On the Sunday 31st August 2003 my friend Jaime preached a sermon at St Augustine’s Neutral Bay. The passage was Luke 15 - The Parable of the Lost Son. I had listened to and read that parable numerous times but I “heard” it for the first time that day.
Funnily enough, that same passage was preached on by Rob Forsythe on the day of my confirmation at St James Croydon a year later.
It remains my favourite bible passage, describing God’s grace in such a surprising and astonishing way.
Here are some of the reasons why I love it.
“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.” v.19
It seems to me that to see the son while he was still a long way off, the Father must have been actively looking for him. The passage does not say so, but maybe the father was on the look out for him every day, maybe he spent many hours staring out, hoping for a glimpse of his missing son.
The father certainly didn’t waste any time once he saw his beloved son. I can’t imagine that the lord of the manor did a lot of running in those days. No quick jogs around the block for him. So to sprint down and throw his arms around his son, just makes me think how overcome with emotion the father must have been. Even today, we don’t see a lot of manly throwing of arms around each other and kissing. What must the father have been feeling? And what about the son? Talk about a surprise! Welcome home dear boy!
But my favourite part comes next… "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet'.” v22.
If I’d been hanging about with the pigs for a few months in the middle east, I can imagine that there might be a slight odour about my person. The son must have reaked of sweat and pigpoop. But passage doesn’t say ‘The Father said to his servants, give my son a bath and then dress him’… No, the best robe goes right on top of all the sweat and grime and poop.
Brings to mind another passage
Isaiah 69:10 “I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. "
And finally of course, they party!!!!
" '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." v.23-24
On that day in Neutral Bay, Jaime told me that the angels were rejoicing. What an wonderful thought. But even moreso, how amazing that my Father ran to meet me, covered my sin with the robes of righteousness washed white in the blood of his Son, and welcomed me home.
"The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17
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