both sons to come home and join in the party. Did the older son change? – Did his krisis lead to a kairos? We don’t know, for Jesus does not say.

Sadly, the world today is filled with younger and older sons – those whose sin is obvious and those who think they have got it all, and whose sin is probably not even acknowledged. And God continues to love us all and longs for all of us to return home. McBride suggests that ‘… perhaps the story of the older brother is still being told …’

Let us all be open to the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit, sensitive to the prompting we so often receive to deal with any sin that lurks in our lives. Let us realize that our Father is waiting for our return from the many needless journeys we make taking us away from home to a place of alienation and loss. Le us set off and go to our father. And we will notice that while we are still far off, our father will see us and will be filled with compassion; he will run and put his arms around us and kissed us.

References:

Barclay, W, Daily Study Bible: Luke

La Verdiere, E, Luke

McBride, D, The Gospel of Luke