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S. Lent 4.25 Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Then the father said to him, ‘son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.’

And if either son had believed that—that all that is the Father’s is always theirs—mi casa su casa, there would never have been any problems. But there also wouldn’t have been the big feast on the fatted calf and the joy of the resurrection of the dead. God has a way of turning even our mistakes into something glorious and grand; in fact, that is his signature move!

The younger, prodigal son seems to start off believing that all that is his father’s is his. He has no qualms about saying “Father, give me the share…” not of the ‘property’ “that is coming to me” but the Greek ουσια is literally “substance” which can mean your ‘property’ but it should prick up your ears, because yes, literally it’s “substance” the exact Greek word we just said in the Creed that Jesus is “one substance” with the Father. Keep that in the back of your mind!

And the Greek doesn’t say the father divided his ‘property’ between the two sons; it’s not ουσια but a different Greek word βιος which is literally “life” but metaphorically here “what you live on”, your “living”. So, we’re not just talking about ordinary stuff, but something heavier, the Father’s substance, his life!

But, outside the Father’s house, the prodigal son does not find the Substantial Life. It all quickly vanishes with dissolute living. Broke and feeding pigs, the prodigal realizes his father’s ranch hands have it far better. Good food, comfortable bunk house, roping cattle on good horses, enjoying a better life.

Here, the son loses faith. He comes up with a plan to bargain with dad: “hire me as one of your ranch hands, because I’m not worthy to be called your son and I’ll work my butt off for you.” So, we see he never believed his father’s Substance, his Life, was his simply because he is his son, but because he’d used the gifts he’d been given… judiciously.

He figures he has to earn his way back into his father’s good grace, maybe pay him back somehow for the Substance he’s squandered?

But, when he’s still a long way off, practicing his speech, his father sees him and has compassion and sprints out to meet him. As the son begins his speech (and most of us think it is a good speech, showing Responsibility and a solid Puritan Work Ethic) the father doesn’t pay any attention to it.

He commands his slaves (the more literal translation of the Greek δουλος which will come up again at the end of our reading and has to be translated there as “slave”, so we’ll be consistent) “Quickly! Bring the best bespoke suit and put it on him, my signet ring and vintage Rolex Sub, and bring the fatted calf and kill it and let’s… party. Because this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.

And they had a real blow-out bash.

Now, it gets more interesting. The older brother comes home, hears the music and dancing and calls a slave, asking what’s going on. He’s told. And he’s not… happy. And his father came out and entreated him. But the older son says, “I slaved for you all these years (served just doesn’t capture the Greek) and I never disobeyed your command and you never even killed a young goat for a party for me.

“But when this son of yours who squandered your living with hookers came, you killed the fatted calf for him!”

And we’re back where we started with the key line in the story: “Son, you are always with me and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be merry, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.”

I would love for Jesus to say more about this! How did they react to that? We aren’t told. But we do know how Christians for centuries have read the story. We know how the sons of God react…

By realizing that we make the same damnable mistake as the two brothers! We think that our place in God’s house is something… deserved. Sure, it’s by grace. Sure it’s a gift. But we think—like both brothers!—that our place in God’s house is assured to us because we respond the right way to the gifts. We say the right things, believe the right things, live the right way, for Christ’s sake!

And so it can be… disappointing to us to see and hear the Father just… brushing aside all our thoughts of merit based on works or even pious faithfulness!

“What?! It doesn’t matter what I do?!! I can go and squander God’s gifts in dissolute living with hookers and when I come stumbling home, God will go, ‘Wow! I really missed you!’ And clothe me with the robe of Christ’s righteousness, his own royal signet ring, and kill the fatted calf for us and party ‘til dawn’s early light?!

YES! That’s it! That’s exactly what God will do. 😉

More importantly: it’s what God already has done and is constantly doing! Not because we’re sorry, not because we’re going to try to do better, but only…

Because the FATTED CALF has already been killed for us! And he looks a lot like the Passover Lamb, who looks a lot like Jesus—hanging on the cross and risen from the dead! This banquet feast looks a lot like the Lord’s Supper where we feast on the body and blood of Jesus, the Lamb who was slain for all our sins.

Every Sunday we walk in here as prodigals, returning after another week of dissolute living. Oh, we may not do it up quite like the kid in the story. Maybe we will cover it with a veneer of piety, imagining our repenting, believing, slaving is what wins God over?

But, uhm… no. All that the Father has is yours, is mine, not because of anything we do or think or become, but solely because of what Jesus has always already done for us by his death and resurrection. The Substance of the Father, his Life, his living, belongs by divine right to Jesus who is One with the Father.

So… Jesus, willingly, freely exchanges his Substance for ours, our death for his βιος, his Living. That’s what happens when we walk in here, every Sunday. We come as prodigals, with a good speech, “Father I have sinned against heaven and against you…”

But God our Father is not listening to a word of it. Nah. He’s too busy embracing us, kissing us, dressing us up like Jesus, mistaking us (with a wink and a smile) for Jesus!, treating us like all that is his is ours!!!

So… it is! Because HE says so! “Son, all that is mine is yours. For this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” Jesus’ say-so creates a brand new world where: as he is, so are we; and just so, the Peace, surpassing all understanding, guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.