 WordLuke 15: 1-3, 11-32
Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them."
So he told them this parable…
… "There was a man who had two sons. The 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. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But 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! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands." ' So 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. Then the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But 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. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!' And they began to celebrate.
"Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.' Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But 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. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!' Then the father said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But 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.'"
Meditation “There’s a Party Going On”
Which one of these reflects the heart of God and resembles what worship is for you? The grumbling of the Pharisees and scribes because Jesus is eating with sinners? The elder son standing outside refusing to celebrate the return of his lost brother, refusing even to call him brother? Or this?
There's a party going on right here,
a celebration to last throughout the years.
So bring your good times and your laughter too,
we're gonna celebrate your party with you.
(Kool and the Gang- “Celebration”)
In Jesus’ parable, it is the father who is so filled with compassion, that he runs to embrace his son, who stops his son’s planned confession with a call to party, who seeks out his elder son to invite him to be reconciled. It is the father who reflects the heart of God in this story. “We had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has been raised to life; he was lost and has been found.” The problem with the scribes, the Pharisees, and the elder brother is that they are unable to see themselves as having wasted anything, as having messed up royally, as being in need of forgiveness. For them, grace is not amazing, it is enraging.
There’s a party going on, and you are invited. Are you dancing or are you grumbling? Are you celebrating or are you upset? Jesus welcomed sinners and ate with outcasts. He went about reconciling the world to God and celebrated with whoever came. Because of that, the scribe, the Pharisee, the elder brother in all of us sought his death, and he was crucified. God raised him from the dead because the heart of God is grace and because God can do nothing else but celebrate when the lost are found.
There’s a party going on, and you are invited, whether you are a grumbling Pharisee, an angry brother or a sinful child. We call it Holy Communion, a holy reconciliation, a great thanksgiving, a celebration of amazing grace. Christ, broken in death, lost and forsaken, is raised to life and found in celebration. The dead come to life and the lost are found. We have to celebrate and rejoice. There’s a party going on.
Prayer
God of compassion, you welcome the wayward, and you embrace us all with your mercy. By our baptism, clothe us with garments of your grace, and feed us at the table of your love; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
NEXT WEEK IN WORSHIP
March 21, 2010: Fifth Sunday in Lent
Isaiah 43:16-21 Psalm 126 Philippians 3:4b-14 John 12:1-8
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