Sunday our pastor, Doug Reed (Central Christian Church), finished up a 3-part series on the Prodigal Son. One of my favorite stories from the bible - I have read it a 100 times. But this time I learned a portion of the story that I had never heard before ..... the story of the ceremony of 'kezazah'.
So the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) is a familiar one to most of us. The younger of two sons asks his father for his inheritance before the father dies. He is basically saying "I want to spend my money now - I want to pretend you have already died so I can have my share of your wealth.'
The younger son leaves and wastes his money in 'wild living'. Later in the story, the older son will say he 'squandered his money on prostitutes'. The actual word used is 'asotos' which means expensive living without savings.
When the son is still a long way off, the father sees him coming and runs to him. In this middle-eastern culture it is humiliating for a man of wealth to run - servants ran - men of position did not. He would also have probably pulled up his robes, exposing his legs, to run faster - also not something a middle-aged man would do.
Now here's the part that I had never heard. The ceremony of kezazah. This ceremony was done when a Jewish man left the community, went and lived with the Gentiles, and lost his wealth. When he came back, he would go to the city gates and the older men would throw down a pot in front of the young man - symbolizing the broken relationship that now existed between the community and this 'sinner.' This separated him from his family, his community, and his faith.
According to the ceremony of kezazah, the father would stay at home, emotionally removed from the ceremony, to see what the son had to say for himself. The mom could come to the ceremony and ask for mercy....but not the dad.
So the prodigal's father broke all the customs.....he ran, he showed his legs, he forgave before the ceremony of kezazah could be done cutting his son off from him.
WOW!! How cool is that. Doug in his sermon took a clay pot and throw it on the ground breaking it before the foot of the cross that is up on the stage. He reminded us that is what our heavenly Father does for us. He goes ahead of us so that we don't suffer the shame and humiliation that we deserve.
I went forward and took a piece of that clay pot that Doug broke. I knelt there and praised the Lord for this awesome picture of his love and protection, for his mercy for me, for 'running ahead of me' and preparing my church family at Central to accept me with open arms and loving me unconditionally.
Amen!!! Thanks for the awesome message Doug!!
So the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) is a familiar one to most of us. The younger of two sons asks his father for his inheritance before the father dies. He is basically saying "I want to spend my money now - I want to pretend you have already died so I can have my share of your wealth.'
The younger son leaves and wastes his money in 'wild living'. Later in the story, the older son will say he 'squandered his money on prostitutes'. The actual word used is 'asotos' which means expensive living without savings.
When the son is still a long way off, the father sees him coming and runs to him. In this middle-eastern culture it is humiliating for a man of wealth to run - servants ran - men of position did not. He would also have probably pulled up his robes, exposing his legs, to run faster - also not something a middle-aged man would do.
Now here's the part that I had never heard. The ceremony of kezazah. This ceremony was done when a Jewish man left the community, went and lived with the Gentiles, and lost his wealth. When he came back, he would go to the city gates and the older men would throw down a pot in front of the young man - symbolizing the broken relationship that now existed between the community and this 'sinner.' This separated him from his family, his community, and his faith.
According to the ceremony of kezazah, the father would stay at home, emotionally removed from the ceremony, to see what the son had to say for himself. The mom could come to the ceremony and ask for mercy....but not the dad.
So the prodigal's father broke all the customs.....he ran, he showed his legs, he forgave before the ceremony of kezazah could be done cutting his son off from him.
WOW!! How cool is that. Doug in his sermon took a clay pot and throw it on the ground breaking it before the foot of the cross that is up on the stage. He reminded us that is what our heavenly Father does for us. He goes ahead of us so that we don't suffer the shame and humiliation that we deserve.
I went forward and took a piece of that clay pot that Doug broke. I knelt there and praised the Lord for this awesome picture of his love and protection, for his mercy for me, for 'running ahead of me' and preparing my church family at Central to accept me with open arms and loving me unconditionally.
Amen!!! Thanks for the awesome message Doug!!