MPC 22nd August 2004.Luke 15 - "God Hearted"
Gary Hanson MPC 22nd August 2004.
Some of you may be familiar with the name Chuck Colson. Maybe you've read one of his books. Charles Colson was one of the closest confidants of disgraced former American President Richard Nixon. In his book "Born Again" Colson recounts the dramatic story of how his life was completely turned around in the midst of one of the most extraordinary government crises in history. Following what became known as the Watergate Scandal, Chuck Colson was imprisoned, but amidst the disgrace and ruin of that experience, he found new life in Christ. Following his conversion and the new direction in his life, acceptance by his critics was slow coming.
Chuck Colson's experience of rejection isn't unique, but it's one that's been shared by countless numbers of people throughout time. There are always those who love to search out and even expose the past misdeeds of others, and unfortunately, it's often the religious, even Christians who have this problem. Those who get uptight and vocal about a person's past failings, or in the case of Chuck Colson, a set of bad choices - because they say, "It's not what God wants."
And of course they're right, it isn't what God wants, but more often than not those who love to talk about other peoples failures, are simply elevating themselves by tearing others down. The self-righteous who refuse to acknowledge a repentant heart or a desire for a new start.
Here in Luke 15 Jesus is dealing with a group of men just like that. Not only were they critical of the people Jesus associated with, but they were critical of Jesus. Look at how the chapter opens - Verses 1 and 2:
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
These were people - and we've read about some of them in the Gospels, who came to Jesus looking for that new start. Looking for a chance to get it right, but as far as these religious men were concerned, they were Law breakers - the dregs of society, and they were to be treated with utter contempt, if they were acknowledged at all. Is it any wonder they muttered amongst themselves? How could Jesus call himself a teacher of God's Word when he welcomes sinners - tax collectors and prostitutes?
Well, as at other times, Jesus seems to know their thoughts and he responds by telling these three parables. Stories about three things of great value. I don't want to say much about the first two parables, just a couple of observations.
1) Sheep are not known for their intelligence. It's said that a sheep can get lost in a corner because it hasn't got the good sense to turn around. So if a sheep wanders away from the safety and security of the flock, it's probably because it's not all that smart.
2) A coin of course has no intelligence whatever, so it's pretty safe to say that the fact that it's lost is someone else's fault.
Keep these in mind as we look at the third story. The parable of the lost son. Jesus begins this parable by introducing three characters, a father and two sons - a family.
You can tell it's an old story because one son is actually obedient to his father, at least in his own opinion, but it must have been around the time things started to change because as we'll see, the other son has a rebellious heart.
It's not an intellectual problem and it's not something he can blame someone else for. He has the power to reason and to choose his own path, so he's ahead of the sheep in that department, but only just it seems, because like the sheep, he doesn't seem to appreciate the safety and security of home. He's not satisfied with living under his father's control.
Like many young people in the world today, he wants to spread his wings. He wants to break loose and experience freedom. He wants to do things - his way, but he wants to do it - with the old man's money.
Look again there at verse 11.
There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.'
Now I thought fathers gave in more easily today than they used to, but it's amazing - this father seems to give in without a fight. At least we're not told that he puts up any sort of protest. Look at what he does there at the end of verse 12. It says - "So he divided his property between them."
Now it might seem unusual to us that he gives in so easily, but in Jewish society a son could claim his inheritance while his father was still living.
The story suggests that this son was rebellious and far from deserving, so his request could almost have been considered unlawful, but without a complaint from his father, the Pharisees who were listening would have had little against him, but from here on - it's a down hill run, because from this point, Jesus begins to build a picture of just the kind of person these religious leaders loved to hate.
And so the story goes on.
The son, no doubt pleased with the way things have gone for him, takes the inheritance and the independence that he really has no right or ability to handle, and he sets off to get as far away as he can, from his father's control or where his father wants him to be.
It's a familiar story isn't it? Foolish young guy, money in his pocket, out in a world full of every kind of temptation the mind could imagine. It's a recipe for disaster! And of course he's drawn into all sorts of questionable behaviour, and it's not long before he's in trouble - and there's no-one to blame but himself. Jesus tells his listeners in v.13, "He squandered his wealth in wild living."
All of a sudden, the Pharisees are all ears. I can just see the religious leaders standing there shaking their heads at the thought of this rebellious son who dishonours his father, with his unjust demands, and when they hear of how he squanders his money on parties and prostitutes, they couldn't have imagined that it could get any worse.
If this young man had been brought before them, they'd have cried out for his blood. Their Law would've demanded it. But Jesus hadn't finished. And anyone who thinks Jesus didn't have a sense of humour should have another look at this. At this point when he can almost see the blood in their eyes, he drops the clanger. Something that to a Jew had to be like a hit below the belt.
Look there at Verse 14.
After he had spent everything there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating,But no one gave him anything.
Like Chuck Colson, this foolish son finds himself in the pen. But it's a different kind of pen. Pigs! Boy, did these Jews have some rules about them! They wouldn't touch them let alone eat them.
As Aussies we probably have trouble understanding that. There's nothing I enjoy more than a nice ham sandwich or a piece of bacon, but I was talking to Dan Bigg the other day. As you know, Dan's a butcher by trade. I asked him about what you can get out of a pig. It seems that if you have a mincer powerful enough you can almost make any of it look edible, but I've got to tell you, some of it turned my stomach, I can't imagine how a Jew would feel about it - but Jesus knew.
I'm sure it's no coincidence that Jesus chose this situation as the low point in this boy's experience. From the Jewish view point, physically and spiritually, this fellow had sunk about as low as any self respecting Jew could go - and Jesus wanted them to see that.
He was foolish, he was disrespectful, he was depraved and pathetic, and now - he's thinking about dining with pigs! He'd have topped the list of the Pharisees most unwanted, but you know as we look through the Gospels, we see that he's just the kind of person Jesus loved to spend time with.
There was just one thing he lacked, and that was a repentant heart. A repentant heart - the thing the Pharisees couldn't, or didn't want to see.
These very religious keepers of the Law looked with contempt and judgement on anyone who didn't make the grade.
They were supposed to be shepherds of God's people, and they loved the attention of those who blindly followed them - but those who were lost from the flock, didn't rate a second thought.
In contrast - and this is what these stories are all about - Jesus pictures himself in the parable of the lost sheep, as the shepherd who out of love and compassion for the lost, searches without rest until they're brought back to the fold.
And again - like the woman sweeping and searching in the dust and rubbish for that lost coin - the one that completed the set, Jesus will not rest until all of his chosen ones who are lost, are gathered together.
But the Pharisees - they'd have swept them away with the garbage.
So what's to become of this lost son? Well, we're told that he finally comes to his senses and realises that his father's servants are better off than he is. He decides that humble pie sounds better than pig swill. Better to be a servant in his father's house - than to die among the ungodly. And so he sets off toward home, to offer himself as a servant to his father.
Now if you want to see a beautiful representation of the heart of God, look at verse 20. Because that's what it's showing us. See if you can feel the emotion of this reunion. Here it is - V.20:
"So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around his neck and kissed him."
Where could you find a better picture of our heavenly Father's love, for the sinner who comes with a repentant heart?
Verse 20 says, "While he was a long way off, his father saw him." And I'm sure it's no coincidence that this father sees his son in the distance. I reckon he's been scanning the horizon since the day he left. Watching, waiting, searching for him,
And the son? Well as he comes down the road he's rehearsing his speech. He's got it all ready. There it is in verse 21:
Father I've sinned against heaven and against you. I'm no longer worthy to be called your son ---
And he would have gone on, but that's as far as he gets before his father throws his arms around his neck. Some fathers would've been ready to break his neck, but not this one. He's not interested in anymore words because he already knows his sons heart, and this very gracious father can't wait to restore what his son has foolishly lost.
Look at verse 22. His son has barely finished speaking when the father says to his servants,
Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.
And so this celebration begins. Music, dancing, feasting. Everyone celebrating the safe return of this repentant son. Everyone? Not quite!
The only one who isn't sharing in the celebrations is the older son, who when he hears the commotion, asks one of the servants what's going on.
When he's told he becomes filled with anger. Why? Because he doesn't see what they see. He doesn't see a man whose heart's been changed. He doesn't see a lost soul rescued from the brink of physical and spiritual ruin. He sees his father and his servants, eating and drinking with a worthless sinner.
And this is where Jesus puts the religious leaders right in the picture. This is where he drives the point of these three parables right into their hardened hearts, because their self-righteous, unloving attitude can be clearly seen in the response of this older son.
Someone has suggested that there was not one lost son, but two, and I think they're probably right. Look at what he says to his father in verse 29. Let me just give you the general gist of it -
All these years I have slaved for you and never disobeyed your orders. I've kept all your rules and what have you ever done for me? But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you give him everything.
It was true, he'd kept his father's rules, but he didn't have his father's heart. And that was the problem with the Pharisees and teachers of the Law. To them life and pleasing God was all about keeping the rules.
As shepherds of God's people they should have been seeking out and guiding the lost and rebellious, instead they treated them with contempt, because they didn't have their Father's heart.
So what's the message for us in this? In a nut shell - don't be like them! As saved people who know the kind of life God expects of us, it's so easy to be critical of those who don't, and to place them in the too hard basket, or worse still - the waste basket, when God has them marked for eternity.
Some people love to go fishing, and to drag up past failings of others long after they've repented. Long after they've confessed and found Gods forgiveness. They love to sit in judgement on those who've been declared - not guilty. If you're that kind of person, then you need to hear what Jesus is saying here. You need to look at your own heart. You need to remember that it's only by the grace and kindness of God that any of us are saved.
God wants His people to have a heart like his own, a heart for the lost, and for the repentant. He wants us to be his hands and his feet and his voice - searching without rest until his lost ones are found.
And there's another message here as well. If you're a person, young or old, who's running from God - looking for freedom, you need to realize as the fellow in this parable did, that the freedom you're looking for is very costly. The Bible calls it rebellion and it'll cost you everything. God wants you to have a different kind of freedom. It's very costly as well. The difference is Jesus has paid the price in full. You can claim that freedom today. You can experience the heart of God.
Do you think God can't love you? Is there someone you think God can't love? Then listen again to these words of Jesus, He said -
I tell you there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.