Date: 09/30/07

Text: Luke 15:11-32

Title: A Humiliated Father

Theme: Since our heavenly father reaches out to us in humiliation, we are urged to forgo our pride and accept His graciousness.

Pastor Hsueh

Introduction:

  This past week, during a dinner conversation, Cynthia mentioned that we both no longer can claim the status of son and daughter. We are now dad and mom, plus grandpa and grandma . Sometimes as we reminisce, we're thankful that our relationships with our parents were good. Yes, there were moments of conflicts, yet we are thankful for many pleasant memoires. Many of you still have the privilege of being someone's sons and daughters.

In my ministry, from time to time I would ask inviduals to describe their relationship with their parents, especially with the father. 7 out of 10 times, this question would bring an overflow of tears. Sometimes, they are tears of joy, intimacy and pleasant memories. Other times, tears of remorse and bitterness. The reason that the father/child relationship often brings out some strong emotions is because generally speaking, the father is the most important person in one's life.

The passage we read this morning is a story told by Jesus, about a father's relationship with his two sons. As we listen to this story, it would do us good to know who was there, listening to this story, what they heard and what this has to do with our living in the 21 st century.

1-2a. First, take a look at the setting. Jesus was telling this story to the tax collectors, sinners, Pharisees and Scribes. Tax collectors were considered traitors in that 1 st century of the Jewish society. Sinners referred to the social outcasts, people that few would like to hang out with. Pharisees and Scribes were the religious leaders of the day. So it was quite a mixed group listening to Jesus.

11-12. Secondly, At the very beginning of this story, we are told that the younger son asked the father to give him his share of the inheritance. This request was unheard of in that 1 st century agricultural society. It was basically a death wish for the father. I wish you'd die now so I can have my portion of the inheritance. This was the son's open rebellion.

However, even as the second son was making the death wish statement, his older brother was there also. Being the oldest son, he had the responsibility to mediate between his brother and the father. But he did none of that, and moreover, he also received his share. So it is clear that he, too, was rebellious against the father, but in a different way from his brother. The father gave in to the sons' request. Today we'd say, poor dad.

13-16. Thirdly, Soon after he got his share of the inheritance, the younger son left home and went to a far away country, most likely, a non-Jewish territory. He squandered, or wasted all his money in a very short time. Then there was a faminie. He stooped so low that he found a job of feeding pigs. He was hungry that he would even eat the pig's food. To the Jews, nothing could be worse than this, feeding pigs and trying to eat pigs' food. He was totally desperate. At this moment, he was completely cut off from his father.

30. How about his relationship with the brother? As the story continues to develop, the older brother had no kind words for him. He told his father: “…..this son of yours, who has devoured your property with prostitute…” he wanted nothing to do with this brother (this son of yours). He might have even exaggerated the brother's misfortune: squandered your property with prostitutes. Prostitutes were not mentioned earlier. So we are not certain if the younger brother was involved with them. So, from the beginning of this story, we learned of a broken family. The father's relationship with his sons was broken, so was the relationship betwen the brothers.

III. Young son's return journey.

  Now as the story continued, we read that the second son came to his senses. V17-19, "When he came to his senses.."In this sentence there is an element of repentance. You see, he was starving and desperate, he needed a solution. What did he come up with? He mapped out a plan. He recognized that he had sinned against God and his father. He was not worthy to be his son. He wanted to be his father's servant. His plan of action for restoring the relationship with his father was through working. If he would just work as a servant, he could make up for the wrong he did and gain back his father's favor. To him, restoring his relationship with his father was repentance plus work. He wanted to make himself pleasing to the father through his performance.

IV. Father's response.

  20a-24. So, with this plan, he started home.The father was waiting for him. He probably knew this son was going to waste all his money. He knew when he was desperate, he would come home. Even after all that was done to him, the father was waiting. Some of us know what it's like to wait for a child to come home. You count the months, then weeks, then days, then hours. But few parents would look forward to the homecoming of a child who has hurt them deeply..   

  When the son was still at a distance, the father saw him, and ran to him. In the middle east tradition, a man in a robe never runs. It was shameful and humiliating. Aristotle said,"Great man never runs in public." Even today, we teach our children not to run in the public and in the hallways. Besides safety reasons, it was also rude and unbecoming. But this father ran before the public. It was a rather shameful and embarrassing behavior.

  He was also filled with compassion for his son. He had this intense emotion for him. And he kissed him repeatedly. What is the significance of all these? It was an open demonstration of his acceptance of his son, a visible demonstration of love in humiliation, an open identification with his son. He was not ashamed of him..

  Can you imagine the son's shock? He was expecting rebuke or punishment from the father, abuse from the villagers, but instead, there was an open demonstration of love in humiliation.

  If you have been following the story, you already know the son's prepared speech. But v21,"Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called you son." Before he came home, his plan of restoring relationship with the father was to be his servant, to serve him and to work hard. But seeing the father, he recognized his father's plan was very different from him. The son's way of restoration was repentance plus work. But the father's way was unconditional love and acceptance by means of open humiliation. All the father wanted him to do was to repent and to accept his offer of love.

  The father then told the servants to put the best robe on him. Certainly the father's best robe. He didnot tell him to go take a shower, to wash off the dirt first. But he accepted him as he was. This robe was to cover all his dirt and shame. The ring was to signify the restoration of the sonship and be trusted again. The sandals symbolised that he was a free man in the house. This is acceptance. Then there was a banquet and a huge celebration, a joyous occasion because this son was lost but now found, dead but now alive.

V. The older brother.

  How about the older brother?

  25-28a. What was his attitude after he found out that the father was celebrating his brother's return? He was angry, refusing to go inside the house. According to their tradition, his presence was required at big celebrations. The older son usually had a semi-official position. He was to mingle among the guests, serving them, but he refused.

  28b-30. What was the father's response? If you were the father, you would be angry with this son. V28 tells us that the father went to the older son and pleaded with him. Have you noticed that this was the second time in one day that he went to his sons. Not to punish or scold him but to plead and beg him to come into the house and have fellowship with the father and the brother.

  Look at the older son's attitude. He was very bitter towards the father and his brother. V29,"look,..' he didnot even address the father properly. He was rude. He saw himself not as a son but more of a servant in the father's house. He said that he had never disobeyed the father, but in one sentence, he had already dishonoured and insulted him. He accused the father of favoritism. He said, 'this son of yours.." he wanted nothing to do with his brother. He was bitter against the father and verbally attacked his younger brother. Here is the total alienation between him and his father and brother.

  31-32. And what did the father do? Instead of anger and reacting to the son, he continued his pleading. "My son....' you are my son too, not my servant. "This brother of yours.." because you are my son, so this is also your brother. He was lost but now found, dead but now alive. The father was, in essence, pleading with the older son to understand and accept his love and grace to both of them. The door was open for him, but he refused to enter.

  To summarize, the first century listeners clearly heard that this father had two rebellious sons. The father represented God, the heavenly father. The younger son represented the tax collectors and sinners. They had lived in open rebellion against God. Their behaviour had deeply hurt him and everyone around him. The older son represented the Pharises and the teachers. He was also rebellious, but it was more of an inner attitude. His heart was filled with pride, resentment and bitterness towards both the father and brother.

However the father reached out to both of them. He took the initiative to come to them, and visibly demonstrated his love for them in total humiliation. The younger son, the tax collectors and sinners repented and accepted his love.

  What does it mean to us today? Or put it this way, how would you describe your relationship with God, with your heavenly father? Some of us may feel that we are like the younger son. We feel helpless and hopeless. We feel that we have hit bottom and we are desperate.

Others may think that we are not really that bad. But really? If we are to honestly look at ourselves, aren't we also living in a shattered relationship with God and with others? Our hearts may be filled with bitterness, resentment or even hatred towards another person. We feel we are self sufficient, We don't need God and we have no room for him in our lives. We are preoccupied with our study, career and family.

Some of us may be bitter towards God for the circumstances we find ourselves in. We shout unfair and hold our fists against Him. We even admire the guy who after being struck by lightening 3 times, filed a lawsuit against God. We may not care what He wants from us. All we know is what we want for ourselves, how we can enjoy lives as if there is no tomorrow. You see, in a way, our relationship with God and others are also broken. We are like the two brothers in that 1 st century.

  However, no matter who we are, our heavenly father has taken the initiative to come to us. He came into the world in the form of Jesus Christ. He became one of us. He took our sins upon himself and died for us on that ugly cross. To die on a cross was the most shameful and dehumanizing act in that 1 st century world. But it was on the cross, He openly and visibly demonstrated his love for us in deep humiliation. All he wanted from us is to accept His love and forgiveness. You see, nothing we do can gain His favor. No matter how hard we try, we cannot undo what we did and to restore our broken relationship with Him. He does not want us to work inorder to gain his favor, but simply accept his love and grace.

  Have you noticed that from the story telling point of view, this story about the father with two sons is really incomplete? Yes, we read about the younger son's response and ending. But how about the older son? Something seems to be missing after v32. It was just incomplete.

  You see, it was incomplete, because the father was waiting for the older son's response. He was waiting for the Pharisee and the teachers to respond to him. Likewise, our heavenly father is still waiting for your response. He has offered to you his love and compassion. He has come to you once, twice and repeatedly. He has been waiting for you to respond and come into his presence.

  Recently I was able to get connected with many of my high school friends. One of them wrote me: “ Well, so you did pursue your "sage" calling and turned a pastor. That takes commitment; I remain more an outside observer--even when I report on Christian-Buddhist dialogue for Hans Kung (Tubingen ).

How about your relationship with God, with the heavenly Father? Where are you standing? Are you still outside the door? Remember, the door is always open for you, He is always waiting for you to come and accept the father's love.