Luke 15:14 Jesus continued: “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.”
This familiar story, often called the parable of the Parodical Son, is the third parable in a row that emphasizes the joy at the recovery of something lost, a lost sheep, a lost coin, and here, a lost son. It is not the size of the loss that is important, but the joy at regaining what was lost.
The odds of the lost sheep, 99 safe and one lost, and the odds of the lost coin, 9 safe and one lost, are an important backdrop to our text. In each of these parables, loss happens. And then there is a search and finally a finding accompanied by joy. In the case of the sheep, the friends and neighbors are gathered and the joy of finding the sheep is shared. The same reaction happens when the woman finds the lost coin. Joy!
It appears from these two previous stories that the joy experienced was universal. The one who suffered the loss shared the joy with everyone assembled. Joy was contagious.
And then the lesson of the parable is stated: more rejoicing when a sinner repents than any number who don’t need repentance. The finding of the lost item illustrates the joy when one person returns to a relationship with God.
But something different happens in this story of the two sons. When the lost boy returns, having squandered his father’s wealth, at least the portion he would have gotten at his father’s death, the father is overjoyed. The loss doesn’t seem to matter to the father. What was lost is found. That is all that matters.
The father, like the owner of the sheep and the coin, gathers friends and neighbors to celebrate. And what a celebration it was. There was a feast thrown! There was music and dancing!
But unlike the previous two stories, not everyone is happy. One person rejects the joy. The older brother is having nothing to do with the return of his brother. He refuses to participate in the joyous return.
Now to place these stories into the context of Luke’s message, Jesus is pointing out the refusal of the religious leaders to recognize the return of those who have been rejected by the very community they represent. Jesus welcomes sinners, the broken and rejected. He brings healing and restoration, and they will have nothing to do with the joy that ensures.
How do we react to those we deem to be outsiders when they come in and take places of prominence? Are we able to rejoice when a death row inmate becomes a Christian? How do we deal with the crimes and the victims of those crimes? How do we reconcile true repentance and the unsettled costs of sin?
I pray we are like the father in our text. May we be generous, forgiving, accepting and jubilant. May our hearts be open to receiving those who come late to the faith, having sown the seeds of violence, neglect and sin. May we rejoice that they are reaping a harvest of love and goodness.
But just like the older brother, it can be hard to deal with our own stuff. I don’t get the feeling that this older brother had much joy in his life. He never had a party with his friends, just for the fun of it. How much joy do we have in our lives? Are we so prune-ish that people see the wrinkles and want nothing to do with us?
Perhaps it is time to come back to the waters of life and be rehydrated in our faith. Joy!
The Arnold Journey 