A trilogy of parables
There was a vote in the Senate last week that had my attention. The bill passed 97 yes and 2 nays. I was glad it passed but 97 plus 2 is 99 and there are 100 senators. A little investigating and the mystery was solved. One senator was absent due to health issues. The number ninety-nine reminded me of the trilogy of “lost” parables in Luke 15.
“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robeand put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” Luke 15: 1- 31 NIV
The Pharisees were criticizing Jesus for eating with sinners. His response was to tell three parables. The first about a lost sheep, the second about a lost coin and the third about a lost son. The parables are the answer to why he ate with sinners – they are lost. Jesus tells the same concept of searching for what is lost three different ways. It must be important for him to express it three ways.
The number ninety-nine is in the first parable. A shepherd has 100 sheep and one is lost. So he leaves the 99 to go find the one. He rejoices when he finds his lost sheep. The second parable is a woman who has 10 coins and loses one. She searches high and low to find it. She rejoices when she finds her coin. The third parable is the longest and includes three characters – the father and his two sons. This parable is a little more complicated because more than one thing is lost. It isn’t just the younger son who left that was lost. The elder son was lost in his own way. When the younger son returns (is found) the father rejoices and he encourages his elder to rejoice.
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” Luke 15: 31-32 NIV
“The Return of The Prodigal Son – A Story of Homecoming” by Henri Nouwen is one of my favorite books. Nouwen writes we all are at some point in our lives are the younger rebellious son then we are the elder resentful son and ultimately we are to become like the Father.
“Spiritual fatherhood has nothing to do with power or control. It is a fatherhood of compassion. And I have to keep looking at the father embracing the prodigal son to catch a glimpse of this…If Jesus truly calls me to be compassionate as his Heavenly Father is compassionate and if Jesus offers himself as he way to that compassionate life, then I cannot keep acting as though competition is, in fact the last word. I must trust that I a capable of becoming the father I am called to be.” excerpt from pages 127-128 The Return of The Prodigal Son
Praise God for these truths! He calls us to practice that compassion. I am in great need for it today. This word was timely.
Amen.
While I was lost, my Father waited for my return. Not my earthly father but my Heavenly Father. So thankful He took me in.
Our Heavenly Father is ever present and ever ready to welcome us home.