11 And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father,
give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his
living. 13 And not many days
after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far
country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty
famine in that land; and he began to be in want. 15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that
country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks
that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired
servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with
hunger! 18 I will arise and go
to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and
before thee, 19 And am no more
worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he
was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and
fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and
in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best
robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us
eat, and be merry: 24 For this
my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began
to be merry (Luke 15:11-24)
The
Collect
Fifth
Sunday after Trinity
G
|
RANT, O
Lord, we beseech thee, that the course of this world may be so peaceably
ordered by thy governance, that thy Church may joyfully serve thee in all godly
quietness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The
Collect for 5th Trinity is derived from both the Sacramentaries
of Leo and Gregory, and reflects the pressing and perilous times in which it
was composed. The fall of Rome to the Vandals and other barbarians (arrayed
about the hills and plains of Rome in overwhelming numbers), was imminent and,
as always when great danger shadows the church, the prayers reflect the need of
the people. The Collect is an expression of the First Use of the Law of God
(usus politicus) – that of restraint of impending chaos and disaster. The
Reformers knew, from their Biblical studies, that without the Ten Commandments
of God (and obedience to them) the world and its societies would depart from
common order as a tangent from the circle. The Commandments of God benefit not
only the believer, but the non-believer as well, by promoting an orderly and
peaceable society. Not directly suggested in this Collect is the Second Use of
the Law (usus theologicus) that defines the Law of God as a Refiner of the Soul
and the means by which we see ourselves as depraved sinners apart from the grace
of God. The Collect reveals the best and fullest operation of the Church at
times when it is permitted to work in quiet and fervent labors to reach souls
and propagate the Gospel. When Christians are free to exercise their faith,
unrestrained by the secular power, or political correctness, they may go about
their missions joyfully. Perhaps this Collect is one which most applies to our
day in America at a time when the First Use of the Law is forlorn in politics
and society.
We take
up today the third in a trilogy of lost things in Parables – the Prodigal
Son! Due to the length and intrinsic beauty of this Parable, we shall
study it in two parts, over two days. The first part involves the coming of age
of a son, his rebellion to the Father, his departure and descent into
debauchery, and finally his awakening and return to the Father. In the second
part, we shall study the reaction of his brother to his homecoming.
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons
– not just `any' man, but a `certain' man. The father in this Parable is
illustrative of God our Father in Heaven who has two peoples (Jews and
Gentiles) to whom have been offered the most beneficent of blessing – the
salvation by grace through faith in His only Begotten Son. 12 And the younger of them said to his
father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he
divided unto them his living. Please bear in mind
that the younger son, though of tender years, has come to the age of
accountability. He is like a Christian who is born of God, has lived as a son
of God, but finally rebels against God his Father. In this respect, he differs
from the Lost Sheep who was not mature, and not well learned in the means of
grace or of pasturelands. He also starkly differs from the Lost Coin which was
dead – just as dead as the lost sinner is dead in trespasses and sins. The Lost
Sheep, because of its lack of vision and maturity, does not intentionally leave
the Good Shepherd. It gets lost because it lacks the sense to follow closely
on; but, once lost, it is incapable of finding itself because it lacks the deep
root of faith which typifies a well-nurtured child of God. So the Good Shepherd
must seek out the Lost Sheep. The Lost coin, being inanimate of spirit, is lost
wherever it is and, if found, must be found only by its rightful owner who is
God, and by His Sovereign Will and Grace.
The young son desires to be out from under the watchful, though loving, eye of
his father. From the moment of his birth, he has lived according to the law of
his father. He feels now that he is grown up and become the wisest of ten
thousand - he believes can do better. He is a child of God by
circumstance of a (new) birth and not by persistent faith. Bear in mind, too,
that according to the laws of inheritance, the father is not obligated to
`divide his living' to the young man. In fact, the young man was impertinent to
even make the request. But, even though the son desires to part company with
his father, the father loves his son and realizes that the argument of logic
and reason will not benefit at this early point of the young man's maturity
(or, rather, immaturity). Our Father God compels none to abide under His
beneficent care. Even nations who opt to abandon God do so oblivious to the
danger and peril to which they subject themselves. God does not intrude
where He is not wanted for He is a perfect gentleman, and we are left to the
wiles of the Devil without His over-watching care and protection. We see
this being demonstrated across the landscape of America today.
13 And not many days after
the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country,
and there wasted his substance with riotous living. How eager
are the youth of our day to remove themselves a far distance from the watchful
eye of the parent! When freedom looms bold, the child will hurry to get away
and enjoy what he believes will be nothing but joy and plenty. Anytime one
departs from his Father God, he will be going into a `Far Country' where the
famine will certainly arise for him. Being separated from God in spirit, as
well as distance, will lead to depravity of conduct and a waste of the wealth
God has given. Without the benefit of the Holy Ghost as our heart's compass, it
is impossible to live a life pleasing to God.
The good father watched the darling of his heart depart on that long, dusty
road. He watched every move his son made until, at last, his visage disappeared
on the distant horizon. How often would the father sit for days, months, and
perhaps years, through the warm summers, amber autumns, dreary winter
months, and through the promises of spring, watching that same road for any
sign of his son's return. How often would he inquire and receive word back that
his son was wasting all – not only his wealth, but his health and humanity as
well. Yet, the father never sent for his son or begged him to return. Why not?
Because any amount of reasoning with a rebellious son will yield no victory
until that son has learned (often the hard way) for himself the cruelty of a
world without his Father's loving care. Have we learned that lesson, reader?
14 And when he had
spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
A Christian who departs from the presence of God will lose all in the process
of riotous living. His life, begun in pleasures of lust, will come to mighty
famine of spirit, body, and soul. The Dark Angel will take all that you have,
and then some more. The time will always, and with great certainty, arise
when you will begin to be in want. With some, this is the moment of awakening
for the need of your Father; but with others, more suffering and desperate want
is necessary. So it is with our Prodigal – too proud to return to his father,
and too desperate to even remember the abundance which he has left behind at
the end of that dusty road, he lingers on in peril of his soul forestalling the
inevitable.
15 And he went and
joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to
feed swine. If we are not joined with God our Father, we
shall surely be joined to a stranger who gives not a whit for the well being of
our souls. If our companions are not citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, they
shall be citizens of that Far Country. The stranger to whom we are joined when
apart from God will only use us and destroy us. He will place us in unsavory
circumstances and filthy habitations. If we labor not in our Father's
Fields, we shall labor for the Destroyer of Souls. Imagine the hurt in the soul
of a young Hebrew lad who was raised in plenty in his father's house now having
to feed swine.
16 And he would fain have
filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto
him. When you are out of the
company of God, no man will care for you. You end up eating food for the soul
that is like unto the food of pigs. Of course, he remembered that his father
still loved him regardless of how far away he drifted, but his tortured mind
had lost the ability to see and understand clearly in this Far Country. He
was lingering in a state of reprobation.
17 And when he came to
himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and
to spare, and I perish with hunger!
It should be noted that any Christian who departs from the Presence of their
Lord is not in his right mind, and this poor youth is no exception. He has
travelled a great distance from the love of his father, but his father's love
knows no distance. His tortured brain had undergone a process of gradual
deprivation and debauchery during this time of licentious living. It was
necessary for him to suffer much, long and hard, in separation from the
benefits of his father in order to penetrate his stubborn heart and spark his
calloused spirit. But, he DID come to himself. He finally was forced to admit
that all his dreams and fantasies were in ruins. He came to view, as we all
must do apart from God, what a deplorable condition he had arrived at in his rebellion.
Even the smallest little soul in our Father's House has plenty of daily bread,
and more; yet, we who believed we could do better in a Far Country, are
perishing without that Bread of Heaven common in our Father's House.
18 I will arise and go to
my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and
before thee, 19 And am no more
worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. Once we have come to the reality of our
loss, we must resolve to return to our Father and confess our sinful
disposition and living. We must face the reality that we are the most unworthy
of all under God's Heaven. We are certainly not worthy, nor have we ever been,
of being a son or daughter of the Most High God. Sins against our earthly
fathers are also reckoned as sins against heaven. We will then be happy to be
accepted as only hired servants in the great house we deserted. But God has no
"hired servants."
20 And he arose, and
came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him,
and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
It is not enough to KNOW to do right – we must follow that realization with
ACTION! We cannot make amends for our faithlessness in a Far Country – we must
RETURN to the presence of our Father and confess our sins. The good father has
felt the hurt of his son's absence deep in his heart as he has watched, day
after day, that same dusty road upon which his son departed. Once,
perhaps as evening shadows begin to fall, he spots a lonely fellow coming on
that road. Though his eyes have grown dim with age, he unmistakably recognizes
that this fellow is his dear son! He knows his gait and carriage even though
the fellow is not riding a charger or dressed in the silken blouse he wore when
he departed. He is rather dressed in rags and is filthy in his person. Even
from a great distance away, he recognizes his son. God always recognizes those
of us who wander from Him when He sees us on the road of return. Is that not a
blessing of great joy? God will always have compassion on us when we return no
matter how long our delay. Even though we are filthy in our sins and exude the
terrible stench of the pigpen, He will embrace us and greet us with a Holy
Kiss. Only a Father could love such a child, and He has done so for you and me.
21 And the son said unto
him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more
worthy to be called thy son. Here, the prodigal satisfies the
demands of love and conscience. He confesses, not only his sinfulness, but his
complete unworthiness. None are worthy to be the son or daughter of God, but we
shall certainly be if we have received that saving Grace of Jesus Christ. We
see that there has taken place a four-fold undertaking in the prodigal's
return: 1) he came to himself and recognized his depravity; 2) He resolved to
return to his father; 3) he arose and returned to his father in answer to his
resolution; and 4) he confessed his dreadful behavior and worthlessness to his
father. So must we do when we have separated ourselves from our loving Father!
22 But the father said to
his servants(as if he did not hear his son's comments), Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a
ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: That `best robe' represents the White Robe
of Righteousness offered by Christ to all who come to Him. He will cover our
sins and nakedness with that Robe which He has purchased with His own precious
Blood. That `ring' which the father gives the son is the same as that Signet
Ring of Authority that a Sovereign gives to a subject to act in His Name and on
His own Behalf. The Christian has great authority granted in the power of the
Holy Scriptures themselves. What of the shoes? In ancient times, the first
thing taken from prisoners captured on the battlefield was their shoes. Their
shoes were taken to prevent their escape. Shoes represent liberty and freedom.
In Christ, we have perfect Liberty. "…..where the Spirit of the Lord
is, there is liberty." (2 Cor 3:17) God our Father has covered our
sins with that White Robe of Righteousness offered in Christ, given us
Authority as believers to act on His behalf (having that same mind and will of
the Father in our hearts), and given us perfect Liberty in Christ. The children
of the Father have the complete free run of the home He offers. 23 And
bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry
There will always be a feast of celebration in heaven at the return of a
prodigal. There was joy in heaven at the recovery of the little Lost Sheep;
there was joy in heaven over the recovery of the Lost Coin; and there was
exceeding joy in heaven over the return of the Lost Son. How great worth we are
as children of God. He will never forget us, nor will He give up watching and
waiting when we depart from Him in rebellion.
24 For this my son was
dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry
It is in the nature of a heart to lament the loss of a thing once owned far
more than the failure to acquire something much desired. It is sorrowful for a
woman to desire a child but remain barren of children; but it is of far greater
anguish to have a child and lose it. In a Far Country, away from God, we are
dead as much as before we were ever born in Christ. But God is joyful at our
return. He cannot bring us home in our state of sin and rebellion – that is a
decision that the heart of the wanderer must make - to come home to God,
to confess our sinfulness, and be restored. He will not own us in a Far
Country, but He will never disown us when we have come home to Him.
The question that this Parable raises is too apparent to deny: have you
wandered from your Father's home? Have you spent all of your resources in
riotous living? Have you sunk to the level of the pigs in the sty? Have you
come to the realization of your grievous apostasy? Have you resolved to return
to you Father and confess your faults? Have you followed through with your
resolution? Have you?
A note from Two, as I read through this and got to the White Robe, I was reminded of a book I read recently by a First Cavalry Crew Chief, in it he referred to
White Robe Six. During his tour of
duty in Viet Nam he co-authored a pamphlet with his uncle:
“WHITE
ROBE 6 CALLING
YELLOW
ONE…OVER”
“White Robe 6…White Robe
6…This is Yellow One calling White Robe 6.
Come in please.”
A stranger or a
newcomer in South Viet Nam hearing this radio call sign might be greatly
puzzled that no answer is ever returned…at least, not an audible answer.
It is common practice to
assign radio code names to military units and aircraft to enable the caller and
the called to identify each other while hiding their identity from the
enemy. One would search in vain through all known code books for the
identity of White Robe 6. But the men of the First Air Cavalry understand
that White Robe 6 is a special designation for God.
No one knows where the
code name originated, or when. But it has become familiar through frequent
use, in letters home, in personal conversation, and in radio
communications. It is not used casually or irreverently, but in tones of
deepest respect, of personal acquaintance, and of devout worship. The
name has special meaning to the helicopter crew who flew their chopper to
10,000 feet, far above normal operating altitude, to feel nearer to White Robe
6. And to the wounded Cavalryman whose clenched teeth muffle cries of
pain while his lips move in confident prayer. And to the grateful men who
rest in safety after a courageous flight to rescue buddies downed behind enemy
positions where success depended as much on the help of White Robe 6 as on
their skill and nerve.
This is the same God they
have known through boyhood days; of whom they learned in home and church; to
whom they prayed in less trying days than these. This is the God whose
word of promise, gives assurance to those who trust in Him, whom they have
believed. “When He calls to me, I will answer Him; I will be with Him in
trouble.” (Psalm 91:15).
White Robe 6 does answer
when men call upon Him. Not as a voice audible on radio frequencies, but
in the inmost recesses of the soul. “For thus says the high and lofty One
who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy
place, and also with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit.” (Isaiah
57:15). He speaks through His eternal Word, the Bible, giving a message
of salvation, of hope, of comfort and encouragement. To men engaged in
the grim business of war, facing daily the basic issues of life and death,
comes His word of assurance. “As your days, so shall your strength be.”
(Deuteronomy 33:25). And to men who are weary of bloodshed and conflict,
physically tired, mentally, emotionally and spiritually drained by the awful
tension and fear, the almost unbearable horror and destruction, the unresolved
struggle between moral principle and painful duty, comes the ageless word of
the Living Savior,
“Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest.” (Mathew 11:28).
The voice of White Robe 6
is heard, too, in the message of the man of God, your chaplain, who ministers
the Word of the Living God to men in every situation and trying
circumstance. By word and deed and by his very presence with them he
speaks of White Robe 6, assuring men who call upon their God in the hour of
trial and need that their cry is heard as they call in faith and trust:
“Thou dost keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee,
because
he trusts in thee.” (Isaiah 26:3).
You cannot hear it unless
you are tuned to the proper wavelength, but the voice of White Robe 6 is
unmistakably heard in answer to the call of the trusting heart: “Yellow
One, this is White Robe 6. I read you loud and clear. How do you read
me? “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the
everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint
or grow weary, His understanding is unreachable. He gives power to the
faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youth
shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted/ but they who wait
for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like
eagles, they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint.”
This was inspired by
letters home from Bill Peterson, crew chief with C/227th Assault Helicopter
Battalion, First Air Cavalry, whose home at the time was Carney, Michigan and
who presently resides in Piney Flats, Tennessee.
Author:
Reverend Oliver Peterson-Navy Chaplain (Bill’s Uncle)
Property of:
Bill
Peterson
Piney Flats, TN 37686
Phone 423-538-5881
Fax
423-538-8014
peterson_bill@netzero.net
