Jesu Juva
“The Story Continues . . .”
Text: Luke 20:9-20; Isaiah 43:16–21; Philippians 3:4b-14
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Last week, we heard the Parable of the Prodigal Son. A parable which ends unfinished. We are left wondering whether the older son ever came in to celebrate his younger brother’s return. So this week, I want to finish that story, that Parable, if I may, using today’s Parable, which I think will help us gain a new appreciation for today’s parable . . .
So as you remember from last week’s Parable, the younger son returns to his father, and in his joy, the father throws a lavish party. Which makes the older son mad. Mad and jealous. And the father says to him, Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. Which is, in fact, true. He had two sons. The younger already got his portion of the inheritance, so now all that’s left belongs by right to the older son. So he’s apparently not just mad and jealous, but greedy, too. Don’t go wasting my inheritance with a lavish party for your son, my now-disowned brother.
Now, a few years go by. The father is getting older, can’t do as much, getting tired, so the older son begins to take on more and more responsibility. He’s really pretty much running things now, and time hasn’t healed all wounds - he’s still estranged from his brother, though he lives on his land. He can’t throw him out until the old man dies. So as long as his father has what he needs, the old codger is giving him a long rope, letting him run things as he sees fit. And he is . . . and taking advantage of it.
So . . . things begin to slip a bit. He taking those young goats he accused his father of not letting him have and partying a little too much with his friends. And not just goats, but fatted calves, and good wine . . . living the good life he criticized his younger brother for. The inheritance really isn’t his yet, but, you know, just about. The old man’s gonna kick the bucket soon.
But much to his surprise - and consternation - his father begins noticing this. So the father sends one of his faithful servants to his older son for some of the harvest, and an accounting of things. But the older son tells him to shove off! So he sends another trusted servant - servants, remember, that are loyal and faithful to him because he has treated them so well all these years - and the older son not only sends him back empty-handed, but with a few bruises as well. Then when yet another servant shows up from the father, the older son has just about had it with the old coot’s meddling! So he abuses that one even worse. You know, as a warning: Stay in your lane, old man!
Well, the father, of course, is upset. This is not how he raised his son! So finally, he sends the younger son, thinking: he will respect my son. But, of course, he doesn’t! So when the younger son shows up, his older brother is done with all this nonsense and does what he wanted to do all along - gets rid of that pest, that thorn in his flesh, that leech, that will-never-amount-to-anything brother of his! He kills him. Now, when the old man goes, no worries! Freedom! It’s all his.
Now at this point, Jesus asks a question: What then will the owner of the vineyard do? And then He answers His own question: He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others. That’s the logical thing. The chief priests and scribes and elders are horrified, because they know Jesus is telling this parable against them, so they respond: Surely not! But it’s the logical thing. And then Jesus uncorks the punchline: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the new thing Isaiah had prophesied about. So here’s how to think of that . . . back to my story . . .
The older son finally got rid of his brother. Everything’s falling into place. It won’t be long now . . . except something unexpected happens . . . something he didn’t plan for . . . something no one could have guessed . . . his younger brother comes back to life. And unbeknownst to the older brother, the younger brother had been doing quite well. In fact, buying up his older brother’s land! It really belonged to him! So when the younger brother shows up and shows his murderous older brother the deed to all his property . . . after getting over the shock of seeing his younger brother alive, the older brother knows he’s sunk! Time for revenge! What goes around, comes around.
But instead of revenge, the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. Instead of revenge, the younger brother forgives!
Now, the older brother has a choice to make: receive the forgiveness and love and generosity of his brother and live on his land. OR, stay stubborn, reject his brother’s love, and in the end, incur his wrath. Or in other words, to put it in Jesus’ words that we heard today, fall over this stone, be broken, swallow his pride, and live. OR, stay unrepentant and have this stone crush him. And as you heard, the chief priests and scribes chose the latter. They sought to lay hands on him at that very hour . . . they watched him and sent spies . . . and tried to catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor.
Now, I wanted to fuse these two parables together like this so that you’d understand just how mind-blowing and utterly surprising this parable we heard today is. I think we hear about Jesus’ forgiveness so much that we maybe take it for granted. But that the Son of God, who was not just slain, but crucified because of our sins, would then rise from the dead and forgive! No revenge, just love and care and forgiveness . . . I mean, really? Can you wrap your mind around that? Is that not mind-blowing?
It is so much to some people that they cannot believe it. It cannot be true. The apostle Paul was one of those people. He started out down the path of the older brother, of the chief priests and scribes. He was going to make it on his own! He was doing everything right, and more than right - he was the best of the best! Until he tripped over the cornerstone . . . until Jesus showed him it was all rubbish, his accomplishments worthless in God’s sight. So what would he do? Continue to resist? Double down? Stick to his guns? And be crushed in the end? OR be broken, swallow his pride, repent, and live in the joy of Christ’s forgiveness? Well, you know the answer. And he went on to be used by God in great and wonderful ways.
But now the same question is for you and me. What will you do? How will you be? Trip and fall, be broken, swallow your pride, and repent? OR resist and end in the be crushed? The choice seems easy, you’re here after all! Confessing and repenting, like we all did once again at the beginning of the service. But did you do that more in word than in deed? Was it more of the mind but not so much of the heart? And when the service is over, do you continue in your old sin and rebellion? Impure thoughts and desires, damaging words, hurtful deeds? Mad at your brother or sister in Christ? Selfishly insisting your way or the highway? Judging, spiteful, jealous, unforgiving?
If you see any of that older brother in yourself, as I see it in myself, good. Face plant here once again in repentance, and receive again the forgiveness of your brother and Saviour. And as the Father embraced His Son and the Son embraces you, be built - in your thoughts, desires, words, and deeds - in the kingdom of your Father, on the cornerstone of Jesus. A living stone in His Church (1 Peter 2:5). A member of His Body, with His Body and Blood in you, changing you and conforming you into His image. That the old sinner in you grow weaker, and the new Christ-man in you grow stronger.
And then, as Paul said and did, forgetting what lies behind - forgetting the past sins you committed, for they have been forgiven, and forgetting the sins committed against you, not dredging them up to use them as weapons and re-igniting that bitterness and rage in your heart - forgetting what lies behind, all that, look forward to what lies ahead, the goal, the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Or in other words, don’t let the past ruin the present and make you miss the future. Rather, as we’ve been singing this whole Lenten season, fix your eyes on Jesus (Gradual). On Christ crucified for you. Who endured the cross for you. Who despised the shame for you. And who, risen from the dead, is seated at the right hand of the throne of God, for you. To rule all things for your good and for your salvation.
Next week, we’re going to hear how the chief priests and scribes did what they wanted and delivered Jesus over to the governor. How they killed the Son of the Father, but how in that very death and resurrection, He became the cornerstone of the Church, accomplishing the salvation of the world. And if God can do that, can He not also do that in your life? Give life. Work good, even in difficulty. Raise you up. Accomplish your salvation. Whatever is going on. Whatever you are facing. We not only know that He can, but He has promised to do so!
So come now and receive the Body and Blood of the Son, the Body and Blood that was crucified for you, then raised for you, and now lives in you with His forgiveness and life. The inheritance is yours! The love of the Father is yours! And then go and live - at home, at work, wherever you are - with His peace and joy. Freely giving as you have freely received.
In the Name of the Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
