Sermon Notes: Called Beyond the Ordinary
Luke 15:11-32

Call-out culture (also known as outrage culture) is a form of public shaming that aims to hold individuals and groups accountable by calling attention to behavior that is perceived to be problematic, usually on social media.

Cancel culture, describes a form of boycott in which someone (usually a celebrity) who has shared a questionable or unpopular opinion, or has had behavior that is perceived to be offensive called out on social media is "canceled": they are completely boycotted by many fans, often leading to massive declines in celebrities' careers and fanbase.

Guilt - My conscience tells me I DID something bad.
Shame - My culture tells me that I AM bad.

In a shame based culture, fear of losing popularity or status becomes the motivation to “not mess up.” It no longer is so much about right or wrong as it is about public validation and fitting in.

Shame and fear are Siamese Twins. They always travel together and can’t be separated.

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 So he told them this parable: Luke 15:1-3 (NRSV)

The religious leaders tried to shame Jesus for associating with shameful people who were supposed to be “canceled,” or shunned, by good people. But Jesus was not afraid of their shame. Instead Jesus exposed their shaming techniques by telling a series of “lost and found” parables that ended with the story of lost sons.

The younger son represents the shameful “sinner.” The older son represents the self-righteous “saint.” The Father represents God.

20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21 Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’
Luke 15:20-24

In the shame based culture of Jesus’s time, a child who did something as shameful as this younger son, would probably be considered by the father as, “Dead to me.” If he returned home, he would have most likely been shunned and treated as invisible. If he was lucky he might have been allowed to join the hired hands.

‘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. 30 But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ Luke 15:29-30 (NRSV)

31 Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 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 15:31-32 (NRSV)

We are God’s sons and daughters. There is nothing we can do, or fail to do, that will change that. We are the ones who see ourselves as slaves, either because we see ourselves as shameful sinners who have to earn our way back into God’s good favor, or we see ourselves as proud saints, religiously slaving away to please God, and therefore, God owes us something. Both ideas remove us from the most basic truth about ourselves. The most basic truth is that we are God’s beloved sons and daughters and not His slaves.

The older brother calls his younger brother, “This son of yours.” But the Father rightfully calls him, “This brother of yours.” When we live in a shame based culture, we lose sight of our true status. We are God’s beloved children which makes us all brothers and sisters. When we shame each other, we disagree with what God says about us, and we seek to strip each other of the dignity based on what is most true about us.

We do not need to be threatened to be punished FOR our sins, because we are naturally punished BY our sins. But in the ordinary world, we like to threaten to punish people for their sins. Shame is the most common weapon we use to do this.

Jesus seems to be telling us that God exists beyond the ordinary shamed based world where we have to earn our worth. God’s world is a world of grace. Jesus invites us to move into this amazing world of grace by faith.
God does not shame us, nor cancel us when we get it wrong.

Shame produces fear. Fear causes people to hide. This fear and hiding takes shape in secrecy, hypocrisy, denial, rationalizing, and defensiveness. Shame becomes the enemy of honesty and truth telling. An atmosphere of grace gives people the courage to be honest and to tell the truth, even when that truth is ugly. Shame says, “Stay away and stay the same. You are cancelled!” Grace says, “Come home, face the truth, and be transformed into the real you. You are welcomed!”

Jesus told us a powerful story to let us know that it is safe to come home, when home is grace. And a graceful “home” is where sinners and saints who see themselves of slaves to shame and fear are transformed into beloved children of God.

1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Go at once to Nineveh, that great city…. Jonah 1:1-2a (NRSV)