Today's Sermon

Today's sermon was titled "There and Back Again: A Prodigal's Tale." I thought it quite clever to use a play on Tolkien's title for the parable of the lost son (Luke 15:11-32.)

I have heard this parable more times than I can count. But I have never heard it preached on like this morning. Pastor B concluded that both sons were lost. That both sons had essentially abandoned the heart of their father, but where the younger son comes to his senses and returns home in humility for forgiveness, the older son refuses to accept his sinner brother. Pastor B also reminded us that the Pharisees were like that, refusing to accept sinners. They always held themselves in high regard.

I had never thought of the older son's behavior as akin to his brother's, but just in a different way. But he never repents, either. He is actually angry at his father's joy in the return of his brother.

The Bible always leaves us learning new things from the passages we have read many times before. It is an amazing thing!