Untitled Sermon (65)

So you’re backing up in a crowded parking lot.

Crunch.

Awww, man. You’ve just hit the car next to you. It’s not like shattered red is on the ground because you’ve busted up the tail light.

So you’re standing there…what do I do…You’re assessing the damage when some random guy comes up to you and says,

“Hey, I work at a body shop. I’ve got some stuff in my truck. I can probably pop that out for you.”

Now in that moment you’re thinking. This is absolutely INCREDIBLE! This guy is heaven sent! God is really watching out for me...

So your new best friend pulls out a suction cup, does some other magic…and fifteen minutes later…it’s barely noticeable. Like you’d have to be looking for it. It’s not perfect. It’s not fixed. But it’s enough to convince you.

Problem solved. No need to deal with it now.

And that’s where we find our prodigal—the younger brother—this morning.

He’s asked his father for his share of the inheritance. And “he squandered his property in reckless living.” Dude is broke.

He’s backed into the car. What’s he going to do? Will he confess…will he go back to his father…or something else…?

Listen in...

Luke 15:14–16 ESV

And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in 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 into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

We often think the turning point in the prodigal son’s story is when he comes home. But something happens before that—something all of us can relate to. It’s that space after the rebellion… but before the return. The money's gone. The party's over. The bottom has dropped out.

But there’s something else that happens....he’s not just broke and busted…something entirely outside of his control happens.

There is a severe famine. Now that’s awful. And I think in that culture what Jesus is showing us with that “severe famine” is that many of the potential safety nets are gone.

Like, if business is booming at Panera they’ll just throw out some of that leftover bread. There will be more tomorrow. Give it to this poor kid. But if there is a severe famine…well....we better not throw that out…let’s try to find a way to reuse this.

And so what Jesus is showing us..and they’d pick it up in that community is that the severe famine dries up the margins. That’s why he says, “he began to be in need”.

What will he do at this point? We might expect him to say here, “I need to go home.” You expect it to move now to verse 17. But it doesn’t. We’ve got verses 15-16 and I think there is a significant point in there for us to see today.

Now, just to be clear I don’t think this is THE main point of the story. As I said last week all of this is really about the older brother. But Jesus is such a great story teller that you can look at this from other angles and see that it has multiple layers. This is one of them.

I don’t want to press this too far…but I think what we’re going to see today is really something that is heavily informed by the whole story of the Bible.

But I also need you to place yourself in this story. I want you to know what moment this is in the story for you…all of us have been the younger brother at some point in our life…maybe you are there now...

You’ve foolishly thought that life was to be found outside the Father’s house. And it ends up empty.

This is the part in your story when you are feeling the need, the brokenness, that ache in your soul that’s saying, “Man, this just isn’t working...”

It’s that moment after you made the purchase you know you shouldn’t have...

It’s that moment when you’re replaying that conversation in your head and thinking…I really shouldn’t have said that about so and so...

It’s that moment when you said something really mean or dumb or hurtful and you can see the other person wearing it on their face…do you dig in…do you apologize…do you try something else?

It’s that moment when you went to that website you said you’d never go to again...

Or you had that night out you said you were absolutely done with...

It’s that moment when the text you shouldn’t have sent has already gone through, and you’re just watching the bubbles come back.

It’s that moment when you look at your calendar, and all the noise and motion you’ve filled your life with doesn’t distract you anymore.

It’s that moment when you say to yourself, “Okay, I think I might have ruined it.”

That’s where the prodigal is at. And notice what happens here...

He went and hired himself out to one of the citizens in the country. This is the guy who shows up and says, “hey buddy…I see you just smashed that car…I can get that dent out for you.”

Someone comes in and provides relief for that ache…or at least they promise to provide relief.

I can fix that for you. You need food young man…I’ll give you a job. You can feed my pigs.

Now there are several details here and the main point of them is to show us how far this younger brother has plunged.

His “solution” is to go feed pigs. But his hunger is so great that he longs to eat their food. I guess he couldn’t wait for his paycheck…or maybe…this was the “citizens” solution. Feed my pigs…you can have some of their leftovers...

Those little pods that pigs ate was something that COULD be eaten by humans. These aren’t Tide pods. But it’s a symbol of bitter poverty. You only eat this if you are REALLY desperate. Like broccoli or something.

But there is for this younger brother a prohibition of pork. Pigs were a symbol of being degraded. Eating their food…wow…it’d be like in our culture saying....he ate the thing that even the buzzards weren’t willing to eat.

We’re supposed to see the depth of his plunge. But I want us to pause for a second and look at this from a little different lens. I want us to think about the guy who gives him a job.

Because here is the point. When you and I get to that spot…what am I going to do? Am I going to go back to the father? Am I going to repent? Am I going to confess? Am I going to make things right? Am I going to pursue holiness…a full life in God…?

Those turning points. The crisis of faith.

What I want you to see is that the world will almost ALWAYS show up with an offer of relief.

It’s as old as the Garden of Eden. The first couple tries to find relief with fig leaves…nobody is there I suppose…they don’t have the guy popping out the dent in the car…but there is the voice of the serpent… “You won’t die. You’ll be like God. I’ll take care of you.”

You see it in Jonah…He’s running from God and…the way the author frames it he says, “He found a ship going to Tarshish....” This is one of those “it just so happened.” Jonah is probably thinking.. “Wow, God has helped me out here...”

There just happens to be a boat heading in the exact opposite direction of God’s will. He didn’t build the boat. He didn’t seek it out long. It was already waiting. That’s the world saying, “I can help you stay gone.”

This pattern is repeated so many times in the OT with the Israelites. They get in a mess and sell themselves out to Assyria. To Egypt. To Babylon.

And we even see this appearing in the temptation of Jesus. He’s hungry…and what does the tempter do? I can provide you relief…I’ll give you all the kingdoms…I’ll make you a king. King Jesus…that’s got a good ring to it, doesn’t it? All you’ve go to do is bow down and worship me.

And for the prodigal...The word there for “hired himself out” may not be exactly correct. The word doesn’t just mean “got a job”. It’s a bit stronger. It’s more like, “bind oneself closely to another, unite with, cleave to.”

That’s what always happens. Relief comes with a price. I’ll give you relief and you don’t even have to repent. You don’t have to do that really uncomfortable thing of going back home.

Stay in the far country…I’ll even make you a citizen. What we need to see here is that the world is happy to oblige our rebellion. In fact, that is the bent of the world.

But it’s important that we see this sermon isn’t about “the world” as if the problem is just out there…the issue…friends, the reason why there would even have any hook, any pull, any appeal to us, is because we “leave home”.

AND because we’re afraid to return. And I’m trying to get you to see this isn’t about the really bad guys out there…or the really bad sins…

You have bitterness. The world will happily give you the title of victim and say, “You don’t need to forgive. Just cut them off. Block them. Cancel them. You’re better without them.”

You battle pornography and lust. The world says, “It’s natural. It’s just stress relief. Everyone does it. At least you’re not cheating.” It gives you pleasure without intimacy—and chains you where love would free you.

You convicted about that shopping bill. Or when you rub up against what Jesus says about money and possessions and you feel the emptiness of all of it…and you’re wondering about what going home looks like in this area? Nah, The world says, “Retail therapy. You deserve it. Upgrade. Reinvent yourself.” Treat yo’ self. And you can do it in 4 monthly installments.

Gossip. Nah. “You’re not gossiping, you’re venting. You’re just ‘processing’.” It turns character assassination into a bonding experience.

You realize don’t you that this is the reason why so many get obsessed with politics. You’ve got fear. You’ve got anger. You want to belong. You want a king for yourself. And the world says, “You don’t need to repent—you just need to be on the right side.” You don’t need to deal with your pride, your fear, your bitterness—just aim it at the other guys.

And if you’re angry? Great. We’ve got a platform for that. If you’re scared? Even better—we’ve got someone to blame.

It gives you the feeling of moral clarity without ever having to kneel before Jesus. It offers identity without confession. Belonging without repentance. A fight to join—so you never have to go home.

Sports can fit this category. It gives you meaning, rhythm, identity—all while asking nothing from you but attention. You know something kind of pathetic—I get that some of this is because I’m not “liturgical”…I wasn’t ever really trained on things like a “church calendar”…but I can’t tell you exactly when the season of Epiphany begins or what some of the colors mean or any of those…but my world is directed by the rhythms of sports.

Here is what I want you to see:

The far country has a version of relief for every kind of runaway.

But relief.

Not rescue. Not healing. Not flourishing or celebration or being home.

There’s this little phrase at the end of verse 16. “and no one gave him anything.” It’s ultimately empty. I think some people sadly, never see that. They never have that moment in verse 17 where he “came to himself”.

But they keep going. Keep churning. Keep chasing. If i just try a little harder. I can eventually pop that dent out of the car. I can fix it. I can make it look as good as new.

And we’ve gotten really good at this. But it’s all fig leaves. It’s all hiding. It’s all masking. Trying to hide ourselves from God…and we bind ourselves to other sinners to help us with this game.

I just can’t go home. I can’t admit that the far country wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. And so just keep building and building that house of cards.

Or....

You can go home.

Dude, I backed into your car.

And that’s part of what makes the story of the prodigal so appealing. Because we know how that “Dude, I backed into your car...” story tends to go.

“You did what!!! Oh…we gonna call the police!!!”

Your insurance is going to be raised. You’ll get a ticket for improper backing. Even if you rehearse and have a great speech to give…you know that your repentance is going to mean payment…you’ll have to work off your mistake.

Maybe just maybe you can be accepted as a servant…but you’ll never be a son again. And that’s also part of the message that the world will sell you---

It’s a lie about the Father. It’s a lie about what it will look like to go home. It’s why it feels so hard to go back…because we’re expecting the lecture. We’re expecting the traffic ticket. We’re expecting the crossed arms—the wagging finger—the I told you so’s…the having to work it off…the strained relationship…the part where you feel just absolutely worthless....

And you think you can feel that in the far country just as well. I can be miserable away from God too…and these guys are even willing to provide a little relief.

But oh what a lie that is...

We saw this last week…the prodigal rehearses his speech…and we read in verse 20

He arose and came to his father...

How you expect to be met. Like that that thing where you’ve been feeling that conviction…that ouch…that uncomfortable feeling…and you take it to the father....confess…dude, I back into your car. What do you expect?

Well here is what Jesus says the Father does. And it’s what has the religious leaders all upset...

English Standard Version Chapter 15

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.

He’s not just giving you relief. He’s not throwing out a few pods of pig food for you to munch on to satiate your hunger. He’s giving you a feast!

The world will offer you a job. The Father will give you a name.

The world will let you survive in the far country. The Father will run to restore you.

The far country has famine. The Father’s house has bread.

The far country has a boss. The Father has a table.

--

That is what Jesus is showing us in this parable. He’s saying this is what the kingdom is like. You back into cars…you tell dad…and he celebrates...

What kind of world is this?

And here’s the thing: You can feel miserable in the far country. You can feel convicted. Guilty. Tired. You can even start rehearsing your speech—“Father, I’ve sinned...”

But until you get up and come home… you’re still starving.

And some of us are settling for pig food—when the Father has a feast.

You expect to be punished. You expect a lecture. You expect consequences.

And that’s why grace is so offensive. He doesn’t wait for you to clean up. He doesn’t make you finish the speech. He doesn’t offer a little relief to keep you quiet.

That’s what Jesus is saying the kingdom is like. A world where the guilty get grace. A world where the broken get robes. A world where the Father doesn’t just let you back in—he runs to meet you at the gate.

What kind of world is this?

It’s not the world you’ve been living in. But it’s the world that Jesus is building.

Where are you at today? Are you managing your hunger with the pig food dressed up like provision?

Come home.

So if you're feeling that tug—that ache—that quiet voice saying, “It’s time…”

Don’t ignore it. Don’t settle for survival.

Come home.