Amazing Grace

A message from Luke 15:1-2, 11-32 by Dave Rogers 25/03/07

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The Tax collectors and sinners took in everything Jesus said while the Scribes and Pharisees stood murmuring. So Jesus told the three parables of the lost Coin, the lost sheep and the lost son. We often stop at v 24, concentrating on the story of the younger son in an overly sentimental way, missing both the context and the point of the story that Jesus was making. Quite a contrast to how the tax collectors, sinners and the scribes and Pharisees would have felt as they heard Jesus’ story. The story is about a father’s relationship with his two sons, who were both disaffected with him. We see the father heart of God in his attitude to them both The younger son represents the tax collectors and sinners The older son represents the scribes and Pharisees.

1. The Two Sons. represent two common attitudes to life and to God.
A. The Materialistic Attitude The younger son wanted to find his real self. He needed independence and money for the pursuit of self fulfilment.. He saw right and wrong in terms of pleasure and how thingst affected him. Having a good time and enjoying life - which is the most popular way of living since the fall, - comfort, holidays, material pleasures and entertainment. The younger son was disaffected with his father and the status quo, wanting to do his own thing, not what was expected of him. He was quite ready to dishonour his father and family name. with no regard for his inheritance. He was self indulgent He wanted a good time and to enjoy life.
B. The Moralistic Attitude The older son is typical of most eldest children who tend to be more parent oriented, have a stronger sense of responsibility, often driven by a strong sense of duty. They can be critical of younger siblings, bossy, ruling the roost. They find their identity in their family. They may have a much greater sense of right and wrong, good and bad and a more dutiful work ethic. e.g. Keeping the family business going, Everything they do comes out of a sense of duty. This is typical of religious people, Jews, nominal Christians, Muslims. A high sense of morality, but very legalistic. He too was disaffected with his father (v29) He always worked hard (slaved) doing whatever was asked and expected of him not because he really loved his dad, but because he was fearful of his disapproval. His whole life was about doing the right thing with little sense of fun or adventure. He is self righteous, self satisfied and smug. His begrudging respect for his father, turned into contempt at the way his dad let his brother treat his inheritance. Everything he did came out of a sense of duty.

2. The Father's Attitude
Even though dishonoured by his younger son, the father gives him his share of the inheritance. He would have been heart broken - the son was treating his father as if he was already dead. He loved his son so much, even though he had hurt him, and constantly looked out for his return. When he saw him he had compassion. He showed the same love for his older son, seeking him out when he skipped the party. He pleaded with him to come in and join the celebrations. The father longs for both of his sons and misses them when either of them are separated from him. He wants relationship with them. No matter how his sons treat or view him, his love is unaffected and unconditional - this is amazing grace.

3. Amazing Grace
Looking at these two brothers, I felt I was in danger of being a mix of both! We may feel we fit a bit into both camps! This is how the world around us affects us. Jesus, the father's son, is quite unlike either son in the story, he is our perfect example. We look his example not the fallen people of the world all about us! None of our good Christian family or friends, or leaders, can be our main example. Do they live sinless, non moralistic lives? Jesus is our only true example. We follow people as we see Christ in them God’s grace has brought us into his family. We didn't deserve it; we all fell short of Gods standards, either by living to satisfy our selfish desires or by living out of duty. Jesus was so aware of how much his father loved him that he never disobeyed anything that was ever asked of him, even death on a cross. Jesus never acted out of duty, always out of love. Jesus, as the perfect older brother, came to find the lost, and bring them home and is at the centre of the homecoming party for every lost person who has been found Like the younger son we get things wrong and muck up - often! And like him we have to come to our senses, repent and ask for father’s forgiveness. Did the older son ask forgiveness and join the party?.

So what can we learn from this story? Jesus was talking to the Scribes and Pharisees about the tax collectors and the sinners - the LOST The Older brother stayed at home served his father, did his duty, whilst his brother was out lost. He never searched for his brother or tried to bring him home. And was actually rather offended by the idea. He looked down his nose at his lost brother. He did nothing to save his brother, he only judged him. About 250 years ago the slave trade went on and most people turned a blind eye, people didn't care that other human beings were being ripped away from their native culture to be sold as slaves. William Wilberforce inspired by John Newton, a converted slave trader, fought this evil till his death. And on the 25th of March 1807 exactly 200 years ago today the slave trade was made illegal in England and her colonies. Wilderforce went on campaigning and twenty six years later, a day or two before his death parliament voted to give every slave in all British territories their freedom. GRACE IS UNDESERVED, AND GOD LAVISHES IT ON HIS CHILDREN. “How amazing it is to be loved by God like this! And when we know how much we are loved we love him, and we love one another and value each other and even lay down our lives for each other. He charges us to love one another in the same way he loves us, the very same way he is loved by his Father”. THIS TRULY IS AMAZING GRACE!

Questions for Group
1. Word: Having received such grace from God ourselves, how do we show that same grace to other people? Consider to what extent we find the attitudes of the older brother in us (see last paragraph).
2. Consider Jesus, the perfect older brother, who came to seek and save the lost. How might we be more like him? Pray with each other about our attitudes to lost people.
3. Witness: What practical steps can we take to reach out bring lost people back to the Father? (How can we utilise Easter Guest service, Front Edge Sunday)