Sermon Tone Analysis

PRAYER

“Heavenly Father, when you come to greet us in the midst of our sinful selfishness and take us back, we fall to our knees in worship because of your great mercy.

Move us apart ever and always from our prodigal ways, so that we are so overwhelmed by your love we cannot help but deliver it to others.

In Jesus’ name, amen.”

BREAKING THE ICE

Who do you most identify with in our story?

Why?

Who do you least identify with?

Why?

Who sinned in the story?

What were their sins?

How do they relate to you?

Who, in this story, do you desire to emulate and be most like?

Why?

PSALM/OLD TESTAMENT LESSON:

We hear of King David's angst and heart following when Nathan, the prophet, revealed his sin.

In some liturgies we sing a portion of it.

As you listen, hear not only David's cry and yours, but know that He has heard your confession and has, indeed, forgiven you all your sins!

(1)Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.

(2)Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! (3)For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

(4)Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.

(5)Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

(6)Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

(7)Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

(8)Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.

(9)Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

(10)Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

(11)Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

(12)Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

DIGGING DEEPER

Who is King David addressing in this Psalm?

Why?

Look at verse 4: “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.”

But David sinned against many others here, including Bathsheba and her husband, Uriah; so why does he say that he has sinned only against God?

Verse 5 tells us of the true nature of original sin; that we are conceived and born into it; that it is a part of our very DNA.

What are the implication of that?

Look at verse 8: “let the bones that you have broken rejoice.”

Who “broke” David?

Why is that important?

In verse 10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God,” that word for “create” is the same one used in .

What’s the significance?

Verse 11, “Cast me not away from your presence,” gives the very definition of unforgiveness of sins: separation from God.

Like a fish meant for water, humans are meant to be in the company of God.

What picture of “hell” does that give?

Verse 12, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation,” reminds us that, when forgiven, we should and will have great joy!

Why do we have a difficult time with that at times; especially with “big” sins?

Does God have that issue?

What can we learn from that?

GOSPEL LESSON:

We know this story well; the spoiled brat of a second son; the faithful, but “judge-y,” eldest son; the forgiving father...but there are some other characters in our story from whom we can learn as well.

(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.’

”

DIGGING DEEPER

This parable comes on the heels of two others:

The Parable of the Lost Sheep -

The Parable of the Lost Coin -

The main lesson in all three is “What was lost is found!

what was dead is alive!” - As Jesus uses three parables to get that point across, we would do well to listen!

Verse 12:

How would you have responded to a child who made this kind of request?

If our heavenly Father is tied to this character, does that tell us anything about Him or His nature?

(Or, is that reading too much into the meaning and purpose of the parable itself?)

How would you have felt if your child made a request like this?

As children usually inherit after they die, what does that say about the request from the youngest’s wish on the Father?

Ultimately there are two people in this world: those who, in faith humbly submit to God saying, “Thy will be done” and those, who, out of a hardened heart and through no faith God sadly and reluctantly grants, “fine, thy will be done.”

He will not force faith in His Son upon anyone.

Does that have bearing in this story?

s wish on the Father?

Verse 13: Note that the son goes to a different country; perhaps so he doesn’t have to deal with “pesky” laws and requirements like those in Israel.

What might some of those be?

Note that the son goes to a different country; perhaps so he doesn’t have to deal with “pesky” laws and requirements like those in Israel.

What might some of those be?

Verse 14:

He didn’t leave anything to live upon.

What was his plan for the rest of his life?!

How foolish!