When I was a young preacher serving a church in the South, our ministry included many African American young men. Two men invited me to a meeting to discuss the rules for using the church-owned basketball court. I dreaded attending that meeting.
When I arrived, I noticed another man present who was highly influential in the community. The two men began discussing various issues, essentially dancing around the real concern—that people of color were using a gym previously reserved for white people.
At one point, the influential man turned to the other two and asked directly, “So, the question is: is this a church that serves Jesus, or is it a country club that only serves a select few?” That was the shortest meeting I’ve ever attended. I wanted to hug the man who spoke up for the African American men using the gym.
The sentiment expressed in my meeting years ago mirrors what Jesus faced when the religious authorities questioned whether He should associate with tax collectors and sinners.
Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:1-2).
To counter the arguments of the religious authorities, Jesus told a series of parables about finding what was lost: a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son.
With these parables, Jesus included one more that directly addressed the sentiments of the religious authorities. They closely resembled the character in this final parable.
We do well to take a moment to allow the dialogue to impress us and cause us to ask how we may be like the older son.
“Now his elder son was in the field, and as he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on.
He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf because he has got him back safe and sound.’
Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him.
But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command, yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends.
But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’
Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found'” (Luke 15.25-32).
Under the guise of religious propriety, the religious authorities sought to maintain a two-tiered system where some were considered inferior. They expected to be well-regarded not only on earth but also by God Himself.
Jesus turned this worldview upside down, revealing that God rejoices over the lost being found—whether it is a lost sheep, a lost coin, or a lost son.
This celebration did not diminish the value of those who had always been with the Father. Instead, it demonstrated that God loves everyone, and we are called to do the same.
The story I shared about my experiences in the South happened over 40 years ago. I hope the South has changed since then.
The two men who wanted to prevent African Americans from playing in their all-white gym wouldn’t have denied them a place in heaven—they just didn’t want them on their property.
Thank God for a farsighted, generous, and loving individual who had the power to put those men in their place. As a young preacher, I wouldn’t have been able to do that—but he did.
The pastor I worked under during my time in the South once said in a staff meeting, “You don’t vote on what is right. You just do it.” He fully supported what we were doing and knew all about it. In fact, he gave me permission and may have even sent the wise man to our meeting to ensure everything turned out as it should.
Both my pastor and that man embodied the sentiment of Christ: “You don’t vote on what is right. You just do it.”
Jesus taught us this principle, and thank God we have His example to follow.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 