Inertia

There are many things we do not know about the universe but there are simple ones we understand. People do better when they are motivated. What motivates people is something very broad. People like to test themselves. It is difficult in this world to know who to trust your soul to.

There is a very simple wisdom that I have never been able to get around. We each have our own. Some people never learn of our savior and some people hear of nothing else. My father and I would have discussions about people who didn't know Jesus or care to follow, but still did good in the world. These were the real wonders of the world. Plenty of people doing bad for plenty of reasons.

Not easy to do anything. To do a thing the right way. If you follow Jesus you believe without God it is impossible. How ever far you go in the world the destination is the same. People do things half way mostly. People take short-cuts everyday. It makes it even harder for those who do things right.

There is no end to the list of things to be concerned about when doing things right. People often get far, or so they tell themselves, by risking all. Things that were never really theirs or something they have done. The biggest impact on my life was the place I was born and the color of my passport. I went out in the world, but not to conquer it, but to share mine. I had more than I needed.

In my younger years I felt I was accomplishing something until I looked to see what it was that I brought to the table. The resources I used the solutions I found I was connecting things in the world. They were not mine.  As far as the universe goes I had no input. Everything was here when I got here.

There is an ecstasy that marks the summit of life, and beyond which life cannot rise. And such is the paradox of living, this ecstasy comes when one is most alive, and it comes as a complete forgetfulness that one is alive. That is how Jack London described this realization in the The Call of the Wild. 

We will look now also to our scripture today, The Prodigal Son, from Luke reading the amplified bible.

11 Then He said, “A certain man had two sons. 12 The younger of them [inappropriately] said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.’ So he divided the estate between them. 13 A few days later, the younger son gathered together everything [that he had] and traveled to a distant country, and there he wasted his fortune in reckless and immoral living. 14 Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to do without and be in need. 15 So he went and forced himself on one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to [a]feed pigs. 16 He would have gladly eaten the [carob] pods that the pigs were eating [but they could not satisfy his hunger], and no one was giving anything to him. 17 But when he [finally] came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough food, while I am dying here of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; [just] treat me like one of your hired men.”’ 20 So he got up and came to his father.

When I learned this story as a child I had assumed the son came back because he failed. Today I look at this story differently as I see the world just failed him as it does and why we have and need saving. The story of what happened when he was away was summed up by the words reckless and immoral living.  There is so much there.  Long or short.  Do I contradict myself? Very well then I contradict myself, (I am large, I contain multitudes.) As Walt Whitman said in song of myself. Reckless could be short or long is my point and we each have our own, but we find only one destination.

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

Could not have agreed more in my youth. This failure his father saw as a refugee. He was lost and was really back to life. We like to think our world is globalized, back then the world was even a scarier place for what they didn't know. Today the world is a scary place for what we know.

22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe [for the guest of honor] and put it on him; and give him a [b]ring for his hand, and sandals for his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let us [invite everyone and] feast and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was [as good as] dead and is alive again; he was lost and has been found.’ So they began to celebrate.

To me it was a story about this son and his failure. Another son perhaps did not fail and there was no story about him, but this is not what Jesus is teaching. Jesus to my mind teaches one lesson for all. The world will let you down. The will of God is the destination. This only feels limiting because of your definition of God like the other son. Is God this thing that you should believe or is it this thing that is. Is it this thing that leads to all other things? Our answer is yes and our definition unlimited.

25 “Now his older son was in the field; and when he returned and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he summoned one of the servants and began asking what this [celebration] meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But the elder brother became angry and deeply resentful and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him.

This part of the story as a youngster I thought I understood the best. Doing good should be rewarded not doing bad.   As a teacher I often feel this way.  As a substitute teacher even more so. When I come in a room and 17 out of 20 are doing what they should I do feel like they have a right to be upset with the 3 that mess everything up everyday. I am not a teacher for one. After many years I recognized myself in those 17. Being good is its own reward. I don't worry about them as much as I used to. Being able to control your impulses is the one lesson we really teach k-5. Those who do have easier lives. That why we teach it.

29 But he said to his father, ‘Look! These many years I have served you, and I have never neglected or disobeyed your command. Yet you have never given me [so much as] a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; 30 but when this [other] son of yours arrived, who has devoured your estate with immoral women, you slaughtered that fattened calf for him!’

As a child I don't know that there was any part of the bible that made more sense. It is good to put away childish things. Pretty sure both sons were invited to the celebration. I think now if the first son had died the second would not have missed anything. Here is where reality gets harsh and why our savior teaches with such compassion. Not if you will suffer but how and with who.

Matthew 19: 23 - we are reminded And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven."

And it is true also biologically. We stress ourselves and we tell our body that we are in danger. The body has time tested ways to deal with stress including stress hormones that take a large toll on our bodies. Our bodies believing us that we need to be stressed. We do good we are not stressed we have less biological cost on our system. It is like the will of God. Being in the will of God has its own rewards. Blessings we can not imagine. The 3 kids always disrupting the class never get to see the rewards of being good. They don't know what they are missing. But we do my friend.  We take deep breaths and we tell our bodies we are safe.  We do need to learn the language of our body.

31 The father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But it was fitting to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was [as good as] dead and has begun to live. He was lost and has been found.’”

The last lesson here is the last one I find in my life as well. Even though our children will have their own. We need to tell them when it is time. And we need to show them when it is time. We need to find ourselves within the will of God to know the difference. It is like a magnetic force in this world. Certain things go together. Certain things people hold together at their peril.

It is amazing to me that as Jesus informs of reality people find reasons to blame God. I think most people in this world would be content with extinction. I don't think most people care about seven generations from now.   It is why it is hard.  God is doing and creating the right way: for all of us.

Neither Son fails.  Their experience did.  God helps those who help God. Inertia is the force that we often identify in charge and it is difficult to get past. God is playing in higher dimensions. So many roads. Very long ones.  So many people.  All to the end of the road.  One destination

Let Us Pray

Heavenly Father

We have failed

We have learned

We were loved

Thank you for ours

Thank you for theirs

Help us to navigate to the end of the road in your will.

Our destination and the journey with Jesus.

Amen

Benediction

Go out in the world

See all the roads

See all the people

Know there is one destination

Help somebody see

Celebrate when you should

Nottingham United Methodist Church 3-27-2022