The Grace Standard ~ Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 ~ Fourth Sunday in Lent

Now that we’re older, my younger sister and I love to reminisce on all mischief we got into as kids.  We fought and argued like siblings do, but there were a few times when we were a tag-team of mayhem.

When we were in pre-school, we got the idea that we wanted to make our own snow.  So we raided the cabinet under the sink in the bathroom—and took out two bottles of talcum powder.  We shut the bedroom door, opened the bottles, and began shaking them feverishly.  With flying colors we succeeded in making our own little blizzard.

Then Mom opens the door to find her two little snow-makers caked in powder, along with all the furniture in the room—and the carpet.  To make matters worse, the open door created a vacuum which sucked the powder blizzard out into the rest of the house.  Mom said it took almost two weeks to clean up the mess.

That’s childhood mischief; small potatoes when compared with the disgraceful antics of an adult son who certainly should’ve known better.

He goes to his father and asks him to “advance” him his share of his father’s estate.  To do such a thing basically says, “Dad, I wish you were dead because I want your money.”

The father gives the son the estate, and immediately the son takes off to another country to live the high life.  But it isn’t long before the money runs out—and he hits rock bottom.  He has no choice but to hire himself out as a slave—but still, he’s starving…  All out of options, he sets out for home—concocting an apology along the way.

Now we all know that he has no reason to be optimistic.  Why should he expect anything from his father, other than for him to slam the door in his face and leave him in the filth he created?  The son “made his own bed” and now he has to lie in it.  Isn’t this the way it should be?  The father would be fool to accept his son’s phony apologies and give him a place in his household, EVEN as a slave.

But what happens?  The father has gone far from home to search for his lost son—and then finds him.  The father runs to him, with arms wide open, embracing him and kissing him.  Notice how you hear no stern lectures or words of rebuke.  Instead, the father gives him the finest robe, a gold ring, and sandals for his feet.  He kills the fatted calf and they feast—and for what reason?  “My son who was dead is alive again; he was lost and is found.”

So now—who’s the bigger fool?  The wayward son—or the Father?

The eldest son seems to be the only voice of reason in this whole family.  He’s never been unfaithful to his father—and yet he gets not even a measly goat as a reward.   But the father is undeterred.

This parable teaches us that God does not operate on human standards of what’s fair and unfair.  God operates on one standard alone: that of grace. 

In this parable, we behold a God who mercifully sees past your sins; through your shame and self-loathing remorse or your pride and self-assurance.  Even when we reject God and go our own way, ours is a God who seeks us out, finds us, and brings us home. 

In Christ, we are not just saved from death.  Jesus saves us even from ourselves.

Therefore, we can all, all approach the throne of God with the utmost confidence that God will never reject us. 

God rejoices to lavish us in compassion and forgiveness and saving love. God’s righteous anger is for a moment; but God’s mercy is everlasting.

So what are you waiting for?  God has prepared for you a banquet; to celebrate that you are God’s own. 

NOW is the time to join the feast of God’s victory.  Now is the time to bring before God your cares and your prayers; your sorrow and shame.  Give to God your life; lose yourself in his mercies, and he will transform you from the love of sin to being one with Jesus in his righteousness.  God will give you the eyes of faith to believe.  God will give you the courage to embrace tomorrow, with the utmost confidence that the wicked one has no power over you.

All thanks and praise to God that God does not deal with us according to what we deserve.  God gives us what we need.  No matter where you’ve been or what you’ve done, God rejoices to call you his own. 

Once you were lost; now you are found.  Therefore, let us join the celebration and live together in the joy of the Lord.