The welcoming Father

Luke 15:11-32

That parable – that story that Jesus told – is all about our relationship with God.

It's about the kind of people God welcomes.

Jesus is continuing his conversation with some Pharisees. Now the Pharisees were good people. They obeyed the law. They didn't get drunk. They believed in family and marriage. They attended the synagogue.

If they lived in England today, there's no doubt where they'd live: Tunbridge Wells!

Why? Because they were always disgusted!!

Disgusted that people went shopping on the Sabbath.

Disgusted at the drinking and the short skirts and the overt sexuality.

Disgusted by the foul language on television and radio.

And they think that their disgust represents God's disgust - surely God is furious with people who act in this despicable, depraved, disgraceful, disgusting way!

God wouldn't welcome people like this – and neither should Jesus!

But what sort of people does God welcome?

Are you the kind of person God would welcome?

What sort of person do you think you would need to be for God to welcome you? A good person? A nice person? A religious person?

Of course, the story is set 2000 years ago - the details reflect the Jewishness of the characters, but it doesn't take much imagination to see what Jesus is really saying about our relationship with God.

So, one day, a son goes to his father and says, 'Look Dad, I know you're not dead yet, but let's face it, you're not as young as you used to be, so why not give me my inheritance now? You don't need all that money you've stashed away – so why not give me my half now so I can enjoy life while I'm young?'

As far as this younger son is concerned, his father might as well be dead already.

He's not interested in his father – all he wants is his dad's money so he can enjoy his own life.

And the Father does what exactly as he asks – he divides his property up and gives his boys their inheritance.

So the younger son cashes in all the investments that his father's passed over, and goes off on a complete bender.

We can guess the sorts of things he got up to, and for as long as he could, he spent everything his father had freely given him on himself.

And while he was doing his own thing, he gave no thought at all to his father back home. It's as if his father didn't even exist, even though everything the lad has came from father.

But then one day he goes down to Waitrose, and the checkout girl says to him, 'I'm sorry sir, there seems to be a problem with your card.'

He's a bit taken aback, and tries another one. 'Sorry sir, there's a problem there too. Perhaps you'd like to pay with cash?'

But he has no cash, and each of his credit cards is maxed out. He's utterly broke.

Then, when he can't pay his rent, his landlord throws him out on the street.

He tries to find a job, but in a recession, being of no fixed abode, and with no referees, it's hopeless.

He's homeless, jobless, penniless and on the streets.

After a few days, he's so cold & hungry that he'll do anything to get a meal.

Finally, a drug dealer approaches him and asks him to give cocaine to teenage kids to get them hooked.

Then a pimp approaches him about recruiting teenage girls for prostitution.

And if that shocks you, then that's precisely how the people Jesus is speaking to would have felt.

In his story, the son ends up feeding pigs – repulsive creatures to the Jews. Anyone who had touched one was dangerous – unclean, defiled, rejected by God.

That's the state of this lad. As far as the Pharisees were concerned, he could not be further from God. There's no way in heaven or on earth that God would welcome this boy.

He's immoral. He's selfish, he's dishonoured his father. He's a sinner.

But then, when he's hit absolute rock bottom, the son finally comes to his senses. 'My dad's employees have food to spare, and here I am starving to death. I'm going home. I'll apologise to dad. I'll say, 'Dad, I'm sorry. I've sinned against God and against you. I'm no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your employees.'

So he gets up and goes to his father.

Having treated his father so appallingly badly, there's no doubt that the Pharisees would expect the father to do. He will reject his son. Punish his son. Disown his son.

And at this point, there's no doubt that the Pharisees know that the father represents God and the son represents sinful people.

And yet, v20 tells us that while the son 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 him and kissed him.

If working with pigs was shocking to the Pharisees, this is utterly outrageous!

According to Jesus, God welcomes people like this son:

• people who have taken from God without a word of thanks.
• People who have ignored God, acting as though he did not even exist
• People who have got drunk, slept around, squandered their money, been utterly self-centred and irreligious.

But do you see what Jesus is saying about us and about God?

God welcomes wayward people.

He has compassion on those who have rejected him.

He runs to meet and greet people who aren't religious.

He welcomes people who thought he would reject them.

You might not think you're good enough for God, but Jesus says that if you've come to your senses and realised that you've mucked up, if you realise that you've turned your back on God and sinned against him, then he's coming to welcome you home.

Make the words and attitude of the son your own, and God will welcome you: have a look at v21, the son says, 'Father I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

And now look at how the father welcomed his son:

The father said 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.’ So they began to celebrate.

When someone who has rebelled against God turns back to him, God is not begrudging in his welcome. Far from it. He and his people celebrate!

Perhaps there's someone here who is hesitating this morning. Perhaps you're thinking, 'God can't possibly forgive and accept me. I'm too far gone. I've treated him so badly. I'm so utterly worthless. What would God want with me?'

But Jesus is saying here, 'Not only does he want you, he's running to meet you! He's ready to take away your filthy rags and clothe you with love and forgiveness. He's ready to throw a party and welcome you home.'

Perhaps others here this morning are thinking, 'Well, that's not me! I've never treated God that badly. I've always believed in him. I may not have been to church every week, but hey, I'm a good bloke. I'm alright with God.'

If you're thinking like that, have a look at v25:

Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

The older brother became angry and refused to go in.

He's angry because his father is forgiving and generous to his wayward brother.

But his father is generous to them both as we go on to hear: his father went out and pleaded with him.

His father doesn't want to lose his older son. He wants him to be pleased that his brother's come back. He wants the brother to share his joy and delight.

But the older son answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

The older son is jealous and full of resentment.

What's more, he's self righteous; I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. I'm a good person. I've done the right thing.

‘My son,’ the father says, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’

The father hasn't held anything back from his older son. He's enjoyed everything that the father had to give.

But now he reveals his heart.

This son has presumed on his father. He's taken him for granted.

The younger son might have turned his back, but the older son has actually treated his father just as badly.

He may not have lived a bad life. He may not have squandered his inheritance. He may not have slept around and got drunk. But he's just as ungrateful.

He's so angry with his father's generosity that he refuses to be in the house with his father.

And so we discover that this older son is, in fact, a picture of the Pharisees – a picture of anyone who thinks they're OK with God because they're good.

And here's the really strange thing about Xy: the message is exactly the same to 'good' people as it is to 'bad' people.

Jesus says the same thing to good people and to bad people.

He says, 'You're lost and I've come to find you and bring you home.'

But that same message is heard very differently by different people.

Some people realise that they're lost – lost in a sea of selfish behaviour & reckless living. Cut adrift from God.

When these people realise that God is just waiting to welcome them home, they leave their old ways behind and discover the amazing truth of what Jesus says - that the Father does indeed give them a warm welcome into his eternal family.

But other people hear the message very differently.

Those who think they're a good person, don't like to be told that actually, they're lost, far away from God needing to be found.

To hear that you have simply taken God for granted and have no true Father-son relationship with him can be hard can be very hard to stomach.

It certainly was for the elder son in Jesus' parable, and it was for the Pharisees who listened.

But if that is you, then be assured that Jesus does come for you too.

All he asks is that you show some humility and admit that, actually, you do need forgiveness. You do need to admit that you too have gone your own way, so you need to turn around, say sorry and discover your own welcome home.

The truth is, we're all lost. And yet Jesus has come to welcome us home.

Heaven is waiting to celebrate when you decide it's time to come home.