Today we started a sermon series base on the book, "The Prodigal God" by Timothy Keller, roughly corresponding to the intro and Chapter One of the book. In these posts I will do my best to summarize the sermon, discussion and maybe add a few thoughts.
The pastor began the sermon be recapping the author's statement that there are two basic ways of finding happiness - moral conformity (elder brother, Pharisees, us?) or self discovery (younger brother, tax collectors and sinners, the un-churched?), and the followers of each believe their way to be exclusive. In the parable Jesus says that both ways are wrong, because they focus on human acts earning happiness, God's grace. The parable begins by stating there was a man who had two sons... and neither one could earn their father's love, they had it no matter what. When they rejected, disrespected, and dishonored their father he still invited them to be in relationship with him, without condition. He loves them for just who they are, just as they are.
Then the pastor chose to illustrate this point by comparing us to sheep! Yes, sheep! Now, I grew up in the city, in an apartment, so I had no idea that sheep are not the sharpest tools in the shed. Evidently, if they run off the shepherd must chase them down, then carry them home because they won't follow, they will just run off again. And this is where those three s's come in - Sheep-Shepherd-Search. Can you make the connection? We are the sheep, of course God is the shepherd, and the search? It is not just God offering us grace, no matter what. It is also about being in community with each other.
In looking over the notes from the discussion it seems that everyone else was pretty much feeling the same way I was. We are, by and large, a part of that solid, middle ground, taught from infancy that if you work hard and live right it will all be good in the end, you will be taken care of. But the point of this parable is not the profligate younger brother being taken back into the fold, but how much more dangerous is the position of the elder brother, thinking he has earned his inheritance, then turning away from his father out of anger and resentment. He did what he should do, his brother did not, and it burns his biscuits that the brother was welcomed home, extravagantly. Just like the Pharisees, the "good" brother was in relationship with his father not out of love for his father, but because of the tangible reward he expected. That hit just a little too close to home to be a comfortable thought.
Throughout this first session we were confronted with dichotomies - the Pharisees and the sinners, the older brother and the younger brother, grace through works and grace through love, moral conformity and self discovery, the sheep and the shepherd. I'm not sure it has to be either-or. I can honestly say I have felt like both brothers at some point in my life. I would be much more comfortable if I could be confident that it was either or, because then my efforts at being in relationship with God would mean that I was OK. The problem with that is the other side of that belief dichotomy - those who aren't trying are not OK. It's kind of like if I say "There but for the grace of God go I" flips over to mean that God's grace is not with the other person. Ugh, that is ugly. I don't think I'll be using that saying any more, and maybe (underscore maybe) I will think about how I participate in the suffering of others. (Also uncomfortable.) Sometimes people feel the flip side of our beliefs, even if we don't consciously speak them.
Finally, exactly what does prodigal mean? According to Merriam Webster it means recklessly extravagant, having spent everything. It is amazing to think that God would treat me in that way, and that is just how I want to think I will be treated. It is just selfish to not want the same for everyone else. And I think it is miserly to think that God isn't big enough to be recklessly extravagant with everyone else and still have enough left for me. Looks like I have some work to do...
I am doing my best to take verbatim notes of the discussion. If you would like a PDF copy of the notes from the discussion after the service (which will include the questions from the handout) please send an email to shallow.minds.deep.thoughts@gmail.com with PDF in the subject line.
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And if you would like to experience it for yourself join us at Salem in Ballwin United Methodist Church this Sunday morning at 9:00 am for the service, discussion following.
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