Lost & Found: The Extravagant Grace of God

Homily – Sunday, the 30th March 2025

Reading: Luke 15:1-3, 11-end

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable unto you O Lord, my rock and my redeemer, Amen.

Good morning, it’s always a joy to be here with you, and today I stand here to deliver a message of God’s amazing love, and the hope that draws us back to Him.

Now, I know that sometimes life feels like a rollercoaster—ups, downs, twists, and turns. You’re trying to figure out who you are, where you’re going, and sometimes, we stray off course. But I think we all know that no matter how far we go, there’s always a way back to the love that never lets us go.

This message is for all of us, especially today, on Mothering Sunday. those who’ve cared for you, guided you, and shown you love—we’re reminded that God’s love is like that too. Just as a mother’s love never gives up on her child, God’s love is always ready to welcome us home, no matter how far we’ve gone or how many mistakes we’ve made.

Today, we are exploring one of the most well-known and powerful parables in Scripture—the Parable of the Prodigal Son. This story isn’t just about a wayward child returning home; it’s about the heart of God toward every sinner, whether rebellious or self-righteous.

But before we get into the passage, let me tell you a story.

Imagine you have a hoodie you absolutely love—it’s comfy, it’s warm, and it’s your go-to piece for everything. One day, you leave it at a friend’s house by accident, and you don’t realize it until you get home. You check your bag, your room, and even your car, but it’s nowhere to be found. You start to feel frustrated and lost, because that hoodie is more than just a piece of clothing—it’s part of your routine, your comfort.

After a while, your mom calls you and says, “I found your hoodie. It was hanging on the back of the door in the kitchen. I thought you might want it back soon, so I kept it safe for you.” You feel this wave of relief because it wasn’t lost forever after all. It wasn’t just about the hoodie; it’s the fact that your mom took care of it and held onto it for you until you were ready to get it back.

Connecting It to the Prodigal Son, sometimes, life can feel like that lost hoodie. We get distracted, make mistakes, and wander off the path. But just like your mom keeping that hoodie safe, God’s love is always there for us, waiting to restore us when we’re ready to come back. No matter how far we wander, God is always looking out for us, always ready to bring us back into His arms. Even when we feel lost, God never stops loving us, just like that mom who knew you’d want your hoodie back.

Now, let’s turn to our passage in Luke 15, where Jesus tells us about something far more valuable than a hoodie—someone who was lost, but then found.

The Younger Son: The Rebellion & The Consequences of Sin

The younger son in this parable does something shocking. He demands his inheritance while his father is still alive. In that culture, this was essentially saying, “I wish you were dead. I want your money, not you.” Disrespectful, selfish, reckless.

With his pockets full, he runs off into the world, chasing pleasure, freedom, and excitement. But sin makes false promises. What looks like freedom often leads to disappointment and regret. What feels like control eventually enslaves us.

When the money runs out, he finds himself feeding pigs. He is broken, starving, alone.

And then comes the turning point: “He came to his senses.” He remembers his father—not just his wealth, but his kindness. He realizes even the servants in his father’s house live better than this. So he makes a plan to return, not as a son, but as a servant.

Does that sound familiar? Have you ever felt so guilty, so ashamed, that you thought, “I don’t deserve God’s love. Maybe if I work hard enough, He’ll tolerate me.”

The truth is, we’ve all been in the younger son’s shoes—chasing after things that leave us empty, realizing too late that we were running away from the One who loves us most.

The Father’s Grace

What happens next is astonishing. The father sees his son from a distance. That means he had been watching, waiting, hoping for his return. And then, he does something completely uncustomary for a man of his status—he runs to his son.

At that time, the elders did not run, but this father didn’t care. Love overcomes dignity.

He embraces his filthy, broken son, clothes him in the finest robe which represents honor, places a ring on his finger which represents authority, and shoes on his feet representing freedom as slaves were barefoot, but sons wore shoes.

The message is clear: You are not a servant. You are my child.

And then, the celebration begins—a feast, music, dancing! Because when the lost are found, heaven rejoices.

The Older Brother: Resentment & Self-Righteousness

But not everyone is happy. The older brother hears the celebration and refuses to join. Instead of rejoicing, he is bitter.

“All these years I’ve served you, and you never threw a party for me!”

Do you hear it? The entitlement? The self-righteousness? The older brother isn’t serving his father out of love; he sees himself as a slave, just like his younger brother once did.

He is just as lost—but for him it is his pride. He believes he has earned his place, so he resents the grace given freely to his brother.

How often do we fall into the same trap? We compare. We say, “I’ve been faithful, I’ve served, I deserve more.” And in doing so, we forget that grace is never about what we deserve.

The Father’s Invitation

Then the father goes out to the older son, just as he ran to the younger one. He reminds him, “Everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate—your brother was dead and is alive again!”

Jesus leaves the story open-ended. We don’t know how the older brother responds. And that’s intentional—because the question is now for us.

Who Are You in the Story?

Jesus gives us three main characters, and we must ask: Who am I?

Am I the Rebellious Son? Maybe you’ve run from God, chasing things that have only left you empty. But God is waiting for you, ready to run to you if you turn back to Him.
Am I the Resentful Brother? Maybe you’ve been in church all your life, doing the right things, but your heart is bitter. Maybe you’ve looked at someone else’s blessing and thought, “That’s not fair.” Could it be that you’ve been near the Father but never truly enjoyed His grace?
Am I the Loving Father? This is who we are called to be—people who extend grace, who celebrate when the lost are found, and who rejoice in the goodness of God.

The Invitation is Open: The prodigal son repented and was restored. But the older brother’s story is left open-ended.

How will you respond? Will you run into the Father’s arms, or will you stand outside, bitter and self-righteous?The good news is that God’s grace is for both. The lost can be found, the sinner forgiven, and the self-righteous humbled.The invitation is open. Will you accept it?

Dear Lord Jesus Christ,
we come before you today gathered in your house to worship you Lord. Thankyou for giving us this opportunity to come together and sing praises to you. We pray today Lord, that you lead us on to the path that leads back to you, the path we are set to travel. We pray that your grace will encompass us. We pray that you help us so that the church does everything in order to serve you Lord. In your Holy and Blessed name we pray.
Amen.

Dorothy Vinod

30th March 2025