Fourth Sunday in Lent – March 10, 2013
Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
Jesus says, “There was a man who had two sons…” People hunker down for a good two-son story. Two-son stories always have a good one and a bad one. Oh! This one has a really bad son in it!
The younger son says, “Father, I can’t wait for you to die!” That’s not exactly what Jesus says he said, but that’s what people hear! The father should whip that boy good!
But, Jesus says, the father just gives it all up. Son number two takes his father’s life. With a stroke of a pen he erases his father’s footprints from the earth.
Son number one shirks his responsibilities. He doesn’t stand up for his father! He doesn’t leave the farm! But he takes what he’s given.
This is a seriously messed up family! Can this story have a happy ending?
The younger son goes off and soon slides from worse to worst. From parties with prostitutes to the pits with the pigs. He “glues himself” to a farmer (verse 15). He has his independence from his father. Now he’s utterly dependent on a stranger.
Jesus wants us to see just how low this boy will go. He’ll steal food from the pigs if he can.
Then, Jesus says, he comes to himself, “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger!” (verses 17-18a) He heads home, ready to offer to do slave labour on the faint chance he’ll get a roof over his head.
Doesn’t he remember? He’s as good as killed his father! Unless … Maybe his father will rise from the dead and make all things new. No. That’s too much to ask for!
Father springs to life at the first glimpse of the boy! Everything he does is far beneath the dignity of a father. Especially one whose son has killed him. But Father’s back from the dead and can do what he wants. He steals from son number one to put on a party, right there, in the middle of the day!
Number one son hears what’s going on. Does he have the honour, the grace to step in? He should at least play joint host with his father. No. He violates every standard of hospitality. He won’t even pretend to welcome his brother. He humiliates his father in front of the guests.
The only one who does what he’s supposed to do in a two-son story is the second son! He comes home. He comes back from the dead (verse 32).
Jesus leaves the story here. The people around him scratch their heads. What are they supposed to think? And what are we supposed to think about this story?
Remember the death at the beginning of the parable. Two sons take their father’s life away.
Remember the death in the middle of the story. One son loses the life he has claimed for his own. His only hope is his father, and he killed him!
Remember the resurrections in the story. The father comes to life at the first sight of his son, and nothing will stop him loving that boy back to life!
Remember the elder son. Dead to his father’s love. His father pleads with him to come and join the party. Come, and live.
Our hope is in One who lived fully, loved freely, and died. We’re dead if we stick to the rules that say good people don’t just give their lives away, and the dead just don’t rise.
Come, and live, says Jesus. Come and join the party. We’ll never understand God’s penchant for breaking all our rules. So, says Jesus, just come! Come and celebrate! The lost can be found! The dead can live again.
