Blue Shoe, Red Shoe

First Lesson: Joshua 5: 9-12
Responsive Reading: Psalm 32
Second Lesson: 2 Corinthians 5: 16-21
​Gospel Lesson: Luke 15: 1-3, 11b-32

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Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
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Pastor Tom Long tells the following story[1].  Once upon a time, a woman was reflecting upon her relationship with her father. When she was a girl growing up, she was closer to her father than anybody else in the world.  Like many close relationships, they had a ritual that was just between them. 

Their ritual took place at family gatherings with grandmas, grandpas, aunts, and cousins.  At these family gatherings, they would always break out the polka music so everyone could dance.

The highlight for both the girl and her father was when the “Beer Barrel Polka” would come on.  Every time this song came on, her father would ask her to dance.  Dancing with her father to this song was the most exciting thing in the world as a young girl.

Well the girl began to grow, her Dad was forever the same, but she was different.  When she was a teenager, her dad asked her to dance to the “Beer Barrel Polka” and she snapped.  “Don’t touch me.” “Leave me alone[2]!”  The Father would never ask her to dance to this song again. 

Their relationship continued changing throughout her teenage years.  She would frequently come home way past curfew.  She would see her Dad sitting on his chair, half-sleep, staring out the window, waiting for her arrival.  The daughter kept up her attitude: “What do you think you’re doing?”  Only to hear her Dad sadly reply: “Just waiting on you[3].”

Dad did everything he could for his daughter.  He’d rearrange his schedule to attend every school function of hers.  He was always patient and kind in her presence.  Regardless of what her dad did, the daughter kept withdrawing further.

The daughter finally goes away to college.  She was thrilled to get away from her tragically unhip dad.  She never communicated with her dad for years and years; she eventually began to miss her father[4].

Finally, one day she receives an invitation to her next family reunion.  She didn’t approach her father at first, not knowing quite what to say.

Finally, the “Beer Barrel Polka” is played. She takes a deep breath, walks over to her father, says “I believe this is our dance[5].”

A smile breaks out over her father’s face, wider than any smile she had seen.  Right before her father says: “I’ve been waiting on you[6].”  Father then danced with his daughter with as much enthusiasm as his legs could muster.

Today’s Gospel lesson tells us a similar story[7].  Now let me set the background. Jesus is sitting down for supper.  His dinner companions were unexpected[8].  Jesus was eating with tax collectors and sinners.  Tax collectors being agents of the idol worshiping Romans, getting rich by exploiting their fellow Judean citizens.  Sinners being such a varied crew of spiritual misfits that their crimes aren’t even defined.  So watching this scene is the good, religious Pharisees.

The Pharisees knew the scriptures, were in Temple every Sabbath and sought to follow the Law of Moses since their birth.  The Pharisees are shocked that a so-called “religious” teacher like Jesus would dare eat with tax collectors and sinners.

So Jesus begins to tell the Pharisees a series of parables involving lost items. First, he tells them about a lost sheep than a lost coin and finally, he tells them about a lost son.

Once upon a time, there was a man who had two sons. The younger son comes to the father one day with the boldest of requests: “Father, give me my share of the estate.”

The following request would have been the ultimate act of disrespect to one’s father. It’s announcing to your father: “You’re dead to me[9].” And “By the way, give me my share of the inheritance.”

If the Parable of the Prodigal Son were a movie, the younger son would be the villain. He’s an arrogant jerk, who you’d assume any family would be better if he left.

Now in just about any other family within Jesus’ day, the father would have said “no” to the younger son’s request[10].  This father though appears to be a “sap” and a “sucker” as he proceeds to give the younger son, his share of the estate, so he may go live as wild a life as he wants, far away from home[11]. 

The younger son soon squanders his father’s inheritance.  He begins to starve as the land undergoes a famine. He’s forced to take a job feeding pigs[12].

He finally decides to take a desperate step, what seemed a while back to be the last thing he would ever do.  He decides to return home to his father and beg for a job as a hired servant, so hopefully, he can eat[13].

So the son returns home, the father spots him in the distance. The father begins to run to embrace him[14].
When I was in Lamberton, I was sitting at home watching the Vikings play the 49ers.  The 49ers seemed certain to have the game won. The 49ers were up four points; the Vikings were out of chances to stop the clock.   Twelve seconds were left in the game; Brett Favre heaves the ball towards the back of end zone, Greg Lewis catches it with two seconds left on the clock for a touchdown. Vikings win!  My dad was at the game; the stadium had emptied because the Vikings losing seemed certain.

I see this catch watching at home; I start running as fast as I could around the house, I run past the kitchen, past the restroom, and into the computer room, where I fall over.  I start hyperventilating from the excitement. I would not fully collect my breath again for what I remember to be nearly a half-hour.  I reacted this way because I didn’t care because no one else was in the house.

Now as I picture this scene of the running father embracing the prodigal son.  I don’t imagine a natural nor fluid runner.  I don’t see a guy who was at an age, where it was even necessarily a good idea to run. I see a father running because he had just witnessed the most exciting thing in his life; his long-lost son was back home once again.  I picture a father whose love for his son was so great that he couldn’t contain his excitement that he took off spontaneously running.  I imagine a guy so excited at the son’s embrace; he runs the risk of his breath hyperventilating.

The Son upon seeing the Father begins to admit his wrongdoing: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.[15]”

None of this though was the Father’s concern. “Bring out the best robe[16].” “Kill the fattened calf.” “Let’s have a celebration[17].”

There is one other character within this story.  The older brother who could also be known as the responsible brother. The brother who hears music and wonders what is going on[18].  He hears about a party for his long-lost brother.  He finds out his reckless, wasteful younger brother returning is the reason for the party[19]. 

The responsible brother gets mad.  He had been seemingly the perfect son for years and years. He was hardworking and respectful of his father. He had played life totally by the rules and was unable to celebrate with even a young goat with his friends[20]. If this were a movie, everyone would acknowledge how the responsible brother made all sorts of good points regarding the unfairness of it all. 
The following tale is no different than the Pharisees making good points as they saw Jesus dine with tax collectors and sinners.

 Here’s the point thought that Jesus is making about the Kingdom of God.  God’s love knows no bounds to both the responsible and the reckless. God’s grace poured out in Jesus Christ might end up being more generous than the Pharisees think it should be. But this doesn’t mean that it isn’t still the greatest of gifts to all who receive it.  The point of our passage isn’t ultimately about the irresponsibility of the younger son, nor the righteous anger of the older son, the point of our parable is our Father in heaven’s love towards all his children.  How this love is so great the father doesn’t care about how it appears to others.

Let me close with one final story to illustrate this as told by Tim Zingale[21], a man once upon a time was commissioned to paint a picture of Our Gospel lesson: “The Parable of the Prodigal Son.”

 The painter sets about his task. Finally, the big day comes when he is to unveil his work.  The scene is right outside the father’s house.  The moment captured is the father running with his arms outstretched, preparing to embrace his long lost son.  The man who commissioned the painting was thrilled at  the work. But as he was getting ready to pay the artist, he noticed a detail that he had missed at his original viewing. 
The man looked down at the father’s feet, noticed he was wearing one blue shoe and one red shoe[22].  The man was shocked that the painter could be so careless to miss what he thought to be such an important detail.  The man began to question the painter about his error.

 The painter merely smiled as he replied: “Yes, there is no better image of the love of God for his children than a Father running out of his house in such a hurry to celebrate that he didn’t care about fashion, he didn’t care about comfort, he just grabbed the two nearest shoes he could find, so he could run to embrace his long lost child[23].”

Amen
 

[1] Long, Rev.Dr Thomas. “Is There Joy in God's House?” Day 1. 21.Mar.2004. Web. Mar.14.2019.
[2] Long, Rev.Dr Thomas. “Is There Joy in God's House?” Day 1.
[3] Long, Rev.Dr Thomas. “Is There Joy in God's House?” Day 1.
[4] Long, Rev.Dr Thomas. “Is There Joy in God's House?” Day 1.
[5] Long, Rev.Dr Thomas. “Is There Joy in God's House?” Day 1.
[6] Long, Rev.Dr Thomas. “Is There Joy in God's House?” Day 1.
[7] Luke 15:1-2, 11-32.
[8] Hoezee, Scott. “Luke 15:1-2, 11-32.” Center for Excellence in Preaching. Calvin Seminary. Grand Rapids, MI. 29.Feb.2016. Web. Mar.14.2019. 
[9] Hoezee, Scott. “Luke 15:1-2, 11-32.” Center for Excellence in Preaching.
[10] McLarty, Phillip. “The Parable of the Prodigal Son.” Sermon Writer. 2004. Web. Mar.14.2019. 
[11] Luke 15:13.
[12] Luke 15:15.
[13] Luke 15:17-20. 
[14] Luke 15:20.
[15] Luke 15:21
[16] Luke 15:22.
[17] Luke 15:23.
[18] Luke 15:25-26.
[19] Luke 15:27.
[20] Luke 15:29.
[21] Zingale, Tim. “ The God of Unmatched Shoes.” Sermon Central. 12.Mar.2007. Web. Mar.14.2019.
[22] Zingale, Tim. “ The God of Unmatched Shoes.” Sermon Central
[23] Zingale, Tim. “ The God of Unmatched Shoes.” Sermon Central.