Roger's Postings

Friday, March 12, 2010

Luke 15:1-3, 11-32. Jesus welcomes those who know they are in trouble
8/4/10
(1) Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. {2} But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." {3} Then Jesus told them this parable: "There was a man who had two sons. {12} The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. {13} "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. {14} After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. {15} So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. {16} He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. {17} "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! {18} I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. {19} I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' {20} 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. {21} "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' {22} "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. {23} Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. {24} For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate. {25} "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. {26} So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. {27} 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' {28} "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. {29} 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. {30} But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' {31} "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. {32} 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.'"

“This man welcomes outcasts and even eats with them.” This was the accusation that was thrown at Jesus, and continues to be thrown at his Church throughout history. And unfortunately, often this accusation came and comes from people within the church itself: by those who consider themselves good and respectable. ‘How on earth can we associate with those riff raff? Look who they are and what they have done. Surely God cannot associate with them.’ Yet it is just there that we have the great aspect of Jesus Christ and what he was on about. He was willing to reach out to the outcast – to the ones who knew they were in trouble, with no way out; to accept those who just don't measure up in the eyes of a self- righteous society: who had walked away from God; but who longed to return. He is like the Father who welcomes his lost Son in this parable that he told.
As we think about this parable, how much comfort that gives to us here today: unless of course we want to continue to be like the older son. We know that too often we want to do own thing, without considering what our Lord would have us do: we have been disobedient and self-seeking and self- righteous; and as a result deserve to have nothing more than pig’s swill to live on; even when we live on the family estate.
In many ways, we are no different to children when they have done something wrong; or failed do something that they should have done.
There, we are often like little Johnny. Johnny had grabbed the garden rake and raced off to play with it. But as he went past dads brand new Commodore Sports Sedan, in a hurry, the rake scraped down the whole side of the car, leaving a big long scar. Johnny froze – ‘Oh no!’ He thought – ‘I have done it now.’ He flew back and hid the rake behind all the other garden tools. But as he came back past the car, the scratch looked 2 inches wide. ‘I'm in big trouble now.’ But then he suddenly thought of a way out. He raced off and got some water and dirt, and mixed it up into mud, and quickly plastered it over the side of the car; and then went and hid behind the wood shed. When he heard dad come out from the house he peeked around the corner, and saw the disappointment and ire on his fathers face when he saw the mud and the scratch beneath.
Johnny knew that he had messed up badly and he wasn't game to go inside. But when it got dark he became even more afraid, and knew that he had to go inside. So he snuck up to the back door and quietly opened it, and crept up the passage toward his bedroom. When at that moment he heard his dad call his name, he nearly went through the floor; but went on pretending that he didn't hear a thing. But he was puzzled by the fact that dad’s voice sounded as though he was pleased that Johnny was home.
When he heard dad come into his room, he was still expecting the big wooden spoon in dad’s strong hand, but it wasn't. Instead he gave Johnny a big hug - happy that he was home. Yes, he was still upset that the car was scratched, and that he had tried to cover it up, and that he wasn't prepared to own up to his misdemeanour. But he was glad his son knew that the one safe place he had, was home. And he wanted to make sure that his son always knew that he was welcome and that he was still a part of the family.

Now in many ways, we often are little different than Johnny. When we have done things wrong, we try to cover them up; hide the evidence and all the rest; and then still try to sneak our way into heaven. There are things that we have done in past, or that have happened to us, and we still carry the scars and guilt of those things with us, even today. We have tried to cover these things up in a number of different ways: we try to pretend that it didn't happen: we make a deliberate effort to do something which suggests that we are not like that: we put the blame on someone else: we keep ourselves busy and push the thought to the back of our minds: and there are many other ways that we try to cover up the fact that there are these blemishes and scars in our lives. But they are still there!

As much as we try to hide ourselves and these things from God: hiding behind our work, our social activities, pretending that we don't have time: avoid reading our Bibles; having our devotional time so as to avoid having to face the real issues in our lives: by moving to a church that does not makes us face these issues: and yes even when we do set foot in church, we think of other things, so that we do not hear. All because we know that deep down the problem is still there and we don't want to face the consequences. Then we try to invent all kinds of schemes whereby we think we can sneak our way into heaven.

When we cannot avoid hearing God speak to us, we pretend that we didn't hear or understand. We know that we are guilty and we know what we deserve, so we will do all we can to avoid having to face the real issues. As a result, hurt and shame continues to eat away inside: festering away, causing discomfort and harm.

But despite all of this, Jesus comes to us, arms open wide. He is ready and prepared to give us a great big hug and say 'it is alright now.' Jesus said that when he would be lifted up on the cross, then he would draw all people to himself. And yes there on that cross, Jesus dealt with all our guilt, shame, failure; all our sin; taking the punishment for it all on himself. The result is that now our heavenly Father waits patiently to receive us, his disobedient children, back into his family

As we look to cross and see the goodness and kindness of God toward us, surely our hard and wayward hearts melt; and we are able to acknowledge our guilt and shame, and turn back to our loving Lord. This Lenten season our Lord reaches out again to each and every one of us, wanting to welcome us back into his family. And no matter who we are, or what is hidden in our past, he is still there ready and waiting with open arms. Already the feast is prepared for you and me.

Yes, our loving Lord, welcomes us outcastes and wants us to share in all the good things of his kingdom. In fact every time we come here into the Lord’s House he reminds us that he has washed us clean and welcomed us into his family, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Then through the service, he reminds us again and again of his love for us through our Lord Jesus Christ: and then invites us to his Table so that we can join that welcome home feast; and there receive that absolute assurance that every single sin has been taken care of. Because there we receive Jesus Christ himself – his very body and blood - so that we can be quite sure that we are forgiven, loved, and that he has something better in mind for us. It is there every time we come here into God’s House that we surely are extended the Lord's loving embrace which says, ‘Welcome. Welcome back into God's wonderful family.’
So yes, the accusation that is held against Jesus and his church is true: he does welcome outcastes and sinners, and even eats with them. Thank God it is true! Because there at last we find, that someone truly accepts us; despite our past - whatever it might have been – and he welcomes us into his family. We have been naughty, spoilt children: in fact even his enemies; but thank the Lord that as we face our sin squarely - bring out in open in contrition and repentance – we are then given the assurance that it has all been erased from our lives. Thank God, that he has assured us of his forgiveness and of the Father's welcome every time we gather for worship and receive Holy Communion. This is Good News - this is great news.

So let us go from here then and live as people who have been forgiven and welcomed back into God family; recognising that we have been given another chance; and that the same chance has been given to others as well. So let us welcome them too; recognising that we all have been given everything we have. We all were lost, but now are found – were dead but now made alive. Thanks be to our Lord Jesus Christ; to him be glory and honour, now and always. AMEN.
Pastor Roger Atze
Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

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