Taxing Taxes

March 4, 2013

Opening Hymns:
357 Just as I Am Without One Plea http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh357.sht

Scripture Reading:
Luke 15: 11-32

The Parable of the Lost Son

¹¹ Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
¹³ “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. ¹⁴ After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
¹⁷ “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! ¹⁸ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
²¹ “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
²² “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.
²⁵ “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ²⁷ ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
²⁸ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
³¹ “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Message:
Who do you relate to in the story told by the scripture lesson today? Are you the parent, hoping and waiting for the son to repent and come home? Are you the son that stayed with the dad and didn’t get a celebration like his brother had? Or are you the prodigal son… the one who turns away and comes back. It could be that at different stages of our lives we relate to each of the different characters in this story.

Personally I feel I can relate the most to the grumbling brother of the prodigal son. It does seem unfair that all his loyalty and devotion doesn’t get him a celebration like the one his brother had. His dad does make a good point at the end, but it still just seems unfair. I can picture him wining and crossing his arms as he talks to his father… “But dad, it’s not fair! I’ve been loyal and faithful here this whole time!”

What do we grumble about? The biggest thing that comes to mind for me is taxes. I see what tax money goes for and question it quite a lot. I see people misusing the system and buying drugs, living off of unemployment just because they can, people using food stamps so they can buy fancy phones and have cable and internet in their beautiful apartments… that is me saying “But… it’s not fair! I could use that money!!!”

What are we complaining about? Do I have a place to lay my head at night? Do I have food to eat, and clothing to wear? Am I protected by my countries military? Yes. Money is not always used for the right reasons. People have been misusing money since it was created… but perhaps good is coming from it too. Maybe there is food on the table when there wasn’t before. The money that some people receive may change their lives deeply for the better. Sometimes things might not seem fair to us… the faithful son feels underappreciated in the story. But no doubt his father had been providing him with food and shelter all the years his brother was away. Maybe if we stop looking at what we don’t have and begin to look at the gifts we’ve been given we can begin to understand why there is a party and join in the celebration.

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you for throwing a big party for all the prodigal sons that repent and come back home. Soften our hearts so that we can celebrate with them. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer


Closing Hymn
365 Grace Greater Than Our Sins http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh365.sht

May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, serve the Lord
Thanks be to God