The Greatest Story Ever Told (2/10/19 Topical)

ATTN: I believe the Bible is the greatest book of all time because it speaks of the greatest being of all time, God. And I believe the story of the prodigal son is the greatest story in the Bible because it is told by the greatest person of all time in Jesus and it so accurately and emotionally portrays both the Father’s and Son’s heart for us, the sinners. Therefore, I believe this prodigal son story is the greatest story ever told in the history of the world.

I have consciously stayed away from preaching on this passage because it is so rich with meaning and demonstrates the father heart of God so vividly that I am afraid that I will not do justice to it. But the worse thing I can do is not to preach on it at all for fear of not doing justice to it. I have preached several different versions of sermons on this story in the past and so rather than retelling the entire story and exploring intricate details of the story, I wanted to focus on one exchange between the father and the son today and draw out the significance of it.

20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. (Luke 15:20-24)

When a middle-easterner listens to this story, the most surprising word that they hear is the word “ran.” “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and RAN and embraced him and kissed him. “

In the Eastern culture where this story is told, dignitaries such as this father didn’t run for anything! In olden days in Korea, there was a fire in the palace and the king was informed to evacuate the palace. The king puts his crown on and then he WALKS outside of the palace while everyone is running for their lives. He would walk fast, but he would not run because that would be undignified even to save his life. But, this father RAN to meet his son. Ancient Middle-East men wore long robes, and so in order for this father to run, he would have to gird hir robe baring his legs. This would’ve been an embarrassment in front of his servants, and maids, and his friends who would hear about it later. But this father was so overjoyed at seeing his son’s face that he forgot all social decorum and ran.

And it says “while he was still a long way off…” He didn’t wait until the son knocked on his door. This father perhaps glanced that way several times a day, perhaps waiting for his son to come back.

ILL: When I visited my grandmother alone in another town when I was little, she would come out all the way to the bus terminal to meet me. That was well before cell phone days and she didn’t know exactly what time I would arrive and so she would walk a mile from her home to make sure that I wouldn’t lose my way.

The father was looking for his son to return, but not knowing if and when, and so constantly glancing that way…   When he finally appears, the father is “filled with compassion” that means moved with emotion, his love aroused, he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Now, this is also significant because there are several kinds of kisses in the middle east. If a servant has done something wrong to the master, then he would kiss his feet asking for forgiveness. In a student teacher relationship, you would kiss him on the hand. The kind of kiss that the father gave him was face to face, probably kissing on his cheek, and this is a kiss b/w two equals. The father was accepting his son fully back into his rightful position as the son.

Don’t forget that this story is told by Jesus the Son who knew His Father best. Jesus is describing for us how the Father feels about the lost sinners like us. So eager to forgive, so eager to receive back, and so eager to commune with us. God Himself would run out to meet us when we return home… Only if we will come back to Him.

APP: Perhaps you think this message would be more appropriate for the people who are not here to hear – the “prodigals” who are rejecting God and living their own lives. But there are those who are inside the church that need to come back to God as well. When Jesus said in Revelation 3, “I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me., “ He was speaking to the Christians in the church. How many of us would go to church and be present and yet our heart is far from Him? Would you consider this prodigal Father? Yes, the “prodigal” Father. Prodigal means, “reckless.” Who was reckless? Both! The son was a reckless sinner. Yet the father was reckless a forgiver and lover!  Come to this father and be embraced by Him and feel so accepted by Him that you wouldn’t need approval from anyone else, not your children, your spouse, your friends… Would you rest in Him and Him alone?