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Message From Pastor Peggy, June 21, 2020:

Father’s Day, June 21, 2020:
From Luke’s Gospel: 
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
Luke 15:11-32 NIV
When have you shared the success story of someone you love? Perhaps you celebrated a child who has just graduated from college, or public school, or kindergarten! Perhaps you’ve shared other of their achievements: a winning goal, a new job, a mark of compassion or generosity offered to one in need. It’s a wonderful thing to share those stories.  
Perhaps you’ve been that child, that one who has been celebrated – a party held in your honour, a smile or a hug offered with pride, a note of encouragement received. Words of praise offered to you in light of a job well done, a goal achieved, a kind deed done. But what about that moment when you truly blew it? Not many of us, (any of us?), are celebrated in such times. 
Recently my husband shared with me a post that a parent had shared on FaceBook. The daughter was learning how to drive and drove the car through the garage door, doing serious damage both to the car and the garage! The multiple pictures told the story. My heart went out to that child having her blunder posted for all to see, even those of us who don’t even know her, knew of her mistake. She was just learning. No doubt she was doing her best, but when her best didn’t measure up, she was made a spectacle of. 
Can you relate? When has your innocent blunder been made public? When have you been mocked, ridiculed, laughed at, for something you did that didn’t turn out as you expected or hoped? 
And that’s what makes the parable Jesus tells of this father and son truly an example of immense and unconditional love and compassion, for this young man’s actions were clearly a result of the choices he made, they weren’t innocent blunders. The first thing the son chose to do was to ask for his inheritance. No! Wait! He didn’t ask. He demanded. The original Greek makes it clear that the son said, “Give me …” 
Kenneth Bailey has done extensive study in Middle Eastern culture and applies his findings to this parable in his book, Poet and Peasant. He reports that for a child to ask for his inheritance was tantamount to wishing his parent dead. No child would ever make such a request, let alone demand it. Furthermore, the elder son should have tried to reconcile the relationship between his younger brother and father, but he does not. 
Even though this son’s request was totally out of line, and even though handing on one’s property while alive and in good health was unthinkable, the father divides his belongings between his two sons. This is the first sign of the father’s unimaginable love. At a time when the son deserved to be punished for the demands he was making, the father not only listens to the request, he fulfills it, honouring both sons with his wealth. 
Imagine such grace! 
It’s not long before the younger son takes what he was given and leaves town, and you know how that turned out! Again the father’s amazing love is demonstrated in the fact that when he sees his son return he runs to him. A man of wealth would walk, would stop along the way, but no, this father runs, a humiliating act that would gain the community’s attention. The father has one purpose in mind – to get to his son before the townspeople do. The father’s love is demonstrated when he orders his servants to dress the son as a king would be. The father calls for a robe, the best robe, sandals (for a bare foot was a sign of a slave), a ring. Oh, and they were to prepare for a party, a large party – as inferred by ordering the fattened calf to be prepared, not a mere goat. All this so the young wayward man could return home a son rather than a reject, one who would be shunned and driven out by the community for the disgrace he imposed by asking for his inheritance. And we must remember that when the young man returned home, it might be assumed, (given there was no on-the-spot social media in those days!), that the full extent of the son’s squandering of his inheritance might not even be yet known. What started out bad, only got worse, and yet the father’s love remained constant … to both his sons. 
Think of the last time you did something really foolish. Were you honoured?! Was there a party held for you when you did the about face? How would you have felt to be honoured in such a way? More importantly – how would you have regarded the one honouring you in such a way? Especially if he was the one you had offended or wronged. But back to the story … 
When the music was heard, it would be recognized by the whole community as an invitation to come – that food was being prepared, that a party was to take place. It was the elder son’s obligation to also come, to take off his sandals, to stand at his father’s door, and to welcome the guests as a servant. In his anger, he did not want to come. Once again the father’s love is demonstrated. This son could have been reprimanded for disobeying protocol, (not to mention for taking his own inheritance over seeking reconciliation), but instead the father went to him and did not merely plead with him, but the Greek notes he offered comfort, urged him, encouraged him. This father’s love is truly unconditional, all encompassing, lavish in grace. 
At a time the father should have been entertaining his guests, celebrating the wayward son’s return, he leaves to tend to the son sulking outside. When have you felt shadowed by another when you felt certain you should be the one in the limelight? Imagine having someone come to your side, someone who will recognize your anger, your pain, and help you to see things through a different sets of lenses. Is that not love? Oh, yes the story … 
This is one of three consecutive parables that Jesus tells. The first is of a lost sheep. The second is of a lost coin. With each story the loss becomes greater, 1 of 100, 1 of 10, 1 of 2. In the first two parables it is a given that the lost would be sought. In this third parable the father doesn’t go to find the son. The son must first realize that he is lost. Yet, even when the son returns, it would have been easy for the father to say, “You blew it. You had your chance, now leave me alone.” It would be easy not to look for this one, not to run to this one, not to embrace this one. It would be easy not to show love or mercy to this one. But the father offers both, to both sons. 
Imagine for a moment this young man’s surprise, his joy, his tears of gratitude, when he was the guest of honour at the party he could have only hoped to serve at? When in life were you rejected? When have you “blown it?” When have you felt unworthy? Where in life do you feel you don’t measure up, that you no longer belong? What troubles you now? Imagine being embraced and loved despite how you messed up. Know that the love that this man received is also yours to receive in Christ. He waits for you. He watches for you. He longs to run to you when He sees you looking for Him. And when He meets you He presents you as a king, but holds you as His child. 
From an earthly perspective, it’s easy to be loved when you’re easy to love, but from a heavenly perspective, the love of God holds fast even when you’re not so loveable. The father in this parable is made in the image of God and his love reflects that of our Heavenly Father, a Father who loves unconditionally in all times, despite our short-comings, despite our demands, despite the times we greedily take from Him, turn our backs on Him and in realizing the consequences of our actions come back seeking to be a servant but, in His grace, made His Child. As His Word assures us: “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1).
And as His children we inherit it all – even that which we do not deserve! For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). 
Yep! Sometimes we blow it and even though such actions can disappoint our earthly fathers, know that you can never fall outside the love and grace of your heavenly Father. Now that’s a Father worth celebrating this day! 
Happy Father’s Day! 
Peggy