“The True Sprint”
a sermon by
Thomas L. Jenkins
Text: Luke 15:11-32
“But
while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with
compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.”
If we were asked about the greatest stories and miracles in the Bible,
if we were thinking about the Old Testament we might answer about God
creating the entire universe in six days, or the very miracle of Moses
separating the water of the Sea so that he could lead the Hebrews out of
slavery in Egypt. Of course
there is the story of Noah and the flood that covered the whole planet;
and Jonah who was swallowed by a large fish and stayed in the tummy for
three days and three nights.
When is comes to the New Testament, Christmas—the birth of Jesus, and
Easter—the death and resurrection of Christ are our highest
celebrations. And when it
comes to miracles, there was Jesus walking on the water, feeding
thousands of people with a few number of loaves of bread and fish, all
the healings, casting our of demons, and bringing Lazarus back to life.
If I were to ask you what the most famous verse in the Bible is these
days, you would more than likely say, John 3:16, “For God so loved the
world that he gave his only begotten Son, so that whoever would believe
in him would have eternal life.”
If I asked you what the most famous hymn is, you would probably
say, “Amazing Grace” or “Jesus Loves Me.”
So, do you know where my question is now headed?
Of all the parables, which one is the most famous story told by
Jesus in the gospel? I
think we would all answer, “The Parable of the Prodigal Son.”
I know it stands out, first because the prodigal son repenting and
returning to God, after days of a misguided life may very well be
something many of us can relate to.
And the older brother being angry with his Dad because of his
kindness to his little brother, complaining because he wasn’t getting
what his brother was receiving, is certainly a particular,
self-righteous kind of religious, and at the same time, narcissistic
egotism that we like to judge in certain other people.
In one of the most memorable sermons I ever heard on this parable, the
minister asked, “What do you think happened to the father after his
conversation with the elder son?”
His answer was, “He was put to death!”
The last time I preached on this sermon, here in our church, I did want
to point out one big truth within this story.
And that was, that, yes, this prodigal son did reach repentance
within his heart. He told
himself that he was going back to his father and say, “Father, I
have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be
called you son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”
When you look closely at it, you will see that before he ever said these
words of repentance to his father, his father had already put his arms
around him and kissed him. The
father reached out and loved him before he ever confessed his sins.
This is every bit as true for you.
This story may be called “The Parable of the Prodigal Son,”
but it is more about the father than it is about the son.
God loves you before you ever reach a true repentance with Him.
In truth, real repentance comes when we experience this more and
more.
And even when the son finally did take his time to offer his confession
and repentance statement, how did the father respond? The father did not even respond to him. The father turned to his other workers and said, “Quickly,
bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his
finger and sandals on his feet…for this son of mine was dead and is
alive again; he was lost and is found!”
This is not to say that confession and repentance is not important to
God the Father. It is.
Every time we confess our honest hearts with God, God loves that
and loves us. But, there is
a real deep message here. There
is something more important to God that your repentance, and that is you
being brought back into His presence in a form that he can love for all
eternity.
One thing I want us to notice about the father, this time, when we
listen to the parable, is that while the son was still far off, but
walking towards his father and his father saw him, it was then that his
father was filled with compassion and ran to his son.
Our confession, coming to know ourselves deep within ourselves, and
praying to God in the same way that David did when he prayed, “You
desire truth in the inward being,…Create in me a clean heart, O God,”
is a good and important way for us to be in our relationship to God.
But, it is not what is most important to God.
What makes God the Father, to be blessed and the most filled with joy,
that fills Him with compassion and sends him off to truly sprint to
reach out to us, to put His arms around us and kiss us and throw a party
for us, is when He sees us in Jesus Christ, having been raised from the
dead and returning to be with Him in eternity.
Yes, you are the prodigal son, or daughter represented in this story.
And the whole point of the story is that what was exactly true
for the boy in this story is true for you in Jesus Christ.
God the Father loves you in Jesus Christ before He ever hears
your confessions. And the fastest sprint God ever ran in His life was to get to
you when He saw you returning to Him in Jesus Christ.
What an amazing parable…what an amazing truth for each and every one
of us.
Let us pray…
Amen
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