Come Home

Luke 15: 11-32

“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.”

 We know the story of the prodigal son. The one who thought he was grown and tried to make it on his own. After the money ran out things  got so bad that this Jewish young man was not only feeding pigs but wanted to eat what they were eating. The carob pods were used as fodder and only the very poor people ate them. 

When he came to his senses, he headed back home. My favorite verse has always been 20b “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.”

Even as a child, I used to wonder how was it that the father knew the son was on the way? I mean he had to be always watching for the son. He didn’t know when that son was coming. He didn’t know if he was coming.

It could have been night, but the father was still watching. He had to have been always watching.

How could he have gotten anything done - for watching for his son - who left home never to return?

Can you see it? When young men left home as this son had done, it was not only that he had left the father’s home, but he had left the community. So if the son attempted to return home, to the community, he would be stoned to death. Did you see it? So, you know the son had to know that. If he didn’t, the father did, which is why he ran to stop anything from happening to his son. 

Listen, a man of the father’s respectability never showed his leg. But this father - ran to his son. In order to run he had to tuck his robe between his legs.

He showed leg, still he ran. He ran to his son to claim him as his own. The rightful ownership. He placed his arms around his son - don’t you hurt him. This is my child.

While this young man had returned as a pauper, he was greeted with the love of his father.The son was apologizing, but his father was loving.The father didn’t chastise him, but embraced him as his own son, filth and all. 

“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.”

That robe symbolized a restoral to sonship. What was dirty was now clean.  The ring was a symbol of authority - restored. Right then, without hesitation, without a conversation on what had happened - the son went from having nothing, no power, no say - to one with authority.

The sandals were a sign of a free person. Not a slave, because a slave didn’t wear sandals. The son was immediately restored to his place in his father household. Just like that. Full kinship- restored. Whatever was- was no more. Whatever was between them was gone. The fatted calf was an animal that was fed and kept to be slaughtered for special occasions. 

The special occasion was that a son who was lost has now been found. Oh, the unconditional love of God.

Jesus told this parable to a mixed a audience of Pharisees, scribes, and everyday people. He explained God’s joy over repentance. Ohhhh the love of God. No matter what we have done- we can always come home. enough for now.