It is pretty impressive that this exceptional father could love two very self-centered children. They were both hard to love. The Apostle Paul noted, “While we were yet sinners Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8). We see revealed a father not self-centered himself who could and would love self centered people. And we follow this father when we love friends and spouses even though they possess a strong streak of self-centeredness. And we hope to be loved ourselves despite the shadow side in our own lives. What a God! What a gospel! We stand in amazement.
Here’s the hunch of the sermon. The passion of preachers is for everyone to experience the embrace of God when each one comes home like the prodigal, but we haven’t always been faithful to show the elder sisters and brothers in Christ the special love God has for them. Many of you do not have a saloon background and have not frequented the netherworld of narcotics, but you are still in need of the grace of God.
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It is my fond hope through the power of the Holy Spirit that those elder sisters and brothers in the faith among us can leave this place today realizing God’s personal interest in you. Hear the love and grace directed to you: “All that I have is yours.” It can be like the sound of coming rain in a parched land. Someone here needs to hear these words from God: “All I have is yours.” You can come on in and join the party. Leave church today feeling wanted, valued, graced.
Good parents parent each child differently and so does God. God loves the prodigals and He loves you elder sisters and brothers. In this parable is the story a God of grace and a God of love. That’s good news for all of us.
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Peter Rhea Jones is Professor of Preaching and New Testament at McAfee School of Theology in Atlanta, GA.