Göttinger Predigten
Göttinger Predigten im Internet hg. von U. Nembach
Lent 4, 03/14/2010
Sermon on Luke 15:11-32, by Mark A. Hoffman
My friend Bill is particularly upset over the recent law which
makes it an offense to use a cell phone while driving.
He points out all the other things people do
which are equally dangerous but not illegal.
He called me in a frantic state just the other day to relate
an incident proving his point.
You won't believe what just happened on my way to work!
I saw a woman driving 65 mph with
her face smack up next to her rear view mirror,
putting on her eyeliner!
Next thing you know she was halfway in my lane.
She scared me so much, I dropped my electric shaver,
which knocked the donut out of my other hand.
Steering with my knees,
my first instinct was to catch the donut.
Then my cell phone fell from my ear into
the coffee between my legs, ruined the phone,
soaked my trousers, and disconnected an important call.
All because of that crazy woman driver -
Can you believe that?!
... 3
It's easy to see other people's faults.
It is equally difficult to see our own.
I think that has something to do with our limited perspective.
We are in our own bodies, after all.
We can see our own hands and feet,
we can look in a mirror and see our face and
perhaps even our whole body for a few static moments,
but we can never see our whole being in action.
Come to think of it, maybe that's why most of us
don't like to hear our own recorded voice, or
why we feel uneasy when we see ourselves on videotape -
suddenly we're hearing & seeing ourselves as other people see us:
with a much more critical eye.
But apart from those inopportune reflections of reality,
we think that, on the whole, we're pretty good people.
But that self-assessment combined with
the ease of seeing other people's faults
is a recipe for disaster. 4
That's the position in which the Pharisees found themselves.
They were the cream of the crop:
intelligent, educated, cultured, sophisticated -
as far as they were concerned,
they were put here on this earth to
teach people what to believe and show them how to act,
but that didn't mean that they had to mingle with those
who didn't follow their instruction.
Yes, the Pharisees kept the law.
They were in synagogue every Sabbath,
They prayed, they tithed, they led upstanding, moral lives
by which they honored their mother and father.
However they could not see themselves in action -
they were sinful.
Their sin was their attitude... their arrogance... their pride,
despising those same sinners
with whom Jesus rubbed shoulders. 5
"But, after all, they were men, flesh and blood like anyone else."
So why did Jesus pick on them?
Why did Jesus give them such a hard time?
Because they were the leaders!!!
Leaders are called into a position of authority
by God to serve His people!
Leaders are called to exercise compassion and mercy.
They are to live out the Great Commandment as
an example to those they lead.
They are to bring sinners to repentance,
not push them away.
They are to build up God's people,
not despise and reject them.
But no, as the tax collectors and sinners were
all drawing near to hear him,
the Pharisees grumbled,
This man receives sinners and eats with them. 6
And so Jesus told the parable of the Prodigal Son - on them.
They were the older son,
indignant, not that the Father would throw such a lavish party,
but that the Father would throw a party at all for
this one who had wasted his inheritance.
It is a parable that all church leaders must take seriously.
But it is also a parable which Jesus tells on the "in" crowd, the insiders,
those who are long-standing, regular members.
Whether you have been a member of this parish for a long time,
or whether you have been a member of the church for a long time,
the old Adam lurking around in our soul
tempts us to have the attitude of the Pharisees.
It is easy to fall into the trap of judging others. 7
It was a stifling hot day and
a man fainted in the middle of a busy intersection.
Traffic quickly piled up in all directions.
A woman rushed to help him.
As she knelt down and loosened his collar,
my friend Bill emerged from the crowd,
pushed her aside, and said,
"It's all right honey, I've had a course in first aid." The woman stood up and watched as he took the man's pulse and
prepared to administer artificial respiration.
The woman tapped Bill on the shoulder and said,
"When you get to the part about calling a doctor, I'm here." 8
Without thinking, we can judge others very quickly on their appearance -
male or female, as was this doctor;
yellow, black, or white; long hair or no hair or facial hair;
rich or poor; tattoos or piercings.
If we're not careful, we can judge others on their ideas,
especially if they are new people:
It will never work.
We've never done it that way before.
We're doing fine without it.
That's not the way we do things around here.
We can't afford it.
We're not ready for that.
It's not my responsibility. 9
But as followers of Jesus Christ,
We are called to rise above our natural inclinations,
...to pray that our critical nature might be replaced by
a heart full of mercy & compassion,
for our mission is to welcome all people into the Lord's presence.
St. Paul reminds us:
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.(Gal 3:28)
And if we believe that, then we must make the effort to include all people.
That means a willingness to vacate our assigned pew and
sit next to a visitor so that
we can help them find their way through the Service.
...walking with them to coffee hour and introducing them,
...inviting new people to join long-standing church groups,
disregarding whether or not we think they will fit and
allowing the Holy Spirit to do His work.
...members of long-standing groups
going out of their way to welcome a newcomer. 10
That means a willingness to try new ideas and new directions
as long as they are not contrary to church doctrine,
giving them a chance to see where the Lord might lead us.
Ultimately it means pushing our egos and judgement out of the way
and allowing the Holy Spirit to do His work.
If we do not make an honest effort to do these kinds of things,
if we do not welcome others, whether they are like us or not,
then we are in grave danger of
finding ourselves in the shoes of the Pharisees
under the Lord's word of judgement.
However there is great good news in Jesus' parable,
Good news beyond what we normally perceive.
When we hear the story of the Prodigal Son,
of course we recall the younger son's repentance and
the great joy of the Father:
the best robe, a ring, and
the lavish banquet which the Father provides
in celebration for his son who
once was lost, but now is found. 11
However we often overlook the constant and eternal love which
the Father has for the obedient, older son,
the son who, for the moment,
needed a little attitude adjustment.
But by this parable,
Jesus is expressing the Father's - and his own -
constant and eternal love for the Pharisees -
those leaders who have always been obedient.
Even in the midst of their misguided ways,
our Lord still tried to show them His love.
That is the very same love and appreciation which our Lord has for you
who have been serving Him, working in His fields,
always in humble obedience to him,
some since the day of your Baptism.
To you he gives this promise: All that is mine is yours.
His love is yours.
His blessings are yours.
His eternal life is yours.
His joy is yours! 12
Luke 15
1Now(A) the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2And the Pharisees and the scribes(B) grumbled, saying,(C) "This man receives sinners and(D) eats with them."
3So he told them this parable:
The Parable of the Prodigal Son
11And he said, "There was a man who had two sons. 12And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me(A) the share of property that is coming to me.' And he divided(B) his property between them. 13Not 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(C) reckless living. 14And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to[a] one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16And he(D) was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
17"But(E) when he(F) came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father,(G) I have sinned against(H) heaven and before you. 19(I) I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants."' 20And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and(J) ran and(K) embraced him and(L) kissed him. 21And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.(M) I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'[b] 22But the father said to his servants,[c] 'Bring quickly(N) the best robe, and put it on him, and put(O) a ring on his hand, and(P) shoes on his feet. 23And bring(Q) the fattened calf and kill it, and(R) let us eat and celebrate. 24For this my son(S) 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. 26And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27And 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.' 28But he was angry and refused to go in. His 13
father came out and entreated him, 29but 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(T) celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours came,(U) who has devoured(V) your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!' 31And he said to him, 'Son,(W) you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32It was fitting(X) to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother(Y) was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"
Pr. Mark A. Hoffman
St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
Millersburg, Pa
E-Mail: mahoffmansts@epix.net