November 13, 2022
Indianola Presbyterian Church, Columbus
" The Prodigal Son: A Meditation"
Sermon by Rev. Susan Warrener Smith
November 13, 2022 Based on Luke 15:11-32
This parable in Luke’s gospel which we have just heard is certainly one of the best-known stories in all the New Testament. It has been called by many names. Some have called it “The Prodigal Son.” Others have called it “The Compassionate Father and the Angry Brother.” Still others take their cue from the first line, calling it “A Man and His Two Sons.” In recent years, attempting to preserve the integrity of the story in its entirety, some have chosen to lengthen the title to “The Prodigal Son, the Waiting Father, and the Elder Brother.” Each one of these titles has its own bias, and I think the fact that it invites such diverse approaches reflects the richness of this complex story which defies any simplistic explanation.
It seems there is always something more to learn from it, and with that in mind I chose as our point of departure for reflection on this scripture the painting entitled “Return of the Prodigal Son” by Rembrandt, one of the best known and greatest artists of the western world. This painting does not pretend to be a record of the entire parable but rather is more like a meditation on its central themes. It is strange in some ways to that using art to inspire a sermon probably would not have made John Calvin, the “father of our Reformed tradition,” happy. For him preaching should be about a good dose of Christian doctrine. He calls the pictures and statues of the churches and cathedrals of his day “examples of the most abandoned lust and obscenity” and suggests that “if anyone wished to model himself after them, he would be fit for the lash.” (Institutes 1.XI.7) We are, however, a denomination that is “reformed but always reforming,” and we have come a long way since Calvin’s day in the 16th century. Witness the beautiful stained glass in this sanctuary. And so, despite this stringent heritage let us embrace Rembrandt’s remarkable depiction of “The Return of the Prodigal Son.”
I believe context is not only helpful but enriches our understanding, so there are a few things that are important for us to know. First, this painting was executed in 17th century Holland where independence from Catholic Spain had been achieved, and Calvinism was on the rise. The middle class had come into its own; trade was flourishing; Holland was master of the seas; people were reveling in their newfound independence. And significantly there was a growing indifference to religious art, and still lifes and secular scenes of daily life came into vogue.
How does Rembrandt fit into this cultural shift? He was a man of his day and well known for his portraits and secular paintings, but he was, above all and despite this new trend, a very devout man, and it is religious subject matter, specifically Biblical stories, which make up the largest percentage of his paintings. IN fact, he created more than 850 paintings, etchings, and drawing of various religious subjects. In fact, in the 2019 exhibit at the Columbus Museum of Art entitled “Life in the Age of Rembrandt” the only works with religious themes were by Rembrandt. Despite growing secularism, he was a deeply religious man.
While Rembrandt is well known for his portraits and landscapes, he had from the beginning a preference for depicting the inner experience, the contemplative, if you will, as opposed to concrete reality. Calvinism was the official religion of the Dutch republic, and Rembrandt was very much a Calvinist in his convictions that the Bible and religious faith are central to one’s life, that God is sovereign, and that humankind is dependent upon God’s mercy and compassion, yet in the end he seems to have more in common with the Mennonites who emerged from the Reformation and became advocates for simplicity, sobriety, humility, and pacifism.
Rembrandt’s painting “Return of the Prodigal Son” (yes, we are getting to that!) was executed during the final years of his life. It is a huge and imposing work of art described in Janson’s History of Art as “perhaps Rembrandt’s most moving picture. It is also his quietest – a moment stretching into eternity. So pervasive is the mood of tender silence that the beholder senses a spontaneous kinship with this group – [a] bond of shared experience . . .” (p. 577)
The painting is anchored by the suggestion of one side of an archway which descends down its center, but the emotional center clearly is found to the left where father and son are reunited. The father may be an old man with a gray beard and rounded shoulders, but his strength and fortitude are reflected in the breadth of his shoulders enhanced by a cloak colored red . . . the color of love. His eyes are closed, his hands spread firmly but, at the same time, gently upon his son, clearly delineated against the folds of the sons robe and accented by the lace cuffs which encircle his wrists. The son has fallen to his knees before his father, his back facing us. His clothing is tattered and torn; one foot is bare; one shoe has a broken sole – all signs of dissolute living and his life as a swineherd. It is clear he has not been a good steward of his father’s gift and blessings. His eyes, too, are closed. His hands are hidden, but one senses they are folded. White, ochre, and gold articulate his body against the large, imposing form of his father, and he buries his head in his father’s chest, his bald head symbolizing his humble and humiliating return.
There are onlookers, too. Who they are is hard to say. A tall, bearded man stands to the right, his eyes wide open, a headdress upon his head, his weight upon a cane, his cloak echoing the red of the father’s. A man is seated next to him, cross-legged, his arms folded, his eyes wide open, distinguished by a broad-brimmed black hat and mustache. Other forms emerge from the background, indistinguishable but clearly observant. Who are these people? Are they servants? Is one the older brother? Is one the mother? Are they guests arriving for the celebration? It is hard to say.
One thing that clearly is missing from the painting is any explicit retelling of the parable. Yes, there is the tattered clothing of the son, reminding us of the wanton lifestyle he assumed. The emphasis, however, is not upon the hurt, the betrayal, or the insult he has brought upon his father. The emphasis is upon his turning back, literally and figuratively. He has hit bottom, as they say. He finds himself penniless and starving – starving to the point where he would eat carob pods that are fed to swine, if they were offered to him. But the son’s turning back is not a self-serving gesture, but it is a true re-turning – what we would call repentance – where he comes to his senses, abandons his destructive lifestyle, and learns that his father’s love is the very ground of his being. I doubt it is coincidence that he turns his back to us.
As I look at this painting and wonder about what it is calling you and me – as the observers – to be, I am aware that like the tall figure on the right we all sometimes have our moments when we hold ourselves upright and observe the mercy of God which is before us with eyes wide open but at the same time with reticence or even indifference or lack of understanding. Just as he carries a red cloak on his shoulders, so sometimes we carry the potential of love in our hearts but do not lean forward and offer that compassion to others. I am aware also that like the man in the broad-brimmed hat we all have our moments when we sit casually, our legs crossed, our arms folded, our hats tipped, but are totally disconnected from what is going on around us – no matter how extraordinary that may be. We are, it would seem, sometimes oblivious. And I am aware that just as these murky figures emerge from the depths of the painting, so my6 waiting and hoping upon the compassion of God draws me from shadows, and though I may see through a glass darkly, I do see something, and I am drawn to wonder if I, too, need to turn back and bury my head in the warm heart of God.
But there is more. Henri Nouwen, spiritual writer of many books, wrote his own meditation on this painting, and this is what he discovered. He says he discovered that “the most radical statement Jesus ever made is: ‘Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate’ . . .What I am called to make true is that whether I [identify] with the younger or the elder son, I am the son of my compassionate Father. I am an heir . . . [Thus] I am destined to step into my Father’s place and offer to others the same compassion he has offered to me.” (Nouwen, 116)
Yes, we are the elder son and have our moments of jealousy and resentment. Yes, we are the younger son and have our moments of disappointment and mistake. Yes, we can be indifferent, oblivious, or curious bystanders. And yes, repentance and humility emerge as important themes in Rembrandt’s painting. But he reminds us that, above all, we are called to emulate the compassion and generosity of God. As Jesus says, “ Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate.” Let us never forget that what we are and all we have are given freely with no strings . . . from a generous God. May compassion and generosity be the driving forces of all we do with what we have all the time . . . always to the glory of God. May it be so.
We welcome all who worship here this morning!
WE GATHER IN AWE AND PRAISE
PRELUDE
INTROIT “Praise to the Lord” arr. Paul Sjolund
WELCOME Rev. Susan Warrener Smith
CALL TO WORSHIP
One: Great Spirit, you have turned your face earthward and opened your heart to your children.
All: And so, O God, do we turn to you now.
One: We turn to you for purpose and correction,
All: For joy and peace,
One: For a way out of hopeless situations,
All: For justice,
One: For forgiveness,
All: For love.
One: We turn to you, O God, for all these things offered through Jesus the Christ, the maker of redemption and the bringer of hope.
All: Amen.
One: Sisters and brothers, let us worship God.
HYMN No. 22 “God of the Sparrow” (vs. 1, 4,6) ROEDER
PRAYER OF CONFESSION Marie Boozer
Endless source of every good and perfect gift, with you is life and the joy of living. But we forget and search everywhere for gifts that only you can give; thus we fall into sin and despair. Still you accept us; you even give us the task of leading others to the waters of life. Forgive us, and make us channels of your grace, through Jesus our Christ. Amen.
Hear our confessions in the silence…
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
God’s love is boundless and reaches into the unknown places of the earth. But it is also an intimate love which touches us in the hidden fears and joys of our own lives. Be assured that God’s love is present for you in the caring of this community and in the offering of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Be assured that the ways of God’s love are still surprising and mysterious and are at work in you and among us all. Friends: believe and trust in the Good News
In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.
RESPONSE OF PRAISE “Change My Heart O God” CHANGE MY HEART
PASSING OF THE PEACE
One: The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all,
All: And also with you.
WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD
ANTHEM “Lord Make Us One” Noel Dexter
PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 32
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE Parker Wilkinson
SCRIPTURE: Luke 15: 11-32
SERMON “Return of the Prodigal: A Meditation” Rev. Susan Warrener Smith, Associate Pastor Emerita
HYMN NO. 304 “O Sing a New Song to the Lord” GONFALON ROYAL
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH with The Lord’s Prayer using debts and debtors
Time of Offering “How Great is our God” words and music by Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, & Ed Cash
OFFERTORY RESPONSE #596 “You Are Holy” DU ÄR HELIG
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Holy God, may every offering we make, no matter how small or large, be made with the hope and confidence that all we do, all we offer, all we say, all we think, and all we hope will take root in this world and be the source of new expressions of y our love, of your justice, of your character, of y our mission, and of your reign. May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven through us, alongside us, despite us, and for us. Amen.
HYMN NO. 774 “There Is Now a New Creation” STUTTGART
TIME OF COMMUNITY SHARING
Moment for Stewardship Marie Boozer
CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
BENEDICTION RESPONSE "A Unified Prayer" B.E. Boykin
POSTLUDE
Acknowledgments: Unless otherwise indicated, all texts and music are printed and broadcast under OneLicense.net license #A-702452
WORSHIP LEADERS
Pastor – Rev. Susan Warrener Smith, Associate Pastor Emerita
Liturgist – Bob Concitis
Children’s Message – Parker Wilkinson
MUSIC LEADERS
Chancel Choir
Organist – Orlay Alonso
Director of Music – Christopher Dent
Assoc. Director of Music – Ariel Alvarado