INTRODUCTION TO PARABLE READING:

The parable you are about to hear is entitled “The Parable Of The Prodigal Son.” It is about a son who was lost, but is now found, to use the father’s words. Actually this parable is part of a collection of three parables that all have to do with the loss of something special and precious. The first Parable is called “The Lost Sheep” and the second “The Lost Coin.” Biblical Scholar Fred Craddock believes all of the parables are misnamed. It is true something is lost, but in all cases what was lost is again found. So, he says, the parables should be called “The Found Sheep” and “The Found Coin” and “The Loving Father.” Craddock says that sadly too many sermons focus on what is lost instead of the joy of finding what was lost, which is the good news contained in each parable. “While it is true,” he states, “that a dark background helps bring out the beauty of the diamond cast against it, one almost gets the impression that some preachers enjoy the dark background more than the brilliant beauty of the diamond of good news. Our reading from Luke “The Parable Of The Loving Father.” The story of good news where one can discover the blessedness of their life and be allowed to embrace it fully yet again.

SERMON:

Dr. Leonard Sweet is one of the more prominent Christian voices in our country today. At a seminar I attended, Dr. Sweet made the following observation. “We, who live in this country, live in the richest, most blessed society that this world has ever seen. Yet,” he continued, “when many of us pray to God, we ask God to give us more.” The context of the statement, I believe, was a question reflecting that this theology of asking and receiving more is the theology of some of the fastest growing Christian churches today. I guess it reflects several things. First, I think it points out that we live in a culture that teaches us from our time of birth that we need more and bigger to be happy. And since we can only assess our lives by comparing them to the lives around us, if we see others who have more, it is easy to see what our lives lack and lose the sense of how blessed we are. Secondly, we know that God loves us, and so we believe that God will want what is best for us. So if we have a need we do bring it to God in prayer. Yet, as I read scripture, I see a God who does not necessarily promise us more in material possessions, but promises us to help us become more as children of God. God walks with us to help us become more Christ-like in the living of our lives. This understanding of God is throughout scripture. When Israel is described as the chosen people, we discover they are not chosen to receive special blessings from God. They are chosen to receive special responsibilities of making their God known to the world by living God’s justice, which means taking a special interest in helping the poor, the widow and the orphan, living God’s righteousness, which means God’s character of steadfast love and compassion toward others.  In living in justice and righteousness God’s shalom, peace, which means harmony and wellbeing for all is realized. And in this living, God’s holiness, which means wholeness is realized in the world. We call it the kingdom of God. So we do come to God in prayer asking for more. For more strength and courage and commitment to live our lives in love, so God’s kingdom can come upon earth as it is in heaven.

Today, my sermon winds down the sermon series Nancy and I have been sharing on our mission trip to Africa. I want to do this by reflecting upon some feelings I have returned with in my own life. I chose the parable of the Prodigal Son as one of my texts, for in the story it shares what my return home was like for me. There are many lessons in the parable, but the one I want to reflect upon today is that when the son lost all he had he realized how good life was at home. What he found in his loss was how good his life had always been. At home there was plenty of food to eat and a shelter to protect him from the elements, and a family who loved him. In other words it is when he lost what he had that he finally began to appreciate how blessed he and his life truly were. And once he realized the blessings, he returned to them, and in my opinion embraced them with a much deeper sense of gratitude.

This is what, in part, the trip to Africa, and somewhat the trip I just returned from to Mexico have truly done for me. I realize beyond any shadow of doubt, how blessed my life is. I am aware of how much materially I posses, how comfortable my existence is, and I am so thankful. I have never felt so blessed about the life I have as I do at the moment. I’m talking much more than how nice my home is or that I have two cars. Even though I still do not have my red Mustang convertible. I’m talking basics here. To be able to go to the sink and get a drink of water all of a sudden is now understood as the luxury it is. To have a toilet with a seat. Actually, simply to have a toilet is now seen as extravagant, as well as wonderful.

When Nancy and some of the others from our mission returned, I heard some say they felt guilty about all we have and how comfortable our lives are in comparison to what we had just seen. They were seeing their diamonds against the dark background. I am not sure that is what I feel, or at least as much as I feel gratitude. But in the gratitude I feel very responsible. I feel a deeper need to be more Christ-like with what I have and to honor the trust and calling I have received as a disciple. The words of God to Abraham in Genesis come back to me, where God says, “I have blessed you to be a blessing to others.” My mission experiences have added a whole depth of understanding to Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians where he says, “God loves a cheerful giver.” I now understand for myself that a cheerful giver is one who gives out of a genuine sense of gratitude and blessing. A cheerful giver is someone who gives because they know that their lives are indeed diamonds full of blessings and gratitude, especially when they are seen against a darker backdrop of much of the world.

As I stated in an earlier sermon, compassion, entering into another’s life and experiencing it from their perspective is not about adding our suffering to another’s hence creating more suffering in the world, but it is about understanding their suffering so we may add our hope, add our energy and concern to make life better and whole. So as hard as it was to see children living on the street, to see what people lived in as homes and how little they had to eat, there was another part that helped me and our mission team feel like cheerful givers. It was exciting to be able to give Pastor Surafel the money he needed to rent another house so 20 more children can be taken off the streets and have a chance at life in a family. It feels good to know that we have enough money remaining from the generous gifts you have given to be able to send another $2500 to pay the rent for another year for the drop in center so teenage children will have a place to come and receive a meal and for some to find a two-three month respite from living on the streets. Those realities bring a real joy to my heart, to our hearts.

It is why we, who have had the experience, feel so blessed for we have felt first hand the joy of entering into another’s life and seeing it transformed and seeing hope realized. To see how our diamonds shined in the midst of the velvet of other lives. This is why I believe God loves a cheerful giver, for a cheerful giver is someone who first, knows how blessed they and their lives are and who then has experienced the great joy of knowing first hand that what they do and who they are makes an incredible difference in this world.

This is why we have made the commitment to you that every three months we will have what we call a ministry report, but in reality is a time where we get to share with all of you what you and your commitment to this church have been able to do to be a source of shalom to others. That because of your financial gifts, but also your time and talent and prayers, what you have been able to do to be a blessing, diamonds to the world around you. It is our hope that you feel the joy of knowing just how much of a difference you make because you care and give from that open heart of love to others. That you will be able to be a cheerful giver knowing that you give from the real blessings of life that God has blessed you with and in giving have become a blessing to so many others.

Sermon delived by Rev. George Cushman on July 30, 2006.