The Lost Sibling 2018: The Year of the Winner

Transcription

1 The Lost Sibling 2018: The Year of the Winner Introduction: We come now to the end f Jesus quadrangle of Parables concerning His view of compassion. Our first sermon, the Lost Sheep dealt with the issue, do we have compassion of does compassion have us. Next, in the Lost silver the question seemed to point to the question, are we as devoted to Christ, as He is to us. Last Week, we explored the first part of the parable of the Prodigal Son, and he subsequent question, do we really know the Father as much as He wants us to know Him? Today, we wrap up the prodigal Son by considering the real Son, the real prodigal son, and the response of the Father who loved both of His Sons and willingly offered a place called home to each. Let s consider: The Repentant Son (Vs.17-20a), The Restoring Father (Vs. 20b- 24), and The Resisting Sibling (Vs ). Scripture: Luke 15: 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! 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 servants. 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 1

2 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. Subject Question: What three telling and teachable character traits are on display as Jesus ends His tale of the parable concerning the Prodigal Son? Compliment answer: The Repentant Son (Vs.17-20a), The Restoring Father (Vs. 20b-24), and The Resisting Sibling (Vs ). Big Idea: The three telling and teachable character traits that are on display as Jesus ends His tale of the parable concerning the Prodigal Son are: The Repentant Son (Vs.17-20a), The Restoring Father (Vs. 20b-24), and The Resisting Sibling (Vs ). Homiletical Idea: A Heavenly Heart for Him Purpose: I want the congregation to consider the three character traits of the 3 persons involved in the parable to learn how we can be or become as Christ s beloved Disciples. Ground Work: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary 15:25-32 In the latter part of this parable we have the character of the Pharisees, though not of them alone. It sets forth the kindness of the Lord, and the proud manner in which his gracious kindness is often received. The Jews, in general, showed the same spirit towards the converted Gentiles; and numbers in every age object to the gospel and its preachers, on the same ground. What must that temper be, which stirs up a man to despise and abhor those for whom the Saviour shed his precious blood, who are objects of the Father's choice, and temples of the Holy Ghost! This springs from pride, self-preference, and ignorance of a man's own heart. The mercy and grace of our God in Christ 2

3 shine almost as bright in his tender and gentle bearing with peevish saints, as his receiving prodigal sinners upon their repentance. It is the unspeakable happiness of all the children of God, who keep close to their Father's house, that they are, and shall be ever with him. Happy will it be for those who thankfully accept Christ's invitation. Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 28. he was angry] The feelings of the Jews towards the Gentiles (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16) when they were embracing the offers of the Gospel ( The Jews...were filled with envy and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming, Acts 13:45) and the feelings of the Pharisees towards our Lord, when He ate with publicans and sinners, are the earliest historical illustrations of this phase of the parable. It illustrates feelings which refer more directly to such historical phenomena; the earlier part is of more universal application. Yet envy and lovelessness are too marked characteristics of modern religionism to render the warning needless. would not go in] For is stat Israel, sed Foris stat non excluditur. Ambrose. therefore came his father out and intreated him] How often would I have gathered thy children together...but ye would not, Luke 13:34; see Acts 17:5; Acts 17:13; Acts 22:21; Acts 28:27. The yearning chapters addressed to the obstinacy of Israel by St Paul (Romans 10:11) furnish another illustration of this picture. Pulpit Commentary Verse Therefore came his father out, and entreated him. The disapprobation of Jesus for Pharisee opinions was very marked, yet here and elsewhere his treatment of them, with a few exceptional cases, was generally very gentle and loving. There was something in their excessive devotion to the letter of the Divine Law, to the holy temple, to the proud traditions of their race, that was admirable. It was a love to God, but a love all marred and blurred. It was a patriotism, but a patriotism utterly mistaken. The elder brother here was a representative of the great and famous sect, both in its fair and repulsive aspect, in its moral severity and correctness, in its harshness and exclusive pride. The father condescended to entreat this angry elder son; and Jesus longed to win these proud mistaken Pharisees. 3

4 Benson Commentary Luke 15: But he answering, said to his father The kindness and respect which his father showed him on this occasion, did not soften him in the least. He stubbornly persisted in his anger, and answered the affectionate speeches of his parent with nothing but loud and haughty accusations of his conduct. These many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time This branch of the parable is finely contrived to express the high opinion which the Pharisees, here represented by the elder brother, entertained of their own righteousness and merit. Yet thou never gavest me a kid, &c. Perhaps God does not usually give much consolation to those who never felt the deep sorrows of repentance. But as soon as this thy son was come The ungracious youth disdained to call him his brother, and at the same time insolently insinuated, that his father seemed to despise all his other children, and to reckon this prodigal only his son; which hath devoured thy living with harlots Hath wasted thy property in a long course of scandalous debaucheries, to his own ruin, and the infamy of the family. Thou hast killed for him the fatted calf And made him as welcome as if he had been the most dutiful child upon earth. And he said With great gentleness, when he might have taken offence at his son s unbecoming reply, Son, thou art ever with me And art every day receiving some token of my kindness. By calling him his son, after the insolent speech he had made, the father insinuated, that he acknowledged him likewise for his son, and that neither the undutifulness of the one, nor the forwardness of the other of his children, had extinguished his affection, or cancelled the relation subsisting between them. All that I have is thine As thou hast formerly lived in my family, and hast had the command of my property, as far as thy exigencies required; so thou art at present heir to the bulk of my estate. This is a material intimation, and suggests a strong reason against murmuring at the indulgence shown to the greatest sinners. As the father s receiving the youngest son did not cause him to disinherit the elder, so God s receiving notorious sinners will be no loss to those who have always served him: neither will he raise these to a state of glory equal to that of those who have always served him, if they have, upon the whole, made a greater progress in inward as well as outward holiness. Bengel's Gnomen 4

5 Luke 15:32. Ἔδει) Not only is the idea intimated hereby, Thou oughtest to have rejoiced; but this one, Rejoicing ought to have been commenced as it has been at our house. For it is a kind of apologetic defence against the complaint expressed in verse 30 [the killing of the fatted calf for such a profligate], with which comp. Luke 15:2 [in which the corresponding complaint of the Pharisees occurs, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. ]. [How wonderful is the condescending kindness of the Father (in thus gently expostulating with one who evinced so bad a spirit)! V. g.] So ἔδει, in the sense it was befitting, not it would be befitting, Acts 1:16[Peter, speaking of the past, ἔδει πληρωθῆναι τὴν γραφὴν περὶ Ἰούδα, It was befitting, that the Scripture should be fulfilled concerning Judas]. ὁ ἀδελφός σου οὗτος, this thy brother) In antithesis to this thy son, in Luke 15:30 [which the elder brother had said contemptuously]. A. The Repentant Son (Vs.17-20a). 17 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! 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 servants. 20 So he got up and went to his father. B. However he did it, whatever drove Him to come to his senses, he came, he came Home; back to His family, Back by His father s side. He indeed was the lost sheep; He was for all intents and purposes the lost coin. He was indeed one of the prodigal sons of whom the parable explores. C. For Him, repentance led to life and hope and comfort, and purpose. D. And for you and me: What a Telling Tale of hope! A. The Restoring Father (Vs. 20b-24). 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 5

6 celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate. B. For the Father, Repentance was enough. Forgiveness was always on His mind and in his heart. This was His Son, His Beloved Son, the son whom he had always loved, always believed in, always cared and wanted the very best for Him. He had instilled the idea of Home long before His youngest ever had thoughts of going out, sowing some wild oats, living in rebellion and basically making a mess of his life. C. But now, the entire household was beckoned to a celebration. His joy was to be everyone s joy. Happiness was a shared happiness. His pride, was indeed pride that now not only was reserved for him but for everyone for a son was lost and now was found, a son was dead, but now, a new life had begun. It s hard for us as Christians not to relate these words In relation to our own coming home experience could it be that all of heaven rejoiced over me over you? Could it be that my Heavenly Father s, you Heavenly Father s happiness was shared with all the angels in heaven and all the folks that have gone on before us. Could it be that in heaven He proclaimed with pride, OH, my Son, was Lost but now is found Oh, my Daughter was dead, but now a new life has begun! D. And for you and Me: What a Telling tale of of Love! A. The Resisting Sibling (Vs ). 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! B. And in a sense most of us can understand and maybe even side with the elder son. His arguments have an air of truth to them. His indigence, 6

7 7 understandable. The foolishness of His younger brother proved him to be unreliable, and mostly, unworthy of such gracious actions of their father. The youngest was willing to be treated like a slave, the oldest already that he, himself had been All these years I ve been slaving for you. Compassion was not on His mind, only justice. Love was not in His heart, only contempt. The one closet to home was in essence was the furthest away. C. 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. No addressing the accusations. No acknowledgment of the legitimacy of His the oldest s concerns only acceptance. But what if he does it again. You brother was Lost. What if he blows it again Your brother was dead. Can t you rejoice with me, can t you forgive, can t you believe in your brother, can t you trust my judgement. Son, my oldest, my cherished Son, all that I have are already yours it s not your brother you need to be concerned about it s you. D. And the oldest Son? Jesus never tells us what he decided. And for you and me? What a Tale What decision to make. For him and for us.