“This Fellow Welcomes Sinners”

Meditation on Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

March 10, 2013

***

      Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’

 So he told them this parable:

      Then Jesus said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything.

      But when he came to himself he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’ ”

      So he set off and went to his father. 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. Then the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”

     But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” And they began to celebrate.

      ‘Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.” Then the elder brother became angry and refused to go in.

      His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, “Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!”

      Then the father said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.” ’

**    

    Ten years ago, Linda Shuler was running errands on a Saturday morning, traveling a country road in Pennsylvania in her minivan, when a box spring fell off the back of a truck and crashed through her windshield.

   Linda, 52, was killed.  She was a schoolteacher, the wife of a pastor, and mother of four.

   The 48-year-old driver of the pick up fled the scene when he saw what his carelessness had done. He had not bothered to secure the box spring on the back of his truck.

     I met Linda’s husband, Pastor Jim Shuler, a few months later. I was a religion reporter writing a follow up story on how a small town pastor copes with such a loss.

     Pastor Shuler was gracious and kind, answering my questions honestly—telling me he did not know how he would find the strength to go on.  That his first reaction to his loss was wanting to leave the place filled with memories of his wife and their ministry together. How could he continue on without her?

     The congregation was also gracious and kind, willing to talk about the wounded pastor whom they loved—and his wife Linda, whom they greatly mourned.  They were committed to supporting him, giving him some time away from the pulpit so he could begin to work through his grief. They told me how they were different because of Pastor Jim and his friendly, down-home hospitality and “plain” preaching. Before he and Linda came in the 1980s, the members hadn’t always gotten along. But with Jim’s encouragement and humble example, they were learning how to love and forgive, and their ministry and outreach to the community had grown stronger.

     Five years later, I came to Pastor Shuler’s church to serve as his parish intern. It wasn’t a coincidence.  I had seen something in his rural ministry that touched my heart.  Sure, they had their struggles with finances. Their membership was aging and dwindling like many other small, rural churches in America. But it was a church where people cared about one another, and cared about their pastor as a human being.  A place where people didn’t pretend to be someone different on Sunday than they were the rest of the week.

     One day, while Pastor Shuler and I were talking over lunch, I asked him what happened with the man who was driving the pick up. Pastor Shuler had spoken in his defense. And when the man reached out his hand to him, Pastor Shuler shook it, though it was a difficult thing to do.  He knew that God wanted him to forgive, though he still struggled with his anger and sorrow.   

     Because of Pastor Shuler’s words, the driver served no jail time. He pled guilty to homicide by vehicle and failure to secure a load and received 5 years probation and community service.     

    The driver was a recipient of God’s extravagant grace. He had a second chance, an opportunity for a fresh start, a new life.  What would he do with his freedom?   Would he live any differently?  Would he extend God’s grace to others?

    Sometimes I wonder what I would do if I were in Pastor Shuler’s situation. Would I be able to forgive the man who had fled the scene while my spouse lay dying? 

    Would I take the man’s outstretched hand?

    I know what Jesus would do.

***

    In today’s gospel, the Pharisees and scribes grumble that “this fellow,” Jesus, “welcomes sinners” and eats with them, too! The “sinners” with whom he associates are untouchables; unclean and defiled.  A religious person could not touch, eat or speak with a “sinner” without also becoming unclean and being barred from worship in the temple and life in the community. Thieves and prostitutes are “sinners,” but so are people who are sick, blind, deaf, or lame.  Most people believe that illness, tragedy, and sometimes poverty are God’s judgment on sin.

   Jesus responds to the Pharisees’ accusations with 3 parables—the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son.  All end with heaven rejoicing over the one repentant sinner.  Only in the prodigal son do we hear of the so-called good son, who is unable to forgive the sinful son. And only in the prodigal son does the father humiliate himself by running through the streets to meet his sinful son while he is still far off. The father receives the disobedient son as if he never sinned against him—hugging and kissing him and calling for the finest robe, a ring for his finger, sandals for his feet, and a fatted calf for a feast—as if the sinful son is the most beloved of all.

    When the older son complains, his father assures him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.  But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.”

***

      The Father in the prodigal son story is so like our heavenly Father, who did not hesitate to humiliate himself for our sakes.  He eagerly came to us while we were still far off and could not go to Him. His love led him to sacrifice His only Son, who was without sin, so that sinners may be saved.

      Friends, all who repent and believe on Jesus Christ receive God’s forgiveness and unconditional love. No one is turned away. And like the parable of the prodigal son, it is as if we never sinned at all.  We are God’s beloved, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.

     And like the foolish driver whose carelessness resulted in a fatality, we are undeserving recipients of God’s extravagant grace. Each morning, we have another chance to follow Christ more closely, an opportunity for a fresh start, a new life!

    What will we do with our freedom? 

     Will we be like the prideful older brother, unable to extend grace to his sinful younger brother?

    Or will we welcome sinners as if they never sinned—and eat with them, too?

    I know what Jesus would do!

Let us pray.

 Holy God, we thank you for your Word that gives us all we need for our salvation and equips us daily for our lives of faith.  Please forgive us when we have been ungrateful and selfish, like the prodigal son.  Thank you for reaching out to us while we were lost so that now we are found. And please forgive us when we have been like the prideful, self righteous older brother, unwilling to forgive and love another human being like you have loved and forgiven us!  Empower us with your Spirit this day to always seek and do your will and follow after Christ more closely.  Give us courage to move forward, with a fresh start, without looking back with regrets or self-pity.  Give us humble hearts that rejoice with the angels when just one sinner repents and comes back home to You. In Christ we pray!  Amen!