New Restalrig Church, EdinburghAn Evangelical Church of Scotland

Sermon by Rev. David Court. Download Sermon mp3

Sermon by Rev. David Court. http://www.newrestalrig.com/wp-content/mp3s/28august_am.mp3

Sermon by Mr. Paul Warhurst. http://www.newrestalrig.com/wp-content/mp3s/21august_pm.mp3

Sermon by Jonathan Hays. http://www.newrestalrig.com/wp-content/mp3s/21august_am.mp3

Sermon by Rev. David Court. http://www.newrestalrig.com/wp-content/mp3s/14august_pm.mp3

Sermon by Rev. David Court. http://www.newrestalrig.com/wp-content/mp3s/14august_am.mp3

Jonah 2. Sermon preached by Rev. David Court.

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In chapter 15 of the Gospel according to Luke, Jesus tells a parable to religious leaders of the day. These men (and they were all men) were good people by any earthly standard. They obeyed social conventions and followed all the rules. Yet Jesus tells them a story that cuts to the heart of their moralism, and which tells them (and, by extension, readers today) that these ‘good people’ are no better off than immoral, irreligious people.

This parable of Jesus’, commonly called ‘the Parable of the Prodigal Sons’, is widely known in our culture. It is the story of a man with two sons. The younger son insults his father by asking for his inheritance, and having received it, he heads off to a distant country where he wastes it all in immoral living. When he reaches the bottom of the barrel — broke, starving, and living in the dirt — he remembers that even his father’s servants have more than enough food to eat. He makes up his mind to return to his father and ask for a job as a common servant.

When he nears home his father sees him on the road and runs out to meet him. Before the son can even finish his apology and ask for a job, the father has begun ordering servants to prepare a great feast — his son was dead and now is alive! A celebration is in order!

Meanwhile, the older son has been working hard for his father. He has responsibly managed his father’s affairs, never disappointing his father in the least. When the older son learns how his father has welcomed his younger brother back he is indignant and refuses to join the celebration.

The father comes out of the house to plead with his elder son to come inside. The son protests that while his younger brother has been off wasting everything, he has been a good, hardworking, responsible son. All this time his father never once threw him a party, yet when this immoral son returns the father spares no expense to welcome him home. How ridiculous! The irresponsible son receives no condemnation, and the responsible son receives no praise!

The father’s response to his ‘good’ son is truly Good News. ‘Son,’ he says, ‘Your brother was lost — we had to celebrate his return. But all this time you were with me.’ None of the good things this son had done ultimately amount to much; what really matters is that he was in the presence of his Father!

This good person, this older son, thought that he could earn his Father’s love. And having tried really hard to be a good person he looks down with distain on his brother who has not lived up to the standards of right and wrong. But the Father teaches us that being a good person is not what really counts; what really counts is being in the presence of the Father.

This is the message of Christianity. Christianity is not about being a good person; Christianity is about being in the presence of God, even though we don’t deserve it. Every one of us has done things that are wrong. We have all done our own thing and let God down. But despite our good or bad deeds, Jesus Christ came to earth and lived a perfect life, and then died to pay for the wrong done by men and women like us. In doing so he exchanges places with ‘good’ and ‘bad’ people alike. He gives us the record of the perfect life he lived, and in exchange takes the wrong we have done upon himself. He sets us free to live the lives we were created to live.

This is the true message of Christianity. There is room at God’s banquet celebration for both ‘bad’ people and ‘good’ people. Jesus Christ, by his grace, has made that room for people like us. If you are tired of trying to be a good person, or if you thought you were too bad to ever attain God’s approval, there is great hope. You can rest in the work of Jesus on your behalf.

If you would like to learn more about this message of grace please feel free to contact us, or better yet, visit New Restalrig (directions) any Sunday.