Making our Way Home

March 27, 2022 Fourth Sunday of Lent Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 Making our Way Home Year C Opening Song Welcome Call to Worship L: Come, let us celebrate the forgiving, reconciling love of God. P: For once we were lost and felt so far away; now we have been found and welcomed home. L: Know that God’s love is lavished upon you forever. P: We rejoice at the news of forgiveness and hope! L: Come, let us celebrate and praise the God of Love. P: AMEN! (Nancy C. Townley) Responsive Reading Psalm 32 (UMH 766) Hymn of Praise Lift High the Cross UMH 159 Prayer of Reflection and Growth Holy Breath of Life, There are moments when our decisions do not take into consideration the well-being of our neighbors. There are times when our reactions turn inward instead of building healthy reconciliation. How is it that we are holding back our neighbor’s rebirth? How are our implicit and explicit biases restricting God’s grace and radical love? How do our actions and biases impede our own spiritual growth? Urge us to be life-giving agents of your love. May each of our steps be healing not only to us, but to our siblings on the journey. Amen. Assurance of God’s Grace God, our Divine Parent, runs towards us with infinite love and grace. May the mercy we experience transform our minds, hearts, and souls. May we extend God’s grace as we run towards our Divine Parent. (Rev. Michelle Torigian) Passing of the Peace The God of love forgives you, accepts you and enfolds you in his peace. The peace of the Lord be always with you And also with you. (Taken from “Glimpses of Glory” by David Adam) Scripture Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 Occasions for celebration 15 All the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around Jesus to listen to him. 2 The Pharisees and legal experts were grumbling, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 Jesus told them this parable: Read full chapter Luke 15:11-32 Common English Bible 11 Jesus said, “A certain man had two sons. 12 The younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the inheritance.’ Then the father divided his estate between them. 13 Soon afterward, the younger son gathered everything together and took a trip to a land far away. There, he wasted his wealth through extravagant living. 14 “When he had used up his resources, a severe food shortage arose in that country and he began to be in need. 15 He hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to eat his fill from what the pigs ate, but no one gave him anything. 17 When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have more than enough food, but I’m starving to death! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I no longer deserve to be called your son. Take me on as one of your hired hands.” ’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. “While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion. His father ran to him, hugged him, and kissed him. 21 Then his son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly, bring out the best robe and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! 23 Fetch the fattened calf and slaughter it. We must celebrate with feasting 24 because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life! He was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate. 25 “Now his older son was in the field. Coming in from the field, he approached the house and heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the servants and asked what was going on. 27 The servant replied, ‘Your brother has arrived, and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he received his son back safe and sound.’ 28 Then the older son was furious and didn’t want to enter in, but his father came out and begged him. 29 He answered his father, ‘Look, I’ve served you all these years, and I never disobeyed your instruction. Yet you’ve never given me as much as a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours returned, after gobbling up your estate on prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’ 31 Then his father said, ‘Son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad because this brother of yours was dead and is alive. He was lost and is found.’” Sermon – Making our Way Home This is one of those stories that we have heard over and over again. Some have called the story the prodigal father, some have called it the prodigal son, I have even done a monologue on the story called the prodigal mother. Prodigal means spendthrifty or overly generous. The common understanding of the story is that the son is the sinner like us, and God is the prodigal father who gives us the overabundance of forgiveness. I just this year heard one story that the older son represents the jews who were in the family of God and the younger son represents Christians who live under grace. The bible uses family dynamics to teach us many lessons about ourselves, and about how we relate to God. When I hear this story I always relate as the older sibling, who had a younger sister who seemed to get away with everything. Where do you see yourself in the story? I wonder if Jesus knew this story personally, watched this dynamic play out perhaps in the neighborhood, or even in his own family. And thought it was the perfect story. In Luke 15 the pharisees are questioning Jesus, why is he bothering to talk to sinners, outcast, women, people who are not a part of God’s society? Jesus tells a series of stories of lost people who have been found. Jesus is tells this story to help us realize that God loves all people equally, but he does not love us all the same. There is a difference between equality and fairness. As children of God, God gives us what we need at the time, which does not seem fair to some people. It is not so much important as to who we are in the story – what really matters is who we are today. The story is left kinda openended. After the party – did the younger son finally stay with his father and take care of him? Did the older son forgive his brother and learn to live along side of him? In the father’s last days – which son was by his side – all questions which we will never know. I asked earlier, what if Jesus knew this family personally, because Jesus knows each of us. The story is left incomplete, so that it can include us, and our situation. The father did not love his sons the same, but at the end of the story the party was for both of them. Each of them played a part in the situation, but the party was to call each of them home. The sinner and the self righteous all have a journey to make during the Lenten season. We all have to do the work of reconciliation, with ourselves, with our family, with our community and most importantly with God. Easter is a celebration of coming home. What road will we take this month to get there? Prayer Holy God, when we wander from the way, call us back; When we stray from the truth, redirect us; When we do not live life to the full, inspire and refresh us. May we and your whole church follow him who is the way, the truth and the life. We pray for all who have wandered away from the faith, for all who have lost touch with you and your love. We remember all who are pilgrims and seekers. Lord, we turn to you. Lord we pray for all who are separated from loved ones, through war or circumstance, for those who have left home or become lost. We pray for all who live in poverty and debt. Lord, we turn to you. We give thanks for our families, our parents and all who love us. We pray especially for those who are dear to us but with whom we have lost contact. We pray for all who are called home into your kingdom where sorrow and pain are no more. We remember especially whom we hold within our hearts. Lord We ask for your mercy. Amen (Taken from “Glimpses of Glory” but David Adam) Lord’s Prayer Hymn of Dedication What Wondrous Love is this UMH 292 Stewardship Moment Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son seems so familiar, we find it easy to gloss over. However, what happens if we title this text “The story of a father and his two sons”? When we put the focus on the father, we see: he is a GIVER! He gives his younger son his portion of what will be his when the father dies (by tradition, the younger son receives less than the older). The father mourns when the younger son disappears, but he gives thanks when the son returns. No matter that the son wasted his inheritance. The father celebrates, killing the calf and he gives a party for the son, who “was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.” When the elder son angrily objects, the father gives assurance; “all that is mine is yours”. The whole of what remains will go to this son! When we breathe in this parable, does it inspire you to be givers? Because we have been loved, and given so many gifts (you might name some of them, i.e. life, air, food, water, relationships, communion, the church, salvation…), our instinctive response to this abundance is generosity (because I’ve received, now let ME give!). Today, let’s joyfully share our resources, knowing we, too, could be known as GIVERS. Prayer of Thanksgiving Good and gracious God, Receive these gifts, offered from the abundance we’ve received from you. Help us recognize the needs around us and then respond in faith. Encourage us to grow in our desire to give, even as we rejoice in the father’s generous giving to both his sons! AMEN (Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for those on Facebook May our spirits come alive in this season of Lent When we run to God, our Divine Parent, with the hopes of strengthening our bonds, When we embrace the Christ, our Divine Neighbor, with the hopes of reconciliation, When we breathe with the Spirit, our Divine Encourager, in the hopes of peace. Amen. ( Rev. Michelle Torigian) Community Time Benediction The Father comes to meet you in love. The Son comes to you with forgiveness. The Spirit comes to refresh and restore you. Go on Peace (Taken from “Glimpses of Glory” by David Adam) Children’s Sermon Have you ever run away from home? Additional illustrations When have you been generous enough to forgive someone who hurt you deeply? Is there someone you need to forgive or ask forgiveness of?