Amen
Every once in a while a Bible study comes along that really takes off. As a pastor you do a lot of things that are okay but now and again there comes a study that somehow seems to touch people in just the right way. Insights are gained, revelations are made and God's presence in the words of scripture become very, very real. On these rare occasions real life intersects the gospel message deeply and profoundly. For me that has been most true when Bible Study has centered on the text we have for our Gospel story this morning. This parable of " the prodigal son" as we have traditionally called it or " the waiting father" as it has most recently been named seems to hit chords in us that reverberate long and loud.
The Bible study usually starts with a few dry
facts. In middle Eastern culture younger sons were in a difficult
position. They generally got one third of an inheritance while
an older son got two thirds. So in some ways it's understandable
that this son could acquire the inheritance before his father
died. The context of the story is really a confrontation with
the scribes and Pharisees about Jesus eating with sinners and
tax collectors. All of these are interesting facts that people
will listen to politely nodding their heads.
Then we read the story again.
Having read the story we ask. Who are you? If you had to be one of the participants in this story who would you be. Generally speaking older siblings can identify with the older brother and younger siblings seem to understand what's going on with the younger son. Once I was sharing this study with a group of high school kids. Before I had even gotten the question out of my mouth, Who do you see in this story? A freshman boy jumped in. "That's my brother!" "What?" I said not knowing if he had understood what I was asking. No he said that one who took the money-that's my brother! How so? I ventured. He proceeded to tell the group. His parents were hard working middle class people. Neither of them had ever been to college. It was their dream for their children that they would succeed through education. As the children grew up they were keenly aware of the sacrifices their parents were making to realize this dream. It wasn't unusual for mom or dad or both of them to work two jobs. The family never got to Disneyland, never had a new car, didn't splurge on clothes because, as mom always said, they were saving their pennies for school. This boy's older sister had gone to school, graduated, gotten a good job. Then it was his brother's turn. He wasn't a bad student in high school so his freshman year was okay. He limped through his sophomore year even though as his younger brother said he was having a very good time. By his junior year he was having an even better good time. The money that was supposed to go for books and expenses wasn't going for books and school expenses. Classes were down the tubes because he never went. Second semester tuition never found it's way to getting paid because this prodigal was enjoying himself. When that money ran out he had to fess up and come home.
"The thing is though" the freshman boy in the Bible study said, " I don't think that this story is very real cause My parents didn't exactly act like this father," he said. "They were mad, they were really mad. The shouting was something to behold, they told him he wasn't ever going to get out of the house again." "So then what happened?" I asked. "Oh, he's graduating from the city college in a few months; I guess my parents got over it."
His parents "getting over it" might not have been the same dramatic forgiveness of the waiting father but without a doubt it was forgiveness. Their legacy for his future had been squandered but that was the least of their worries. These wonderful parents didn't want the life of their son or their relationship to him to be squandered. Forgiveness in life is real and even disinterested high school freshmen can see it.
Sometimes, after doing the same Bible study many times over I begin to think there's nothing new to see in it. The best studies are those that surprise and catch us unawares. Several years ago we began a small group ministry in the church. Some of you may remember or have been in the group Judy Converse led. She had just asked the same question "Where do you see yourself in this story, who do you identify with most strongly?" I had to think for a long time. I don't think I'm a resentful person. It really didn't bother me that the father welcomed this son home--I truly felt good about that. But I was kind of bugged, perturbed, annoyed, as must be the older brother, that the father throws a party for him. Okay, welcome him back, let him have a place in the household--after all it doesn't say the father will give him another inheritance, so I can deal with this--but why does he get a party?
When does faithfulness and responsibility and loyalty ever get recognized with a party? So I guess I am the older brother. Then it hit me. What does the father say to this older brother; how does he bring this older brother along. The Father says to him, "All that I have is yours." If you want a party, then pick out a calf, open the jug and have a party. Enjoy, revel, celebrate. You have access to it all, if you never take advantage of all the good gifts that I have provided for you, then who's problem is that. If you want to be dour and glum and responsible all the time then that's your choice but I, I your father have given you access to all I have. "All that I have is yours!" God doesn't hold back. Everything is ours, if we just ask. Enough with this Lent stuff--every Sunday can be a celebration. Enough with this guilt stuff, slough it off, there's grace flowing enough for all, even stick-in-the-mud grumpy older brothers.
That Father can really be something can't he. Probably the most poignant moment I've ever had in a Bible study was studying this text. The same question was being batted around, "Where do you see yourself in this story?" People were tossing this and that thought in, I'm the older brother, I'm the younger. Finally a middle aged man who was usually very quiet said, "I guess, I'm the father." We were taken aback. People don't usually pick the place clearly reserved for God. With tears in his eyes he went on to say, "I haven't seen my daughter in two years. We weren't getting along, we quarreled, it doesn't even matter what it was about now. She left, she was 21, she was free to do that I guess. At first I was very angry because of what we were quarreling about then I got very angry because I wanted to know how she could do this to ME now I just want her back. I just want her back, I just want to know she's okay and I want her to know that I love her. I just want her to know that I love her. I guess I'm the waiting father."
The Waiting Father is there for us, all of
us prodigal children, all of us over responsible older siblings,
maybe God has tears in his eyes and just wants us to know that
we are loved. Maybe God is just waiting.
Amen