I preached this sermon as pulpit supply at First Presbyterian Church in Fort Thomas, Kentucky.
The lectionary text is Luke 15:1-10 – The Parable of the Lost Sheep & The Parable of the Lost Coin.
I got called to the corporate vice-president’s office. John was upset. “Dave,” he growled, “What’s with this huge charge on your expense account?” I was project manager for one of our largest clients. It was Walgreen’s. The project had been struggling before I joined it, deadlines were in danger. We had the wrong people on the project. The client was trying to expand the scope of the project – you may know it as scope-creep. My company’s management knew what was at stake and made sure I knew the consequences.
We all pulled together. Management provided more resources, we got them into the right seats on the metaphorical bus. I got the client focused on the proper scope, reasonable deadlines and the team worked diligently to deliver – flawlessly and on schedule. We redeemed the project and reached a major milestone.
Celebrating is one of the widely accepted final steps of a project, and I wasn’t letting this milestone slip past without acknowledging the team’s efforts. We went to a local tavern and I even invited folks from the client to join us. Still, John demanded to know why my expense account was so high. But I knew the VP’s weakness though, his favorite ale was Chimay, an expensive brew made in a Trappist monastery in Belgium. There aren’t enough O’s in “Smoooooth” to describe this brew. Armed with this tidbit, I replied calmly, “John, we celebrated the project milestone and success with Chimay.” He paused, the memory hitting his taste buds. He smiled, nodded his head, and signed off on my expense account, wishing he had been in Chicago celebrating with us.
For the one person in this congregation who knows some of the characters in this story, Sara, this was John Throckmorton, not Matt. The rest of you couldn’t know these folks, and that’s okay.
With so many things broken in the world today, how do we work ourselves up to celebrating? The project at work might be behind schedule, the budget at church might not balance, your car might need new tires, there’s more month left than there is paycheck.
In the multi-part parable we just heard, the principals in each story aren’t suddenly in a perfect world at the end of their story. But they still chose to rejoice. The climax of each story isn’t the finding, it’s the celebrating. The shepherd calls his friends and neighbors, the woman does the same. Why? Because joy multiplies when it’s shared. [Repeat]
(WE)
Jesus tells this parable in response to the Pharisees grumbling like it’s an over-charged expense account about welcoming and eating with sinners. Here are the first two verses again, “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.’” They drew the line at fraternizing.
So Jesus reframes the narrative on the Pharisees. He says, “There will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons – read, Pharisees – who do not need to repent.” That’s rejoicing and reveling, not just accepting and agreeing. The angels are celebrating with Chimay!
(GOD)
I had a sermon mostly written for today based on the reading from 1 Timothy Cheryl just read. Then I looked ahead at the lectionary readings for September 28th, the next time I’m invited to preach in this pulpit, and realized the sermon will fit that week’s 1 Timothy reading even better. So please remember today’s scripture reading until I can come back in a fortnight and share Paul’s words to his disciple, Timothy, as Paul encourages him to lead the largest church of its time in Ephesus. So for today, I fell back on the gospel reading in Luke, which conveniently has a parable from Jesus.
We heard two wonderful stories today. If you were following along in your Bible, your eyes would have gone to the next section. Did anybody read ahead? My NIV Bible titles it, “The Parable of the Lost Son.” We know it as the “Prodigal Son.” Luke puts all three stories into one parable, as he writes in verse 3, “Then Jesus told them this parable:”, then goes and tells all three stories in succession, the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Lost Son.” Luke wants us to read them all together. It’s too bad that the lectionary breaks off the last one.
In defense of the lectionary series of scriptures, “The Prodigal Son” has a lot of moving parts and is worthwhile of a sermon all its own. I’m glad to share my take on it someday. Also, the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin appear only in Luke.
Here’s a pertinent passage from the Lost Son: ““But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.”
Why do you think Luke puts these three stories into one parable? Because there are recurring and related themes through the three stories. There is an interesting progression in the three stories. Let’s look at these for a minute.
In the Lost Sheep, one sheep was lost. Even to a poor shepherd, one sheep was the cost of doing business. You will lose a sheep or two to any number of causes, natural or not. I’m sure they had predators back then that would help themselves to more than one sheep if they had the chance. The shepherd would expect to lose one of 100, and accept it.
In the Lost Coin, the woman lost one of ten coins.
What about the Lost Son? The man had two sons. One was lost. One of two.
Those are the numbers. Let’s talk about worth. For the shepherd, a sheep was lost. Good shepherds care for their sheep. They count them! They knew how many they had! The shame of losing a sheep might be the greatest cost to the shepherd.
In the Lost Coin, the stakes increased. One silver coin, called a ‘drachma’, was worth about a day’s wages for a laborer. If the woman had only ten to begin with, she lost one tenth of her savings. Ouch! More important, I read that the ten coins may have composed a piece of jewelry used for a wedding ceremony, much like we use wedding rings today. Whether that was in the plans for the woman or not, it was still a loss of that potential.
And the Prodigal Son? Half of the father’s family went away and was considered dead.
But in each of these stories in one parable told by Jesus, these themes occur:
· The main character possesses something valuable and doesn’t want to lose it.
· Each item that was lost has a personal value, not just a monetary value: a shepherd cares for his a sheep, a woman cherishes her bridal jewelry, a father loves his son.
· The main character rejoices in the finding of this lost item.
· Each story ends not with pontification, but with a party.
· The main character doesn’t rejoice alone. If you remember one thing this morning, it’s this: Joy multiplies when it’s shared.
Back to Jesus’ message to the Pharisees – Heaven throws a party when sinners come home. Celebration is not optional in God’s kingdom. Which will we be? Will we celebrate redemption of sinners, or grumble at them?
(YOU)
I was in my church’s Youth Choir a very long time ago. As part of a cantata we performed, we sang one song that still sticks with me today that referenced the Prodigal Son, “There is more joy in heaven for one lost soul who has found his way, than for all 99 who have never gone astray.” “Kill the fatted calf, kill the red, red rooster for my son has returned to me.” I could still sing that catchy melody, but you’ll thank me for not singing it this morning.
I see too many things that are broken in today’s world. I try to follow Luke’s guidance and fix what I can, then celebrate what is resolved. Celebrate the milestones, celebrate with friends. Joy multiplies when it’s shared.
(YOU, AGAIN)
How does First Presbyterian Church of Fort Thomas celebrate? I mentioned last time the baptism of Ryman and Lucy that this church had in August. Theirs were the most meaningful baptisms I have ever seen, and at the end, this congregation didn’t just clap, you rejoiced! You’re the neighbor Jesus calls us to be!
You acknowledged the new year for Sunday School, not with a handshake and a congratulations to those children moving up a grade, but you marked the occasion with a pancake breakfast! Like the father in the Prodigal Son, you invited your family, friends and neighbors to eat everything but the fatted calf! *THIS* is what God the Father wants to see!
You celebrated the ministry of Rev. Dr. Amy Snow a couple weeks ago, remembering and giving thanks for her years of dedicated service to this church.
Celebrations are full of thanksgiving. Funerals are often called, “Celebration of Life,” remembering and giving thanks for the loved one. I drove past the Mueller Funeral Home this week and remembered the visitation of a friend, Aaron Weigand, a young man who died way too early from a long battle with cancer. After passing through the visitation line to talk with his wife and teenage sons, you were asked to go downstairs where the friends had set up a virtual festival. There were carnival games and music and food. His life was being celebrated like a jazz funeral in New Orleans.
Where do you go from here? Remember to celebrate people, not just accomplishments. Celebrate their presence, their return to this church.
Are your deacons reaching out to their flock looking for reasons to celebrate? Has your session reached out to this beautiful neighborhood to search for reasons to celebrate? On my drive in this morning, I saw a sign on a utility pole that said simply, “ChooseJoy.” In each of the stories – the shepherd, the woman, the father – all invited their friends and neighbors to celebrate with them. Do the same.
Joy multiplies when it’s shared. Are your ministries designed to search for that one lost soul who may find his or her way? Helping a lost soul find their way should kick off a celebration even the angels in heaven will join!
(WE)
The father of the Prodigal Son said to the brother in Luke 15:32, “But we had to celebrate and be glad.” Celebration is not just a response – it’s holy. It’s a reflection of God’s heart. When you rejoice over redemption, over a lost soul being found – you are echoing the angels, heaven, even God himself. So rejoice! Break out the Chimay! Ignore that expense account! And celebrate!
In Jesus’ name.
