Rules…they bring out the worst in us don’t they?!
Some of us love rules, they make us feel secure, they give us boundaries and they help us know if we’re ‘succeeding’ or ‘failing’. Some of us hate rules, they make us feel restricted, they stifle us and they remind us that we’re naturally suspicious of the authorities.
Jesus famously told a story in Luke 15: 11-32 about two sons who responded to ‘the rules’ very differently, and both made a mess of things. Let’s see what we can learn in order to help us not make a mess of things as we adjust to the ‘new normal’ and Covid restrictions.
As ever, the issue is not external (the rules) but internal (our heart’s response to the rules). God wants to use this time to teach us and mould us.
The Younger Brother – stuff the rules!
The story starts with the younger brother breaking all the social conventions of his day – he rejects his father and asks for his inheritance early. In effect, he wants his father dead. Then he runs off to a far-off land where no-one knows him, and spends all the money on parties and prostitutes.
In the context in which Jesus tells the story (see Luke 15:1-2) he is equivalent to the ‘tax collectors and sinners’ that were gathering around Jesus. He broke all the rules, despised authority, and did things his own way for his own personal pleasure.
That is one way to respond to the rules…stuff them! And in the story (at least, initially) he is seen as selfish, spiteful, wasteful and foolish. Not a very nice guy!
The Elder Brother – keep the rules!
The elder brother in the story is the complete opposite and even declares, in a moment of defiance, that he has never disobeyed the father’s orders (vs29). He knows the rule book. In fact, he probably came up with the rule book.
That is one way to respond to the rules…keep them all! However, as the story unfolds we discover he, too, is not a very nice person. He represents the Pharisees that are gathering around Jesus (see Luke 15:1-2). He is judgmental, angry, stifling to others, self-righteous and competitive. In fact, why do you think the younger brother ran away? I imagine living with the elder brother was oppressive and suffocating.
Both brothers make a mess of the rules
So whilst on the surface it seems like the elder brother is ‘in the right’ actually they BOTH make a mess of the rules and this is revealed by the fact that BOTH brothers are alienated from the father. Neither son has a relationship with the father as a son should – the younger brother has run away and the elder brother talks about ‘slaving for the father’ (vs29).
So what is going on here? Well, there are two ways to avoid a relationship with God as Father: we can either break all the rules and run away, or we can keep all the rules, with a desire to put God in our debt. Both Sons reveal that they don’t want a relationship with the father, they only want the father’s money. And it’s the keeping/breaking of the rules that reveals that.
The younger brother represents immorality, irreligion and licentiousness. He is the liberal. The elder brother represents morality, religion and legalism. He is the conservative. Both are wrong when it comes to the rules. Both make a mess of it.
The Third Way – The Father (The Gospel)
So, what are we to learn about responding to rules from this story and from the gospels as a whole? Let me suggest a few things:
Firstly – God is interested in our hearts.
Why we choose to obey/disobey is more important to him than anything else. And we can be further from God whilst obeying all the rules, than the person who is disobeying them but trying to work through the challenges with honesty and vulnerability. So, don’t start with the rules, start with your heart.
Secondly – It’s easy to judge others who act differently from you.
You sense from the story that the brothers cannot stand each other. They are alienated from the father and each other. So we, too, must be careful that however we act upon and interpret the rules, we don’t judge or despise others.
Thirdly – The father demonstrates costly grace.
The grace of the father in the story is beautiful. He is forgiving and kind, he is merciful and long-suffering. And so we must also learn those characteristics. But this grace came at a cost – the cost of financial waste, the cost of social stigma (he runs to his younger son, something a patriarchal man would never have done) and most of all the cost of rejected love (first from the younger son, then from the elder son). The father’s grace towards his sons comes at great cost. The younger brother who broke the rules cost him dearly.
In this we are starting to plumb the depths of the gospel – where divine love and justice are satisfied without either being compromised. John 1:14 says that Jesus came from the Father full of ‘grace and truth’. In others, Jesus is not a liberal or a conservative, not advocating for religion or irreligion, not encouraging licentiousness nor legalism, he is modeling something completely different.
God is speaking to us all
So – how is God speaking to and moulding us at this time?
Rule Breakers – for those of us who want to bend and break the rules, and justify our actions, we’re called to obedience and to not treat God or others lightly. As Romans 13:1-10 tells us, we’re called to holiness, to submit to the governing authorities, respect the wider community and love all people. When we find this hard, let’s turn to the Holy Spirit to give us the strength we need.
Rule Keepers -– for those of us who tend to keep the rules, let’s follow the advice of James 1:19 says to be ‘be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry’. Let’s not make the mistake the Pharisees made of keeping the letter of the law but breaking the spirit of the law (Matthew 23). The more important matters of the law are ‘justice, mercy and faithfulness’ (Matthew 23:23-24).
This is a time for spiritual growth.
We’re all going to make mistakes over the coming months, whether ‘elder’ or ‘younger’ brother mistakes. This will be a chance for us to grow spiritually, to grow in wisdom, to rely more on God, to learn to ‘be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves‘ (Romans 12:10). Or as 1 Peter 4:8 puts it:
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
Let’s remember the 4 postures of the heart that I mentioned in my previous blog
- Look out for others’ interests above your own (Philippians 2:3-4)
- Seek to please your Christian brother or sister who you disagree with (Romans 15:1-7)
- Be humble, gentle, patient, bear with each other and make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:2-3)
- Be aware of the devil’s schemes; he loves to bring condemnation, division and fear (Ephesians 6:10-21)
Finding it hard – want to chat?
Let me end with a plea. If you’re finding things hard, or you feel isolated from CCC, or you feel like you’re in the minority, or you feel uncomfortable, or you disagree with someone or you have questions, please don’t shut off and withdraw, please come and share with us your thoughts and feelings. We want to understand and support one another. Please don’t hide or pretend. Let’s remain vulnerable and honest. God is the one that holds us together and his grace his sufficient for us all.
So, if you you would like to chat to someone about anything that this blog has raised, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with one of the staff or leadership team. If you’re not sure how, please email hello@christcitychurch.ie
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For more on the Prodigal Son story in Luke 15, do watch these two short videos by Tim Keller – the younger brother and the elder brother or read Prodigal God .