Luke 15:13-19: Coming to ourselves

Luke 15:13-19 (NRSV)

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.”’ 

But when he came to himself....

Has that ever happened to you? You made a really boneheaded decision or choice. You went down a path you know you never should have even set foot on. 

You trusted the wrong person.

You lied about something.

You ignored something you should have paid attention to.

You lifted something up in an idolatrous way.

You made a cutting remark to hurt someone's feelings.

And then...you came to yourself.

And were filled with regret.

It probably happens more in our lives than we like to admit. We make the wrong choice and then there is that moment where we either decide to continue down that path or where we come to ourselves.

The son realized that he was someone other than the person who had betrayed his father's good will and squandered his inheritance and in that realization a dose of humility brought him back to the path that led him home.

It's hard to admit when we've messed up. It's hard especially to acknowledge when that messing up has hurt someone.

And yet, it is the beginning of something new when that happens. The begin of truth. And life.

Lord help me to realize and acknowledge those broken moments that lead me away from you and your people. Amen.

Luke 15:11-12: So....

Luke 15:11-12 (NRSV)

Then Jesus said, “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.

The actions starts right away in this parable, and we learn a lot about our hero - the father - in the first two verses. And most of what we learn hinges on the word, "so."

The younger son asks for his share of the property, and "so" the father divides his property between his sons.

Just.

Like.

That.

Not what we'd expect. You'd expect perhaps something more like "Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me," and his father asked him why he wanted it already.

Or his father said "Let me think about it."

Or most likely: his father said, "Not yours yet, bub. Gotta wait til the will is read."

Instead, as if it was as natural as breathing, the young man asks for his inheritance - way before it is time - and "so" his father simply does what he asks.

And not only does what he asks, but divides his property up then and there. Gives the younger son his share, and gives the older son a share as well.

And probably not his full share. As the older son, he could expect to inherit all of the property at his father's death.

Instead, he receives a "share" now.

It's important to know how disrespectful the younger sons request is. He is basically asking his father to act as if he is already dead. He's basically saying he can't wait for his father to die.

And so, his father gives him what he wants.

What kind of father does that?

What kind of God does that?

God of bounty, you give to me every day more than I need and more than I deserve and I keep coming back with open hands asking for more. Instill in me a heart that is overwhelmed with gratitude for your grand generosity. Amen.

The Teachings of Jesus: The Prodigal Son, Introduction

Luke 15:11-32 (NRSV)

Then Jesus said, “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.’”

As I was writing about the Kingdom of God for the past couple of weeks, I was able to use some of my favorite small parables of Jesus. That's always a treat. 

So I've decided to spend a little time looking a bit more in depth at some of my other favorite stories and teachings of Jesus, beginning with the Prodigal Son, which I will spend several days on.

This famous story really could have a better name.  The definition of prodigal (according to Merriam-Webster) is:

1. 1. 

   characterized by profuse or wasteful expenditure; lavish
2. 2. 

   recklessly spendthrift

   
   

   
   

So the son is prodigal in his wastefulness - in his being a spendthrift.

But then what about the father? I'm going to argue that this story is really about how he is the prodigal - prodigiously reckless and lavish.

And what does all of this tell us about ourselves and our God?

Lord, help me to revel in the lavishness of your love and be a bearer of that love for the world. Amen.

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Kingdom of Generosity

Matthew 20:1-16 (NRSV)

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

How you read this text certainly depends on where you are in your life, doesn't it?

Or what you have in your life.

Who is it you identify with in the text?

The first laborers? Certainly I know many hard workers who I admit I believe deserve to be well compensated for what they do. Maybe you are one of them.

Or the laborers who come at the last hour and are amazed at the bounty that is given - more than expected.

Or maybe the vineyard owner who shares what he has lavishly.

Perhaps at different times you've identified with all three.

Whomever it is, nevertheless, it is true that this isn't generally how the world we know plays out. We are told to work hard for what you get, and that people should get their fair share or what they deserve.

But in God's kingdom, no one gets what they deserve.

Instead we get more.

Instead we get all.

Each one of us. 

No matter how hard we work. No matter how much we go to church or don't. No matter how much we pray or read the Bible...

Our vineyard owner's generosity overflows.

Lord of lavish love, teach me to be generous with my love. Amen

Great Value

Matthew 13:44-46 (NRSV)

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

What is the most valuable thing you own?

For many, it would be their home or a car. Or maybe a piece of jewelry. Those things that we insure and save for or pay off debts for.

But what is really the most valuable thing you have?

The thing that isn't measured by price or cost or numbers of any sort.

The thing that you would save in a house fire before anything else.

The thing that you return to time and again and relish being in your possession.

What does it mean to you that our relationship with God exceeds even that?

That God's value of us is unquantifiable?

That the abundant life that God offers is worth more than anything we can imagine?

That everything else we own pales in comparison?

Can you imagine it?

God, open my eyes to see the treasure you have set before me. Amen

Holy Aliveness!

Matthew 13:31-33 (NRSV)

He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”

First, a quick note that Kingdom of Heaven is how Matthew phrases what Luke terms "Kingdom of God."

And now the parables.

These are two of my favorite parables of Jesus. I'm pretty sure I've talked about them here before.

We talked about them last night in the Bible Study group I lead at St. Paul's. We are reading Brian McLaren's We Make the Road By Walking. Last night the topic was "Kingdom of God," and I used these two parables as my favorite examples of how God's Kingdom works.

First, Brian McLaren used some other more current, modern words in place of Kingdom of God. Words like:

God's Beloved Community.

The Global Commonwealth of God

God's Regenerative Economy

and my favorite: Holy Aliveness!

But whatever term you use, that movement of God breaking in to our world is what stands out.

And why I love these parables is we see how clearly that movement works. Like a tiny mustard seed which becomes an invasive, territorial huge bush (really more than a tree), or how a loaf of bread is made bountiful and delicious by a small bit of rotted food, God invades us.

Bombards us.

Dares us to live.

We talked last night in our Bible Study about all the things that make us miss it. That cause us not to see it.

This Kingdom of Heaven that is invading.

But whether we miss it or not, it is there. Present. 

Inviting us - daring us - to live - fully live - in peace and community and aliveness.

Holy Aliveness.

Lord you are here! Your commonwealth of peace is here. The life you offer is here. Open my heart and my eyes to drink it all in! Amen

God's Confounding Kingdom

Luke 19:11-28 (NRSV)

As they were listening to this, he went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. So he said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to get royal power for himself and then return. He summoned ten of his slaves, and gave them ten pounds, and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’ But the citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us.’ When he returned, having received royal power, he ordered these slaves, to whom he had given the money, to be summoned so that he might find out what they had gained by trading. The first came forward and said, ‘Lord, your pound has made ten more pounds.’ He said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been trustworthy in a very small thing, take charge of ten cities.’ Then the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your pound has made five pounds.’ He said to him, ‘And you, rule over five cities.’ Then the other came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your pound. I wrapped it up in a piece of cloth, for I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man; you take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ He said to him, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! You knew, did you, that I was a harsh man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not put my money into the bank? Then when I returned, I could have collected it with interest.’ He said to the bystanders, ‘Take the pound from him and give it to the one who has ten pounds.’ (And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten pounds!’) ‘I tell you, to all those who have, more will be given; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and slaughter them in my presence.’”

After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

Here's what I know after reading this passage:

- Just when you think you have the Kingdom of God figured out, you don't.

- This difficult, troubling parable is the last one Jesus tells before he enters Jerusalem for the final time. Everything he's done to this point has brought him here. The next thing he will do is instruct his disciples to untie a colt for his ride into Jerusalem.

Somehow in my mind, that fact strongly affects what's happening in this parable. Up until now, the kingdom of God has had a comforting feel to it. Jesus has used it to show of God's abundant grace.

And yet, it is also terrifying.

It is both now.

And it is also not yet.

Both now and not yet.

Comforting and terrifying.

Peaceful and earth-shattering.

Completely confounding.

The truth is what we can't wrap our minds about the full breadth of paradox that encompasses our faith story. God's ways are not our ways. God's mind is not our mind.

And we live right now in that in between place. That place sandwiched between now and not yet.

So while Jesus leaves us with his upsetting story, we know it is not the end. From here, Jesus' journey is just beginning. We may be caught off-balance, but the ride is going to sweep us along to something else. Something unexpected.

And yet completely expected, if we'd been listening to Jesus all along.

Lord, awake me to your ways, those both expected and those that utterly confound me! Amen