Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, let Your Word chasten and humble us. Amen.
Text: Luke 15:25–32
“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’ But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive, and was lost and is found.'”
Devotion
The Lord speaks this parable to the Pharisees who were complaining that He received sinners. With this discourse He wants to rebuke their proud, self-righteous mind. They had all the rights of children. None of God’s goods were withheld from them (Rom 9:4-5). But they did not know joy in the Lord and did not understand how He could be happy in lost sinners who repented. Self-righteousness and self-pride make us blind to God’s glorious grace and close the heart to the joy of love.
If you do not know the Lord’s joy in fellowship with His children, then be chastened for your pride and self-complacency. Without “godly sorrow” there can be no joy in God. “Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time.” These are words of self-righteousness. Most people would hestitate to speak them. They readily admit they are sinners, but many want to add that they didn’t know that they had transgressed any of God’s commandments. Others want to give the matter a better spin. But this is so remarkable and sad: that few or none want to acknowledge themselves to be the self-righteous one the Lord rebukes in our text. Can that really be me? Can that really be you? Let each of us pray for grace to know ourselves, for pride and self-righteousness hide deep in our heart and disguise themselves as meekness and faithfulness. It is surprising how slow we are to know ourselves, and how much of the empty way of our condemned nature can still be found among experienced Christians, without being aware of it. It is easy to say that such people cannot have any true joy in God, if their Christianity consists merely of reading and hearing God’s Word, taking part in missions, associating with Christians and living decently. But it is more difficult to become more humble each day and always to keep our first love for our Lord Jesus. – By His grace it is possible. No one who is lacking the Lord’s joy can lay blame on God. If you say that He never gave you a young goat so that you might make merry with your friends, then you are condemning yourselves, for He answers truthfully: “Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.”
We who have God’s Word so richly must acknowledge that we always have a bountiful table spread before us with the free promise of enjoying from it all that we need to live and be happy. And the Holy Spirit will not need to chasten us if we consider this. Even you the Lord wants to waken and humble by this Word He has spoken. Take it to heart then, whoever you are, but above all hear it, you who were one of God’s happy children, but are no longer. Humble yourself, and become His child again! Yes, let yourself be rebuked and humbled, so that you again rejoice in God and rejoice in His children. That will not fail.
Closing Prayer
Merciful God, enlighten us with Your Spirit so that we may know ourselves and our sin, and receive more and more joy in Your mercy. Keep us from the terrible dark sin of Jonah who complained about Your grace, but give us hearts that can rejoice with saved sinners. Amen.
Hymn
The Lord says, with His kind assent,
That now more joy in heav’n is found
Because one sinner does repent,
While others walk in dark profound,
Though they may seem so good and pure,
Their future place is not secure,
Refusing invitation.
O Jesus Christ, our Shepherd sure,
You saved us all from Satan’s pow’r
By shedding Your dear blood, so pure,
So now we sing Your praise each hour!
Uphold our faith so firm and free
That we may live eternally
With You in heav’n forever.
Reravius: Det Faar, som forvildet er og mist L 466:4.5 tr. DeGarmeaux;
tune: Nun freut euch (ELH 378), alt.; alternate hymn: I trust, O Christ, in You alone ELH 415