Making It to the Party

Rembrandt: Return of the Prodigal Son

I cannot speak for my congregation, but the longer I spend with the Lord's Prayer, the more I am discovering an interesting and challenging surprise. These are not easy words! Yes - these are sacred words for they come to us directly from Jesus. Yes - these are holy words for they guide us on a spiritual path that is set by the one we call Lord. But they are not easy.

We teach them to our children - as we should - but as we do, we need to remember that this is not "Now I lay me down to sleep..." We are praying for God's kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven - and that is (forgive me for saying it) just a wee bit radical. Stop and consider the pronouns. There's not a single "I, me, or my" anywhere.

• Not "my Father" but "our Father."
• Not "my daily bread" but "our daily bread."
• Not "forgive me my sins" but "forgive us."

And then we get one of the most radical statements of all. Whether you use the word debt, trespass, or sin, the prayer doesn't let us off too quickly. Forgive us our debts as WE FORGIVE our debtors. And in case we don't quite understand, Matthew is quick to add a comment by Jesus just after he teaches us the Lord's Prayer: For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. The Gospel of Matthew seems adamant about what appears to be a condition in the forgiveness clause of the Gospel. Check out the parable in Mathew 18: 23-35 - if you dare! 

 It would seem that Jesus is insisting that his path of discipleship is inherently, inevitably, and unavoidably communal. 

So - as we approach the amazingly challenging statement on forgiveness this Sunday, I want to take a small bypass through a story that speaks a bit more softly, yet so very powerfully. We will seek to understand the path of forgiveness with the lens of the Prodigal Son - and his Elder Brother. Take a moment to remember this so very familiar story in Luke chapter 15. While you're at it, read the entire chapter. And then consider: 

Are you a Prodigal Son or an Elder Brother? 

See you Sunday!