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Below are the notes from Pastor Ross's 5 most recent sermons.
June 6, 2010
Scripture Reference: Luke 9.18-25
Sermon Notes: Deny yourself. That doesn't sound like much fun. Deny yourself. What does that actually mean? Which part or parts of us should we deny? It probably doesn't mean that I should deny the part of me that needs a drink of water. If I did that, it wouldn’t take long and I'd be in trouble. Deny yourself is not an easy thing. I think it's especially hard to do it in a manner that is godly, that reflects the character of Christ and is consistent with what it means that as humans, we are created in the image of God and are to reflect that image.
This morning I want to continue in our series on Living Like Jesus. The foundational idea we have been working with is that trying to live like Jesus can be like stepping out of church this morning, and trying to run a marathon. It would be next to impossible for most of us. However running a marathon this afternoon might be possible for someone like Dave Goosen, who has spent countless hours and months and years training to do that.
It makes sense then, that if it is our goal to live like Jesus, that we should engage in training, that we should engage in disciplines that invite us to practice that life.
Early on in our series, I laid out my working definition of a disciplined person. A disciplined person is someone who can do the right thing, at the right time, in the right way, with the right spirit.
I've also highlighted that Spiritual disciplines emphasise the fact that we are spiritual creatures and as followers of Jesus, we have been given God’s Spirit to empower us to live rightly. Part of our growth as believers is to come to grow in our awareness of God's Spirit within us.
In order to help us think about self-denial this morning, I want to talk a bit more about who we are as human beings. In the Genesis account, we learn that humans are created in God's image. This means we are very much like little replicas of who God is. God created us so that when we are living in a healthy way, we should be demonstrating who and what God is like.
Over the centuries, pastors, scholars, and theologians have debated what exactly it means that we bear God's image. Does it mean that because we have fingernails, a nervous system and a personality that God has all of these things? Or does it simply mean that these things tell us quite a bit about God’s character - kind of like the rest of creation also tells us about God’s character?
I don't intend to try to answer these questions this morning. But what I do want to do is make an observation about what it means to be human that relates directly to the disciplines of self-denial.
As humans, God created us with needs or longings. We might also refer to these as 'appetites'. At our most basic level, we have can talk about our appetite for water and food. Without these two very basic things, we cannot be healthy. And if you deny your appetite for food or water for too long, it may result in physical death. God created us with the need to drink and eat. This appetite is a good thing.
At a more complex level, God created us with the longing to be together with other people and to have the affirmation of that experience. One of the startling and sad ways in which we have learned how vital human interaction is, is in learning what happens to babies that are completely neglected. In settings like overcrowded and understaffed orphanages or in the case of complete neglect by negligent parents where newborn children have been starved of human interaction for too long, even if they have sufficient nutrition, we know that a child will simply loose the will to live and die. Their need for human interaction is that significant.
A healthy human also have a longing to love and be loved. We have a longing to make a significant contribution to our world. One might say that like our creator, we have a longing to make a creative contribution to the world we live in. Most of us also have a longing to feel good. We would like to avoid pain, discouragement and other unpleasant emotional and mental experiences.
With all of these appetites, longings and needs, you can imagine that we are very good at figuring out ways to satisfy or fulfill those needs. And fulfilling our God given longings can be a good thing. In fact, I believe that this is exactly what God wants for us as well. Jesus said, "I have come that you might have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10).
Because we are sinful creatures, we have a bent towards doing our own thing, having our own way. One of the ways we express this the most is when we serve our appetites and longings, rather than choosing to serve God and follow God's Spirit. Sometimes we serve our appetites consciously. Sometimes it is something we do without fully realizing it.
Let me give you some illustrations of this. Eve eats the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge because it looks very desirable to her. She resonates with an appetite for it and for the knowledge of good and evil it might supply. She’s hungry for more knowledge, so she follows her appetite.
A Christian man has a hunger to feel good. One of the things that he is aware makes him feel really good and alive, is when he is sexually excited. Sexual excitement is a rush for him. In his hunger for those good feeling, he pursues engaging in sexual activity that he knows is wrong, but does it anyway. He is serves his appetite to feel good.
A woman has a hunger for the love and approval of others. Out of her hunger for this love and approval she will go to extraordinary lengths to serve others and do everything she possibly can to please them. Her worst fear is displeasing others. Out of her hunger for love and approval, she spends incredible energy in trying to fulfill that hunger for love. When she burns out from all her hard work, she is commended for her servant heart when all along it has been her appetite for approval that has been the thing she has been serving.
A man is praised for how organized and together he is. Everything in his life seems to be in order and near to perfect. His life is seen to be evidence of godliness. What is not seen is the fact that he is a man who has a compulsive need to be in control of almost everything around him. He is so controlling, that those closest to him struggle with how he tries to control their lives as well.
Notice in each of these examples, that there is nothing wrong with the appetite. God created us as curious creatures designed to learn and grow. God created us as sexual beings and designed us to enjoy our sexuality in rich and fulfilling ways. God created us to love and be loved and calls us to serve. God creates us to order our world and demonstrate the spiritual fruit of self control. All of these are good things. But all of these longings and desires can become the appetites that we serve.
It is for this reason that one of the most important spiritual disciplines for followers of Jesus to practice is self denial. Let me suggest a definition of the spiritual discipline of self denial. Self denial is the conscious choice to practice the denial of a God given, legitimate appetite or longing, for the purpose of strengthening our dependence on God and walking by faith in him.
While self control as a fruit of the spirit is the ability to act in a spirit disciplined manner, self denial is the choice to intentionally deny ourselves of God given appetites.
Disciplines of self denial include fasting - denying our appetite for food from a while. Silence and solitude are disciplines of self denial that choose to separate ourselves from talk and noise and other people for a while. We may practice the denial of our sexual appetites or our appetites for a whole host of other things in our lives. Note that in many cases, while practicing self denial may be a good discipline, the goal is not to make our appetites disappear or deny we have appetites. If we practice self-denial of food or water indefinitely, we may quickly become very unhealthy. That's not the kind of life God wants for us either. Paul also warns against the prolonged denial of the sexual longings of married couples. Sexual intimacy is a God given gift that is to be enjoyed. Attempts to deny that we are sexual creatures with sexual longings denies who God created us to be.
So why, or in what way is self-denial a spiritual discipline. Let me suggest one key answer to that question.
As God's creatures, as followers of Jesus it is our belief that we are created to reflect God’s character and to serve him as Lord and master. This means that our first allegiance is to him. Each of us has a tendency towards sin, it is a tendency towards doing our own thing, to be in control of our own life.
Self-denial as a spiritual discipline is the practice of saying, 'for a time I will put aside this appetite, this longing in my life as a way of saying that my first longing, my first need, my first desire is to seek first God's rule in my life and in the world around me. The goal of such discipline is to nurture and strengthen our personal practice of making God first in everything we do.
Note that the goal of self denial is not to try and deny or get rid of our longing and desires. God created us to have good longings and desires. The goal of self denial is to fully acknowledge that I have this longing, this appetite but I choose to put it aside and make following Jesus my first appetite. When we practice this kind of self denial, what happens is that we actually become more aware of how God created us to have longings and desires. This self awareness is a great thing.
One of the most important reasons that kind of self awareness is a great thing is because when temptations arise, temptations to indulge our longings and desires in ungodly ways, we can come to realize that our temptation comes from an appetite – most likely a God given appetite. When we have practiced denying our appetites, we are able to apply that same self-discipline to denying the temptation to give in to our appetite in ungodly ways.
Let me illustrate this. Let’s take the example of someone who lives with the ongoing drive to please other people. This is not an uncommon struggle. I can identify deeply with a desire to please others. God created me with a longing to be loved and I receive great pleasure when I feel like I’m loved or liked.
When I am tempted to do something to get the approval of others, I have to ask “Why am I so tempted to do this thing?” Why am I tempted to do things that will please others, even if I know they aren’t really what I should do? In that situation, I need to choose to deny the temptation to please others. I am much more likely to have success at denying temptation if I have already had training and practiced healthy self-denial.
The discipline of self denial is a biblical discipline that is completely counter-cultural. We live in a world that encourages us to indulge ourselves. Sometimes the indulgence is disguised as discipline. We can have a great looking body if we discipline our self with a rigorous exercise routine and diet. That sounds like a good thing, but what is the underlying appetite for a great looking body? Ultimately isn’t that a desire to have other people be impressed with us or to be impressed with ourselves?
Our consumer culture encourages us to indulge our selves, to acquire more luxuries, more forms of entertainment, and more gismos which are all centered on our selfish desires.
Jesus’ radical statement into that kind of a world is this: Do you really want to live? Do you really want to follow me? Here’s where you start – self denial. Learn to rule over your appetites, rather than having them determine your next move. Learn to nurture your appetite to be connected to me, living by my Spirit and you’ll learn what real life is like.
So here is my question. Are you making a practice any form of self denial? Do you think it might be a good thing to try? Jesus seems to think so and so do I.
Here’s my suggestion. Like any training program, it’s not wise to start by running 5 miles if you haven’t been running for 5 years. So start with some smaller steps. I invite you to consider what God given appetite you have, that you would like to practice denying from time to time. One of the simple and most basic ones may be food. Choose some way to fast, not with the purpose of loosing weight, but with the intention of learning self-denial. When you fast and experience hunger, practice saying “God I’m hungry for food. I choose now to deny that hunger and I want to tell you that I am most hungry for you. Teach me how to satisfy myself with the Bread of Life”.
There are many God given appetites that we can choose to practice self denial with. If God were asking inviting you into the discipline of self denial, would you be willing to begin training?
I’d like to take a moment of silence to consider this question.
May 30, 2010
Scripture Reference: Matthew 3:1-5
Sermon Notes: Two shepherds, an uncle and his nephew stood on a mountain ridge and reflected on where their journey had led them and where they must now go. Both were successful herdsman - successful to the point where their herds had grown quite large. Two herds, two groups of herdsmen, each seeking the best pasture in order to please their masters. It had all the ingredients for a major falling out if something wasn't done.
The elder shepherd, the uncle reflected on what to do. He knew that he was the one in power. He was older, he was richer, and he had more men with which to fight if it came to that. But he had experienced great material blessing. He was learning to be as generous as God had been to him.
As the two looked over the land, a natural dividing line lay before them. That line was a river. Jordan - the word meaning "the descender" - was a river whose water came from the snow capped heights of Mt. Hermon in the north and flowed south and downward to almost half a kilometre below sea level into the Great Salt Sea in the south.
The Uncle spoke: "Let there be no strife between your herders and my herders; for we are family. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you take the right hand, I will go to the left".
The nephew looked at the land to the east of the Jordan. It was a rich land with good pasture. He was thinking only of himself when he chose what appeared to be the better land. So Lot moved east and Abraham stayed on the West, in the hilly country of Canaan. On that day, the Jordan River became a dividing line for God's people.
Travel forward in time some 750 years. Abraham’s descendants have grown to the millions. They’ve been on a long journey and now they stand at the dividing line - The River. Moses has died, Joshua has been appointed as ruler. His mission: to go into the river, come out on the other side and enter the promised land, a place where the children of Abraham and Sarah, the children of Isaac and Rebecca, the Children of Israel will be invited to live out their calling as God’s people.
The morning of the crossing the nation gathered along the bank of the Jordan. It was flood season and the river was flowing fast and hard - a dangerous and fearful sight for a people that had wandered in desert for 40 years.
Joshua looked at the priests who carried between them the Ark of the Covenant - a golden box which symbolized God’s presence among His. He shouted the command to move forward, fearful but faithfully the Levites obeyed.
As they stood in the water the people watched in fear. Then the noticed the priests were no longer in the water. Something happened. They took a few more steps, this time going a bit deeper. Once again they stopped and once again, they seemed to rise out of the water - or was it that the river was sinking?
Bit by bit, the waters of the Jordan went lower and lower. Bit by bit the priests stepped in further. When they got to the middle of the river, standing in the muddy bottom, they stood there, watching and waiting as millions of people - the children of Israel, the children of God went down into the Jordan and crossed over to the other side. The Promised Land, the dwelling place of God. The place where they would live out what it meant to be his people and he their God.
Travel ahead in time once again. From the time of Joshua and Israel crossing the River add on about 1400 years of turbulent history. God’s people, the nation of Israel, aren’t doing very well. In fact, they have failed miserably in their efforts to live in a love relationship with the God who loved them and gave them a home and a hope and a future. Prophets rose up in Israel to warn them, to tell them they were like a prostitute who goes after other lovers when in fact, they have the best lover in the world - a God who loves them and invites them into a love relationship.
One of those prophets talked of a voice calling out in the wilderness; a voice that would prepare the way for the Lord. John the baptizer grew up in the wilderness. A miraculous child, born to barren parents, he lived his life in the barrens of the Judean wilderness.
John was a mighty preacher. When he preached, people’s hearts burned within them. When he preached, people were convicted of their sin. When he preached, he did something that was laden with meaning. He called people back to the river. The Jordan River wasn’t simply a convenient body of water that John could use. It was a body of water that had deep and significant meaning in the life and history of God’s people. It was a dividing line, firstly for Abraham and Lot and then for Joshua and God's people.
The Jordan River was a place of fulfilment, a place where God's promises were brought to their fullness. It was a place for healing, healing for all nations. For it was to the river that Elisha sent Naaman the Aramonite to go and wash seven times. It was in the Jordan that Naaman received his healing.
Above all the Jordan River was the place of new beginnings. John invited people to a new beginning. He invited them to go into the waters and die to their old way of life. He invited them to come up out of the waters and enter into a new way, a new kingdom; a kingdom of peace and justice and love.
It was into the Jordan that Jesus stepped and said to John,
"Baptise me". Jesus is the source of new beginnings, the one who creates and re-creates all things new. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the end. When Jesus stepped into the waters of Baptism, he announced something new. He announced a new Kingdom and with it a new covenant. He travelled out to the wilderness to the River that Israel knew as the dividing line, the place where old things were left behind, and new things began.
Megan, Alana, Susan, Rebecca, Julianne, Loren, and Michelle, this morning I invite you to the River. While we don't have a real river in our sanctuary here, we do have water. And while we don't have a deep body of water for you to go down into, we will ask you to humbly go down on your knees as I sprinkle on you the waters of Baptism.
These waters represent a dividing line. Abraham said, "Choose which way you will go". Joshua said, "Choose for yourselves today, whom you will serve". John’s message was that the Kingdom of God is here, so choose whether you will serve the kingdoms of this world or the kingdom of God. In saying yes to Baptism, you are making a choice to go the way of Jesus, to die to self, to be alive in Jesus and have God's Spirit live in and thru you. You are making a choice to receive the love of Jesus that washes away all our sins and makes us whiter than snow. It's a great choice to make. We are rejoicing with you as you take this step.
And to all of you, the people of God, family and friends; I invite you to come to the River. If you have been baptised, then I invite you to a prayerful participation in your heart, reaffirming your own commitment to leaving behind an old life and living out a new life in Christ. I invite you to a prayerful participation with those being baptised by asking God to help us live out together, the truth that in our baptism we are adopted into the community of God.
To those of you who may not yet have been baptised, I invite you to watch and to consider what these 7 women are giving witness to. I invite you to consider if the Spirit of God may not be nudging you to also consider following the command of Jesus to be baptised as a sign of your commitment to following Him.
The River is a dividing line. It is a place of new beginnings. It is a place of cleansing and healing. It is a place of dying to the old and becoming alive to the new. Brothers and sisters, let's go now to the river.
May 23, 2010
Scripture Reference: Ephesians 5:15-21
Sermon Notes: I wonder what runs thru our collective minds when we hear a message is going to be on the topic of 'submission'.
In my experience trying to talk about 'submission' is a bit like walking thru a minefield. The idea of submission has been frequently abused in many aspects of human history. Whether it is the forced submission of political and military powers or the cultural and religious ideologies that teach the submission of those of a specific gender - usually female - submission certainly carries with it very sorted meanings.
The rub in submission comes when you consider the corresponding concept of authority. If someone is going to practice submission then they will be submitting to some kind of authority. If you have ever had the experience of trying to submit to an unjust authority - or at least someone whom you thought was unjust or unwise - you know it’s not an easy thing.
Talking about submission as a leader in the church, is also a difficult thing because one can legitimately ask the question as to whether such a message isn't self-serving. I know I have listened to messages on submitting to leadership, which felt very much to me what was being emphasizing the authority of the one preaching and the duty of others to submit to that authority - a very awkward message to preach.
In spite of the minefield around the concept of submission, it is a profoundly biblical and important idea that every believer must grapple with, especially if we are committed to living like Jesus. And so this morning I want to do just that.
Let me begin by telling you a bit about the word submission. The Greek word translated as 'submission' comes from a military term that means to order of arrange properly. It is concerned with the right "lining up" or alignment of troops for battle. The implication is that anyone who is in submission is properly lined up, ready to function as a unit. The particular emphasis of the word submission has to do with being placed or voluntarily placing yourself under the authority of another. To submit is to place yourself under authority.
Now let's take a look at the text that was read this morning.
The first thing I want to point out, is that in ending on verse 21, the verse that says, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ", I have ended at a place that is in the Greek is partway thru a sentence. The very next verse - verse 22 begins to illustrate what it means to submit by talking about wives submitting to their husbands. I’ve been very intentional in stopping at verse 21 because it is vital we understand this verse if we are to understand the several verses that Paul writes to illustrate what it means to submit to one another.
So let's examine what Paul says. Firstly, I want to suggest that the organization of this text looks like this. Beginning in verse 18, Paul's main point is to be filled with the spirit. Recall that as we've been talking about Spiritual disciplines, we've been talking about how to train to live according to the Spirit of God that lives and dwells in us. Paul's command to be filled is another way of saying this very thing.
Then Paul goes on to give some examples of what that might look like; "a speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit. b. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 c. always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And d. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."
I've talked about what submitting literally means - lining up under the authority of another. The second term that is of key importance is also found in verse 21 and it is the word "one-another". In the Greek this phrase is a signal word that literally means, 'each one to the other one'. When it is combined with a verb it implies that each one is to carry out that action with the other one. The one-another commands in scripture are commands that define our responsibilities within the body of Christ. We are to love one another, honor one another, instruct, serve, greet, bear with, encourage and do many other good things to one another.
If we put these two terms together it's almost as if Paul creates a self-contradicting statement. "Submit each one to the other one." Imagine what it would look like if this command were given to a military unit. "Line yourselves up in order, each one of you placing yourself underneath all the rest." To arrange themselves in some form of physical formation would be impossible.
But in his command to be Spirit filled by submitting one to another, Paul isn't talking about how we should line up on the battle field. He is talking about the mindset that each one, each member of the body of Christ is to have toward the other one, each other member of the body of Christ. The attitude that each one of us is to have is that "I am to submit to each other member of the body of Christ".
Keeping in mind that this is a 'one-another command', we observe that Paul then goes on to illustrate what this means in some key relationships - especially relationships where his social and cultural context has established clear lines of authority that Paul challenges. In Paul's setting, husbands always have authority over wives. Parents always have authority over children. Masters always have authority over slaves. But because of the 'one-another' nature of the body of Christ, husbands, parents, and masters are also to practice submission. Submission is a 'one-another' enterprise. Further on in this Ephesians text one another submission looks like this:
Submitting one to another. 5:21-6:9
i) Wives to Husbands (22-24) and Husbands to Wives (25-33)
ii) Children to Parents (6:1-3) and Parents to Children (4)
iii) Slaves to Masters (6:5-8) and Masters to Slaves (9)
The most important observation that we must make from this text is that in the body of Christ, in the church one of the very important evidences of living Spirit-filled lives, is the practice of one-another submission.
This truth is beautifully illustrated by Jesus, who practices submission to others in the way he lived. The clearest illustration of that practice is in the upper room, where Jesus washed the disciples' feet. Jesus bowed down and acted as servant to the disciples. In his explanation of what he had done he talks to the disciples about his authority. Listen to this:
John 13:12-17 (TNIV)
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13 "You call me ‘Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet."
Here Jesus mentions that he is in a position of authority over them. He is their teacher and Lord. And what does Jesus do with the authority. He turns it upside down by getting on his knees - a posture of submission - and doing the work of a servant - someone whose job description is to submit to the wishes of one in authority over him. Notice also in the last line of v.17 Jesus urges them to do this same thing to 'one-another'.
It is easier to talk about being a servant, than to talk about submission. As a church, as Anabaptists, we believe in the importance of being a servant. We highlight that the quality of leadership that is very important to us, is servant leadership, and well it should be.
But to talk about submission is harder, because if we will venture to practice true submission, we will have to grapple with the question of authority. To whom are we willing to give authority to in our lives?
Now authority is a loaded word and so let me acknowledge that there are many levels or types of authority. We are fairly clear about how children should submit to the authority of their parents, but good parents will also submit to the authority that they give their children. When we say to our children, "what would you like to do together" we give them some decision making authority. When we make our children a priority in how we spend our time, we give them authority in our lives. On the other hand, we don't give children the authority to order us around like we are their slaves. This isn't a type of serving that is helpful for children.
Submitting becomes even more complicated when we talk about submission in the church. Let me ask you this question. Do you have a mindset of submitting to others within the church? I'm not at all talking about a blind or unconditional "I'll do whatever this person or this group tells me to do", but I am talking about making a choice to accept the authority of others.
I'd like to tell you some lessons that I have learned about practicing submission. I was once pastor in a church that had indicated that it was looking for good strong pastoral leadership.
Things began well and I was excited to be able to use what I saw as my gifts. As time went on, I discovered - particularly amongst the key leadership group - an ongoing struggle because the congregation didn't seem willing to follow their lead. What was interesting in this struggle is that as I got to know and work with the church leadership, it was also my sense that the key leadership group was very reluctant to follow my lead. Essentially, we were a church with people in leadership positions that all felt as if they had not been empowered with real authority to lead.
From time to time I would make comments about the reluctance within the congregation to follow leadership. I even made comments about the reluctance to follow pastoral leadership. As you can imagine, those comments came across as being very self-serving. I would say they had very little effect in making change.
I found myself in a frustrating place and as I was trying to figure out how this culture of great reluctance to practice followership of any kind might change. It then occurred to me, that if a congregation was quite weak in practicing submission and followership, perhaps it was because it hadn’'t had leadership who modeled that very behavior. It struck me that even though I was in leadership, this didn't mean I was excluded from the spirit-filled practice of submitting one to another.
Upon realizing this, I began to look for leadership that I believed would be good to submit to. When I saw that someone had an idea or a gift in a certain area, I worked to support that person and to say to them with sincerity, "I would love to follow your leadership in that idea". The effect was amazing. All of a sudden, leaders began to emerge and blossom in our church. As I practiced continued affirmation of leaders and empowered them with my support, with my ‘submission’ to their leadership in the ministry area they were passionate about I became a much more effective leader. It is a lesson I still seek to practice today.
Another practice of submission I’ve built into my life came out of some of my early observation of pastors. I noticed that at sometimes pastors get themselves into trouble and are unwilling to consider the council of anyone who might suggest they are wrong. It can be very awkward for a church to tell a pastor they are wrong, but the truth is that sometimes a pastor needs to hear this very thing.
As I considered this dilemma, it occurred to me that it would be important to me to make sure I am always in a relationship with someone who knows me well and whose wisdom and authority I respect. In fact, it occurred to me that I needed to make sure that I always had a mentor, or conference minister or someone like that who if they said to me, "Ross, you are wrong in this instance and you need to acknowledge it and change course", I would submit to their counsel. Building these kinds of relationships into my life has been of great benefit to me. This is true not only because of the safety net such people provide for me. It has also been true because in building these relationships I have benefitted from the wisdom and accountability I receive. By the way, one such current relationship for me is with Muriel Bechtel our MCEC conference minister.
Our society emphasizes individual rights and freedoms. Our consumer culture emphasizes that we deserve to be pampered and served - that we deserve the good life and why wait when we can get it now for 0% financing.
But none of these messages nurture a spirit-filled, one-another submission - a choice and a decision to allow others within the body of Christ to have significant authority in our lives.
Let me finish with three suggestions and one caution about submission.
1. Submission is not the unquestioned following of others. In fact, if you ever hear someone suggesting you ought to submit without any questions or dialogue, take that as a red flag. Such a suggestion does not follow in the spirit of being a one-another community. In fact as Mennonite/Anabaptists we believe in taking council and discerning together.
2. If we only submit to those who are perfect and right all the time, we'll most likely never practice submission. Submission means we will need to practice forgiveness and grace with those we submit too.
3. Some of Jesus most amazing fruit came from submission. He nurtured 12 apostles by in part by practicing mutual submission with them. He also produced salvation available for all by submitting to the earthly authority of the Jewish and Roman world. One another submission yields amazing fruit within the Body of Christ.
One word of caution - an important one.
If you are someone who struggles deeply with liking yourself or loving yourself, it can be easy to choose to submit out of a sense of inadequacy or self worthlessness. This is not a spirit filled submission. In fact it is an oppressive, destructive kind of submission. If the idea of practicing one-another submission seems onerous or oppressive to you, it may be that you need to experience some inner healing before submission becomes a rich and rewarding experience. It may be that you have been deeply wounded by experiences of the misuse of power or authority. If this is the case for you, I'd encourage you to explore paths to receiving that healing. I'd be happy to talk to you about possible ways to begin on that journey.
Spirit filled, one another submission is one of the most powerful and amazing disciplines the Body of Christ can practice. It builds others up, it nurtures humility in all of us. It encourages us to be servants. It confronts our world with the opposite spirit of a 'me first' kind of existence. As we practice and train in this kind of mutual submission, may God's Kingdom grow in and around us.
May 2, 2010
Scripture Reference: John 17
Sermon Notes: We live in a world where we have more conveniences, more access to quick and easy technology than ever before. When our friends and family travel to the other side of the globe, we can talk with them in an instant. When we want entertainment that cost hundreds of millions to make, we simply have to turn on our DVD player and slip in a movie disc. If we want to learn about almost anything, we simply have to type the question into an internet search engine and wait a second while thousands of pieces of information appear on our screen.
Isn't it interesting though, that for all the incredible technology and conveniences we have here in North America, that we aren't any happier. In fact the percentages of people who struggle with conditions such as depression are higher than they've ever been. For all the promises of advertisers that we can slap our troubles away and live a sham-wow life, we haven-t become happier and we don't judge our lives to be that much better.
Perhaps the most harmful aspect of our society with all its technology and conveniences is that it promotes the idea that anything worthwhile can be acquired at once. We are inclined to think that quick and efficient is the best route to go in many of our choices. This approach to life makes for poor results, especially when we apply it to our spiritual journey. It is amazing how many of us have managed to turn our Christian faith into something that we have added on to our lives, fit into our schedule, because it’s probably a good idea.
It is also amazing that we can do that because Jesus preached that following him was all or nothing. It is a costly commitment around which your whole life must revolve. You've fooled yourself if you think that coming to church on Sunday while somehow magically make you into a faithful follower of Jesus and transform your life and personality into something that the world observes and says of you, "Wow. You are different. You have something that I want. You live the kind of life I’d love to have. How can I do that"?
The truth is that in North America most of those outside the church look at those who attend church and observe "Going to church doesn’t really seem to make a difference. In fact, it highlights how hypocritical those so-called Christians are."
In this series on Living Like Jesus, I am building on a foundation that if we are serious about becoming like Jesus, we’ll have to do more than try. We’ll have to train. It will take discipline. That's what a disciple does - practices discipline. In particular, because we are spiritual beings and because God’s spirit lives in us, we’'l need to focus on disciplines that allow that Spirit to continually change us. Just as regular bodily exercise increases our physical capacities, so also regular spiritual exercise increases our spiritual capacity and character.
A second foundation that I am building on is that Jesus is truly our example for how we should live. As most of you have already heard me say, I understand that when he took on human form, Jesus emptied himself of what it means to be God. He didn't walk around with all the fullness of being all knowing and all powerful. In fact, the scriptures teach that he learned obedience; he grew in wisdom and stature. These things imply that as a human, Jesus learned just as we here learn.
One aspect of Jesus life that illustrates his humanity the most is his prayer life. Jesus prayed. He did it often. He did it at crucial times. He prayed as a human. He didn't pray like he was talking to himself. In fact, this morning I want to suggest that what we learn from Jesus life is that his prayer relationship with God was a discipline that Jesus constantly worked at and was hugely significant in how Jesus was able to do what he could do. I want to suggest that if we want to be like Jesus, to live and love in the power of Jesus, there are no shortcuts around the discipline of prayer.
Let's take a look at some scripture texts in order to lay a foundation for what I want to say about prayer. Firstly from the text read this morning. From John 17 a key point that I want to highlight is from v. 22 "I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one - I in them and you in me - so that they may be brought to complete unity."
There is nothing that makes two people one like a deep, intimate, ongoing relationship like significant communication. While communication certainly includes words, it also includes feelings, visual cues, rhythms, watching and sensing.
Dawn and I have enjoyed being married for almost 29 years. In that time our friendship continues to grow. Sometimes it is amazing to us how one of us will say something or suggest something only to discover the other one was about to make the same comment. This dynamic seems to happen more and more the longer we live together. There are ways in which we continue to become one simply because we have related to each other for year, after year, after year. We both know a lot about the other because of the time we’ve intentionally spent together and communicated with each other. There is no other way to produce this kind of oneness in a marriage relationship. It makes sense that there is no other way to produce this kind of oneness in our relationship with God. This is in fact, what Jesus prays for in John 17 - that we would experience a oneness with God that can only happen as we communicate with him, day after day, month after month, year after year.
Let's take a look at some other scriptures that tell us about Jesus prayer life. I’ll use Luke's gospel seeing as we’ve just spent lots of time there. Did you notice how often Luke tells us about Jesus praying?
Luke 3:21 (TNIV)
21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened.
As he was praying heaven was opened. One could make the conclusion that heaven was opened for Jesus as a reward for the good praying he was doing. Kind of like a formula. You pray enough and you'll get visions.
I think another possibility exists. I believe that when Jesus prayed, he isn't simply doing the talking. In fact, I believe that Jesus spent as much time in reflective listening as he did talking when he prayed. I believe this because as I have learned about those who seem to develop a significant prayer life, one of the things I notice the most, is that their prayer shifts from lots of words and requests, to lots of listening, being still, seeking the voice and heart of God.
I want to suggest that heaven was opened on this occasion, exactly because Jesus was in a prayerful posture of open listening. Let's look at some other texts to see if this idea warrants our consideration.
Luke 5:15-16 (TNIV)
15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
This passage is an amazing one. Essentially what is going on here is that there is a massive need for the gifts and ministry that Jesus can offer. Jesus has a gift to heal the sick and who of us, if we had his gift, would turn down praying for sick people and healing them. I’d have a hard time doing that. Wouldn't you?
The fact that Jesus often withdrew to pray, suggests some things doesn't it? It suggests that Jesus had discovered that praying must be a priority over meeting needs that he was gifted to meet. That's an amazing discovery if you think about it.
I don't know about you, but when I have a really cool gift to offer, and someone has a significant need of my gifts, it feels really good to use that gift and offer it to them. It feels like I’m doing what God created me to do. Serving others is profoundly rewarding. But is it the most important thing for us to do?
Do you remember the definition that I gave some weeks ago about a disciplined person? A disciplined person does the right thing, at the right time, in the right way, in the right spirit.
Without the constant talk and communication with God, without taking time to listen and be quiet in the presence of God, it is too easy to do what we believe is the right thing without giving attention to the right time, or the right way or the right spirit. The bible is full of do's and don'ts. It is full of lists of right things to do. But living as Jesus lived isn't simply about doing the right things. It is about learning to follow God with regards to right timing, right ways, and right spirit. None of these things can be nurtured in our life without prayer. As Jesus goes often to prayer, he no doubt is seeking his Father's wisdom on when to heal, when to preach, when to spend time with the disciples alone as he nurtures their leadership gifts. Jesus said in John, "I can only do what I see the Father doing". He knew he had to seek God in prayer to discover what it is the Father might want to do.
Notice also in this verse that Jesus went to lonely places to pray. No distractions. No other noises. No other work calling for his attention. Notice also that very important word - often, often, often.
Luke 6:11-13 (TNIV)
12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:
I have a question for you. When Jesus chose the twelve apostles, was it because he already knew who they were going to be? What this text suggests is that Jesus choices came out of a night spent in prayer. What I would suggest is that Jesus took plenty of time to seek for and listen to the heart of his father with regards to the right group of people whom he was to appoint as leaders for the church that was to be birthed. His choices would determine the future of the history of world, right from the bumbling fisherman renamed Peter, to the disillusioned zealot Judas.
I don't believe Jesus simply knew who to choose. I think he sought God on this matter and that it was important enough to give himself a night of prayer to seek and listen to God.
Luke 9:18 (TNIV)
18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say I am?"
This verse is simply interesting. Why does Luke include the information that it was when Jesus was praying in private that he suddenly decides to ask the question "Who do the crowds say I am"? Why does Luke include this?
I don't know the complete answer to that question. But let me make an observation. The most important thing I think Luke wants us to know is that Jesus question comes out of his time of prayer. Doesn't it make you wonder what it is he heard or sensed in his praying? Did he find he was insecure about who he was? Did Jesus know that it was time to test the disciples on their understanding of who he was? Did Jesus know from his prayer time that the time was now right, that he should now begin the journey towards Jerusalem and the fateful events that would occur there? Did he sense the Spirit's prompting to begin telling the disciples about what his fate would be in Jerusalem? All of these are possibilities.
But whatever happened in that time of prayer, notice the most important part of it. Jesus was led from prayer into the next action step he should take. If Jesus lived like that, it would be a good discipline for us to learn don’t you think?
Luke 9:28-29 (TNIV)
28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.
Again, notice the relationship between Jesus praying, and God revealing himself. On this occasion it was a revelation for both Jesus and those who looked on. It happened as he was praying. I don't think this is a coincidence. I do think Luke is showing us the significant things that happen when we pray.
Luke 11:1 (TNIV)
1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."
Let me repeat my observation a few weeks ago when I preached on this text. This is the only record of the disciples asking Jesus to teach them something. They ask him to teach them to pray. I want to suggest that by this time, the disciples had noticed that the reason Jesus was able to do what he did, was because his life flowed out of prayer. The disciples want to learn to pray in this way as well.
Luke 22:41 (TNIV)
41 He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed,
This story happens in the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus' anguished prayers while in the garden reveal a lot to us about his prayer life. It is clear in the garden, that he's praying because he genuinely needs the power of God to help him thru what is about to happen. Once again I would note that if Jesus still had all of the power and knowledge of God, if he had not emptied himself of those things, his time in the garden could have been spent in a conversation with himself. That conversation could have sounded something like this. "Ok, I know this next 24 hours is going to be hard and painful, but I'm God and I've got all his power and besides I know all about the future and so I know I’m going to make it thru. It won’t be that bad. Just need to get myself psyched up."
But Jesus doesn't pray anything like that does he. Instead he prays out of a fear that makes him sweat blood. He prays out of an anguish that causes him to beg the Father 3 times, "If there is any other way, please let this cup pass from me". Jesus had lived in such a way that he knew that at the hour of his death, what he needed most was to spend time in prayer, seeking strength for his last hours.
So those are some passages where we get a glimpse into the discipline of prayer as Jesus practiced it. I want to highlight what I think is the most important part of Jesus prayer life.
I believe that the most important part of Jesus prayer life is that in it, he developed the discipline of listening to God. Listening to God.
We are taught from the time we are young to pray with words of thanks, with our requests and supplications. We are most often taught that praying is about speaking. While praying is about talking and communicating with God, I believe the most significant thing we can learn in prayer, is to hear the voice of God. One of the most underdeveloped aspects of the spiritual character of many believers in North America today, is learning to listen to God's Spirit.
I believe that we have not done well at developing the patience needed for listening in prayer because it takes too much time. We want quick results. We'd much prefer a vending machine approach where we plug in a quick prayer and get the candy bar or cup of coffee or help for what ails us.
Can you imagine what an intimate marriage relationship would be like if all we did was ask for things, express thanks, add some words of praise? It wouldn't be the worst of relationships, but if we never take time to be quiet and listen, if we never take time to look and observe and reflect on the character of the one we’re married too, our relationship won’t go very deep.
I believe that God is in no hurry when it comes to spending time with us. He seems content to spend long periods of time being quiet with us. It almost seems to me that he wants us to do the same.
How is your prayer life? Is communicating with God at the center of who you are and how you want to live your life? Or does your prayer life reflect that you view God as someone to compliment, thank, and then ask for the things you want? Does prayer really not make that much difference if you do it or if you don’t or is your desire to live by God's spirit so compelling that you feel completely out of sorts if you don't get to pray.
I confess to you that too often I have viewed prayer with a quick fix, consumer mentality. Too seldom have I given myself to the discipline of generous time being quiet and listening in God's presence.
St Francis of Assisi once coined a famous phrase, "Preach to Gospel all times and if necessary, use words". In our day of instant everything, I wonder if we need to hear the words. "Pray always and often and if necessary, use words".
Let me offer some basic suggestions for training in prayer.
1. If you haven’t really been praying and are convicted this morning to re-engage in your prayer life, don't jump in and try a marathon. Don't determine to try praying way more than you are used to. My suggestion is to choose a goal that is small and determine to work at that goal for a few months. So for example, if you have not been in the habit of spending quiet time in prayer, being still in God's presence, then decide to try it for 3 or 5 minutes a few times a week or every day. Once you have done that for a couple of months, decide whether you are ready to make any increase. Learning to pray, and listen, and grow in that discipline is a process that takes years and years.
Second suggestion; learn to pray with a pen and paper. I find that journaling, writing things out is one of the most effective ways to listen to God. The physical act of writing actually puts us in tune with a different part of our brain. The time it takes to write out our prayers and thoughts can seem inefficient and like we don't get much praying done. In fact it is one of the best ways to slow us down and help us become still. Sometimes when I journal, much of what I write is all the things on my mind that make it hard to pray. Once I write them out and offer them to God, I find I am ready to spend time listening for the Spirit's prompting.
Talk with others about your prayer life and theirs. Hearing about other people praying is for me, one of the most encouraging and inspiring things to keep learning how to pray.
These are three suggestions for how to train to be like Jesus in how we pray. There are countless ways to learn and train to pray and live our lives out of prayer. If we ask, I believe Jesus will answer our request, "Lord, teach us to pray".
I want to put into practice, what I’ve talked about this morning by leading us in a bit of a different prayer time…
April 2, 2010
Scripture Reference: Luke 15:11-24
Sermon Notes:
From my earliest memories of hearing this parable, right through to most of my adult life, I have known this parable described as the parable of the prodigal son. I knew it by that title even though no one ever told me what the word "prodigal" means. And for those of you who share that experience, to describe someone as 'prodigal' is to say that they are recklessly extravagant.
For most of my life, I have thought that the main character of this story is this younger son most often called the prodigal. I no longer see it that way.
This parable is about something that becomes lost. It is located in a series of stories about lost things. In v.3 we learn about a shepherd who goes looking for a lost sheep. In verse 8 we are told a story of a woman who looks for a lost coin and now we have read about a father who has lost one of his sons.
Jesus is telling this parable in response to the Pharisees. These Pharisees believe that Jesus is bringing shame upon a Holy God by his reckless choice of friends. By eating with tax collectors and sinners, Jesus is honouring them. To accept hospitality in the Middle East is to honour those who offer it.
In response to the Pharisee’s concern, Jesus tells them a parable that is meant to address their concern. In this parable Jesus is revealing something about the nature and character of The Heavenly Father. For indeed, this is why Jesus came - to show us what the Heavenly Father is like.
In part one of the parable Jesus likens God to a good shepherd who goes after his lost sheep. In part two God is likened to a good woman who goes to great lengths to find a lost coin. Now, in part three we are going to see an even more explicit revelation of the Heavenly Father. So let's take a look at our parable.
The middle-eastern listener upon hearing this story for the first time would have immediately noted in the opening line of verse 11 that there are three characters in the story. Furthermore, the importance of the Characters is properly represented. First the man - a father. While we are accustomed to having to figure out who the main character of a story is, to properly tell a story in the Middle East is to introduce the characters in order of importance. It is already understood that the most important character is this Father. Of the two sons mentioned, it is also understood that the eldest son is the next most important character. The rank of the younger son is the lowest.
Jesus ability to capture attention in his telling of parables is highlighted by verse 12 where the first event of the story has to do with the younger son. The least important person is talked about first. Already the Jewish ear would know that something was up. They were expecting to hear about the main character first. This is only culturally appropriate. But instead Jesus starts with the least important character.
The first action of the story is the son saying in verse 12, "Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me". With these words scandal breaks out. The son has just asked for his inheritance. While such an idea might not be completely beyond understanding for us, such is not the case for someone from the Middle East.
Kenneth Bailey, scholar and author tells of asking people in eastern cultures for over 15 years, from all walks of life, from Morocco to India, from Turkey to the Sudan about the implications of a son's request for his inheritance while his father is still living. The answer has almost always been emphatically the same. The conversation would run as follows.
Q: "Has anyone ever made such a request in your village?"
Reply: "Never!"
Q: "Could anyone ever make such a request?"
R: "Impossible!"
Q: "If anyone ever did, what would happen?"
R: "His father would beat him, of course!"
Q: "Why?"
R: "This request means – he wants his father to die!"
What the son does to his father is a despicable thing. He is breaking the relationship with his father and saying the only thing I want from you is my inheritance. That's the first scandal.
The second scandal in the story happens in the very next sentence where it says that the father divided his property between his two sons. The proper response of any good father in a middle-eastern culture to such a request would be to take out a stick and beat some sense into his son. He has insulted his father, he has brought shame upon him, he has failed in his responsibilities as a son and the only appropriate thing for the father to do is to punish his son. After beating him the father may well choose to disown the son for the shame he has brought upon the family. His offence is that serious.
But instead of pursuing any of these courses, the father takes upon himself, the suffering of a son who has rejected him. For some reason beyond comprehension, the father gives the son the thing he asks for. He divides his inheritance between his two sons. Notice that in doing so the father gives to his son the ultimate form of freedom, namely the freedom to reject the offered relationship of father to child.
Now understand that the eastern listener would have deep reservations about whether the father had done the right thing here. Is it appropriate to give a spoiled brat who has no respect for his father, the thing he wants? The father's behaviour is scandalous.
I recall the first time I taught on this story in Congo. Afterwards during a question and answer time, the first question that arose and the issue around which we spent much time talking is whether this father is really such a good father because he gave his son what he asked for. How could a good father possibly do such a thing? This is exactly what those listening to Jesus story were wondering.
In verse 13 we learn that not many days after that the son sells all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in loose living.
Everyone listening to this story would have understood that this family, like almost every other family in Israel, lived in a village. Nothing happens in a village that isn’t soon found out. If you’ve lived in a small town you understand how news travels, whether you want it to or not.
The news of the father dividing up his property to his sons may or may not have spread around the village. But when the son begins to liquidate his assets, the whole village knows and is outraged. He has insulted his father in public. Sale of land in the Middle East takes months and often years. This young man sells quickly - in a matter of days.
If the death wish for his father had not disgusted the people of the community enough, his selling of his assets would have made them irate. Not only has he shamed his father, he is also bringing shame on the village. The son will have known this right from the beginning of his actions. He will have understood that even though he did not suffer a beating from his father, his life is in danger because the village is about ready to take up their sticks and take him out of town and beat him until he leaves or until he dies. They do this not only because of the shameful behaviour of the son but because preserving the honour of the community require it.
The phrase "traveled to a distant country" is significant in a manner that you and I might not immediately grasp. If you are a Jew living in Israel, you understand your land and your country to be one of the ultimate expressions of who your God is. It was Yahweh who delivered Israel out of Egypt and gave them the promise that included the land of Israel. When Jesus has the son heading off to a far off country, it was clear to the Jew's listening that this fellow was not only rejecting his father and his community. He was also rejecting the God of his father, the God who had made these people into his people.
The son's insult and rejection is complete.
In Verses 14-16 the sin and shame of the son reach an all time low. The son has lived loosely and irresponsibly. Remember that pigs were unclean animals to the Jews. The son takes a job feeding these animals, taking care of them. What’s more it says the son would have gladly filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating. In other-words, in saying he would have gladly eaten the pods Jesus has the son wishing he were as fortunate as these unclean pigs.
There is an important message here that I want us to pick up. Recall that Jesus is telling this story in response to the Scribes and Pharisees' concern about Jesus hanging around with sinners. To their way of thinking, Jesus isn’t taking other people’s sin seriously enough. In his caricature of the younger son, Jesus has created about as despicable and sinful a person as any Jew could have thought of. Jesus is being crystal clear in saying the father takes sin very seriously. We are about to find out how seriously.
In verse 17 the son comes to his senses. He realizes the desperate situation his choices have put him in. He is at the end of his rope. It is at this time that he remembers how it was in his father’s house. In his Father’s house even the hired help have more than they need. His Father made sure of that. In his father’s house an extraordinary mercy and undeserved favour was accorded him once. The son has a memory of what his father is like. This memory gives him a hope.
But the son is aware that he has shamed his father's name in the village where he lives. He has shamed his village by turning into such a rotten person. Even if he could work something out with the father, it will be questionable whether the village will allow him back.
With death as the possible alternative, the son comes up with a last ditch plan. He will go to his father and say to him (recorded in verse 18), "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."
The son's plan has three parts. Firstly he offers an open confession of his sin. Secondly, he will openly acknowledge the consequences of his sin. He is no longer worthy to be called his son. The third part of the son's plan is to ask his father to treat him as one of his hired hands. The particular Greek word used here for servant or hired hands refers to someone who has a craft or a skill of some sort. Knowing that he has squandered what the father gave to him, the son realizes that he has incurred a considerable debt that should be repaid. His plan is to ask his father to provide training so that he could become a skilled craftsman and thus pay back the debt owed to his father.
Such a plan would allow the father to save face by not taking him back in his home. He could send the son away to another village where he could learn a craft and eventually pay back the debt owed his father. The son will realize that his father isn’t under any obligation to accept his plan, but because of his memory of his father, there is a chance this might work. The son sets off to put his plan for salvation into action. Notice however, that this is the son’s plan for his own salvation.
In verse 20 we have a profound disclosure of who this father is. Firstly it says, 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.”"
One scholar describes this picture. "The father, for months or years, has been watching the distant road as it approaches the town gate and becomes a village street. He knows his son well and knows that he will fail. He also knows that the boy is arrogant and will not return until all is lost. Thus he will appear in rags and will be ridiculed, rejected and quite possibly get that beating he deserved from the people of the village. So the father has a plan. He is determined to reach the boy before the boy reaches the village. He alone can protect the boy from the hostility of the town."
It is the duty of the traditional Middle Eastern patriarch or family head, to uphold the honour the family. To do so in this case he must exhibit indignation and anger once it is evident the money he gave his son is gone. He has the full right to have nothing to do with the boy.
But the father's response is nothing of the kind. Instead, upon seeing him in his poor condition, he has compassion.
Middle Eastern gentlemen do not run in public. The villagers would have had about as much chance of see the father run as we would of seeing the Queen of England put on sneakers and run. One of the reasons it is unacceptable for a middle-eastern father to do so, is that he would have to hold up his robes and expose his legs. A shameful thing to do.
The father runs to the son. His conduct is considered shameful. As he runs, the eyes of those in the village will be watching the father and most likely forget about their anger with the returning son. The father is determined to reach the boy before the boy reaches the village.
When the father and son come together, the son is expected to fall on his face and kiss the feet of his father. If he has any hopes of restoring the relationship or of carrying out his plan, he will have already planned to do this. But instead the father falls on his neck and kisses him. Such a kiss is a gesture of acceptance and friendship.
In almost every way the father does not act as he is expected to. At every turn the father deflects the shame of the lost son, and takes the shame of the whole situation upon himself. At every turn the father takes steps to save his son from the shame of his sin. Where is the father’s honour? What could possibly motivate him to do such a think? What kind of father is this?
What is the son to make of his father's actions? He knew his plan only had an outside chance. He knew he might not even make it into the village. And now the father has run the gauntlet for him. The father has lavished upon him a costly demonstration of love. What is his response?
The son responds with his plan.
Part I" The confession “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you";
Part II: Acknowledgment of the consequences "I am no longer worthy to be called your son."
Part III: ???
The son doesn't get to part 3. Remember it was the son’s plan to pay back the debt he owes to his father. Why doesn’t the son carry thru on saying part 3 to his father? Some have suggested that this is because the father interrupts him and doesn’t let him finish. This is certainly one possibility.
There is another possibility that I believe is even more likely. That is that in response to the father's display of costly love, the son realizes that to suggest a plan for paying his debts would just be one more insult. There is nothing he can do to repay his father for the love and mercy he is showing here. He will not bring more shame upon the father by offering some way to make up for what he has done. He has sinned. He is no longer worthy to be called a son. There is nothing more for him to say.
The next move belongs to the father. And the father acts. He instructs a servant to bring out the best robe. The best robe in the house will be the father's robe. Presumably they are still outside the village. The father will cover his son’s dirty and rag covered body before he is seen walking thru the village. The village will see that this lost son is welcomed home.
The son will also have a ring and sandals, both signs that he is fully accepted as the son of his father. The fatted calf - reserved only for the most important of celebrations - is to be slaughtered for the party. Such an extravagant gesture indicates that the party will be large, probably including a good portion of the village. In doing all of these things the father is not only expressing his personal joy. He is also reconciling his son to the entire family and to the entire community. For the sake of the father, all will come to celebrate at the son’s return.
So who is this father?
On Good Friday, we remember that Jesus went to the cross for us. We are accustomed to seeing him as the main character of what happened on that day. But Jesus sole purpose and mission was to reveal the Heavenly Father. It was because of the Father’s love that Jesus was sent to earth. It was because of the Father’s love that even though we, like the prodigal son, are guilty of great sin and shame, that the Father was willing to take all our sin and shame upon himself.
Jesus was showing us the compassionate, merciful, forgiving love of the Father when he went to the cross. We are familiar with the symbol of the cross. We have it in our churches, we wear it on our jewellery, we put it over graves. But to the first century Jews it was a symbol of great shame. In fact, it wasn’t used by the early church as a symbol until hundreds of years after Jesus death.
Hebrews 12:2 speaks a word about that shame.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The story of the Father and his lost son is a story of a love that is so powerful, so ready to run towards us, that it says, "I will take all the shame of this sinner upon myself. I will cover all the sin of this person with my robe - a robe of righteousness.
This is the Father whom we worship. This is the Father love, on display on a shameful cross, on display on a cross that has become our symbol of life.