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Hymns

Numbers pointing to hymn bulletin

Opening hymn: Mikli Drottinn Dýrð sé þér, 8

Before readings: Þér lof vil ég ljóða, 19

Before sermon: Mikil er náðin þín, 9

After creed: Jesú nafn um aldir alda, 14

Response/before Lord’s Supper: Dýrð í hæstum hæðum, 3

Closing hymn: Vor Guð er borg,17

Collect prayer

Good, Heavenly Father! We are all like wandering sheep and have left the right path of life. Be gracious to us and in the name of Jesus forgive us all our sins and trespasses. Awaken our hearts to repentance, return and keep us constantly with you, until you receive us into to your heavenly kingdom, through your beloved son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you. True God forever and ever. Amen.

Readings

L: The first reading of this Lord’s day is found in Psalm 145, verses 8-13

Psalm 145:8–13 ESV

8 The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. 10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you! 11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power, 12 to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.

L: This is the Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

L: The second reading of this Lord’s day is found in the first letter to Timothy, first chapter, verses 12-17

1 Timothy 1:12–17 ESV

12 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, 13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

L: This is the Holy Word.

C: Glory be to you, O Lord, for you have the words of eteranal life! To whome else shall we go?

Gospel

P: The Gospel is written by the evangelist Luke

C: Glory and praise be to God, for his joyful message.

Luke 15:11–32 ESV

11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. 17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. 25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”

P: This is the Holy Gospel.

C: Christ be praised.

Sermon

The parable of the prodigal son, or rather the prodigal sons and the merciful father is a story that many of us know well. *** It is taught, probably every year, in Sunday school. It is in all textbooks and children's Bibles. *** It appears frequently in textbooks for religious studies. And the message of forgiveness, reconciliation and tolerance is so universal that everyone loves it. ***

Furthermore, the beginning of chapter 15 gives us the context in which to understand the story. *** The Pharisees were grumbling over the fact that Jesus allowed tax collectors and sinners to listen to him, and even eat with him. *** On top of that, chapter 15 contains not one, not two, but three parables, all of which have the same basic plot: There is something that is initially lost and later found. *** The finding of the lost then becomes an occasion for great celebration. ***‌

And indeed, such celebrations and banquets are part of a larger theme, which begins already in the previous chapter. *** Jesus is invited to a banquet at a Pharisee’s house, and he accepts the invitation. *** The chapter then gives us a small fragments of the conversations that Jesus had at the banquet. Some are even quite funny. *** Imagine being invited to a party, and then you start saying that the host has invited the wrong people. ***Jesus tells the guests that when they prepare a banquet, they should not be inviting family and friends, but they should be inviting the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind. *** Furthermore, he attacks those who argue over the best seats with sarcasm. ***

Then there is someone who says: "Blessed is the one who will eat bread in the kingdom of God." *** Yes, indeed. Absolutely! Blessed is he who partakes of the banquet at God's table on the last day and in eternity. *** However, Jesus immediately begins to tell them a parable about how this will actually go. *** Many are invited, but they turn out to be stubborn and do not want to come. As a result, the invitations go out in all the streets and the banquet is filled with lame, blind, crippled and lame people. ***

In the end, absolutely everyone has been invited at some point, some were invited first and others later. *** The Pharisees of the nation of Israel, and many of those who thought they were righteous, have rejected the Lord's invitation. *** But those who knew they had deviated from the right path recognized their sin and repented. Therefore it turned out that tax collectors, harlots and sinners were the first to accept the Lord's invitation. *** This is clearly stated concerning the preaching of John the Baptist in chapter 7, verses 29-30. ***

Luke 7:29–30 ESV

29 (When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, 30 but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)

***

‌Back to Jesus' parable in today's Gospel. *** In the parable, we first get to know the Father, who is full of grace and love. *** He is the one who has the power in the home, including the power to pronounce judgment. But he is also the one who unconditionally seeks reconciliation. *** Next we meet his two sons, both of whom have rebelled against him. ***

This is evident with the younger son. *** First he asks the father to get the inheritance in advance. Not only was the question a great insult to the father, but he may not heven have had the right to an inheritance, as he was not the firstborn. *** Amazingly, he still gets what he asks for, and immediately leaves the country to squander the inheritance with celebrations and banquets of his own. *** Do you see the irony in that? He throws his own extravagant banquets, with his father's money, and it's all a complete waste. *** Instead, he could have stayed at home with his father. But he didn’t. *** But instead of giving him the happiness he was looking for, he ends up poor, humiliated and hungry. ***

With the older son, it is not as obvious. Because he has followed all the established rules, and behaved as he should. *** He did his work in the field, maybe even hard work. And he thought he did pretty well. *** But in his heart he despised his father, his love and his willingness to be reconciled. *** Furthermore, he despised his father, because he despised his brother. *** Just as the apostle John writes in his first letter, chapter four: ***

1 John 4:20 ESV

20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.

***

Because of his contempt and even hatred, the older brother does not wan to enter the banquet. He was invited, but did not want to come. ***

So back to the younger son. ***

Some people read this parable and think that it would have been wrong for us to judge his sin. *** But that is not the message. The younger son's sin was manifest and obvious, and it is by no means to be excused. On the contrary. *** On his way back home to his Father, this young man prepares a confession of sin. *** Not only that, but he also prepares a promise to be better, and he will even suggest that he can become a regular worker in his father's house. *** He is going to make no more demands, as he had done before. ***

But what happens when the Father comes running towards him? *** The father listens to the confession of sin, but then stops him. *** The younger son is not allowed to make any promises to better himself. *** The forgiveness follows immediately after the confession. And what a forgiveness it is. *** His father immediately dresses him in royal clothes and calls him inside to the banaquet. *** This is real forgiveness, the forgiveness that also our Father in heaven calls us to. ***

We confess our sins, and he immediately forgives us. ***‌

He does not allow us to make any promises of bettering ourselves. *** He knows we ar not capable, and if we do not break it diretly, we will find another way. *** Maybe we can overcome a certain sin, but then we replace it with the sin of pride. *** Our Father in Heaven does not allow us to begin like the younger son, only to then become like the older son. *** Therefore, His forgiveness is immediate and unconditional. ***

Like the younger son, we say "I have sinned against heaven and against you." *** And our Father in heaven answers: "You are forgiven. Peace be with you. Enter into the joy of your Lord." ***

Glory be to God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and will be for ever. Amen. ***

Let's confess our faith together. ***