TITLE: DON’T MISS THE PARTY
SCRIPTURE: ST. LUKE 15:25-32
I am sure like many of you this morning, we have heard this passage of scripture taught and preached many times over the decades. I am proud to say, I have participated and enjoyed Sunday School all of my life, therefore, I am very familiar with this account of THE PRODIGAL SON. I had always thought over the years - How was it fair the bad boy got a party and the good one didn't? It wasn't until I was much older I realized the narrative was infinitely more about the Father's love than the prodigal's misconduct. Let me begin by helping us define the word “PRODIGAL” which has been attached to this parable –
• Spending money or resources freely and recklessly
• Wastefully Extravagant
• Having or giving something on a lavish scale
• A person who spends money in a recklessly extravagant way
As I have continued to grow in this Christian journey, I have begun to discover the older son in Jesus' narrative is every bit as lost as the younger.
• In his book The Prodigal God -- Timothy Keller points out the two brothers represent the two basic ways people try to make life work
• The younger son pursues "Self-Discovery"
• He is on a quest to find and fulfill Himself
• Even if a few people have to get hurt along the way
The older brother is committed to a more socially respectable way of being in the world –
• The way of "Moral Conformity"
• He's on a program of self-salvation, earning the approval of his community and the favor of his Father
• When he feels the terms of this deal are violated, his good attitude evaporates into resentment
Kenneth Bailey -- a Theologian who spent 40 years living in the Middle East, striving to resituate Jesus' stories in their original Palestinian context. He points out –
• For Jesus' audience, respect for one's father is Paramount
• The younger son's request for his inheritance from a still-healthy patriarch constitutes an unthinkable offense
• It amounts to saying to his own Father - "I wish you were dead"
Jesus was a Master Storyteller who knew His audience as well as the condition of each heart. When He presented the parable of the prodigal son, tax collectors and sinners in the crowd drew near in order to hear what He had to say, but there were also SCRIBES and PHARISEES in the audience who came with grumbling attitudes and critical hearts. Jesus masterfully crafted a story that addressed exactly what both the sinners and the religious leaders needed to hear.
We are all probably very familiar with this parable of the Prodigal Son, and he is usually our main focus. However, there are two other characters and dynamics operating in the narrative, and we learn valuable lessons from them as well. In fact, we can probably each identify with one of the characters -
• A Wayward Son
• A Loving Father
• A Resentful Brother
The Tax Collector and Sinners in the audience could readily see the similarity between their lives and that of the Prodigal Son, because he had wasted his life on Sinful Pleasures and had found himself in the lowest state he could imagine.
• In a Hog Pen feeding pigs
• He was so hungry he would have gladly eaten the pods he gave the pigs
The only way out of the situation was to return to his father in repentance as a servant because he felt unworthy to be called his son. But instead of shaming and reprimanding him, his father welcomed him home - forgave him -- and threw a party for him.
You remember what we did when we were younger and knew we messed up and had to “eat humble pie.” The son gave the little speech he had been practicing all the way back: “FATHER, I HAVE SINNED AGAINST HEAVEN, AND IN YOUR SIGHT. I AM NO LONGER WORTHY TO BE CALLED YOUR SON.”
But it fell on deaf ears. It was as if the father said, “Yea, Yea, Yea, Whatever.” Because, no sooner than the words were out of his mouth, the father called back to his servants and said --
‘BRING OUT THE BEST ROBE, AND PUT IT ON HIM.
PUT A RING ON HIS HAND, AND SHOES ON HIS FEET.
BRING THE FATTENED CALF, KILL IT, AND LET US EAT, AND CELEBRATE;
FOR THIS, MY SON, WAS DEAD, AND IS ALIVE AGAIN.
HE WAS LOST, AND IS FOUND.’
“THEY BEGAN TO CELEBRATE.”
At this point, the Spotlight Shifts to the older brother, who – wouldn’t you know it – was out working in the field. By contrast to the Prodigal Son, the older brother was a Paragon of Virtue. You know the type don’t you? – The over-achievers – they kind of get on your nerves -
• By the time he was TWO, he had Potty Trained himself and learned his ABCs
• By THREE, he was tagging along with his father, trying to help with the chores
• By the time he turned FIVE, he was carrying his own weight
• At EIGHT he could run a team of mules and plow an acre a day
• By the time he turned TWELVE and celebrated his Bar-Mitzvah, he was, in effect, managing the whole farm
He was definitely not happy at all that his younger brother, this Prodigal Son had returned. This older brother who had faithfully remained at home serving his father was not happy to say the least. As he came home from the field, he heard music and dancing. After asking a servant what was going on and hearing that his Father had thrown a party because his younger brother had returned, he became angry and refused to go inside.
• Even when his father came outside pleading with him to join the party, he refused
• What he said to his father revealed what was in his heart
I can imagine this older son was an Eagle Scout - Self-Disciplined -- Respectful Of His Elders.
• Not once had ever talked back to his Mother or Father
• He had a strong work ethic
• He could quote the Torah backward and forward
• He was sober-minded
• He was serious about every aspect of life
• He played by the rules, and he expected others to do the same
So, you can just imagine what went through his mind when he heard music and laughter coming from the courtyard in the middle of the day. He called to one of the servants and asked, “What’s going on?” And the servant said --
“YOUR BROTHER HAS COME,
AND YOUR FATHER HAS KILLED THE FATTENED CALF,
BECAUSE HE HAS RECEIVED HIM BACK SAFE AND SOUND”
Well, of course, none of this made sense to the older son. Not only had his younger brother -
• Made a stupid mistake
• He had also disgraced the family’s name
• He had jeopardized their future by selling off a third of the property
• He had forsaken his heritage
• He had only gotten what he deserved
So, the older brother stopped at the fence and stood there, looking with disdain at the party going on in the courtyard below. His father looked up and saw the older brother standing in the distance, and so, he put down his food and drink and went out to meet him and try to coax him into joining the festivities.
But the older son was indignant and refused. He said -
“BEHOLD, THESE MANY YEARS I HAVE SERVED YOU,
AND I NEVER DISOBEYED A COMMANDMENT OF YOURS,
BUT YOU NEVER GAVE ME A GOAT,
THAT I MIGHT CELEBRATE WITH MY FRIENDS.
BUT WHEN THIS, YOUR SON, CAME,
WHO HAS DEVOURED YOUR LIVING WITH PROSTITUTES,
YOU KILLED THE FATTENED CALF FOR HIM.”
Like a good Father, he let this older son vent his anger, and then he said -
“SON, YOU ARE ALWAYS WITH ME, AND ALL THAT IS MINE IS YOURS.
BUT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO CELEBRATE AND BE GLAD,
FOR THIS, YOUR BROTHER, WAS DEAD, AND IS ALIVE AGAIN.
HE WAS LOST, AND IS FOUND.”
And that’s where the parable ends, with the father and his older son standing by the fence together, the father’s invitation extended, “COME, JOIN THE PARTY,” and the older son’s response, well, hanging in the balance. The response of this son, reveals what was in his heart. I want to tell you this morning – DON’T MISS THE PARTY.
Too often we Miss The Party because of the same issue this older brother exhibited. FIRST thing we see through this text - ANGER – This was the first reaction when he discovered his father had welcomed his rebellious younger brother despite all he had done. Anger has caused many of us to miss out on the many blessings from God, because we were too Angry to receive. If we are not careful Anger can set us back for years. Anger will keep us from walking in the Favor of God - DON’T MISS THE PARTY!
The SECOND thing we see in this older brother – JEALOUSY - He thought his father was being unfair to him. “LOOK! FOR SO MANY YEARS I HAVE BEEN SERVING YOU AND I HAVE NEVER NEGLECTED A COMMAND OF YOURS; AND YET YOU HAVE NEVER GIVEN ME A YOUNG GOAT, SO THAT I MIGHT CELEBRATE WITH MY FRIENDS.” Jealousy happens when we spend our time watching and focusing upon what someone else has or what someone else is receiving.
The enemy of Unity is Jealousy, and it runs rampant in the Church and in the World. Jealousy promotes Strife - Disunity - Rebellion - Competition among those affected by it. In the Church, it releases a poison so deadly it literally chokes the anointing of God and releases spiritual death in the atmosphere. Can I tell you what is even worse? Family Jealousy, when siblings become jealous of one another, it will destroy family relationships.
• Problem in our local Churches - Jealousy
• Numbers dwindling in District Support - Jealousy
• Churches no longer Fellowship with each other – Jealousy
• Pastors can’t get along with each other - Jealousy
The THIRD thing we see is – BITTERNESS – this older brother said to his father, my brother devoured his wealth and you have killed the fattened calf for him. Bitterness is like a BEACHBALL WE TRY TO SUBMERGE UNDER WATER.
• Bitterness starts out small
• An offense burrows its way into our hearts
• We replay it in our minds, creating deep ruts that will be hard to build back up
• We retell our hurts to any available listener, including each sordid detail
• We enlist support, pushing us further into our bitterness
• We hear the offending person's name and cringe
• We decipher the offense as intentional and our offender as full of spite
• We look for other reasons, both real or imagined, to dislike our villain
• With each new piece of information, we form another layer of bitterness
Do you know anyone like that, they tell the same story of offense every time you see them?
• They just can’t let it go
• They tell it over and over again
• They hang on to every detail of how they were mistreated
• Bitterness has set in to the point it now consumes them
• That is all they want to talk about or bring up
The next thing we see in this Older Brother – RESENTMENT - He resented the fact his father had never recognized him for his faithfulness but rewarded the disobedient son for simply coming home. Resentment hinders relationships because it keeps us from believing the best about the person we resent. It keeps us from really Knowing - Trusting - Forgiving - Enjoying the person who we are mad. Every time we rehearse why we’re angry, we form a brick of Resentment and stack it on the wall we are building between ourselves and that person.
• Resentment, along with its BFFs (best friends forever) Anger - Bitterness, doesn’t enhance any of our relationships
• Rather, it separates us from others
• Resentment is the wall that separates one from the other
The NEXT thing we see is tough – DISRESPECT – This older brother would not even acknowledge his brother but addressed him as “THIS SON OF YOURS.” Not, “This Brother of Mine.” He was attempting to disassociate his relationship with his own brother. I want to tell you this morning – Don’t Miss The Party! We read in EPHESIANS 5:19 “SPEAKING TO YOURSELVES IN PSALMS AND HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS…” It is important as believers that we learn to speak kind to one another.
• There is no Scenario as a Believer that Exonerates us from Respecting One Another
• There is no Instance where it is acceptable to Disrespect one another
• There is no Allowance as Believers that makes it OK to ever be Disrespectful to one another
The FINAL thing I want to identify in this Older Brother – ACCUSATION – He now found fault in his own Father! He found fault in his father because he had never given him a party like the one he was throwing for his rebellious brother.
• A clear pond has no ripples unless a stone is thrown into it which creates turbulence in the tranquility
• In the same way in Christian life it takes words of accusation to steal away peoples peace and disregard spiritual authority
• To desire to stir up conflict and bring out accusations against others is a sinful attitude
In this Parable the PRODIGAL SON is pictured with the Tax Collectors and Sinners. However, this older brother we can see an illustration of the SCRIBES and PHARISEES who considered themselves righteous.
• They faithfully attended Synagogue every Sabbath
• They prided themselves in keeping the Law
• They looked down on the sinners and Tax Collectors
A far off country is anywhere we choose to go outside of God’s will. The Prodigal left home to go where he could live as he pleased without any restrictions, but although the older brother stayed home physically, he was still in a far off country because his heart was filled with antagonistic attitudes. The condition of our hearts is not revealed so much by outward religious behavior but by our attitude toward people and God.
It is the Father, of course, who is the central figure of the whole parable.
• Flanked on either side by his two sons
• The Extravagant on one Side and the Resentful on the Other
The central message of this parable of the lost son returning to his father’s embrace in spite of his brother’s jealousy
• Like the parable of the wandering sheep brought home in the shepherd’s arms
• And the parable of the housewife’s relief at finding her missing money
• Is that God’s joy is indescribable when sinners return to Him
--As Jesus declared to his critics, expressing his own feelings too -- ‘JUST SO, I TELL YOU, THERE WILL BE MORE JOY IN HEAVEN OVER ONE SINNER WHO REPENTS THAN OVER NINETY-NINE RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE WHO NEED NO REPENTANCE’
--DON’T MISS THE PARTY
--Don’t let ANGER cause you to Miss the Party
--Don’t let JEALOUSY cause you to Miss the Party
Don’t let BITTERNESS cause you to Miss the Party
Don’t let RESENTMENT cause you to Miss the Party
Don’t let DISRESPECT cause you to Miss the Party
