Sunday, March 18, 2007, 08:00 AM -
Sermon
Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
Spartans Never Surrender, Spartans Never Retreat, thunders Leonidas the Spartan king in the movie 300. He has been told his situation is hopeless, that now is the time for surrender, or retreat
or death. His reply makes his choice in the silence, for of the three; Surrender, Retreat, or Death: Spartans Never Surrender, Spartans Never Retreat.
There is Surrender, Retreat, and Death in our story today. Death comes first. Strangely you might have missed it. The younger son demands his inheritance. When do children get inheritance? When someone dies. “Father you are as good as dead to me.” “Father, I'm tired of waiting for you to die and get out of my way now.” Death of the Father.
Death appears again. When the younger son loses his money, loses his freedom, loses his Jewish religion by tending pigs, loses himself. Even his conscience is dead, for it seems he only wants food, not forgiveness. His belly, not his repentance, sends him back to his father. His father knows that his son is dead when he leaves him, for when he comes back, he twice declares that despite the giving of the father's inheritance to his son, it was not he that died, but the son.
Death appears a third time, when the elder son is out in the field who states that his brother is not his brother, but only his father's son, “this son of yours.” His brother is dead to him.
Yet facing death, there is also no retreat and no surrender in the story. The father never retreats. God never retreats, and since God is Love, Love never retreats. God never surrenders; Love never surrenders.
Your son is dead, and wishes you dead. Surrender; go inside, quit looking down the road, retreat into the house. Yet we find no retreat, no surrender
the father sees his son a long way off and runs to him. Imagine you see me running somewhere, you know something important was happening. In ancient times, elders did not run, they never even hurried. But here we have the father running to the son. Retreat? No Charge! Run! Hug, embrace, grab. Before words get out of his mouth, the father is welcoming him back.
At times we face death, disappointment, and defeat. In these times, we might identify with the younger brother, the loving father, or the elder son.
Younger Brother The younger brother: Our choices have led to disaster and ruin. We are so far down, we can't even see where we started. We don't have to stay wallowing with the pigs. We can at least take some beginning steps back. The surprise to all people in recovery is that when they take a few steps back, God and others reach out across the distance. You don't have to travel the whole way alone. When you stumble back toward God and goodness, God comes running to embrace you.
If you are down and out. Do not look at the whole journey back, look at the next step. In the words of the long version of the Serenity Prayer: “Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time;” Turn your face and your steps toward God's home and don't be surprised when God comes bounding out to welcome you home before you get even a chance to confess your sins and errors.
Loving Father Sometimes we are the loving father, or mother, or friend. We see a loved one heading off to ruin over and over. It tears our heart again and again. We want to stop them, but know we cannot. We want to go and get them and drag them home and knock some sense into them. But for one reason or another, we can't.
If you are watching disaster. Know that you can still love even the most errant person. You don't have to rescue them again and again. You don't have to pay their debts or restore their fortunes. You can welcome them when they come home and make sure they know there is a place in your home and heart for them. In between, you can consider prayerfully, that your suffering is linked to God's who mourns over everyone who is lost, who turns away from the heavenly home and blessed inheritance God freely offers. God never retreats from love, never surrenders hope that the lost will be found.
Older Son Sometimes we are the older son. Most of us are. Do you know that the older son was a Presbyterian? Who else but a Presbyterian, on the way home from work, hearing the noise of fun and partying would stop and start an investigation into unscheduled happiness? What?! People are having fun and rejoicing?! I'll have none of it! We've been there. It is my favorite place. We don't like the people God has welcomed. Or we see the unfairness in earthly rewards and happiness between those we determine good and those we determine undeserving of blessing.
If you are out and alone. Listen to the loving father, the lost are found, the dead are alive. So it is required that we rejoice. It is not where people have been, but where they are going that is important to God and should be the focus of God's people as well. Never retreat from restoration, charge on it to the party.
Conclusion God never retreats, God never surrenders, and unlike Spartans and all things human, God can even overcome death. No matter your situation, lost in sin like the younger son, broken hearted like the father, or smoldering about the unfairness of this world, God has a way out. God is waiting. The party is waiting. Come home to God, he hasn't given up on you.
Now young faces grow sad and old
and hearts of fire grow cold
We swore blood brothers against the wind
Now I'm ready to grow young again
We made a promise we swore we'd always remember
No retreat, believe me, no surrender
Blood brothers in the stormy night with a vow to defend
No retreat, believe me, no surrender
— Bruce Springsteen, No Surrender, Born in the USA 1984
Advanced permission is given for non-profit, for-prophet use of the above at no charge as long as it is reproduced unedited with notices and copyright intact. Written copies are provided after they are preached as a courtesy for the personal, private, appreciative use of the congregation of Goodyear Heights Presbyterian Church, their families and friends to support the ministry of Goodyear Heights Presbyterian Church and its pastor the Rev. J. Christy Ramsey. Join us Sundays! 8:15 Traditional Worship and 10:15 Blended. Mingle in our Gathering Room between services and take advantage of Christian Education opportunities.