Ninth Sunday after Trinity

Fr. Marq Toombs+, Curate, St. Benedict’s in Rockwall, Texas

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When I was a teenager, it seemed to me like our minister (at the Mesquite Church of Christ) was always preaching on this parable. I don’t recall many specifics, but I am thankful that God used him to make the truth of this parable stand out to me.

The story strikes a nerve with people of all stripes. It shows up in the music of the Rolling Stones and U2. It shows up in stories like A River Runs Through It and Gilead and Jack. It shows up in movies like Terrence Malik’s Tree of Life.

Some say Jesus was retelling the story of Jacob and Esau, or perhaps reframing the story of Jews and Gentiles. We could even see how it reshapes the story of Catholics and Protestants.

Over the years, as I have reflected on the parable, I have connected with different characters at different stages of my life.

When I was younger, I connected with the younger brother who went to a far away land.

When I got a little older, I connected with the older brother — in my heart I often felt arrogant, bitter, and critical towards my wheels off and wasteful younger brothers in Christ.

Now, as a father of young adult sons and daughters, and a father to little children in the Church, I feel more connected to the Father than ever before. And that’s who I want to draw your attention to today: the Father – the prodigal Father.

The word prodigal does not mean lost or adrift; it means wasteful, extravagant, or lavish. So, it applies to the Father because he is extravagant and lavish with his kindness, mercy, and love.

The Father is the gravitational center of the parable. Take away the Father and the story unravels and falls apart. Leave out the Father and there is no story at all.

God the Father is prodigal. Here are four truths to lay hold of: Our Father is generous, gracious, gregarious, and glorious. Let’s look at these one at a time.

• The Father is Generous – vv 11-12, 17, 20-25

After the younger son wasted his life on reckless living he came to his senses. And he realized the truth about his father. His father had given him everything, yet he had given nothing (but grief) to his father. But his father was a kind and generous man. So he decided to turn back home and throw himself on the mercy of his father.

We see the Father’s generosity at the beginning and end of the story. First, the father gave both his sons their share of their inheritance. He (literally) divided his “life” between them.

We see the Father’s generosity in the middle of the story when he runs to his lost son and gives him hugs and kisses and jewelry and clothes.

Finally, we see the Father’s generosity at the end of the story when the father throws a massive party for his whole family – and when he reminds his older son that everything he has is still his.

Far too many of us complain about our lot in life. We grumble about what we do not have and wonder why God does not give us something more or something else or something better.

Instead we ought to praise God for what he has freely given us. In his common grace, even his servants have what they need. How much more do his sons and daughters have in his saving grace?!

Whatever you’re doing, wherever you are, it would be good for you to stop and take inventory of all that God the Father has given you.

Here are just a few things God has given his children:

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. (Eph 1:3)

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has caused us to be born again into a living hope and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for us. (1 Pet 1:3-4)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (Jms 1:17)

So, the next time you feel like grumbling and complaining, remember this: the Father has withheld no good thing from you. Consider just how generous the Father is and be thankful!

• The Father is Gracious – vv 20-24, 28-31

The Father was generous and gracious towards both sons.

When the youngest son asked for his share of the property he was telling his father “I despise you and I wish you were dead.”

But when the son returned to his father’s house the father told him “I love you and I am so happy you are back home and alive again!”

When the older son complained that his father never did anything special for him and his friends, he was telling his father, “You are cheating me out of something I deserve.”

But when the father went to beg him to join the party he was telling his son, “We still have each other. I never lost you. Life is a gift. All is grace.”

One of the most remarkable things about the story is that through it all the Father never stopped loving his sons. He never gave up on them. He kept watching and waiting and willing their return.

The Father loved them both.

The immoral son and the moral son; the near-by son and the far away son;
the irresponsible son and the responsible son; the straight son and the crooked son; the libertine and the legalist.

The father loved them both – world without end.

He felt compassion and concern for them; he comforted one and counseled the other; he generously gave both their fair share of his life.

Above all, the Father gave himself to his sons. He gave them his very own heart.

The Father was generous and gracious towards both sons. Yet both sons tested the limits of their father’s love.

Just as do we.

Have you ever wondered what you would have to do to make the Father utterly despise and reject you? Have you ever wondered just how far you would have to go to get beyond the reach of the Father’s love for you? Do you really want to find out?

The answer is that there is no place that far – and there is nothing you can do to make him stop loving you.

No matter how far you have drifted, wandered, or traveled, no matter how close you’ve stayed, the moment you reach the end of yourself and come back to your senses and turn to come home, you will see the Father running towards you – not with angry eyes, a scowling frown, or clenched fists. But with happy eyes, a joyful smile, and open arms – to greet you, to embrace you, to kiss you, to welcome you home.

As the scripture says, “God the Father did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. And he will also with Jesus graciously give us all things.” (Rom 8:32)

• The Father is Gregarious – vv 23-24, 32

A gregarious person is someone who seeks the company of others and enjoys being with others. A gregarious person does not show partiality or favoritism.

God the Father is not as stern and stoic as you imagine. He enjoys throwing parties and sharing life together with other people—especially his children. He loves his children.

The Father gathers family and friends to eat, drink, and be merry! To crank up the band and dance the night away. He gathers everyone to celebrate and rejoice! Why? For there is life after death, salvation after destruction, paradise after exile.

This is a picture of Jubilee. A picture of recovery, renewal, and release. This is a picture of the time of God’s favor.

At the eternal feast of Jubilee, forgiveness of sins, cancellation of debts, and release from bondage will all be celebrated with lots of food and drink, music and dancing.

This is the heavenly festival that awaits all who turn back and thrust themselves on the mercy of the Father. This brings him great joy!

As the Lord Jesus says,

There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

There is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

That joy in heaven before the angels of God is the joy of the Father embracing and kissing and welcoming his sons and daughters back home!

• The Father is Glorious

The Father is the maker and owner of the estate. He is the originator of all things. He is the paterfamilias. Everything in the parable is connected and/or related to him. Especially his sons.

The glory of the father is demonstrated in his love for his sons — his sinful sons.

Even though both his sons dishonored him, took advantage of him, and used and abused him; even though they cared more about his gifts and his stuff than they cared about him, he was gracious and merciful towards them, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

The Father loved and blessed them both in so many different ways, each according to his needs.

The Father looked for both sons and found them.

The Father took away the sorrow and shame of both sons.

The Father lavished his grace and mercy on both sons and forgave them.

The Father treated them both as his sons even though one was a renown sinner and the other was self-righteous.

They were always his children; they never ceased to be his sons — not even for a moment.

The same goes for you and me!

As the scripture says,

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. (1 John 3:1).

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Rom 8:15-16).

for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (Gal. 3:26-27)

We might be tempted to focus on the sons, and their particular stories, but we ought to focus on the father and fall down in praise of his glorious, generous, and gracious love.

As it is written,

There is one God – the Father from whom are all things and for whom we exist (1 Cor 8:6).

There is one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (Eph 4:6).

To our God and Father be glory forever (Phil. 4).

Conclusion:

This parable is for all who have drifted, wandered, or run far away and wasted their life.

It is for all who acted like the older son and stayed close to the Church in body yet strayed far away in their heart.

The good news is that “the Father can run where we scarcely crawl or limp, and if we are limping or crawling towards Him, our Father will run towards us.” (Spurgeon)

The Father is watching for you.

If you’re far away, come home.

The Father is waiting for you.

If you’re nearby, come home.

The Father welcomes you with open arms, tender kisses, and joyful songs!

If you’re worn out, naked, hungry, and thirsty, come home.

The Father withholds nothing from you, but freely, lavishly, extravangtly gives everything to you.

The Father has offered the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world; he has prepared the feast and saved you a seat at his Table. The Eucharist is the ultimate comfort food. It washes your wounds, it heals your heart, it binds your body, it strengthens your soul, it fills your faith.

Come to the feast, your Father welcomes you with all his heart.