St. Aidan’s Sermons
Winnipeg, Manitoba
The Rev. Ken Turnbull, March 21, 2010
Lent 5: 8:30 a.m. Holy Communion and 10:00 a.m., Holy Communion
Learning to Love #5: “Precarious”
Psalm 126; Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
Introduction
I’m sure many of you were surprised to hear the same gospel lesson read for the second straight week. That is because The Parable of the Prodigal Son, or as Brett suggested last week a more appropriate title, The Parable of the Incredible Father, presents the framework for last week’s, this week’s, and next week’s sermon on the theme “Learning to Love”.
God’s love is precarious — it is not controlling and risks being rejected. The choice is ours— to accept God’s love, or to reject it. Vanstone in his book Love’s Endeavour, Love’s Expense makes the point that we all have the capacity to recognize genuine love, even those who have never experienced it.
Before proceeding any further, we need to identify five things that love is not. Authentic love is not ‘selfish’, nor ‘manipulative’, nor ‘condescending’, nor merely ‘courteous’. Finally, there is nothing ‘transient’ about love. It is not here today and gone tomorrow. God is love, and He does not withhold His love from us. We are the ones who may choose to reject it. Authentic love waits in hope that the one who is loved will return that love. This is why love given and love received is always a gift of grace.
This is not an ideal example, but it is the best I could come up with. Years ago when my wife Nancy and our baby daughter Naomi were on a ship just off the south coast of Newfoundland, there was a woman bursar going about her duties. Each time the woman spoke our infant daughter would smile and laugh. There was something about the woman’s voice that our daughter loved, and the woman realised she was receiving a gift of love. The woman’s face lit up with joy at this unexpected blessing.
The Rebellious Younger Son
Last Sunday I received a mental picture of the younger son demanding his inheritance. The scene took place right here on this platform. The young man was dressed in the black leather clothing of a biker. After he had received everything he had demanded, he got on this magnificent Harley Davidson motorcycle and yelled ‘So long suckers.’ Then his bike roared down the centre aisle, into the Narthex, down the steps and out the church door. Fanciful? Perhaps, but in one form or another it is a symbolic scene that most of us have encountered at some time in our life. If we are not the one on the bike, we have those who are close to us who probably are.
Henri Nouwen, in his book The Return of the Prodigal Son, writes that it is even possible for the son to spiritually leave home while still being present physically. “Anger, resentment, jealousy, desire for revenge, lust, greed, antagonisms, and rivalries are the obvious signs I have left home.” [p.41].
Henri continues “I am the prodigal son every time I search for unconditional love where it cannot be found. Why do I keep ignoring the place of true love and persist in looking for it elsewhere? …It’s almost as if I want to prove to myself … that I do not need God’s love. ….Beneath it all is the great rebellion, the radical “No” to the Father’s love, the unspoken curse: “I wish you were dead.”… It is the rebellion that places me outside the garden, out of reach of the tree of life. It is the rebellion that makes me dissipate myself in a “distant country.” [p.43].
God our Father is waiting, waiting and hoping we will come to our senses. Jesus uses these words in Luke 15: 17 to describe the key moment in the younger son’s spiritual journey “When he came to his senses”. Recognizing that he had completely lost his way, made an absolute mess of his life, and betrayed his Father’s trust, ‘What did he do?’ He went home hoping that his Father would receive him. The Father did not reprimand his younger son, rather he lovingly embraced the young man and gave him new shoes, a ring, and a robe. The shoes symbolized the younger son was no slave or servant. The ring symbolized restored authority from the Father and the robe that he was still a member of the family. Then the Father organized a party killing the fattened calf which was kept ready for such a wonderful event. Indeed, as Jesus reminds us “There is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” [Luke 15:7].
A while back a parishioner said to me, “We need to hear these stories of transformed lives. They are so inspiring and encouraging to the rest of us.” Although she did not say so, she was referring to those whose salvation story is like the younger son’s, and acknowledging that her experience of God’s love probably placed her in the role of the elder son. Perhaps, I should say that this has been more my journey also. There are a lot of us in the church who are like the elder brother.
The Resentful Elder Brother
The elder son is prudent and dutiful. He obeys the father and stays at home. Yes, he is at home, but somehow he has never really accepted his father’s love. Henri Nouwen asks “I wonder which does more damage, lust or resentment? There is so much resentment among the just and the righteous. There is so much judgment, condemnation, and prejudice among the saints. There is so much … [hidden] anger among the people who are concerned about avoiding sin.”[p.71].
Henri goes on to say joy and resentment can’t co-exist. If you want to know how you are doing in your walk with Christ and suspect you may be the elder brother, ask yourself how much joy you have. If you find yourself complaining, that is another sign that your joy quotient is low.
Henri says, “The Father’s love does not force itself on the beloved. Although he wants to heal us of all our inner darkness, we are still free to make our own choice to stay in the darkness or step into the light of God’s love.”.. Henri continues “What is so clear is that God is always there, always ready to give and forgive, absolutely independent of our response.”[p.78].
Notice the Father goes out and pleads with the elder son. Once again the Father takes the initiative. He pleads with his son expressing his love “you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.”[v.31]. There is no question that the elder son is loved just as much as the younger son. The Father does not compare his two sons. He does not favour one son over the other.
The elder son has to guard against resentment which arises out of his need to please. In his case the healing tools he needs are trust and gratitude. The elder son must not only believe that the Father really wants to have a close relationship with him, but believe what Jesus said “I tell you whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”[Mark 11:24]. This is radical trust that goes far beyond dutiful obedience.
The second tool for inner healing is gratitude. Gratitude is the opposite of resentment. This is why it is so important for the elder brother to learn to give thanks. The more we give thanks the more gratitude we will have in our hearts and the less room for resentment and self –doubt. The more gratitude we have the more likely that we will be surprised by joy.
Conclusion: Becoming The Incredible Father
The incredible Father loves each of his children with a deep and ever-lasting love. He does not love one more than the other. He is compassionate and forgiving. Henri Nouwen makes it clear that The Parable of the Incredible Father is not about seeing ourselves as either the rebellious lustful younger son or the resentful elder son. Jesus’ purpose is much deeper than that. As Christians we are reminded that we are sons and daughters of the Father. Paul tells us “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now then if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs with God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his suffering in order that we may also share in his glory.”[Romans 8: 16-17].
Just as many of us assume the role of mother or father in the natural realm, we are being prepared to love as God does without limit, without conditions, and in total vulnerability. One day we too will be in our Father’s position. The hope is that we will be able to demonstrate the same love that we have received. Jesus wants us to “be merciful just as our Father is merciful” or another way of translating this is “be compassionate just as our Father is compassionate.” [Luke 6:36]. In conclusion, we are called as Christians to prepare for true fatherhood so we too can demonstrate God’s non-demanding limitless love. May the LORD lead you and guide you in this walk with Him.
