Celebrate Forgiveness

Lesson today from Luke 15. Jesus was a great teacher and wonder worker. The crowds flocked to him as he spoke to them about the Kingdom of God. The religious leadership — Pharisees and scribes — recognized Jesus as a fellow rabbi, but were consternated by the way he freely mingled with “sinners.”

This sounds judgmental. Partially true.

Also a protective aspect. Israel was under the political and military thumb of Rome. It was understood that this was a sign of God’s judgment. Jews were eager for Messiah to come and deliver them. As long as sin persisted among them, it made God’s anger worse and delayed the arrival of the Messiah. So, many leaders viewed indulgence toward sin as a threat to their hope for redemption.

So they complain among themselves about him. Jesus offers them a parable — an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.

Text

Luke 15:1–2 NRSV

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Luke 15:11–32 NRSV

Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.” ’ So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate. “Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’ Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’ ”

Introduction

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I am found. Was blind by now I see.

Amazing Grace by John Henry Newton 1772. Prior slave trader, turned abolitionist, and an anglican priest.

His famous hymn, draws from the parable we have just heard. The father says of his sinful son, whom he has just welcomed back home — he was lost but now is found!

Arguably, Amazing Grace is the most famous of all hymns. And this speaks to our shared experience of having recieved God’s forgiveness…

And according to Jesus, should also prompt our desire to celebrate forgiveness with others.

Do we? Or does something get in the way…

Exegesis

The parable is all about forgiveness.

But there is something in the way that has to be dealt with.

The younger of two sons goes to his father and says, Give me the share of the property that will belong to me.

In other words. I don’t really care about you…I just want right now the half of your stuff that will eventually come to me.

Painful to the parent’s heart.

This statement also: offensive and hurtful to the other brother. The younger son is rejecting them both

and leaving the whole family open to shame.

What kind of family, what kind of father, raises a son like that?!

The young son takes his money and goes off.

He really goes off. Far away. Goes off the rails morally: Spirals into dissolute, immoral, living. Wastes all his father worked hard to give to him. If word got back to the home village, it wasn’t good reports. Dragging his name and the family name literally through the mud.

Until a famine hits, the party is over. He has to contemplate coming back home.

He prepares his speech: I’ve sinned. I need a place to stay. I need a job. I don’t expect to be loved, maybe I can just be an employee.

Justice. Not expecting forgiveness. Expecting Justice.

But when the father sees him coming…he rushes to him.

He welcomes. He embraces.

He gives his son a bath, and the best robe, and a ring and sandals.

He kills the fatted calf and throws a feast and everyone is invited.

Theme: this son of mine was dead and is alive! He was lost and is found!!

— He is reclaiming his son not as a servant, but as his son!

Young son must have been amazed at this forgiveness,. …even if he wondered, where is the justice?

That question connects him to his older brother our in the fields.

The elder brother comes home and discovers a feast in progress.

He is told the news of his younger brothers’ return and his father’s welcome.

He is angry and offended. He won’t even go into the party.

Elder says to the Father:

THIS SON of yours (not my brother) comes home after such disrespect and moral failure, you throw a party?! No.

He hurt and shamed you. And me.

It is not right that he just comes back and we accept him.

He has to pay. Something.

The father tries to soothe him.

BUT this brother (not my son…your brother) is back. Again: He was dead, but alive now. He was lost, now found!

We have to celebrate. Make a new beginning. A new life together.

This father just wants his children to be with him — both sons! To love them, to be a family.

Does the older son come in? Does he celebrate forgiveness…or cling to justice?

Jesus doesn’t tell the end of the story.

Interpretation

Jesus doesn’t tell the end of the story because he is putting that very question to the Pharisees and scribes.

They said, “Why does Jesus welcome sinners and eat with them.” And stood apart. They are the elder brother in the parable.

The sinners and tax collectors are the younger brother. Jesus acknowledges that many in the crowd are sinners. They have gone off on their own way and brought shame on the name of God’s family.

Broke the sabbath, didn’t go to temple, didn’t say their prayers, dishonored the parents, murderers and violent, prostitutes, fornicators and adulterers, tax-collecting collaborators with Rome, thieves, liars, and on and on.

Yet Jesus’ parable illustrates that they are coming back home now. Repenting at the message of Jesus. And the Heavenly Father loves them is welcoming them back to himself. More, God rushes to them, and eagerly claims them as his own…like a son lost or dead, now found and alive…great joy!

But not a perfect joy. Because the Pharisees are not sharing in it. They are apart.

As long as they are not celebrating they are presenting the question, that even the sinners may be secretly wondering:

What about justice?

In the parable the younger son was way out of line…and probably should have some penalties. Doesn’t he deserve reprimand?

the younger son knew it.

The older son definitely knew it.

The Pharisees knew it. And we know it today.

If we just forgive…well, where is the justice?

We can forgive the abuser…but then where is the justice?

Can we forgive the liar? the thief? the corrupt? If that means no justice?

Can they just be forgiven?

Can they go to heaven just like me, who maybe has not done the same horrible things?

Here we come to the hidden element of the parable. The part the neither the Pharisees nor the sinners could yet see, but we can see now.

The part that connects this parable to our Lenten journey to Christ’s cross.

In the story the feast was founded by the Father. Who slaughtered the fatted calf, a feast for both his sons.

In spiritual terms: Jesus is the sacrifice brings back together the God the father and all his children. And he does it precisely by satisfying justice:

Romans 3:23–26 NIV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. God did this so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

On the cross Jesus died for each sinner and all sinners. His divine, perfect blood, atones for all sins. This was an infinite cost to God. An infinite gift to us.

Because Christ suffered for sinners JUSTICE IS SATISFIEE and GOD IS JUST TO forgive freely.

Because Jesus died on the cross, we who were dead are made alive. Because Jesus was lost for a time, we who had gone astray have been found forever.

To celebrate forgiveness (is not to abandon justice, but) to appreciate the atoning sacrifice of God through Christ for us. Not to deny justice but to say God IS JUST: HE shed the only blood that could forgive sins!

Ancient Pharisees feared that sin would keep the Messiah from coming. Jesus reveals that it is precisely for sinners that he comes.

Sinners are not an affront to Christ, but the reason he has come.

Application

The sinners of Jesus’ day sensed this about him. and they rushed home to him. We know he is the redeemer now, clearly. Sinner — rush home to God right now.

Isaiah 55:7 ESV

let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

The father will rejoice to have you. Run to you.

Since Christ died for you: Clothe you in garments that are clean, and bejeweled rather than the dirt of sin. You shall be dressed in the very righteousness of Christ.

Sometimes I am the older brother in the story. Sometimes you are too. Stand apart from someone who has hurt us. Or offended. Someone in your family. In this church.

They “deserve” some punishment.

Punishment has been made on Christ.

If they have repented Christ’s blood is applied to them

How could it be right for us to stand apart from one for whom Christ was willing to die? As long as we do, we say I don’t believe in the love of God and the sacrifice of Christ.

When we DO forgive, we say, I believe in the power of the blood of Christ.

So now we are called to offer forgiveness…even more, celebrate forgiveness.

Celebrating forgiveness is really about celebrating Christ.

Conclusion

Amazing Grace.

Famous quote in his older age: “Although my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.”

Coming home? Let us pray to come home quickly. Standing apart? Let us pray to draw near. For all of us, let us pray to celebrate forgiveness.

Related Media

Related Sermons

Earn an accredited degree from Redemption Seminary with Logos.